Here’s a song by the Sey Heys you may be able to relate to, about hanging out around the convenience store. Certainly did enough of that when I was a young teen. The audio quality on this acetate is rough but the performance is good, with both guitar and piano solos on “The Corner Store”.
Group organized in 1965-1967. Manager Mike Petro from Harrison, New Jersey.
Bob Baranowski – rhythm guitar (Harrison, NJ)
Steve Giovenco – lead guitar (Clifton, NJ)
Ed Ferrick – bass guitar, lead vocals (Harrison, NJ)
Alan Kuraz – organ (Harrison, NJ)
Lenny Dadone – drummer (Clifton, NJ)Group played locally and at most colleges. Also played for Bank of Toyko at Waldorf in NY. Won competition on Zacherley TV show [Zacherley’s Disco Teen on Channel 47 WNJU-TV] in Newark NJ. Backed up the Duprees at the Cornet in Irvington NJ, 1966. Won several battle of the bands in NJ. Recorded first record “Rose Marie” and flip side “The Corner Store” in 1966. The group broke up in 1967.
Ed Ferrick was lead singer and composer of “Rosemarie”. He and Bob Baranowski wrote “The Corner Store” in fifteen minutes to fill the session. They cut the two tracks in two hours at the Hertz Recording Studio on Halsey Street in Newark, for a total of $90: $30 per hour for the time and $30 for demos for the band. Bob’s uncle was going to push the demo to RCA, where he worked as a patent attorney for RCA, but he died before he could make anything happen.
Their primary competition was The Caretakers from Harrsion, whose members included Artie Cuff on sax and Ritchie Ferollia on lead guitar. The Caretakers were mainly a cover band who had the distinction of touring Vietnam with Bob Hope.
Steve Di Giovanni went on to join the Clifton band the Brats. Bob Baranowski joined the Sidesteps, based in Newark.
Special thanks to Arnold Max for submitting the Sey Hey’s acetate, photo and story.
The Hertz Studio had some of the crudest acetates I’ve heard. Here’s a partial list – any additions would be welcome (thank you Mike Dugo for adding the Concepts).
Johnny Kriss & the Mark IV – “Rockin’ Baby” / “Please Baby Please”
Viscaines – “Wind Storm” (garage with harmony background vocals)
Creations – “The Outcast” / “I Don’t Care”
Creations – “Bricks and Stones” / “Set Me Free”
Creations – “Far Away / “Captain Dirtbomb”
Sey Hey’s – “Rosemarie / “Corner Store” (April 1966)
Concepts – “When Peace Will Come” / “We’re Doing Wrong”
Corvets – “Shrangri-La” [“Shangri-La”] / “Twist and Shout” (unplayable on the one copy I’ve seen for sale)
Karriem Productions – “Heartbreaker” / “Strangers In Love” (soul or funk)
Hello, I wanted to make a few corrections on the Sey Heys page. I’m the guitarist Steve Giovenco (not DiGiovoni) originally from Clifton, New Jersey. I went on to play with the Brat’s with Ken Furst & the Seitz Brothers. The Brats eventually turned into Godspeed, playing the Jersey Shore Club Scene for years. I studied music at the University of North Texas and migrated to the west coast playing Latin Jazz and doing studio work in California. I still perform in the Lake Tahoe & San Francisco Bay Area, often with my son’s group: “Giovenco Project”
My music website:http://www.cypressgroove.com/artists_music_steve.html
Correction: The drummer’s name was Lenny Dadone, also from Clifton.
Thank you for the great memories!
Also Eddie Frerichs not Ferrick
Rest in Peace brother Bob. You are definitely missed.
I was very young, when I wrote Rosemarie and have evolved as a singer and songwriter, only in the last fifteen yrs. I stopped performing yrs ago, due to a stage fright I developed , but I still sing and record occasionly. I recently recorded an acapella doo wop tune, that I wrote last year. I had the pleasure of recording it with one of the best vocal groups in the Boston area. I must say that the recording of Rosemarie, wasen’t bad for a bunch of kids and I was very sorry to hear about the passing of Bobby Baronowski.
Thanks, Eddie Ferris
Eddie is my Brother. This is so strange seeing this.
Stumbled upon this looking up stuff for my Dad Robert Hartman. If anyone is interested in getting in touch with him please contact me. He’s always talking about this “band days”.
Brian Hartman
BrianPHartman@gmail.com
Here’s another Hertz Recording Studios acetate to add to the list:
Concepts – When Piece Will Come / We’re Doing Wrong
It should be noted the correct spelling of “Peace” is penciled above “ Piece”. The songs are crude as expected, with “Peace” being an anti-war garage/folk ballad and “Wrong” a poppier tune with Everly Brothers vibes.