THE RASPBERRIES

'The Raspberries' were a rock and roll band from Cleveland, Ohio, United States. They had a brief run of success in the 1970s, but are considered highly influential in the power pop genre.
Heavily influenced by the British Invasion era - especially The Beatles, The Who, The Hollies, and The Small Faces - and its mod sensibility, they helped pioneer the power pop style. Their most well known songs were "Go All The Way" from their first album ''Raspberries'', "Let's Pretend" and "I Wanna Be With You" from their second album ''Fresh'', "Tonight" from their third album ''Side 3'', and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" from their fourth album ''Starting Over''.
Producer Jimmy Ienner was responsible for all the Raspberries' albums in the 1970s, which often attempted to replicate Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound."

Contents

Prologue

1970-1972

1972-1974

Breakup

Epilogue

Discography and chart history

Albums

Singles

Discography

The Raspberries

External links

Prologue

The group had its roots in two of Cleveland's most successful bands in the late 1960s, 'The Choir' and 'Cyrus Erie'. The Choir, originally called The Mods and comprised of Dan and Randy Klawon, Wally Bryson, Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfanti, who were all students at the same high school, had a more extensive repertoire of original songs, notably "It's Cold Outside," which parlayed its massive local success (#1 in Cleveland) into a nationally-charting single (peaking at #68 for Roulette Records). But though the Choir had the hit and a string of singles, Cyrus Erie, founded by Eric Carmen, Michael McBride and Marty Murphy, became the better-drawing local act after it lured Bryson away from the Choir. Cyrus Erie principally relied on cover versions but signed to Epic Records and recorded two Carmen/Bryson originals as a single ("Get the Message" and "Sparrow"), with regional success. Then Bryson quit, which led to Cyrus Erie disbanding. Carmen and Dan Klawon formed a new act called the 'Quick', which recorded a single of two Carmen/D. Klawon originals for Epic, although without much success. Meanwhile, Dave Smalley was drafted and sent to Vietnam, and the Choir disbanded as well.
In the aftermath, Carmen, Bonfanti, Bryson and John Aleksic formed a new rock quartet, called the Raspberries, but Aleksic quit just before the group recorded a demo tape. Shortly thereafter, Smalley mustered out of the service and was offered the open spot.

1970-1972

Composed of the "classical" rock & roll ensemble (the same as the Beatles, with the bass player doubling on piano), the first recording lineup for the Raspberries was Eric Carmen (lead vocals, bass, piano), Jim Bonfanti (drums), Wally Bryson (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Dave Smalley (lead vocals, rhythm guitar). The Raspberries' demo tape went to the desk of producer Jimmy Ienner, for whom Carmen had previously done session work, and in the wake of a major-label bidding war, the band signed to Capitol Records.
The Raspberries wore matching ensembles on stage. The group was somewhat ridiculed for making its stage entrance in tuxedos and large bouffant hairdos which, according to Carmen, "complemented the style of our music".

1972-1974

Following the success of "Go All The Way", Carmen and Smalley switched instruments, with Carmen moving to rhythm guitar so that he would be upfront on stage, while Smalley took over bass. After two albums both released in 1972, creative tension came to a head sparked largely by Carmen's creative dominance (and commercial success) over the contributions of Bryson and Smalley. Accordingly ''Side 3'' turned out to be a more raw, aggressive effort than its predecessors, typified by the opening track ''Tonight''. After its release, Smalley was ejected from the band, and Bonfanti departed soon afterwards. They formed their own band, Dynamite. They were replaced by bassist Scott McCarl and ex-Cyrus Erie drummer Michael McBride for what was to be fourth and final Rasbperries album, ''Starting Over''.

Breakup

The band broke up on April 19, 1975, but their sound had been distinctive and their influence was lasting. Since they were one of the very few bands of the original power pop generation who had multiple hits, the power pop movement of the late 1970s would likely not have developed as it did without them. Their influence can be heard in bands like Cheap Trick, The Rubinoos, The Knack, The Romantics, Teenage Fanclub, Enuff Z'Nuff, Keane, and Redd Kross. Bruce Springsteen praised the Raspberries at several stops during his Summer 2005 tour.
Singer-guitarist and primary songwriter Eric Carmen went on to have a successful solo career as a singer and writer of romantic pop ballads - the syrupy album cuts by the Raspberries provide a hint as to Carmen's softer, romantic side. Only a handful of solo Carmen tracks adopted the harder rock style of the Raspberries.
Carmen's ''All By Myself'', inspired by the 2nd piano concerto by Sergei Rachmaninoff, peaked at #2 on the Billboard charts, and was rated as one of the 40 greatest power ballads of all time by Classic Rock magazine. Carmen later had additional Top Ten singles with ''Hungry Eyes'' (from the soundtrack of ''Dirty Dancing'') in 1987 and ''Make Me Lose Control'' in 1988.

Epilogue

The original lineup of the band attempted to reform in the late 1990s, but frontman Carmen did not participate. In March 2000, Smalley, McCarl, and Bryson reunited and, with the aid of some session musicians, the band made the first all-new studio recording credited to the Raspberries in 26 years, ''Refreshed.'' The tracks were penned equally by all three members, and largely kept to the group's original sound.
On November 26, 2004, the House of Blues nightclub chain opened its Cleveland branch with a Raspberries reunion concert. Original members Eric, Jim, Wally and Dave played a sellout performance. This success led to a well-received 2005 mini-tour, a VH1 Classic special, and a concert broadcast on XM Satellite Radio.
The Raspberries have released their first new recording in over 30 years, a live CD and DVD recorded in Los Angeles on October 21, 2005. Released on July 31, 2007 on RYKO Records, RASPBERRIES: LIVE ON SUNSET STRIP is available as a 13 song live CD, or in a deluxe edition 21 song, 2 CD format that includes a bonus 5 song DVD of their most popular hits played at the LA House of Blues. Mark Linnet along with Eric Carmen handled production duties.

Discography and chart history

Albums

The Raspberries' debut album, ''Raspberries'', spent 30 weeks on the chart, peaking at # 51. The followup, ''Fresh Raspberries'', reached # 36.

Singles

1972:

★ "Don't Want to Say Goodbye," #86 US

★ "Go All the Way," #4 US

★ "I Wanna Be With You," #16 US
1973:

★ "Let's Pretend," #35 US

★ "Tonight," #69 US

★ "I'm a Rocker," #94 US
1974:

★ "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)," #18 US
British success, however, eluded the band. ''Go All The Way'' was banned by the BBC, although none of the other singles charted. Eric Carmen had one British hit, ''All By Myself,'' which reached #12 on the British charts.

Discography

The Raspberries

★ (1972) ''Raspberries''

★ (1972) ''Fresh Raspberries''

★ (1973) ''Side 3''

★ (1974) ''Starting Over''

★ Various greatest hit compilations have been released, including 1991's ''Capitol Collectors Edition,'' 1995's ''Very Best of the Raspberries,'' and 2005's ''Raspberries Greatest''.

★ (2007) Live on Sunset Strip (album) released July 31, 2007. Avaiable as a 13 song live CD, a deluxe edition with 21 songs on 2 CD's plus a 5 song DVD, and as a special or limited edition at the Raspberries official website, http://www.raspberriesonline.com that features all 21 songs on DVD as well as CD! Released by RYKO Records

External links

★ The Official Raspberries Website

★ Eric Carmen official website