Rock & Roll Kids

In Progress...

"All that's sacred comes from youth." - Eddie Vedder

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Einstein

How old were the bands that made the greatest first albums in rock history? It ended up being a general reference for bands I like. Kids have made the greatest artifacts throughout history, and this fact is fascinating to me.

**As you can see I'm only a short way done...this will keep growing and looking better over time...

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Johnny Cash

Luther Perkins 28 - b. Jan. 8, 1928

Marshall Grant 27 - b. 1929 Day/Month Unknown

Johnny Cash 24 - b. Feb. 26, 1932

1st Album Released 1956: Johnny Cash And His Hot & Blue Guitar

*The day and month of the album release were not found, but it's likely that Cash and Perkins had had their birthdays already in Jan. and Feb., thus the ages reported. The Man In Black's first single Hey Porter was released 2 years earlier in 1954 with longtime friends Perkins and Grant (The Tennessee Two) backing him on guitar and bass respectively. Cash and The Tennessee Two. Classic.

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James Brown

James Brown 25 - b. May 3, 1933**

Bobby Byrd 24 - b. Aug. 15, 1934 (Vocals, Piano, Various)

Johnny Terry (Vocals); Sylvester Keels (Vocals); Nash Knox (Vocals); Wilbert Smith (Sax); Ray Felder (Sax); Nafloyd Scott (Guitar); Clarence Mack (Bass); Edison Gore (Drums) - Age information no one cares.

1st Album Released Jan. 1959: Please, Please, Please

* J. Brown was born into a severely impoverished family. He grew up in his Aunt's brothel, and was convicted of armed robbery at the age of 16, a true rags-to-riches story. Please, Please, Please is a collection of James Brown and The Famous Flames singles recorded from February '56 to September '58. Their very first recorded single, Please, Please, Please (the title track and smash hit), was released March 1956-- three years before. All of the musicians mentioned above appear on Brown & The Flames second album Try Me, released later in '59, which featured a total of 30 different musicians. Brown changed and shifted his band endlessly. The one member who can legitimately lay claim to being an "official band member" is Bobby Byrd, who Brown started his career with as a duet in the early 50s, and who founded the Famous Flames with Brown.

(**There is dispute as to Brown's birthplace and day. Brown himself claims he was born in '33 in Macon, Georgia, which would have made him 25 at the date of release. However, some evidence indicates he was born in Barnswell, South Carolina, in 1928, in which case he would have been an astounding 30. Who knows.)

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The Beach Boys

Mike Love 21 - b. Mar. 15, 1941

Brian Wilson 20 - b. June 20, 1942

Al Jardine 20 - b. Sept. 3, 1942

Dennis Wilson 17 - b. Dec. 4, 1944

Carl Wilson 15 - b. Dec. 21, 1946

1st Album Released Oct. 1962: Surfin Safari

*The three Wilson brothers, their cousin Mike Love, and good friend Al Jardine founded the Beach Boys. In 1964, Brian Wilson retired from the stage, but kept his writing and producing duties. His performance replacement was Bruce Johnston. Brian Wilson pretty much wrote and produced everything for the Beach Boys, and is a musical genius.

Bruce Johnston born June 24, 1944

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Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan 21 - b. May 24, 1941

1st Album Released March 19, 1962: Bob Dylan

* Mr. Dylan. He's from Duluth Minnesota, lived all around the country growing up, and went to U of M in Minneapolis. He flunked out after six months. While there, Robert Allen Zimmerman a.k.a., Bob Zimmerman performed folk songs at coffee-houses under the name Bob Dylan, taking the last name from poet Dylan Thomas. Dylan's first job was at a strip club. He says of it: "I was onstage for just a few minutes with my folk songs. Then the strippers would come on. The crowd would yell for more stripping, but they went off, and I'd come bouncing back with my folky songs. As the night got longer, the air got heavier, the audience got drunker and nastier, and I got sicker and finally I got fired." In January 1961 Dylan left for New York to meet his hero Woody Guthrie who was dying in a hospital, and to cement himself in the Greenwich Village music scene. He succeeded at both. The debut album contained only two original songs to limited success. Perhaps he was just waiting for his next album, The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, to blow the world away with all classic original material.

As far as Dylans backing band goes, it wasnt until the 5^th album Bringin It All Back Home, that anyone else appeared. That album featured: Al Gorgone, John Hammond, Jr., Bruce Langhorne, Kenneth Rankin (guitar); Paul Griffin, Frank Owens (piano); William E. Lee, Joseph Macho Jr., John Sebastian (bass); and Bobby Gregg (drums). That's a lot of people, and Dylan changed his lineup thereafter and used many musicians. His most famous backing band though, was his touring band hired in '65, consisting of Levon Helm (drums), Robbie Robertson (guitar), Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson...a little group who emerged from Dylan's shadow to form their own band - The Band.

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The Beatles

Ringo Starr 22 - b. July 7, 1940

John Lennon 22 - b. Oct. 9, 1940

Paul McCartney 20 - b. June 18, 1942

George Harrison 20 - b. - Feb. 25, 1943

1st Album Released March 22, 1963: Please Please Me

*Ringo Starr (the luckiest person in rock history) first filled in for Pete Best (the most fucked person in rock history), when Best was ill and could not perform on certain tour dates. Urged at first by George to be the permanent replacement, Ringo replaced Best and became an official Beatle on August 16^th, 1962, when Brian Epstein fired the unlucky Pete Best and hired Ringo Starr.

Pete Best b. November 24, 1942

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The Rolling Stones

Bill Wyman 27 - b. Oct. 24, 1936

Brian Jones 22 - b. Feb. 28, 1942

Charlie Watts 22 - b. June 2, 1941

Mick Jagger 20 - b. July 26, 1943

Keith Richards 20 - b. Dec. 18, 1943

1st Album Released May 1964: Englands Newest Hitmakers /The Rolling Stones I

*Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were both born in Dartford, Kent, England, and met at age 6 while in primary (elementary) school. They drifted apart upon going to different secondary (middle) schools, but eleven years after first meeting-- legend has them bumping back into each other on the platform at Dartford railway station where Keith noticed a blues album under Mick's arm. Another more probable account has them reintroduced in London by a mutual friend, while Mick was there attending Economics school and Keith- Art School. Reacquainted, the two began to jam and enter the London Blues scene frequenting the Ealing Club- a fixture in the London R&B movement and the future birthplace of The Rolling Stones. Brian Jones was in a band with Charlie Watts called Blues Inc. at the time often playing the Ealing Club. There Brian became friends with Mick and Keith. Brian Jones was responsible for banding the Stones together. He left Blues Inc. and recruited Charlie Watts and Mick into his new band, and Mick brought in Keith. This nucleus of the Rolling Stones was officially born in January 1963. The final addition was bass player Bill Wyman, who applied to the band after a friend told him there was "this band looking for a bass player." Not only did Brian Jones create the Stones, he also came up with their name, changing it from Blues Inc. after taking 'Rolling Stones' from a Muddy Waters song titled Rollin' Stone Blues.

In '69 ironically, years after their legend had been born, Mick, Keith, and Charlie kicked Brian Jones out of the band and replaced him with guitarist Mick Taylor. Shortly thereafter still in 1969 Jones was found dead...drowned in a swimming pool. Some people thought suicide, and some murder. In '74 Mick Taylor left the band, replaced by Ronnie Wood. Bill Wyman left the Stones officially in 1991.

Mick Taylor b. Jan 17, 1948

Ronnie Wood b. June 1, 1947

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The Who

Roger Daltrey 21 - b. March 1, 1944

John Entwistle 21 - b. Oct. 9, 1944

Pete Townshend 20 - b. May 19, 1945

Keith Moon 19 - b. Aug. 23, 1946

1st Album Released Dec. 1965: The Who Sings My Generation

*The Who rules the world. That is all you need know. But their first single I'm The Face came a while before, whatever.

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Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix 25 - b. Nov. 27, 1942

Noel Redding 22 - b. Dec. 25, 1945

Mitch Mitchell 20 - b. July 9, 1947

1st Album Released May 12, 1967: (1^st) Are You Experienced?

*Axis: Bold As Love Release Date: Dec 1, 1967 just six months later.

**Johnny Allen Hendrix was born in Seattle. His dad changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix on September 11, 1946. Jimi's mom died in 1958 when he was 16, causing his dad to give him a ukulele as a distraction. This inspired the 16-year-old Jimi to buy a $5 acoustic guitar. And so it began. He dropped out of high school, joined the military and was kicked out for breaking his ankle jumping out of an airplane. Jimi played in backing bands throughout the early 60's, including Little Richard's (who fired him). In '66 Jimi formed a band called Jimmy James and The Blue Flames. Keith Richard's girlfriend Linda Keith, discovered Hendrix. Shortly thereafter due in large part to Linda's connections, Jimi's band dissolved. First came Noel Redding, then came Mitch Mitchell, the rest is the rest.

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David Bowie

David Bowie 20 - b. January 8, 1947

John Eager (Drums) - No one gives a crap

Derek Fearnley (Bass) - No one gives a shit.

Derek Boyes (Organ) - No one gives a Cleveland Steamer

1st Album Released June 1967: David Bowie (UK Release)

*Bowie used several different musicians for his debut album, some not mentioned, but Eager, Fearnley, and Boyes appear on most of the tracks. They were brought in solely for recording, never official Bowie band members, and all were dropped afterwards. The album flopped. Bowie has never had a constant band, and has changed the lineup for nearly every studio release. However for his 3rd through 6th albums (the ones that made him famous) including the landmark The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Mick (Woody) Woodmansey (Drums), Trevor Bolder (Bass), and Mick Ronson (Guitar) were constant and the official Spiders From Mars, the most revered of Bowie's backing bands.

Bowie was born David Robert Jones and changed his name because of Davy Jones of the Monkees. He chose Bowie after Jim Bowie (1796-1836), the prominent pioneer and soldier of the Texas Revolution who was killed at the Alamo, and who was famous for his knife style that is now known as the Bowie Knife.

Mick Ronson b. May 26, 1946

Trevor Bolder b. June 9, 1950

Woody Woodmansey -- Unknown

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Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page 25 - b. Jan 9, 1944

John Paul Jones 24 - b. Jan 3, 1945

Robert Plant 20 - b. August 20, 1948

John Bonham 20 - b. May 31, 1948

1st Album Released Jan. 12, 1969: (1^st) Led Zeppelin I

*Led Zeppelin II Release Date: Oct 22, 1969. People, its Led Zeppelin. They fucking rule. And everyone knows the story of Page, the Yardbirds, and his piecing Zeppelin together. If not, I'm too much of a self righteous bastard to tell you.

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Genesis

Peter Gabriel 19 - b. February 13, 1950 (Vocals, Various)

Tony Banks 19 - b. March 27, 1950 (Keys)

Mike Rutherford 18 - b. Oct.2, 1950 (Bass)

Tony Phillips 17 - b. Dec. 23, 1951 (Guitar)

John Silver (Drums) - Unknown/Whatever

Chris Stewart (Drums) - Unknown/Whatever

Dave Thomas (Backing Vocals) - No One Cares

1st Album Released March 1969: From Genesis To Revelations

*Gabriel, Banks, Rutherford, and Phillips all went to school together in '65, and formed Genesis. Their debut contains demos and material recorded the years preceding '69, and has tracks on which their first drummer Chris Stewart plays. For the most part their second drummer Silver appears on the album. From Genesis To Revelations was not successful and isn't very good. Silver left late in '69, replaced by John Mayhew who played on their second release Trespass, Genesis' breakthrough success. After Trespass in '70 both Mayhew and Tony Phillips left, and were replaced with the classic members Phil Collins on drums and Hackett on guitar. Thus the classic Genesis lineup was born: Banks, Gabriel, Rutherford, Collins, and Hackett.

Steve Hackett b. February 12, 1950

Phil Collins b. January 30, 1951

John Mayhew - Unknown

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Aerosmith

Steven Tyler 25 - b. March 26, 1948

Joey Kramer 23 - b. June 21, 1950

Joe Perry 23 - b. Sep. 10, 1950

Tom Hamilton 22 - b. Dec. 31, 1951

Brad Whitford 21 - b. Feb. 23, 1952

1st Album Released Jan. 1973: Aerosmith

*I thought Toys In The Attic was their first album, oops, it was their 3^rd.

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Rush

Geddy Lee 20 - b. July 29, 1953

Alex Lifeson 20 - b. Aug. 27, 1953

John Rutsey - b. 1953 Day/Month Unknown

1^st Album Released July 1974: Rush

*Rush is a Canadian band. Alex Lifeson (Alex Zivojinovich) and Geddy Lee (Gary Lee Weinrib) were schoolmates, and Lifeson brought Lee into his and Rutseys band replacing their Bassist/Vocalist in 1971. Rush was born. Their first album did very poorly at first and flopped - until a U.S. radio station in Cleveland, Ohio picked up the epic Working Man track which gained popularity amongst the blue-collar Cleveland base. This prompted Mercury to re-release the album, and it grew into the best selling Canadian album of all time.

Rutsey left the band after their debut release in 1974 due to his distaste for touring, and to manage his diabetes condition. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because Lifeson and Lee didnt replace him with just any drummer, they replaced him with a drummer who would become the greatest Rock & Roll Drummer in history...Neil Peart.

Neil Peart b. Sept. 12, 1952

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AC/DC

Bon Scott 28 - b. July 9, 1946

George Young 26 - b. Nov.6, 1948

Malcolm Young 22 - b. January 6, 1953

Angus Young 19 - b. March 31, 1955

Tony Currenti - No One Cares/Unknown

1st Album Released Feb. 17, 1975: High Voltage (Australian Release)

*High Voltage (Australian Release) was recorded in 10 days with George Young on bass (Malcolm and Angus' older brother) and Currenti on drums. Currenti was just a session musician used solely for recording, and was never an official AC/DC member. G. Young and Currenti were quickly replaced with the more familiar Mark Evans and Phil Rudd respectively, for their second release in July of 1975 entitled T.N.T.. AC/DC have had a lot of members, the most familiar of which not mentioned thus far are Brian Johnson (replacing Bon Scott after his death in 1980), Cliff Williams (replacing Mark Evans on bass in June 1977), Simon Wright (replacing Phil Rudd on drums in '83), Chris Slade (replacing Simon Wright on drums in '89), and Dave Evans (their first lead singer who recorded AC/DC's first single in 1974). Malcolm and Angus are the soul of AC/DC. The CLASSIC lineup is Scott, Young, Young, Williams, Rudd.

Chris Slade b. Oct. 30, 1946

Brian Johnson b. Oct. 5, 1948

Cliff Williams b. Dec. 14, 1949

Phil Rudd b. May 19, 1954

Mark Evans b. March 2, 1956

Simon Wright b. June 19, 1963

Dave Evans - Unknown

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The Clash

Joe Strummer 24 - b. (John Graham Mellor) August 21, 1952

Terry Chimes 22 - b. January 25, 1955

Mick Jones 21 - b. June 26, 1955

Paul Simonon 20 - b. Dec. 15, 1956

1st Album Released Apr. 8, 1977: The Clash

*Mick Jones and Paul Simonon founded The Clash, roping in Strummer. Terry Chimes was the drummer in Jones' previous band and only recorded The Clash's first album. Curiously Chimes would later play for Black Sabbath. In any event Topper Headon replaced Chimes after the debut in '77. The debut was recorded over only three weekends. Long live Joe Strummer, thank God for The Clash.

Topper Headon b. May 30, 1955

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The Dire Straits

Pick Withers 30 - b. April 4, 1948

John Illsley 29 - b. June 24, 1949

Mark Knopfler 29 - b. August 12^th, 1949

David Knopfler 27 - b. December 27, 1951

1st Album Released June 1978: Dire Straits (UK Release)

*Brothers Mark and David Knopfler were born in Glasgow, Scotland. They formed the band along with friend/bassist Illsley in '77. Dave Knopfler left however in July 1980 to pursue a solo career (What!?, i.e., he couldn't stand to be in Mark's shadow) and was replaced by Hal Lindes on guitar. Alan Clark on keys was added in late 1980. In September '82, Pick Withers left the band and was replaced on drums by Terry Williams. And in late '83 Guy Fletcher joined the band on keys forming the famous Keyboard Twins with Clark - a la the Brothers In Arms lineup: Knopfler, Illsley, Lindes, Williams, Clark, Fletcher. The Straits have had several other members since that landmark album, but who cares.

Terry Williams b. January 11, 1948

Alan Clark b. March 5, 1952

Hal Lindes b. June 30, 1953

Guy Fletcher b. May 25, 1960

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The Police

Andy Summers 35 b. Dec. 31, 1942

Sting (Gordon Sumner) 27 b. Oct. 2, 1951

Stewart Copeland 26 b. July 16, 1952

1^st Album Released Nov. 1978: Outlandos d'Amour

Formed in London, 1977 by Stewart Copeland (drums) who initially recruited Sting (bass and lead singer). Copeland was the son of a CIA agent and went to college in California before moving to England. Sting was an English teacher and ditch digger who played in a jazz-fusion band on the side. They met in a jazz club and decided to start a band. Lacking a guitarist they recruited