On the Record
By Susan Pugh on Jul. 09, 2008
By Bradford Brady and John Maron
Q: I have a bet with a friend concerning Steve Winwood. How old was he when he recorded “Gimme Some Lovin?’” I say he was 15, but my friend says he was much older.
A: Steve Winwood was born in May 1948. At the age of 11, along with his brother Muff, he formed the first of many bands in which he would perform. He and his brother were joined by Spencer Davis in 1963 and, thus, the Spencer Davis Group was born. The band was known for its electrifying performances of blues and R&B songs and for Steve’s amazing voice. After signing a recording contract, they released their first single in April 1964. Their first big hit came in December 1965 when “Keep On Running” reached No. 1 on the British charts. It was followed three months later by “Somebody Help Me,’ another No. 1 hit. By the time “Gimme Some Lovin’” was released in October 1966, Winwood was 18 years old. The song became the group’s biggest American hit, and it brought Steve Winwood to the attention of the American public. His time with the Spencer Davis Group was soon coming to an end as he began playing with other musicians and formed Traffic in 1967. Today, at the ripe old age of 60,Winwood has just released a new album, “Nine Lives,” and is currently on a tour with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Q: Why did the B-52s take their name from an airplane?
A: Actually, they didn’t. Their name actually derives from the Southern slang term used to describe the beehive hairdos sported by Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, which became the band’s trademark. The beehive hairdo came into fashion in America during the late 1950s. The shape resembled the nose cone of the famed Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, which made its debut in 1952. Part of the appeal of the band when they burst on the music scene in Athens, Ga., in 1976-1977 was the sense of fun and wackiness that they injected into their music. Fred Schneider’s quirky vocal styling, the futuristic sounding guitar riffs, and harmonic vocals of Wilson and Pierson all combined to get club goers to their feet and dancing. Songs like “Rock Lobster,” “Planet Claire,” “Quiche Lorraine” and “Private Idaho” (it’s anybody’s guess as to what it means to live in one’s own private Idaho!) demonstrated that rock songs could still appeal to the dance crowd. Their sound was all their own, and they helped pave the way for other bands from Athens, most notably R.E.M., Widespread Panic and Pylon.
What’s the name of that song? Where are they now? What does that lyric mean? Send questions to or visit http://www.musicontherecord.com. Brady and Maron are freelance music writers based in Raleigh, N.C.
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