Music / Living Colour

1 Following

Living Colour is an American Funk Metal band from New York City, formed in 1983.

A prominent black band of that movement, which also included Jane's Addiction, Faith No More, Fishbone, Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and 24-7 Spyz in the late 1980s, Living Colour rose to fame with their debut album Vivid in 1988. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by Heavy Metal, Funk, Hard Rock, Free Jazz, Hardcore Punk, and Hip-Hop, containing lyrics that attack the Eurocentrism and racism of America.

Although the band scored a number of hits, they are best remembered for their anthemic single "Cult of Personality", which won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1990 and is also known these days for being the entrance theme of professional wrestler CM Punk, and their highest-charting single "Type". They were also named Best New Artist at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. They disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2000 and have been active since.

Not to be confused with the American TV show In Living Color!. If it helps, Living Colour use the British spelling of "colour", and the TV show uses the American one.

Members:

• Corey Glover - Vocals
• Vernon Reid - Guitar
• Muzz Skillings - Bass (1988-1992)
• Doug Wimbish - Bass (1992-present)
• Will Calhoun - Drums

Discography:

• Vivid (1988)
• Time's Up (1990)
• Stain (1993)
• Collideøscope (2003)
• Everything is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour (2006) (Greatest Hits album)
• The Chair in the Doorway (2009)
• Shade (2017)

"Look in my eyes, what do you see, the tropes of personality:"

• Broken Record: "I'm the cult of...I'm the cult of...I'm the cult of...I'm the cult of...I'm the cult of...I'm the cult of...I'm the cult of...I'm the cult of...personality!"
• Cover Version: "Memories Can't Wait" on Vivid, "Sunshine of Your Love" for the True Lies soundtrack, "Crosstown Traffic" and "Back in Black" on Collideøscope.
• Cult of Personality: ''Cult Of Personality" is sung from a viewpoint of an unnamed leader who gathers a legion of fanatics by portraying himself as everything his listeners want and more. He's so persuasive and charismatic that when he tells his followers that one plus one equals three, they believe him.
• Hydra Problem: From "Glamour Boys:"
  "The glamour boys whole life is a gamble
  They might get over or fall flat on their face
  But if one does, there's no need to worry
  Another g-boy will take his place"
• "I Am" Song: "Cult of Personality".
  I sell the things you need to be
  I'm the smiling face on your TV
  Oh, I'm the cult of personality
• The Not-Remix: They released a re-recording of "Cult of Personality" in 2007 for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, with a remaster of that version released on November 24, 2023. Not so coincidentally, CM Punk used the remaster for his return to WWE the very next day at Survivor Series: WarGames.
• Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: "I'M! THE! CULT! OF! PER! SO! NA-LITY!"
• Sampling: Hit single "Cult of Personality" samples speeches by Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Malcolm X.
• Singer Namedrop: "What's Your Favorite Color?"
  "What's your favorite color baby?
  Living Colour"
• Special Guest: Guest vocalists have included Chuck D and Flavor Flav ("Funny Vibe"), Queen Latifah ("Under Cover of Darkness"), and Little Richard ("Elvis is Dead").
• Stop and Go: "Cult of Personality" seems like it will end on a Kennedy sample... then comes a Big Rock Ending, right before finishing on a Franklin D. Roosevelt sample.
• Together in Death: The song Flying is told from the perspective of a man who gets the nerve to ask out a woman in the World Trade Center moments before the first plane hits, and the couple then jump from the burning building to their deaths