Category Archives: Samron

Categories: Coaldale, Pennsylvania, Samron

The Five Flys “Livin’ for Love” / “Dance Her By Me” on Samron

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The Five Flys, from left: Rich Murlo, Tony Tonon, Steve Kucey, Skip Nehrig and John Gallagher. Photo courtesy of Tony Tonon

The Five Flys released their only single “Livin’ for Love” / “Dance Her By Me” in 1966. It was the last single on Samron Records S-104, and the only one with Coaldale, PA on the label.

Members included Rich Murlo, Tony Tonon, Steve Kucey, Skip Nehrig and John Gallagher. They were from the Coaldale area in Schuylkill County, like Angie and the Citations.

Five Flys and the Chevelles at Tam-Au-Go-Go Bandstand, Mahoney City, August 1965

The Five Flys played local shows in Coaldale and Mahoney City in 1965 and 1966, and further away in Allentown and Bethlehem.

A report of an August 1966 show at St. Joseph’s in Summit Hill described “music for street dancing by the Five Flys”.

Thank you to Tony Tonon for the photo. I would appreciate more info on the Five Flys.

Five Flys at Jamaican A Go-Go, Bethlehem, July 1966, days after the King’s Ransom and the Scott Bedford Four
Categories: Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Samron, Scranton

Thee Avantis on Samron

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Thee Avantis Samron 45 I Want To UnderstandSamron Records had a great run, releasing only a handful of singles but all that I’ve heard are top-notch rock ’n roll. Thee Avantis’ “I Want to Understand” / “Nancy” on Samron S-103, recorded in late 1965, is one of the best.

“I Want to Understand” is the kind of single I never get tired of, featuring a neat guitar hook, solid bass and drum playing, the right amount of organ and great vocals. There are fine guitar and organ breaks, the entire song clocking in at 2:27.

The other three singles on Samron are:

Samron S-101: The Wizards “Don’t Trust A Man” / “Sad Little Girl”
Samron S-102: Ognir & the Night People “I Found a New Love” (Nehring, Marusak) / “All My Heart” (Nehring, Molinaro) released October 1965

Samron S-104: The Five Flys “Livin’ for Love” / “Dance Her By Me”

Samron was run by Ronald Magazzu, and Sam Lesante was also involved. The first two singles listed Magazzu Productions in Hazleton, PA, while the label for the Five Flys changes the town to Coaldale, PA.

I’ve read Thee Avantis were from Scranton, but I found a notice in the Hazleton Standard-Speaker from March 5, 1966 listing the band for a Sunday Dance at the Fiesta Room in Hazleton, about an hour’s drive southwest of Scranton.

I only know the names of three members of Thee Avantis: Nick Fata on bass and Robert Schnessel who wrote both songs, plus Tom Flanagan. Magazzu Music Co. published both songs.

Thank you to Mike K and Mike Markesich for additional info on the label in their comments.

Thee Avantis Samron 45 Nancy