Nelson (band)
Encyclopedia
NELSON is a American hard rock band founded by singer/songwriters Matthew
and Gunnar Nelson
(the twin sons of Ricky Nelson
and Kristin Nelson
). NELSON featuring the twin lead front men had a No. 1 hit in the United States
with "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
" during the week of September 29, 1990. They are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the only family to reach
number one record status in three successive generation
s (beginning with grandparents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson
). They are sometimes mistaken as a glam metal band, however they are more hard rock
The band split with Geffen Records
record label
after 1995, but they have continued to produce
and release album
s independently under their label, Stone Canyon Records. In 2010, they released three new NELSON albums in Europe through Frontiers Records Italy, including the new original CD album, Lightning Strikes Twice, a sequel to their multi-platinum debut album After the Rain. To complement the new original CD album release, NELSON also released twin catalogue albums Before the Rain and Perfect Storm - After the Rain World Tour 1991. Before the Rain features the collection of songs that secured Nelson their recording deal with Geffen Records, the original demonstration recordings that caught the attention of A&R legend John Kalodner in late 1989. The album documents the story of the Nelson twins and their five-year musical journey leading up to their multi-platinum debut. Perfect Storm - After the Rain World Tour 1991 is a live concert album; these audio recordings are all that remain to document the height of Nelsonmania for posterity.
, were always involved in music
. In the early 1980s, they joined a band called Strange Agents. Later that decade, they recorded the song "Two Heads are Better Than One" under the name Power Tool for the film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
. (Dweezil Zappa
assisted with this production.) After that, the duo put together their own band (Nelson Nelson) and got a recording contract
with Geffen Records. Their multi-platinum debut classic album, 1990's After the Rain, was a success, and the band went on tour to support it. The album produced the No. 1 hit "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection." NELSON’s “After the Rain” record and tour became a phenomenon just prior to the rise of grunge. NELSON has had (1) Number One, (4) Top Ten, and (5) Top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit singles, plus (5) #1 MTV videos and has sold over 6.5 million albums worldwide.
Following that tour and music paradigm shift, the band immersed itself in the recording
of their next project. The result was a harder and heavier concept album
called Imaginator. However, when they played the album for Geffen, the label considered it too heavy. According to Nelson members, Geffen even threatened to drop the band from the label if they did not produce another record
more to their tastes.
The band spent another year recording another album called Because They Can. The label finally approved and released it in 1995. Still, the pop music landscape had undergone a dramatic change in the five years following After the Rain, and Geffen chose not to promote the new album and quickly dropped Nelson entirely from its roster. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson then set up their own label, Stone Canyon Records, and released Imaginator in 1996.
In 2010, Mark Slaughter joined NELSON on tour as lead guitarist for the Firefest in Nottingham, England, U.K.
As of Spring 2011, NELSON has received tremendous critical acclaim around the world for their latest original CD album Lightning Strikes Twice. NELSON performed at HARD ROCK LIVE Biloxi & has been touring the globe – from the M3 Rock Fest to headlining at the Firefest in the U.K. and the Holisland Rock Festival in China.
In addition to touring as NELSON, the twin singer-songwriters also perform a separate tribute act for their father, called "Ricky Nelson Remembered." Plus, they perform with celebrity all-star rock and roll rat pack SCRAP METAL.
Matthew Nelson
Matthew Gray Nelson is an American singer-songwriter, musician and international multi-platinum recording artist. He is the son of actress Kristin Harmon and the late teen idol Ricky Nelson. Along with his twin brother Gunnar, he has been a member of Nelson since 1990. Their single, " Love and...
and Gunnar Nelson
Gunnar Nelson
Gunnar Eric Nelson is an American musician, singer, and songwriter and international multi-platinum recording artist.-Family:...
(the twin sons of Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson
Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
and Kristin Nelson
Kristin Nelson
Kristin Nelson, also Kristin Nelson Tinker, is an American primitive painter, actor, and author. She was married to Rick Nelson.-Early life:...
). NELSON featuring the twin lead front men had a No. 1 hit in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection
" Love and Affection" is a 1990 Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit single by Nelson. It was released in 1990 on Geffen Records and backed with "Will You Love Me". The song was based on a crush on Cindy Crawford...
" during the week of September 29, 1990. They are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the only family to reach
number one record status in three successive generation
Generation
Generation , also known as procreation in biological sciences, is the act of producing offspring....
s (beginning with grandparents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is an American sitcom, airing on ABC from October 3, 1952 to September 3, 1966, starring the real life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television where it continued its success, running on both radio and TV for a couple of years...
). They are sometimes mistaken as a glam metal band, however they are more hard rock
The band split with Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
after 1995, but they have continued to produce
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and release album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s independently under their label, Stone Canyon Records. In 2010, they released three new NELSON albums in Europe through Frontiers Records Italy, including the new original CD album, Lightning Strikes Twice, a sequel to their multi-platinum debut album After the Rain. To complement the new original CD album release, NELSON also released twin catalogue albums Before the Rain and Perfect Storm - After the Rain World Tour 1991. Before the Rain features the collection of songs that secured Nelson their recording deal with Geffen Records, the original demonstration recordings that caught the attention of A&R legend John Kalodner in late 1989. The album documents the story of the Nelson twins and their five-year musical journey leading up to their multi-platinum debut. Perfect Storm - After the Rain World Tour 1991 is a live concert album; these audio recordings are all that remain to document the height of Nelsonmania for posterity.
Band history
Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, the twin sons of Rick Nelson and Kristin NelsonKristin Nelson
Kristin Nelson, also Kristin Nelson Tinker, is an American primitive painter, actor, and author. She was married to Rick Nelson.-Early life:...
, were always involved in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. In the early 1980s, they joined a band called Strange Agents. Later that decade, they recorded the song "Two Heads are Better Than One" under the name Power Tool for the film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is a 1989 American science fiction–comedy buddy film and the first film in the Bill & Ted franchise in which two metalhead slackers travel through time to assemble a menagerie of historical figures for their high school history presentation.The film was written by...
. (Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor.-Early life:Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of musician Frank Zappa and Adelaide Gail Sloatman, who worked in business. He is the second of four siblings: his older sister, Moon, younger sister Diva and younger...
assisted with this production.) After that, the duo put together their own band (Nelson Nelson) and got a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Geffen Records. Their multi-platinum debut classic album, 1990's After the Rain, was a success, and the band went on tour to support it. The album produced the No. 1 hit "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection." NELSON’s “After the Rain” record and tour became a phenomenon just prior to the rise of grunge. NELSON has had (1) Number One, (4) Top Ten, and (5) Top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit singles, plus (5) #1 MTV videos and has sold over 6.5 million albums worldwide.
Following that tour and music paradigm shift, the band immersed itself in the recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
of their next project. The result was a harder and heavier concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
called Imaginator. However, when they played the album for Geffen, the label considered it too heavy. According to Nelson members, Geffen even threatened to drop the band from the label if they did not produce another record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
more to their tastes.
The band spent another year recording another album called Because They Can. The label finally approved and released it in 1995. Still, the pop music landscape had undergone a dramatic change in the five years following After the Rain, and Geffen chose not to promote the new album and quickly dropped Nelson entirely from its roster. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson then set up their own label, Stone Canyon Records, and released Imaginator in 1996.
In 2010, Mark Slaughter joined NELSON on tour as lead guitarist for the Firefest in Nottingham, England, U.K.
As of Spring 2011, NELSON has received tremendous critical acclaim around the world for their latest original CD album Lightning Strikes Twice. NELSON performed at HARD ROCK LIVE Biloxi & has been touring the globe – from the M3 Rock Fest to headlining at the Firefest in the U.K. and the Holisland Rock Festival in China.
In addition to touring as NELSON, the twin singer-songwriters also perform a separate tribute act for their father, called "Ricky Nelson Remembered." Plus, they perform with celebrity all-star rock and roll rat pack SCRAP METAL.
Albums
- After the Rain (Geffen 1990) #17 US
- Because They Can (Geffen 1995)
- Imaginator (Stone Canyon 1996)
- The Silence Is Broken (Stone Canyon 1997)
- Brother Harmony (Stone Canyon 1998)
- Life (Stone Canyon 1999)
- Like Father, Like Sons (Stone Canyon 2000)
- Lightning Strikes Twice (Frontiers-Stone Canyon Records 2010)
- "Before the Rain" (Frontiers-Stone Canyon Records 2010)
Compilations
- 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Nelson (Geffen 2004)
Singles
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US MSR Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
Canada Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
UK Singles UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" | 1 | 20 | 11 | 54 | After the Rain |
| "After the Rain" | 6 | 39 | 6 | - | ||
| 1991 | "More than Ever" | 14 | 44 | 30 | - | |
| "Only Time Will Tell" | 28 | - | 81 | - |
Guest singles
| Year | Song | Artist | US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC | CAN Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Voices That Care Voices That Care "Voices That Care" is a 1991 song written by David Foster, Linda Thompson and Peter Cetera and recorded by a supergroup of popular musicians, entertainers and athletes. The single and supporting documentary music video were intended to help boost the morale of U.S... " |
Various Artists | 11 | 6 | 61 | single only |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Voices That Care Voices That Care "Voices That Care" is a 1991 song written by David Foster, Linda Thompson and Peter Cetera and recorded by a supergroup of popular musicians, entertainers and athletes. The single and supporting documentary music video were intended to help boost the morale of U.S... "(Various Artists) |
David S. Jackson |
Current members
- Matthew NelsonMatthew NelsonMatthew Gray Nelson is an American singer-songwriter, musician and international multi-platinum recording artist. He is the son of actress Kristin Harmon and the late teen idol Ricky Nelson. Along with his twin brother Gunnar, he has been a member of Nelson since 1990. Their single, " Love and...
- lead vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Gunnar NelsonGunnar NelsonGunnar Eric Nelson is an American musician, singer, and songwriter and international multi-platinum recording artist.-Family:...
- lead vocals, guitars, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Former members
- Brett GarsedBrett GarsedBrett Garsed is an Australian guitar player. He plays with, among others, John Farnham and T. J. Helmerich and is a former member of the band Nelson...
- guitars - Joey Cathcart - guitars, background vocals
- Paul MirkovichPaul MirkovichPaul Mirkovich is a Los Angeles native, and has been the band leader, keyboardist and duet singing partner for Cher for the last 16 years. He has also been the band director for Janet Jackson and Anastasia and a member of the multi-platinum bands Whitesnake and Nelson...
- keyboards, background vocals - Bobby RockBobby RockBob Brock is a Los Angeles based rock drummer. He was a student of the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and has worked with several bands....
- drums
External links
- [ Nelson] at Allmusic
- Nelson Brothers Official Website
- The Nelson Brothers Photos