Kim Vincent Fowley (July 21, 1939 – January 15, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter and musician who was behind a string of novelty and cult pop rock singles in the 1960s, and managed the Runaways in the 1970s.
In 1957, he was hospitalized with polio and, on his release, became manager and publicist for local band the Sleepwalkers that included Bruce Johnston, drummer Sandy Nelson and, occasionally, Phil Spector.
[2] He produced a Them spin-off band led by two ex-Them members, brothers Pat and Jackie McAuley (who were only allowed to use the band name Other Them in the UK, but called themselves Them on the European continent, releasing an album called Them Belfast Gypsies and a single "Let's Freak Out" under the name Freaks of Nature); an early incarnation of Slade known as the N'Betweens; Soft Machine (he produced "Love Makes Sweet Music", their first single); and the Lancasters, an instrumental rock group featuring a young Ritchie Blackmore.
"[19] Other singles by Fowley as a recording artist included "Animal Man" from his popular 1968 album Outrageous; during the song he remarks, "It's too dirty, it'll be banned".
In 1968, Fowley joined forces with a young band, St John Green, from Topanga Canyon in California, to produce their only album, which contains songs, musical soundtracks, comedy and dark poetry.
The band members were: Ed Bissot (bass), Bill Kirkland (guitars), Vic Sabino (vocals, harmonica and percussion), Michael 'Papabax' Baxter (keyboards, arranger), and Shelly Scott (drums).
[31] Upon returning to Los Angeles, Fowley co-wrote the song "Michoacan" which was recorded by the Sir Douglas Quintet and appeared in the 1972 movie Cisco Pike starring Kris Kristofferson.
[32] Fowley produced the Boulder, Colorado-based rock and roll revival act[34] Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids for a television appearance in early 1972.
[35] The group signed a contract with Epic Records in September of that year,[36] and Fowley produced their self-titled debut LP for the label[34] at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles.
[26][41] While on tour to promote his solo album I'm Bad in the summer of 1972, Fowley met Boston disk jockey Maxanne Satori, who introduced him to a pre-fame Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers.
[26][42] Later in autumn 1973,[29] Fowley worked with the band again, this time recording them in Los Angeles at Gold Star Studios on behalf of Warner Bros.
Upon hearing this, Fowley decided to create a West Coast answer to the New York Dolls in a similar manner, taking the band name from the minor league baseball team of the same name.
[48] Upon assembling the group, Fowley rented a studio in the San Fernando Valley and put the band on a rigorous rehearsal schedule, utilizing songs written by songwriter Mars Bonfire, and by himself and producer/songwriter Peter Lion.
[48] Soon afterward, Columbia dismissed The Hollywood Stars' A&R representative in an internal staffing change,[50] decided not to release the album and dropped the group from the label.
Similarly, Ezrin took "King of the Night Time World" (also co-written by Fowley and Anthony) to Kiss, who altered the lyrics slightly and recorded the song for the album Destroyer (1976).
[54] Fowley had an idea for assembling an all-female rock band in a time when, according to guitarist Joan Jett, "there were no young girls at all playing guitar or any sort of instruments.
"[55] In early 1975, Fowley met lyricist Kari Krome at a party held for Alice Cooper, put her on salary, and had her begin looking for female performers.
Fowley had Jett rehearse with West at the latter's home in Huntington Beach, and auditioned the pair on the telephone to music journalist Ritchie Yorke.
Steele left due to creative differences, and was replaced by Jackie Fox, whom Fowley colleague Rodney Bingenheimer found in the parking lot of the West Hollywood nightclub the Starwood.
Just before adding Fox, Fowley and Jett discovered Cherie Currie at the teen nightclub The Sugar Shack[56] and brought her in as lead vocalist for the group.
[86] Fowley followed this up with the publication of several legal notices claiming ownership of "The Runaways" service mark, recording authorization, and merchandising rights.
Casey Kasem, on the edition of March 12, 1983, of American Top 40, describes how Fowley discovered Steel Breeze while going through approximately 1200 demo tapes that were about to be discarded by a local Hollywood nightclub, Madame Wong's.
"You Don't Want Me Anymore" was the first single from the band's self-titled album and quickly jumped into the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 supported by a video that was a favorite of early MTV, and peaked at # 16.
Adding Denise Prior, Missy Bonilla (then a typist for Denny Diante at what was CBS Records) and Cathy DiAmber (Catherine Dombrowski) with David Carr on keyboards, a Chicago guitarist Bill Millay and numerous session musicians.
Fowley, assisted by New Zealander Glenn Holland, sought to cash in on the fame of the former Runaways members who had gone on to significant success in their individual solo careers.
David Libert, Alice Cooper's ex-road manager and agent for George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, was recruited to come in to handle the day-to-day babysitting chores.
His written and directed works include: Black Room Doom, Dollboy: The Movie, Satan of Silverlake, The Golden Road to Nowhere, Frankenstein Goes Surfing, Trailer Park's On Fire and Jukebox California.
Video clips/scenes from these movies can be seen on YouTube and Myspace, and feature a cast of regulars including but not limited to musical oddities such as the Fabulous Miss Wendy, Giddle Partridge, Richard Rogers (Crazy White Man) and Clown Porn Queen Hollie Stevens.
[92] He played three dozen gigs between June 2007 and February 2009 as the act Crazy White Man, a duo featuring him on vocals and Richard Rogers on guitar.
In 2012, Fowley won the Special Jury Prize at the 13th Melbourne Underground Film Festival for his two feature projects – Golden Road to Nowhere and Black Room Doom.