Big Brother & the Holding Company--Piece of my Heart (1968)

     Most people see Big Brother & the Holding Company as the group that launched Janis Joplin, but to do that would be limit the influence that the group had in the San Fransisco music scene...

     The band, formed in 1965 had become, along with the Grateful Dead, and Quicksilver Messenger Service, one of the top bands in the area. For all of these groups, that was all that mattered. The idea of someone being popular outside the bay area just wasn't part of the esthetic. It was the Monterrey Pop Festival that launched these groups into the limelight...more on that another day.

     Janis was invited to try out with the band, who was considering joining Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators. The rehearsal went OK, but it was obvious that there was some work to be done. Joplin's voice was geared towards folk and acoustic blues, and the band was totally into the psychedelic jams of the day.

     They began to jell as Janis began to adapt her voice to singing with a LOUD band, and the group conformed to a more structured style. The obvious problems with this began to manifest itself after Monterrey and the rush by major record labels to scoop up all of the talent. Big Brother had been used to be at the top of the heap before Joplin (at least in SF). The focus on her by the record labels and the media didn't sit well with the rest of the band.  Although time has shown them to be a good group, it was also obvious that their lead singer was in a different league.

     The union lasted until 1968 and produced two albums, the last one being the classic, "Cheap Thrills". The group had several albums that were good, but has always performed in the shadow of their former lead singer. They certainly deserved better.