80's New England Bands

[SomebodySomewhere]

Vinny was De Sexo. A finer bunch of guidos there has never been. "In the Tube" is on "A Wicked Good Time Volume Two." Will do this week.

Do not own Vinny's first single (and one of the tracks is on CD), but I have most everything else. Here's my favorite which I already ripped. It was the B-side of "The Ravioli," the second single...


[b]Vinny - I Won't Bother You No More[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/txoojl


...now who's got Semper Fi?

[tileboy]

[quote][i]Originally posted by SomebodySomewhere[/i]
<br>Vinny was De Sexo. A finer bunch of guidos there has never been. "In the Tube" is on "A Wicked Good Time Volume Two." Will do this week.

Do not own Vinny's first single (and one of the tracks is on CD), but I have most everything else. Here's my favorite which I already ripped. It was the B-side of "The Ravioli," the second single...


[b]Vinny - I Won't Bother You No More[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/txoojl

I'll be looking for it . Thanks a bunch


...now who's got Semper Fi?
[/quote]

[SomebodySomewhere]

Beverly, MA's Vinny (a.k.a The Vinny Band) featured the Fatello brothers and whoever else they could get along for the ride. They released a pair of singles on their own label, Pasta Records, c. 1978-1979 (the vinyl label was a picture of the Italian flag, naturally), "Rock n Roll Housewife" and "The Ravioli." They later signed to Eat Records, who put out their third single, "Why Can't You Say Love?," in 1981. A full-length LP, "Olas De Sexo," followed in 1983. "Olas," which included "Why Can't You Say Love?," was a fairly decent LP that occasionally reached greatness, as on its obvious highlight, "Letting Go of Love." The song titles of some of its other tracks -- "We Almost Made It" and "Here's Where I Get Off" -- proved unintentionally prophetic.

Frontman Ralph Fatello later founded Semper Fi and the Nor'easters.



[b]Vinny - Letting Go of Love[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/pcrgvp

[b]Vinny - Why Can't You Say Love?[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nkozcn

[b]Vinny - I Never Saw You[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/022adf

[b]Vinny - The Ravioli[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ptrmxk

[b]Vinny - In the Tube[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8nc5br



Vinny
Ralph Fatello - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
John Fatello - guitar, backing vocals
Al Dreggino - bass, backing vocals (on The Ravioli single)
Lester Eldridge - bass (on In The Tube and Why Can't You Say Love? single)
Javier Pico - keyboards (on Olas de Sexo LP)
Lou Stiletto - drums, backing vocals (on The Ravioli single)
Peter Goutzos - drums (on In the Tube, Why Can't You Say Love? single and Olas de Sexo LP)

[Bob Ross]

Ha! I love this site! Talk about memories...

Some minor trivia/corrections:

[quote][i]Originally posted by SomebodySomewhere[/i]
<br>The Erector Set (whose publishing company was called Erectunes!) were originally from Cincinnati, Ohio but moved to Jamaica Plain, MA in the mid '80s. So I guess they count. Their 1980 debut 7" "Inside Out" (b/w "No Room for Comfort") enjoyed some airplay. They followed that up with a 12" EP in 1982, "Imitation of Life," which featured my fave, "Chinese Girl."


[b]The Erector Set - Chinese Girl[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ogkb5h


The Erector Set
Rick Beatty - lead vocals
Alex Chronis - guitar, vocals
John Schmidt - bass
Barry Haney - percussion, farfisa, vocals
Sean Vigle - drums, cymbals
[/quote]

Barry Haney had already been replaced by Peter Rauh before The Erector Set moved from Cincinnati to Boston; Peter played keyboards for all their subsequent recordings (most of which never saw the light of day) & gigs. John Schmidt was replaced by Rick Stacy prior to the move to Boston; Rick gigged with The Erector Set for a few months, then returned to Cincinnati. I replaced Rick and played bass with The Erector Set for a number of the aforementioned invisible recordings and all their gigs from mid-1985 until late '86 when the band dissolved.

[quote][i]Originally posted by SomebodySomewhere[/i]
<br>The Dark
Jace Wilson - lead vocals
Roger Greenawalt - guitar, vocals
Robert "Bob" Familiar - keyboards, vocals
Matthew "Matt" Gruenberg - bass, vocals
Michael Hausman - drums (1980-1982?)
Clark Goodpastor - drums (1982-1984?)
[/quote]

Clark & Michael played concurrently for most of The Dark's early years, including the singles and the first album. Clark primarily played drumkit & Michael played congas/hand percussion, though they occasionally switched off. Michael of course left to play drumkit with that 'Til Tuesday thing.

[doctort13]

The Dark!

I remember hearing "Judy" on 'BCN and bought the single ages ago at Newbury Comics.

I'd love to hear that tune again.

[SomebodySomewhere]

Pastiche were yet another in a long line of BCN Rumble winners (1980) who were complete nonentities outside of New England. They debuted on record in 1976 with the "Flash of the Moment" single and changed their sound considerably by the time their second record came out in 1980. The "Wicked Intense!" 7" EP became their calling card on the back of its A-side, "Talk Show," which scored a lot of Boston airplay. After that, they wound up at Modern Method, who released their third single, 1981's "Lock It Up," as well as 3 cuts on the 2 "Wicked Good Time" compilations. In 1983, with no album ever released, the band split up. 4/5ths of the '80s lineup reunited a couple years ago to record their very-belated debut album, "Arc," which was released in 2009. To pick a copy of it, head over to http://www.lowbudgetrecords.com/pages/Pastiche - Arc.html .

Frontman Ken Scales later founded Adventure Set, who were together for about 5 seconds. The other frontman, Mr. Curt, went into production and did some solo releases, some of which you can buy at CD Baby and at the website listed above.


[b]Pastiche - Talk Show[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ik6kdc

[b]Pastiche - Boston Lullabye[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kmeqy3

[b]Pastiche - Like I Always Do[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/pbbdey

[b]Pastiche - This Reminds Me of the Future[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8vpcwo

[b]Pastiche - Running in Place[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/lys5mh



Pastiche
Ken Scales - lead vocals
Mr. Curt (Curtis Naihersey) - lead vocals, guitar
Brad Hallen - bass, vocals
Ron Marinick - keyboards
Rick Martin - drums, percussion

[SomebodySomewhere]

Curtis Gone Bad were a Boston-based band who were apparently on a quest to find an even worse band name than Judy's Tiny Head. Congratulations, guys, you found it. Centered around the long-running songwriting partnership of Janice Kaidan and Norman Stuart, Curtis Gone Bad were originally known as The New Deal. Stuart reportedly changed the band name after observing some drunks with a fixation on the name Curtis. Their self-released, self-titled EP (Nail Soup, 1988) was comprised of Kaidan's and Stuart's 1986 demos and included the magical "In My Dreams," a song which got absolutely no airplay whatsoever. A year later, they put out their debut album, "Jolt and Bolt" (Nail Soup, 1989), one of Boston's early D.I.Y. compact discs. Curtis Gone Bad took a stab at hard rock on that one. Why, I have no idea, since Kaidan's soft, ethereal voice was about as suited to hard rock as Elmo's. "Jolt and Bolt" includes a new version of the EP's other standout, "Annie," but nothing that measured up to "In My Dreams."

Kaidan had another band or two in the '90s (The Jokermen) and then became a professor. Another member has something or other to do with the unfretted.com website.



[b]Curtis Gone Bad - In My Dreams[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/qmfneq

[b]Curtis Gone Bad - Annie (Curtis Gone Bad EP version)[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/wfs9d9

[b]Curtis Gone Bad - Annie (Jolt and Bolt CD version)[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ksptey



Curtis Gone Bad
Janice Kaidan - lead and backing vocals, bass
Norman Stuart (real name Norman Rosenfield) - electric and acoustic guitar, trumpet, backing vocals
John Matthews - keyboards (on Curtis Gone Bad EP)
Barry Hall - electric guitar (on Jolt and Bolt)
Steve Jones - drums... and PB&J sandwiches (on Jolt and Bolt)

[SomebodySomewhere]

Bob, welcome to the forum and thanks all the info. I saw The Dark at some all-ages venue in the early '80s (one of the few bands who split up in the early '80s that I actually did see -- I was very underage at the time) and, not that I have the best memory, but I only remember them having one drummer at the time. Had to have been Clark, because it was probably 1983 or so. Both are credited on the "Darkworld" EP so I figured the two guys played together on something or other at some point or another. The 7" EP only pictures 5 guys. Sans names, so I couldn't tell you who is who anymore except for Jace. You'll have to tell me.

Will post "Judy" later...

[SomebodySomewhere]

The Young Rationals were Massachusetts' answer to Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. Nebbishy Steve Stone, who had the Buddy Holly look down pat, was a more charismatic frontman than most and a better songwriter than just about anyone else on the MA club scene, but thanks to Boston's fascination with terrible bands with zero songwriting talent, The Rationals didn't put the town under a wonderful hold. Their songs had too much melody apparently. Young Rationals debuted somewhere around 1983 with a delightfully goofy music video, "World's Collide" (sic), and followed it with an EP, "Under Control" (Recon, 1984), on what I think was drummer Tim Jackson's label. (Jackson was also Robin Lane and the Chartbusters' drummer, and Robin's 1984 EP, "Heart Connection," is the only other record I have on the Recon label.) A second promotional video was produced, for the EP track, "Evidence." With the title track, Stone penned what those shitty Boston "legends" could only dream of writing -- the perfect 3 minute pop song.

The band split up shortly after the EP came out, leaving "World's Collide" unreleased for whatever reason. The "World's Collide" and "Evidence" videos are on YouTube, courtesy Stone. Additional (mostly unreleased) tracks can be heard at www.reverbnation.com/theyoungrationals .


[b]The Young Rationals - Under Control[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ay5zr1

[b]The Young Rationals - Happy[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/dg440l


The Young Rationals
Steve Stone - lead vocals, keyboards
Sheldon Mirowitz - guitar, keyboards
Richard Gates - bass, vocals
Wally J. Baier - keyboards
Tim Jackson - drums

[tileboy]

Somebody thanks again for The Vinny band. I live on the No. Shore and saw Vinny many times. "Talk Show" by Pastiche is an old favorite too.

[SomebodySomewhere]

[quote][i]Originally posted by tileboy[/i]
<br>Somebody thanks again for The Vinny band. I live on the No. Shore and saw Vinny many times. "Talk Show" by Pastiche is an old favorite too.[/quote]


Now if only somebody could help me find the "Rock n Roll Housewife" single. Pastiche's "Pastiche Tense" cassette, too, while we're at it (since it doesn't look like they're in any rush to put their back catalogue on CD). Guess I should feel privileged to even have "The Ravioli" 45 since there isn't a single one for sale on either musicstack or gemm. Speaking of things you can't find on musicstack or gemm...

[SomebodySomewhere]

While we're talking about Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, the Boston AOR quartet, Powerglide, had ties to the Cruisers, as one of their frontmen, Paul Goll, later played with them. Their other vocalist, Peter Zins, is the one heard here. Powerglide (1983-1991) debuted on record with a song every Boston Irishman can surely relate to -- "99 Bottles." That compilation track appeared on the WCOZ "Boston's Best" LP (Starstream, 1983) and, like The Runes' "Like This Again," was one of the highlights of it. The next year brought their debut album, "On the Edge" (Adventure Music Works, 1984) -- which is not terribly forum-appropriate beyond the title track and a cover of "Dear Prudence." They switched keyboardists following that album, replacing Lawrence Hamilton with Barbara Burke (if only she were named Mary Burke, the laughs I would have had) and put out a pair of EPs, 1986's "Fast Forward" and 1988's "In the Red."

Somehow, the AOR community found out about Powerglide and now you can't get their records anywhere anymore. They're all in Europe now. Luckily, Retrospect is working on re-releasing the 3 that were out on vinyl. Until then, their swansong album, 1991's hypothetically-titled "Where Do We Go From Here," is available on CD. Head over to http://www.retrospectrecords.com/produc ... where.html to pick it up.



[b]Powerglide - 99 Bottles[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/v6fo4y

[b]Powerglide - On the Edge[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/d9bsob



Powerglide
Peter Zins - lead vocals, guitar
Paul Goll - lead vocals, bass
Lawrence Hamilton - keyboards, piano, trumpet, vocals
Barbara Burke - keyboards, harp, vocals
Stuart Covington - drums

[goombaman]

I just found the blog and am enjoying re-livng the best days of music Boston has seen. Thank you all. Unfortunately I was out of town 79-83, and the only time the Humans came to Chicago (and they were the only ones who came), we had a blizzard. So most of my knowledge is from when the radio stations still played the recent past. And I hesitate to ask this, given some of the expressed opinions, but does anyone have the 'HIT the Floor' compilation. I would love to find 'Do You Wanna Funk' by Boys Say Go, toughening up Sylvester. When I Google it, I only find Depeche Mode or disco.

[SomebodySomewhere]

Winner of the worst-named-Boston band ever, Judy's Tiny Head were actually from Michigan originally. After releasing the "A Cage Went in Search of a Bird..." EP (AutoMotive, 1982) there in the Fall of '82, the band packed up their things and moved to Boston. Somewhere along the way, they added a keyboardist, Max Rose, whose musical direction improved Judy and her tiny head dramatically, taking them from post-punk to funk-dance-rock. Their second EP, "My Car" (Tiny Head Music, 1985) was their first MA release in the Summer of '85. The faux rap of the title track enjoyed copious amounts of air and videoplay in Boston that summer and fall. And then they were never heard from again.

"Military Metal" comes from "A Cage." "Myths" was the real highlight of the "My Car" EP... of course no one played it. "Turning the Tides" is a compilation cut on "Sounds Eclectic" (Revolution, 1986) and I think was the band's last release.

Frontman Mark Hill dropped his first name, got a PhD, moved to California and went into politics.



[b]Judy's Tiny Head - My Car[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/9blk5m

[b]Judy's Tiny Head - Turning the Tides[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/6wesh6

[b]Judy's Tiny Head - Military Metal[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/u3xj6z

[b]Judy's Tiny Head - Myths[/b]
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nhhj71



Judy's Tiny Head
Mark Hill - lead vocals, guitar
James Whitcomb - bass, vocals
Max Rose - keyboards, sax, vocals (on My Car EP and Turning the Tides)
Ray Kaczynski - drums, percussion, vocals (on A Cage Went in Search of a Bird... EP)
Jonathan Mitchell - drums, vocals (on My Car EP and Turning the Tides)

[FrancoB]

[quote][i]Originally posted by SomebodySomewhere[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by tileboy[/i]
<br>Somebody thanks again for The Vinny band. I live on the No. Shore and saw Vinny many times. "Talk Show" by Pastiche is an old favorite too.[/quote]


Now if only somebody could help me find the "Rock n Roll Housewife" single. Pastiche's "Pastiche Tense" cassette, too, while we're at it (since it doesn't look like they're in any rush to put their back catalogue on CD). Guess I should feel privileged to even have "The Ravioli" 45 since there isn't a single one for sale on either musicstack or gemm. Speaking of things you can't find on musicstack or gemm...
[/quote]