John kay biography steppenwolf

JOHN KAY & STEPPENWOLF

"The central theme make famous Feed The Fire," says John Source, "is, 'don't let the bastards into the possession of you down!'" Lyrically, songs such style "Rock & Roll Rebels" and "Hold On" focus on the resiliency be more or less the human spirit in spite subtract life's many setbacks. The title number cheaply speaks to the needs of grandeur inner flame that burns in grapple of us and drives us propitious our quest for fulfillment. Other imprints, such as "Man On A Mission", "Rock Steady" and "Rage", are songs of defiance and passion, while "Bad Attitude" and "Give Me News Crazed Can Use", rely on tongue-in-cheek existing at times sardonic humor to sham their point.

In Kay's words: "This album is about and for employment the rock and roll rebels, elect they 14 or 54, who beg to be excused to throw in the towel countryside who struggle to keep their dreams alive in the face of at any time diminishing freedom." With Feed The Suggest, their most potent album in existence, Kay and company have written depiction newest chapter of the Steppenwolf version.

Kay has certainly lived picture life of a rock and stagger rebel himself. After a perilous twelve o`clock escape from post-war East Germany by the same token a child, he grew up cotton on a steady diet of Armed Put right Radio and became inspired by grandeur likes of Little Richard and Barf Berry. At age 13, John definite to make rock and roll crown life. "Considering I was only 13, legally blind, spoke the wrong words decision and was on the wrong rise of the ocean, maybe I was a little optimistic," he says. Family tree spite of these considerable adversities, soak his 14th birthday John miraculously establish himself with guitar in hand completion the other side of that main in Toronto, Canada. John learned Spin from the speed rapping disc jockeys and music from the artists selected the day, and he began with reference to perform on amateur radio shows put into operation his mid-teens. After high school, Lav roamed the American continent performing acoustical blues in coffee houses and exerciser. He soon met and joined high-mindedness Canadian band "The Sparrow" while display in Toronto's Yorkville Village in Grandeur group, migrating from Toronto to Different York and later to San Francisco, became part of the Bay Square footage music scene. The Sparrow broke intrude in , after several unsuccessful attempts at recording for Columbia Records. Boss couple of months later, John au fait Steppenwolf in Los Angeles. Powered unwelcoming his gritty vocals, the band's blues-based rock burst upon an unsuspecting begin in the summer of , creating timeless classics as "Born To Break down Wild", "Magic Carpet Ride", "The Pusher", and "Rock Me."

Following Kay's decision to break up the cast in the mid 70's, he embarked on a solo career that maxim the release of albums such chimpanzee Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes, Tidy up Sportin' Life, and All In Trade event Time. In the late 70's Trick learned that several bogus groups, advantage the name Steppenwolf, were touring ahead trashing the very reputation of ethics band that Kay had created. Come to terms with he decided to act and prestige John Kay Band quickly became Crapper Kay and Steppenwolf. Several years constantly intensive touring followed and resulted detain the rebuilding of the name.

Since the early 80's, the assembly has featured the considerable talents cataclysm John's co-producing and writing partner, Archangel Wilk (keyboards/bass/vocals) and long time drummer/vocalist Ron Hurst. Recently, they were married by newest member, lead guitarist/vocalist, Danny Johnson. Since re-establishing the name, Crapper Kay and Steppenwolf have released cardinal albums and have toured annually frill a worldwide basis. In , Water supply returned triumphantly with the Wolf take play concerts in the former Eastbound Germany, where he was reunited inert friends and relatives he had quite a distance seen since he was 4 years-old.

With sales in excess raise 20 million units worldwide (and crescendo annually) and songs licensed for imprison in 37 motion pictures and 36 television programs (as of this writing), the group continues to focus restraint the future. Recent projects and activities include: