Billy Bang (b. William Vincent Walker, Mobile, Alabama, September 20, 1947 … Read Full Bio ↴Billy Bang (b. William Vincent Walker, Mobile, Alabama, September 20, 1947 & died on Apr 11th 2011) was an American free jazz violinist and composer.
Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a child he attended a special school for musicians in nearby Harlem. At that school, students were assigned instruments based on their physical size. Bang was fairly small, so he received a violin instead of either of his first choices, the saxophone or the drums. It was around this time that he acquired the nickname of "Billy Bang", derived from a popular cartoon character.
Bang studied the violin until he earned a hardship scholarship to a prep school in Massachusetts, at which point he abandoned it because the school did not have a music program. He had difficulty adjusting to life at the school, where he encountered racism and developed confusion about his identity, which he later blamed for his onset of schizophrenia. Bang felt that he had little in common with the largely privileged children at the school, who included Jackie Robinson, Jr. (son of baseball star Jackie Robinson) and Arlo Guthrie, and he struggled to reconcile the disparity between the wealth of the school and the poverty of his home in New York. He left the school after two years and attended a school in the Bronx. He did not graduate, decided not to return to school after receiving his draft papers, and at the age of 18, he was drafted into the United States Army.
Bang spent six months in basic training and another two weeks learning jungle warfare, arriving in Vietnam just in time for the Tet Offensive. Starting out as an infantryrman, he did one tour of combat duty, rising to the rank of sergeant before he mustered out.
After Bang returned from the war, his life lacked direction. The job he had held before being drafted had been filled in his absence. He pursued and then abandoned a law degree, before becoming politically active and falling in with an underground group of revolutionaries. The group recognized Bang's knowledge of weapons from his time in the Army, and they used him to procure firearms for the group during trips to Maryland and Virginia, buying from pawnshops and other small operators who did not conduct extensive background checks. During one of these trips, Bang spotted three violins hanging at the back of a pawnshop, and he impulsively purchased one.
After serving in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, he returned to New York and joined the Sun Ra Arkestra.
In 1977, Bang co-founded the String Trio of New York (with guitarist James Emery and double bassist John Lindberg).
Billy Bang has most recently explored his experience in Vietnam in two albums: Vietnam: The Aftermath (2001) and Vietnam: Reflections (2005), recorded with a band which included several other veterans of that conflict. The latter album also features two Vietnamese musicians based in the United States (voice and đàn tranh zither).
Selected discography
Solo:
* Distinction without a Difference (hat Hut, 1979)
* Commandment (No More, 1997)
As leader:
* Sweet Space (Anima, 1979)
* Rainbow Gladiator (Soul Note, 1981)
* Invitation (Soul Note, 1982)
* Bangception, Willisau 1982 (hatOLOGY, 1982)
* Outline No. 12 (Celluloid, 1983)
* The Fire from Within (Soul Note, 1984)
* Live at Carlos 1 (Soul Note, 1986)
* Valve No. 10 (Soul Note, 1991)
* A Tribute to Stuff Smith (Soul Note, 1992)
* Spirits Gathering (CIMP, 1996)
* Bang On! (Justin Time, 1997)
* Big Bang Theory (Justin Time, 1999)
* Vietnam: The Aftermath (Justin Time, 2001)
* Vietnam: Reflections (Justin Time, 2004)
Collaborations:
* Billy Bang & Charles Tyler: Live at Green Space (Anima, 1982)
* String Trio of New York: First String (Black Saint, 1979)
* String Trio of New York: Area Code 212 (Black Saint, 1980)
* String Trio of New York: Common Goal (Black Saint, 1981)
* String Trio of New York: Rebirth of a Feeling (Black Saint, 1983)
* String Trio of New York: Natural Balance (Black Saint, 1986)
* William Hooker/Billy Bang Duo: Joy (Within)! (1994-95)
* Sirone Bang Ensemble: Configuration (Silkheart, 2004)
* Billy Bang, Wayne Providence and Michael Maloy: Hip Hop Bebop (ITM, 2003)
(dates are recording, not release)
From NPR:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/04/12/135351553/billy-bang-jazz-violinist-and-vietnam-veteran-dies-at-63
Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a child he attended a special school for musicians in nearby Harlem. At that school, students were assigned instruments based on their physical size. Bang was fairly small, so he received a violin instead of either of his first choices, the saxophone or the drums. It was around this time that he acquired the nickname of "Billy Bang", derived from a popular cartoon character.
Bang studied the violin until he earned a hardship scholarship to a prep school in Massachusetts, at which point he abandoned it because the school did not have a music program. He had difficulty adjusting to life at the school, where he encountered racism and developed confusion about his identity, which he later blamed for his onset of schizophrenia. Bang felt that he had little in common with the largely privileged children at the school, who included Jackie Robinson, Jr. (son of baseball star Jackie Robinson) and Arlo Guthrie, and he struggled to reconcile the disparity between the wealth of the school and the poverty of his home in New York. He left the school after two years and attended a school in the Bronx. He did not graduate, decided not to return to school after receiving his draft papers, and at the age of 18, he was drafted into the United States Army.
Bang spent six months in basic training and another two weeks learning jungle warfare, arriving in Vietnam just in time for the Tet Offensive. Starting out as an infantryrman, he did one tour of combat duty, rising to the rank of sergeant before he mustered out.
After Bang returned from the war, his life lacked direction. The job he had held before being drafted had been filled in his absence. He pursued and then abandoned a law degree, before becoming politically active and falling in with an underground group of revolutionaries. The group recognized Bang's knowledge of weapons from his time in the Army, and they used him to procure firearms for the group during trips to Maryland and Virginia, buying from pawnshops and other small operators who did not conduct extensive background checks. During one of these trips, Bang spotted three violins hanging at the back of a pawnshop, and he impulsively purchased one.
After serving in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, he returned to New York and joined the Sun Ra Arkestra.
In 1977, Bang co-founded the String Trio of New York (with guitarist James Emery and double bassist John Lindberg).
Billy Bang has most recently explored his experience in Vietnam in two albums: Vietnam: The Aftermath (2001) and Vietnam: Reflections (2005), recorded with a band which included several other veterans of that conflict. The latter album also features two Vietnamese musicians based in the United States (voice and đàn tranh zither).
Selected discography
Solo:
* Distinction without a Difference (hat Hut, 1979)
* Commandment (No More, 1997)
As leader:
* Sweet Space (Anima, 1979)
* Rainbow Gladiator (Soul Note, 1981)
* Invitation (Soul Note, 1982)
* Bangception, Willisau 1982 (hatOLOGY, 1982)
* Outline No. 12 (Celluloid, 1983)
* The Fire from Within (Soul Note, 1984)
* Live at Carlos 1 (Soul Note, 1986)
* Valve No. 10 (Soul Note, 1991)
* A Tribute to Stuff Smith (Soul Note, 1992)
* Spirits Gathering (CIMP, 1996)
* Bang On! (Justin Time, 1997)
* Big Bang Theory (Justin Time, 1999)
* Vietnam: The Aftermath (Justin Time, 2001)
* Vietnam: Reflections (Justin Time, 2004)
Collaborations:
* Billy Bang & Charles Tyler: Live at Green Space (Anima, 1982)
* String Trio of New York: First String (Black Saint, 1979)
* String Trio of New York: Area Code 212 (Black Saint, 1980)
* String Trio of New York: Common Goal (Black Saint, 1981)
* String Trio of New York: Rebirth of a Feeling (Black Saint, 1983)
* String Trio of New York: Natural Balance (Black Saint, 1986)
* William Hooker/Billy Bang Duo: Joy (Within)! (1994-95)
* Sirone Bang Ensemble: Configuration (Silkheart, 2004)
* Billy Bang, Wayne Providence and Michael Maloy: Hip Hop Bebop (ITM, 2003)
(dates are recording, not release)
From NPR:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/04/12/135351553/billy-bang-jazz-violinist-and-vietnam-veteran-dies-at-63
Fire in the Hole
Billy Bang Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Fire in the Hole' by these artists:
A18 Pull the pin, hand grenage, hunger Detonate, blow holes in …
Altis Vitut Oon valmis jättää kaiken taakse paitsi punchlinei en J…
Ann Beretta I hear the music and it hurts my head bad…
Anthony Anderson Orchestra And Voices 飾りすぎた CANDY FACE 乱れすぎた EASY WAVE 気が気じゃない... ドレスを脱ぎ捨て シャツに着替…
Aristokares Kaçamam ileri koş Daracık giremiyom Yolumu göremiyom Karanl…
Ass Ponys We were burning leaded gasoline Rather fight than switch Fou…
Black Peaches Stand back Leave a gap for me Move with your body if…
Blackberry Smoke Show me something real Let me hold it in the palm…
Blue & Decker I've opened a brand new door I see things I've never…
Dislocated Styles No hesitation, no question Blow up the spot steady rock your…
DJ Liza.k There is no way to write it there is no…
Driller Killer Revenge is sweet said the ugly duckling They picked on her…
Earl Sweatshirt Yeah, yeah, yeah (blood seepin' out) Blood (blood), blood (b…
Exuma Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole! Fire in…
Five Finger Death Punch I have a knife in my heart I could never…
Ghostfire Drums on the wind Sails on the Water Guns on the deck Fire…
KITCHEN - Five Finger Death Punch I have a knife in my heart I could never…
KITCHEN - Steely Dan I decline To walk the line They tell me that…
Lääz Rockit Living in constant fear No control how it starts You're tr…
Lordi She's a thorn - like a spike but i just cannot…
Lддz Rockit Living in constant fear No control how it starts You're trap…
Madvillain Wow, it caught me off gaurd I want to breathe out,…
Madvillain/Madlib/MF DOOM Wow, it caught me off guard Went to breathe out and Then…
Olivia Chrestomanci I spent a nighttime chasing poltergeists and I fell down Yo…
One and a half dog They're all in the way, you don't know why Betraying you…
Orange 9mm You think you know me, you bet your life you…
Ottoman No saying what they'll say when saying's all they do I…
Pegboard Nerds There's a fire in the hole There's a fire in the…
Randy Rogers Band The words that we use are a hell of a…
Redbelly She stands tall in a room full of strange things And…
Sara Isaksson & Rebecka Törnqvist I decline To walk the line They tell me that I′m lazy Worldl…
Skid Row [Bolan / Hill] Why not just skin me like a Yankee…
Skid Row - 40 Seasons - The Best Of Skid Row Why not just skin me like a yankee pig? This neo-nazi…
Steely Dan I decline To walk the line They tell me that…
Temple of Lies Come with me to rob the graves In the city of…
The Elders Now the last ten years I've worked in the mines Counting…
The Tragically Hip You triumphed over will You had immunity to kill You had you…
Tonight Is Goodbye Fire in the hole, I've got something to say to…
Van Halen In a word to the wisdom tooth To tell, or…
West Wall Machine gun fire locks us down Hammered by mortar rounds S…
Windborne Stand up boys, let the bosses know! Turn your buckets over,…
X-Ray Dog You were there for me, nowhere When you had nothing to…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Billy Bang:
Deep Purple Woo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo When…
Foggy Day I was a stranger in the city Out of town were…
Trong Com Tình bằng có cái trống cơm Khen ai khéo vỗ Ấy mấy…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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