Living Colour
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Vernon Reid |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, EPs |
| Website | livingcolour |
Living Colour is a rock ensemble originating from New York City, established in 1984. The group consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead singer Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun, and bassist Doug Wimbish, who took over from Muzz Skillings in 1992. Their musical style fuses elements of heavy metal, funk, jazz, hip-hop, punk, and alternative rock. Their lyrics often explore personal experiences alongside societal topics such as racism within the United States.
To date, the band has produced six studio records, beginning with Vivid in 1988. They rose to fame with the track "Cult of Personality," which earned a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1990 and remains widely known, notably as wrestler CM Punk's entrance music since 2011. Living Colour received the Best New Artist award at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards and won a second Grammy for their subsequent album Time's Up (1990). Their third release, Stain (1993), was also met with critical praise.
Following their split in 1995, Living Colour reunited in 2000 and have since released three additional albums: Collideøscope (2003), The Chair in the Doorway (2009), and Shade (2017). They are currently developing new material after Shade.
Early years (1984–1986)
Guitarist Vernon Reid, originally from Britain, formed multiple bands before founding Living Colour in New York in 1984, intentionally adopting the British spelling "colour." From 1984 to 1986, Reid led various iterations of Vernon Reid's Living Colour. He was recognized in New York’s jazz community for his collaborations with Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society.
The initial lineup featured bassists Alex Mosely, Jerome Harris, and Carl James; drummers Greg Carter, Pheeroan akLaff, and J. T. Lewis; keyboardist Geri Allen; and vocalists D. K. Dyson and Mark Ledford, with Reid occasionally handling lead vocals. The group’s early sound spanned instrumental jazz/funk to politically motivated punk and experimental guitar synthesizer compositions, including an early form of "Funny Vibe," which was later polished for their debut album Vivid.
Mainstream success (1986–1991)
By 1986, a consistent lineup had formed comprising vocalist/actor Corey Glover, guitarist Vernon Reid, bassist Muzz Skillings, and drummer Will Calhoun. Under the management of Jim Grant and Roger Cramer, the band enhanced their stage presence with lighting designer Andy Elias. Regular gigs at CBGB helped them establish a strong following.
Their major breakthrough occurred when Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones showed interest after Reid auditioned for Jagger’s album Primitive Cool. Jagger produced two demo tracks for Living Colour, which increased attention from record labels and led to a deal with Epic Records. Reid later described this moment as bittersweet, acknowledging that Jagger’s support was crucial for gaining industry acceptance.
Released on May 3, 1988, Vivid gained traction following MTV’s broadcast of the "Cult of Personality" video, peaking at No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The band performed on NBC's Saturday Night Live on April 1, 1989, and subsequently opened for The Rolling Stones during their Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour.
Their sophomore album, Time's Up (1990), displayed a wide range of genres including jazz fusion, punk rock, Delta blues, hip hop (with contributions from Queen Latifah and Doug E. Fresh), funk, thrash metal, jive, and electronica influences. It reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and secured a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance. Guest musicians featured Maceo Parker and Little Richard. The title track drew inspiration from punk legends Bad Brains.
In 1991, Living Colour participated in the first Lollapalooza tour and released the EP Biscuits, which contained outtakes from earlier recording sessions.
Second lineup and disbandment (1992–1995)
In 1992, Skillings departed and was succeeded by Doug Wimbish. This formation produced their third album, Stain, released in March 1993, which reached number 26 on the U.S. charts, marking a continued decline compared to their debut. Although the band maintained a dedicated following, Living Colour dissolved in January 1995 due to disagreements over the musical direction during sessions for a fourth studio album. Four songs from these sessions were later included on the compilation Pride. After the breakup, the members embarked on individual solo endeavors.
Reunion and later developments (2000–present)
Living Colour reunited on December 21, 2000, at CBGB for a performance featuring Head>>Fake, a drum and bass project by Calhoun and Wimbish, with Glover and Reid joining subsequently. Their fourth studio release, Collideøscope (2003), garnered critical acclaim but did not enter the U.S. charts. In 2005, Sony issued Live from CBGB's, a live recording from 1989, alongside the career-spanning compilation Everything Is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour.
On September 22, 2006, Skillings rejoined the band for a private event, as Wimbish was unavailable. The group toured Europe in December 2006 and issued their first live DVD, On Stage At World Cafe Live, in May 2007. They also appeared at the 2008 Rocklahoma festival and took part in a tribute organized by the Black Rock Coalition later that year.
In late 2008, releases included CBGB OMFUG Masters: August 19, 2005 The Bowery Collection and The Paris Concert DVD documenting their 2007 European tour. Their fifth studio album, The Chair in the Doorway (2009), sold approximately 2,800 copies during its debut week and reached number 161 on the Billboard 200 chart—their first charting album since Stain. The band supported this release with an international tour.
In 2013, they performed "Cult of Personality" live at WrestleMania 29 as CM Punk’s entrance theme. On July 2, 2014, Living Colour announced they were working on their sixth album, Shade, which was released on September 8, 2017. Reid described this album as a reflection of the band's exploration of American musical heritage. It contains ten original tracks along with three covers: Robert Johnson's "Preachin' Blues", The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya?", and Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues", available across CD, MP3, and vinyl formats.
On August 19, 2016, they released their rendition of "Who Shot Ya?" ahead of the EP Mixtape (released September 9), which features collaborations with Chuck D, Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, Prodigal Sunn, and Kyle Mansa. That same year included a performance of "Cult of Personality" on The Howard Stern Show.
By late 2018, Living Colour began working on new material intended for either an EP or a seventh studio album. Reid expressed willingness to continue producing new work shortly after releasing Shade.
At Rock in Rio on September 2, 2022, guitarist Steve Vai joined them onstage for "Cult of Personality." On December 10, 2022, the band announced they had entered the studio to record their seventh album.
In 2023, Living Colour toured across the United States alongside Extreme. They once again performed "Cult of Personality" live during CM Punk's entrance at WrestleMania 41 in 2025.
Acclaim and legacy
Living Colour secured the 70th position on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. Their track "Cult of Personality" was re-recorded specifically for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, featuring a revised guitar solo due to licensing complications with the original recordings.
In the 2006 Triple M Essential Countdown, "Love Rears Its Ugly Head" was ranked number 303. The band has been recognized by Rolling Stone as pioneers in the funk metal genre.
The song "Cult of Personality" was utilized by WWE in 2009 to commemorate Stone Cold Steve Austin's induction into the Hall of Fame. Additionally, it served as the entrance theme for wrestler CM Punk during his WWE Summer of Punk storyline in 2011 and later in AEW from 2021 to 2023. CM Punk also employed the track for his initial mixed martial arts bouts at UFC 203 and UFC 225.
Members
- Vernon Reid – lead guitar, guitar synthesizer, programming, backing vocals (1984–1995, 2000–present); lead vocals (1984–1985)
- Corey Glover – lead vocals, occasional rhythm guitar, tambourine (1985–1995, 2000–present)
- Will Calhoun – drums, percussion, keyboards, samples, loops, programming, backing vocals (1986–1995, 2000–present)
- Doug Wimbish – bass, drums, guitar, programming, backing vocals (1992–1995, 2000–present)
- Past members
- Alex Mosely – bass
- Jerome Harris – bass
- Carl James – bass
- Greg Carter – drums
- Pheeroan akLaff – drums
- J. T. Lewis – drums
- Geri Allen – keyboards (deceased; 2017)
- D. K. Dyson – lead vocals
- Mark Ledford – lead vocals (deceased; 2004)
- Muzz Skillings – bass, backing vocals (1986–1991, one-off performance in 2006)
- Doug Pinnick – lead vocals (2006; guest substitute)
Discography
- Vivid (1988)
- Time's Up (1990)
- Stain (1993)
- Collideøscope (2003)
- The Chair in the Doorway (2009)
- Shade (2017)
MTV Video Music Awards
- 1989 – Best New Artist ("Cult of Personality")
- 1989 – Best Group Video ("Cult of Personality")
- 1989 – Best Stage Performance ("Cult of Personality")
Grammy Awards
- 1990 – Best Hard Rock Performance (won) ("Cult of Personality")
- 1990 – Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (nominee) ("Glamour Boys")
- 1991 – Best Hard Rock Performance (won) (Time's Up)
- 1994 – Best Hard Rock Performance (nominee) ("Leave It Alone")
Decibel Hall of Fame
- 2015 – Vivid inducted into the Decibel Hall of Fame.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1984 establishments in New York City
- African-American hard rock musical groups
- African-American heavy metal musical groups
- African-American musical quartets
- American alternative metal musical groups
- American experimental rock groups
- American funk metal musical groups
- Epic Records artists
- Grammy Award winners
- Hard rock musical groups from New York (state)
- Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state)
- Megaforce Records artists
- Musical groups established in 1984
- Musical groups disestablished in 1995
- Musical groups reestablished in 2000
- Musical groups from New York City
- Musical quartets from New York (state)
- American political music groups