Average White Band Biography
The Average White Band was the natural culmination of several soul-influenced Scottish beat outfits. The original line-up featured Alan Gorrie (19 July 1946, Perth, Scotland; vocals/bass/guitar), Owen ‘Onnie’ McIntyre (b. 25 September 1945, Lennoxtown, Scotland; guitar/vocals), Malcolm ‘Mollie’ Duncan (b. 24 August 1945, Montrose, Scotland; saxophone), Roger Ball (b. 4 June 1944, Broughty Ferry, Scotland; saxophone/keyboards), Robbie McIntosh (b. 6 May 1950, Dundee, Scotland, d. 23 September 1974, Hollywood, California, USA; drums, ex-Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express), and Mike Rosen (trumpet/guitar; ex-Eclection). The latter left after only a few shows and was replaced by Hamish Stuart (b. 8 October 1949, Glasgow, Scotland; vocals/guitar/bass).
Although the Average White Band’s 1973 debut album, Show Your Hand, showed promise, it was not until the band was signed to Atlantic Records
that its true potential blossomed. 1974’s AWB, also known as the ‘White Album’ in deference to its cover art, was a superb collection and paired the band’s dynamism with Arif Mardin’s complementary production. The highlights included a spellbinding cover version of the Isley Brothers’ ‘Work To Do’, and the rhythmic original instrumental ‘Pick Up The Pieces’, a worthy US number 1/UK Top 10 single. AWB also topped the US album chart but this euphoric period was abruptly halted in 1974 by the tragic death of Robbie McIntosh following a fatal ingestion of heroin at a Hollywood party. He was replaced by Steve Ferrone (b. 25 April 1950, Brighton, Sussex, England), a former member of Bloodstone. The Average White Band secured US Top 10 success with ‘Cut The Cake’, the title song to a third album, but subsequent releases, despite an obvious quality, betrayed a creeping reliance on a proven formula. However, a pairing with singer Ben E. King on 1977’s Benny And Us seemed to galvanize a new-found confidence and two late 70s/early 80s recordings, a cover version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s ‘Walk On By’ and the UK Top 20 single ‘Let’s Go Round Again’ (the latter with new producer, David Foster), reclaimed their erstwhile inventiveness. The Average White Band retired during much of the 80s as the members pursued individual projects, the most surprising of which was Ferrone’s work with Duran Duran. Hamish Stuart later surfaced in Paul McCartney’s Flowers In The Dirt touring band, and was sadly unavailable when the Average White Band re-formed in 1989. The resultant album, Aftershock, featured original members Gorrie, Ball and McIntyre alongside Alex Ligertwood, a fellow-Scot and former vocalist with Santana, and multi-instrumentalist Eliot Lewis. Gorrie also continued to work and perform as a songwriter, appearing with artists such as Hall And Oates. In 1997, Gorrie, Ball, McIntyre and Lewis were joined by drummer Pete Abbott on Soul Tattoo. Shortly after the album’s release, Ball retired from touring and was replaced by Fred Vigdor. The departing Abbott’s place was taken by Fred ‘Catfish’ Alias the following year, since when the band has employed a number of different drummers. Eliot Lewis was replaced by Klyde Jones in 2002. The following year a new album, Living In Colour, was made available via the band’s official website.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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