FIREFALL
In
1973, when Florida-born Rick Roberts and his new Colorado based
band needed a name, an image that had long stuck in his mind
- a woodpile stacked at the edge of a high cliff in Yosemite National Park,
then set ablaze and pushed off the cliff as nature lovers from all
over watched in awe - provided the inspiration and the group
was christened Firefall.
That seems an especially appropriate handle for the country-flavored
rock 'n' roll band that carried the torch of musical forebears such as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Flying Burrito Brothers into the
mid 70s and beyond. While former Flying Burrito Brother Rick
Roberts handled vocals, guitar and most of the songwriting duties, fellow ex-Burrito and Byrd Michael Clarke
was on drums. Ex-Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne bassist Mark Andes,
guitarist and vocalist Jock Bartley, guitarist, vocalist and
songwriter Larry Burnett rounded out the band, and they were
joined in 1977 by keyboardist and woodwind player David Muse. For the better part of the next decade, Firefall burned it at both ends, musically and personally, and then appeared to flame
out, at least on record. By 1983, they'd cut eight albums (scoring gold for the first three, with the third going on to platinum-plus), and put 11 singles on the
charts, including such unforgettable tunes as "You
Are The Woman", "Just
Remember I Love You", "Cinderella" and
"Strange Ways".
Throughout the 1980s, the band continued to tour and were a
popular live act, playing fairs, festivals, theaters and
bigger clubs, and occasionally joined their friends The Doobie
Brothers, The Beach Boys, Little River Band and Bob Seger on
bigger stages. Firefall's original singles were still faves with
pop and A/C radio audiences, and as the classic rock radio format
evolved, a number of the band's songs enjoyed renewed exposure.
For much of the decade of the '80s, Jock Bartley was the only
original member left, although David Muse would return to the
touring unit for stints sometimes lasting a year or more, and Rick
Roberts returned for another stint as the group's frontman.
In 1992, Rhino Records, responding to the clamor to put out a CD
of all the great Firefall music, released Firefall: The
Greatest Hits. The CD not only featured all of the
favorites, it included one previously unrecorded new song,
Bartley's "Run Run Away",
about the adult victims of past child abuse.
As their music was growing and evolving, Firefall continued to wow audiences nationwide with their musicianship, singing, professionalism and energy.
The lineup also changed over the years. Of the current
lineup, original member, Jock Bartley (lead guitar, vocals), Sandy
Ficca (drums), Bil Hopkins (bass, vocals) and Steven Weinmeister
(vocals, guitar), have been playing together in Firefall for over
15 years. Chris Ball (sax, flute, vocals, keyboards) joined the band in 2002.
While touring the Midwest in 1993, Firefall encountered first hand the early devastation of the terrible Flood of
93. In cities like Alton, Illinois, Des Moines, Iowa and St. Louis, the band felt the tragedy and overwhelming impact of the flood. One of their gigs was canceled and a few had to be moved back from danger. The night they returned home to Colorado, a song woke Jock up at 4:00 AM - he sat up in bed in the dark with the hook playing in his head. Getting up, he hurried into his music room and, twenty minutes later,
"When The River Rises" was finished. It is a uplifting song with a positive message of gaining strength in adversity. Five days after it was written,
it was taken back to St. Louis where it was played on the radio for the first time. The flood waters had not yet crested. Vowing to give a large portion of the publishing to Flood Relief, the song was sent to numerous radio stations in a dozen flooded states. Soon it was receiving heavy regional airplay and was used by CNN and other TV networks and stations behind coverage of the disaster.
The band has been involved with a number of social causes, trying
to give a little something back to people, supporting many
children's causes. When Jock Bartley was asked to compose a song for Suicide
Prevention, he wrote the heartfelt "Call On Me" which became the anthem of the cause.
In the process, Jock became a national spokesperson. In September 2005 Steve, Chris and Jock twice performed as
'Acoustic Firefall' at live benefits and radio fundraisers for Hurricane Katrina victims, helping to raise over $35,000 for the Red Cross. Also in September 2005, Steve and Jock played at a ‘Rockers For Kids’ benefit for Denver Children’s Hospital raising money for teens at risk – three of Jock’s paintings hung in the art exhibit that featured rock & roll artists Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Jerry Garcia, John Entwistle, Ron Wood, John Mellencamp and others.
Firefall has toured extensively in the U.S., including three trips to Alaska, Europe twice and Japan twice.
The group endures because of the strength and integrity of their
music. In concert, they can play over an hour of nothing but hits and radio recognizable tunes.
Firefall flourishes because of the energy and spontaneity that is so evident on stage and in the studio.
