International Submarine Band
| The International Submarine Band | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Country rock |
| Years active | 1966–1968 |
| Labels | LHI |
| Associated acts |
The Byrds The Flying Burrito Brothers |
| Past members |
Gram Parsons John Nuese Ian Dunlop Mickey Gauvin Jon Corneal Bob Buchanan Joe Osborne Earl Ball Jay Dee Maness Chris Ethridge |
The International Submarine Band (ISB) was formed by country rock pioneer Gram Parsons while a theology student at Harvard University and John Nuese, a guitar player for local rock group, The Trolls. Nuese is largely credited with having persuaded Parsons to pursue the country-rock sound he would later be remembered for when the two first started the ISB. Parsons' work with the band predates his better known ventures with The Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Fallen Angels with Emmylou Harris.
In 1965, Parsons enrolled at Harvard University to study theology. Never a serious student, Parsons immediately set about establishing himself as a presence on the local folk music scene. Parsons' first band, which he named The Like, featured only Parsons and students from the Berklee College of Music. Given that Parsons was interested in pursuing a career as a folksinger at this time, his bandmates' jazz training proved incompatible with Parsons's musical aspirations. The group disbanded late in 1965, when Parsons met John Nuese, a guitarist with another local group called the Trolls, who convinced the singer to pursue an explicit country rock sound.
According to Nuese: "I was the only one with experience playing and listening to a lot of country music. Gram, who had been exposed to country music during his formative years, was doing commercial folk music. It was my influence that turned him onto country music." Sufficiently impressed with what he heard, and more interested in "chasing tail and dropping LSD" than completing his degree, Parsons dropped out of Harvard before his first semester was over. Immediately, Parsons and Nuese formed "The International Submarine Band", named after an old Our Gang comedy routine in which kids auditioned for a radio program as "The International Silver String Submarine Band." Featuring Parsons on guitar and vocals, Ian Dunlop on bass and Mickey Gauvin on drums, the ISB failed to make a lasting impression on either the Top 40 Pop or Country charts with any of their recordings, though they are largely considered to be one of the most influential pioneer country rock groups.
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