Early Days
Big Brother and Holding Company formed in 1965 and was an integral element in the San Franciscan psychedelic rock scene. They played their first gig in January 1966, at the Open Theatre in Berkeley and went on to become the house band at San Francisco’s Avalon Ballroom, a venue operated by Chet Helms. They also played regularly at the city’s Fillmore alongside other bands such as The Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix. Contrary to popular belief, Big Brother had an existence outside of the period during which Janis Joplin was their lead vocalist, and continue to tour and record a full 40 years later.
Original Line-up
Originally formed with Sam Andrew on lead guitar, James Gurley (rhythm), Peter Abin (bass) and Chuck Jones (drums), Jones was the first to be replaced, by Dave Getz. Janis Joplin, a friend of Helms’ during his university days, joined the band in mid -1966, taking over lead vocals from Albin and giving the band its signature sound. Shortly after Janis joined, the band moved into a communal house in Marin County and began to rehearse both existing and new material.
The Janis Years
Summer of 1966 saw the band take up a month-long residency at a Chicago club, Mother Blues, and also record its first album, although the album (named for the band) was not released for another year. The eventual release followed a storming performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival. This performance transformed Big Brother from being a regional band into a national and internationally-recognised act. The festival also saw the band get a new manager, Albert Grossman (who also managed – among others - Bob Dylan, and a new record label (Columbia) for whom they produced the album ‘Cheap Thrills’. This album contained some of the iconic Big Brother tracks, including ‘Ball and Chain’, ‘Piece of My Heart’, and ‘Summertime’. The guitar-work on the latter is one of the most recognisable sounds in the history of rock music.
Initial Split and Reformation
The band split up in 1968 (largely at Joplin’s insistence– heavily influenced by Grossman), with Joplin and Andrews forming a new band, the Kozmic Blues Band, while Albin and Getz joined Country Joe MacDonald’s band, the Fish.
In early 1969, another reincarnation of Big Brother hit the streets with Albin, Andrew, Getz, and Gurley being joined by Dave Shallock on guitar, and Mick Gravenites and Kathi McDonald on vocals. This line-up lasted for a couple of years, but then, apart from one performance for Chet Helm in 1978, did not perform until 1987 when the band reformed and has continued, although personnel have come and gone from time to time. In 2006, Big Brother undertook a major European tour and continues to release albums.
The Legacy
While most associated with the Janis Joplin era, Big Brother was, and remains, a great band in its own right, producing high quality music. It caught the mood of its time, gave one of the greatest female vocalists ever the chance to showcase her talent on an international stage, and remains one of the great bands to come out of the Summer of Love.
