The Story Of The Raspberries
Written: Dec 19 '99 (Updated Nov 08 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: This is for fans, musicians and anyone who loves music history.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: Fans of power pop music will love this.
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| Don_Krider's Full Review: Overnight Sensation : The Story of the Raspberries... |
The Raspberries weren't around for any great length of time. Formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1970, the band went through three personnel lineups in less than five years together. Only two members, Wally Bryson and Eric Carmen, stayed with the group from 1970 to 1975. The band had seven Hot 100 singles and five Top 200 albums (four studio recordings and a greatest hits collection, "Raspberries Best" from 1976).
Four of their singles hit the national Top 40 (including the ballad "Let's Pretend" in 1973). Three of those singles went Top 20 (including "I Wanna Be With You" in 1972-73 and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" in 1974). But one single did rise to # 5, "Go All The Way," which went gold and sold 1.3 million copies in 1972, remaining their best known moment on vinyl.
The band is little remembered today. They did several television shows and headlined at Carnegie Hall, and have been named as influential by a number of rock artists (including Bruce Springsteen, most recently), yet the band was heavily in debt and the members wound up at odds with one another by the time they called it quits in 1975.
At the time of their existance, they never could quite get past being labeled "imitators" when in actuality their sound was fresh, energetic and unique. When you get down to it, they may have borrowed the best elements of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Who, The Left Banke and The Rolling Stones for their sound mix, but their idols borrowed heavily as well.
This book
So when Goldmine magazine came out with a cover story on The Raspberries in 1993, I was somewhat amazed. Writer Ken Sharp interviewed all the band members, found some amazing photos (Keith Moon of The Who sitting in on drums for a Raspberries live gig in 1974, for one) and proceeded to put together a wonderful "scrapbook" on the band.
The large, resulting paperback reprints the Goldmine interviews, has a discography, hundreds of photos, some sheet music and more info from various magazines than was ever brought together before.
This is the book for fans, as well as for anyone wanting to take a crack at pop stardom in a band.
The original printing of 1000 copies sold out quickly. It has finally been reprinted (1998) and should be sought after by collectors.
A fascinating read. The writing is crisp and informed, but from a fan's perspective.
The book was acclaimed by Rolling Stone, Mojo, Q and most of the rock press.
The author
Ken Sharp has also written books on Cheap Trick and The Beatles. His articles/interviews are well-known in the rock press (including ex-Raspberry Wally Bryson in 20th Century Guitar) --- in October 2002 in Goldmine magazine his interviews with the Who's Pete Townshend and John Entwistle (the final interview by the beloved bassist) appeared.
Ken has also written the CD booklets for a number of acts, including The Raspberries "Volume One" and "Volume Two," as well as the recent Kiss box set (he has also interviewed the members of Kiss several times for Goldmine magazine).
He also produced the three-volume "Poptopia: Power Pop Classics..." CD series for Rhino Records in 1997.
He has released three CDs of his own music as well while performing live onstage as a working musician.
JUST RELEASED
"Raspberries TONIGHT!" by Bernie Hogya and Ken Sharp with photography by Gene Taylor --- a full-color, 100-page paperback book about the 2004-2005 Raspberries reunion tour: http://www.epinions.com/content_217001201284
Also by author Ken Sharp
Released in July of 2004, "Eric Carmen: Marathon Man," the official book biography by Bernie Hogya and Ken Sharp: http://www.epinions.com/content_153762500228
Related review
The Sittin' Ducks featuring Wally Bryson of Raspberries with Dan Klawon and Kenny Margolis, Wally's bandmates in The Choir (see their "Choir Practice" CD): http://www.epinions.com/content_239152434820
Capitol/EMI's 24-bit digitally remastered CD "Greatest" by Raspberries was released in May of 2005 in the U. S. and Europe. It features all 7 of Raspberries Hot 100 singles, has 20 tracks and runs 78:53 minutes: http://www.epinions.com/content_186044681860
Side bar
On a personal note, the author and I spent many late night phone calls talking about the band back in 1993. He was kind enough to list me in the credits for the book --- that has special meaning for this Raspberries fan.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Don_Krider
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 in Music, Electronics, Musical Instruments |
 - Top 200 |
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Member: Don Krider
Location: USA
Reviews written: 301
Trusted by: 1004 members
About Me:
Fan of power pop (Raspberries, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, The Knack, Romantics, Slade,Sweet...) --- "Play On"!!!
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