Jules Alexander
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Jules Alexander | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo Alexander in 1966. | |
| Birth name | Jules Gary Alexander |
| Born | September 25, 1943 Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S |
| Origin | California, U.S |
| Genres | Pop, rock, folk |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
Jules Gary Alexander (born September 25, 1943) is an American Musician, Songwriter, and Arranger. He is well remembered for being a founding member of the pop group The Association.
Early Life
Alexander was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and moved to California with his family as a teen.
Career
1962–1965
Alexander was an optical technician in the navy based in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, 1962,[1] when he met salesman Terry Kirkman. The two became friends and promised to meet up when Alexander was discharged.
A year later, Alexander discharged, and they started a band called the Inner Tubes, that played at the Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood.[1] The band's personnel constantly changed, with some of its members including Cass Elliot (later of the Mamas & the Papas) and David Crosby (later of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young).[1]
By late 1964/early 1965, the Inner Tubes would slowly shift from a small folk ensemble into a 13-piece folk group called the Men. When the Men broke up, the two and four other members formed the Association. Before his career took off, Alexander was a bouncer at a nightclub, and often rode to work in a motorcycle owned by Steppenwolf frontman John Kay.[1]
1966–1968
The Association signed to Valiant Records in 1966 and their first album, And Then... Along Comes the Association, was produced. A second album, Renaissance, was released a bit after. On all releases from 1966 to 1967, he was credited as Gary Alexander (his middle name), but would use the name Jules from 1969 onwards. The Association quickly grew in popularity when their singles "Cherish" and "Along Comes Mary", charted in the Top 10. Alexander was a key songwriter for the group, along with Kirkman and Yester. Alexander’s most notable songs he co-wrote were “Changes” (1966), “Looking Glass” (1966), and “Pandora’s Golden Heebie Jeebies” (1966). Alexander was the main musical arranger in the band. Alexander left in 1967 to study meditation in India, and was replaced by Larry Ramos (previously of the New Christy Minstrels fame). Whilst in India, Alexander converted to Buddhism and still follows the religion. During the 1967-69 period Alexander was absent with the band, they achieved higher commercial success with appearances on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Ed Sullivan Show, and the million-selling songs "Windy", "Never My Love", and "Everything That Touches You".
Alexander wrote the song His Blues, for the band The Joyride in 1968.[2] In addition, he co-wrote the song Lovin' Stew, with Jeff Comanor, for The 5th Dimension that same year.[3][4]
1969–1989
After a short stint with the band "Joshua Fox", Alexander returned to the Association in 1969.
The Association were main contributors to the soundtrack of the 1969 film Goodbye, Columbus, and in addition, sang the title theme. They were nominated for an Golden Globe Award for Best Song for Motion Picture.[5] Jules provided backing vocals on the album Attacking A Straw Man, released by The New Colony Six in 1969.[6]
Jules played bass guitar on the 1971 album, Hexagram 16, a solo album released by former Association member Russ Giguere.[7] Also in 1971, he wrote the track, One, for the New Zealand-based group, The Chapta[8], and, in 1973, co-wrote the track, Worried About You, for The Dillards[9], as well as write the song Caney Creek, for Dillards member Rodney Dillard.[10] Alexander remained until 1974, when he left to form a short-lived band called Bijou. They were nearly signed to A&M Records, but the deal fell through.[1]
Alexander wrote the music for the 1974 sci-fi movie UFO: Target Earth and recorded the music for it in Ike Turner’s studio.[1] Alexander provided vocals on Hoyt Axton's 1975 album Southbound.[11][12][13]
Alexander returned to the Association for a third tenure from 1979 to 1989. During this time, he briefly played bass guitar. Jules was vocal arranger for the 1979 album Hide Away, by the band Brush Arbor.[14] In 1984, Jules, along with fellow Association members Terry Kirkman, Larry Ramos, and Ric Ulsky, provided backing vocals for the 1984 single Anything Goes!, released by the Baltimore-based Psychedelic rock group United States of Existence.[15] The four also sang backing vocals on their album, Introducing, released in 1986.[16]
1998–2004
Alexander wrote the song Would You Like To Go for The Ballroom in 1998.[17] In September 2003, the Association was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Alexander joined other members at the induction ceremony in Niles, Ohio.[18] A year later, Alexander and the then-surviving members of the 1960s lineup briefly reunited for the taping of a PBS 1960s rock music special '60s Experience on December 9, 2004.
2012–present
Alexander returned to the Association in January 2012, and has remained a member since. Alexander was a data wrangler prior to rejoining in 2012 in Texas.[19]
During the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown, Alexander announced he was working on a solo album in his home studio.[1]
Personal Life
Alexander lives in Texas with his wife of over 30 years.[1]
Discography
With The Association
Studio Albums
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| And Then... Along Comes the Association | 1966 |
| Renaissance | 1966 |
| The Association | 1969 |
| Stop Your Motor | 1971 |
| Waterbeds in Trinidad! | 1972 |
Singles
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) | Certification | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"
b/w "Baby, Can't You Hear Me Call Your Name" |
Non-album tracks | |
| "One Too Many Mornings"
b/w "Forty Times" |
|||
| 1966 | "Along Comes Mary"
b/w "Your Own Love" |
And Then...Along Comes the Association | |
| "Cherish"
b/w "Don't Blame It on Me" (titled "Don't Blame the Rain" on non-U.S. 45s) |
US: Gold | ||
| "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies"
b/w "Standing Still" (from And Then...Along Comes the Association) |
Renaissance | ||
| 1969 | "The Time It Is Today"
b/w "Enter the Young" (from And Then...Along Comes the Association) |
Birthday | |
| "Goodbye, Columbus"
b/w "The Time It Is Today" (from Birthday) |
Goodbye, Columbus soundtrack | ||
| "Under Branches"
b/w "Hear in Here" (from Birthday) |
The Association | ||
| 1970 | "Yes, I Will"
b/w "I Am Up for Europe" |
||
| "Dubuque Blues"
b/w "Are You Ready" |
|||
| "Just About the Same"
b/w "Look at Me, Look at You" (from The Association) |
Non-album track | ||
| "Along the Way"
b/w "Traveler's Guide" |
Stop Your Motor | ||
| 1971 | "P.F. Sloan"
b/w "Traveler's Guide" |
||
| "Bring Yourself Home"
b/w "It's Gotta Be Real" |
|||
| "That's Racin'"
b/w "Makes Me Cry" (alternate title for "Funny Kind of Song") |
|||
| 1972 | "Darlin' Be Home Soon"
b/w "Indian Wells Woman" |
Waterbeds in Trinidad! | |
| "Come the Fall"
b/w "Kicking the Gong Around" |
|||
| 1973 | "Names, Tags, Numbers and Labels"
b/w "Rainbows Bent" (from Waterbeds in Trinidad!) |
Non-album tracks | |
| 1975 | "One Sunday Morning"
b/w "Life Is a Carnival" |
||
| "Sleepy Eyes"
b/w "Take Me to the Pilot" |
|||
| 1981 | "Dreamer"
b/w "You Turn the Light On" |
||
| "Small Town Lovers"
b/w "Across the Persian Gulf" |
With Joshua Fox
Studio Albums
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Joshua Fox | 1969 |
For Other Artists
| Song | Album | Role | For | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attacking A Straw Man | Backing vocalist | The New Colony Six | 1969 | |
| Hexagram 16 | Bass guitarist | Russ Giguere | 1971 | |
| Southbound | Backing vocalist | Hoyt Axton | 1975 | |
| Hide Away | Vocal arranger | Brush Arbor | 1979 | |
| Anything Goes! | Backing vocalist | United States of Experience | 1984 |
Songwriting Credits
| Title | For | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your Own Love | The Association | “And Then... Along Comes the Association | 1966 |
| Round Again | The Association | And Then... Along Comes the Association | 1966 |
| Remember | The Association | And Then... Along Comes the Association | 1966 |
| Changes | The Association | And Then... Along Comes the Association | 1966 |
| Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies | The Association | Renaissance | 1966 |
| Angeline | The Association | Renaissance | 1966 |
| You May Think | The Association | Renaissance | 1966 |
| Looking Glass | The Association | Renaissance | 1966 |
| Come to Me | The Association | Renaissance | 1966 |
| You Hear Me Call Your Name | The Association | Renaissance | 1966 |
| Another Time, Another Place | The Association | Renaissance | 1966 |
| His Blues | The Joyride | 1968 | |
| Lovin' Stew | The 5th Dimension | Stoned Soul Picnic | 1968 |
| Love Affair | The Association | The Association | 1969 |
| Dubuque Blues | The Association | The Association | 1969 |
| Under Branches | The Association | The Association | 1969 |
| I Am Up for Europe | The Association | The Association | 1969 |
| Goodbye Forever | The Association | The Association | 1969 |
| Funny Kind of Song | The Association | Stop Your Motor | 1971 |
| One | The Chapta | 1971 | |
| Midnight Wind | The Association | Waterbeds in Trinidad! | 1972 |
| Kicking the Gong Around | The Association | Waterbeds in Trinidad! | 1972 |
| Rainbows Bent | The Association | Waterbeds in Trinidad! | 1972 |
| Please Don't Go ('Round the Bend) | The Association | Waterbeds in Trinidad! | 1972 |
| Worried About You | The Dillards | 1973 | |
| Caney Creek | Rodney Dillard | 1985 | |
| Would You Like To Go | The Ballroom | 1998 |
Soundtracks
| Title | For the Film | As a member of | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodbye, Columbus | Goodbye, Columbus | The Association | 1969 |
| UFO: Target Earth | UFO: Target Earth | 1974 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Jules Alexander Interview".
- ↑ The Joyride - Land Of Rypap Papyr / His Blues, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ The 5th Dimension - Stoned Soul Picnic, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ "Lovin' Stew, Jeffrey M. Commanor & Jules Alexander, recorded by The 5th Dimension......scanned copy". Tredwells Music Centre. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
- ↑ "Goodbye, Columbus". Golden Globes. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
- ↑ The New Colony Six - Attacking A Straw Man, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ Russ Giguere - Hexagram 16, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ The Chapta - One, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ Northern Lights - Vancouver Dreaming, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ Rodney Dillard - At Silver Dollar City, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ "Jules Alexander". Discogs. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
- ↑ Hoyt Axton - Southbound, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ "Hoyt Axton Discography | On A&M Records". www.onamrecords.com. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
- ↑ Brush Arbor - Hide Away, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ United States Of Existence - Anything Goes!, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ The United States Of Existence - Introducing, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ The Ballroom - Preparing For The Millennium, retrieved 2023-04-11
- ↑ "The Association – The Vocal Group Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ↑ "THE ASSOCIATION Members Biographies - Official Website". www.castproductions.com. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
External links
This article "Jules Alexander" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.