From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde Group Therapy, but was kicked out of the band for failing
to show up for shows.[citation needed] He was replaced by
Origin Los Angeles, CA, USA Gabriel Ramirez.
Genres Alternative rock Concrete Blonde was featured prominently in the
film The Hidden (1987). Clarence Felder’s character Lt.
Years active 1982–1995, 2001–2004, 2010-
John Masterson rocks out to Concrete Blonde after being
Labels I.R.S. taken over by the alien.
Concrete Blonde’s "Your Haunted Head" was also
Associated acts Roxy Music, Sparks, Wool
used in Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 in
Website www.concreteblondeofficialwebsite.com 1986. When L.G. Returns to the Radio station he pulls up
Members listening to it on the radio then while walking to the
staircase he sings "Ghosts Inside Your Haunted Head!"
Johnette Napolitano The B-side to the single of Joey, "I Want You," was
James Mankey
featured in Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 cult film Point Break.
Gabriel Ramirez
The song plays as Lori Petty’s character changes out of
Past members her bikini and into her clothes in the beginning of the
Harry Rushakoff film.
Paul Thompson Their most commercially successful album was Blood-
Al Bloch letting (1990), fueled by the top 20 radio hit "Joey," which
in turn inspired Sugarland’s 2009 single of the same
Music sample
name. The band broke up in 1993, but reunited in 1997,
"Joey" and again in 2001, releasing the albums Group Therapy
(2002) and Mojave (2004). On June 5, 2006, Napolitano an-
nounced in a MySpace blog entry that the band has of-
ficially retired.[citation needed] From the Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde is an alternative rock band based in the website, there is the following open message: "Thanks
United States. They were initially active from 1982 to to everyone who heard and believed in the music. Music
1995, and again from 2001 to 2004, and once again in lives on. Keep listening. Keep believing, keep dreaming.
2010. Like a ripple, the music moves and travels and finds you.
Drive to the music, Make love to the music, cry to the mu-
Biography sic. That’s why we made it. Long after we’re gone the mu-
sic will still be there. Thanks to everyone who helped us
Singer-songwriter/bassist Johnette Napolitano formed
bring the music to you & thanks to every face and every
the band Dream 6 with guitarist James Mankey in Los An-
heart in every audience all over the world."
geles in 1982, releasing an eponymous EP in France on
In 2007, Napolitano performed the main vocals on the
the Happy Hermit label in 1983. When they signed with
score of the new Australian film West written and direct-
I.R.S. Records in 1986, labelmate Michael Stipe suggest-
ed by Daniel Krige. She also sings the title song, "Falling
ed the name Concrete Blonde,[1] describing the contrast
in Love". West had its World Premiere at the Berlin In-
between their hard rock music and introspective lyrics.
ternational Film Festival. According to the SXSW music
A "Concrete Blonde" is also a derogatory term for the
website, she also supplied music for another Australian
heavily hair-sprayed, permed and big haired appearan-
movie titled Candy, and for two other films, besides tour-
ce adopted by "Sunset Strip Metal" bands, such as Poi-
ing the United States to promote her solo work entitled
son and Ratt. During an MTV interview, Napolitano can
Scarred in an acoustic set featuring Concrete Blonde clas-
also be quoted as saying that the name Concrete Blonde
sics.
is just "two words that sound good together." They were
On November 25, 2008, "Long Time Ago" was used
joined by drummer Harry Rushakoff on their eponymous
during the final credits during the series finale, Season 7
debut album. Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson re-
of The Shield.
placed Rushakoff on Bloodletting and several tracks on
On July 13, 2010, Shout! Factory released a remas-
Mexican Moon, while Rushakoff was in treatment for drug
tered 20th anniversary edition of Bloodletting, compiled
addiction. Rushakoff rejoined the band to record 2002’s
without blessings, input, or involvement from the band,
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Concrete Blonde
Year Title U.S. U.S. U.S. UK[
UK[3] Album
Hot Mod Main
100[ rock[ rock[
100[2] rock[2] rock[2]
1989 "God Is a Bullet" - 15 - - Free
1990 "Joey" 19 1 20 - Bloodletting
"Caroline" - 23 - -
"Everybody Knows" - 20 - - Pump Up the Volume: Music from the Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack
1992 "Someday?" - 8 - - Walking in London
"Ghost of a Texas Ladies - 2 - -
Man"
1993 "Heal It Up" - 16 - - Mexican Moon
it features six bonus tracks: "I Want You," "Little Wing," • Classic Masters (2002) - 24-bit remastering of 12 tracks
the French extended version of "Bloodletting (The Vam- from their first five albums
pire Song)", and live versions of "Roses Grow," "The Sky • Live in Brazil 2002 (2003) – double live album
Is A Poisonous Garden," and "Tomorrow, Wendy." An er- • The Essential (2005) - Remastered by Capital Records
ror in the packaging of the re-release uses early non- Essentials Series, includes 13 tracks from first four
album period photos featuring original drummer Harry albums, with a slightly different version of the song
Rushakoff, who had been replaced the night before the Sun.
first studio session for "Bloodletting" by Roxy Music
drummer Paul Thompson. The essay included in the Re-release Album
booklet also gives incorrect release dates for the band’s • Bloodletting: 20th Anniversary Edition (2010) – with six
previous albums. bonus tracks
Current drummer Gabriel Ramirez is featured on
"Live in Brazil," "Mojave," and the CD single "The Real Chart singles
Thing," and toured with the band during the summer
of 2010 on the "20 Years of Bloodletting: The Vampires Related albums
Rise" North American tour and on select international
• Dream 6 – Dream 6 (1983) – reissued in 2003, Pre-
dates through the rest of that year.
Concrete Blonde group featuring Johnette
Napolitano and Jim Mankey
Discography • The song "Everybody Knows," written by Leonard
Cohen and performed by Concrete Blonde, originally
Studio Albums released on Pump Up The Volume : Music From The
• Concrete Blonde (1986) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1990) and re-
• Free (1989) released on Recollection: The Best of Concrete Blonde
• Bloodletting (1990) (1996) as well as on Still in Hollywood (1994)
• Walking in London (1992) • Andy Prieboy – ...Upon My Wicked Son (1990) –
• Mexican Moon (1993) Johnnette sings backing vocals to Andy’s lead on
• Concrete Blonde y Los Illegals (1997) – collaboration "Tomorrow, Wendy"
with a Los Angeles-based Chicano punk band • Contributed the song "Endless Sleep" to the
• Group Therapy (2002) compilation Fast Track to Nowhere (1994).
• Mojave (2004) • Vowel Movement – Vowel Movement (1995) – Johnette
Napolitano and Holly Vincent
Compilation and Live Albums • Pretty & Twisted – Pretty & Twisted (1995) – Johnette
Napolitano and Marc Moreland of Wall of Voodoo
• Still in Hollywood (1994) – a compilation of live
• Johnette Napolitano – No Talking, Just Head (1996) –
recordings, B-sides, and previously unreleased
Lead Singer for The Heads, re-formed Talking Heads
material
project with Jerry Harrison, Chris Frantz and Tina
• Recollection: The Best of Concrete Blonde (1996) -
Weymouth
Includes 17 tracks from first five albums, plus a live
• Johnette Napolitano – Sound of a Woman, (1998) –
cover version of Mercedes Benz.
unreleased solo album
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Concrete Blonde
• Johnette Napolitano – Sketchbook "Arms to Heaven" pof8C&pg=PA56&dq=johnette+napolitano+spin+magazine&hl=en&
(2002) Retrieved 2010-08-20.
• James Mankey – Jam (2002) [2] ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/
• Johnette Napolitano – Sketchbook 2 (2006) retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=4339&model.vnuAlb
• Johnette Napolitano - Scarred (2007) [3] http://www.everyhit.com/searchsec.php
• Johnette Napolitano - Sketchbook 3 (2010)
Further reading
Other work • Huey, Steve. "Concrete Blonde" Allmusic Guide.
• Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick was in the video for Retrieved on May 20, 2007.
"Someday?". • Golde, Kimberlye (2002). "Almost Famous" San
Francisco Herald. Retrieved on May 20, 2007
References
[1] Amy Linden (September 1990). Concrete Blonde’s
External links
Ambition – Concrete Blond leaves a little blood on the • Concrete Blonde official website
tracks. Spin. p. 56. http://books.google.com/ • Johnette Napolitano
books?id=b9_qs_- • History of Concrete Blonde w/ Johnette Napolitano
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Concrete_Blonde&oldid=456522197"
Categories:
• Alternative rock groups from California
• Musical groups established in 1982
• Musical groups disestablished in 2004
• Musical groups reestablished in 2010
• I.R.S. Records artists
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