Traffic (music group)
Traffic was a British rock band formed in 1967, known for its psychedelic sound and innovative use of instruments such as the organ, horns, and flute. The band featured prominent musicians including Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, and Chris Wood, and quickly gained popularity with hits like "Paper Sun" and "Hole in My Shoe." Their debut album, *Mr. Fantasy*, was released in December 1967, but the band faced internal tensions, leading to several lineup changes, breakups, and reunions over the years.
Traffic's music evolved to incorporate elements of jazz and rock, with their peak occurring in the 1970s. After a series of successful albums, including *John Barleycorn Must Die* and *The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys*, the band’s popularity waned in the UK despite continued success in the US. Winwood later pursued a solo career, achieving significant success in the late 1980s. Traffic reunited for various projects in the 1990s but struggled to regain their former prominence. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, marking their enduring influence in the music industry.
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Traffic (music group)
Traffic was a British rock band that emerged in England in 1967. The band had a psychedelic rock sound that included an eclectic mix of musical instruments such as the organ, horns, flute, and more. It eventually incorporated a jazz sound into its music. Traffic released several hit albums and became popular in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The band reached its peak in the 1970s, however, and underwent several lineup changes, breakups, and reunions in the years that followed.
Origins
At the age of fifteen, Steve Winwood formed a band called the Spencer Davis Group with his brother, Muff Winwood, and friends Spencer Davis and Pete York in Birmingham, England. Island Records founder Chris Blackwell signed the band, and the Spencer Davis Group began recording in 1964. Steve Winwood served as the lead vocalist and garnered much attention. In three years, the Spencer Davis Group released three top-selling albums and had numerous hit singles. In 1967, the Winwood brothers quit the band to work on other projects.
Steve Winwood then formed the band Traffic with three other friends. Jim Capaldi served as drummer and singer, Dave Mason played the guitar and sang, and Chris Wood played various instruments such as the saxophone and flute. Winwood served as lead singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and guitarist. Blackwell signed Traffic to Island Records in 1967. The members of Traffic worked collectively to write material, releasing their first single, "Paper Sun," that year. The song made it onto the music charts in both the United Kingdom and the United States, reaching the UK top five.
A second single, "Hole in My Shoe," mostly written and sung by Mason, eclipsed the band's first single. The band's next single, "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush," followed shortly after. Winwood was not happy with the success of "Hole in My Shoe" because he did not feel the song was truly a representation of Traffic's sound. This created some tension among the band members. Traffic's debut album, Mr. Fantasy, was released in December 1967. By the following month, however, Mason had left the band. Traffic went on without him, touring Britain and the United States.
Breakup and Reconfiguration
Traffic had some troubles performing live and writing new songs, and eventually the band members convinced Mason to rejoin them in mid-1968. The band then worked on its second album, Traffic, which was released in October 1968. The band then toured the United States, but the members began to argue; once again, tension arose. A disagreement led to the firing of Mason and the band's breakup in early 1969. However, Traffic's contract with Island Records was for five albums—only two of which were complete. In April 1969, the label released an album of Traffic's live recordings called Last Exit.
Former Traffic band members Capaldi, Wood, and Mason reteamed with keyboardist Wynder K. Frog as Wooden Frog. Winwood joined Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker (from Cream) and Ric Grech (from Family) to form the band Blind Faith. Blind Faith released a self-titled album and toured the United States before it broke up in 1970. Wooden Frog did not produce any albums.
Winwood, still responsible for two more Traffic albums for Island, began a solo career in 1970. He eventually reteamed with Capaldi and Wood, and the trio, known again as Traffic, released John Barleycorn Must Die in July 1970. The band then toured in support of the album, adding bassist Ric Grech in 1971 and then drummer Jim Gordon and percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah. Mason, who had embarked on a solo career, also joined Traffic to help the band fulfill its contract with the live album Welcome to the Canteen in 1971.
Island re-signed Traffic, and the band released The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys in 1971. A tour followed but was shortened because Winwood was suffering from some health issues. Grech and Gordon left the band, and Capaldi began a solo career on the side. In late 1972, Traffic reformed, adding drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood, for the 1973 album Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory. Traffic continued to be popular in the United States, but the band's popularity declined in the United Kingdom. Traffic toured and released the tour album On the Road in October 1973. Around this time, the band shuffled its lineup, losing Kwaku Baah, Hawkins, and Hood, and gaining bassist Rosko Gee. Capaldi continued his solo career and joined Traffic for When the Eagle Flies in 1974. A short tour was followed by the band's breakup.
Capaldi continued his solo career, and Winwood joined drummer Michael Shrieve and percussionist Stomu Yamashta for the album Go in 1976. Winwood officially branched out on his own, releasing the album Steve Winwood in 1977. Winwood enjoyed a moderately successful solo career. In 1987, he released Back in the High Life Again. The album featured the song "Higher Love," which reached number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and earned two Grammy Awards, including one for record of the year. Winwood's second number one hit, "Roll with It," came off the 1988 album of the same name. Another single from the album, "Don't You Know What the Night Can Do?," reached the top ten.
In 1994, Winwood and Capaldi reunited as Traffic. Wood died of liver disease in 1983, and Mason continued to work on other projects. Traffic released Far from Home in 1994 and toured to promote the album. Neither the album nor the tour were successful. Not much was heard from the band in the years that followed. Traffic was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. The following year, Capaldi died of cancer.
Bibliography
"Steve Winwood." AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. 7 Feb. 2016. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-winwood-mn0000045313
"Traffic." AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Web. 7 Feb. 2016. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/traffic-mn0000012472
"Traffic Biography." Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. Web. 7 Feb. 2016. https://rockhall.com/inductees/traffic/bio/
"Traffic: The History." Steve Winwood. Steve Winwood. Web. 7 Feb. 2016. http://www.stevewinwood.com/news/5766