The 77s: История американской рок-группы

American rock band

The 77s (alternatively spelled the Seventy Sevens, the 77's, or simply 77's) is an American rock band consisting of Michael Roe on vocals/guitar, Mark Harmon on bass guitar, and Bruce Spencer on drums.

The group was “formed at a church by a church” under the name Scratch Band in Sacramento, California, during the late 1970s according to Mike Roe. Accompanying him were Mark Tootle on guitar and keyboards, Jan Eric Volz on bass guitar, and Mark Proctor on drums. They were occasionally joined by singer Sharon McCall and guitarist Jimmy A. Their repertoire included originals and songs by English poet Steve Scott among others. The “church” that brought the players together was Sacramento's Warehouse Christian Ministries with the band being a part of the ministries artistic outreach, performing every weekend at the Warehouse. The name of the band was changed to The Seventy Sevens before the release of their first album, Ping Pong Over the Abyss in 1982, on WCM’s own Exit label. While the meaning of the group's name has never been revealed, it is thought to be derived from either Matt 18:22, Daniel 9 or, simply, a year – possibly 1977 – which holds some significance to the band. In 1984, the group toured with labelmate Vector and Resurrection Band with all 3 bands playing the very first Cornerstone festival. Critically, the 77s are considered by fans and music critics; such as Dwight Ozzard (Prism magazine), Brian Quincy Newcomb (HM) and John Thompson (True Tunes), as the greatest – or “best” depending on whom one might quote, rock and roll band in the world.

YearSingleCCMRockpeak posAlbum1983"Renaissance Man"1Ping Pong over the Abyss"Ping Pong over the Abyss"5"A Different Kind of Light"—1984"Someone New"18"Mercy Mercy"—All Fall Down1985"Ba Ba Ba Ba"4"Caught in an Unguarded Moment"141987"Do It for Love"13The 77s"I Can't Get Over It"—1990"Miserable"12More Miserable Than You'll Ever Be"This Is the Way Love Is"1Sticks and Stones"M. T."11991"You Walked in the Room"6"The Lust, the Flesh, the Eyes & the Pride of Life"6The 77s1992"Woody"4Pray Naked"Phony Eyes"71993"Nuts for You"61994"Snake"1Drowning with Land in Sight"Nobody's Fault But Mine"31995"Cold, Cold Night"141996"Rocks in Your Head"7Tom Tom Blues2001"Related"6A Golden Field of Radioactive Crows"Mr. Magoo"—"Genuine"20 "—" denotes singles that did not chart.

Members of The 77s have used the moniker 7&7is to release projects that they do not see as fitting under their regular band name. The name comes from the title of a classic song by the 60s music group Love, called "7 and 7 Is." The name was first used for Alternative Records' 1989 collection of rarities and outtakes (later released as More Miserable Than You'll Ever Be). The name was revived in 2004 for Fun with Sound, a collaboration between lead singer Michael Roe and bassist Mark Harmon. Harmon and Roe also toured that year under the name.