Starcastle was an American progressive rock band from Champaign, Illinois, United States. Formed in 1969, the group played many shows under the names Pegasus and Mad John Fever before eventually settling on Starcastle. They signed their first record deal with Epic Records in 1974, and received extensive airplay and frequently played in the St. Louis area. The original lineup included former REO Speedwagon vocalist Terry Luttrell and computing author/programmer Herb Schildt. They released four albums on both the Epic and CBS labels. The band's debut album Starcastle sold well, garnering worldwide airplay.
Their later albums Fountains of Light, Citadel, and Real to Reel did not sell as well as the first and they were often criticized for sounding too musically similar to Yes. They were opening acts for such bands as Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant, Fleetwood Mac, Kansas, Boston, Rush, Journey, and others. After several line-up changes, the band went on a ten-year hiatus from 1987.
In 2002, Gary Strater, Steve Tassler and Steve Hagler all released solo albums on the band's own Sunsinger label. This led to work on the band's final album Song of Times, before Gary Strater's death on September 19, 2004, from pancreatic cancer. Song of Times was released in 2007.
In November 2018, the band's official website announced the release of Alchemy, an archive release of studio and live material from the band's 1980s line-up. Additionally, their website announced a new line-up of the band consisting of George Harp (vocals) and Bruce Botts (guitar), both of whom were in the 1980s line-up.
Players
Past Gary Strater – bass, bass pedals, backing vocals (1969–1987, 1997–2004; died 2004) Matt Stewart – guitar, backing vocals (1969–1981, 1997–2006) Steve Hagler – guitar, backing vocals (1969–1980, 2006) Steve Tassler – drums, backing vocals (1969–1980, 2006) Herb Schildt – keyboards (1969–1978, 1997–2006) Terry Luttrell – lead vocals (1973–1978, 2006) Ralph Goldheim ("Caribou Ralph") – lead vocals, keyboards (1979–1981) Bruce Botts – guitar, keyboards, vocals (1982–2019) Scott McKenzie – drums, backing vocals (1982–1987) Mark McGee – guitar (1985–1986) George Harp - lead vocals (1982–1986, 2015–2019)
Timeline
Discography Year Title NotesAlbum Type 1976 Starcastle First studio album.Studio 1977 Fountains of Light Re-issued on CD in 1998.Studio 1977 Citadel Features cover art by the famous Brothers Hildebrandt. Re-issued on CD in 1998.Studio 1978 Real to Reel Re-issued on CD in 1998.Studio 2001 Chronos I Archive release featuring demos and unreleased tracks.Studio2002Eleven to the Fourth TwiceGary Strater. Synthesized electronic ambient music based on fractal equations.Solo2002Alive Beyond RecognitionAll compositions, performances, programming and production by Steve Tassler.Solo2002Echoes of LightSteve & Carol Hagler.Solo2006Alive In America: Live 1978Also released as Shine On Brightly and Concert Classics Volume 5Live 2007 Song of TimesFinal studio album. Studio2018AlchemyA compilation of songs written while based in San Francisco, taken from demos, live shows and rehearsals.Multiple
References
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