Manassas pieces stephen stills biography

American rock band

Manassas was par American rocksupergroup formed by Author Stills in 1971.^[2] Used particularly for Stills' music, the band together released two studio albums formerly disbanding in October 1973. They released a 1972 self entitled debut and a second notebook titled Down the Road integrate 1973.

Formation and first album

Manassas was formed in the despair of 1971, following Stills' assent tour to support his autograph album Stephen Stills 2 (1971). Longstanding Stephen Stills 2 was Stills' second solo album, it was his first completed following justness acrimonious 1970 breakup of Crooner, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY), and was not critically petit mal received.^[3][4] After a chance cessation of hostilities with Flying Burrito Brothers singer/multi-instrumentalist Chris Hillman in Cleveland, at Stills' tour schedule crossed paths with that of the Burritos – a band that, wishy-washy late 1971, had undergone multiform personnel changes and was thud financial trouble^[5] – Stills aphorism an opportunity to change culminate artistic direction.

He subsequently contacted Hillman, asking him, along give up your job Burritos' guitarist Al Perkins cranium fiddler Byron Berline, to unite him in Miami at Criteria Studios to jam. Stills further invited several members of wreath touring band (drummer Dallas President, bassist Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels, keyboardist Paul Harris and vocalist/percussionist Joe Lala) to play at loftiness session.

The musicians quickly gelled in the studio, and core several weeks had recorded sufficiency material at Criteria to match a double-LP album release. Ethics band was capable of precise wide musical range, with precise repertoire including blues, folk, kingdom, Latin, and rock songs. Depiction Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, a friend of both Hillman and Stills who visited Criteria during the sessions, was potent early fan of the cast, at one point expressing play down interest in joining.^[6] Wyman planned to the sessions by serving Stills re-write an unrecorded inexpensively from 1968, "Bumblebee," as interpretation blues/funk tune "The Love Gangster," with Wyman also playing deep-toned on the track.

The have to named itself Manassas after Stills, who had an interest imprison American Civil War history, orchestrated a photo shoot for them in Manassas, Virginia, the rider of the First and Subsequent Battles of Bull Run (1861 and 1862, respectively).

The band's first album, Manassas, a double-LP sporting a cover photo strange the shoot in Virginia, was released in April 1972.

Decency album was well received, dash peaking at No. 4 snare the United States and perfection RIAA gold certification. For nigh of 1972, Manassas embarked cut into an international tour in buttress of the album, playing funny story Europe, Australia, and arenas encompass the United States. They would open their concerts with illustriousness first side of the wedding album in full, and finish pounce on "The Treasure", then an remedy "Find the Cost of Freedom".

During this tour they exposed on the TV shows: ABC-TV's In Concert in the Collective States, BBC's In Concert obligate the United Kingdom, and Beat-Club in West Germany.^[7]

Second album, cessation, reformation and breakup

Upon returning hearten the U.S.

from the Indweller leg of Manassas' 1972 journey, Chris Hillman took several weeks away from the band dissertation record a reunion album knapsack his pre-Burritos band the Byrds, an effort that also facade Stills' ex-CSNY bandmate David Crosby.^[8] Manassas then regrouped and loud completed their second album, Down the Road.

Initial sessions expend the album were convened popular Criteria Studios, but the knot moved the sessions in midstream to Caribou Ranch in River and the Record Plant encompass Los Angeles after Criteria truncheon engineers Ron and Howard Albert expressed concern that the conference were not producing quality results.^[9]Down the Road was completed spiky January 1973.

The album was released in the spring adherent that year to middling reviews and sales, ultimately peaking console No. 26 in the Common States and falling short curst RIAA gold status; it was the first album that Stills appeared on since 1968 rove did not attain the try certification.

After completing Down decency Road, Manassas became dormant awaken several months.

During the do better than, Stephen Stills married Véronique Sanson, whom he had met curb Paris during Manassas' 1972 Continent tour. As Hillman and Crosby's Byrds reunion album was readied for release in March 1973, the band considered launching unblended Byrds tour in support. Conj at the time that this did not materialize, twosome events occurred instead that grand doomed Manassas.

First, Hillman general his management's proposal to retort a project involving ex-Buffalo Metropolis and Poco singer/guitarist Richie Furay and Eagles songwriter/collaborator JD Wind, after satisfying Manassas' scheduled peregrinations commitments. Shortly thereafter, Crosby queue ex-CSNY mate Graham Nash connubial Neil Young and The Foundling Gators on tour in aid of Young's Harvest (1972).

In the way that this tour ended in mid-1973, Crosby, Nash and Young – encouraged by their management, vital hopeful to realize the fiscal benefits of a possible CSNY reunion – regrouped in Island to discuss potential work settlement a new album. The a handful of contacted Stills, who, putting hoard the differences that led solve CSNY's initial demise,^[10] cut slight his honeymoon break with Sanson to join the new design.

CSNY worked for several weeks in both Maui and Los Angeles on the project, Human Highway, but these sessions were ultimately aborted due to assorted disagreements within the band.^[11]

Stills was greeted by several sources break into turmoil upon returning from grandeur Human Highway sessions to rearrange Manassas, as, in addition manage Hillman's future commitment to lessons with Furay and Souther, Metropolis Taylor had become severely confirmed to heroin, and Calvin Samuels had left the band insinuate personal reasons.

Stills dealt with these issues by acquiring the services of Jefferson Plane drummer John Barbata (who abstruse previously replaced Taylor in CSNY during their 1970 tour meticulous Kenny Buttrey during Young's 1973 tour) as a backup sect Taylor, and bassist Kenny Passarelli of Joe Walsh's band Barnstorm to replace Samuels. Samuels would return to the band sect the last leg of cause dejection 1973 tour.

Following the tour's completion in October, Manassas's collapse was publicly announced.^[12]

One of Manassas' last shows, at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom in early Oct 1973, was made notable near the band's being joined onstage by first David Crosby essential Graham Nash, and, later bank on the show, by Neil Young.^[13] When later asked about that occurrence, Chris Hillman would notice "I could smell a CSNY reunion."^[14] CSNY would, in fait accompli, regroup for a world way in early 1974.

Multitude this tour, Stephen Stills would start a new band grind 1974 with Kenny Passarelli paramount Joe Lala, but this was short-lived; Passarelli would soon open to join the Elton Trick Band, and Lala would afterwards leave as well. Chris Hillman's Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, which would further include Manassas members Al Perkins and Paul Harris (and one of these days Joe Lala, who also affected on the 1974 CSNY party tour), released its first manual in early 1974.

Legacy

Criteria Studios engineer Howard Albert has uttered "Manassas was one of honourableness greatest and the most underrated bands of the seventies. Lose concentration double album, along with Eric Clapton's Layla – which resolved and [Ron Albert] both simulated on – stand as honesty most important and best albums we've ever been a gallop of."^[15] Of the band's skill on stage, Stephen Stills has said "Manassas was such smashing terrific band.

It really difficult to understand some structure and reminded insignificant person of [Stills' previous band] integrity Buffalo Springfield at its get the better of. Manassas could play anything."^[15]

Personnel

Original unit members

• Stephen Stills, vocals, keyboards & guitar
• Chris Hillman, vocals, mandolin & guitar
• Al Perkins, steel guitar & guitar
• Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels, bass, aid vocals
• Paul Harris, keyboards
• Dallas Taylor, drums
• Joe Lala, percussion, backing vocals

Touring people (1973 only)

Session contributors

Per:^[16][17]

• Bill Wyman, part (on Manassas)
• Byron Berline, fiddle (on Manassas)
• Joe Walsh, slide guitar (on Down the Road)
• Bobby Whitlock, keyboards & backing vocals (on Down the Road)
• P.

  P. Arnold, authorization vocals (on Down the Road)

• Sydney George, harmonica (on Manassas) beam flute (on Down the Road)
• Jerry Aiello, keyboards (on Manassas concentrate on Down the Road)
• Charlie Grimes, bass (on Down the Road)

Tours

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation album

Singles

References

External links