This page will contain news stories about Steve Miller Band, as they become available.

Steve Miller (musician)

(Redirected from Steve Miller Band)

Steve Miller (born October 5, 1943) is a blues and rock and roll guitarist and performer. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the 1960s. He formed a new band called The Ardells. Miller taught Boz Scaggs some chords, and Scaggs joined the Ardells the next year. The next school year Ben Sidran was added to the Ardells as a keyboardist.

In 1968, Miller formed the Steve Miller Band, with Scaggs handling vocals, and released an album, Children of the Future, the first in a series of discs rooted solidly in the psychedelic blues style that dominated the San Francisco music scene at the time. Scaggs would leave the band after a couple of albums with vocal chores taken over by drummer Tim Davis; Miller himself would begin singing occasional lead on 1969's Brave New World. These albums performed respectably on the album charts but failed to yield a hit.

1973's The Joker marked the start of the second phase of Miller's career: more pop-oriented and simplistic, the album featured a number one hit in the title track as well as several other popular tunes. Miller was now handling all lead vocals; his limited vocal range actually made the songs more radio-friendly and accessible.

Miller followed up The Joker with Fly Like an Eagle in 1976 and Book of Dreams in 1977. This pair of albums represented the peak of Miller's commercial career, both reaching the top echelons of the album charts and spawning a seemingly-endless series of hit singles, including "Rock 'N' Me", "Take the Money and Run", "Jet Airliner", and "Jungle Love". While critics lambasted Miller for abandoning his more ambitious approach and socially-aware lyrics in favor of simple pop-rock and derivative blues tunes, fans gravitated towards the catchy, melodic songs in great numbers, and the Steve Miller Band co-headlined a major stadium tour with The Eagles in 1977.

On the heels of this massive success, Miller took a long hiatus from recording and touring, emerging in 1981 with Circle of Love, an ambitous album possibly intended to appease critics of his new style. Sales were disappointing, however, and in 1982 he returned to the pop formula with another hit album, Abracadabra. This would be Miller's last great commercial success; a series of collections, live albums and attempts to find a new style would appear sporadically, but by the early 1990s Miller had given up on producing records altogether.

Discography

  • The Joker, 1973 album
    • "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash", 1974 single
    • "The Joker", 1974 single
    • "Shu Ba da du Ma Ma Ma Ma", 1974 single
    • "Evil", 1975 single
  • Fly Like an Eagle, 1976 album
    • "Rock 'N' Me", 1976 single
    • "Take The Money And Run", 1976 single
    • "Serenade", 1976 single
    • "Fly Like An Eagle", 1977 single
    • "Dance, Dance, Dance", 1977 single
    • "Wild Mountain Honey", 1977 single
  • Book of Dreams, 1977 album
    • "Jet Airliner", 1977 single
    • "The Stake", 1977 single
    • "Swingtown", 1978 single
    • "Jungle Love", 1978 single
    • "True Fine Love", 1978 single
    • "Winter Time", 1979 single
  • Greatest Hits 1974-1978, 1978 compilation
  • Italian X Rays, 1984 album
    • "Shangri-La", 1984 single
    • "Bongo Bongo", 1985 single
  • Living in the 20th Century, 1986 album
    • "I Want To Make The World Turn Around", 1986 single
    • "Maelstrom", 1986 single
    • "Behind The Barn", 1986 single
    • "Nobody But You Baby", 1987 single
    • "Slinky", 1987 single
    • "Caress Me Baby", 1987 single
  • Born 2B Blue, 1988 album
    • "Ya Ya", 1988 single
    • "God Bless The Child", 1988 single
    • "Mary Ann", 1989 single
    • "Willow Weep For Me", 1989 single
    • "Born 2B Blue", 1989 single
  • Hayley Hibarger's the best!!, 2003 compilation

This page about Steve Miller Band includes information from a Wikipedia article.
Additional articles about Steve Miller Band
News stories about Steve Miller Band
External links for Steve Miller Band
Videos for Steve Miller Band
Wikis about Steve Miller Band
Discussion Groups about Steve Miller Band
Blogs about Steve Miller Band
Images of Steve Miller Band

This would be Miller's last great commercial success; a series of collections, live albums and attempts to find a new style would appear sporadically, but by the early 1990s Miller had given up on producing records altogether. As of 2005, Nilsson's final album, tentatively titled Papa's Got a Brown New Robe, has never been released. Sales were disappointing, however, and in 1982 he returned to the pop formula with another hit album, Abracadabra. A little over a month later, the 2-CD anthology he worked on with RCA Victor, Personal Best, was released. On the heels of this massive success, Miller took a long hiatus from recording and touring, emerging in 1981 with Circle of Love, an ambitous album possibly intended to appease critics of his new style. He completed the vocal tracks for the album on 15 January 1994, and then died that night of heart failure. This pair of albums represented the peak of Miller's commercial career, both reaching the top echelons of the album charts and spawning a seemingly-endless series of hit singles, including "Rock 'N' Me", "Take the Money and Run", "Jet Airliner", and "Jungle Love". While critics lambasted Miller for abandoning his more ambitious approach and socially-aware lyrics in favor of simple pop-rock and derivative blues tunes, fans gravitated towards the catchy, melodic songs in great numbers, and the Steve Miller Band co-headlined a major stadium tour with The Eagles in 1977. After surviving that, he began pressing his old label, RCA Victor, to release a boxed-set retrospective of his career, and also started recording again, attempting to complete one final album.

Miller followed up The Joker with Fly Like an Eagle in 1976 and Book of Dreams in 1977. His health was also deteriorating, and in 1993, he suffered a massive heart attack. Miller was now handling all lead vocals; his limited vocal range actually made the songs more radio-friendly and accessible. Nilsson found himself in a dire financial situation when his trusted financial adviser embezzled all the money he had ever made as a recording artist. 1973's The Joker marked the start of the second phase of Miller's career: more pop-oriented and simplistic, the album featured a number one hit in the title track as well as several other popular tunes. He joined the Coalition to Stop Handgun Violence and begain making public appearances solely to raise money for their cause. Scaggs would leave the band after a couple of albums with vocal chores taken over by drummer Tim Davis; Miller himself would begin singing occasional lead on 1969's Brave New World. These albums performed respectably on the album charts but failed to yield a hit. Nilsson was profoundly affected by the murder of John Lennon in December 1980.

In 1968, Miller formed the Steve Miller Band, with Scaggs handling vocals, and released an album, Children of the Future, the first in a series of discs rooted solidly in the psychedelic blues style that dominated the San Francisco music scene at the time. However, Nilsson increasingly began referring to himself as as a "retired musician". The next school year Ben Sidran was added to the Ardells as a keyboardist. He wrote all the songs for Robert Altman's movie-musical Popeye (1980), and recorded one more album, Flash Harry, which was released in the UK but not in the USA. Miller taught Boz Scaggs some chords, and Scaggs joined the Ardells the next year. He wrote a musical play, Zapata, with Perry Botkin, Jr., which got as far as being performed in Connecticut but never moved to Broadway. He formed a new band called The Ardells. Nilsson's musical work after leaving RCA Victor was sporadic.

He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the 1960s. This, combined with RCA Victor releasing a Nilsson Greatest Hits collection without consulting him, prompted Nilsson to leave the label. Steve Miller (born October 5, 1943) is a blues and rock and roll guitarist and performer. However, the death of Elvis Presley caused RCA Victor to ignore everything except meeting demand for Presley's back catalog, and the promised marketing push never happened. Hayley Hibarger's the best!!, 2003 compilation. RCA Victor seemed to agree, and promised Nilsson a substantial marketing campaign for the album. "Born 2B Blue", 1989 single. With his voice strong again, and his songs exploring musical territory reminiscent of Harry or The Point!, Nilsson had every right to expect Knnillssonn to be a comeback album.

"Willow Weep For Me", 1989 single. Finally, Nilsson recorded what he later considered to be his favorite album, 1977's Knnillssonn. "Mary Ann", 1989 single. Nilsson's voice had mostly recovered by his next release, Duit on Mon Dei (1975), but neither it nor its follow-ups, Sandman and ...That's the Way It Is (both 1976) met with chart success. "God Bless The Child", 1988 single. The resulting album, Pussy Cats, was a shock for listeners who knew Nilsson as one of the best singers of his generation. "Ya Ya", 1988 single. To make matters worse, Nilsson ruptured a vocal cord during the sessions for this album, but hid the fact due to fear that Lennon would call a halt to the production.

Born 2B Blue, 1988 album

    . In a widely publicized incident, they were ejected from the Troubadour in West Hollywood for drunken heckling of the Smothers Brothers. "Caress Me Baby", 1987 single. However, their time together in California became known much more for heavy drinking and drug use than it did for musical collaboration. "Slinky", 1987 single. Lennon was intent upon producing Nilsson's next album, much to Nilsson's delight. "Nobody But You Baby", 1987 single. 1974 found Nilsson back in California, and when John Lennon moved there during his separation from Yoko Ono, the two musicians rekindled their earlier friendship.

    "Behind The Barn", 1986 single. (Nilsson fans still await this film's release in some home video format.). "Maelstrom", 1986 single. The session was filmed, and was broadcast as a television special by the BBC in the UK. "I Want To Make The World Turn Around", 1986 single. While in hindsight, the sessions showcased an extremely talented singer in one of his best performances, this was not the sort of thing that was going to burn up the charts in the 1970s. Living in the 20th Century, 1986 album

      . Performing a selection of pop standards by the likes of Irving Berlin and Kalmar & Ruby, Nilsson sang in front of an orchestra arranged and conducted by veteran Gordon Jenkins in sessions produced by his constant supporter Derek Taylor.

      "Bongo Bongo", 1985 single. This disregard for commercialism in favor of artistic satisfaction showed itself in Nilsson's next release, A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night (1973). "Shangri-La", 1984 single. Still, the album did well, and the single "Spaceman" was a Top 40 hit. Italian X Rays, 1984 album

        . With lyrics like "I sang my balls off for you, baby", "Roll the world over / And give her a kiss and a feel", and the notorious "You're breaking my heart / You're tearing it apart / So f--k you", Nilsson had travelled far afield from his earlier work. Greatest Hits 1974-1978, 1978 compilation. Besides the problem of competing with himself, Nilsson's decision to give free rein to his bawdiness and bluntness on this release alienated some of his earlier, more conservative fan base.

        "Winter Time", 1979 single. Nilsson followed quickly with Son of Schmilsson (1972), released while its predecessor was still on the charts. "True Fine Love", 1978 single. The third, "Jump Into the Fire", was raucous, screaming rock and roll, including a drum solo by Derek and the Dominos' Jim Gordon and a bass detuning by Herbie Flowers. "Jungle Love", 1978 single. The second single was "Coconut", a novelty calypso number. "Swingtown", 1978 single. The first was a cover of Badfinger's song, "Without You", featuring a highly emotional arrangement and soaring vocals to match, a performance that was rewarded with Nilsson's second Grammy Award.

        "The Stake", 1977 single. Nilsson Schmilsson yielded three hit singles that could not be more stylistically different from each other. "Jet Airliner", 1977 single. Later that year, Nilsson went to England with producer Richard Perry to record what became the most successful album of his career. Book of Dreams, 1977 album

          . Nilsson's album of songs from The Point! was well-received, and spawned a hit single, "Me and My Arrow". "Wild Mountain Honey", 1977 single. Nilsson's next project was an animated film, The Point!, created with animation director Fred Wolf, and broadcast on ABC television in 1971.

          "Dance, Dance, Dance", 1977 single. The resuit, Nilsson Sings Newman (1970), was commercially disappointing but was named Record of the Year by Stereo Review magazine, and provided momemtum to Newman's career. "Fly Like An Eagle", 1977 single. Nilsson was so impressed with Newman's talent that he devoted his entire next album to Newman compositions, with Newman himself playing piano behind Nilsson's multi-tracked vocals. "Serenade", 1976 single. While the album still presented Nilsson as primarily a songwriter, his astute choice of cover material included, this time, a song by a little-known composer named Randy Newman. "Take The Money And Run", 1976 single. Nilsson's next album, Harry (1969), was his first to hit the charts, and also provided a Top 40 single with "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City".

          "Rock 'N' Me", 1976 single. The result, "Best Friend", was very popular, but Nilsson never released the song on record. Fly Like an Eagle, 1976 album

            . Nilsson was also commissioned at this time to write and perform the theme song for the ABC television series The Courtship of Eddie's Father. "Evil", 1975 single. Aerial Ballet also contained Nilsson's version of his own composition, "One", which was later taken to the top of the charts by Three Dog Night. "Shu Ba da du Ma Ma Ma Ma", 1974 single. A minor hit at the time of release, the song would become extremely popular a year later when it was featured in the film Midnight Cowboy, and would earn Nilsson his first Grammy Award.

            "The Joker", 1974 single. Pandemonium Shadow Show was followed in 1968 by Aerial Ballet, an album that included Nilsson's rendition of Fred Neil's song "Everybody's Talkin'". "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash", 1974 single. He replied, "Nilsson". The Joker, 1973 album

              . Paul was then asked to name his favorite American group. He replied, "Nilsson".

              When John Lennon and Paul McCartney held a press conference in 1968 to announce the formation of Apple Corps, John was asked to name his favorite American artist. Some of the albums from Derek Taylor's box eventually ended up with the Beatles themselves, who quickly became Nilsson fans. This may have been helped by the track "You Can't Do That", in which Nilsson covered one Beatles song but added 22 others in the multi-tracked background vocals. With a major-label release, and continued songwriting success (The Monkees had a hit with Nilsson's "Cuddly Toy"), Nilsson finally felt secure enough in the music business to quit his job with the bank. One such insider was Beatles press officer Derek Taylor, who bought an entire box of copies of the album to share this new sound with others.

              Music industry insiders were impressed both with the songwriting, and with Nilsson's pure-toned, multi-octave vocals. Nilsson signed with RCA Victor in 1967 and released an album, Pandemonium Shadow Show, which was a critical (if not commercial) success. (Despite this growing success, Nilsson was still working the night shift at the bank.). His recording contract was picked up by Tower Records, who did nothing with it, but his songs were now being recorded by Glen Campbell, Fred Astaire, The Yardbirds, and many other artists.

              He also established a relationship with songwriter and publisher Perry Botkin, Jr., who began to find a market for Nilsson's songs. In 1964, Nilsson worked with Phil Spector, writing three songs with him. Another recording, "Donna, I Understand", convinced Mercury Records to offer Nilsson a contract, and release recordings by him under the name Johnny Niles. One, "Baa Baa Blackseep", was released under the pseudonym Bo Pete to some small local airplay.

              (Little Richard, upon hearing Nilsson sing, reportedly remarked, "My! You sing good for a white boy!") Marascalco also financed some independent singles by Nilsson. In 1963, Nilsson began to have some early success as a songwriter, working with John Marascalco on a song for Little Richard. Nilsson replied that he had already been paid -- five dollars a track.). (Years later, when Nilsson became famous, Turner decided to release these early recordings, and contacted Nilsson to work out a fair payment.

              Turner paid Nilsson five dollars for each track they recorded. Uncle John's singing lessons, along with Nilsson's natural talent, surely helped when he got a job singing demos for songwriter Scott Turner in 1960. His job with the bank was on the night shift, so Nilsson spent his days infiltrating Los Angeles music business offices, making friends and developing connections. He had taken early stabs at performing while he was working at the Paramount, forming a vocal duo with his friend Jerry Smith and singing close harmonies in the style of the Everly Brothers.

              As early as 1958, Nilsson was hooked on the new wave of music, especially rhythm and blues artists like Ray Charles. He did so well, in fact, that the bank kept him on even after discovering the lie about his education. (He only made it through 9th grade.) He turned out to have an aptitude for computers, which were just starting to be employed by banks at the time. When the Paramount closed (circa 1960), Nilsson applied for a job at a bank, falsely stating he was a high school graduate on his application.

              Due to the poor financial situation of his family, Nilsson worked from an early age, including a job at the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles. One relative who turned out to be an important influence on him was his Uncle John, a mechanic in San Bernadino, California, who taught him to sing properly. Harry grew up with his mother Bette Nilsson and his younger half-sister, periodically moving to California or back to New York, and living with a procession of relatives and stepfathers. An autobiographical reference to this is found in the opening to Nilsson's song "1941":.

              His father, Harry Edward Nilsson, Jr., abandoned the family three years later. Nilsson was born in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, New York in 1941. His most well-known recordings are "Without You" and "Everybody's Talkin'". Despite some spectacular successes, including two Grammy Awards, Nilsson's tendency to make broad stylistic jumps from one record to the next and his iconoclastic decisions kept him from capitalizing on those successes.

              For most of his recordings, he did not use his first name, and was credited only as Nilsson. Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 - January 15, 1994) was an American songwriter, singer, pianist and guitarist, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s. Dawn Eden, One Last Touch of Nilsson (Goldmine magazine, April 29, 1994). The Girl Next Door (2004) - "Jump Into the Fire".

              Around the Bend (2004) - "Daddy's Song". Shanghai Knights (2003) - "One". The Rules of Attraction (2002) - "Without You". Punch-Drunk Love (2002) - "He Needs Me" (Shelley Duvall's version from Popeye).

              Riding in Cars with Boys (2001) - "Everything's Got 'Em", "Me and My Arrow". Bridget Jones' Diary (2001) - "Without You". High Fidelity (2000) - "The Moonbeam Song". You've Got Mail (1998) - "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City", "Remember", "The Puppy Song", "Over The Rainbow".

              Practical Magic (1998) - "Coconut". The Ice Storm (1997) - "Coconut". Ellen Foster (1997) - "Remember". Angel on My Shoulder (1997).

              Casino (1995) - "Without You". Forrest Gump (1994) - "Everybody's Talkin'". Private School for Girls (1993) - "You're Breakin' My Heart". Caroline (animated short, 1993) - "Caroline".

              Reservoir Dogs (1992) - "Coconut". Goodfellas (1990) - "Jump Into the Fire". Real Life (1979) - "Jump Into the Fire". All That Jazz (1979) - "Perfect Day".

              La Mortadella (1971) - "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City". Dusty and Sweets McGee (1971) - "Don't Leave Me". Me, Myself and I (1992) song "Me, Myself and I" written and performed. The Fisher King (1991) song "How About You" performed.

              Camp Candy (TV series, animated, 1989-1991) theme song written, and performed with John Candy. First Impressions (TV series, 1988) theme song co-written, performed. Handgun (1983) song "Lay Down Your Arms" written and performed. Popeye (1980) all songs written.

              In God We Trust (1980) new version of "Good For God" performed. The World's Greatest Lover (1978) song "Ain't It Kinda Wonderful" performed. Son of Dracula (1974) actor (lead role), all songs performed. The Point! (1971) story, all songs written and performed.

              Jenny (1970) song "Waiting" written and performed. Midnight Cowboy (1969) new version of "Everybody's Talkin'" performed. The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV series, 1969-1972) theme song written and performed, incidental music. Skidoo (1968) songs written and performed, soundtrack music composer, actor (bit role).

              Flash Harry (1980) (not released in USA). Knnillssonn (1977). ...That's the Way It Is (1976). Sandman (1976).

              Duit on Mon Dei (1975). Pussy Cats (1974). Son of Dracula (1974). A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night (1973).

              Son of Schmilsson (1972). Nilsson Schmilsson (1971). Aerial Pandemonium Ballet (1971). The Point! (1971).

              Nilsson Sings Newman (1970). Harry (1969). Skidoo (soundtrack) (1968). Aerial Ballet (1968).

              Pandemonium Shadow Show (1967). Spotlight on Nilsson (1966).