Original Lineup
Living Colour is an American
Funk Metal band from New York City, formed in 1983. A prominent black band of that movement, which also included
Jane's Addiction,
Faith No More,
Fishbone,
Primus,
Red Hot Chili Peppers and 24-7 Spyz in the late 1980s, Living Colour rose to fame with their debut album
Vivid in 1988. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by
Heavy Metal,
Funk,
Hard Rock, free jazz,
Hardcore Punk and
Hip Hop, containing lyrics that attack the Eurocentrism and racism of America. Although the band scored a number of hits, they are best remembered for their anthemic single "Cult of Personality", which won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1989, and their highest charting single "Type". They were also named Best New Artist at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. After disbanding in 1995, Living Colour reunited in 2000.
Not to be confused with the American TV show
In Living Color!. If it helps: Living Colour use the British spelling of "colour", and the TV show uses the
American one.
Members:
- Corey Glover - vocals
- Vernon Reid - guitar
- Muzz Skillings - bass (1988-1992)
- Doug Wimbish - bass (1992-present)
- Will Calhoun - drums
Discography:
- Vivid (1988)
- Time's Up (1990)
- Stain (1993)
- Collideøscope (2003)
- The Chair in the Doorway (2009)
Living Colour provides examples of:- Cover Version: "Sunshine of Your Love" for the True Lies soundtrack, "Crosstown Traffic" and "Back in Black" from ,ironically, their first album back "Collideøscope"
- Elvis is Dead
- One Hit Wonder: For "Cult of Personality". Although "Glamour Boys" also reached the top 40, that song may not even be their second most-well known song.
- Hydra Problem: From "Glamour Boys"
"The glamour boys whole life is a gamble
They might get over or fall flat on their face
But if one does, there's no need to worry
Another g-boy will take his place"
- Pop Culture Isolation: Criticised in the song "Wall".
- Protest Song: "Open Letter to a Landlord", "Time's Up".
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: "I'M! THE! CULT! OF! PER! SON! AL...ITYYYY!"
- Revival By Commercialization: "Cult of Personality" popped up in Guitar Hero III and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, but when CM Punk switched to this theme (which he used in Ring Of Honor) in WWE in the midst of a red-hot storyline and persona change, it resulted in the song cracking the Top 200 on the iTunes download list and increased airplay on major rock stations such as KROQ. As a thankyou, Will Calhoun contacted WWE to perform the song at WrestleMania 29 for CM Punk, which WWE wholeheartedly agreed to.
- Sampling: Hit single "Cult of Personality" samples speeches by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Malcolm X.
- Special Guest: Guest vocalists have included Public Enemy ("Funny Vibe"), Queen Latifah ("Under Cover of Darkness") and Little Richard ("Elvis Is Dead").
- Spoken Word In Music: In "Cult of Personality". See Sampling, above.
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