Who Were The Rutles?

The Rutles were the invention of Eric Idle of Monty Python fame.  They are a knock off of the Beatles originally intended to appear in British Television as a spoof.  They were so successful however, that they released four actual albums and several albums.

The Rutles very literally mock the Beatles.  For example, rather than having a yellow submarine, the Rutles had a Yellow Submarine Sandwich.

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George Harrison of the Beatles was involved in the project from the start and appeared as a television reporter interviewing the Rutles' manager in one television segment.  

What Ever Happened to Bloodrock?

Bloodrock was a locally successful band in the southern United States.  They were active from 1969 to 1975.

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True to their name, the band's music often featured bloody or gory themes.  Their biggest hit, "DOA, Everybody's Nightmare" is about a fatal driving accident.  The video features a blood soaked man dying in an ambulance on the way to the hospital after having killed his girlfriend in the same wreck only to waken at the end and find that he has dreamed the whole thing.

Musically, they can be seen as an influence on bands like Journey and Rush.

Bloodrock played a reunion concert in their home town of Fort Worth Texas in 2005.

What Ever Happened to Screaming Lord Sutch?

Screaming Lord Sutch, born David Edward Sutch was a British Musician who recorded in the late 60's and early 70's.  He is also noted at the founder and long time president of the "Offical Monster Raving Loony Party" in Britain.  As its head he ran for numerous parliament posts without much success.

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Sutch's stage show often features gothic elements such as Sutch rising from a coffin and anticipates the stage shows of later performs like Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper.  Sutch was, by his own admission, somewhat limited musically and his 1970 Album, "Screaming Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends" is occasionally listed as the worst album ever recorded.

Sutch died of a self inflicted injury in 1999.

  

Charlie Manson Released an Album?

That's right everyone.  Convicted murdered Charlie Manson released an album.  Before beginning his career as a sadistic cult leader, Manson had aspirations of becoming a musician.  After his arrest for the Tate murders, the one and only Phil Kaufman got hold of the recording and had them released under the name "Lie:  The Love and Terror Cult."

Due to California laws preventing criminals from profiting from their crimes, Manson was unable to collect on the earning which were turned over to a program that assists the victims of violent crimes.

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Manson's work has been covered multiple times though buy artists ranging from the Beach Boys to Front Line Assembly and Guns and Roses.

While never successful in and of itself, given Manson's history and reputation, "Lie:  The Love and Terror Cult" has to stand out as having the most unusual origins of any rock album.

Who Was "The Family?"

The Family were a progressive, folk, hard rock band out of Leicester, England, more known for changing band members and changing sounds than they were for producing hits.

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Active from 1966-1973 The Family went through a total of 11 band members including John Palmer and Rob Townsend.  However only two Roger Chapman and John Whitney were with the band the whole time.

They were commercially successful in Britain but failed despite several tours to build a following in the US.  The Family's most successful album was 1970's "A Song for Me."