Difference between revisions of "Grand Central"
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| − | '''Grand Central''' was a band formed in 1971, while in high-school, by [[Prince]] (keyboard and guitar) and [[André Cymone|André Anderson]] (bass) with [[Prince]]’s second cousin, [[Charles Smith|Charles | + | '''Grand Central''' was a band formed in 1971, while in high-school, by [[Prince]] (keyboard and guitar) and [[André Cymone|André Anderson]] (bass) with [[Prince]]’s second cousin, [[Charles Smith|Charles 'Chazz' Smith]] on drums. They initially did not have a name, but when Terry Jackson (percussion) joined they briefly went by "Charles, Cousin & Friends", "Phoenix", "Sex Machine", finally settling for '''Grand Central''' (named after the rock band [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Funk_Railroad Grand Funk Railroad] and the Minneapolis public high school [[Prince]] and [[André Cymone|André]] attended, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_High_School_(Minneapolis,_Minnesota) Central High School]). [[André Cymone]]’s sister Linda Anderson (keyboard) and soon after William "Hollywood" Doughty (percussion) also joined the group. They rehearsed at Terry Jackson’s house (next to the Anderson’s house where [[Prince]] and [[André Cymone|André]] lived) and primarily played at local community centers and high school dances. By late 1974, after a recording session at the [[Cookhouse Studios]] (Minneapolis, Minnesota), drummer [[Charles Smith|Charles 'Chazz' Smith]] was replaced by [[Morris Day]]. After [[Morris Day]]’s mother started managing them in 1975 they changed their name to 'Grand Central Corporation', but weren’t always consistently billed as such. |
| − | [[Grand Central]]/'''Grand Central Corporation'''’s shows were mainly cover versions of 1973-1976 hits and favourite songs. Some of the songs known to have been played (or perhaps simply learned and rehearsed) are : ''Wildflowers'' by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Birth_(band) New Birth] (sung by [[Prince]] & [[André Cymone|André]]), [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufus_(band) Rufus]’ version of Stevie Wonder’s [[Maybe Your Baby]] (sung by [[Prince]]), [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Isley_Brothers The Isley Brothers]’ version of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Breeze_(song)#Isley_Brothers_version Summer Breeze], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stylistics The Stylistics]’ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_Make_the_World_Go_Round People Make The World Go Round], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ | + | [[Grand Central]]/'''Grand Central Corporation'''’s shows were mainly cover versions of 1973-1976 hits and favourite songs. Some of the songs known to have been played (or perhaps simply learned and rehearsed) are : ''Wildflowers'' by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Birth_(band) New Birth] (sung by [[Prince]] & [[André Cymone|André]]), [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufus_(band) Rufus]’ version of Stevie Wonder’s [[Maybe Your Baby]], [[Tell Me Something Good]], [[Sweet Thing]] (sung by [[Prince]]), [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Isley_Brothers The Isley Brothers]’ version of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Breeze_(song)#Isley_Brothers_version Summer Breeze] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight_the_Power_(Part_1_%26_2) Fight The Power], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stylistics The Stylistics]’ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_Make_the_World_Go_Round People Make The World Go Round], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Preston Billy Preston]’s [[Outa-Space]] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_It_Go_Round_in_Circles Will It Go Round In Circles], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana_(band) Santana]’s [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Ways Evil Ways], ''Shades Of Time'' and their covers of [[Jungle Strut]] and [[Black Magic Woman]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown James Brown]’s [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_on_the_Good_Foot Get On The Good Foot], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funkadelic Funkadelic]’s ''Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow'' and [[Get Off Your Ass And Jam]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Commodores The Commodores]’s [[Brick House]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth,_Wind_%26_Fire Earth, Wind & Fire]’s [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shining_Star_(Earth,_Wind_%26_Fire_song) Shining Star], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Harris_(singer) Major Harris]’ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Won’t_Let_Me_Wait Love Won’t Let Me Wait] (sung by [[Morris Day]]), and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_and_the_Family_Stone Sly & The Family Stone]’s [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody_Is_a_Star Everybody Is A Star], [[Dance To The Music]], ''Skin I’m In'' and ''Loose Booty''. Some original music composed by [[Prince]], [[André Cymone|André Anderson]], [[Charles Smith|Charles 'Chazz' Smith]] and/or [[Morris Day]] were also played. |
| − | [[Prince]], [[André Cymone|André Anderson]] and [[Morris Day]] recorded some songs at the [[ | + | [[Prince]], [[André Cymone|André Anderson]] and [[Morris Day]] recorded some songs at the [[ASI Studio]] in early 1976. Around this time the band name evolved into Shampayne (sometimes spelled 'Champagne'). |
| + | There are conflicting stories about this name change and the timing of it. While [[Chris Moon]] recalls that the band was named 'Champagne' when he first met [[Prince]] and first booked studio time at his [[Moon Sound]] Studio to record a demo tape, [[Morris Day]] wrote in his [https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07NJPTJ12/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 autobiography] that the group was renamed 'Shampayne' after [[Prince]]’s departure and that "'''Grand Central''' without [[Prince]] is like Desi without Lucy." When asked about this name change, [[Andre Cymone]] replied an interview, that it was made to avoid confusion with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Central_Station Graham Central Station]: "they came along afterward and everybody said we were trying to copy them and it’s like "no, no, no, we’re not trying to copy anybody". So we changed it, plus I think right around that time [[Prince]] had split, he had gotten a solo deal with Warner Brothers. So he split and we just changed the name. We actually changed the name before he split but, you know, it wound up being Champagne when he was out of the band." | ||
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| + | In Spring 1976 they did more recording at [[Moon Sound]], an eight-track studio located in Lake Nokomis, south of downtown Minneapolis. Shortly after [[Prince]] and Terry Jackson left the band, and Shampayne disbanded altogether in 1978. | ||
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* [[Prince]] (guitar, keyboard, vox) | * [[Prince]] (guitar, keyboard, vox) | ||
* [[André Cymone]] (bass, vox) | * [[André Cymone]] (bass, vox) | ||
| − | * [[Charles Smith|Charles | + | * [[Charles Smith|Charles 'Chazz' Smith]] (drums), later replaced by [[Morris Day]] |
* Terry Jackson (timbales) | * Terry Jackson (timbales) | ||
* Linda Anderson (keyboard) | * Linda Anderson (keyboard) | ||
Latest revision as of 16:22, 18 November 2023
Grand Central
Grand Central was a band formed in 1971, while in high-school, by Prince (keyboard and guitar) and André Anderson (bass) with Prince’s second cousin, Charles 'Chazz' Smith on drums. They initially did not have a name, but when Terry Jackson (percussion) joined they briefly went by "Charles, Cousin & Friends", "Phoenix", "Sex Machine", finally settling for Grand Central (named after the rock band Grand Funk Railroad and the Minneapolis public high school Prince and André attended, Central High School). André Cymone’s sister Linda Anderson (keyboard) and soon after William "Hollywood" Doughty (percussion) also joined the group. They rehearsed at Terry Jackson’s house (next to the Anderson’s house where Prince and André lived) and primarily played at local community centers and high school dances. By late 1974, after a recording session at the Cookhouse Studios (Minneapolis, Minnesota), drummer Charles 'Chazz' Smith was replaced by Morris Day. After Morris Day’s mother started managing them in 1975 they changed their name to 'Grand Central Corporation', but weren’t always consistently billed as such.
Grand Central/Grand Central Corporation’s shows were mainly cover versions of 1973-1976 hits and favourite songs. Some of the songs known to have been played (or perhaps simply learned and rehearsed) are : Wildflowers by New Birth (sung by Prince & André), Rufus’ version of Stevie Wonder’s Maybe Your Baby, Tell Me Something Good, Sweet Thing (sung by Prince), The Isley Brothers’ version of Summer Breeze and Fight The Power, The Stylistics’ People Make The World Go Round, Billy Preston’s Outa-Space and Will It Go Round In Circles, Santana’s Evil Ways, Shades Of Time and their covers of Jungle Strut and Black Magic Woman, James Brown’s Get On The Good Foot, Funkadelic’s Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow and Get Off Your Ass And Jam, The Commodores’s Brick House, Earth, Wind & Fire’s Shining Star, Major Harris’ Love Won’t Let Me Wait (sung by Morris Day), and Sly & The Family Stone’s Everybody Is A Star, Dance To The Music, Skin I’m In and Loose Booty. Some original music composed by Prince, André Anderson, Charles 'Chazz' Smith and/or Morris Day were also played.
Prince, André Anderson and Morris Day recorded some songs at the ASI Studio in early 1976. Around this time the band name evolved into Shampayne (sometimes spelled 'Champagne'). There are conflicting stories about this name change and the timing of it. While Chris Moon recalls that the band was named 'Champagne' when he first met Prince and first booked studio time at his Moon Sound Studio to record a demo tape, Morris Day wrote in his autobiography that the group was renamed 'Shampayne' after Prince’s departure and that "Grand Central without Prince is like Desi without Lucy." When asked about this name change, Andre Cymone replied an interview, that it was made to avoid confusion with Graham Central Station: "they came along afterward and everybody said we were trying to copy them and it’s like "no, no, no, we’re not trying to copy anybody". So we changed it, plus I think right around that time Prince had split, he had gotten a solo deal with Warner Brothers. So he split and we just changed the name. We actually changed the name before he split but, you know, it wound up being Champagne when he was out of the band."
In Spring 1976 they did more recording at Moon Sound, an eight-track studio located in Lake Nokomis, south of downtown Minneapolis. Shortly after Prince and Terry Jackson left the band, and Shampayne disbanded altogether in 1978.
Band Members
- Prince (guitar, keyboard, vox)
- André Cymone (bass, vox)
- Charles 'Chazz' Smith (drums), later replaced by Morris Day
- Terry Jackson (timbales)
- Linda Anderson (keyboard)
- William "Hollywood" Doughty (congas)
Grand Central original songs
- Machine (1973)
- Do You Feel Like Dancing? (1973)
- Danger Lover (1973)
- You Remind Me Of Me (1974)
- Whenever (1974)
- 39th St. Party (1975)
- Lady Pleasure (1976)
- You’re Such A Fox (1976)
- Grand Central (1976)
