Biography
Michael Fennelly entered the world in New York during 1949 and later relocated to Los Angeles, where he joined the state's pop/protest scene. A publishing agreement with Curt Boettcher's Mee Moo Music came his way in 1967, placing him inside Boettcher's circle of session players that encompassed the primary outfits Sagittarius and the Millennium. As one of five singer/guitarist/songwriters intended to function as an actual performing unit, Fennelly supplied striking falsetto parts while sharing songwriting duties for much of the material, frequently alongside guitarist/vocalist Joey Stec, another participant in the Sagittarius/Millennium circle.
During 1969 he sought to assemble his own band to highlight his lead singing and compositions; at that point he encountered the members of Stonehenge, a blues-leaning ensemble under consideration by Elektra's David Anderle, an acquaintance of their manager. With Fennelly assuming lead vocal and songwriting roles, the musicians adopted the name Crabby Appleton and secured a contract with Elektra Records. Their debut release, Crabby Appleton, appeared in 1970 under the supervision of producer Don Gallucci, formerly of Don & the Good Times. The record achieved modest traction thanks to the infectious Top 40 single "Go Back," which climbed to number 36 in July 1970 following five weeks on the chart.
Crabby Appleton's follow-up, Rotten to the Core, reached stores in October 1971. Although the press offered favorable notices, both albums ultimately fell short commercially, prompting the group's dissolution. Fennelly then journeyed to England and turned his attention to a solo path, completing two albums on his own. Lane Changer took shape in London with assistance from ex-Zombies bassist/producer Chris White and synthesizer contributions from Rod Argent. The second effort, Stranger's Bed, was cut in Los Angeles, produced by Denny Bruce and engineered by Keith Olsen—Olsen's final engineering credit, as he was simultaneously helming Fleetwood Mac's first album featuring the new additions Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Mercury issued Stranger's Bed in 1975, yet it failed to register on the charts.
He resurfaced in the early 1980s fronting Big Shot, a project that advanced no farther than the demo phase, after which Fennelly stepped away from music entirely. In 2013 Sundazed issued a compilation of his recordings made between 1967 and 1972 under the title Love Can Change Everything, a set that effectively spotlighted his gifts both as songwriter and vocalist.
During 1969 he sought to assemble his own band to highlight his lead singing and compositions; at that point he encountered the members of Stonehenge, a blues-leaning ensemble under consideration by Elektra's David Anderle, an acquaintance of their manager. With Fennelly assuming lead vocal and songwriting roles, the musicians adopted the name Crabby Appleton and secured a contract with Elektra Records. Their debut release, Crabby Appleton, appeared in 1970 under the supervision of producer Don Gallucci, formerly of Don & the Good Times. The record achieved modest traction thanks to the infectious Top 40 single "Go Back," which climbed to number 36 in July 1970 following five weeks on the chart.
Crabby Appleton's follow-up, Rotten to the Core, reached stores in October 1971. Although the press offered favorable notices, both albums ultimately fell short commercially, prompting the group's dissolution. Fennelly then journeyed to England and turned his attention to a solo path, completing two albums on his own. Lane Changer took shape in London with assistance from ex-Zombies bassist/producer Chris White and synthesizer contributions from Rod Argent. The second effort, Stranger's Bed, was cut in Los Angeles, produced by Denny Bruce and engineered by Keith Olsen—Olsen's final engineering credit, as he was simultaneously helming Fleetwood Mac's first album featuring the new additions Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Mercury issued Stranger's Bed in 1975, yet it failed to register on the charts.
He resurfaced in the early 1980s fronting Big Shot, a project that advanced no farther than the demo phase, after which Fennelly stepped away from music entirely. In 2013 Sundazed issued a compilation of his recordings made between 1967 and 1972 under the title Love Can Change Everything, a set that effectively spotlighted his gifts both as songwriter and vocalist.
Albums
