User:TheEsquireFox/sandbox

Captain Algorithm and the Lighbulb Pirates were an English rock and roll band formed in Milfordshire in 1969. They were well known internationally for their album "Steam Queen" in 1971, for its hit single "French Letter". The band's eventual demise was widely attributed to the band's addiction to cocaine and Heroin, which eventually caused the death of guitarist, Jonathan "Starchy" McGee, in 1975.

Formation and Streetwalker (1969)
The Face brothers (Richard and Micheal) met Jonathan McGee and the Daniel's brothers performing in King's Cross station in the fall of 1968, where they became acquainted when Richard Face mentioned that he played guitar. Micheal encountered the Daniel's brothers again in a small bar in London in the winter of 1968, and "over a few drinks", convinced the Daniel's brothers that they should start a band with his brother and Jonathan McGee. They formed the band officially in the April of 1969, in the Face Brother's garage in Milfordshire, after recruiting the childhood friend of Jonathan McGee, Marcus "Dead" Lee, as the drummer for the band. They quickly finished their first album in the October of 1969, titled "Streetwalker" which had very little success within England, and was met with fairly critical reception. One critic even went as far to call it: "A load of rubbish, left for a year, and used to clean one's dishes."

Breakthrough and Success (1970-1971)
After the failure of "Streetwalker" the band tried a slightly more pop-orientated sound, with "Suicide Talkin'", produced in the summer of 1970, which received fairly positive ratings from critics. The success of "Suicide Talkin'" Prompted them to write a follow up to it titled: "Rebels And Pawns". The album fared just as well as "Suicide Talkin'" and gained them a fairly large following of loyal fans.

By the Spring of 1971 they released their 4th studio album, titled "Steam Queen", which included their hit single "French Letter" which gained mediocre success within the UK, and became a hit in the US, quickly going to the 24th position of the Hot 40s Chart in the US. With the success of "Steam Queen" they set off to create another album after touring a select few cities in the US. It was during the tour that Drummer, Marcus "Dead" Lee committed suicide, by shooting himself in the head with a shotgun, apparently, while high on cocaine with the Daniels brothers. Following Marcus' Death, Hugh and Harold Daniels became very distressed, after claiming that it was their fault he was dead. A month later, Hugh was found dead in his apartment in Boston, having overdosed on cocaine. Following the Death of his Brother, Harold left the band, he purportedly became became a monk.

In the wake of their success, and member's death and departure from the band, the remaining members were forced with the decision to continue to produce music, or to disband. After a month, they held auditions, where they recruited twenty-seven year old Norman Normans to play bass and German native, Hans Kruger to play drums. For their 5th Studio Album, Richard Face played guitar and sang, filling for the second guitar that was played by Hugh Daniels in their four previous albums. The fifth studio album, titled "Flatout" was released only a month before they released their 6th album, "Working Girl" in November 1971. Both fared well, but the band was criticized for drug use, after the death of Hugh Daniels and Marcus Lee. In December after a stage collapse in Atlanta, during their US tour, they announced that they were going on temporary Hiatus.

Back Alley Sessions Era (1972)
In the spring of 1972, the band got together and played some very low key shows in and around London. Each show was recorded, for the eventual release of a live album with new songs, performed, exclusively wide. The album remains unreleased, and the tapes for the sessions were eventually lost in transit during a flight to Miami, in the October of 1972.

Gone For Good and Breakup(1973)
After announcing that they were coming out of Hiatus in 1973, they were obviously, drug addled, and in horrible condition. During their first concert in May, one could visible see they were shaking, and they restarted a few songs, and actually stormed off stage during a concert in San Diego, in the third stop of the tour, and were later found backstage taking Cocaine.

On the 7th of June, they announced they were starting the recording sessions for their last album, aptly titled: "Gone for Good", after discussion of a breakup because of the members being uncooperative during shows. By the 27th of December, they finished recording, and produced "Gone for Good" (Also known in the UK as: "The Bird has Flown"), which featured some heavily experimental work, and garnered a cult following, for its "psychedelic" sound. The album fared well with critics, with a few songs reaching very low on the top 40s. After the album, the band broke up, and what happened to the remaining members remains greatly unknown.

Current members

 * Richard "Jojo Twatti" Face - vocals, guitar
 * Jonathan "Starchy" McGee - guitar
 * Micheal "Mick" Face - keyboard, vocals
 * Norman Normans - bass, vocals
 * Hans Kruger - drums

Former members

 * Harold Daniels - bass
 * Hugh Daniels - guitar, vocals
 * Marcus "Dead" Lee - drums, vocals

Discography

 * 1969: Streetwalker
 * 1970: Suicide Talkin'
 * 1970: Rebels and Pawns
 * 1971: Steam Queen
 * 1971: Flatout
 * 1971: Working Girl
 * 1973: Gone for good