Steve Miller Band (1968-1970) - First 5 Albums Reissued

Edsel is proud to announce its reissue programme of the legendary first five albums by the Steve Miller Band, originally released between 1968 and 1970, and now issued in Special Digipak Editions. The albums will be released on Monday 8th October 2012.

After the success of his European tour in 2010, Steve Miller is returning for a 10-date European tour in October 2012, including a prestigious concert at London’s Roundhouse on 22nd October. More info: http://bit.ly/NeAKxr.

The CD booklets included in the Special Digipak Edition releases contain all the lyrics, exclusive booklet notes written by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joel Selvin based on new 2012 interviews with Steve Miller, plus rare photos from Steve’s personal archives.

One of rock music's all-time greats, the Steve Miller Band has sold more than 30 million records in a career spanning more than 40 years. Miller’s trademark blues-rock sound made him one of the key artists on classic rock radio. The Steve Miller Band is brand name rock that millions have come to trust. The new digitally re-mastered digipak reissues are no exception.

CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE (1968)
[Special Digipak Edition, EDSA 5003]

The first album “Children Of The Future” was produced by Glyn Johns at Olympic Studios in London, and released in April, 1968. The original five-man line-up featured Steve Miller (guitar, vocals), Boz Scaggs (guitar, vocals), Lonnie Turner (bass), Tim Davis (drums) and Jim Peterman (keyboards).

Side 1 of the album features a suite of linked psychedelic songs, while Side 2 starts with two Boz Scaggs’ originals before culminating in a selection of blues cover versions.

Bonus track is the non-album single side Sittin’ In Circles.

SAILOR (1968)
[Special Digipak Edition, EDSA 5004]

Second album “Sailor” was produced by Glyn Johns at Wally Heider’s Studio in Los Angeles, and released in October, 1968.

The album features the last recordings of the original five-man line-up, as Boz Scaggs and Jim Peterman left soon after.

The album includes the classic opening instrumental Song For Our Ancestors, perennial concert favourite Living In The U.S.A. and three Boz Scaggs songs.

BRAVE NEW WORLD (1969)
[Special Digipak Edition, EDSA 5005]

Third album “Brave New World” was produced by Glyn Johns at Sound Recorders in Hollywood, California, and released in June 1969.

The album was the first by the three-man line-up featuring Steve Miller, bassist Lonnie Turner and drummer Tim Davis, and featured guests Ben Sidran, Nicky Hopkins, and Paul McCartney on drums and vocals on My Dark Hour, credited as Paul Ramon.

Also featured is the classic “Seasons”, still a staple in Steve’s set-list today.

YOUR SAVING GRACE (1969)
[Special Digipak Edition, EDSA 5006]

Fourth album “Your Saving Grace” was produced by Glyn Johns at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, California, and released in November 1969.

The album was the second by the three-man line-up featuring Steve Miller, bassist Lonnie Turner and drummer Tim Davis.

The album includes guest performances from Ben Sidran, and Nicky Hopkins in a tour-de-force on the epic Baby’s House.

NUMBER 5 (1970)
[Special Digipak Edition, EDSA 5007]

Fifth album “Number 5” was recorded at Area Code 615’s studios in Nashville and released in July 1970.

The band for this album featured Steve Miller, drummer Tim Davis, and new bassist Bobby Winkelman (from Frumious Bandersnatch).

Special guests included Ben Sidran and Nicky Hopkins and Buddy Spicher, Wayne Moss and Charlie McCoy of Area Code 615.

Steve Miller Band - Biography

The Steve Miller Band was formed in 1967 in San Francisco, California. The band is led by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of (mainly) mid-1970s hit singles that are staples of the classic rock radio format.

In 1965, Steve Miller and keyboardist Barry Goldberg founded the Goldberg-Miller Blues Band along with bassist Shawn Yoder, rhythm guitarist Craymore Stevens, and drummer Lance Haas after moving to Chicago to play the blues. The band was contracted to Epic Records after playing many Chicago clubs. They also appeared on Hullabaloo with the Four Tops and the Supremes.

Miller left the group to go to San Francisco where the psychedelic scene was flourishing. He then formed the Steve Miller Blues Band. When they signed with Capitol Records in 1967, they shortened the name to the Steve Miller Band.

The band, consisting of Miller, guitarist James Cooke, bassist Lonnie Turner, and drummer Tim Davis (who replaced the departing Lance Haas on drums), backed Chuck Berry at a gig at the Filmore West that was released as the live album, Live at Fillmore Auditorium. Guitarist and vocalist Boz Scaggs joined the band soon after and the group performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in June.

In May 1968 while in England, they recorded their debut album Children Of The Future. The album did not feature a hit single and did not score on the Top 100 album chart, but standout tracks were the acoustic tune Baby's Calling Me Home and funky blues number Steppin' Stone. Closing the album is a slow version of the blues standard Key To The Highway.

The Steve Miller Band's second album Sailor appeared in October, and climbed the Billboard chart to # 24, and included the singles Living In The U.S.A., Lucky Man, and Boz Scaggs’ Overdrive and Dime-A-Dance Romance.

Miller's audience expanded with each album: Brave New World (# 22, 1969), which featured the song Space Cowboy and the track My Dark Hour (co-written by and featuring Paul McCartney on drums and vocals), followed by Your Saving Grace (# 38, 1969) and Number 5 (# 23, 1970).

In 1971, Miller suffered a broken neck after a car accident, and Capitol Records released the album Rock Love. The album featured unreleased live performances and studio material. It was followed in 1972 by Recall The Beginning...A Journey From Eden and the double album compilation Anthology, featuring 16 songs from the band's first five albums. The Joker (# 2) was released in 1973. The title track became a # 1 single and was certified platinum for reaching over one million sales.

Three years later, the Steve Miller Band returned with the album Fly Like An Eagle, which charted at # 3. Three singles were released from the album: Take The Money And Run, Fly Like an Eagle and their second Number One success, Rock’n Me. Book Of Dreams (# 2, 1977) also included three successes: Jet Airliner, Jungle Love, and Swingtown. 1982's Abracadabra album gave Steve Miller his third Number One success with the title track.

Released in 1978, The Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits 1974-1978 has sold over 13 million copies and Miller continues to perform successful sold-out concert performances. Bingo!, a new album of blues and R&B covers, was released in June 2010. Let Your Hair Down, a companion release to Bingo!, was released 10 months later, in April 2011. On November 10, 2011 the band played inside the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington to celebrate the successful delivery milestones of the 747-8 program. They opened the set with Jet Airliner.

Steve Miller Band – Official Website