Philly Relics & Rarities

[fritzb]

As someone who grew up in the Delaware Valley, I wasn't exposed to the great New Wave radio of NYC or LA in the early 80s, but I did have the Philly scene. I've broken open the vaults of my own collection of relics and rarities to share. Here is a sampling of what was <I>happ'nin'</I> in Philly in the early 80s:

<B>Robert Hazard & The Heroes[/b]

I'm sure Robert Hazard is no stranger to most serious New Wave fans with his break-out hit "Escalator Of Life". Here's a few more cuts from his 1982 self-titled indie debut EP:

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3U7LKN88XLNKB2VXTWVS0XRZ5L" target="blank">Robert Hazard & The Heroes - Hang Around With You</a>
<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0KVJA15R2FCKW37SKPWTJXFFA0" target="blank">Robert Hazard & The Heroes - Out Of The Blue</a>

For more info and music, check out: http://www.phillyrockers.com/robert_haz ... hazard.htm


<B>Beru Revue[/b]

Beru Revue was one of the biggest draws in the Philly club circuit. Sadly, they never got the "big break". The stage antics of their frontman Bob Beru were legendary. Here's a cut from their indie <I>I Got A Job[/i] record (I apologize for the crappy sound quality - it's not my rip):

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=149HDWBNTWNPE09PCDKDMPFV3A" target="blank">Beru Revue - Hoods-A-Go-Go</a>


<B>The A's[/b]

The A's had already disbanded when I was finally old enough to get into the clubs (legally anyway), so I never got to see them. Be that as it may, I still enjoyed them on the radio. Many may remember the song "A Woman's Got The Power" from their 1981 album of the same name. Here are a couple more favorite cuts off that record:

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=016RUMWD235R3362PHKW567ION" target="blank">The A's - How Do You Live</a>
<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=06G7G0AVLZJRR2UOAUPL250H9T" target="blank">The A's - Insomnia</a>


<B>Separate Checks[/b]

I guess Separate Checks was Philly's answer to the Go-Go's. They often openned for the bigger acts of the day. Here's their best known single (again sorry for the crappy sound - not my rip - if anyone has a better copy, I'd love to have it):

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=21Z8R4N82KQEE2H3LFA1KKBOWK" target="blank">Separate Checks - To Sir With Love</a>


<B>Witness[/b]

Witness was a primarily a cover band, who did extraordinary sets of bands like Yes, Genesis, and Billy Joel, but they did have ambitions to be more than that. Here's a few songs from their 1983 self-titled indie EP (not really New Wave, but what the hell):

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1TN6WRGMPHBRE31C47MC2GH2S4" target="blank">Witness - One Good Reason</a>
<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=36KJ3FGIUOV2X3T1JZIW4PC7BZ" target="blank">Witness - Make Me Feel Right</a>
<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=162OK2QFIEC9H27G8PAHEPKBRQ" target="blank">Witness - You Don't Know</a>


<B>Bad Sneakers[/b]

Bad Sneakers was a local band out my own hometown, Newark, Delaware. They played mostly AOR covers, but here are a few originals from their 1982 indie LP <I>Sneak Attack[/i]:

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0G468CRF497FZ1OQHYTWCJ4GPS" target="blank">Bad Sneakers - Get Up And Go</a>
<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2ALJO98U6H62U0ZO0GY8FWVFAV" target="blank">Bad Sneakers - Tokyo Rose</a>


<B>The Hooters[/b]

No offering of early 80s Philly music would be complete without Philly's favorite sons, The Hooters. Here's an early indie single:

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0TFWW1UHVB1J52I4QJQSF3MIMX" target="blank">The Hooters - All You Zombies (Live)</a> (Recorded live at Emerald City - April 11, 1981)
<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=00D7QGBYMS31D4DUPEEBJBNQ" target="blank">The Hooters - Rescue Me</a> (the b-side)

After teasing us with a couple singles, the band finally blessed us with the <I>Amore[/i] EP in 1983. It sold a whoppin' 100,000 copies! Not bad for an indie release. Here's a song from that record:

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0ML81VC3BQULY2SAZILHVNGVQQ" target="blank">The Hooters - Concubine</a>

By the way, <I>Amore[/i] EP, complete with bonus tracks, is available on remastered CD from the band's website: http://www.thehooters.net/

I personally have quite a few live recordings of The Hooters. Here are a couple songs:

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2A1DIU8IM6I6511MFNZGYXUIOG" target="blank">The Hooters - Trouble In Paradise (Live) (<I>unreleased[/i])</a> (Recorded live by <I>yours truly[/i] at Lafayette College, Easton PA - April 17, 1985)
<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0WQH497ALN7OK36VRTH2ZJCFO0" target="blank">The Hooters - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Live)</a> (Recorded live at The Tower Theatre, Phila. PA - Oct. 20, 1985)

Lastly, most people don't know that Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian were in a Prog Rock band (Baby Grand) before forming The Hooters in 1980. Here's a track off their 1978 <I>Ancient Medicine[/i] LP (definitely <u>not</u> New Wave):

<a href="http://s41.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2AB0H4EKJWB9N1FWDMNUPJ5ILM" target="blank">Baby Grand - Runner In The Rain</a>

Enjoy! [8D]

[torypsx]

Robert Hazard rules!!! I saw him at JFK Stadium back in the day, blew my mind! 93.3 WMMR !!!

Interplanetary Private Eye:
http://s65.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=39EC ... 47KBEMXCAJ

Blowin' In The Wind:
http://s64.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3BNK ... 52EQXTLDYA

my personal fav - Say Yo! Live:
http://s64.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=28TQ ... ZNM32UD7F0

little unknown fact: Robert Hazard wrote "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" which Cyndi Lauper sang and made famous!

Duty Now For The Future

[BigBri]

[quote][i]Originally posted by torypsx[/i]
*snip*

little unknown fact: Robert Hazard wrote "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" which Cyndi Lauper sang and made famous!

[/quote]

And maybe not so little known fact: Rob Hyman co-wrote Lauper's "Time After Time". Well, how about that!

I'm sure fritzb was about to post both songs.





I'll shut up now. [:I]

[fritzb]

[quote][i]Originally posted by BigBri[/i]
And maybe not so little known fact: Rob Hyman co-wrote Lauper's "Time After Time". Well, how about that!

I'm sure fritzb was about to post both songs.
[/quote]LOL! I was just listening to a few live Hooters recordings. I know I have a copy of them doing "Time After Time" somewhere... [;)]

[fritzb]

OK, here 'tis:

<a href="http://s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=263ZW1MFXG3DC2HLR9MPTAXN87" target="blank">The Hooters - Time After Time (Live)</a> (Recorded live at The Tower Theatre, Phila. PA - Oct. 20, 1985)

[8D]