Looking Glass (band)

Looking Glass is an American pop rock group of the early 1970s that was part of the Jersey Shore sound. Their 1972 song "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" was a #1 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 charts, remaining in the top position for one week.

This article is about the group. For the common use, see mirror. For other uses, see Looking Glass.

Looking Glass
OriginNew Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
GenresPop rock, soft rock, country rock, Jersey Shore sound
Years active1969–1974, 2003–present
Associated actsTracks
Stories
Fallen Angels
Starz
Hellcats
Richie Ranno's All Stars
MembersElliot Lurie
Jeff Lehman
Craig Williams
Eric Mackey
Colton Truman
Past membersLawrence Gonsky
Pieter Sweval (deceased)
Jeff Grob
Brendan Harkin
Michael Lee Smith
Richie Ranno

Career

The group was formed in 1969, at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The original version of the band broke up after college, with original members Elliot Lurie and Larry Gonsky recruiting two new members to form the classic Looking Glass lineup:[1]

  • Elliot Lurie (lead guitar and vocals)
  • Jeff Grob (drums)
  • Larry Gonsky (piano and vocals)
  • Pieter Sweval (bass and vocals)[2]

The group had the #1 hit single for the week of August 26, 1972 with "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", written by Lurie;[2] and also a Top 40 hit "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne" (1973), subsequently recorded by Josie Cotton. "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" was released in the US in June 1972. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week and remained on the chart for 16 weeks.[2] This disc, their only million seller, was certified gold by the RIAA on August 9, 1972.[2]

Guitarist Brendan Harkin joined Looking Glass in early 1974, and Lurie left soon afterward to pursue a solo career, replaced by Michael Lee Smith, a singer from Georgia. Later that same year, the group changed its name to Fallen Angels. After Richie Ranno joined as second guitarist in September 1975, keyboardist Gonsky departed, and by late 1975, Fallen Angels's name had changed once again to Starz. Lurie appeared as a solo artist with "Your Love Song," an entry on Billboard's "Easy Listening" chart in 1974.

Sweval died on January 23, 1990,[3] having succumbed to the AIDS virus.[4][5]

In 2003, Lurie reconstituted the group with new musicians.

Discography

Albums
Year Album US Top 200 AUS[6]
1972 Looking Glass 113 56
1973 Subway Serenade – –

Singles
Year Song US Billboard Hot 100 US Cash Box Top 100 US Adult AUS[6] Canadian RPM singles UK Singles
1972 "Golden Rainbow" – – 37 – – –
"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" 1 1 7 10 1 51
1973 "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne"[7] 33 31 16 75 21 –
1974 "Sweet Somethin'"[8] – – – – – –

References
  1. Eder, Bruce. "Looking Glass Biography – Yahoo! Music". New.music.yahoo.com. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  2. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 315. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  3. "Looking Glass Bio". Utopia Artists. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  4. >>Died On This Date (January 23, 1990) Peter Sweval / Looking Glass; Starz @TheMusicsOver.com Retrieved 12-31-2015.
  5. Remembering PIETER SWEVAL in Original Starz Board Forum Retrieved 12-31-2015.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 181. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "RPM 100 Singles". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. October 3, 1970. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  8. Record World Single Picks February 16, 1974


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