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At the beginnning Kansas existed
of 8 members. Phil Ehart , Lynn Meredith, Dave Hope, Kerry Livgren,
Dan Wright, Larry Baker, Greg Allen und Don Montre. A member left
the band after some weeks , so they had their first appearance on
Topeka as a group of seven. Their only bigger appearance they
had as a support of teh Doors 1970. They seperated 1971 after the
existed one year. Kerry then formed a second
version of the band Kansas. They were seven members again. Phil &
Dave started a reunion of their old and first band "White Glover". 1972 Phil ,Dave ,Steve Walsh ,
Robby Steinhardt and Richard Williams started the rehearsal under
the name "White Glover". At the same time Kerry fought withproblems
of his second version of Kansas. Phil got Kerry and got an
outstandingly good song writer , keaboarder and guitarplayer. Some time before they recorded a
demo for 300 $ which landed at Don Kirshner in New York , who
created an own Label at this time. He was so taken with the music so
he sent his vice-president Wally Gold to Kansas have a look at them. After a concert of two hours he
was impressed and convinced. he returned to New York. Kirshner tool
the unknown band under contract. 1973 the band recorded their
first album in New York. They did it in only two weeks. March 1974 it was published. the
album Kansas was sold for 100 000 times at beginning and stayed in
charts for 10 weeks. Although it was praised by critics but it
was a commercial flop. With "Can I tell you" and "lonely
wind" two singles were released. In the same year they
recorded the second album " Song for America" in L. A. which was
sold for 250 000 times. 1976 Kansas worked on their
fourth album . The album "leftoverture" appeared in october and was
a success. it was sold 500 000 times and got gold in 1977. Only two
month later platinum for 1 000 000 sold records. In june 1977 it got
double platinum. Kansas did the breakthrough ,
alone with the song "Carry on Wayward Son". In the same year they worked on
their fifth album . But the pressure was too big that Steve Walsh
disappeared for three days. The album "Point of known Return"
got Gold in october abd platinum in November. 1978 "Dust in the Wind "
appeared which was generally thought to be a finger exercise for
Kerry. (what blessed hands he has) . His wife persuade him to make a
song out this. It was the biggest success for a single of all
times and got gold.. After the publishing Kansas
started a soldout USA tour which started in october 1977 in Alabama
and ended in january 1978 in Hawaii. In june 1978 Kansas recorded
their first live album. In november 1978 it was honored with gold
and in march 1979 with platinum. In january 1079 they started to
work for a new album , called "Monolith". The first album
which the band produced by themselves . it appeared in may 1979 and
got gold in june. 1980 they had their first concert
in Japan. In september they published a further album " Audio
Vision" , which got gold in december of the same year. Unfortunately their were tensions
between Kerry and Steve. 1981 they had their last appearance. Steve
left the band. Steve later formed the band
" Streets". 1992 the second Live Album
"Live at the Whiskey" by Kansas appeared., 1994 "Kansas Boxed Set" (a best
of album ) ,1995 "Freaks of Nature" (the
seventh album) ,1998 "Always never the same" (album
with the Symphony Orchester) ,2000 "Somewhere to Elsewhere" the
last album of the band.
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