Frijid Pink

During the late 60's and into the 70's, several classic rock bands were formed in and around the Detroit, Michigan area, including MC5, The Stooges, Amboy Dukes, and Frigid Pink.

The initial line-up of the band included drummer Richard Stevers, guitarist Gary Ray Thompson, bassist Tom Harris, lead singer Tom Beaudry (aka:Kelly Green), and later Larry Zelanka as off staff keyboardist. Unfortunately the original lineup didn't stay for long. By the third album there was only one original member left.

Frijid Pink, formed from members of the Detroit Vibrations in 1967. The band spent their first two years touring throughout the Southeast Michigan/Detroit area. In 1969 Frijid Pink signed with Parrot Records.

Their first two singles, "Tell Me Why" and "Drivin' Blues", failed to attract much attention, but their third effort, a distorted-guitar-driven rendering of "House of the Rising Sun", reached the Top Ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. This disc sold over one million copies, thereby receiving a gold disc. The song was recorded at the end of a long recording session, The song was literally a "filler" for the time that was left at the end of the session. A big hit in the U.S. (rising to #7 in February 1970), it became an even bigger hit in Europe.

The band was so popular in their native Detroit area that a fledgling Led Zeppelin (who were just then getting started from the remnants of The Yardbirds) opened for them at Detroit's Grande Ballroom. Frijid Pink often shared billing then with the MC5, The Stooges, The Amboy Dukes and others.

Frijid Pink's self-titled debut LP followed in 1970, as did their second release Defrosted. Most of the first album's and all of the second album's writing was provided by Beaudry/Thompson. Subsequent singles including "Sing a Song for Freedom" and a cover of "Heartbreak Hotel" failed to match earlier successes, and after the departure of Beaudry and Thompson, a new lineup, featuring Jon Wearing on vocals, Craig Webb on guitar and Larry Zelanka on keyboards recorded 1972's Earth Omen. The group would have another lineup in place before re-entering the studio to record 1975's All Pink Inside with Jo Baker on vocals and Larry Popolizio playing the bass.

In 1981 Rick Stevers and Tom Harris joined ranks with Arlen Viecelli-(Lead Singer/Guitarist of the Salem Witchcraft Band..www.salemwitchcraftband.com - www.arlenrocks.com) and Ray Gunn-(Guitarist/Virgin Dawn), to record an Album at Sound Suite Studios in Detroit, Mi. The music was written by Arlen Viecelli and Ray Gunn and was to be released in the summer of 82. Unfortunately, during negotiations by Clyde Stevers, (Band Manager), with numerous Record Companies, the band decided to dis-band and the material was never released to the public.

Over the years there have been several personnel line-ups for Frijid Pink, even some without any original members. One such version of the band formed in 2001. They recorded one album, Inner Heat, which was set for release in 2002, but was pulled by the record label, Dynasty Records. In 2005 another lineup formed featuring most of the original members; drummer Stevers had succeeded in getting bassist Tom Harris and vocalist Tom Beaudry together with guitarist Steve Dansby (ex late 1970s lineup of Cactus) and keyboardist Larin Michaels. In late 2006, after a failed attempt to once again reunite the original members, Stevers began auditioning other musicians for the reformation of Frijid Pink. This new lineup has recorded an album and continues to play club dates and public functions in the southeast Michigan area.