A special thanks goes out to David and Linda LaFlamme of It's a Beautiful Day who believe in ItsAboutMusic.com enough to recommend our work to Dave Getz and the members of Big Brother & The Holding Company. __________________________________________________ Big Brother & The Holding Company is certainly a mainstay in the realm of Classic Rock - no question. In the late sixties I was a huge fan once I heard "Cheap Thrills". And then I investigated the remainder of the catalog only to find that Janis was not always in the band. What I also found out was that the band without Janis and with other front vocalists like Kathi McDonald was even more interesting - my opinion, obviously. Janis was amazing. No one doubts that. But for me, she was just a bit over the top and sometimes it was more about her than the band - or even the song. When you listen to tracks below where Kathi McDonald was in the band, you hear the song, your hear the band - and it's mighty pleasing! ItsAboutMusic.com proudly offers you the catalog of Big Brother - and there's more to come that has never been released before. So stay tuned and Enjoy! Dean Sciarra - ItsAboutMusic.com From the Nine Hundred Nights DVD - available below |
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Originally released on vinyl in 1970/71, this album is a compilation of tracks from Be a Brother and How Hard It Is with the "A" side produced by Nick Gravenites whose music can also be found here at ItsAboutMusic.com. This is the debut release of this long-time collector's item on CD and for download. Play Keep On Play Joseph's Coat Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1 Keep On 2 Joseph's Coat 3 Home on the Strange 4 Someday 5 Mr. Natural 6 Funkie Jim 7 Be a Brother 8 How Hard It Is 9 You've Been Talkin' 'Bout Me Baby 10 House on Fire 11 Nu Boogaloo Jam 12 Maui 13 Buried Alive in the Blues  | | "a superb 14-track re-release with invaluable Sam Andrew liner notes and an eight-page booklet, alternate takes of "Call on Me" and "Bye, Bye Baby" opening up the vaults and giving more insight. Almost four decades after their release, these naive recordings remain a precious snapshot because of the spirit and enthusiasm of the superstar just emerging from the grooves." - The All Music Guide Released in 1967 with Janis on vocals Play Bye Bye Baby Play Coo Coo (Single) Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Bye Bye Baby 2. Easy Rider 3. Intruder 4. Light Is Faster Than Sound 5. Call On Me 6. Women Is Losers 7. Blindman 8. Down On Me 9. Caterpillar 10. All Is Lonliness 11. Coo Coo (Single) 12. The Last Time (Single( 13. Call On Me (Alt Take) 14. Bye Bye Baby (Alt Take)
Purchase this CD from the Big Brother web site |
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"This is a striking record by an important band, but Joplin's contributions were so overwhelming that the integrity in these grooves never got the chance to reach a wider audience when it was first released." - The All Music Guide Released in 1971 - features Kathi McDonald on lead vocals on selected songs. Play How Hard It Is Play House On Fire Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. How Hard It Is 2. You've Been Talkin' Bout Me Baby 3. House On Fire 4. Black Widow Spider 5. Last Band On Side One 6. Nu Boogaloo Jam 7. Maui 8. Shine On 9. Buried Alive in The Blues 10. Promise Her Anything But Give Her Arpeggio | | This is a collection of tracks recorded right after Janis left the band. Some are studio recordings and some are rehearsal tapes - and all feature Kathi McDoanld on vocals. Play Don't You Call Me Cryin' Play I Can't Go Home Again Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Don't You Call Me Cryin' 2. I Know 3. As The Years Go Passing By 4. Three Times Last Week 5. Heartache 6. Tired Of It All 7. I Can't Go Home Again 8. Machine Song 9. Havana Ghila 10. Try It 11. Drivin' Stupid 12. Ghost Riders In The Sky 13. Ghost Riders (Reprise) |
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These ten original compositions include "Home on the Strange," "Mr. Natural," "Funkie Jim," and "I'll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle" dedicated to Merle Haggard. This is a decent blues-based session similar to early Butterfield Blues Band records, which isn't a bad thing at all." - The All Music Guide Released in 1970 - vocals by Nick Gravenites & Sam Andrew. Play Someday Play Heartache People Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Keep On 2. Joseph's Coat 3. Home On The Strange 4. Someday 5. Heartache People 6. Sunshine Baby 7. Mr. Natural 8. Funkie Jim 9. I'll Change Your Flat Tire Merle 10. Be a Brother | | "Recorded live in San Francisco on April 12 and April 13, 1968, this set is a snapshot of the band — with fine sound — reaching the peak of their form. All of the well-known songs from their first two albums are present: "Ball and Chain," "Down on Me," "Piece of My Heart," "Summertime," "Combination of the Two," and "Light Is Faster Than Sound," for starters. There isn't a single song that isn't available in some form on either the Janis box or the Farewell Song compilation, though. Also, these versions aren't remarkably different or better than the familiar ones, although they tend to run longer, particularly on the seven-minute "Light Is Faster Than Sound" and the ten-minute "Ball and Chain." A treat for fans to hear, with a 24-page booklet that has lots of comments from the band." - The ALl Music Guide Play I Need a Man To Love Play Piece Of My Heart Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Down On Me 2. Flower in The Sun 3. I Need a Man To Love 4. Bye Bye Baby 5. Easy Rider 6. Combination of The Two 7. Farewell Song 8. Piece Of My Heart 9. Catch Me Dady 10. Magic Of Love 11. Summertime 12. Light is Faster Than Sound 13. Ball and Chain 14. Down On Me
Purchase this CD from the Big Brother web site |
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Peter Albin(Bass) Sam Andrew(Guitar) Sam Andrew(Vocals & Harmony) David Getz(Percussion - Drums) Tom Finch (Guitar) Anna Schaad (Viola) Lisa Battle (Vocals) Johnny Thompson (Guitar) Released in 1998 Play Take Off Play Freedom Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Take Off 2. Save Your Love 3. I Need a Man To Love 4. Bos' Bio 5. Women IS Losers 6. Freedom 7. The OK Chorale 8. Do What You Love 9. Back Door Jamb 10. Feed the Flame 11. It's Cool 12. Looking Back 13. X Factor | | "The sound here is excellent, rich and close and punchy where it has to be, and if the attack on "Down on Me" and "Combination of the Two" isn't exactly frenzied, they still play with a lot more energy than one would expect." - The All Music Guide Released in 2006 - Sophia Ramos on lead vocals Play Piece Of My Heart Play Ball & Chain Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Down On Me 2. Combination Of The Two 3. Call On Me 4. Save Your Love 5. Blindman 6. Summertime 7. Turtle Blues 8. It's Cool 9. Hold Me 10. Women Is Losers 11. Piece Of My Heart 12. Ball and Chain Not available for download Purchase this CD from the Big Brother web site |
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"Recorded on July 28, 1966, before the band had cut any studio material, this performance was one of Janis Joplin's first gigs with Big Brother. The sound is decent, with several famous staples of their repertoire already in place . . . This recording is an interesting glimpse into the group's formative days, though, and features eight songs not on their late-'60s albums." - The All Music Guide Originally released in 1984 - Janis Joplin on lead vocals Play Down On Me Play Women Is Losers Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. (Come On Baby) Let The Good Times Roll 2. I Know You Rider 3. Moanin' at Midnight 4. Hey Baby 5. Down On Me 6. Whisperman 7. Women Is Losers 8. Blow My Mind 9. Ball and Chain 10. Coo Coo 11. Gutra's Garden 12. Harry 13. Hall Of The Mountain King Not available for download Purchase this CD from the Big Brother web site | | "When Cheap Thrills appeared in August 1968 — sporting a Robert Crumb cover on its gatefold jacket that constituted the most elaborate album design ever lavished on a rock album from Columbia Records, as well as a pop-art classic rivaling the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's jacket — it shot into the charts, reaching number one and going gold within a couple of months, and "Piece of My Heart" became a Top 40 hit and helped to propel the LP to over a million sales." - The All Music Guide Released in 1968 with Janis on vocals (as if you didn't know that) Play Piece Of My Heart Play Ball & Chain Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Combination of the Two 2. I Need a Man To Love 3. Summertime 4. Piece Of My Heart 5. Turtle Blues 6. Oh Sweet Mary 7. Ball & Chain 8. Roadblock 9. Flower In The Sun 10. Catch Me Daddy (LIVE) 11. Magic Of Love (LIVE)
Purchase this CD from the Big Brother web site |
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Experience the mind-bending sound and soulfoul voice that turned on a generation of rebellious youth. Witness the formation-and disintegration of one of the most misunderstood and under-appreciated bands of the era, the band that launched Janis Joplin: Big Brother and the Holding Company. Hear the untold story in Big Brother's own words. Includes D.A. Pennebaker's rarely-seen live Generation Club footage of "Piece Of My Heart," and "Comin' Home," their breakout performance of "Ball And Chain" and the unreleased "Combination Of The Two" from Monterey Pop; Cheap Thrills recording session of "Summertime," rehearsal and studio performances of "Down On Me," "Blow My Mind," "Hall of The Mountain King" and "Light Is Faster Than Sound." Coming Soon! | | This live DVD was recorded in Germany in the summer of 2007 with the fantastic Sophia Ramos on vocals as well as Chad Quist on guitar and of course Sam Andrew, Peter Albin & Dave Getz too. Purchase this DVD from the Big Brother web site |
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Evolving out of the San Francisco rock scene of the 1960s, Big Brother was in the forefront of the psychedelic music movement. The band was formed by Peter Albin, Sam Andrew, James Gurley and Chuck Jones in San Francisco, in a Victorian mansion/boarding house owned by Peter's uncle at 1090 Page Street in the Haight-Ashbury. That house became the site of Wednesday night jam sessions which were organized by Chet Helms who was the real "Big Brother," naming the band, bringing James Gurley into the fold and later seeing that his old friend Janis Joplin came to sing with them.The first official Big Brother gig was at the Open Theater in Berkeley, January 1966. Within a short time they became the house band for Chet at the Avalon Ballroom and began to develop a loyal following, largely due to the charismatic, pioneering guitarwork of James Gurley. The band had what Sam Andrew callled a "progressive-regressive hurricane blues style," playing such tunes as Hall of the Mountain King, Coo Coo, That's How Strong My Love Is, and Down On Me. During the winter of 1966, Chuck Jones left the band and was replaced by Dave Getz who played his first gig with the band on 12 March at the Matrix on Fillmore Street. Peter Albin was the main vocalist at this time, and although Sam Andrew helped out with the singing, both men knew that the band needed a singer who could match the group's instrumental energies. Chet Helms remembered a friend from his University of Texas days, Janis Joplin, and proposed that he bring her back to San Francisco, where she had tried to launch a singing career in 1963-1964. Janis came to town, sang a couple of tunes with the band at their Henry Street studio, and was enthusiastically welcomed into the group, playing her first Big Brother engagement at the Avalon Ball room on 10 June 1966. Big Brother had been a loose, ramshackle,experimenting ensemble and now, with Janis, the music became more sturctured, and the band became a family. They moved out of San Francisco, north to Lagunitas in Marin County, found a beautiful house where they could all live and rehearse and settled down to some serious music making. In August 1966, Big Brother went to Chicago, their first real on the road experience, and they played a month at Mother Blues, a club in Old Town, and recorded their first album at Mainstream Records. It was to be a year before this effort was released and the band went through the winter of 1966 and the spring of 1967 becoming a more professional unit and building an audience. June of 1967 brought the Monterey Pop Festival, a big shift for Big Brother. Janis had learned how to sing in front of an electric band, she became larger than life and her "screamingly mournful vocals and potently sexual stage act," had, as a reviewer noted, propelled Big Brother into the national spotlight. Peter, Sam, Dave and James, strong personalities in their own right, were wise enough to give Janis the freedom truly to be herself, and people responded to the power of the band and to Janis' truly unique voice. Big Brother acquired a new manager at Monterey, Albert Grossman, who brought them to Columbia Records.where they made their second album Cheap Thrills which was number one on the charts for eight weeks. The music on the album was energetic and driving, the perfect match for Joplin's voice. Guitar Player magazine called James Gurley the "Father of the Psychedelic Guitar," and Rick Clark in the All Music Book wrote "Anyone who thinks Guns N'Roses mastered hard electric blues-grunge hasn't heard Big Brother's James Gurley and Sam Houston Andrew duke it out on tracks like 'Ball and Chain,' 'Summertime,' and 'Combination of the Two.' " Janis Joplin left Big Brother in December 1968 and Sam Andrew went with her, while Peter Albin and Dave Getz joined Country Joe and the Fish. In the fall of 1969, Peter, Sam, Dave and James resurrected Big Brother with the help of Dave Schallock (guitar), Nick Gravenites(vocals and great songwriting), and Kathi McDonald. one of the best singers ever. The band released two albums Be A Brother (1970) and How Hard It Is (1971), toured for a couple of years and then decided to rest for a while. In October 1978, Big Brother and the Holding Company played for old friend Chet Helms at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley, but it was not to be until almost a decade later (1987) that they reunmited, adding Michel Bastian on vocals. Since that time, Big Brother have played all over the world and have become, in the process, better musicians than they ever were. This is partly because they have played with some wonderful players and vocalists over the years. On guitar, Tom Finch,Chad Quist, Joel Hoekstra and Kate Russo on violin have been superb, while on vocals, outstanding singers have been Lisa Battle, Lisa Mills and the redoubtable Sophia Ramos. Recent Big Brother and the Holding Company CD releases have been Do What You Love, the Janis Joplin boxed set on Sony, Live At Winterland and now (2006) the band is preparing a new offering, a live recording of a concert in Burg Herzberg, Germany, with Sophia Ramos and Chad Quist, and containing such tunes as Hold Me, Piece of My Heart, Ball & Chain, Down On Me, Summertime and Turtle Blues. This CD will be the soundtrack for a Big Brother 40th Anniversary tour of the world. Through a dear friend of the band, Catherine Cavalieri, Sam Andrew met Tim Murphy who has been a godsend. Tim has kept the band working and he goes far beyond the call of duty in handling the somewhat tempestuous and emotional aspects of the artists' lives. There is a renewed sense of excitement and hope with Big Brother today largely due to Tim's help and support. Visit Big Brother's Web site |