Kevin King. The No1 album in the US on this day, January 5th 1979, was Briefcase Full Of Blues by The Blues Brothers. The Blues Brothers, more formally called The Blues Brothers Show Band and Revue, are an American blues and rhythm and blues revivalist band. What started in January of 1976 as a closing skit with John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd in bee costumes, Dan with a blues fedora turned into something oh, so much bigger. Belushi and Aykroyd, in character as lead vocalist Joliet Jake Blues (named after Joliet Prison) and harmonica player/backing vocalist Elwood Blues (named after the Elwood Ordnance Plant, which made TNT and grenades during World War II), fronted the band, which was composed of well-known and respected musicians. The Blues Brothers first appeared on Saturday Night Live on January 17, 1976. The band made its second appearance as the musical guest on the April 22, 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live, this time as the Blues Brothers characters. They would make their third and final appearance on November 18, 1978. The band began to take on a life beyond television, releasing an album, Briefcase Full of Blues, in 1978, and then having a Hollywood film, The Blues Brothers, created around its characters in 1980. After the death of Belushi in 1982, the Blues Brothers continued to perform with a rotation of guest singers and band members. They reformed in 1988 for a world tour and in 1998 for a sequel film, Blues Brothers 2000. They make regular appearances at musical festivals worldwide. Aside from the brothers, all members performed under their real names. The full band included: Joliet Jake E. Blues (John Belushi) – lead vocals Elwood J. Blues (Dan Aykroyd) – harmonica, backing vocals Steve The Colonel Cropper – lead and rhythm guitar (formerly with Booker T & the M.G.s) Matt Guitar Murphy – lead and rhythm guitar (Howlin Wolf, other artists) Donald Duck Dunn – bass guitar (formerly with Booker T & the M.G.s) Murphy Dunne – keyboards (brought in for the film due to Paul Shaffers commitment to perform with Gilda Radner in Gilda Live!, toured with the band in the summer of 1980) Willie Too Big Hall – drums, percussion (formerly of the Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes band) Tom Bones Malone – trombone, trumpet, saxophone (Saturday Night Live Band and formerly Blood, Sweat & Tears) Blue Lou Marini – saxophone (SNL Band and formerly Blood, Sweat & Tears) Alan Mr. Fabulous Rubin – trumpet (SNL Band) Steve Getdwa Jordan – drums, percussion (SNL Band) (does not appear in movie) Birch Crimson Slide Johnson – trombone (does not appear in movie) Paul The Shiv Shaffer – keyboards, arranger (does not appear in first movie, but appeared in the 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000) Tom Triple Scale Scott – saxophone (L.A. Express) (does not appear in movie) For the film Blues Brothers 2000 these members were added on vocals: Brother Zee Blues (James Belushi) – vocals Mighty Mack McTeer (John Goodman) – vocals Buster Blues (J. Evan Bonifant) – harmonica, vocals Following tapings of SNL, it was popular among cast members and the weekly hosts to attend Aykroyds Holland Tunnel Blues bar, which he had rented not long after joining the cast. Aykroyd and Belushi filled a jukebox with songs from many different artists such as Sam and Dave and punk band The Viletones. Belushi bought an amplifier and they kept some musical instruments there for anyone who wanted to jam. It was here that Aykroyd and Ron Gwynne collaborated on and developed the original story idea. It was also at the bar that Aykroyd introduced Belushi to the blues. An interest soon became a fascination and it was not long before the two began singing with local blues bands. Jokingly, SNL band leader Howard Shore suggested they call themselves The Blues Brothers. In a 1988 interview in the Chicago Sun-Times, Aykroyd said the Blues Brothers act borrowed their duo thing and dancing from Sam & Dave and others, but the hats came from John Lee Hooker. The suits came from the concept that when you were a jazz player in the 40s, 50s 60s, to look straight, you had to wear a suit. Here, from their first appearance on Saturday Night Live in bee costumes, are the Blues Brothers doing Im A King Bee..... Enjoy!
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 20:34:45 +0000