Lions And Ghosts Biography
Like Camper Van Beethoven and the Replacements, Lions & Ghosts were adored by college-radio DJs in the ‘80s but received cold shoulders from the mainstream airwaves. Formed in Los Angeles by Rick Parker (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Michael Lockwood (guitar, vocals), Todd Hoffman (bass, vocals), and Michael Martin Murphey (drums, vocals), Lions & Ghosts' melodic guitar rock seemed tailor-made for campus stations; however, the group was lost in a glut of American bands marketed as the next R.E.M., whose surprise Top-40 breakthrough in 1987 inspired record labels to pillage college radio for the Next Big Thing. Lions & Ghosts' 1987 debut LP Velvet Kiss, Lick of the Lime was dismissed by critics who didn't feel the group was doing anything revolutionary or ambitious; in contrast, left-of-the-dial programmers feasted on the record's power-pop grooves. "Mary Goes Round", a dead ringer for the Replacements, and "Man in a Car" enjoyed heavy airplay on small alternative stations. "Mary Goes Round" even became a cult hit on New Wave dials in Manila, Philippines. But commercial outlets in the U.S. felt that the band's music was too understated and moody for mass acceptance. Wild Garden, Lions & Ghosts' second album, was released in 1989 to a similar reaction although the group changed their sound a bit, opting for more of a straightforward, roots-rock approach. Wild Garden didn't sell, and the band split up. In 1992, Parker recorded a solo effort, Wicked World, for Geffen Records; it quickly disappeared in the rise of grunge. Parker took a break from the music business and returned a few years later with another band, Sparkler, also featuring Tommy Black (bass) and John Wilmer (drums). Proudly displaying their love for ‘70s pop and glam rock, Sparkler released Wicker Park in 1997, drawing comparisons to Matthew Sweet and Jellyfish. In 2001, Parker co-wrote several tracks on his girlfriend Miranda Lee Richards' The Herethereafter. ~ Michael Sutton, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Dark new day Biography: Dark New Day formed in early 2005 and was quickly billed as a supergroup for the active rock set, since its membership came from various name-brand acts. Clint Lowery (guitar/vocals) had been a...
Gouryella Biography: A collaboration between Ferry Corsten and DJ Tiesto. ~ Jason Birchmeier , All Music...
Sunny day real estate Biography: Considering their relatively brief existence, Sunny Day Real Estate racked up enough dramatic twists and turns to rank with some of the great rock soap operas. Its key members have engaged in just...
Enid Biography: British group the Enid were formed in 1974. The founder of the band was Robert John Godfrey (Barclay James Harvest). In forming the group he was joined by Stephen Stewart and Francis Lickerish. They...
Two lone swordsmen Biography: After dissolving his Sabres of Paradise project and label, UK dance-don Andrew Weatherall set up the tripartite Emissions label group and launched his latest, perhaps most prodigious musical venture,...
Tyler read Biography: Metal-edged indie rock quintet Tyler Read formed in Shreveport, LA, in 2003, out of the merging of two defunct local bands. Singer Josh Johnson and his brother, drummer Jordan Johnson, formed the...
Tya Biography: German composer and multi-instrumentalist Martin Scherl's evocative blend of worldbeat and trance has drawn comparisons to the likes of Deep Forest and Enigma. The moniker TYA, which is the...
Bad brains Biography: By melding punk with reggae, Bad Brains became one of the definitive American hardcore punk groups of the early '80s. Although the group released only a handful of records during its peak, including...