Concrete Blonde

Concrete Blonde was an American rock band from Hollywood, California. They were active from 1982 to 1994 and reunited twice: first from 2001 to 2004, then from 2010 to 2012. They were best known for their album Bloodletting (1990), its top-20 single "Joey", and Johnette Napolitano's distinctive vocal style.Singer-songwriter and bassist Johnette Napolitano first formed a group with former Sparks bassist James Mankey on guitar in Los Angeles in 1982. Their first recording was the song "Heart Attack," released under the band name Dreamers on the compilation album The D.I.Y. Album (1982). The track was co-produced by James and his brother Earle Mankey, who also programmed the drums. Joined by drummer Michael Murphy, they became Dream 6 and released an eponymous extended play on the independent label Happy Hermit in 1983 (released in France in 1985 by Madrigal). When they signed with I.R.S. Records in 1986, their labelmate Michael Stipe suggested the name Concrete Blonde, describing the contrast between their hard rock music and introspective lyrics. They were joined by drummer Harry Rushakoff on their eponymous debut album.Their first release was Concrete Blonde (1986), which included their debut single "Still in Hollywood." They added a full-time bass guitarist, Alan Bloch, for their album Free (1989), allowing Napolitano to focus on her singing without the burden of playing bass simultaneously. This album included the college radio hit "God Is a Bullet."Their third album, Bloodletting (1990), became their most commercially successful, reaching No. 4 in Canada, No. 8 in Australia, and No. 49 in the United States. It was certified gold in both the United States and Australia. Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson replaced Rushakoff on Bloodletting while Rushakoff was in treatment for drug addiction. Napolitano also reassumed bass duties for the recording, and Bloch does not appear on the album or any subsequent releases. The album was certified gold by the RIAA and included their highest-charting single, "Joey," which spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 chart, peaking at No. 19 in the United States and No. 2 in Australia.Walking in London (1992) saw the return of original drummer Rushakoff due to Thompson's immigration issues, while its successor, Mexican Moon (1993), featured the Bloodletting lineup with Thompson back on drums. Neither album achieved the commercial success of Bloodletting, and Napolitano disbanded the group in 1994.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.