the family circle - Family Bandstand

At the Fillmore East, Family begins the first of eight showsbetween the Nice anu Ten Years Aftcr. On th e first night theNice ignore Bill Graham's word and burn the American flagduring "America". Thcn Family follows, and Chapman's stageantics cause a microph one stand to be sent in Bill Graham'sdirection offstage, who takcs it as a threat. For the followingshows, a well-behaved Chapman bores the crowd with his armspinned to his sides. The tour ends wh en Chapman loscsBill Grahamhis voice AND his visa is revoked [why? I do not know ...].Some feel that Graham blacklisted the band, callsing Family to miss out on theu.S. success so deserved.July 1969: On the 5th, Family plays at the Rolling Stones' Hyde Park gig, aBrian Jones Mcmorial , with King Crimson.August 1%9: Fam ily plays the Isle of Wight festival, on Saturday thc 30th.Octoher 1969: Single "No Mule's Fool/Good Friend of Mine" reaches #29.Managcr John Gilbert is fired for mismanngemcnt of the previolls Americantour. Jim Kin g's erratic beh avior leads to his dismi ssn l, and he joins Ring ofTruth. lIe is replaced by John "!'oli" Palmer to play vibes, keys, emd flute.1970January 1970: A ,"'·ONe; FOR ME is released and the first to be produced by theband itself. Ilits #4, the highest album position the band would attain.March 1970: Chapman's passpol1 is stolen in New York, and the band is forcedto play in Canada without him [don't ask me to explain this either!].April 1970: "Songs for Lots/Today" single released.F..-I ·iC;.ASU * '1»-.1. .,lop:Chopm(JII. 7i)\l"J/scl1d. .fohn Weiderbollom: Whill1ey. !'ali PolmcrJune 1970: Family plays the Kralingen Festival inthe Netherlands. Production for compilation OLD.','ONGS NEW SONGS begi ns and features newversions of three FA kllLY ENTERTAINMENTsongs.August I (no: Maxi-si ngle of "Strangc I3and/Weaver's Answer (new)/Hung Up Down (new)"reaches II II and stays in UK Top 50 for threemonthsNovember 1970: ANYWAY released and features half-live/half-studio. It goes to#7·1971Family completes a second U.S. tour between October 1969 and June 1971.March 1971: OLD SONGS NEW SONGS released.June 1971: John Weider decides he has tired of bass guitar and joins Stud withJim Cregan (formerly ofBlossol11 Toes, Juli an Covey and the Machine), CharlieMcCracken and John Wilson (both formerly in Taste). Cregan goes on toFamily 15 months later. McCracken later joins Charlie Whitney'S Axis Point.Meanwhile Jim Cregan notifies an old fricnd about the open position in Family.John Wetton joins on bass, guitar, and vocals. Preceding this, Robert Fripp hadasked Wetton to join the Boz Burrell-era King Crimson, but Wetton didn't feelcomfortable with the rest of the lineup. Instead, Wclton accepts Family'sinvitation, but keeps in touch with Fripp.July 1971 : Biggest single for the band, "In My Own Time/Seasons", hits #4 inthe UK.Cltapman, Jolt;; Wettoll, Whitlley,Palmer allli TowIIselldOctober 1971 : FEARLESS released, hits # I 0 andeven charts in U.S.! Album cover featureslayered paging, with computer-generated bandphotos, and it's the first Family album to usesynthesizer.1972August 1972: Disappointed with near-success,Welton departs to Crimson pasturcs, eventhough new album is ready for relcase. JimCregan leaves Stud and joins the band.September 1972: "Burlesque/the Rockin' R's" reaches # 13.October 1972: BANDSTAND released in an album cover with rounded edges,shaped like an old television, goes to # 15. The album features even greaterpresence of synthesizer, and is a little more straight-forward than the previous.Album climbs to # 183 in the U.S. Elton John gets them to open for his U.S. tour