The Lower East Side Band
Encyclopedia
The Lower East Side Band is an American
rock band
from Manhattan
, New York
.
(beginning in 1968) and was a popular local Manhattan band. Formed originally as a backup band for David Peel, the band originally consisted of Harold C. Black and Billy Joe White. They performed with David Peel on the "Have a Marijuana" album conceptualized by Danny Fields
as a collection of drinking songs for pot smokers. Larry Adam was a member of the band through the first album. By the end of 1971 all the original band members had been replaced.
In 1970 The Lower East Side Band produced another album called "The American Revolution," put out on Elektra Records (now part of Warner Music Group
as Sire Records
) with David Peel as vocalist and lyricist
. Harold Black and Billy Joe White left the group in 1971 after the release and tour for the album to form the glitter rock band Teenage Lust
and were replaced by Tommy Doyle, Frank Lanci and Billy Minelli. In the mid-seventies they were produced by John Lennon
on Apple Records
. Lennon produced David Peel's "The Pope Smokes Dope," which was banned in all countries except the USA and Canada.
In the late 1970s, the Lower East Side Band included as regular band members Eddie and his brother Moses from the Bronx, as well as Andi Anderson aka Andrew Stergiou. They regularly appeared with David Peel on Michael Luckman's "Underground Tonight Show," an early cable TV program broadcast on Sterling Manhattan Cable TV public broadcast channels. Sterling Manhattan Cable was later to become part of HBO in the Times-Warner group.
The Lower East Side band was part of the Plastic Ono Band that appeared on the David Frost
Show with John Lennon
and Yoko Ono
. They performed at the first Manhattan New York City Smoke-in hosted by the Yippies, as well as the first Washington DC Smoke-In, which was broadcast on both television and radio.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
from Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
History
In the late 1960s the band recorded on Elektra RecordsElektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
(beginning in 1968) and was a popular local Manhattan band. Formed originally as a backup band for David Peel, the band originally consisted of Harold C. Black and Billy Joe White. They performed with David Peel on the "Have a Marijuana" album conceptualized by Danny Fields
Danny Fields
Danny Fields is an American journalist and author. As a music-industry executive in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, he was one of the most influential figures in the underground and punk rock scenes.- Early life :...
as a collection of drinking songs for pot smokers. Larry Adam was a member of the band through the first album. By the end of 1971 all the original band members had been replaced.
In 1970 The Lower East Side Band produced another album called "The American Revolution," put out on Elektra Records (now part of Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
as Sire Records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
) with David Peel as vocalist and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
. Harold Black and Billy Joe White left the group in 1971 after the release and tour for the album to form the glitter rock band Teenage Lust
Teenage Lust
Teenage Lust may refer to:*Teen Age Lust , an album by MC5**"Teenage Lust", a song on that album and their 1970 album Back in the USA*"Teenage Lust", a 70's New York City Glitter Rock Glam band...
and were replaced by Tommy Doyle, Frank Lanci and Billy Minelli. In the mid-seventies they were produced by John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
on Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
. Lennon produced David Peel's "The Pope Smokes Dope," which was banned in all countries except the USA and Canada.
In the late 1970s, the Lower East Side Band included as regular band members Eddie and his brother Moses from the Bronx, as well as Andi Anderson aka Andrew Stergiou. They regularly appeared with David Peel on Michael Luckman's "Underground Tonight Show," an early cable TV program broadcast on Sterling Manhattan Cable TV public broadcast channels. Sterling Manhattan Cable was later to become part of HBO in the Times-Warner group.
The Lower East Side band was part of the Plastic Ono Band that appeared on the David Frost
David Frost
Sir David Frost is a British broadcaster.David Frost may also refer to:*David Frost , South African golfer*David Frost , classical record producer*David Frost *Dave Frost, baseball pitcher...
Show with John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
. They performed at the first Manhattan New York City Smoke-in hosted by the Yippies, as well as the first Washington DC Smoke-In, which was broadcast on both television and radio.
External links
- The "Official online shrine"
- David's homepage
- 1972 clip of the Lower East Side Band on the David Frost Show performing "New York City Hippie" with David Peel, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Tommy and Eddie, Elephant's MemoryElephant's MemoryElephant's Memory was a New York band, most notable for backing John Lennon and Yoko Ono during 1972 on a pair of albums, and a handful of TV and live appearances, including the John Lennon "One To One Concert", with two performances the 30th of August 1972 to benefit the Willowbrook School for...
. - Andrew Stergiou website