The Dirty Elbows came out of the Highland and Poughkeepsie music scene. Around 1966 they cut one excellent single on the Solid Gold label, “To Carry On”.
Members were:
Reggie Ward – vocals Russ Aldrich – lead guitar, vocals Al Friedman – keyboards, vocals Gene Baker – bass Sal D’Onofrio – bass and vocals Jimmy Galuzzi – drums, vocals
Russ Aldrich wrote the A-side, “To Carry On”, a song that shines from the opening riff to the harmony vocals and excellent guitar break.
The flip is a harmony ballad, “I Love You Girl” by G. Whitsell, Jr.
Released on Solid Gold Recornds SG-10 (UB-721/2), the labels credit J. Levine with arrangements, and engineering by J. Gasper. Both sides are “A Toi Production” and published by Happi Three Music, BMI. Solid Gold also had a 45 by Shorty Billups “Alone / Shake Off That Dream”.
The Poughkeepsie Journal reported the Dirty Elbows opening for the Animals on April 16, 1966, along with a number of other local groups: the Sepians, the Mark IV. the Jule Ettes, the New Pyramids, the Royal Coachmen, the Barons, the Sportsmen, the Benders and the Courages. They also played the Club 44 in Pleasant Valley with the Aborigines.
In June of 1966 they played at the Trade Winds on Route 207 near Newburgh. The next month they played with the Mark IV at a teens-only club called What’s It To Ya? on 176 Church Street in Poughkeepsie.
In October, 1966 the Dirty Elbows played at the Swingin’ Cellar, and a Thursday at What’s It To Ya?, followed on Friday by the Lost Soles and on Saturday by the Barrons. In November the Dirty Elbows were the main draw at a week of What’s It To Ya? shows that included Love’s Body and Nobody’s Child.
The Dirty Elbows played a benefit for the March of Dimes in January, 1967 that took place in two locations: Poughkeepsie High School and Wappingers Falls Jr High School. Tommy James & the Shondells also played at one of these performances, but the notice I found doesn’t specify which band played at which location.
In March, 1967, the group played “well supervised” shows at the Thunderbird Lounge, next to the Imperial Billiard Lounge. A show that month at Sportsmen’s Park notes their “hit record: ‘I Love You Girl’.
Reggie Ward joined the Silver Byke in 1967-8, and played with Easy Street in the 1970s.
Russ Aldrich continued in music, including with Spyder in the early ’70s. Later on he worked primarily as a blues guitarist and was featured in another article in the Poughkeepsie Journal on June 30, 1989. Russell Aldrich passed away on March 24, 2015.
Sal D’Onofrio sent in the photo seen here at top and wrote me with some info about the band:
Our big hit was “I Love You Girl” on Solid Gold Records which outsold the Beatles in the Hudson River Valley for a month. Gene was the original bass player I replaced.
Jimmy Galluzi died at a drag strip accident while racing his car. Al Friedman stopped returning my emails several years ago, parts unknown. Reggie Ward is doing real estate and still singing with local friends.
“Moose”Sal D’Onofrio before leaving for sunny California in 1971, played with Moose: Reggie Ward, Al Friedman, Benny Ribble and Claud Le Hennaf; and did a short stint with the Vanilla Fudge and Boomerang in 1970 on Long Island. Sal is now a Nutripathic doctor in Redondo Beach (healthguardians.com), and still does gigs with local bands on occasion.
Thank you to Sal D’Onofrio for the photos and information.
The Cloudwalkers came from the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. They cut one single, the harp-driven “Sunglasses” b/w “Never Told Me So” on Capco 106 in mid-1965.
“Sunglasses” isn’t the same song as the Cramps’ “Sunglasses After Dark” but I’d like to think there was some influence there. The single made it to #49 in Record World’s “Singles Coming Up” chart.
Members included Chris Welch and Peter Polizzano, who wrote both songs on their single, plus Pete Frias.
“Never Told Me So” is a fine Buddy Holly influenced rocker.
George Napolitano of the Ox-Bow Incident told me that Pete Frias was the guitar instructor and mentor of many musicians in the neighborhood, and also was guitarist for Jimmy & the Jesters, a group that often played the Peppermint Lounge. George also thought the Cloudwalkers single was recorded at Rossi Sound Studios at 2005 West 8th Street and Avenue T in Brooklyn.
The labels note “A Billyjo Production”. The engineer for the session was Joe Venneri, who was a guitarist for the Tokens during their early days, then became an engineer at Incredible Sound Studio, Mira Studios and Mercury Records.
Chris Welch and Peter Polizzano registered both songs with the Library of Congress on July 2, 1965. Publishing came through Calboy Music, BMI, owned by Joe Calcagno who also owned the Capco Records label.
An ad in Billboard in November 9, 1965 lists Capco Hitsound Records at Southard Ave in Rockville Center, NY. The label was promoting Capco 108, Irv Goodman’s “Hava Nagilah” / “Sugar Blues au Go Go” produced by Jimmie Haskell.
Singles by the Crossfires, the Don Rays and others on a green Capco label, circa 1963, come from a Los Angeles company probably not associated with Joe Calcagno.
I’d appreciate any further info on the Cloudwalkers.
The Fownds came from Hudson, New York. They had two singles, first the thumping rocker “Comin On Strong” b/w the doo-wop influenced “Rosalin” in 1971, and then the moody “Remember” b/w a hot rod parody “Wheels” (the band name changed to the Founds on this release).
Both singles have a sound like something from the early-mid ’60s despite the release dates.
Donald Moore wrote most of the songs and did some lead vocals. Sal Gambino wrote “Rosalin”, and Roy Jackson sang lead on the moody “Remember”.
The Fownds released both singles on their own Reeb label (“beer” spelled backwards), a custom label through Earl Kennett’s studio in Kinderhook.
Don Moore had a later band called Confusion, I believe he passed away in 2013.
This single by Arboreal was a mystery to me, the only names on the label are Glen, Greg Allen, and no label name or address. Even the deadwax only repeats the 45-ST-101 A/B on the labels. When I first wrote this post in late October, 2016, there was no info on the ‘net, nothing.
Obviously it’s not ’60s garage but sounds like mid-late 70s rock, without much punk influence. The opening of “Our Souls Would See Us Through” reminds me a little of Wire, but that’s as far as it goes. “16 Years Old” gives more attitude, but both songs have an original sound that can’t be pegged to any movement or sound from the time. The songs are in stereo.
As it turns out, Arboreal were two brothers, Greg Allen and Glen Allen, originally from Nutley, New Jersey but living in New York City when they went into a studio as early as 1968 and cut the songs on this single.
The entire post is worth a read, but the relevant paragraphs are:
Greg and I had a clunky but good sounding Telefunken tape recorder and, later, a Sony that had sound-on-sound,as it was called back then. We could overdub ourselves. Many Dada-esque tunes were recorded, and some attempts at “real” music as well.
But in ’68 I took up guitar, and we wrote and recorded more in earnest. By then our family had been in NYC for about a year. Greg and I decided to record in an actual studio.
An older classmate of mine, Jon Fausty, was working in a studio that specialized in Latin music. The first day in the studio the equipment went south, wouldn’t work. I was actually relieved, for although Greg and I had performed in public and had recorded at home, this was A STUDIO! Where RECORDS WERE MADE!
The next day the gear was in working order, and I had shaken off the nerves. After all, I did have long wavy hair, a cool turquoise ring, a Superman-logo’d tee shirt, tie-dyed jeans, and, most of all, my ’68 Gold-Top Les Paul Standard on which I had mastered the three essential chords.
I also loved the name we’d devised: Arboreal. We always had a thing for chimps, and we both probably would’ve proposed to Jane Goodall.
Greg was a metronomic drummer, a better time-keeper than me (‘though I keep good time!). But who knew at the time that left handed drummers set up their drums differently than righties? Not us — we’d only seen righties ever play.
Nontheless, with Greg keeping time and me on guitar, bass and vocals(!), we cut “Our Souls Would See Us Through,” which Greg wrote the lyric for, and “Sixteen Years Old,” which I wrote.
The chorus on “Sixteen…” was originally “Things are pretty shitty when you’re sixteen years old..” But for the sake of mass appeal and radio play, I cleverly changed “shitty” to “sickening”. A move of rare genius, though I missed the sheer beauty of the “pretty/shitty” rhyme scheme.
Greg, in true mystical metaphoric mode, came up with “we gazed into each other’s eyestreams, until we met each other’s dreams.” And to think — “eyestreams” was hardly ever used back then!
We printed 100 45’s, sent them out to several record companies, and waited for the offers to roll in. Some of the rejection letters came on very nice stationery. Some with encouraging comments and actual signatures!
As I recall, Pickwick, a budget label, made an offer, but we held out for the big fish. That fish is still swimming merrily out there somewhere….
I’d like to hear some of the Allen brothers other early tapes, they obviously had a very original approach to rock music.
The Innkeepers, from left: Mike Vendetti, Vito Turso, Gary Matson, Mike Lucente and Steve Saltzman
The Innkeepers came from Rosedale in Queens, New York (not Bayside as previously thought). Rosedale is close to JFK airport, along the eastern edge of Queens, bordering Nassau County.
Members were:
Gary Matson – vocals and percussion Mike Vendetti – Gibson guitar Vito Turso – Hammond organ and vocals Mike Lucente – Fender bass Steve Saltzman – drums
The Innkeepers had one excellent single in late 1966, “Never Should Have Done It” b/w “Wanted” on Galiko 895. Leon Salem wrote both songs, he was in a jazz group at Queens College with Mike Lucente.
“Never Should Have Done It” jumps into a tense mood, with a neat sliding guitar riff throughout the song and the line “life’s not worth living now, ever since the day, oh-o-o, you left me.” The drummer keeps a strong pace, and the bassist pushes the mood as each line of the lyrics crescends and crashes. The organ player compliments the repeating guitar and takes an extended solo after a brief guitar break.
The band comes up with a tight arrangement and good harmonies to back the lead vocalist on “Wanted”.
One of the Innkeeper’s most notable shows was at the Action House in Island Park, NJ, on December 4, 1966.
Ads for the show (viewable on the Mind Smoke Records site) promise an incredible lineup, including: The Mothers of Invention, the Velvet Underground, the Fugs, the Godz, the Vagrants, the Left Banke, the Wild Ones, and the Bit a Sweet.
Also, the Seventh Sons, the Fantasy Machines, the Ronettes, the Shangri-La’s, Lenny Welch, Monti Rock III, Joey Greco and the In Crowd, the Crests, the Shaggy Boys, Terry Knight and the Pack and Brian Hyland.
Besides the Action House, the Innkeepers played at Danny Mazur’s My House in Plainview NY, the Malibu Beach Club in Lido Beach, the Bull Shed in Huntington, Cinderella in Greenwich Villlage, the Shindig Lounge in Lynbrook, and regularly at The Busted Buzzard in Baldwin, NY.
The group was sometimes billed as the Inkeepers (one “n”) and the band name appears that way in one promo photo.
The Inkeepers, from left: Steve Saltzman, Mike Vendetti, Mike Lucente, Vito Turso, Gary Matson
Salem copyrighted “Wanted” with the Library of Congress in August 1966, following it up with “Never Should Have Done It” in October, both with publishing by Leona Music Pub. Co., but on the Galiko single both list Aurora Music Pub. BMI.
The Library of Congress index shows Leon Salem copyrighting six additional titles before the end of 1966, “What Do You Find?”, “All the Time”, “Venetian Gondola”, “Reasons”, “The Truth”, “Come Back, My Baby”, though only the first of these also had the Leona Music Pub. Co. credit.
With such an accomplished group of musicians, I hope there are some unreleased Innkeepers recordings out there, yet to be heard.
Galiko had a number of other releases, most notably the U.S. Stamps, who had two singles on the label in 1967, “Come On” / “Go and Dry Your Tears” and “Pull the Wool” / “We’ll Find a Way” (by Ed Landis). I don’t know anything about that band either.
There is a Leon Salem who has a number of credits: arranger and conductor on Nanette Natal’s 1969 album Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow , “sweetening” on the Tokens “I Like to Throw My Head Back and Sing (That Good Ole Rock and Roll)”, vibes and orchestration on the Brother to Brother LP Shades In Creation, and in 2018, production and writing of “Apollo Rising” by Tommy LaBella. I’m not sure if this is the same person, however.
Thank you to the members of the Innkeepers for help with this post: Gary Matson for sending the photos, and Mike Lucente and Vito Turso for information about the group.
This Innkeepers should not be confused with the band from Lewiston, Maine, whose demo “Traella (Hey Babe)” surfaced years back.
The Chimes of Freedom, clockwise from bottom left: (please comment if any IDs incorrect): Darrell Francis on drums, Chip Vedder, Jeff Austin with bass, Mari Salato vocals, Bill Pytlovany with white Fender guitar and Paul Hamilton with red Fender. Photo courtesy of Paul Hamilton, all rights reserved.The Chimes of Freedom came from Scotia, New York, near Schenectady and Albany. “Jungle Rock” is known from Girls in the Garage, but this was not an all-girl group. Members were:
Mari Salato – vocals Chip Vedder – vocals Bill Pytlovany – lead guitar Paul Hamilton – rhythm guitar Jeff Austin – bass guitar Darrell Francis – drums
Bonnie Carbin Kruger commented below that she played keyboards on this record.
Paul Hamilton, Darrell Francis and William Pytlovany wrote “Jungle Rock”, while the original A-side was “Did You Ever”, a ballad by Francis and Pytlovany.
This is a hard single to date, I don’t see anything in the dead wax other than stamped 102A/B, and the label code USS 102 is also obscure. The Robert Barry Music credit helps connect this to the Vibra-Sound Recording Studio in Schenectady.
The Times Record reported on June 4, 1970 that the Chimes of Freedom would participate in a Battle of the Bands at the Colonie Coliseum Summer Theater against three Colonie bands: Iron Image, Reverend Blackbird, and Three Steps in the Mill, plus a group called Horton Strong from SUNY Albany.
On September 11, 1970, the Troy Record reported the Chimes of Freedom would play a cafeteria dance for the Shenendehowa Festival on September 26.
The Shadows 5 were thought to be from Oswego, New York, on Lake Ontario, northwest of Syracuse, but the band actually formed in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The band members’ first names are on the labels but I only know two members’ surnames. Another member’s last name is Williams, but I don’t know which.
Bill – lead vocals Randy – lead guitar (Fender Jaguar) Craig McKinney – rhythm and occasional lead guitar (Mosrite “Joe Maphis”) Ralph Riehl – bass (Fender Jazz) Vic – drums (Ludwig)
“Gathers No Moss” is an incredible version of the song, and the flip “That Little Girl” is a fine jangler.
Tech Records released the single in August 1966; I can’t find anything else on this label. The quality of the recording is excellent, with the opening guitar riff jumping off the grooves.
This was a very rare record though in the last year about 10 copies have shown up, which is how I was able to afford one.
Craig McKinney wrote to me with info about the group:
Two of us (Vic and I) are from Fulton, NY, a small city just south of Oswego, NY. Vic and I played together there before shipping off to Fort Wayne, IN and college. We started the band out there.
We recorded the record in Fort Wayne, IN at radio station WOWO and pressed 500 copies in Chicago. I wrote the words and music to “That Little Girl” as well as the arrangement for “Gathers No Moss.” Bill sings lead on “Girl” and that’s me on “Moss.” There is only copy out there that was signed by all members of our band. It was signed while we were on a tour trip to upstate NY in our old hometown.
Q. Were you or Vic in the Newberry 4 of Oswego when you lived in Fulton? They recorded a song called “That’s Why I’m a Rolling Stone” that is much like “Gathers No Moss”.
We were never in the “Newberry 4.” I heard them once or twice, though I was not there much in those days. They were the area’s top group at the time. They were excellent. A “Beatles” spin-off group if I remember right. Never knew them but admired them at the time. I didn’t remember their song until I heard it after reading a comment on your website. Still a great song to this day.
While we recording in the studio at WOWO, we had a professional photographer take pictures and videos of the group. We also left with the master tape. To this day, the pictures, videos and tapes cannot be found.
The group played backup for The Kingsmen in 1966 at my brother’s fraternity at Franklin College, Franklin, IN. They commented on how much better we were than them. Great fun! We played a LOT of frats and sorority houses in Indiana until Vic and I flunked out and the band broke up. Vic and I both later returned and graduated.
Randy was from Fort Wayne and, unfortunately, passed away about 8 years ago. I’m not sure where Ralph was from, but now resides somewhere in Florida. Bill was from Ohio and still resides there. Vic lives in Huntington, IN. I am back in Fulton, NY.
Craig McKinney
This is not the same Shadows Five who recorded “Dynamic Drums” / “Gary’s Boogie” for the Sully label and “Markham” / “Twistin’ Shadows” for Peacock. That group became the Ultimates and later Prince Charles & the Crusaders, then finally the Ultimate, with a 45 on Garland.
The Savage Generation came from Westchester, NY. Members were Roger Alther of Tuckahoe, Ronnie Fruscianti of New Rochelle, Tom Scarcello and Ray De Angelis of Scarsdale, and Paul Montclare of Eastchester.
They had one single on Senate Record Corp 2113 from October 1968, both sides original songs by band members. Ray De Angelis wrote the A-side, “You’re Not Going to Change My World”, which is heavy on the phasing and has great rhythm section. I haven’t heard the flip, “Mr. Sun”, written by Tom Scarcello and Ron Frusciante.
Both songs published by Pocket Full of Tunes, Inc / Egavas Music BMI, produced by Wes Farrell, and distributed by ABC Records, NY.
Savage Generation Fan Club cardThe Herald Statesman profiled the Savage Generation on March 23, 1968 for a gig the following Saturday at Westchester County Center. Besides giving the names of the group, it mentions their manager, Frank Garofaola of New Rochelle, and Brother Darby Ruane of Iona College who help the band get high profile live shows. It also says the group evolved out of a duo, The Hangmen, and a trio, The Savages.
The article has many interesting quotes from the band’s members, and also lists two songs that weren’t released, “A Dream Walks Amongst Us” written by Paul Montclare, and “Birth of a Savage”.
“Taken in Bermuda on Spring Break we played the Buccaneer Club” – Tommy
We wrote a song called “Birth of a Savage.” I would come on stage wearing a priest’s white robe with a long afro and beard and would light myself on fire with lighter fluid and the stage as well. We would sing our song, and then as things were burning, I would pick up a large empty shell that looked like a mini bomb, and I would scream, “Peace, peace, or destruction!” and then fling it out into the audience … We went on and recorded an album at the first 24-track studio owned by Jimmy [sic] Hendrix in New York City.
I think it’s likely the group did record more than just the single, but nothing else has been released to my knowledge. After writing this article, Tommy contacted me and sent the photos seen here.
A belated thank you to transoniq for finding this article, and special thanks to Tommy Scarcello for the photos of the group and fan club card.
The Savage Generation, profiled in the Herald Statesman, March 23, 1968
Andy And The Classics Kama PS Utica, New York had a number of independent labels in the 1960s. At first I believed labels such as Kama, Krishna, Lewis and Aegis were related, but after a comment and more investigation, I’ve decided to cover a number of Utica labels that shared artists, distribution by Kama, or use of the Chadwicks Recording Studio.
Kenneth Hurd, a New Hartford shoe executive, owned the Hurd and Revere Records labels, as well as the Longmark Studio in Utica and the Chadwicks Recording Studio and pressing plant on Oneida St. in Chadwicks.
Any help with information about any of these labels would be appreciated!
Aegis Records
Aegis 1001 – The Bel Airs – “You Left Me (For Somebody New)” / “You’re the Greatest” (Aegis Records ARS 1001). Gates Initino, vocal. Other members were Guy Vivenzo, Dick Laurey, Jim Hanna and Jon Hynes). Distributed by Bason Agency, Utica.
Aegis 1003 – The Royals – “Shake It” / “Mix Up” (both written by Fran Migliaccio), W-194
Aegis 100? – The Royals feat Ralph Migliaccio “I Only Have Eyes For You/ Land Of A Thousand Dances”
Buddha Records
Buddha CO 1753 – The Roosters – “I Wanna Do It” / “You Don’t Need Any Reason”
Hurd 77 – Patti Miller & the Friends Trio – “Caveman Blues” / “Stone Age” (with PS) Hurd 78 – Andy and the Classics – “Walk Walk Walk” / “Wilma” – band led by Andy Cittadino Hurd 79 – Dee Dee Warwick – “I Can’t Go Back” / “I (Who Have Nothing At All)” (1966, prod. by H. Rudd and Bob Gallo)
Kama K-43 – The Ultimates “Lost Romance” (Foti-O’Donnell) / “Foreign Girl” (Dick Broderick – both songs Harbor Music ASCAP), unrelated label?).
Kama 501 – Gary Angel And The Halos – “Oh, Judy” / “Memories Of A Summer Day” (circa 1962) Kama 502 – Maureen Fitzgerald – “Twinkle In His Eye” / “His Own Kind of Rhythm” (division of Kama Productions)
Kama L-106 – Ted Alexander and The Cordels – “Baby You Can Drive My Car” / “Please Go” (with picture sleeve)
Kama L-164 – Heaven’s Devils – “Lonely Girl” (Paul Sparaco) / “Out Of Your Life” (Frederick J. Catella), prod. by Gary J. Sparaco, Kama Music
Kama L-212 – Jerry Carr and the Travelers – “I Laugh When I Should Have Been Listenin’” / “Wondering If I Could Go On”
Kama L-269 – Susie Southworth – “My Heart Could Never Stand (to Be Broken by You)” (Dorothy Southworth) / “Once a Day”
Kama K-712 – JC and the Tears – “Then You’d Better Go Away” (J. Camilli, copyrighted as Jimmy Camilli in 1953) / “What’d I Say” (OV-102)
Kama 775 – Heavenly Flyers – “Mighty Long Time” / “Hallelujah to His Name” (W-167/W168) Kama 776 – Lou Barile (John Mazzae At The Organ) – “He’ll Look Down” / “Prayer” Kama 777 – Eric and the Chessmen – “You Don’t Want My Loving” / “Blue Skies”, L-99-1/2. The labels note “Recorded at Chadwicks Recording Studio”, in Chadwicks, NY, a small hamlet along Route 8 south of Utica, and a few miles east of Clinton, NY and Hamilton College.
Kama 780 – The Ally Kahns – “Gonkletwerp” (instrumental by Gary Brody, Dick Kenney and Charlie Caryl) / “Blue Moon” (W-321)
Kama K-780 – The Avengers – “Reflection” (C. Wheeler) / “Irresistable You” from April of 1967, also recorded at Chadwicks and produced by A. Polacelli.
Kama 786 – Andy & the Classics – “Yaba-da-ba-do” / “Prehistoric Time” (with PS, prod. by Bob Gallo)
Kama 1070 – Audrey De Lia and the Western Aces cut “Kansas City” b/w a version of Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough”
Kama 814 – Target – “Give Me One More Chance” / “Cleveland” (modern soul, early 1970s) Kama 815 – Target – “Look at Me” / “You’re So Beautiful”
Kama OV-567 – Tiny Tim – “Howard Cosell (We Think You’re Swell)” / “The Bi-Centennial Song (I Believe in America)” – 1976
Kama 71310 – Sonja Bonness “I’m the Only Woman” / “Black Satin” (1977)
Krishna Records
Krishna TR 2690 – The Roosters – “The Rooster Song” / “Lost And Found”
Lewis Records
Lewis Records 525 – The Starfires “Vampire” (by James Palladino for Kajobe Music, BMI) / “Honky Tonk Twist”, mastering #s W-189 & W-190. The labels read “distributed by Kama Productions, Utica, NY.” “Vampire” also recorded by the Plaids on Stentor – see below.
Lewis 1000 – The Ponzi Bros. Lou & Zack – “Guitar Boogie Twist” / “Channel 98” (Lou Ponzi, Kama Music BMI) (K-71/72) Lewis 107 – The Belairs – “All The Time” (Chuck Weiss, Eddie Mikenas) / “As You Go” (Eddie Mikenas), Kev-Tess Music BMI
Mark Records – extensive discography, see entry on Discogs for more info
Tino & the Revlons – “Black Burma-Mudas and Knee Socks” (R. Demart, B. Rezey; Kama Music Publ.) / “Story Of Our Love” (Mark M-154) The Plaids – “Out To Lunch” (Carl Swanson aka: Mr. Sunshine) / ?, circa 1961 – need label scans for this one.
Stentor Records
Stentor RR 101 – The Plaids (aka the Bel Airs) – “Vampire” / “Creepin'” (Vivenzo) from Stentor Recording Co., Utica. Stentor RB-165 – Brian Wilson & the Del Vues “Blue Skies” / “Blueberry Hill” Stentor RM 101 – Bebo Singleton with Jeff & the Notes “The Shrine of the Echoes” / “Feeny Jones”
The Classics came from Chatham, New York, a town about 30 miles southeast of Albany. I live not far from the village and my daughter goes to the local public school, so I’ve been very interested in learning more about this band. Donnie Mettauer was the only member’s name I knew of until a comment below noted Richie Muller played bass and Rich Fiero drums.
In March of 1966 the band released four songs on a Rite-pressed 7″ EP with the Ram Records label. I’ve heard all four songs and can attest to the veracity of the old G45 description:
The four songs cover a lot of ground stylistically from the cute pop-fantasy (not psych) of “Pink Cats” through sweet harmony pop (“I Don’t Wanna Be Around”), and a restrained, double-speed rendition of the “Bo Diddley” classic. However, it’s “Mean Woman” that we’re here to talk about…a chunky, chugging riff-driven garage mover further propelled by clean stuttering electric lead lines, rumbling toms and call-and-answer vocals. A stunning release, rare as hen’s teeth.
In June of 1966 the band traveled to Nola Recording Studios at 111 West 57th St. in Manhattan. Also known as Nola’s Penthouse Studio or “The Penthouse Sound Studios of V.J. Nola” on the early acetate labels, the studio was a capacious room that opened circa 1940 on the 17th floor of Steinway Hall. The studio was owned by Vincent Nola and his son Tommy Nola. It closed in February 2014 due to construction to extend the building’s height.
Almost no one has heard any of the four songs the Classics cut on two unreleased demos recorded at Nola. I’ve been fortunate to hear one, “The World Can’t Take Time” which was backed by a song called “Bright Orange Clown” on one of the discs. The second demo has “Little Bo Peep” / “Baby Baby”.
There has been talk of a re-release of all eight songs, but so far nothing has come through. It seems Don Mettauer has passed away.
There weren’t many bands in the Columbia County area in the 1960s. There were the Del-Tones led by David Osborn with members including Rick Piester, Jerry Porreca, John Frentino, John Rundell, Peter Post and Richard Leavitt, and the Fownds (or the Founds) from Hudson who had two releases on Reeb. Another notable single is by the Kynds, also partially based in Hudson. The Kynds recorded at a studio in Kinderhook run by Earl Kennett, but I have yet to find any other recordings from that studio.
I’d appreciate any more information about the Classics.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
The Dirty Elbows came out of the Highland and Poughkeepsie music scene. Around 1966 they cut one excellent single on the Solid Gold label, “To Carry On”.
