| Russ Ballard |
Russ
Ballard playing guitar in concert.
|
| Background
information |
| Born |
October 31, 1945 |
| Origin |
Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire,
England |
| Genre(s) |
Rock
Pop |
| Instrument(s) |
Piano
Guitar
Harmonica
Vocals |
| Years active |
1960–Present |
| Label(s) |
EMI |
Russ Ballard (born October
31, 1945, in
Waltham
Cross, Hertfordshire, England) is an English singer/songwriter
and musician.
|
Contents
- 1 Career
- 2 Ballard
and KISS
- 3 Discography
- 4 References
- 5 External
link
|
Career
Initially he was a guitarist with Buster Meikle & The
Day Breakers which, incidentally also included his older brother on keyboards,
together with Bob Henrit on drums. After a
stint with The Roulettes backing Adam
Faith, he then went on to join Unit
4 + 2 in the early 1960s, before becoming the lead
singer and guitarist
of Argent, writing
their hit
"God Gave Rock and Roll to You", which would later be covered by Petra
and KISS.
In 1972 he performed on Colin
Blunstone's Ennismore album, which was
produced by Chris White. Ballard wrote the hit single
"I Don't Believe in Miracles", which featured on that album.
He left Argent in 1973 and pursued a solo
and songwriting career. He wrote such hits as Three
Dog Night's "Liar", Hot Chocolate's UK
chart topper "So You Win Again", and Rainbow's
"Since You've Been Gone" and
"I Surrender". As a solo artist he charted once on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100 chart, when "On
the Rebound" went to number 58 in 1980. Progressive
Rock band Uriah Heep covered "On
the Rebound" in 1982 on their critically acclaimed and fairly
successful album, Abominog.
Ballard wrote and performed on Roger
Daltrey's first two solo albums.
The British pop band Hello recorded Ballard's "New
York Groove" in 1975, reaching #7 in Germany, #9 in the UK.
Ballard wrote and produced "You Can Do Magic" for the band America.
The single climbed to #8 on the Billboard
Hot 100 in October 1982 and helped resurrect the band's
career. The following year, America brought in Ballard to produce their
follow-up album, Your Move.
"The Border", which was co-written by Ballard with Dewey
Bunnell, reached #33 on the charts.
Borrowing from Simon Gallup's (The
Cure) 1981 "Other Voices" bass riff, Ballard
wrote Frida's (ABBA) 1982 solo hit: "I Know There's
Something Going On" (with drums played by Phil
Collins).
The song "Voices" from the album Russ Ballard was
featured on the Miami Vice episode entitled "Calderone's Demise",
airing on October 26, 1984. The song was a brief hit on rock radio
stations, peaking at #15 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
However, the single stalled below the Billboard
Hot 100, hitting #110. The song "In The Night" from the album Russ
Ballard was also featured in Miami
Vice. It was featured on the episode entitled Calderone's
Return Pt. 1.
Ballard has also written and produced for Elkie
Brooks, and more recently acting as a talent
scout, he "discovered", Lauren Harris.
Ballard and KISS
In addition to KISS covering "God Gave Rock and Roll to
You":
- KISS drummer,
Peter
Criss, recorded Ballard's "Let Me Rock You" and "Some Kinda Hurricane"
on his 1982 Let Me Rock You
album.
- KISS guitarist, Ace
Frehley, covered "New
York Groove" on his self-titled solo album in 1978.
Frehley's version reached #13 on the Billboard
Hot 100 chart and has been a regular staple of KISS live performances,
during tours in which Frehley has taken part.
- During his non-KISS years, Frehley also did a cover of the
Ballard song "Into The Night", for his Frehley's Comet
album (1987).
Discography
- 1975
Russ Ballard
- 1976
Winning
- 1979
At the Third Stroke
- 1980
Russ Ballard & the Barnet Dogs
- 1981
Into The Fire
- 1984
Russ Ballard – 1984
- 1986
The Fire Stills Burns
- 1995
Seer
- 2006
Book of Love
References
- Guinness Book
of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN
0-85112-190-X
- The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits - ISBN 0-85112-250-7
External link
