Groupe Rockabilly US formé en 1979 et composé de Jamie James, Michael Rummans et Rex Roberts.

Like the Stray Cats and the Polecats, the Kingbees revived rockabilly with an '80s new wave flavor. The band was formed by Jamie James (Vocals, guitar) in 1979. Born in Toronto, Canada, James started playing guitar at the age of 13. He relocated to London, England in the '70s and released the single "Hello Little Girl." In 1973, he joined an R&B group in Detroit, Michigan. By the late '70s, James had moved to Southern California and became part of the area's rockabilly scene. With Michael Rummans (bass) and Rex Roberts (drums), James helped to return rockabilly to the pop landscape. The Kingbees signed with RSO, and their self-titled debut LP appeared in 1980. The album was initially a commercial bust until the track "My Mistake" hit number one in Detroit. It became the Kingbees' first of two singles -- "Shake Bop" was the other -- that penetrated the Billboard charts. The Kingbees also recorded material for the soundtrack to 1980's The Idolmaker. However, RSO went defunct just when their follow-up, The Big Rock, came out. James started performing with former Stray Cats members Lee Rocker and Slim Jim with regular gigs at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, California. In 1993, James released Cruel World, followed by Crossroads in 2000. An expanded edition of the debut Kingbees album was released by Omnivore Records in 2015; the same label brought out an upgraded version of The Big Rock the following year.

Talents : Jamie James : Vocals, Guitar - Michael Rummans : Bass - Rex Roberts : Drums

Style musical : Rockabilly Revival, Roots Rock

https://youtu.be/hySZSpBHgsY

Years in activity :

1910 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2000 10 20

DISCOGRAPHY

Singles

05/1980 SP RSO RS 1032 (US) . My Mistake / Once Is Not Enough
09/1980 SP RSO RS 1050 (US) . Shake-Bop / No Respect
1980 SP RSO 20 90 486 (S) Sweet Sweet Girl To Me - Sweet Sweet Girl To Me / Shake-Bop
04/1981 SP RSO RS 1062 (US) She Can't Make Up Her Mind / Stick It Out
1981 SP RSO RS 1062 (CAN) . The Big Rock / The Ugly Truth
1982 SP 10" Last Minute Productions LMP2-007 (US) . Jamie James & The Kingbees - Just Like That / If I Want To

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Albums

1980 LP 12" RSO RS-1-3075 (US)

THE KINGBEES - Sweet, Sweet Girl / My Mistake / Man Made For Love / No Respect / Fast Girls / Shake-Bop / Once Is Not Enough / Ting-A-Ling / Follow Your Heart / Everybody's Gone

1980 LP 12" RSO LPR 16366 (MEX) THE KINGBEES - Sweet, Sweet Girl / My Mistake / Man Made For Love / No Respect / Fast Girls / Shake-Bop / Once Is Not Enough / Ting-A-Ling / Follow Your Heart / Everybody's Gone
1981 LP 12" RSO RS-1-3097 (US) The Big Rock - KINGBEES - The Big Rock / She Ain't My Baby / She Can't 'Make-Up' Her Mind / How Can I Love You / Let Myself Go / Stick It Out! / Right Behind You Baby / Wishing / Boppin' The Blues / Burnin' The Town Tonite / The Ugly Truth / Rockin' My Life Away
1984 LP 12" Vanity 3034 (US) The Big One - Jamie JAMES - Night Rockin / Way Out Of This World / If I Want To / We Got Love / Pieces
1992 CD Schoolkids SKR 1505-2 (US) The Kingbees 1 & 2 - Sweet Sweet Girl To Me / My Mistake / Man Made For Love / No Respect / Fast Girls / Shake-Bop / Once Is Not Enough / Ting-A-Ling / Follow Your Heart / Everybody's Gone / The Big Rock / She Ain't My Baby / She Can't "Make-Up" Her Mind / How Can I Love You / Let Myself Go / Stick It Out! / Right Behind You Baby / Wishing / Boppin' The Blues / Burnin' The Town Tonight / The Ugly Truth / Rockin' My Life Away
1993 CD Schoolkids SKR 1510 (US) Cruel World - Jamie JAMES - Cruel World / Do Your Thing / My Mistake / American Dream / Hootchie Cootchie / Love & Sex / Hollywood Girl / Shake Bop / Respect / Outlaw / Canadian Blues / All I Got / Child Of Mercy
2000 CD Oglio OGL 89116-2 (US) Crossroads - Jamie JAMES - Country Girl Blues / Fame & Love / I'm Over You / Sweet Memories / Remind Me To Forget / It Might Be Love / For Your Love / Don't Tease Me / The Sun's Goin' Down / End Of Time
04/2015 CD Omnivore OVCD 123 (US) THE KINGBEES - Sweet Sweet Girl To Me / My Mistake / Man Made For Love / No Respect / Fast Girls / Shake-Bop / Once Is Not Enough / Ting-A-Ling / Follow Your Heart / Everybody's Gone / My Mistake / Man Made For Love / Burnin' The Town Tonight / Ting-A-Ling / Fast Girls / Somethin' Else / Not Fade Away / Bo Diddley
06/2016 CD Omnivore 101096 (US) The Big Rock - KINGBEES - The Big Rock / She Ain't My Baby / She Can't "Make-Up" Her Mind / How Can I Love You / Let Myself Go / Stick It Out! / Right Behind You Baby / Wishing / Boppin' The Blues / Burnin' The Town Tonight / The Ugly Truth / Rockin' My Life Away / Just Like That / If I Want To / Tear It Up / Gonna Stop

© Rocky Productions 18/06/2016