This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2010) Climax Origin Los Angeles, California Years active 1970-1976 Climax was an American band formed in 1970 in Los Angeles, California, most noted for their 1971-1972 hit song "Precious and Few," which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on Cashbox magazine's Top 100 singles chart. This disc sold over one million copies and was certified gold by the RIAA on February 21, 1972.1 Contents 1 Career 2 Album information 2.1 Side 1 2.2 Side 2 3 Single releases 4 Unreleased songs 5 CD issues 6 References 7 External links Career Climax consisted of Marc Gordon, Larry Cox, John Stevenson, Walter Nims, and Sonny Geraci. Other musicians who played on the band's lone album included Gordon MacKinnon (double reed and woodwind solos); bassists Joe Osborne, Steve La Fever, Reinie Press, and Joe Bellamy; keyboardists Nick D'Amico and Larry Knechtel; drummers John Raines, Jon Jon Guttman (who also played other percussion), and Earl Palmer; and percussionist Alan Estes.23 The band was together from 1970 to 1976.

Climax came out of the ashes of the 1960s hit band The Outsiders. A few singles were released under the Outsiders name, but when Tom King of the original band threatened legal action, the name of the band was changed to Climax (singles released under The Outsiders name included "Lovin' You"/"Think I'm Fallin'" and "Changes"/"Lost In My World"). Following the name change, the album Climax Featuring Sonny Geraci was released. The band is often considered a one-hit wonder because other than "Precious and Few", no other releases gained much widespread success. In spite of the success of "Precious and Few", the album barely made it into the top 100 portion of the Billboard 200 sales chart, peaking at #177. "Precious and Few", the band's biggest hit, was actually first recorded in 1970 with producer Ron Kramer. It was later re-worked by producer Larry Cox, who was assigned by label owner Marc Gordon to re-tool the band's material. Cox, who later would work with Jefferson Starship and produce many of their soft rock ballads (including "Miracles"), was introduced to Climax by fellow Texan Johnny Stevenson. Cox urged the band to re-record "Precious and Few" and encouraged lead singer Sonny Geraci to capitalize on his extraordinary abilities to perform high-powered ballads.

The story of "Precious and Few" has many twists. It was stored in the Bell Records archives for a couple of years, but was dusted off after a Bell executive heard it being played on a Santa Barbara radio station (Climax's home base). Bell Records subsidiary, Carousel, released the record in Hawaii as a test six months prior to being a hit on the mainland. After more market tests in Buffalo and Boston in early 1972, the record exploded and gained momentum quickly. On the week ending February 26, 1972, "Precious and Few" peaked at the #3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart (spending two weeks at that position), and also hit #1 on Cashbox magazine's Top 100 chart. The follow up single to "Precious and Few" was "Life and Breath", a song written by George S. Clinton (who later would contribute to the Austin Powers movie song tracks). "Life and Breath" reached #1 status in Hawaii, #11 at KHJ in Los Angeles, and topped out on the national charts at #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #15 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. Once "Life and Breath" ran out of steam, Climax never recovered. It should be noted that they were the first band to record "Rock 'n' Roll Heaven", a song written for Sonny Geraci by both Alan O'Day and Climax keyboard player Johnny Stevenson. "Rock 'n' Roll Heaven" was later recorded by The Righteous Brothers (and re-titled "Rock and Roll Heaven"), and became the duo's comeback hit in the summer of 1974.

Climax's record label, Rocky Road Records, was owned by Marc Gordon, who was also managing The 5th Dimension at the time. In retrospect, Gordon's plate was full managing a supergroup, and signing and managing other artists, including Al Wilson ("The Snake" and "Show and Tell"). All of this hampered Climax's follow-up single ("Life and Breath") and future singles releases (including "Rock 'n' Roll Heaven"). During Climax's run with Rocky Road, they charted four top 5 records in Hawaii: "Precious and Few", "Life and Breath", "Walking in the Georgia Rain" and "Caroline This Time". Many industry insiders felt Climax should have been far more successful than they actually were. The lack of a solid, powerful marketing and managing organization hurt the band when their follow-up "Life and Breath" was not given enough attention and funding to break through. After "Life and Breath" fizzled, and the fact the label was not ready to release the band's only album, Climax featuring Sonny Geraci during "Precious and Few"'s climb to the top of the charts eroded the bands popularity and market edge.

They recorded one album, many singles and unreleased sides. Nims was their principal songwriter and guitarist and his younger sister Debbie Nims toured, played violin, and sang backing vocals with Garth Brooks. "Precious and Few" was famed vocal arranger Tom Bahler's first opportunity to demonstrate his extraordinary talents. Hired by producer Larry Cox, Bahler, along with his brother John, later created a significant impact in the music industry as arrangers and session singers in the late '60s and '70s performing on hundreds of singles (most notably the recordings by The Partridge Family). Album information Their lone album Climax Featuring Sonny Geraci was released in 1972 on Rocky Road Records. The album had twelve cuts, and some were used as B-sides for subsequent singles. The album has never been released on CD. Side 1 "Life & Breath" - (3:17) "I've Got Everything" - (3:16) "Postlude" - (:38) (instrumental - orchestral version of "I've Got Everything") "Picnic In The Rain" - (3:29) "Face The Music" - (3:00) "Precious and Few" - (2:43) Side 2 "It's Coming Today" - (3:02) "Rainbow Rides Are Free" - (3:06) "If It Feels Good - Do It" - (3:33) "Merlin" - (4:18) "Prelude" - (:48) (instrumental - orchestral version of "Life & Breath") "Child Of December" - (3:15) This 1970s pop album-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · d · e Single releases "Lovin' You" / "Think I'm Fallin'" (under The Outsiders name) "Changes" / "Lost in My World" (also under The Outsiders name) "Hard Rock Group" / Waiting for the End to Come "Precious and Few" (#3 Billboard Hot 100) / "Park Preserve" "Life and Breath" (#52 Billboard Hot 100) / "If It Feels Good Do It" (B-side later covered by The Stories) "Caroline This Time" / "Rainbow Rides Are Free" "Walking in the Georgia Rain" / "Picnic in the Rain" "Rock 'n' Roll Heaven" / "Face the Music" "It's Gonna Get Better" / (B-Side Unknown) Unreleased songs "Hand Me Down My Rock & Roll Shoes" "Droopy Shoulders" "Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore" "Young Boy (writer Lee Dresser)" "Rosemary Blue" "Searchin'" (a cover of The Coasters track) "Wait for You" (a cover of the Neil Young track) "The War" (Lee Michaels' tune) CD issues

There have been three official CDs released. All by budget labels, and none have been remastered. The first was released in 1997 and listed ten tracks, but actually included eleven: "Precious and Few" "Life and Breath" "Merlin" "Picnic in the Rain" ("Postlude" is here prior to "Picnic...", but not listed) "Rock and Roll Heaven" "Park Preserve" (long version) "Rainbow Rides Are Free" "Waiting for the End to Come" "It's Coming Today" "If It Feels Good-Do It" The second was released in 1998, and contained fifteen songs (actually sixteen with another "hidden" song). Many were in the "unreleased" category above: "Precious and Few", "Life and Breath", "Merlin", "Picnic in the Rain" (without "Postlude"), "Rainbow Rides Are Free", "It's Coming Today", "If It Feels Good-Do It", "Child of December" (with an unlisted "Prelude" before it), "Caroline This Time" (longer version than on the single), "Walking in the Georgia Rain", "Searchin'", "Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore", "Droopy Shoulders", "Rosemary Blue" and "Young Boy".

The third compilation was released in 2002, and is available on iTunes: "Precious and Few" "Life and Breath" "Merlin" "Park Preserve" "Picnic In The Rain" "Rainbow Rides Are Free" "Waiting for the End to Come" "It's Coming Today" "If It Feels Good Do It" "I've Got Everything" "Child of December" "Searchin'" (shorter single version) "The War" With these three releases, only "Changes", "Hard Rock Group", "Lost in My World", "It's Gonna Get Better", "Wait for You", "Face the Music" & "Hand Me Down My Rock & Roll Shoes" are unreleased on CD. References ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 291. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.  ^ Back cover liner notes of Climax's self-titled debut vinyl album (1972) ^ Listen.artistdirect.com External links Climax at Allmusic Lead singer Sonny Geraci's official website

The third compilation was released in 2002, and is available on iTunes: "Precious and Few" "Life and Breath" "Merlin" "Park Preserve" "Picnic In The Rain" "Rainbow Rides Are Free" "Waiting for the End to Come" "It's Coming Today" "If It Feels Good Do It" "I've Got Everything" "Child of December" "Searchin'" (shorter single version) "The War" With these three releases, only "Changes", "Hard Rock Group", "Lost in My World", "It's Gonna Get Better", "Wait for You", "Face the Music" & "Hand Me Down My Rock & Roll Shoes" are unreleased on CD. References ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 291. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.  ^ Back cover liner notes of Climax's self-titled debut vinyl album (1972) ^ Listen.artistdirect.com External links Climax at Allmusic Lead singer Sonny Geraci's official website

The third compilation was released in 2002, and is available on iTunes: "Precious and Few" "Life and Breath" "Merlin" "Park Preserve" "Picnic In The Rain" "Rainbow Rides Are Free" "Waiting for the End to Come" "It's Coming Today" "If It Feels Good Do It" "I've Got Everything" "Child of December" "Searchin'" (shorter single version) "The War" With these three releases, only "Changes", "Hard Rock Group", "Lost in My World", "It's Gonna Get Better", "Wait for You", "Face the Music" & "Hand Me Down My Rock & Roll Shoes" are unreleased on CD. References ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 291. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.  ^ Back cover liner notes of Climax's self-titled debut vinyl album (1972) ^ Listen.artistdirect.com External links Climax at Allmusic Lead singer Sonny Geraci's official website

The third compilation was released in 2002, and is available on iTunes: "Precious and Few" "Life and Breath" "Merlin" "Park Preserve" "Picnic In The Rain" "Rainbow Rides Are Free" "Waiting for the End to Come" "It's Coming Today" "If It Feels Good Do It" "I've Got Everything" "Child of December" "Searchin'" (shorter single version) "The War" With these three releases, only "Changes", "Hard Rock Group", "Lost in My World", "It's Gonna Get Better", "Wait for You", "Face the Music" & "Hand Me Down My Rock & Roll Shoes" are unreleased on CD. References ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 291. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.  ^ Back cover liner notes of Climax's self-titled debut vinyl album (1972) ^ Listen.artistdirect.com External links Climax at Allmusic Lead singer Sonny Geraci's official website