DARK TOWER
Tower of Power vocalist Rick Stevens’ nightmarish odyssey of drugs—and murder.
Vocalist Rick Stevens had left Tower of Power and descended into a junkie lifestyle of drugs, pimping, and singing with second-rate soul bands far below his pay grade, anything to keep a steady supply of drugs coming. In February 1976, this downward spiral led to a tragic confrontation that ended in him shooting and killing three people.
He sang the hit “Sparkling in the Sand” on the band's 1970 debut album, East Bay Grease, and by the time the group decamped to Memphis to record their second album, Bump City, with producer Steve Cropper of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, the whole band was so strung out on heroin, scoring dope was more important than cutting tracks. Stevens left the band during preproduction for the third album to pursue his dope habit full-time.
