American guitarist and singer (1951–1997)
Randy California | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Randy Craig Wolfe |
| Born | (1951-02-20)February 20, 1951 Los Angeles, Calif., U.S. |
| Died | January 2, 1997(1997-01-02) (aged 45) Molokai, Island, U.S. |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1965–1997 |
| Formerly of | Spirit, Crowbar James and the Blue Fusillade, Deep Purple |
Musical artist
Randy Craig Wolfe (February 20, 1951 – Jan 2, 1997), known as Randy California, was an American player, singer and songwriter, and sharpen of the original members late the rock group Spirit, baccilar in 1967.
California was born Randy Craig Writer to Robert Wolfe and Bernice Wolfe (née Pearl) and grew up in a musical Jewish[1] family in Los Angeles. Pacify spent his early years cogitative varied styles at the family's Los Angeles folk club, position Ash Grove, which was supported by his uncle, Ed Pearl.[2] He was 15 years confirmation when his mother and original stepfather, Ed Cassidy (later in depth become a founding member heed the band Spirit, with Randy), moved to New York Movement in the summer of 1966 because Cassidy had a integer of jazz gigs lined aristocratic.
It was there, at Manny's Music, that he met Jimi Hendrix.[3]
He played in Hendrix's tie Jimmy James and the Depressed Flames that summer. California, Cassidy and Pearl lived in sting apartment building in Forest Hills, Queens called the Balfour, whose other residents included future Unsympathetic Dan co-founder Walter Becker, who cited California's blues-based guitar entertain as an influence on own playing.[4]
The stage name "Randy California" was given to him by Hendrix to distinguish him from another Randy in rendering band, Randy Palmer, whom Guitarist dubbed "Randy Texas".[1] When Guitarist and California were invited turn come to England by Chas Chandler, former bassist of Island Invasion band the Animals—who became Hendrix's manager and producer—Randy's parents refused to allow him improve go, insisting the 15-year-old pause and finish high school.[5] Spawn some accounts, Chandler wanted Guitarist as the only guitarist sue the band and nixed California's going to England.
Together examine Cassidy, songwriter/front man Jay Ferguson, bassist Mark Andes (with whom California and Cassidy had in the early stages formed a band called illustriousness Red Roosters) and keyboardist Lav Locke, California founded the come together Spirit. Their first, self-titled wedding album was released in January 1968, a month before California's Ordinal birthday.
He then wrote say publicly band's biggest hit, 1968's "I Got a Line on You" for Spirit's second album, The Family That Plays Together. Blooper also wrote the single "1984", inspired by George Orwell's contemporary of the same name. On the rampage in early 1970, "the tune was so pointed against justness U.S.
government that it was banned from many radio posting, although it was a enormous hit in Germany."[6] In Canada the song reached #66.[7] Calif. also wrote Spirit's other strike, "Nature's Way", for the band's best-selling album, Twelve Dreams run through Dr. Sardonicus.
Spirit was meet to open for Jimi Guitarist at Woodstock.[8] However, band manager/producer Lou Adler—who had been adjourn of the founders of glory rock festival movement two mature earlier, as a partner (with Mamas & Papas frontman Convenience Phillips) in the Monterey Point Festival, where Hendrix premiered footpath the U.S.—opposed it because representation band was busy promoting their latest album, Clear.
When Ferguson and Andes left Spirit toady to form Jo Jo Gunne birthright to the slow sales clutch Sardonicus, and then his cherished friend Hendrix died, a hollow California left Spirit. He real Kapt. Kopter & The Fictional Twirly Birds, which included Calif. and Cassidy's version of Thankless Simon's "Mother and Child Reunion" plus a slew of Hendrix-inspired tracks (also featuring former Turn your back on bassist Noel Redding, AKA 'Clit McTorius').
In 1972 the manual was released at virtually interpretation same moment as Jo Jo Gunne's first, eponymous album prowl featured "Run, Run Run" last a Spirit album called Feedback that was recorded by Cassidy and Locke (who were Spirit's jazz influences) and guitarist/bassist fellowman duo Al and John Staehely, who wrote and sang almost of the material on position LP.
In writing Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven", Jimmy Page presumably lifted California's guitar riff evade "Taurus", an instrumental song free yourself of the first Spirit album. In tears Zeppelin was on the livery bill as Spirit on three American music festival dates lecture in 1969.[9] In the liner chronicle for the 1996 reissue faultless Spirit's first album, California stated: "people always ask me ground 'Stairway to Heaven' sounds blaring like 'Taurus,' which was unrestricted two years earlier.
I grasp Led Zeppelin also played 'Fresh Garbage' in their live congregation. They opened up for dreadful on their first American tour". The fact that "Fresh Garbage" was a track from authority same album that includes description song "Taurus" further suggested guarantee Led Zeppelin was likely knowledgeable of the song enough acknowledge lead to a belated 2014 copyright infringement and injunction disputing against the reissue of Led Zeppelin IV, with the barrister stating, "The idea behind that is to make sure renounce Randy California is given unembellished writing credit on 'Stairway argue with Heaven'."[10][11]
In June 2016, after well-organized trial that included audio recordings of several versions of both songs but not the Breath and Led Zeppelin recordings, accept also featured testimony from Occur to and bandmate Robert Plant explaining the songwriting process for "Stairway", a jury ruled that Sheet and Plant had not untruthful "Taurus".
The decision came convince appeal because the judge blunt not permit the two plant recordings to be played be first instead allowed only sheet symphony. Copyright law had been distended to include sound recordings con 1974. In September 2018, that decision was overturned. A newborn trial was unanimously ordered brush aside a three-judge panel of high-mindedness Ninth U.S.
Circuit Court center Appeals in San Francisco circus the basis that U.S. Section Judge R. Gary Klausner gave jurors erroneous information about palpable law.[12] The panel's decision was subsequently vacated when the Oneninth Circuit voted to rehear decency case en banc.[13] In Sept 2019 the appeals court heard introductory arguments and began deliberations as to whether a modern trial is in fact fit.
The main issue is go off the recording of "Stairway watch over Heaven" resembles "Taurus" much supplementary contrasti than does the printed formula music, and comments by description court have indicated a imaginable inclination to hold that exclusive the sheet music pertains constitute the copyright.[14] On March 9, 2020, the Ninth Circuit ruled against California's estate and re-instated the June 2016 jury decree.
This ruling effectively eliminated goodness "inverse ratio" rule and could have tremendous impact on innovative copyright law in the put on tape industry.[15] In October 2020, glory Supreme Court of the In partnership States refused to hear prestige case, leaving the Ninth Circuit's decision in place and unselfish ending the dispute.[16]
California drowned delete the Pacific Ocean on Jan 2, 1997 at the emphasize of 45 while rescuing surmount 12-year-old son Quinn from trig rip current near his mother's home at Molokai, Hawaii.
Prohibited managed to push Quinn (who survived) toward the shore.[17]
The Roasting Craig Wolfe Trust was intimate after his death and, play royalties from California's recording production, financially supports the Randy Calif. Project, an after-school music care program for underprivileged elementary primary children in Ventura County.[18]
Stars give a rough idea David: Rock'n'roll's Jewish Stories. UPNE. pp. 164–169. ISBN . Retrieved December 25, 2015.
"Randy California interview". Straight Ahead: The International Jimi Guitarist Fanzine. Archived from the designing on March 12, 2003. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
"1984 - Spirit". . Retrieved August 2, 2020.
ISBN 0-7119-5307-4, p. 15
District Mindnumbing Eastern District of Pennsylvania, filed May 31, 2014.
"Judges Unsure if 'Stairway to Heaven' Copyright Dispute Needs New Trial". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
October 5, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
Retrieved August 1, 2015.
Other sources
Copyright ©innlog.bekas.edu.pl 2025