The MTA label was a faceless New York corporation primarily licensing recordings from both the East and West Coasts. Most of their California bands were signed through Leo Kulka at San Francisco’s Golden State Recorders. Their East Coast material seems to come from a variety of sources, and some bands seem to be purely studio concoctions.
One such shadowy group are the All 6, with this 1967 release. For years I thought they were a studio group like the Powers of Blue on the same label, as the only names I could ascribe to them come from the songwriters, Paul Leka (well known for writing “Green Tambourine” for the Lemon Pipers, among other hits) and Joseph Messina (credited on the label as J. Mesina).
Both are commercial pop of the time. Of the two I prefer “You Call It Love” for it’s arresting intro and consistent energy, while the A-side “Baby Hold On” has some fine organ playing. Production is credited to Cynthia and A.B. Jet Productions.
Tom Southwell and Andy StoneTom Southwell, Joe Messina and Eddie Rigano
As it turns out, they were a real group, a quintet despite their name. Tom Southwell commented below: “This was a real group from Mamaroneck, Larchmont, and New Rochelle, New York. The odd thing about All 6 is that there were only five members Their names are in the anagram A.B. JET: Andy Stone (drums), Bill Hanff ( lead vocal, electric piano), Joe Messina (organ, principal writer/leader), Eddie Rigano (guitar, vocal), and Tom Southwell (lead guitar, vocal). While All 6 were promoting this record they often were the opening act for The First Edition, B.J. Thomas, The Association, and The Four Seasons. All 6 performed in the area thru high school and college but went into other specialties: journalism, medicine, law, business, and motion pictures, respectively.”
The All 6 also backed Terry Randazzo on a 45 for MGM, “Trick or Treat”.
I asked Tom some questions about the band and he kindly answered with a short history of the group and the photos posted here.
Tom SouthwellWe really were a true performing band with costumes and routines and not just studio musicians. Our band was often hired to record the instrumental part of a vocal groups record. Some were master recordings and others were demos for writers to place songs with artists. We did quite a lot of these for Teddy and other writers. I was surprised when he put our name on that record (“Trick or Treat”). I think it may have been an accident (with our name on the envelope with the tape as it went to the place where the records are pressed… or a deal with our label MTA.)
We recorded an entire album (instruments only) for (Little) Anthony And The Imperials. All this studio work was after years of performing as a band in clubs and school dances. This was a way to gain experience for our own records when the time came. Sometimes I was in the studio working with some jazz legends.
The recordings were mostly done on Broadway across from The Winter Garden Theater, on Saturday or Sunday mornings. We would perform live the weekend evenings, and summers. I think it was Joe Messina who got us in front of MTA. Their A&R man had used us on a record or two and once Joe had a few songs they liked we recorded them. This is the way we worked, since we were all still students.
We played lots of senior proms and dances in the area (including Scarsdale High, Sleepy Hollow High, among others.) During the summers we played at the beach clubs, country clubs , and finally the New York night spots The Phone Booth, Joel Heller’s Eighth Wonder in the village, and often we were regulars at The Canada Lounge in Mamaroneck, NY. I studied guitar with Linc Chamberland from Norwalk, Connecticut, who also was a regular attraction at The Canada Lounge. Spectacular guitarist.
We were friends with Don McLean who lived a couple blocks from me (he was a graduate of Iona Prep school where Joe, Bill, and I briefly went). Don hit it big about 1969 but he was always building a guitar or playing his individual style of music. I was a class mate of Tommy Mottola who lived down the street and we would play guitars together. This was long before he became a legend in the music business. I was already in Hollywood when he got famous.
By the way, that James Burton record (Powers of Blue) really rocks! (too bad I wasn’t at his session.)
Tom Southwell
Ed Rigano added:
This band was formed by Joe Messina. Joe was a great musician besides the organ he was as accomplished drummer and of course a great song writer. Bill H. our lead singer had a incredible voice could sing with the best of them. Andy could play drums like no one else and Tom Southwell played lead guitar, wow could he play. I backed everybody playing rhythm guitar, bass on the recordings and backing vocals to bill. We did other recordings but they were never released, I’m sure Joe has copies.
The Mystics came from either Valhalla or White Plains. Members were Jimmy Carpenito vocals and guitar, Charlie Sinerate guitar, Bob Fresta organ, Dan Liberati bass and Mike Mruz on drums.
Their first 45 from April, 1966 has two original songs by Jimmy Carpenito on their own Mystic label, the excellent jangling-guitar “Orphan” backed with “Bad to Me”, which I haven’t yet heard. These were recorded at White Plains Recording Studio. The group played on the Zacherle show at some point.
They cut a decent cover of the Peppermint Trolley Company’s “Lollipop Train” on the Ren-Vell Battle of the Bands album.
For their next single in August 1967, they recorded an original called “Ride My Pony (Come)”, featuring calliope organ playing, and written by James Carpenito and Bob Fresta.
The flip is an excellent cover of the P.F. Sloan & Steve Barri song “This Is What I Was Made For”, which had been previously been done by the Grass Roots (on Dunhill records) and Wild Life (on Columbia). All copies of the Mystics’ version have a short audible glitch that comes in about 45 seconds into the song, probably dirt or damage to the master stamper.
Jimmy Carpenito stayed active in music. I’m sorry to hear that Charlie Sinerate passed away in October 2018.
Interestingly in late 2018 I found a 45 I hadn’t known about credited to the Mystics, “Mystic” / “Laryngitis”. Both songs are instrumentals and would seem to be from about 1963 from the sound of them. The B-side, “Laryngitis” is especially good, with a menacing opening riff and good playing throughout.
Louis Viscusi wrote both songs, and arrangements are given to G. Arbach, B. Fresta, F. McConville. Besides the Westchester origin, Bob or Robert Fresta is the only name that connects this to the Mystics who played on their Ren-Vell records.
These were released on SD Records SD-16, which stood for Sön-Deane Records, with an address in a residential neighborhood at 25 Jennifer Lane, Hartsdale, NY. I found a Library of Congress listing for “Laryngitis” credited to Louis Robert Viscusi in February, 1965.
SD Records had a range of releases, including religious, school band and theater productions, and funk, most of these from the 1970s. There is an early single with a different label design by the Galaxies, “Ad Lib” / ” Laurie” on Son-Deane Records, RB-105. Jeffrey Baker wrote these Galaxies songs, copyrighted in January, 1964, and there are two others copyrighted in September, 1964, “Tranquility” and “E to G” but I don’t know if these were recorded or released.
Sön-Deane was listed as an ASCAP publisher in Cash Box in 1967 and ’68, as a mastering and reference cutter in DB Sound Engineering Magazine in 1968.
Thanks to Ron for the label shots of “Orphan” / “Bad to Me”.
From Rochester, Little Peppy is Marlene Torre, writer and singer on both these sides. She and the band turn in a spirited performance on “It Can Happen!!” The designated a-side, “Since You’ve Gone Away” is a slow ballad about missing her lover drafted overseas.
This was a custom press recorded at Fine Studios in September, 1966, and released with their house label. The master tape that turned up with the remains of the studio has alternate takes of each song.
One mystery is who was the band backing her as the Bare Existence.
If anyone has a photo of Little Peppy aka Marlene Torre, or the Bare Existence please contact me.
Caesar & His Romans, from left: Dan Cook, Bill Burt, Chuck Vicario (seated), David Burt and Karl Durant.
Caeser & His Romans were from Buffalo, recording two 45s on the GJM label in late ’67 and 1968 before signing to Scepter for two more singles. I hadn’t been able to find much about the group but some emails and comments have helped.
Vocalist Chuck Vicario stayed with the group throughout its career. Bassist John Sia co-founded the band with Chuck in 1964, and left for college in ’67. Joe Hesse replaced John and then Vinny Parker replaced Hesse. Joe DeSantis was the original drummer with the group. Other members of the group included Joe Hesse’s brother Jim Hesse on keyboards, Bill Burt and David Burt, and Dan Cook on lead guitar.
Both songs on their first 45 were written by Charles Vicario and J. Hesse, recording supervised by Jerry Meyers and Rich Sargent.
Rich Sargent wrote to me about his work with the band:
Jerry owned GJM Records, I worked for him, we used a few different studios. I produced “Leavin’ My Past Behind” at Audio Recording in Cleveland, the same studio wher Jerry produced the Joe Jeffries gold single “My Pledge Of Love” … great studio in downtown Cleveland. I am a long time friend of Chuck (Caesar/Big Wheelie) and his late manager Fred Caserta. We met in ’64 … my band and Chucks finished 1 & 2 in a number of “battle of the bands” back then.
I haven’t heard “When Will I Get Over You” in about 15 years… my favorite may have been “Leavin’ My Past Behind” (sure wish I could remix it) and “Baby Let’s Wait”. That one came close to breaking, but the Royal Guardsmen put out a version and we were done.
There was a core of players that was consistent but also a number who left, came back, left again. Dan Cook was the guitar player through all of the incarnations of Caesar and Big Wheelie. The keyboard player on “Green Grass…” was Jimmy Hesse who left to join The Road and was part of that band when they had a mid chart dingle on Kama Sutra with a cover of the Zombies “She’s Not There” which was produced by Joey Reynolds (now doing late night talk radio on WOR 710 NYC and also carried on over 200 stations).
Caesar & His Romans became Caesar & THE Romans, [then] evolved into Friendship Train which was a successful club & lounge act. During one set each night as part of the act they became Big Wheelie & The Hubcaps. This became so successful that Friendship Train was dropped in favor of a full night of Big Wheelie. Their final album was released on Amherst Records in 1976. Chuck stlll performs as Big Wheelie about 10-12 times per year. He was brilliantly managed by the late Fred Caserta who went on to found Kingdom Bound which is one of the largest concert events in the Christian Music field.
“Green Grass Makes It Better” is one of their catchiest numbers, and sure seems like a drug reference to me: the world is “going psycho” but “good green grass makes it better.” “Why Make a Fool of Me” on the flip is denser but excellent as well.
Their second record is one I haven’t yet heard, “Baby, Let’s Wait”, backed by the great “Black Lantern”, a bass-driven lament written by Vicario and Hesse. The A-side has the credit “Arr. by Beaver”, while the flip says “Arr. by Breezy” and “(from the movie ‘The Atomic Grandmother’)” – a real production or another joke?
Instead of publishing through GJM Music like the first single, Darshen Music published “Black Lantern”.
Moving towards a much more commercial direction, they signed to Scepter Records as Caesar and the Romans, releasing two 45s in 1969, both minor hits in the Buffalo area. “Baby Love” uses some fuzz guitar and heavy beats on the Supremes song, but I prefer the upbeat flip, “When Will I Get Over You”, written by C. Vicario, Jr.
The A-side of their next Scepter 45, “Leavin’ My Past Behind” / “Jailhouse Rock” continues their pop sound. Mike Dugo sent me photos of two more Scepter recordings by the band, “Come Little Girl” and “Come Live With Me” that were never released to my knowledge. Both are funky soul numbers.
Thank you to Diane Burt for the photo of the group at top and additional info, to Mike Dugo for the Scepter acetate photos, the promotional flyers and ads, and to Ryan Lalande for the scan of “Black Lantern”. Thank you to Mary Durant for help with identifying Karl in the photo; Karl Durant played drums with the group.
This is a classic garage LP, even though it’s a real mixed-bag of styles and quality. All the bands culled from Westchester County and the northern Bronx. Judging from the songs the bands cover it probably dates to sometime in 1967. A note on the back cover says the label auditioned over 100 groups. Jimmy Carpenito of the Mystics tells me Renvell’s studio was next to Gun Town on Central Ave in White Plains.
I thought it was likely Ren-Vell advertised for bands then asked them to put up some dollars to get their cut on the album. However, since first posting about this record, a sibling of one of the members of “The” wrote to me: “there definitely was a Battle of the Bands in Westchester County to compete for participation in the album. The guys didn’t pay to have their song on the album.”
The best original song on the record is undoubtedly the Traits’ “High on a Cloud”, an antisocial ode to chemical escape written by their singer, Mike Carroll.
The Traits on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour
I got a nickel bag, my eyes are drooping, they’re starting to sag Since you left me girl, well I think that life is a drag I’ll show you girl that you can’t keep on running around Because I’m high on a cloud and I ain’t never coming down
Well you left me girl, with two feet down on the ground I’ll show you girl that you can’t keep on running around I’ll get me a bag and I’ll show you just what I can do I’ll get so high I’ll wave goodbye to you
Cause I’m high on a cloud, high on a cloud, High on a cloud, and I ain’t comin’ down no more
With lyrics like those, it would be no wonder that Ren Vell buried it at the end of the second side, but the band said they chose to be last on the album. I wonder how many listeners made it all the way through the LP! About the time this album was cut, the Traits appeared on Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour (taped at CBS studios on Broadway – sponsored by Geritol!) doing Paul Revere & the Raiders’ “Just Like Me”. Mack introduces them as “high school students and a machinist from Pelham, NY!” In 1969, they recorded “Nobody Loves the Hulk”, an interesting attempt to capitalize on the Marvel Comics hero that I’ll feature soon.
The other great original is the Henchmen’s “Say,” written by their guitarist and vocalist John Wallin. The drummer bashes away behind a leaden fuzz riff, segueing to a relatively complex bridge. Andy Porter lays down a good, crude solo, with nice tremolo at the end.
The Henchmen also cut a number of demos at Bruno-Dean Recording Studios in New Rochelle and at United Recording including “Strangers”, “Jack of All Trades”, “Walk With Me Baby”, “Sad Clown” and “Stepping Stone”. Hear some of these on the new comp “I’ve Had Enough!” on Norton.
Of the cover songs, my favorite is “Respect” by “The”, followed by the Gyration’s take on “Stepping Stone” and the Night Rider’s version of “Jenny Take a Ride”.
Raunch’s version of “Hungry” is good, but my copy has a skip in it. Their bassist Frank Taxiera told me, “Joe Renda asked us to submit a song from about fifteen that we recorded at his studio between ’66 and ’67.” I’ve since posted more on Raunch here.
As for the rest, there are a couple light pop numbers, like “Lolly Pop Train” by the Mystics and “The Glass Toy” by the Reptiles, but they’re not bad. The most out of touch with the times is “Angel Baby” by the Vectors of the Bronx, where Carol Pecchio’s fine vocal performance is buried in echo behind the drums and bass. Some of the covers are unremarkable, but the Orphans out-of-tune vocals on the Byrds’ “Feel a Whole Lot Better” dooms that cut despite good instrumental playing.
I spent far too much time typing out the credits in the interests of ah, history. What follows is a complete list of songs and band members on the album, and links to a few of the better songs.
A1. Hungry – Raunch, from Ossining and Briarcliff Manor
Sandy Katz – rhythm guitar & vocal Jay Manning – lead guitar Frank Taxiera – bass Tom Walker – drums
A2. Jenny Take a Ride – The Night Riders, Portchester
Henry Lopez – lead guitar Cheno Lopez – guitar Dominick Gabrieli – rhythm guitar Tony Ojeda – bass Mike Lopez – drums
A3. Angel Baby – The Vectors, Bronx
Louie Glattino – drums Ronnie Salotto – organ Doug LoPresti guitar Charlie Pecchio – guitar Carol Pecchio – vocal
A4. Out of Sight – The Night Crawlers, White Plains
Geof. Greenburg – drums Bob Bloomfield – guitar & vocal Gary Kemp – guitar Rodge Altman – bass Otis Moore – vocals
A5. The Glass Toy – The Reptiles, Ossining
Mark Worthy – guitar & vocal Ron Macera – drums Paul Slavin – bass Steve Worthy – guitar & vocal
A6. Say – The Henchmen, Pleasantville
Ray Greene – organ Jimmy Porter – drums Mark Zvonkovic – bass Andy Porter – guitar John Wallin – guitar, vocal
B1. (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone – The Gyrations, Yonkers
John Soares, 3rd. – guitar, vocal Ronnie Christmann – bass John Karlsson – guitar Nick Vitulli – organ Robert Karlsson – drums
B2. Lolly Pop Train – Tne Mystics, Valhalla or White Plains
Jimmy Carpenito – vocal & guitar Charlie Sinerate – guitar Dan Liberati – bass Mike Mruz – drums Bob Fresta – organ
B3. Didn’t Want to Have to Do It – The Hangmen, Eastchester
Joe Montclare – vocals Art Sammartino – Cordavox Jim Miranti – drums, John Bruno – bass Joe Manganiello – guitar
B4. Respect – “The”, Yonkers
Richard Kudelka – bass Sal Del Bene – drums Bill Connors – guitar Bob Kolachik – vocal & guitar Frank Longo – organ
B5. Feel a Whole Lot Better – The Orphans, White Plains
Vinny Leonardis – guitar & vocals Joe Gangemi – bass & vocal Mike Saland – guitar and vocal Ricky Pelpzman – drums
B6. High On A Cloud – The Traits, Pelham
Don Chicherchia – guitar (I believe Dom Chicerchia is correct) Bob Creaturo – guitar Mike Carrol – vocal Bobby Williams – drums Jim Klieforth – organ
Recording engineer: Ernie Rivellino A&R: Joe Renda Supervision: Pete Iarussi Renda-Rivell Studios 317 Central Ave, White Plains
There are also at least two singles on Ren-Vell, best of which may be the Mystics (covered here):
RV-318 The Sherwoods – Third Summer (That I Loved You) (by Joe Lanza) / Lonely for You, supervised by Ken Luttman.
RV-320 The Mystics – This Is What I Was Made For / Ride My Pony (Come) – not the Lee Dorsey song but an original by James Carpenito and B. Fresta
Updates:
Since writing this I’ve heard from Vinnie Leonardis of the Orphans:
I was the founder of the Orphans out of White Plains High School. We played school dances around 1965 tru 1967.
How did we get on the album? Joe Renda belonged to the same church. He had a band that played for one of the church dinner dances. They played for the older crowd. They let the Orphans get up a play a few songs for the teenagers. As I remember it about three seconds into the first song, the priest ran up to the stage waving his arms frantically to TURN THAT NOISE DOWN! Well, we got tru it. At the end of the night Joe told us about the album he was making and were we interested in being on it. Of course we gladly accepted. Thanks to father Julius for letting us finish the set.
Not sure how that song got picked for the album. We surely had better songs than that. And YES the vocals on our cut of the album were humorous.
There actually was a battle of the bands around the time that album was cut. I still have the third place plaque. I think Jimmie Carps Mystics took first place.
Unfortunately the other three members of the band have all passed on. I still have my 1964 Rickenbacker guitar that I use on gigs once in a while but nothing can replace the excitement of that era.
Doug LoPresti wrote to me with some info about the Vectors:
Although we were billed as being from the Bronx, I and three others were from Yonkers! And White Plains was part of the community of interest. I was guitar with Ron Salotto on keyboard for many years. We hooked up with Carol and Charlie and Louie later. We were a classic garage band … Louie’s basement! We called it the “Cellarino” Geez! I’m sorry we got such bad reviews for that recording! That version of “Angel Baby” was a huge hit wherever we played. It was Carol in person that made it so … without seeing her, it loses impact!
We continued through the 70’s as an active group, switched to the wedding scene as everyone did. By the 80s we all had kids and not enough time to continue. I reconnected with Carol about ten years ago, she’s in North Carolina now. I’m still friends with Ron (keyboard) but can’t find Louie. Actually there were many times when we couldn’t find him then either!
Thanks to Rockin’ Rex for info on the Ren-Vell 45s and Raunch single.
Joe Renda of Ren-Vell correction: Ernie Rivellino tells me this is not Joe Renda or Ren-Vell Studio
Eddie Reeves was writing songs, arranging and producing for United Artists in the mid-late ’60s. He wrote and produced the fantastic “A Million Things” for the Restless Feelins, layering distorted guitar throughout the track, even over the vocals and chorus.
The flip is a Byrds-like song by Bruce Murdoch, “Hey Mama You’ve Been on My Mind”. I knew nothing about the band behind this 45 until Eddie Reeves set the record straight with his comment (see below). I repeat it here in its entirety:
The Restless Feelin’s was me along with Ron Dante singing harmony. The “A” side of the record was actually “Hey Mama You Been On My Mind” but not the Dylan song. It was written by a fellow named Bruce Murdoch and it’s a clever song with Dylan-type lyrics. I did the recording as a demo for United Artists Music Company in New York while employed by them as a demo producer, song writer and song plugger from 1965 thru 1967 in New York and then from 1968 thru 1971 in Los Angeles.
The musicians are Hugh McCracken -guitar; Frank Owens -keyboards; Bobby Gregg -drums; and Joe Macho -bass. United Artists Records decided to release it as a single and asked me to record a “B” side and “A Million Things” was the result with the same musicians but without Ron Dante doing harmony which was done by me.”
A short time after this record by the Restless Feelins, Eddie Reeves produced another UA 45 by the Hysterical Society, a band from his hometown, Amarillo, Texas.
60sgaragebands.com has an interview with Eddie covering the early part of his career.
The Prime Mover were led by two brothers from New York, John Pastor and Tony Pastor, Jr., who wrote both sides of this mystical opus.
Released in late 1967 on the Socko label, “When You Made Love To Me” contrasts droning chords with ringing chimes and quirky lead guitar work. The dense production prevents this song from having as strong an impact as it could have.
The less ambitious flip, “Shadow of a Day Gone By”, falls flat by comparison. The Pastors were sons of jazz bandleader Tony Pastor, and also had a vocal group the Pastor Brothers with their other sibling, Guy.
Heart and Soul early photo, from left: John Grower, Don Rumble, Jimmy Roland, and Kevin Swift, with Ezzie Post in front
Heart and Soul formed in 1967, releasing this crude psych 45 with good harmonies and playing on the Strive label out of Poughkeepsie. Both songs have guitar breaks as well as more soloing on the outros. The band members came from Kingston and Saugerties in the Hudson Valley of New York, Members were:
Ezzie Post – lead vocals John Grower – guitar Don Rumble – organ Kevin Swift – bass Jimmy Rowland – drums
For garage heads like myself, “Afterthought” is the better of the two tunes, writing credits to D G. Rumble and E. Post. Don Rumble wrote “If”. Swift and Cagnone produced the single.
Thank you to John Grower, who sent in the photos seen here. Kevin Swift passed away in 2011.
The ZTSP prefix in the dead wax means this record was ordered out of Columbia’s New York custom press office. For more on Strive Records, see Ian’s comment below.
Heart and Soul at the Viking LoungeHeart and Soul 1967
The Wee Four, from left: Bob Salerno, Jack Allocco, Terry Piliterre, and Dennis Drew
Terry Pilittere was the founder of the Rochester, NY group the Dimensions, in 1962. Members were Denny Drew lead guitar, Rob Salerno rhythm guitar, Ken Polizzi bass and vocals, and Terry on drums and vocals. In 1965 Jack Allocco joined and the band changed their name to the Wee Four, because none of the members was over 5′ 8″ tall.
The Wee Four recorded an excellent garage punker, “Weird” in 1966, written by Terry with his friend Jim Obi, b/w Terry’s song “Give Me a Try”. The Wee Four recorded other songs, including “I Could Never”, but these weren’t released.
Members of the band had conflicts with manager Al Cecere, but Terry decided to leave the group and go with Al as his manager for a solo record of two beautiful original songs, “It’s Not That Way” and “You Wouldn’t Believe Me”.
Terry passed away in December, 2000.
Photo caption updated 2022.
Sources: Mike Dugo’s interview with Ken Polizzi of the Wee Four. Photos from Fuzz Acid and Flowers.
The Quadrangle were a New York group, and this is their only 45, released in October of 1966.
“She’s Too Familiar” now is a classic garage song. Every element is striking: the keyboard intro, the bass line and drums, the sharp guitar parts and the fantastic vocal, with a tambourine-led chorus that brings it all together.
The b-side, “No More Time” combines a New Orleans type beat with a bit of Donovan’s Mellow Yellow vocal delivery.
I had thought they were only a studio group until I found a mention in the April 30, 1966 issue of Billboard that states “Ray West’s group the Quadrangle closed at Arthur last week and will now record under the supervision of Artie Kornfeld.” Artie Kornfeld did produce them, using the songwriting team of Michael Konstan and Jay Fishman.
Kornfeld had a lot of experience writing classic songs as half of the Changin’ Times with Steve Duboff. Their original versions of “Pied Piper” and “How Is the Air Up There” were covered with more success by other bands. Kornfeld went on to work with many other acts as producer. Michael Konstan released a solo lp on RCA in ’73. I’d like to know more about the other members of Quadrangle, though.
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
Most of their California bands were signed through Leo Kulka at San Francisco’s Golden State Recorders. Their East Coast material seems to come from a variety of sources, and some bands seem to be purely studio concoctions.
Heart and Soul formed in 1967, releasing this crude psych 45 with good harmonies and playing on the Strive label out of Poughkeepsie. Both songs have guitar breaks as well as more soloing on the outros. The band members came from Kingston and Saugerties in the Hudson Valley of New York, Members were:
Terry Pilittere was the founder of the Rochester, NY group the Dimensions, in 1962. Members were Denny Drew lead guitar, Rob Salerno rhythm guitar, Ken Polizzi bass and vocals, and Terry on drums and vocals. In 1965 Jack Allocco joined and the band changed their name to the Wee Four, because none of the members was over 5′ 8″ tall.
Members of the band had conflicts with manager Al Cecere, but Terry decided to leave the group and go with Al as his manager for a solo record of two beautiful original songs, “It’s Not That Way” and “You Wouldn’t Believe Me”.
