The Cleaners came from Schenectady, New York, releasing two singles in 1966 and 1967.
Members included Larry Parks (listed in songwriting credits as Larry Podrazik), Bob Ives (Robert Iovinella), Bob Sands and Jay Camp.
The Cleaners’ first single was the super-soulful “How I Feel” b/w “If You Want Me” (described on the label as Rock-Jazz), both originals by Podrazik and Iovinella. A comment below mentions booking manager George DeVito recording the songs in his home studio. However, I have a 8″ laquer acetate of both songs from Earl Kennett’s studio. The sound of the bass, and the echo of the hand claps on “If You Want Me” suggests Earl’s studio rather than a home recording.
It was issued on Knight Records KN 3, of Bellevue Station, Schenectady, with a State Music Productions credit; the ZTSP 122826/7 codes indicate a Columbia custom issue, a styrene 45.
Podrazik and Iovinella copyrighted the songs in April and May of 1966, along with another original, “Just Until the End of Time” that was not released but would remain part of their live set.
In July of 1967 Podrazik and Iovinella registered another original song, “Dust”. The Cleaners cut it at Kennett Sound Studio in Kinderhook, NY, along with a cover of “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me”, released on their own Kleener Style Records 0011.
These were among the earliest singles issued out of Earl Kennett’s studio, which would go on to record and release over twenty 45s into the 1970s.
Not long after, the East Coast Clique recorded “Dust” backed with another Podrazik/Iovinella original, “Last Stop (Everybody’s Getting Off)”, both with NemSong publishing. Released as Charter Records 0016, the Kennett Sound credit at the bottom indicates the studio, as does the 00 prefix on the release number 0016. The production on this version is fuller, with the drums more prominent and danceable.
A Schenectady news clipping about the East Coast Clique mentions a single on the “Cleaner Style” label, so the Clique were a continuation of the Cleaners with a new band name, and some different members. Larry Parks and Bob Ives had been in the Cleaners, and the East Coast Clique’s other members included Sal Cannavo, Kent Brust and John Malik.
The article states:
One of the group’s songs, “Just Until the End of Time,” arranged by Bob Ives, leader, and Larry Parks, will be dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the performance.
Now appearing at the Bavarian Lodge in Hudson, the East Coast Clique … record on the Cleaner Style label and have appeared on Hank Brown’s Twistorama over WKTV, channel 2.
There is an 12″ acetate from Kennett Sound Studio of three songs by the East Coast Clique: a later version of “How I Feel”, “Last Stop (Everybody’s Getting Off)” and “Just Until the End of Time”. The second song was issued as the B-side to their single on Charter Records, “Dust” but I am not sure if this is the same version.
Podrazik and Iovinella registered two additional songs in 1968: “Captain Miller’s Flying Circus”, and “Sleepy Boy” (this last one shows Earl Kennett contributing to the music arrangement).
In January 1969, they registered “Baby, I Won’t Be Lonely”, which exists on a Kennett demo acetate as by the Cleaners, so it may have been considered for release.
Later copyrights include “I’m So Happy” (October 1969, with words by Brummer).
Al Quaglieri wrote a profile of Bob Iovinella for the March 8-14, 1990 issue of Metroland. He describes how Iovinella and Larry Parks had a five-year publishing contract by Nat Weiss, but only two songs saw publication in that time.
In 1970, Larry Parks had a solo composition “Pay Day” (using the name Adam Parks) recorded by Sha Na Na.
Starting in 1980, Iovinella and Parks would work together again as partners in Hendi-Parksives Productions.
Thank you to Brian Kirschenbaum for scans of the East Coast Clique 45 and the Cleaners acetate. Thank you to Bobby Iovinella for the photo at top and to Mikael for the news clipping.
