Biography
Cleveland rock'n'roll outfit Cyrus Erie, which later served as a forerunner to power-pop icons the Raspberries, first assembled in 1967 under singer/guitarist Tim Manning together with bassist Bob McBride and his drumming sibling Michael. Regular local performances followed throughout the ensuing months, yet the ensemble remained largely unnoticed until singer/guitarist Eric Carmen and guitarist Marty Murphy joined the lineup ahead of a New Year's Eve engagement at the Agora. Manning departed upon their arrival, after which the band's visibility grew dramatically throughout 1968; with Murphy subsequently replaced by ex-Choir guitarist Wally Bryson, Cyrus Erie began supporting major attractions such as the Who, the Byrds, and the Strawberry Alarm Clock. A demo of Carmen's composition "Sparrow" reached Epic Records, prompting the group to re-record the track for a 1969 single release whose B-side, "Get the Message," received considerably more national exposure. When Epic expressed interest in signing Carmen alone, Bryson exited, causing the band to disband temporarily before regrouping several months later; during the hiatus Carmen assembled the Quick, which delivered the Epic single "Ain't Nothin' Gonna Stop Me." The revived Cyrus Erie configuration proved fleeting, and by 1970 Carmen and Bryson had joined forces again within the Raspberries, who achieved instant acclaim two years afterward via their opening single "Go All the Way."