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| Silver Convention Penny McLean Ramona Wulf Linda G. Thompson Rhonda Heath Zenda Jacks |
| A coterie of musicians existed in Munich, Germany in the mid-1970's who worked sometimes in adjoining studios, producing records that were successful around the world. Some of those names became well-known in the latter half of the decade, including Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder, other names didn't become familiar until years later, like Keith Forsey (Flashdance) and Harold Faltermeyer (Axel F).
Two of the creative forces of the Munich musical connection were Silvester Levay and Michael Kunze. Levay was a studio musician until Kunze, impressed with his synthesizer work, asked him to arrange the sessions he was producing. A couple of weeks after they started working together, Levay played some of the songs he had written for Kunze. Kunze asked Levay to add strings to one number called "Save Me" and record a demo of it. Four hours later, with the addition of some female background singers and a disco arrangement, they knew they had something special. Jupiter Records, a small Munich label, offered a deal for the song and they needed a group name. The session drummer, Forsey, suggested they use Levay's nickname, Silver, and ta-dah! Silver Convention was born. When "Save Me" became a european disco smash, an album had to be recorded. Before "Save Me," Levay had written another tune based on a riff he had in his head one morning upon waking. Kunze remembered it and suggested they use it for the album. "I didn't know if it should go on the album," confessed Levay. But Kunze was convinced it would be a hit. "He said, 'I'm going to call it "Run Rabbit Run.'" I wasn't so sure about it because of the Volkswagen Rabbit, but I didn't want to criticize him. The next morning I heard on Armed Forces Network a song, 'Run Rabbit.' It was just a half hour before the girls were to come in and sing. I was very happy. I said to Michael that I had just heard a song called 'Run Rabbit' and in 30 seconds he said, 'Okay, let's do "Fly, Robin, Fly.'" Recorded with the same set of anonymous studio background singers, "Fly Robin, Fly" was a smash in the clubs, thanks to a rare promotional-only 12 single, before it spread to radio. "Save Me" had not charted here in America, but "Fly, Robin, Fly" debuted on the Hot 100 at number 87 on October 11, 1975, and flew to number one in seven weeks and held the spot for an impressive three weeks. Silvester and Michael received a phone call from Bob Reno at Midland International Records informing them that it had hit number one. Unfortunately the three singers who had recorded the two hits as Silver Convention were about to adjourn. They couldn't come to terms with contracts and Levay & Kunze, so they were quickly replaced with three singers signed to Jupiter Records. Linda G. Thompson had already had an American 12" single release in 1974 with "Ooh What A Night" for RCA Records. Penny McLean, who was in the process of recording her own album, which would feature her sizzler "Lady Bump" later in the year, and Ramona Wulf completed the new trio who became Silver Convention in time for their second American release. "Get Up And Boogie" hit the number two spot on the Hot 100 and held there for three weeks, unable to make it to number one against Wings' "Silly Love Songs" and Ross' "Love Hangover" in June 1976. The promotional-only 12" single did propell it to number one in the clubs. For the release of their second album, Levay & Kunze played on the club appeal of Silver Convention with another promotional-only 12" single of "No, No, Joe." It did well in the clubs but only crawled to number 60 on the Hot 100 in September. Still the 1976 self-titled "Silver Convention" album sold well. Quickly trying to capitalize on their radio/club success a third album was hastily released in late 1976. "Madhouse" didn't quite storm the clubs or charts as was expected. It did produce a minor hit with the catchy "Dancing In The Aisles." Prior to the recording of this album a shake-up occured when Linda left the group to purse her own 'brand' of music. She was hardly missed when Rhonda Heath stepped into her pumps. The new Silver Convention released their fourth album, "Golden Girls," in 1977. Once again a promotional-only 12" single, "Hollywood Movie," helped sell the glitzy album to the masses. A bonus remake of their first hit was included, "Save Me '77." But by this time their sound was beginning to run thin and turmoil was a foot with Levay & Kunze. By 1978 Silver Convention had come full circle. For the fifth and final album, Penny McLean had left the group and was replaced by Suzie McClosky (later known as Zenda Jacks) who recorded this album with Rhonda Heath and Ramona Wulf. Later Suzie left the group and Penny came back for one final single, "Cafe Au Lait" backed with "Rollermania." Levay had already left to pursue other 'options' so John Davis (of Monster Orchestra fame) was brought in to arrange the material for "Love In A Sleeper." The album, although uneven at times, did produce a spectacular club hit with the 12" of "Spend The Night With Me" backed with "Mission To Venus." 1979 brought the double-album release of "Greatest Hits" and the commercial 12" single of the long mix of "Fly, Robin, Fly" backed with "Get Up And Boogie." 1993 brought a Unidisc release, "Greatest Hits" (which also contained Thompson & McLean solo hits) and 1994's "Best Of Silver Convention" on the American Hot label finished the groups output altogether. Penny McLean released the album "Midnight Explosion" in 1978 then disappeared from the American musical scene altogether, Rhonda Heath surfaced in 1985 on the Frank Farian (Milli Vanilli) produced "Division One" by The Far Corporation, Ramona Wulf vanished, and Linda G. Thompson had an import hit in the clubs with 1981's "Flight To Fantasy" and then she too disappeared. Silvester Levay came to America after Donna Summer recorded his "Who Do You Think You're Foolin" for her album "The Wanderer." He worked with Giorgio Moroder on "Flashdance," "Scarface," and "Metropolis" before turning to composing television themes like "Airwolf." Michael Kunze went on to serious studio work with various artists, most notably appearing on 1988's Freiheit album "Fantasy" and most recently Helen Schneider's 2001 release: "A Voice And A Piano." |
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