Survivor (Band)

Survivor is an American rock band. It is one of the most famous representatives of the genre of rock music, which one (often melodic rock or mainstream ) referred to these days as AOR.

  • 2.1 Studio albums
  • 2.2 Compilations / Soundtracks
  • 2.3 Singles
  • 2.4 VHS

History

Creation and breakthrough (1977-1982)

Survivor was founded in the winter of 1977 in Chicago. In charge from the beginning were the two songwriters of the group, Jim Peterik (keyboard) and Frankie Sullivan ( guitar). Singer of the band was Dave Bickler, Gary Smith and Dennis Johnson played bass or drums. 1978 included the five founding members of a recording contract with Scotti Brothers Records. The debut album Survivor was released in 1980. For Smith and Johnson is now up Stephen Ellis and Marc Droubay one. In the occupation Bickler, Peterik, Sullivan, Ellis, Droubay the second album Premonition was recorded.

The big breakthrough came in 1982 with the title Eye of the tiger, the group especially as the theme song for the movie Rocky 3 - Eye of the Tiger had composed. Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone had commissioned on the recommendation of the owner of Scotti Bros. Records, the actor Tony Scotti, the band to produce a contemporary, rocking theme with a strong beat. Eye of the Tiger stayed a total of seven weeks at the top of the U.S. charts, won a Grammy and was nominated for an Oscar. Later, the catchy song has been widely used in advertising, as among others in 2004 are seen in an American Starbucks commercial for a new coffee drink in the Survivor with a special version of the song. The album Eye of the Tiger was very successful. An extensive tour followed.

Pinnacle of success and decline (1983-1992)

After many exhausting concerts and recordings for the fourth album Caught in the Game singer Dave Bickler decided due to voice problems, to leave the group; he was replaced by a native of Memphis Jimi Jamison. This change did the ever-growing success of the group not disturb Already the first recorded together with Jamison Title The Moment of Truth, which was used in the strip Karate Kid, placed in the U.S. charts. By also published in 1984 fifth studio album Vital Signs Survivor could maintain its leading position as a keyboard -oriented hard rock band; two singles from it, high on you and The Search is over, reached the top ten of the U.S. charts, I can not hold back reached 13th place after all

As a result Survivor contributed a third title to movie soundtracks: In 1985 Burning Heart, which was written for Rocky IV and as Eye of the Tiger became a major international chart success. Only in 1986, after another long tour, the band found time to record a new album, which was titled When Seconds count and Is this love? contained another top ten hit.

The published in 1988, critically acclaimed, but commercially not very successful album Too hot to sleep showed Survivor then only as a trio: Ellis and Droubay were now gone, without being replaced by full-fledged members of the group. In the studio and at concerts Synair Bill and Mickey Curry took ( drummer for Bryan Adams) their seats. Peterik and Sullivan were in accordance with the weak response to Too hot to sleep increasingly uncertain whether and how they should continue with the band. Jamison, however, published in 1991 his first solo album When Love comes down, but worked, initially, in parallel with Survivor.

Twice Survivor (1993-1999)

1993 rose Jimi Jamison finally out, in order to concentrate on his solo career, but wanted to operate under the name Survivor. This led to lengthy court battle with the other band members. Ultimately, the court gave dispute that both parties were allowed to use the name of Survivor, with Jamison's new formation, to the especially Christina Adamson (guitar / vocals), Hal Butler (keyboards / vocals), Klay Shroedel (drums / keyboards) and Pete Mendillo (drums / vocals) were now under the name of Jimi Jamison 's Survivor renamed. First and only hit of this band was the song has been written by Jamison I'm always here, the well-known musical theme of the American series Baywatch - The Baywatch.

Peterik and Sullivan had meanwhile (1993 ) re- teamed during the production of a Survivor greatest hits compilation with the old singer Dave Bickler, who took prompt for the years to his former position. It created a number of new songs that never should see the light, since there is no new record deal came about. Until the return of Jamison to his old colleagues (2000), however, two Survivor formations existed for several years from now parallel.

In 1996, the longtime keyboardist Jim Peterik, to pursue their own projects, in particular his old band The Ides of March and together with vocalist Toby Hitchcock newly formed group Pride of Lions, which now has three studio CDs, a live CD & DVD has released. He was also active as a songwriter for others, such as for 38 Special, Donnie Van Zant of the band. Guitarist Frankie Sullivan and Dave Bickler then brought back in 1997 Marc Droubay and Stephen Ellis and committed with Chris Grove a new keyboardist.

Published in 1999 Jimi Jamison 's Survivor their only album entitled Empire, which also I'm always here contained, apart from new material and some live shots of old Survivor title in a new version. 2003, this CD should again appear under the name of Jimi Jamison.

Fresh start and plans for the future (from 2000)

2000 rose singer Dave Bickler for the second time; surprisingly - considering the quarrels of earlier years - now returned Jimi Jamison back to Survivor. Also bassist Stephen Ellis was now retired for the second time; for him came first Billy Ozzello, then Randy Riley and later in its place Barry Dunaway.

In April 2006, published in the Survivor cast Jamison, Sullivan, Grove, Dunaway, Droubay with Reach after a long time an album that was completely stocked with new songs and was almost entirely positive reviews. In July of the same year but Jamison left after differences with Sullivan again the group and was replaced by Robin McAuley now that had formed in the late eighties and early nineties with Michael Schenker the McAuley Schenker Group. Frankie Sullivan and Robin McAuley had met during the recording of McAuley solo album Business as usual in 2002. Current Survivor 's bassist, succeeding Barry Dunaway turn Billy Ozzello.

Currently the band is working on a new album. The Germany - last concerts in September 2007 were canceled for unknown reasons. As has now been determined, there was never any contracts between the organizers of the Germany tour and the band. Although the organizer's advertising and ticket sales were prohibited by the band, the advance was continuing unabated. Subsequently, the organizers claimed that the refusal was allegedly caused due to scheduling conflicts of individual band members.

Jimi Jamison, meanwhile, has in common with Dave Smith (bass / vocals), Jack Holder (guitar / vocals), Tony Black ( keyboards), Kevin Stewart (guitar / keyboards / vocals) and his collaborators Pete Mendillo (drums / vocals) - all musicians established band The Jimi Jamison, the next Survivor classics as well as cover versions of songs the group ZZ Top ( Jamison worked with them ), Cobra (a former band of Jamison ) and target plays - from Memphis.

In early 2008 Jimi Jamison and Jim Peterik came together again and signed for a plate with Frontiers Records. The album was produced from February to July 2008 Peteriks World Stage Studios near Chicago and was released on November 7 under the name Crossroad Moments.

Discography

Studio albums

  • Survivor (1979)
  • Premonition (1981 )
  • Eye of the Tiger ( 1982)
  • Caught In The Game ( 1983)
  • Vital Signs (1984 )
  • When Seconds Count ( 1986)
  • Too Hot To Sleep ( 1988)
  • When Love comes down ( Jimi Jamison ) ( 1991)
  • Empires ( Jimi Jamison 's Survivor ) (1999 ); ( Jimi Jamison later re-released ) (2003 )
  • Reach (2006)
  • Crossroad Moments ( Jimi Jamison ) (2008 )

Compilations / Soundtracks

  • The Karate Kid Soundtrack (incl. Moment of Truth ) ( 1984)
  • Rocky IV Soundtrack (incl. Burning Heart ) ( 1985)
  • The Encore Collection - Extended Versions (1985 )
  • Greatest Hits 1 (1990 )
  • Greatest Hits 2 (1993 )
  • Prime Cuts (1998)
  • Fire In Your Eyes - Greatest Hits (2001)
  • Ultimate Survivor ( Best Of ) (2005 )

Singles

  • Somewhere In America / Freelance (1980 )
  • Rebel Girl / Freelance (1980 )
  • Summer Nights / Summer Nights (extended) (1981 )
  • Summer Nights / Love Is On My Side ( 1981)
  • Poor Man's Son / Love Is On My Side ( 1981)
  • Eye of the Tiger / Take You on a Saturday (1982 )
  • Summer Nights / Take You On A Saturday (1982 )
  • American Heartbeat / Silver Girl ( 1982)
  • Caught in the Game / Santa Ana Winds ( 1983)
  • I Never Stopped Loving You / Ready for the Real Thing (1983 )
  • Slander / I Never Stopped Loving You (1983 )
  • The One That Really Matters / Hesitation Dance ( 1983)
  • Everlasting / High on You ( 1984)
  • I Can not Hold Back / I See You in Everyone ( 1984)
  • The Moment of Truth / It Does not Have to Be This Way (1984 )
  • High on You / Broken Promises (1984 )
  • Burning Heart / Eye of the Tiger ( 1985)
  • The Search Is Over / It ' s The Singer Not The Song ( 1985)
  • First Night / Feels Like Love (1985 )
  • Burning Heart / Feels Like Love (1985 )
  • Backstreet Love Affair / How Much Love (1986 )
  • Is This Love / Can 't Let You Go ( 1986)
  • How Much Love / Back Street Love Affair (1987 )
  • Man Against the World / Oceans (1987 )
  • Did not Know It Was Love / Rhythm Of the City ( 1988)
  • Across the Miles / Burning Bridges (1989 )

VHS

  • Greatest Hits - The Video Collection ( 1993)
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