Ten Wheel Drive
Ten Wheel Drive were an American Jazz-Rock/Fusion-Band.
Band History
1968, after the final end of the existing all-female rock band Goldie And The Gingerbreads Genya Ravan was looking for a musical challenge. The same was true for Michael Zager and Aram Schefrin, two inexperienced musician and songwriter from New Jersey. Through your Manager Posted each other, the cooperation demanded first major effort by all. The origin of the three musicians who would form the core of Ten Wheel Drive, was very different and the music first not by Genya Ravans taste. She was also the only one with significant professional experience in the music industry.
It was necessary to find other musicians for the rhythm and brass section. Only people were taken under fixed contract, the sheet music could read. The only exception to this rule Genya Ravan finally formed.
The name Ten Wheel Drive spawned communal brainstorming.
When the band finally appeared regularly in 1969, they immediately made headlines and the comparisons between Janis Joplin and Genya Ravan began. Around this time, the record company Polydor founded your American offshoot. Your new director Jerry Schoenbaum took Ten Wheel Drive under contract. With producer Walter Raim, the band produced their first album " Construction # 1".
In the summer of 1969 occurred Ten Wheel Drive also at the Atlanta Pop Festival. On this occasion, Genya Ravan also met personally on Janis Joplin, with which it constantly, and, as she says, was inappropriate, compared.
In 1970 he published the second album "Letter Replies ", produced by Guy Draper. Even many of the winds were now replaced.
In February 1971 gave Ten Wheel Drive, a spectacular concert at the Fillmore East in New York. In addition to the strong musical performance Genya Ravan caused a stir when she took off her jacket already clear during the performance and played the rest of the concert with a naked and painted upper body.
In 1971, the band played in New York's Carnegie Hall. A type of rock opera was performed. Title and content made reference to the Battle of the Little Bighorn and the fate of the North American Indian tribes, a subject that began reinforced at that time the American public to care. Although a lot of preparation for the event was run, the American Symphony Orchestra and a choir participated to Polydor decided not to record the performance. This step was often criticized and called the error. He later added to the fact that only Genya Ravan and then the rest of the band their record company turned their backs.
Also in 1971 appeared the third record " Peculiar Friends", this time by Aram Schefrin and Michael Zager produces itself. Genya Ravan Then left the band to begin a solo career. It was replaced by Annie Sutton of the Rascals. Nevertheless Aram Schefrin and Michael Zager also participated at the first solo record by Genya Ravan.
The fourth and final album "Ten Wheel Drive " was released in 1974 by Capitol Records, among others, with music that Genya Ravan had composed together with Aram Schefrin. The already only loosely co-operation between the band members was thus finally come to an end.