Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, hard rock and heavy metal. Their lyrics range from the personal to the political, in some of the latter cases attacking Eurocentrism and racism in America.
The band’s debut album, “Vivid”, was released in 1988 on Epic Records. The album reached #6 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and was later certified double platinum by the RIAA. It featured “Cult of Personality,” a #13 hit on the Billboard 200 Singles chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1990. It has also been consistently used as the entrance theme for professional wrestler CM Punk since 2011.[6] They were also named Best New Artist at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards as well as having a second Top 40 hit with “Glamour Boys.”
In 1990 the band's second full-length album, “Time's Up”, was released and reached #13 on the Billboard 200 while certifying gold, with strong singles “Type”, “Love Rears Its Ugly Head”, “Elvis Is Dead” and “Solace of You”, and featured guest appearances by Queen Latifah, Little Richard, Doug E. Fresh, and Maceo Parker. It also won their second Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.
In the summer of 1991, Living Colour released the 6-song EP "Biscuits", which coincided with the inaugural Lollapalooza tour. Skillings left the band in the summer of 1992 and was replaced by session veteran and Sugarhill Records bass player Doug Wimbish.
“Stain”, their third LP, was released in 1993 by Epic. Reaching #26 on the Billboard 200, the album had a much heavier and aggressive sound, containing elements of thrash metal and industrial music while receiving a Grammy nomination for 'Leave It Alone'.
After a hiatus in 1995, Living Colour returned in December 2000 and began recording “Collideøscope”. Released in 2003, the album featured aggressive lyrics, with many of the songs about the September 11 attacks including “Flying”. It also contained cover versions of AC/DC's “Back in Black” and The Beatles' “Tomorrow Never Knows.”
Their first release on Megaforce Records, “The Chair in the Doorway” was issued in 2009 and reached #159 on the Billboard 200 charged by the single “Behind The Sun”
The impetus for Living Colour's next album came from a performance of Robert Johnson's "Preachin' Blues" at the 100th Anniversary Birthday celebration at the legendary Apollo Theatre in New York City. Released on September 8, 2017, “Shade” is the sound of a band coming to terms with its shadows and light,” says founder Vernon Reid. “From the blue pulpit of Robert Johnson to the mean red streets of Brooklyn... “Shade” is the next chapter of a unique American journey” and peaked on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums at #12 with the help from singles “Who Shot Ya”, “Come On”, and “Program”.
Living Colour is an American rock[4] band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish (who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992). Stylistically, their music is a creative fusion influenced by heavy metal, funk, jazz, hip hop, punk, and alternative rock. The band's lyrics range from the personal to the political, including social commentary on racism in the United States.
Living Colour has released six studio albums so far. The band rose to fame with their debut album Vivid in 1988.[5] Although they scored several hits, Living Colour is best known for their signature song "Cult of Personality", which won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1990 and has been consistently used as the entrance theme for professional wrestler CM Punk since 2011.[6] They were also named Best New Artist at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards and won their second Grammy Award for their follow-up album Time's Up (1990). Their third album, Stain (1993), was also well received by music critics. After disbanding in 1995,[5] Living Colour reunited in late 2000,[7] and has released three more studio albums since then: Collideøscope (2003), The Chair in the Doorway (2009) and Shade (2017). The band has been in the process of working on new material for the follow-up to Shade.[8]
