Living Colour: Whatever happened to the band behind 'Cult of Personality'

Living Colour: Whatever happened to the band behind 'Cult of Personality;
0:00 - Introduction/Early Years
4:07 - Band's Big Break/First Album
8:00 - Controversy/Second Album
12:40 - Later Career
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#livingcolour #vernonreid #cultofpersonality
I cite my sources and they may differ than other people's accounts, so I don't guarantee the actual accuracy of my videos.
Not to be confused with the TV show In Living Colour, which we’ll talk about in a bit, the Vernon Reid led rock group shook up the scene in the late 80’s and early Nineties. All of the band’s members were black. Something unusual at the time in the hard rock space and that led to some unique challenges for the group. Living Colour got caught up in the paradox of being black artists in rock n’ roll, even though rock n’ roll was rooted in blues and soul music. On top of that the band’s success also drew questions about whether having friends in high places led to their success. Today let’s talk about the history of living colour..
The roots of Living Colour began with guitarist Vernon Reid who was born in london, england before moving to new york city at a young age. By the early 80’s Reid making a name for himself as an accomplished guitar player in both the postpunk and progressive jazz scenes. He would be a member of the group Decoding Society while also forming his own band in 1983 that would eventually morph into Living Colour. By 1985 Reid left Decoding Society choosing to focus on his own group while also forming an organization called the BRC or back rock coalition that was a non profit that fought music censorship, broke down racial stereotypes in rock and promoted black artists. By 1990 the BRC would boast 30 artists and nearly 200 individuals members. The BRC would be instrumental in helping formulate the classic lineup of living colour as we’ll discuss in a bit.
Rolling Stone would run a profile on the band in 1990 highlighting Reid’s goal with Living Colour stating and i quote“ Reid had a clear idea of what he wanted Living Colour to be: a full-tilt rock band celebrating the continuing vitality and enduring promise of Robert Johnson, Billie Holiday, Bo Diddley, Sly Stone, Ornette Coleman and Bad Brains (to name but a few), with the muscle and volume of Led Zeppelin.”
The band’s lineup in addition to Reid, would be made up of lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Muzz Skillings. The band’s drummer Will Calhoun was a graduate of Berklee college of music in Boston he had worked with Jaco Postorious and toured with harry belefonte. He would meet Reidd through the black rock coalition. Bassist muzz skillings was from queens and played salsa, jazz and rock in a variety of bands growing up before attending city college studying music. Shortly before joining living colour he led a cover band named Muz and also met Reid through the black rock coalition.. It was during the early days of living colour that skillings contemplated becoming a nyc firefighter but abandoned his plans once the band started to gain some momentum. The band’s vocalist Cory Glover was a student of Dowling college in long island and served as a DJ at the college radio station in addition to some brief acting roles, landing a spot in the oliver stone film Platoon. Reid would offer Glover the opportunity to join his band after the pair attended a birthday party of a mutual friend and heard Glover sing happy birthday. While Glover didn’t join the band through the Black Rock Coalition he could relate the organizations message teling Rolling Stone “ The first time I went down to meet an agent, they had me read some copy, and they said, ‘Too ethnic,’ ” “And my mother was an English teacher at the time. If I spoke any less than perfect, I’d hear about it. Then, about a year and a half later, I did this radio commercial for some allover body scent. The guy came out of the control room and said, ‘It’s just not black enough. Could you make it blacker?’ What do you want me to do, slap it on? That was the rudest thing I’d ever heard.”
By the time Reid founded Living Colour there was a wide perception that he was the leader of the group with Glover Telling Rollingstone “In New York, people thought of Living Colour as Vernon’s band, which in a way it was,” “And the first video, ‘Middle Man,’ was too disjointed. It didn’t show us as an entity, interacting enough. Long after the first album wa

[@rnrtruestories]

Living Colour or the show In Living Colour?

[@SPac316]

Both. One is an awesome and underrated band and the other is a hilarious sketch comedy show!

[@fbomb7184]

The show hands down. I literally know 2 songs from the band, but the show had soooo many memorable skits and characters. To be fair, I didn’t really expose myself to the content of their albums, they may be great, but the show brought me more joy than the band.

[@given0fox968]

Band for me because it was one of my favorites at the time, and still is in many ways. I play them more often than old show skits 👍👊🇺🇸🤘

[@joshjacobs3906]

Vernon is a beast.....the band had the name before the show.

[@johannesaxeman4508]

The band!!!!!

[@thedogfromraditude5449]

A lot of people only know them for Cult of Personality, but they’ve got a lot of other great stuff that goes a bit under the radar. Vivid deserves to be considered a classic album. They were also great for minority representation in hard rock, so I have a lot of respect for them.

[@jaketheman091]

I agree. In fact, the very first song by them that I heard, and what inspired me to check them out more, wasn't "Cult of Personality", but "Open Letter To A Landlord." Powerful music and message. Every album they've released has something to offer. Such a great band!

[@michaelmoorhead762]

They always gave a shout out for the bad brains 🧠 , too.. I may have never discovered what a great band the bb's were unless it wasn't for living color 🤔... BTW... when they sang Elvis is dead in Orlando for lollapalooza, it was the coolest $hit ever 😎 😄

[@jaketheman091]

@@michaelmoorhead762 Awesome anecdote. One of my favorite songs by them!

[@Spooky_515]

Wave the flag for virtue signaling rock fans everywhere! Yaaaay

[@waverlyking6045]

Stain had some really great deep cuts like “Go Away”, Wall”, “Postman”, and “Nothingness”.

[@firehouse6226]

I was in the military when 'Cult of Personality' was released. Everyone in my platoon black or white was completely blown away. A totally iconic song.

[@StevenMichaelCunningham]

Go figure. One's character is their value if any. 🔋

[@rickchyczewski576]

Absolutely. Its up there with Stairway, Gimme shelter,smells like teen spirit. Its one of the greatest songs ever written. Blew me away the first time I heard it. I got spoiled a lot in the late 80s, early 90s.

[@bff6434]

Me too. Was in Germany with 1st Armored Division at the time.Was like our whole battalion was jamming to Cult

[@SWTmel]

Agreed! That song is truth telling. The juxtaposition of "evil & good" cult of personalities was brilliantly done.

[@wiselteats]

Vivid broke down some walls musically in the Barracks when black, white, latino- all creeds were jammin tunes and drinkin beers - really awesome band- and was the part of the soundtrack for my first enlistment in the Army.

[@CoreyG1450]

Living Colour are one of those bands that should be known more than just their biggest hit. Very underrated band.

[@hsatin20]

It is a pretty sick and classic hit though

[@Chronorust]

Along with (A Band Called) Death. Another absolute gem of a rock band.

[@Dima_Guitar]

And King's X

[@paulmiller4566]

@@Chronorust what a loss it was to lose Chuck so early in life. He had such an amazing impact in such a short time.

[@ms.hotshot2232]

Very much agree

[@f.demascio1857]

I Loved Living Colour. 30 years later, my son's band covered Cult of Personality, and brought down the house.

[@bornbrit7776]

Love LIVING COLOUR. My only complaint was every time Vernon was mentioned by DJs he was referred to as a “great BLACK guitarist.” I would always think to myself “ why does he have to be known as a great black guitarist? Why not just a great guitarist?” No one said Hendrix was a great black guitarist. They all said he was a great guitarist

[@DaveTex2375]

Sad that too many on the other side are doing the segregation thing instead of appreciating great authors, musicians, actors and have to racialize everything. Let your excellence shine within the wider landscape of talent, not focusing on everyone's ethnicity.

[@ShnarfKat]

I agree.

[@dougodyssey50]

That's so annoying. As if race is the significant factor in a guitarist.

[@LRS905]

Agreed, as if anyone ever mentions "Hendrix, the greatest afroamerican guitar player", lol. An artist is an artist!

[@user-vt7it1iy6j]

this is a year old comment. But I feel that if folks actually sat down and listened to Black people, they wouldn't be asking such a question

[@davidrpriest]

I remember the first time I heard " Cult Of Personality ." I was totally blown away. I still think it is one of the best songs ever written. It is still relevant and timeless. I though Vernon Reid's playing integrated Jimi Hendrix and EVH styles into something totally unique. The riff sounded like cranked Led Zeppelin. I saw them at the first Lollapalooza and they were great. I had high expectations for their future but it seemed like the future of that band was overshadowed by that one incredible song.

[@Pinhead101]

"Overshadowed by a great song" what does that mean. You think they made no better music after ?

[@dwaynestjohn5324]

@@Pinhead101 I think he meant by most people and mainstream only think of that 1 song because it's obviously their biggest hit and in most people's eyes they never put out anything as big as that song but I agree they have more than just this song just most people don't see it that way.

[@latentsea]

Cenobyte, he meant that song was so good, every song after it was in its shadow, as in it never reached above it, to its own “light”. Like Zeppelin 2 or Zeppelin 4 had huge songs that reached up into their own light, as well as songs on Iron Maiden killers or number of the beast. They kept growing.. into the light.

[@Spooky_515]

And that happens with alot of bands. I think the media constantly centering the band around the issue of race and politics killed any chance they had. People weren’t into the political thing at that time, they wanted to rock and have fun. Plus the scene was about to change as grunge came in a few years later

[@davidrpriest]

@@Pinhead101 They could never top it.

[@michaelsimpson398]

one of the best bands i have ever seen live. Corey still hasn't lost a single note and the band is incredibly tight. Still hit hard and their music has aged well. Deserved more than they have received.

[@JakeWitmer]

100% ...I'm amazed at Corey's voice. You can really hear 50,000,000 years of evolution trying to achieve expressive perfection in his voice. ...Especially for a time when people were really trying for muddy, gravelly, distorted, "barked" vocals in rock...he went the other direction

[@theoneandonlysoslappy]

Saw them with Bad Brains as the opener. OUTSTANDING show

[@anthonydavella8350]

Corey is a whitey hating dude. Never forget what he said about the shooting when a black dude cold blood murdered a white guy and Corey said they were both victims.

[@sodica81]

what year?

[@alanmurdock4319]

They weren't just a rock band. Although Cult of Personality will forever be a classic, they also played music with a jazz and funk style.

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

they played EVERYTHING lol

[@Metalbass10000]

​@@jibicusmaximus4827...and played it well (IMHO).

[@alanguages]

When they played Cult of Personality, I thought they were heavy metal. They did not try to resemble the transvestite metal hair bands at the time. Edit: Unlike the other metal bands at the time, Living Color had legit deep meaning songs. Not glam attempt for commercial success.

[@paulhems4048]

Yeah, I know, I've heard several of their albums and they're all great.

[@MrRezRising]

Solace of You is awesome.

[@songsaboutmrbeast]

That band changed my thinking about rock music. They should have been a stadium band. Pure passion and musicianship.

[@bsven6336]

Went to a Living Colour concert back in the day. They kicked ass. Some bozo hopped on stage during Cult of Personality, jumping around, trying to steal focus. Corey gave a disdainful side eye, said: "It took me a long time to get up on this stage," then gave the dude a surprise vigorous slam, sending the dude flying off the stage. It was a glorious moment.

[@_Pauper_]

The audacity of someone stage diving at a rock show in the 90’s!

[@hollyw9566]

Cult of Personality is still completely relevant today. It's a truly classic song. If it comes on the radio when I'm out driving, it gets cranked. Loved these guys.

[@HatchetMouth]

For how little critical acclaim Stain got, it is easily their greatest record. Every song hits in a special way. Their 2017 record Shade was incredible as well. Cannot express how incredible of a band they continue to be after almost 40 years in the game.

[@ferdinand_WS]

I'm a big Living Colour fan but it took me years to appreciate Stain for the masterpiece that it is. I think it's too difficult for the average listener

[@lbr2572]

Shade is phenomenal. I’ve seen them live a few times from 90’s till recent, and they still kick serious ass live.

[@stagecoachrobbery]

Penultimate means '2nd to last'. They have had 3 albums since Stain. Did you mix up your definition of that word?

[@HatchetMouth]

@@stagecoachrobbery My apologies for the grammatical error. Either way, it’s my personal favorite. Fixed it.

[@peekaboo4390]

I agree...Stain is a gem.

[@nigel7880]

A 15 minute masterpiece. They inspired me to play guitar, got to meet them on Stain tour in '93. While my contemporaries were into Skid Row and Poison, LC brought depth, political/racial/social commentary, a higher level of expression...in other words, they spoke to me in the same way old blues players spoke to the Stones and their contemporaries. Thanks again for all the great content, you truly earn your views.

[@twistoffate4791]

Thank you for your truly intelligent comment. Well-stated & observed.

[@nigel7880]

@@twistoffate4791 Thank you. I listened to Vivid and Times UP! over a weekend and made up my mind to play guitar. I owe my musical journey and some of the greatest adventures and times of my life to them.

[@twistoffate4791]

@@nigel7880 What a wonderful, inspirational, thing. I wish you continued happiness on your musical journey, my friend.

[@nigel7880]

@@twistoffate4791 It gets better! My mom was friends with Teenie Hodges who wrote Love and Happiness. LC covered it on Biscuits. Mom setup a meet and greet without me knowing and Vernon called the house looking for her. 15 year old me was starstruck beyond belief: "Hi this is Vernon Reid from Living Colour, is xxx there?" You could have knocked me over with a feather! Teenie came over and we hit the gig together. Vernon was so cool, Doug, Corey and Will were inviting to a fault. Corey held my hand from the stage during Nothingness. That gig was proof of the existence of God. I am forever in their debt. People really have no idea how genuinely cool these guys are. 311 are such dudes too.

[@twistoffate4791]

@@nigel7880 It sure did get better! What an incredible experience you were given. It makes me happy to learn that these guys were who they seemed to be in real life. It's heartwarming & soul-enriching.

[@tommymclaughlin-artist]

I did a deep dive on their albums last year. Full of bangers. Their catalog absolutely slaps.

[@JakeWitmer]

Yep. Blessed to be one of those who know this is true

[@MrRezRising]

Discovered them right when I started paying drums and they were...perfect for that. I still tap into my personal Calhoun when needed.

[@rikkiportner8482]

I saw them open up for 10,000 Maniacs at the Ritz in NYC back in 88. I had never heard of them, and was there to see Maniacs. They completely blew me and my friends away. They were way too good to opening up for a band, especially 10,000 Maniacs. Felt sorry for Natalie Merchant!

[@sloburnjo]

fire and water lol

[@gnlout7403]

10000 maniacs and living color? Who'd have thought? Love them both, so I guess I'm not alone 😁

[@leechurchill1965]

I love both bands, but it would be strange to segue to 10,000 Maniacs after an ear blistering Living Colour set.

[@phukuhu7310]

I got lucky. Back in 1993/94 I went to a music venue in Fort Lauderdale named, The Edge, to see the new act, Candlebox. I was a fan of Living Colour but didn't realize that they were the opening act. I was pleased. Good times.

[@ChampippleD]

It’s nice to hear a RR story about a group of smart, educated, talented musicians who stayed true to their vision.

[@AbsyntheAndTears]

Yes. They're a far cry from some of the bands that this channel has covered.

[@JakeWitmer]

100% ...and you couldn't meet a nicer guy than Reid

[@kenshiro_977]

My favorite Living Colour song is Open Letter To A Landlord. Such a phenomenal band with rich talent and deep songs 🤘🏼

[@LaserRanger15]

Just posted the same

[@ferdinand_WS]

in 2008 Living Colour played in my (then) hometown of Zaandam. I was there early and Will needed to get a simcard to be able to call at local rates in Europe (yeah, those days before whatsapp). So I showed him around and took him to the city centre. Will said "you know this area well" to which I reply "this is my neighborhood, this is where I come from, you call this place a slum, I call this place my home". It was fun

[@3GPtv]

The vocal, melody and guitar in the chorus really put the song over the top for me. Great bass line in the verse.

[@Caffeine_Club]

My second favorite song by them, it is criminally underrated.

[@bikinggreg]

Living Colour is one of my favorite bands. The first time I saw them was on the first Lollapalooza tour. They are amazing. I've seen him five times since, the last time being on their tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of Vivid. Unlike most lead singers who lose their voices as they age, Corey Glover sounds better than he did on their first albums.

[@WinterInTheForest]

Really? They had the one song which was really good but I've listened to a couple of their albums and there wasn't anything nearly as impressive. I saw Corey solo on the third stage at Ozzfest one year, which was really just the parking lot. I was able to walk right past him during the performance lol

[@truthrn7975]

Saw them open for The Rolling Stones in 1989. Blew the stones off the stage.

[@bikinggreg]

@@WinterInTheForest Have you listened to Stain? Cory did a stint on Broadway in Jesus Christ Superstar. His voice was noticeably stronger afterward. And doesn't really matter where you see somebody. I saw Santana headline Red rocks, then the next year they're playing for free at Parker days, which is essentially a small town fair. Later that year, Santana's compilation with Rob Thomas came out in the next summer they played they sold out show in Mile high stadium. Careers and popularity and music ebb and flow so I don't really care where you saw Cory Glover sing. You're just lucky you had the chance to hear him at all.

[@JakeWitmer]

Yes...Corey has the most perfect-sounding voice in rock

[@chump3947]

Just a great band. A must-see live!

[@tonicpop6686]

They’re making a big comeback on the live circuit (or at least people are discovering/rediscovering them,) and have been playing some major festivals recently. I saw them a few years ago and they are in my top 5 for live performances.

[@natehamon8042]

@@dalemcmillen5065 ?

[@artlover1477]

Is Vernon touring with them?

[@natehamon8042]

@@artlover1477 Yes! The whole gang is still together.

[@truthhurtz8517]

Living Colour is an amazing band... They won two Grammy Awards during the 1990s...🔥🔥🎵🎵

[@kenterminateddq5311]

Thanks to CM Punk (I can't believe I'm putting him over), "Cult of Personality" is bigger than ever. I loved the song way before the former WWE Champion used it for his theme in wrestling and in UFC.

[@redghettosun]

I love Living Colour but to anyone in the know, the first true pioneers were The Bad Brains. They truly went up against the establishment playing Punk/Hardcore at their inception in the LATE 70s. They were no slouches musically as they played progressive jazz rock fusion before tuning into punk/hardcore/reggae. Eventually fusing all these elements that resembled what Living Colour brought in Vivid. I also consider HR, the singer of Bad Brains as one of greatest unsung vocalists in Modern Rock.

[@beandipcartography]

🎯🎯🎯🎯

[@Dave-vu3yn]

Absolutely the truth. Bad brains don’t get their due.

[@artlover1477]

I was able to catch them at a free beach concert at the Boardwalk Santa Cruz, CA Summer 2019. Seeing legend like Vernon Reid for free will always be a wonderful memory. They did a meet and greet between early and late shows. Said hi to Corey and jokingly said, "we're going to high, high. He laughed!

[@tasjourney7778]

As a black classic rock singer. I’ve heard this song and never knew this band was all black until at shows people started asking our band to cover this song. I asked my band members to add it to the set we started learning the song and the guitar and bass player said it was the hardest song they ever had to play. These guys have been playing for over 3 decades. I had new respect for this band and their music since then! They rock!

[@jibicusmaximus4827]

yep, i learnt it in a closed position then with open strings on to the solo now, this been going on for years, for the record i think its been played both ways by them, or maybe the open d string is only in the main riff? even this is hard to work out :D the trick is to learn it in any position, learn the lick not the pattern it makes on the neck, i was taken back when i realised there was structure to the crazy solo too, challenging licks but got most down now, also been learning to sing it, you can learn form this song for decades lol, my favourite band hands down.

[@jp7963]

Seen LC quite a few times since their first tour in 1988 but the last time was in 2019 in Manchester, England and some drunk guy was heckling it wasn't loud enough. So Corey got all the band to stop and he sang Open Letter To A Landlord acapella WITHOUT his microphone causing the stunned crowd - and yes drunk guy - to fall silent. "That loud enough?" he winked at his heckler after he'd finished. Stunning!

[@gxtmfa]

They’re absolutely brilliant musicians. It’s not that they’re lucky to be famous and make it big- we’re lucky they made it big.

[@humongousfungusamongus3871]

If people cannot decipher IN Living Color with Living Color...I'm @ a loss. I was there for their debut & instantly fell in love with their music. I immediately went out & bought their 1st album, as time went on..I bought all their albums...ahem..I meant cassette tapes(Stain being my favorite)! I've always been the kind of gal that absorbed hard, fast music. I got into punk rock in the late 70's as well.

[@cavemanbum]

One of my ABSOLUTE favorite bands of the late 80s. Every single song on their debut album was phenomenal. I didn't give a s**t that they were black. They ROCKED!!

[@casey4602]

Yep back in the day I played this cd to death.

[@floydsemlow8253]

1993 album Stain by Living Colour is a banger and were amazing with enormous energy live as well ❤️ would have loved to see them and Fishbone do a tour .💯🔥🍻

[@LIBERTYSINCURSION]

It wasn't race or Mick Jaggar that made Living Colour such a successful band. It was the music itself. Especially Vernon Reid's brutal sounding guitar lick and Will Calhoun's perfectly matched drumming on Cult Of Personality. I was 9 years old back then and m Uncle was teaching me to play the drums. We had this huge stereo set up next to our drums and we would hit play on a track and just play along with it. I learned that song on my own before I my Uncle ever even heard it and one night I played it for him. He sat there with his jaw hanging open as I played along and I'm thinking "oh he's super shocked at how good I'm playing this". With in the first minute or so he put his hand up waving for me to stop playing. So I stop playing and his jaws still wide open and rocking back and forth with the music. It became clear he wasn't impressed with his 9 year old Nephew playing this song. No, he was impressed with the song itself. Totally sunk my sort of "my Uncle's gonna be super impressed with my skill" vibe I was hoping for.🤣 After that he would play that song constantly. It's one of those memories of him that I'll cherish forever.

[@JakeWitmer]

Great story!

[@keepthemetalflowing]

I recall seeing 'Cult of Personality' on MTV waaay back when and let me tell you: the band being black has nothing to do with the success of that album or how good of musicians they are. The fact that they are black is really just who they are. The band has a STRONG musical presence and are all very seasoned and badass musicians (both Skillings and Wimbish are killer bassists!). If you listen to this video, which by the way, thank you for putting it out, you'll hear over and over it was the MEDIA and CRITICS who kept the whole idea of race at the forefront of the band's identity, not us fans. I saw and still see Living Colour as a seasoned, badass group of skilled musicians who chose more serious (and sometimes whimsical) subject matter (Open Letter to a Landlord is one killer song with lyrics that make ya think, go figure). I tell people at work ALL the time about this band and yes most are black females, and they're like "who?". Regardless, LC is one of my all-time favorite bands because of how good they are, not because they happen to be black.

[@JakeWitmer]

Absolutely 💯

[@cjp1599]

Yeah I never cared if they were black or white, Fishbone was also great and again no one cared if they were black or white....

[@oddeagle1968]

Will Calhoun is an absolute beast on drums, a great inspiration.

[@jamescone6359]

Was so close to the stage 1991. Lol. Phx Arizona. Such a epic live experience. Sun was setting stage lights came on. Epic multi colors . Man. So much respect and love for these gentlemen

[@justinmanser7525]

Doug Wimbish is a very good bassist with a unique style of hitting the strings with his fingertips. They are all impeccable in their own discipline of creating music with each other. Phenomenal group...

[@thestinkydwarf]

Always preferred Muzz's sound and style but having seen Doug Wimbish play with the band a few times, he is a fantastic bassist, versatile as hell and his solo sections during the live shows were awesome.

[@kevinmcc3147]

Muzz was my favorite

[@mitchblank]

I never saw LC play, but I was fortunate enough to see Wimbish play as part of Tackhead. Most impressive bass performance I ever saw in person. It’s a whole different instrument in his hands,

[@justinmanser7525]

Oh yeah I had a tape of that band. They were pretty weird right, doing a cover of 'I wanna be an airport ranger!' which I have no idea who wrote but was sung by Judd Nelson and he runs down the hall in the 80s John Hughes film The Breakfast Club.

[@justinmanser7525]

As he runs down the hall...flipping autospell, sure that that auto correction software is an MKultra creation like those KZbin ads of women screaming a high volume when they see their bank account massively boosted by some get rich quick scheme that only a total chemically fluoridated Aspartame memory inhibited Bisphenol-a gender questioning zombie of a person who still thinks every vote matters could ever believe.

[@MARSHOMEWORLD]

Excellent timing here, myself and some bandmates were just reminiscing very fondly about this band. Truly for powerful musicians and really great combination

[@iceWaterProductions1]

They still tour all over and I’ve seen them twice in the past five years. They kick more ass as they did in the 80-90s

[@martharunstheworld]

I saw them live a couple times, great band. This is one of the most complete videos you've done. Many times your vids are very quick and I appreciate this long form very much! Weill done!

[@SynIMPFML666]

Vernon is an amazing guy. My guitar teacher from college and him are best friends, and he's a cool guy

[@KevinniveK2112]

Stain is the underrated masterpiece in their catalog. I knew them from Cult of Personality from their first album, but not much else. Then I heard them do Nothingness from Stain on an MTV live performance. Immediately went out and bought the Stain CD and thought it was one of the best things I head heard. Great stuff

[@keithaustinragsdale8182]

Still one of my favorite bands to this day. Such a unique sound, and the grooves are always so on point. 🤘♾️🤘

[@jules-yi8rn]

That guitar solo from Cult is STILL one of the most amazing solos from that era! The song is timeless along with many of their other tunes....I'm so glad you took some time to put them in the spotlight - very underrated and talented.

[@fumanpoo4725]

No. The tune is great. The solo is mindless atonal wank.

[@d.j.3568]

​@@fumanpoo4725 I don't know why people act like it's better than it is.

[@JakeWitmer]

Some people just don't get it ...Reid's on a whole different level

[@fumanpoo4725]

@@JakeWitmer I dig LV...but atonal cacophony is crap. Ask the singer from RHCP as he cannot sing in key.

[@mayhem7455]

Nothing happened!!! Just saw them last summer in NJ. Kick-ass set!!!

[@TheCondorjc]

Fishbone Living Colour Bad Brains

[@CornbreadEarl]

Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, BB King, Little Richard, Bo Diddly, Big Mama Thornton, Ike Turner, Chuck Berry, Black Murda, Funkadelic, Mandrill, War, Jimi Hendrix, the Isley Brothers, Prince, Fishbone, 24-7 Spies…..

[@TheCondorjc]

@@CornbreadEarl bro, I’m mentioning 80s Punk/Alt rock dudes. Not all of those OG blues, funk, psych rock, soul dudes

[@TheCondorjc]

@@CornbreadEarl praise to them legends though. I’ve heard all of them.

[@CornbreadEarl]

@@TheCondorjc I feel ya. But at a certain point, all those except BB Muddy RJ WERE rock and roll artist and inventors. Just adding to the well put Rock N' Roll true Stories and LC's ironic struggle. \m/

[@DrProgNerd]

Saw them on the 'Vivid' tour. Phenomenal live show. Great band.

[@bryanat87]

5 years ago, 2nd row from stage, I could hear Corey sing over the moniter mix...blew my fuckin mind. Also met them afterwards they were so cool and signed andtalked and took pics till our little hearts were content! Long live Living Colour!

[@jimcurt99]

"This is the life" is one of my favorite songs ever- love this band

[@Freakdog66]

played a show with them this summer. It was great meeting them and they were still as amazing as ever

[@billyhughes9776]

Living Colour was in my weekly rotation BACK IN THE DAY for several years.

[@jackbedient]

I almost didn’t click on this, but figured hey I’ve always like these guys, so threw caution to the wind… glad I did! Great video!

[@insufferableMAYNARDfan]

One of my all time favorites 🖤

[@cyradragons]

Still rocking'...saw them at Riot Fest a couple years ago and they kicked our collective asses!

[@MrAnimal1971]

This is one of my favorite bands! The talent of these guys is just off the charts.

[@JNC1973]

Reguardless of what color they are they made a great headbanging song with Cult Of Personality. To this day whenever it comes on the radio I still crank it up and my head automatically starts banging to the music. You can't help it. It's a good headbanging song lol. They really nailed it.

[@grendelum]

still one of the best live shows i’ve ever seen… crazy energy for the whole set.

[@brandonpage7087]

These guys are absolute legends & heroes of mine!!

[@daynelawless]

Still creating great albums and getting even better every tour. Where have YOU been?!!!

[@Tonebone721]

Vernon Reid is one of the greatest guitarist of all time 💯

[@JakeWitmer]

Maybe the best... Segovia... Salinas... Reid... Hendrix... Page... Richards... Osborne...

[@impayingattention9160]

Saw them in 2020 at a music festival in Ohio. They sounded great

[@kylehegedus5498]

LUCKY!!!! When was it in 2020?

[@impayingattention9160]

@@kylehegedus5498 august

[@operatingfromtheditch]

such an amazing band

[@mikestanislaus1107]

Love this group, been a fan for thirty years now. Stain is my favorite album from them, but everything they do is awesome.

[@Andyanddiana467]

They’re still around and kicking arse. I saw them recently and they sound as good as ever.

[@scott9594]

Wow- I always thought the spoken part in Elvis is Dead was performed by James Brown. Learn something new everyday! Always loved this band and Stain is such an underrated album. Great video- thanks!

[@arielf361]

One of my favorites, if not my favorite, band of all time.

[@farmonious420]

Cult of personality is still on my playlist today. Living colour is great. Keep up the great vids. Stay Happy and Healthy

[@stblaze6098]

living colour changed my music interest forever. i was a top 40 kid musically until i heard cult of personality. i loved how well rounded they were, you never knew what they were going to hit you with next. every cover song i heard them do imo is better than the original. I regret i never saw them live at lala polusa. because of them I'm a rock metal head for life

[@mendenos]

Love this band way ahead of their time!!! Cult of Personality is fantastic and timeless and very relevant today!

[@incubustimelord5947]

Their first big hit Cult Of Personality was the main song that made their career, but personally, in my honest opinion, their song Pride was their best song.

[@beezer5623]

OMG Pride is so amazing. These guys are timeless the mark of a great band.

[@friedpickles342]

One of the best drummers ever!

[@lastguy8613]

I saw them in Wellington New Zealand in the early 90s at the town Hall, great show! Corey Glover climbed up the amp stack to the 2nd tier, gave me a big high 5 as I was first person seated up there, then sang his way round the horse shoe and climbed down the stack on the other side of the theatre

[@brentnichols2457]

I saw them in the late 80’s in a small club in Houston Texas and they ROCKED!!! Best band ever!!!

[@isaiahanderson720]

I remember thinking Corey Glover was the lead singer for Sevendust when they first came out. 😅❤

[@jwavada]

A buddy of mine saw them live in Denver a couple of years ago. He said they were kicking ass the whole show.

[@JohnORourke.]

Living Color is my soundtrack to the first half of 2016. Thank you 🙏🏻.

[@81tattooed]

I’ve been 36 years old for 2 weeks now, but I was late 35 when I learned for the first time that their hit song is called “cult of personality.” I had been singing it all the way up till then “coked up personality!” 🤷🏼🫢😂🤣

[@AbsyntheAndTears]

Love it!! Hahaha!!

[@JakeWitmer]

Some of the cults of personality have been coked up...Hitler... ...and prescription modafinil isn't necessarily "better"

[@visualthings]

First band I had the pleasure to interview for a fanzine (all except Vernon who was still doing the sound check). Very chill guys, considering that this was when Vivid really picked up. They were super patient with my bad English and my crappy questions ;-) The Beatnigs were opening for them. A memorable show

[@joeschlicht]

I saw them in Atlanta a few years ago. I got to meet them and they were down-to-earth humble guys who still put on a fantastic show. I actually did a video interview of Will afterward for the magazine Classic Drummer.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Criminally underrated band. The music, the lyrics, and the vocals are all perfect. Glover's voice is awesome. I think Sevendust was definitely inspired by Living Colour. Lajon has a similar vocal style in certain songs

[@llyam23]

It's a crime these guys didn't blow up like other bands their talent is off the charts Collideoscope is super underrated to easily in my top 3

[@JustinProper]

I saw Living Colour in 2014. They didn't do an official signing, but we saw them by the gates of the stage & my best friend got the members to sign is prosthetic leg. Really nice guys from my experience & incredible musicians who put on such a great show!

[@johndef5075]

They were amazing live when I saw them! Wil Calhoun is a badass 🥁!

[@StarwoodTech]

This was a very talented band that had a terrific vision of music that was ahead of its time. Very underrated.

[@jw9737]

Loved Living Color. They inspired/paved the way for my favorite band Sevendust

[@Cleme21]

Been waiting on this band since 1970, as a. Black Man loving rock. Knew back then if we had someone other hand Jimi would kick ass

[@JakeWitmer]

You meant to write "writing," am I correct? You could be waiting for them, in a sense...but are you a rock music reviewer?

[@COU51N.Kyle.]

Saw them in 2014 in AUstin. GOD DAMN they put on a good show. They signed autographs at the merch table and chatted with anybody who wanted to. The floor ticket was only $20 and it was the best concert I've been to. So much energy. Ok, the 10 minute drum solo went a little too long lol.

[@donprescavage8107]

Excellent video for a fantastic band. Did you ever do a story on fishbone? Fishbone and living color were always great bands who imo never got enough recognition.

[@JakeWitmer]

Fishbone tugs in more different directions than Living Colour, but are also excellent...every song on "Give a monkey a brain... and he'll swear he's the center of the universe" sounds like it was written by a different band. ...I like most of it, and its worth owning and listening to...but many people don't have the bandwidth to properly appreciate it

[@riseofthemachine2623]

Much respect for Living Colour on so many levels...I saw them twice, the second show being a make-up date for the first show, as Corey had laryngitis and couldn't sing. So instead of bagging the show, Vernon, Will and Doug W. came out to play, and invited folks to come up and sing the vocals. Some cat with glasses and a fedora came up and absolutely killed it on Cult of Personality. So they performed the first date, AND did a make up later on with Corey, who at one point wandered through the crowd singing a gospel song that was breathtaking. They are simply excellent.

[@godstomper]

I met them once at a sign in. Really nice guys. Really influential in me wanting to play music

[@anjy2l332]

Glover was in the movie Platoon.

[@tleeg74]

Living Colour was a great band. VIVID was an amazing album.

[@ferdinand_WS]

Is, not was. They are still touring and recording

[@tleeg74]

@@ferdinand_WS they are?

[@ferdinand_WS]

@@tleeg74 yes they are.

[@tleeg74]

@@ferdinand_WS L.C. was a great band back when I used to listen to them. I have no clue if they are still, because I haven't heard any music from them in over 2 decades.

[@JakeWitmer]

You should get all their albums...they're all excellent

[@JPF_311]

As a former bassist, ALL of these guys were incredibly gifted & dedicated musicians, great stage presence, & energy. I loved them

[@marymoor935]

Living colour are fantastic, I saw them years ago when they were supporting Anthrax on tour.

[@mortimerjames218]

I'm a glamor boy

[@mayscough72]

Great band, they’ve done some classic stuff

[@jamiehovis7722]

nah

[@kevinevans8370]

I was a dj on our school's student run station for Kent St. back in 1995, and got to see them in Cleveland. I got our station's top of the hour liner from Corey Glover and Vernon Reid. One of my favorite memories from my first degree at Kent! They were so good live! Thanks for doing this story.

[@6vorn9]

Loved this band and cult of personality is still a brilliant tune

[@bladecastlevania3653]

😮"CM Punk! CM Punk!"

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

By 1988/89 I got introduced to the music of RHCP, Fishbone and Living Colour. To me they are a trinity. The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, Truth & Soul and Vivid...should be in every collection.

[@Jamaicafunk]

Don't sleep on Bad Brains

[@JakeWitmer]

@@Jamaicafunk not "funk" per se...but equally good

[@user-dn7hs3vp9c]

Before I ever knew the color makeup of the band I could have cared less! The song was one to absolutely rock out on! I still do! Every time it comes on, I crank my stereo up as loud as it will go and play it loud and proud...you guys are awesome, and I'm 65 years young and still rockin'!