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james_71 remembers...Vernon Reid could shred like nobody's business. Definitely an underrated band. More »
Posted on 04/07/08
CATCH PHRASE:
“Look into my eyes, what do you see?
Cult of personality” – Living Colour
If you were watching MTV in the late 80s, you might have been surprised when the video to Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” came on. There they were, four black men, pumping out heavy metal riffs like it was nobody’s business. And let’s be honest with one another, rock in the 80s, especially heavy metal, was anything but diverse. Living Colour burst their way past color lines and genre lines, giving us some of the most technically skilled, politically charged rock we’d heard in years. In their own way, they hearkened back to the days when rock was color blind, the days of Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone and Santana, and paved the way for bands like Rage Against the Machine, Sevendust and 311.
Living Color was born out of an organization started by guitarist Vernon Reid called the Black Rock Coalition, which was started for black musicians interested in playing rock music. Living Color grew to include bassist Muzz Skullings, drummer Will Calhoun and vocalist Corey Glover. They honed their act at the influential rock club, CBGB where they grew a fan base that would include Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones. Jagger took the band and produced their demo, as well as helping the band score a record contract with Epic. In 1988, they released their debut, Vivid. Album sales picked up once MTV began throwing their video for “Cult of Personality” on heavy rotation. They also went on tour opening for Guns N’ Roses and then in support of the 1989 Rolling Stones U.S. tour.
Their second release, 1990’s Time’s Up, pushed their sound into new frontiers. The album dabbled with thrash metal, funk, jazz fusion and blues. Cameos with Queen Latifah and Doug E. Fresh brought in some hip hop, and there were hints of funk, jive, and electronica blended throughout. The album even nabbed them a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Album. The following year, they joined the first ever Lollapalooza tour and released an EP titled Biscuits. They followed up their critical and popular successes with 1993’s Stain. Despite their continued fan base, the band split the following year because they were heading in different directions musically.
In 2001, they reformed at a surprise show at the legendary CBGB. It was hinted at and their loyal fan base came out in droves. They have continued to tour and have since released an album, 2003’s Collideoscope.
