Manganese ( ) is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature (often in combination with iron), and in many minerals. As a free element, manganese is a metal with important industrial metal alloy uses, particularly in stainless steels.

Manganese phosphating is used as a treatment for rust and corrosion prevention on steel. Depending on their oxidation state, manganese ions have various colors and are used industrially as pigments. The permanganates of alkali and alkaline earth metals are powerful oxidizers. Manganese dioxide is used as the cathode (electron acceptor) material in standard and alkaline disposable dry cells and batteries.

Manganese(II) ions function as cofactors for a number of enzymes in higher organisms, where they are essential in detoxification of superoxide free radicals. The element is a required trace mineral for all known living organisms. In larger amounts, and apparently with far greater activity by inhalation, manganese can cause a poisoning syndrome in mammals, with neurological damage which is sometimes irreversible.

Characteristics

Physical properties

Manganese is a silvery-gray metal resembling iron. It is hard and very brittle, difficult to fuse, but easy to oxidize. Manganese metal and its common ions are paramagnetic.

Isotopes

Naturally occurring manganese is composed of 1 stable isotope, ⁵⁵Mn. Eighteen radioisotopes have been characterized with the most stable being ⁵³Mn with a half-life of 3.7 million years, ⁵⁴Mn with a half-life of 312.3 days, and ⁵²Mn with a half-life of 5.591 days. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 3 hours and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 1 minute. This element also has 3 meta states.

Manganese is part of the iron group of elements, which are thought to be synthesized in large stars shortly before the supernova explosion. ⁵³Mn decays to ⁵³Cr with a half-life of 3.7 million years. Because of its relatively short half-life, ⁵³Mn occurs only in tiny amounts due to the action of cosmic rays on iron in rocks. Manganese isotopic contents are typically combined with chromium isotopic contents and have found application in isotope geology and radiometric dating. Mn–Cr isotopic ratios reinforce the evidence from ²⁶Al and ¹⁰⁷Pd for the early history of the solar system. Variations in ⁵³Cr/⁵²Cr and Mn/Cr ratios from several meteorites indicate an initial ⁵³Mn/⁵⁵Mn ratio that suggests Mn–Cr isotopic composition must result from in–situ decay of ⁵³Mn in differentiated planetary bodies. Hence ⁵³Mn provides additional evidence for nucleosynthetic processes immediately before coalescence of the solar system.

The isotopes of manganese range in atomic weight from 46 u (⁴⁶Mn) to 65 u (⁶⁵Mn). The primary decay mode before the most abundant stable isotope, ⁵⁵Mn, is electron capture and the primary mode after is beta decay.

Chemical properties

The most common oxidation states of manganese are +2, +3, +4, +6 and +7, though oxidation states from −3 to +7 are observed. Mn²⁺ often competes with Mg²⁺ in biological systems. Manganese compounds where manganese is in oxidation state +7, which are restricted to the unstable oxide Mn₂O₇ and compounds of the intensely purple permanganate anion MnO₄⁻, are powerful oxidizing agents. Compounds with oxidation states +5 (blue) and +6 (green) are strong oxidizing agents and are vulnerable to disproportionation.

The most stable oxidation state for manganese is +2, which has a pale pink color, and many manganese(II) compounds are known, such as manganese(II) sulfate (MnSO₄) and manganese(II) chloride (MnCl₂). This oxidation state is also seen in the mineral rhodochrosite, (manganese(II) carbonate). The +2 oxidation state is the state used in living organisms for essential functions; other states are toxic for the human body. The +2 oxidation of Mn results from removal of the two 4s electrons, leaving a "high spin" ion in which all five of the 3d orbitals contain a single electron. Absorption of visible light by this ion is accomplished only by a spin-forbidden transition in which one of the d electrons must pair with another, to give the atom a change in spin of two units. The unlikeliness of such a transition is seen in the uniformly pale and almost colorless nature of Mn(II) compounds relative to other oxidation states of manganese.

|- | 0 || |- | +1 || |- | +2 || |- | +3 || |- | +4 || |- | +5 || |- | +6 || |- | +7 || |- |colspan=2|

Common oxidation states are in bold. |} The +3 oxidation state is known in compounds like manganese(III) acetate, but these are quite powerful oxidizing agents and also prone to disproportionation in solution to Manganese(II) and Manganese(IV). Solid compounds of Manganese(III) are characterized by their preference for distorted octahedral coordination due to the Jahn-Teller effect and its strong purple-red color.

The oxidation state 5+ can be obtained if manganese dioxide is dissolved in molten sodium nitrite. Manganate (VI) salts can also be produced by dissolving Mn compounds, such as manganese dioxide, in molten alkali while exposed to air.

Permanganate (+7 oxidation state) compounds are purple, and can give glass a violet color. Potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and barium permanganate are all potent oxidizers. Potassium permanganate, also called Condy's crystals, is a commonly used laboratory reagent because of its oxidizing properties and finds use as a topical medicine (for example, in the treatment of fish diseases). Solutions of potassium permanganate were among the first stains and fixatives to be used in the preparation of biological cells and tissues for electron microscopy.

{|class="wikitable" | | | | |- |Electrolytically refined manganese chips, pure and covered with oxide |Mineral rhodochrosite (manganese(II) carbonate). The red color is due to impurities. |Manganese(II) chloride |Potassium permanganate in water |}

History

The origin of the name manganese is complex. In ancient times, two black minerals from Magnesia in what is now modern Greece were both called ''magnes'', but were thought to differ in gender. The male ''magnes'' attracted iron, and was the iron ore we now know as lodestone or magnetite, and which probably gave us the term magnet. The female ''magnes'' ore did not attract iron, but was used to decolorize glass. This feminine ''magnes'' was later called ''magnesia'', known now in modern times as pyrolusite or manganese dioxide. Neither this mineral nor manganese itself is magnetic. In the 16th century, manganese dioxide was called manganesum (note the two n's instead of one) by glassmakers, possibly as a corruption and concatenation of two words, since alchemists and glassmakers eventually had to differentiate a ''magnesia negra'' (the black ore) from ''magnesia alba'' (a white ore, also from Magnesia, also useful in glassmaking). Michele Mercati called magnesia negra ''Manganesa'', and finally the metal isolated from it became known as manganese (German: ''Mangan''). The name ''magnesia'' eventually was then used to refer only to the white magnesia alba (magnesium oxide), which provided the name magnesium for that free element, when it was eventually isolated, much later.

Several oxides of manganese, for example manganese dioxide, are abundant in nature and due to color these oxides have been used as since the Stone Age. The cave paintings in Gargas contain manganese as pigments and these cave paintings are 30,000 to 24,000 years old.

Manganese compounds were used by Egyptian and Roman glassmakers, to either remove color from glass or add color to it. The use as ''glassmakers soap'' continued through the middle ages until modern times and is evident in 14th century glass from Venice.

Because of the use in glassmaking, manganese dioxide was available to alchemists, the first chemists, and was used for experiments. Ignatius Gottfried Kaim (1770) and Johann Glauber (17th century) discovered that manganese dioxide could be converted to permanganate, a useful laboratory reagent. By the mid-18th century the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele used manganese dioxide to produce chlorine. First hydrochloric acid, or a mixture of dilute sulfuric acid and sodium chloride was reacted with manganese dioxide, later hydrochloric acid from the Leblanc process was used and the manganese dioxide was recycled by the Weldon process. The production of chlorine and hypochlorite containing bleaching agents was a large consumer of manganese ores.

Scheele and other chemists were aware that manganese dioxide contained a new element, but they were not able to isolate it. Johan Gottlieb Gahn was the first to isolate an impure sample of manganese metal in 1774, by reducing the dioxide with carbon.

The manganese content of some iron ores used in Greece led to the speculations that the steel produced from that ore contains inadvertent amounts of manganese making the Spartan steel exceptionally hard. Around the beginning of the 19th century, manganese was used in steelmaking and several patents were granted. In 1816, it was noted that adding manganese to iron made it harder, without making it any more brittle. In 1837, British academic James Couper noted an association between heavy exposures to manganese in mines with a form of Parkinson's Disease. In 1912, manganese phosphating electrochemical conversion coatings for protecting firearms against rust and corrosion were patented in the United States, and have seen widespread use ever since.

The invention of the Leclanché cell in 1866 and the subsequent improvement of the batteries containing manganese dioxide as cathodic depolarizer increased the demand of manganese dioxide. Until the introduction of the nickel-cadmium battery and lithium containing batteries, most batteries contained manganese. The zinc-carbon battery and the alkaline battery normally use industrially produced manganese dioxide, because natural occurring manganese dioxide contains impurities. In the 20th century, manganese dioxide has seen wide commercial use as the chief cathodic material for commercial disposable dry cells and dry batteries of both the standard (zinc-carbon) and alkaline types.

Occurrence and production

Manganese makes up about 1000 ppm (0.1%) of the Earth's crust, making it the 12th most abundant element there. Soil contains 7–9000 ppm of manganese with an average of 440 ppm. Seawater has only 10 ppm manganese and the atmosphere contains 0.01 µg/m³. Manganese occurs principally as pyrolusite (MnO₂), braunite, (Mn²⁺Mn³⁺₆)(SiO₁₂), psilomelane (Ba,H₂O)₂Mn₅O₁₀, and to a lesser extent as rhodochrosite (MnCO₃).

{|class="wikitable" | | | | |- |Manganese ore |Psilomelane (manganese ore) |Spiegeleisen is an iron alloy with a manganese content of approximately 15% |Manganese oxide dendrites on limestone from Solnhofen, Germany—a kind of pseudofossil. Scale is in mm |}

The most important manganese ore is pyrolusite (MnO₂). Other economically important manganese ores usually show a close spatial relation to the iron ores. Land-based resources are large but irregularly distributed. About 80% of the known world manganese resources are found in South Africa, other important manganese deposits are in Ukraine, Australia, India, China, Gabon and Brazil. In 1978 it was estimated that 500 billion tons of manganese nodules exist on the ocean floor. Attempts to find economically viable methods of harvesting manganese nodules were abandoned in the 1970s.

Manganese is mined in South Africa, Australia, China, Brazil, Gabon, Ukraine, India and Ghana and Kazakhstan. US Import Sources (1998–2001): Manganese ore: Gabon, 70%; South Africa, 10%; Australia, 9%; Mexico, 5%; and other, 6%. Ferromanganese: South Africa, 47%; France, 22%; Mexico, 8%; Australia, 8%; and other, 15%. Manganese contained in all manganese imports: South Africa, 31%; Gabon, 21%; Australia, 13%; Mexico, 8%; and other, 27%.

For the production of ferromanganese, the manganese ore are mixed with iron ore and carbon and then reduced either in a blast furnace or in an electric arc furnace. The resulting ferromanganese has a manganese content of 30 to 80%. Pure manganese used for the production of non-iron alloys is produced by leaching manganese ore with sulfuric acid and a subsequent electrowinning process.

Applications

Manganese has no satisfactory substitute in its major applications, which are related to metallurgical alloy use. In minor applications, (e.g., manganese phosphating), zinc and sometimes vanadium are viable substitutes. In disposable battery manufacture, standard and alkaline cells using manganese will probably eventually be mostly replaced with lithium battery technology.

Steel

Manganese is essential to iron and steel production by virtue of its sulfur-fixing, deoxidizing, and alloying properties. Steelmaking, including its ironmaking component, has accounted for most manganese demand, presently in the range of 85% to 90% of the total demand. Among a variety of other uses, manganese is a key component of low-cost stainless steel formulations.

Small amounts of manganese improve the workability of steel at high temperatures, because it forms a high melting sulfide and therefore prevents the formation of a liquid iron sulfide at the grain boundaries. If the manganese content reaches 4% the embrittlement of the steel becomes a dominant feature. The embrittlement decreases at higher manganese concentrations and reaches an acceptable level at 8%. Steel containing 8 to 15% of manganese can have a high tensile strength of up to 863 MPa. Steel with 12% manganese was used for the British steel helmets. This steel composition was discovered in 1882 by Robert Hadfield and is still known as Hadfield steel.

Aluminium alloys

The second large application for manganese is as alloying agent for aluminium. Aluminium with a manganese content of roughly 1.5% has an increased resistance against corrosion due to the formation of grains absorbing impurities which would lead to galvanic corrosion. The corrosion resistant aluminium alloy 3004 and 3104 with a manganese content of 0.8 to 1.5% are the alloy used for most of the beverage cans. Before year 2000, in excess of 1.6 million tonnes have been used of those alloys, with a content of 1% of manganese this amount would need 16,000 tonnes of manganese.

Other uses

150px|right|thumb|World War II-time nickel (1942-5 identified by mint mark P,D or S above dome) made from a 56% copper-35% silver-9% manganese alloy. Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl is used as an additive in unleaded gasoline to boost octane rating and reduce engine knocking. The manganese in this unusual organometallic compound is in the +1 oxidation state.

Manganese(IV) oxide (manganese dioxide, MnO₂) is used as a reagent in organic chemistry for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols (i.e. adjacent to an aromatic ring). Manganese dioxide has been used since antiquity to oxidatively neutralize the greenish tinge in glass caused by trace amounts of iron contamination. MnO₂ is also used in the manufacture of oxygen and chlorine, and in drying black paints. In some preparations it is a brown pigment that can be used to make paint and is a constituent of natural umber.

Manganese(IV) oxide was used in the original type of dry cell battery as an electron acceptor from zinc, and is the blackish material found when opening carbon–zinc type flashlight cells. The manganese dioxide is reduced to the manganese oxide-hydroxide MnO(OH) during discharging, preventing the formation of hydrogen at the anode of the battery.

:MnO₂ + H₂O + → MnO(OH) +

The same material also functions in newer alkaline batteries (usually battery cells), which use the same basic reaction, but a different electrolyte mixture. In 2002 more than 230,000 tons of manganese dioxide was used for this purpose.

The metal is very occasionally used in coins; until 2000 the only United States coin to use manganese was the "wartime" nickel from 1942–1945. An alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel was traditionally used for the production of nickel coins. However, because of shortage of nickel metal during the war, it was substituted by more available silver and manganese, thus resulting in an alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver and 9% manganese. Since 2000, dollar coins, for example the Sacagawea dollar and the Presidential $1 Coins, are made from a brass containing 7% of manganese with a pure copper core. In both cases of nickel and dollar, the use of manganese in the coin was to duplicate the electromagnetic properties of a previous identically sized and valued coin, for vending purposes. In the case of the later U.S. dollar coins, the manganese-alloy was an attempt to duplicated properties of the copper/nickel alloy used in the previous Susan B. Anthony dollar.

Manganese compounds have been used as pigments and for the coloring of ceramics and glass. The brown color of ceramic is sometimes based on manganese compounds. In the glass industry manganese compounds are used for two effects. Manganese(III) reacts with iron(II). The reaction induces a strong green color in glass by forming less-colored iron(III) and slightly pink manganese(II), compensating the residual color of the iron(III). Larger amounts of manganese are used to produce pink colored glass.

Biological role

Manganese is an essential trace nutrient in all forms of life. The classes of enzymes that have manganese cofactors are very broad and include oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, lectins, and integrins. The reverse transcriptases of many retroviruses (though not lentiviruses such as HIV) contain manganese. The best known manganese-containing polypeptides may be arginase, the diphtheria toxin, and Mn-containing superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD).

Mn-SOD is the type of SOD present in eukaryotic mitochondria, and also in most bacteria (this fact is in keeping with the bacterial-origin theory of mitochondria). The Mn-SOD enzyme is probably one of the most ancient, for nearly all organisms living in the presence of oxygen use it to deal with the toxic effects of superoxide, formed from the 1-electron reduction of dioxygen. Exceptions include a few kinds of bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum and related lactobacilli, which use a different non-enzymatic mechanism, involving manganese (Mn²⁺) ions complexed with polyphosphate directly for this task, indicating how this function possibly evolved in aerobic life.

The human body contains about 10 mg of manganese, which is stored mainly in the liver and kidneys. In the human brain the manganese is bound to manganese metalloproteins most notably glutamine synthetase in astrocytes.

Manganese is also important in photosynthetic oxygen evolution in chloroplasts in plants. The oxygen evolving complex (OEC) is a part of Photosystem II contained in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts; it is responsible for the terminal photooxidation of water during the light reactions of photosynthesis and has a metalloenzyme core containing four atoms of manganese. For this reason, most broad-spectrum plant fertilizers contain manganese.

Precautions

Manganese compounds are less toxic than those of other widespread metals such as nickel and copper. However, exposure to manganese dusts and fumes should not exceed the ceiling value of 5 mg/m³ even for short periods because of its toxicity level. Manganese poisoning has been linked to impaired motor skills and cognitive disorders.

The permanganate exhibits a higher toxicity than the manganese(II) compounds. The fatal dose is about 10 g, and several fatal intoxications have occurred. The strong oxidative effect leads to necrosis of the mucous membrane. For example, the esophagus is affected if the permanganate is swallowed. Only a limited amount is absorbed by the intestines, but this small amount shows severe effects on the kidneys and on the liver.

In 2005, a study suggested a possible link between manganese inhalation and central nervous system toxicity in rats. It is hypothesized that long-term exposure to the naturally occurring manganese in shower water puts up to 8.7 million Americans at risk.

A form of neurodegeneration similar to Parkinson's Disease called "manganism" has been linked to manganese exposure amongst miners and smelters since the early 19th century. Allegations of inhalation-induced manganism have been made regarding the welding industry. Manganese exposure in United States is regulated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

According to results from a 2010 study, higher levels of exposure to manganese in drinking water are associated with increased intellectual impairment and reduced intelligence quotients in school-age children.

Clinical toxicity

Manganism has occurred in persons employed in the production or processing of manganese alloys, patients receiving total parenteral nutrition, workers exposed to manganese-containing fungicides such as maneb, and abusers of drugs such as methcathinone made with potassium permanganate. Excessive exposure may be confirmed by measurement of blood or urine manganese concentrations.

Chronic exposure to excessive Mn levels can lead to a variety of psychiatric and motor disturbances, termed manganism. Generally, exposure to ambient Mn air concentrations in excess of 5 μg Mn/m3 can lead to Mn-induced symptoms. Increased ferroportin protein expression in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells is associated with decreased intracellular Mn concentration and attenuated cytotoxicity, characterized by the reversal of Mn-reduced glutamate uptake and diminished lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage.

See also

Parkerize

References

External links

National Pollutant Inventory – Manganese and compounds Fact Sheet

WebElements.com – Manganese

International Manganese Institute

Neurotoxicity of inhaled manganese: Public health danger in the shower?

NIOSH Manganese Topic Page

Link Found Between Parkinson's Disease Genes And Manganese Poisoning

The periodic table of videos: Manganese

Manganex - Institute of Occupational Medicine's Manganese Exposure Database

Category:Chemical elements Category:Dietary minerals Category:Transition metals Category:Manganese Category:Deoxidizers Category:Occupational safety and health Category:Biology and pharmacology of chemical elements Category:Reducing agents

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Coordinates	19°45′″N96°6′″N
name	Dick Gregory
birth date	October 12, 1932
birth place	St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
medium	Stand-up, film, books
nationality	American
active	1953–present
genre	Satire/Political satire, Observational comedy
subject	American civil rights, American politics, American culture, African-American culture, racism, race relations, vegetarianism, healthy diet
influences	Mort Sahl
influenced	Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Nichols and May, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock
spouse	Lillian Gregory (1959–present) 10 children
notable work	''In Living Black and White ''''nigger: An Autobiography'' ''Write Me In!''
website	www.dickgregory.com
footnotes	}}

Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory (born October 12, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American comedian, social activist, social critic, writer, and entrepreneur.

Gregory is an influential American comic who has used his performance skills to convey to both white and black audiences his political message on civil rights. His social satire changed the way white Americans perceived African American comedians since he first performed in public.

Influenced to stand up for civil rights by his early surroundings of poverty and violence, Gregory was one of the first comedians to successfully perform for both black and white audiences .

Early life

As a poor student who excelled at running, Gregory was aided by teachers at Sumner High School such as Warren St. James. He earned a track scholarship to Southern Illinois University Carbondale. There he set school records as a half-miler and miler. His college career was interrupted for two years in 1954 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. The army was where he got his start in comedy, entering and winning several Army talent shows at the urging of his commanding officer, who had taken notice of Gregory's penchant for joking. In 1956, Gregory briefly returned to the university after his discharge, but left without a degree because he felt that the university "''didn't want me to study, they wanted me to run''".

In the hopes of performing comedy professionally, he moved to Chicago, where he became part of a new generation of black comedians that included Nipsey Russell, Bill Cosby, and Godfrey Cambridge. These comedians broke with the minstrel tradition, which presented stereotypical black characters. Gregory drew on current events, especially the racial issues, for much of his material: "Segregation is not all bad. Have you ever heard of a collision where the people in the back the bus got fucked?".

Career

After completing military service, he performed as a comedian in small, primarily black nightclubs while working for the United States Postal Service during the daytime. In 1961, while working at the Black-owned Roberts Show Bar in Chicago, he was hired by Hugh Hefner to work at the Chicago Playboy Club after Hefner heard him perform the following material before a largely white audience:

:''Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I understand there are a good many Southerners in the room tonight. I know the South very well. I spent twenty years there one night.''

:''Last time I was down South I walked into this restaurant and this white waitress came up to me and said, "We don't serve colored people here." I said, "That's all right. I don't eat colored people. Bring me a whole fried chicken."''

:''Then these three white boys came up to me and said, "Boy, we're giving you fair warning'. Anything you do to that chicken, we're gonna do to you". So I put down my knife and fork, I picked up that chicken and I kissed it. Then I said, "Line up, boys!"''.

This routine caused a direct request from publisher Hugh Hefner and he was booked as a replacement for the white comedian Professor Irwin Corey. Until then Gregory had worked mostly at small clubs with predominantly black audiences.

Dick Gregory's first TV appearance was on the late night Jack Paar Show. He soon began appearing nationally and on television.

Post career

He is number 82 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Standups of all time and has his own star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. There is a grassroots effort afoot to get him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, spearheaded by Radio One host Joe Madison.

Gregory is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Gregory was a former co-host with radio personality Cathy Hughes, and is still a frequent morning guest, on WOL 1450 AM talk radio's "The Power", the flagship station of Hughes' Radio One. He also appears regularly on the nationally syndicated ''Imus in the Morning'' program.

Gregory appears as "Mr. Sun" on the television show ''Wonder Showzen'' (the third episode, titled "Ocean", aired in 2005). As Chauncey, a puppet character, imbibes a hallucinogenic substance, Mr. Sun warns, "Don't get hooked on imagination, Chauncey. It can lead to terrible, horrible things." Gregory also provides guest commentary on the ''Wonder Showzen'' Season One DVD. Large segments of his commentary were intentionally bleeped out, including the names of several dairy companies, as he made potentially slanderous remarks concerning ill effects that the consumption of cow milk has on human beings.

Gregory attended and spoke at the funeral of James Brown on December 30, 2006, in Augusta, Georgia.

Dick Gregory is occasionally a guest on the Mark Thompson's "Make It Plain" Sirius Channel 146 Radio Show from 3pm to 6pm PST.

Mr. Gregory appeared on The Alex Jones Show on September 14, 2010.

Personal life

Gregory met his wife Lillian at an African-American club; they married in 1959. They have ten children total, including one child who died at birth: Michele, Lynne, Pamela, Paula, Stephanie (aka Xenobia), Gregory, Christian, Miss, Ayanna and Yohance. In 1973 the Gregory family moved to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where he developed an interest in vegetarianism.

Activism

Political activism

Active in the civil rights movement, on October 7, 1963, he came to Selma, Alabama and spoke for two hours on a public platform two days before the voter registration drive known as "Freedom Day" (October 7, 1963).

In 1964, he became more involved in struggles for civil rights, activism against the Vietnam War, economic reform, anti-drug issues, conspiracy theories, and others. As a part of his activism, he went on several hunger strikes.

Gregory began his political career by running against Richard J. Daley for the mayoralty of Chicago in 1967. Though he did not emerge victorious, this would not prove to be the end of Dick Gregory's dalliances with electoral politics.

Gregory unsuccessfully ran for President of the United States in 1968 as a write-in candidate of the Freedom and Peace Party, which had broken off from the Peace and Freedom Party. He won 47,097 votes (including one from Hunter S. Thompson) with fellow activist Mark Lane as his running mate in some states, David Frost in others, and Dr. Benjamin Spock in Virginia and Pennsylvania garnering more than the party he had left. The Freedom and Peace Party also ran other candidates, including Beulah Sanders for New York State Senate and Flora Brown for New York State Assembly. His efforts landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents.

He then wrote the book ''Write Me In'' about his presidential campaign. One interesting anecdote in the book related the story of a publicity stunt which came out of Operation Breadbasket in Chicago where the campaign had printed $1 bills with Gregory's image on them. Some of these bills made it into circulation in cash transactions causing considerable problems, but priceless publicity.

The majority of these bills were quickly seized by the federal government. A large contributing factor to the seizure came from the bills resembling authentic US currency enough that they worked in many dollar cashing machines of the time. Gregory avoided being charged with a federal crime, later joking that the bills couldn’t really be considered US currency because "everyone knows a black man will never be on a US bill."

Shortly after this time Gregory became an outspoken critic of the Warren Commission findings that President JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. On March 6, 1975 Mr. Gregory and assassination researcher Robert Groden appeared on Geraldo Rivera's late night ABC talk show Goodnight America. An important historical event happened that night when the famous Zapruder film of JFK's assassination was shown to the public on TV for the first time in history. The public's response and outrage to that showing led to the forming of the Hart-Schweiker investigation, which contributed to the Church Committee Investigation on Intelligence Activities by the United States, which resulted in the House Select Committee on Assassinations investigation.

Gregory was an outspoken feminist activist, and in 1978 he joined Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Bella Abzug, Margaret Heckler, Barbara Mikulski, and original suffragists to lead the ''National ERA March for Ratification and Extension'', a march down Pennsylvania Avenue to the United States Capitol of over 100,000 on Women's Equality Day (August 26), 1978 to demonstrate for a ratification deadline extension for the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution, and for the ratification of the ERA. The march was ultimately successful in extending the deadline to June 30, 1982, and Gregory joined other activists the Senate for celebration and victory speeches by pro-ERA Senators, Congressmen, Congresswomen, and activists. The ERA still narrowly failed to be ratified by the extended ratification date, however, but the Women's Movement was largely successful in securing gender equality in the laws and society.

On July 21, 1979, Gregory appeared at the Amandla Festival where Bob Marley, Patti LaBelle and Eddie Palmieri, amongst others, had performed. Gregory held a speech before Marley's performance, blaming President Carter, and showing his support for the international Anti-Apartheid movements. Gregory and Mark Lane did landmark research into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which helped move the U.S. House Assassinations Committee to investigate the murder, along with that of John F. Kennedy. Lane was author of conspiracy theory books such as ''Rush to Judgment''. The pair wrote the MLK conspiracy book ''Code Name Zorro'', which postulated that convicted assassin James Earl Ray did not act alone. Gregory has also argued that the moon landing was faked and the commonly accepted account of the 9/11 attacks is wrong, among other conspiracy theories.

Gregory was an outspoken activist during the US Embassy Hostage Crisis in Iran. In 1980 he traveled to Tehran to attempt to negotiate the hostages' release and engaged in a public hunger strike there, weighing less than 100 pounds (45 kg) when he returned to the United States.

In 1998 Gregory spoke at the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Clinton was in attendance. Not long after that, the President told Gregory’s long-time friend and P.R. Consultant, Steve Jaffe, “I love Dick Gregory, he is one of the funniest people on the planet.” They spoke of how Gregory had made a comment on Dr. King’s birthday that broke everyone into laughter, when he noted that the President made Speaker Newt Gingrich ride “in the back of the plane,” on an Air Force One trip overseas.

According to a June 2000 JET Magazine interview, Gregory stated that he was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 1999. Gregory reported that he was treating the cancer with herbs, vitamins and exercise which he believes has kept the cancer in remission.

Since the late 1980s, Gregory has been a figure in the health food industry by advocating for a raw fruit and vegetable diet. Gregory first became a vegetarian in the 1960s, and has lost a considerable amount of weight by going on extreme fasts, some lasting upwards of 50 days. He developed a diet drink called "Bahamian Diet Nutritional Drink" and went on TV shows advocating for his diet and to help the morbidly obese. He is probably best remembered for his attempts, chronicled in the media on daytime talk shows in early 1988, at helping 1,200 pound (540 kg) Long Island man Walter Hudson drop nearly 600 pounds (270 kg) in only a few months on a liquid diet.

At a Civil Rights rally marking the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Gregory criticized the United States, calling it "the most dishonest, ungodly, unspiritual nation that ever existed in the history of the planet. As we talk now, America is 5 percent of the world's population and consumes 96 percent of the world's hard drugs".

Gregory announced a hunger strike on Sept. 10, 2010, saying in a commentary published by the Centre for Research on Globalisation in Montreal that he doubted the official U.S. report about the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. "One thing I know is that the official government story of those events, as well as what took place that day at the Pentagon, is just that, a story. This story is not the truth, but far from it. I was born on October 12, 1932. I am announcing today that I will be consuming only liquids beginning Sunday until my eightieth birthday in 2012 and until the real truth of what truly happened on that day emerges and is publicly known."

Charity work

In 1984 he founded Health Enterprises, Inc., a company that distributed weight loss products. In 1985 Gregory introduced the "Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet", a powdered diet mix. Economic losses caused in part by conflicts with his business partners led to his eviction from his home in 1992. Gregory remained active, however, and in 1996 returned to the stage in his critically acclaimed one-man show, "Dick Gregory Live!"

Albums

''In Living Black and White'' (1961)

''East & West'' (1961)

''Dick Gregory Talks Turkey'' (1962)

''The Two Sides of Dick Gregory'' (1963)

''Dick Gregory Running for President'' (1964)

''So You See... We All Have Problems'' (1964)

''Dick Gregory On:'' (1969)

''The Light Side: The Dark Side'' (1969)

''Dick Gregory's Frankenstein'' (1970)

''Live at the Village Gate'' (1970)

''At Kent State'' (1971)

''Caught in the Act'' (1974)

''The Best of Dick Gregory'' (1997)

Books

''nigger: an autobiography'', by Dick Gregory with Robert Lipsyte, Pocket Books (Simon and Schuster), 1964. (one account says 1963) ISBN 0-671-62611-6

''Write me in!'', Bantam, 1968.

''From the Back of the Bus''

''What's Happening?''

''The Shadow that Scares Me''

''Dick Gregory's Bible Tales, with Commentary'', a book of Bible-based humor. ISBN 0-8128-6194-9

''Dick Gregory's Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature!'' ISBN 0-06-080315-0

(with Shelia P. Moses), ''Callus on My Soul : A Memoir'' ISBN 0-7582-0202-4

''Up from Nigger''

''No More Lies; The Myth and the Reality of American History''

''Dick Gregory's political primer''

(with Mark Lane), ''Murder in Memphis: The FBI and the Assassination of Martin Luther King''

(with Mel Watkins), ''African American Humor: The Best Black Comedy from Slavery to Today (Library of Black America)''

Robert Lee Green, ''Dick Gregory, daring Black leader''

''African American Humor: The Best Black Comedy from Slavery to Today'' (editor) ISBN 1-55652-430-7

Filmography

"One Bright Shining Moment" (2006)

''The Hot Chick'' (2002)

''Children of the Struggle'' (1999)

''Panther'' (1995)

''Sweet Love, Bitter'' (1967)

See also

American Civil Rights Movement (1896-1954)

African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968)

Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement

References

External links

Dick Gregory on IMDb

A short biography from www.dickgregory.com

The Juice on Dick Gregory (dietary habits)

Dick Gregory's oral history video excerpts at The National Visionary Leadership Project

Category:1932 births Category:Living people Category:African American comedians Category:African Americans' rights activists Category:American anti–Vietnam War activists Category:Anti-apartheid activists Category:Conspiracy theorists Category:People from St. Louis, Missouri Category:United States presidential candidates, 1968 Category:American feminists Category:American middle distance runners Category:American social commentators Category:American vegetarians Category:People from Plymouth, Massachusetts Category:Religious skeptics Category:Male feminists Category:African American United States presidential candidates Category:Radio One (company) Category:Vee-Jay Records artists Category:Peace and Freedom Party politicians

de:Dick Gregory he:דיק גרגורי

Coordinates	19°45′″N96°6′″N
name	Simon Phillips
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
born	February 06, 1957London, England
instrument	Drums, percussion, keyboards
genre	Rock, hard rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion, jazz
occupation	Musician
years active	1969–present
associated acts	Toto, The Who, David Coverdale, Judas Priest, Far Corporation, RMS, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker Group, Doves of Fire, Gordon Giltrap, PSP
website	www.simon-phillips.com }}

Simon Phillips (born 6 February 1957) is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.

Career

Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's (Sid Phillips) Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. He quickly became a sought-after session player and in 1992, he released two instructional videos displaying some of his best work.

Phillips found an early prominence as the drummer on the 1976 LP ''801 Live'' with Phil Manzanera and Brian Eno. He went on to play with a wide array of musicians including Big Jim Sullivan, Big Country, Toto, Steve Lukather and Los Lobotomys, Jeff Beck, Whitesnake, Jack Bruce, Brian Eno, Duncan Browne, Toyah, Mike Oldfield, Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Gary Moore, 10cc, Mick Jagger, Ph.D., Joe Satriani, Russ Ballard, Mike Rutherford, Phil Manzanera, John Wetton, flamenco guitarist Juan Martin, Asia, Stanley Clarke, Jimmy Earl, Derek Sherinian, Nik Kershaw, Gordon Giltrap and Jordan Rudess.

He was the drummer for The Who in their 1989 American reunion tour, and appeared on solo recordings by band members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend. He has also worked with Tears For Fears on their album The Seeds of Love and with heavy metal act Judas Priest on ''Sin After Sin'' (1977) and Michael Schenker's debut album ''The Michael Schenker Group''.

Phillips has played on, co-produced, and mixed five Derek Sherinian solo records - ''Inertia'' (2001), ''Black Utopia'' (2003), ''Mythology'' (2004), ''Blood of the Snake'' (2006), and ''Oceana'' (2011) He also co-produced and mixed two albums by Mike Oldfield. Phillips also appeared with Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood and others in the video for the 1983 A.R.M.S. concert benefit for Ronnie Lane. In the early 1980s, Phillips formed part of RMS with fellow session musicians, Mo Foster and Ray Russell.

He has released four studio albums of varying styles.

In 2006, Phillips released a DVD with his jazz band, Vantage Point, called ''Resolution'' with writer and pianist Jeff Babko, trumpeter Walt Fowler, saxophonist Brandon Fields and bassist Alphonso Johnson.

Toto

In 1992, Simon was asked to fill in for Jeff Porcaro after Porcaro died during rehearsals for the upcoming tour to promote Toto`s ''Kingdom of Desire'' album. Steve Lukather stated that he would only go on tour so shortly after Porcaro died if Toto could get Simon to play the tour, so he was the first and only drummer that the band contacted to replace Porcaro. After the 1992/93 tour Simon was asked to join Toto as a permanent member.

Nicknamed "Si-Phi" or "Si" by his bandmates in Toto, Simon is noted to be the group's 'technical' guru; handling the engineering duties on both the 2002 ''Through the Looking Glass'' and 2006 ''Falling In Between'' albums. He also engineered the 1999 ''Livefields'' album, and the ''Live in Amsterdam'' DVD from 2003.

After the decision (Jul 15, 2008) "to go their separate ways and begin new chapters in their lives", on February 27, 2010 former members of Toto announced on official band's website a reunion for a brief 2010 summer tour in Europe to honor their brother Mike Porcaro who is living with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). They also have scheduled more dates for a tour in 2011.

Recent projects

In 2009, Phillips joined with keyboardist Philippe Saisse and bassist Pino Palladino in forming an instrumental jazz/funk rock trio: Phillips Saisse Palladino or PSP, who toured in Europe in 2009 through 2010, spotlighting the talents of each performer in the songs chosen for their set list. Phillips also performed on Joe Satriani's album ''Super Colossal'', appearing on multiple tracks. Phillips appears in Alan Parsons' ''Art & Science of Sound Recording'' educational video series, as well as the program's single "All Our Yesterdays". He played in the Michael Schenker Group album ''In the Midst of Beauty'' and took part to the band's 30th Anniversary world tour in 2010. Phillips is featured on Hiromi Uehara's 2011 album, ''Voice''.

Discography

Solo albums

''Protocol'' (1988)

''Force Majeure'' (1992)

''Symbiosis'' (1995)

''Another Lifetime'' (1997)

''Out of the Blue'' (1999)

''Vantage Point'' (2000)

Jon Anderson

''Song of Seven'' (1981)

''Animation'' (1982)

Judas Priest

''Sin After Sin'' (1977)

Jeff Beck

''There and Back'' (1980)

Duncan Browne

''The Wild Places'' (1977)

Mike Rutherford

''Smallcreep's Day'' (1980)

Michael Schenker Group

''The Michael Schenker Group'' (1980)

''In the Midst of Beauty'' (2008)

''The 30th Anniversary Concert – Live in Tokyo'' (2010)

Mike Oldfield

''Crises'' (1983)

''Discovery'' (1984)

''Islands'' (1987)

''Heaven's Open'' (1991)

The Who

''The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend'' (1989)

''Join Together'' (1990)

''Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin'' [Track 4] (1991)

''Thirty Years of Maximum R&B;'' [Disc 4, tracks 19 & 21] (1994)

''Greatest Hits Live'' [Disc 2, tracks 1-5] (2010)

Toto

''Absolutely Live'' (1993)

''Tambu'' (1995)

''Toto XX'' (1998)

''Mindfields'' (1999)

''Livefields'' (1999)

''Through the Looking Glass'' (2002)

''Live in Amsterdam'' (2003)

''Falling in Between'' (2006)

''Falling in Between Live'' (2007)

Derek Sherinian

''Inertia'' (2001)

''Black Utopia'' (2003)

''Mythology'' (2004)

''Blood of the Snake'' (2006)

"Oceana" (2011)

Drum equipment

ProMark 707 "Simon Phillips" Signature Drum Sticks

Tama "Gladiator"(5.5x14 1mm bronze black nickel plated)

Tama "Monarch"(6.5x14 3 ply maple/3 ply bubinga/2 ply maple)

Tama "Pageant"(5x12 7ply maple) Signature Wooden Snare Drum

All drums are TAMA Bubinga Elite

2 15"x 24" Bass Drum w/Base Mount (Mounted in special position)

14"x 20" Gong Bass Drum

14"x 18" Floor Tom

13"x 16" Floor Tom

12"x 15" Floor Tom

11"x 14" Tom Tom

10"x 13" Tom Tom

9"x 12" Tom Tom

7"x 10" Tom Tom

MRM12S mount (for "Pageant")

Octoban 443mm

Octoban 472mm

Octoban 536mm

Octoban 600mm

Iron Cobra Hi-hat Stand w/o legs^

Hi-hat Attachment

Double Tom Holder

Special Hardware for Octoban SD & Cymbal^

Special Hardware for Gong Bass^

SP164HAS

Cymbals

Zildjian A 14" Custom Hi-hats

Zildjian 10" Special Recording Hi-hats (discontinued)

Zildjian A 19" Custom Crash}

Zildjian A 18" Custom Crash} These have temporarily been replaced with Zildjian prototypes(see below)

Zildjian A 17" Custom Crash}

Zildjian A 22" Oriental China "Trash" or swishknocker (depends)

Zildjian A 20" Oriental Classic China

Zildjian A Custom 22" Ride

Zildjian A Custom 12" Splash

Zildjian Proto Type Sound Lab 19"

Zildjian Proto Type Sound Lab 18"

Zildjian Proto Type Sound Lab 17"

Zildjian Proto Type Sound Lab 14"

Plywood Custom Drum Plinth

Simon Phillips Anniversary Snare Drum SP1465HA

Shell Material Maple2/Bub3/Maple2ply w/SFR (same shell)

Shell Size 6.5x14"

Shell Finish Simon Phillips Anniversary finish (SPA) Head (Batter) REMO Ambassador Coated Head (Bottom) REMO Ambassador Snare Side Lug MSL35HN Hoop Customized Triple Flanged Hoop (8 tension) Strainer/But MUS80AH/MUS80BH Snappy Snare MS20S-S + certification card

Remo Clear Ambassador drum heads (toms, bass, and octobans)

Remo Coated Ambassador drum heads (snares)

Remo Timpani drum head (Gong Bass)

^This is a custom piece of equipment.

References

External links

Simon Phillips official website

Simon Phillips Chronology & Releasography Site

Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:English rock drummers Category:Judas Priest members Category:Michael Schenker Group members Category:The Who members Category:English session musicians Category:English jazz drummers

cs:Simon Phillips da:Simon Phillips de:Simon Phillips es:Simon Phillips fr:Simon Phillips it:Simon Phillips nl:Simon Phillips ja:サイモン・フィリップス no:Simon Phillips pl:Simon Phillips pt:Simon Phillips sq:Simon Phillips fi:Simon Phillips sv:Simon Phillips uk:Саймон Філліпс

Coordinates	19°45′″N96°6′″N
name	The Basics
background	group_or_band
origin	Melbourne, Australia
genre	Rock
years active	2002 – (present)
label	Independent, Albert Records
associated acts	Gotye, Down Hills Home, Dog With Wheels, Blood Red Bird
website	The Basics Official Website
current members	Wally De BackerTim HeathKris Schroeder
past members	Michael Hubbard
notable instruments	Lead guitar, drums, bass guitar. }}

The Basics ( ) are a three-piece band from Melbourne, Australia, formed by Wally De Backer and Kris Schroeder in 2002. Their style has been described as anything from 'indie-pop' to 'rock'n'roll' to 'pop-rock', though their records show them span a wide range of genres including reggae, ska, country, and electro-pop. They are "recognised as one of Australia's hardest-working bands".

With close to 1000 shows in their nine-year career, their live performances are well-known for their sense of humour and energy.

Formation

The Basics were formed after Kris met Wally at a party in Melbourne. The event was to see off the young aspiring producer, who was about to depart for Los Angeles, and together with a number of musician friends, the two jammed on some blues-rock standards. Later that night, they bonded over a mutual love of The Beatles, 70s & 80s cartoon theme songs and old Sierra adventure games.

Initially they played around Melbourne as an acoustic guitar/drums combo, starting at The Opposition in Frankston and the House of Fools in Footscray, where in late 2002 they met and later invited Michael Hubbard to join them on electric guitar. Though lacking any real experience with the instrument, Kris willingly purchased his first bass guitar and the trio was born. During this time the group start performing songs with more complicated three-part harmony.

During late 2002 and early 2003 The Basics recorded and released an album called ''Get Back'' through MGM Distribution. They began what was to become regular tours of the East and West coasts of Australia.

2004-2005: Current lineup

Tim Heath joined the group in June 2004, after Michael decided to pursue his solo career, which has included being one half of Down Hills Home. Tim was reportedly the only person to reply to an advertisement in Melbourne's Beat Magazine looking for a new guitarist. Tim apparently answered the advertisement - which said the applicant "must have a love of 50s and 60s rock'n'roll" - thinking that he would be meeting "a couple of old guys to play with on the weekends over some beers". They soon recorded ''For Girls Like You''.

The Basics in 2005 continued to tour and play small festivals, and after releasing ''For Girls Like You'' through MGM Distribution they departed for a national tour of Australia, which lasted for two months and took them to every Australian state and territory. Stuart Padbury, a young Melbourne sound engineer, joined them on much of this tour. On returning, the band began demoing songs for a new album.

2006-2009: Touring and soundtracks

In 2006, The Basics began recording what is to become known as ''Stand Out/Fit In''. This took several months and was not completed until the end of the year, despite intentions to have it released in June. Instead, they held a successful 'album preview' where each of the tracks was demonstrated in 'rough form' accompanied by a music video for each (produced by Melbourne photographic artist James Bryans). The band also talked about the origins of the songs. This event brought a lot of attention to the band for the idea's originality. They pre-released a radio single 'Just Hold On' from the album. The band were invited to play the hugely popular Homebake Festival in Sydney, where they received a great response ("one of the highlights" wrote ''The Daily Telegraph'').

In 2007, the band departed on a tri-state residency which saw them play Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane every week for the month of April - a bold move which brought further attention to the band for its original idea. Riding on the wave of this tour, Schroeder, De Backer and Heath departed on their first overseas tour which saw them performing 26 shows around Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom. They also toured twice more up the East Coast, one of which was with popular Japanese band The Bawdies. Their song 'Rattle My Chain' was used in a series of commercials for Volvo Australia. The song 'Hey There!' featured in the British film ''The Bank Job'' - starring Jason Statham - and was used as the backing for a February 2007 short film directed by Tim Longhurst called The Rip. Their song 'Better' was featured in a surfing documentary about the invention of the shortboard in 1967.

In 2008, the band appeared on Australia's Channel 9 for Australia Day celebrations, performing two of their songs - 'Just Hold On' and 'Hey There!' - to an estimated audience of 2 million. Securing an Australian Government grant, they embarked on a two-month tour of Australia, specifically targeting "culturally underprivileged groups" in rural and regional schoolchildren and Indigenous communities. The programme had them holding masterclasses and performing alongside Indigenous groups in the remote Northern Territory and Queensland. Their initiative also had them raising money for the charity Lifeline, their contribution to which was recognised with a plaque at the end of the tour. Season two of ''Californication'' starring David Duchovny featured their cover of the classic 'Have Love, Will Travel', most famously covered by 'The Sonics'.

In 2009, The Basics for the first time enjoyed the support of Australian radio network Triple J, which had reportedly snubbed the band's previous material. The singles 'With This Ship' and 'Like A Brother' were added to the station's playlist, and momentum carried The Basics overseas for a second tour of the United Kingdom and Norway, and also a series of shows in Dublin, Ireland. They were joined by the longtime front-of-house engineer Stuart Padbury who had been mixing them since 2005. The band was often seen in the Grafton Street Mall in Dublin busking to promote their concerts there. Their second show in Oslo, Norway saw the band perform with Hot Tub, one of the members of the Norwegian boy band "Boyzvoice", in his first performance for several years. Season Eight of ''Scrubs'' featured the song 'Lookin' Over My Shoulder'.

Despite all this promise, the band's album ''Keep Your Friends Close'' - produced and part-recorded by Peter Cobbin at London's Abbey Road Studios - though enjoying many favourable reviews, failed to impress Richard Kingsmill, music director of Triple J. This effectively ended the band's apparent upward spiral and the resulting album launch tour was reportedly "trying".

2010: Hiatus and live album

In 2010, following the band's fourth stint at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and the recording of a yet-unreleased live album, an indefinite hiatus was announced on the band's websites. This was in part due to the impending release of a new album produced by Wally for his Gotye project, and also to reported tensions within the band following the previous year's disappointments.

However, this hiatus was soon broken with a two-month residency at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne, which saw an apparent return to form. The band's EP "Wait For You" enjoys airplay on Triple J. The Basics also played a one-off show at Sydney's Oxford Art Factory.

On 20 August 2010, The Basics released their fourth LP , available free online and exclusively from *[www.FreeBasicsAlbum.com]. The band had reportedly moved to expand their listenership through this free giveaway, though 300 "Deluxe" CD/Vinyl versions have been printed. was recorded at the Northcote Social Club on 6 February, "in front of a live studio audience", and like the previous record was mixed by Peter Cobbin at Abbey Road Studios. Technically a self-titled album, the phonetics spell out the accurate pronunciation of the band’s name. Kris Schroeder: "For years we’ve worked at bringing our live energy into the studio and thus far it’s been a bit hit-and-miss. Our trick this time was to pull a switcheroo and bring the studio to us instead; the result is the best and closest to us we’ve sounded yet."

Melbourne thespian and Dog With Wheels bassist David Bramble - friends with Heath from university days - has occasionally joined the band on tour, playing keys, often while sporting a large moustache. Other guests have included Jake Mason (saxophone), also of Cookin' on 3 Burners and The Bamboos, Gideon Brazil (saxophone, flute), Simon Imrei (guitar and vocals) and Monty MacKenzie (saxophone).

Covers have often made an appearance from various sources: to date, some of the bands covered have been Cream, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, New Kids on the Block, Richard Berry, Sonny Curtis and The Crickets, JJ Cale, Harry Nilsson, Bill Scott, Ryan Adams and The Coasters (via The Beatles for their cover of Three Cool Cats).

Members

Kris Schroeder: Bass, Vocals

Wally De Backer: Drums, Vocals

Tim Heath: Guitar, Vocals

Discography

Albums

Get Back (15 January 2004)

Stand Out/Fit In (5 May 2007)

Keep Your Friends Close (25 September 2009)

(20 August 2010)

EP

For Girls Like You (11 July 2005)

Lookin' Over My Shoulder (10 February 2007)

Like A Brother (5 June 2009)

Wait For You (21 May 2010)

Singles

Call It Rhythm & Blues (20 August 2004)

Just Hold On

With This Ship (22 February 2009)

Upcoming projects

The band are taking a two year hiatus, set to return to the stage together in early 2012. Wally De Backer will be launching a new album under his Gotye act in August 2011, Tim Heath will be touring and recording with Blood Red Bird, and Kris Schroeder is currently recording a solo album.

References

External links

Official Website

Myspace Website

Category:Victoria (Australia) musical groups