The Rising Storm (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965–1967 at Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, United States |
| Headquarters | Andover , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
| Website | www |
The Rising Storm is a rock band from the United States that originated at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts during the period from 1965 to 1967. They are recognized for their blend of folk rock and garage rock genres. The founding members were Bob Cohan (guitar), Todd Cohen (bass), Charlie Rockwell (keyboards), Tom Scheft (drums), Tony Thompson (guitar and lead vocals), and Rich Weinberg (guitar and vocals).
Their 1967 release, Calm Before, holds a distinguished place among garage rock collectors and was praised by music historian Richie Unterberger as "one of the rarest and most esteemed garage band albums." Unterberger devoted an entire chapter to this group in his 1998 publication Unknown Legends of Rock 'n' Roll. Pristine copies of Calm Before are highly sought after and fetch prices in the four-figure range within vinyl collector circles. In 2018, Sundazed Music issued a remastered vinyl edition of the album.
The album's scarcity and impact have been highlighted by prominent media outlets such as the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Washington Post, and Mojo Magazine, along with a feature on NPR’s All Things Considered. Beyond this seminal album, The Rising Storm also produced two further records: Alive Again at Andover in 1983 and Second Wind in 1999.
The band has periodically reunited for live performances, including shows at Boston’s The Rathskeller in 1981; their 15th class reunion in 1982; the 25th reunion in 1992 with concerts in Cambridge, MA, and Hoboken, NJ; opening for The Remains at Boston's Paradise Rock Club in 1999; their 35th reunion in 2002; appearances in 2007 at London's Dirty Water Club and as openers for the Yardbirds at Rotterdam’s Primitive Festival; participation in the WMBR Pipeline 25 Festival celebrating "50 Years of Boston Rock" in 2014; and their 50th Phillips Academy class reunion in June 2017, which was covered by The New York Times.
A documentary detailing their journey has seen limited release. In April 2023, The Rising Storm was featured within the digital collections of The Music Museum of New England.
Discography
- Calm Before, Remnant BBA-3571 (USA), LP 1967
- Calm Before, Eva 12012 (France), LP 1982 (unauthorized reissue)
- "Baby Please Don't Go", "Message To Pretty" and "Don't Look Back" on Endless Journey - Phase 1, Psycho 1 (England), LP 1982 (unauthorized release)
- "Frozen Laughter" on The Magic Cube, Eva-Tone 116811 (France), LP 1982 (unauthorized release)
- "The Rain Falls Down" on Psychedelic Archives - USA Garage #1, Strange Things (England), Cassette 1990 (unauthorized release)
- Alive Again at Andover, Arf! Arf! AA-007 (USA), LP 1983
- Calm Before, Stanton Park SRE-001 (USA), LP 1992
- Calm Before & Alive Again at Andover, Arf! Arf! AA-034 (USA), CD 1992
- Ain't Dead Yet, Arf! Arf! AAV-001 (USA), Video 1993
- "A Message To Pretty" on Sixties Rebellion #8 - Mondo Mutiny, Way Back MMLP-65001 (Germany), LP 1994 (unauthorized release)
- "Signed D.C." and "Trying to Fool" on Frozen Laughter - A Tribute to the Rising Storm, Stanton Park STP-021 (USA), 7"EP 1994
- "Love Starvation" and "Signed D.C." on New England Teen Scene - The Next Generation, Arf! Arf! AA-044 (USA), CD 1994
- "She Loved Me" on The Arf! Arf! Blitzkrieg 32-Track Sampler, Arf! Arf! AA-068 (USA), CD 1997
- "Frozen Laughter" on promotional CD with Unknown Legends of Rock 'n' Roll by Richie Unterberger, 1998
- Second Wind, Arf!Arf! AA-083 (USA), CD 1999
- "Baby Please Don't Go" on The Arf! Arf! [El Cheapo] 2-CD Sampler, Arf! Arf! AACC-089/090 (USA), CD 2001
- "I'm Coming Home" and "She Loved Me" on The Rising Storm, Penniman PENN45024 (Spain), 45rpm 2016
- "Frozen Laughter" on Sky Girl, compilation by J. Dechery and DJ Sundae, Efficient Space ES002 (Australia), LP and CD 2016
- Calm Before, Sundazed (USA), LP 5550 2018