MY FIRST REAL GOOD GUITAR
A 1961 Les Paul Standard with Sideways Vibrola & PAF Humbuckers
It was my 5th instrument ( got my first one in 1956) Bought new at
Patchogue Music Center in December of 1961 for $230.00
Got it out of Layaway March of 1962 ( I was 14 and a sophomore at William Floyd)
At first I carried it in my chipboard case with a pillow in it that I had for my Kay
archtop. By my 15th birthday I was able to afford a hardshell case. I got a Fender
Strat case 'cause it looked cooler than the Gibson. But the guitar didn't really fit that well due to the angle of the Gibson
headstock.
The whole story about my Red Christmas Guitar is located here
BTW TODAY THIS MODEL WITH LES PAUL'S NAME ON IT, WHICH WAS ONLY MADE FROM 1961- early 62,
SELLS FOR AS MUCH AS 35 K!!!!
HERE I AM WORKING WITH IT IN 1962 WITH "THE ISLANDERS"
BURIED TREASURE FOUND JULY 2015
Larry Schulz, My Oldest Friend In The World, (we have been friends since 1950 ) Found My Islanders Music Stand In His Mother's Basement.
I Got It New In 1961 For $6.50 At Irv's ( Patchogue Music Center ). My Mom Lettered It. When The Islanders Broke Up In '62 Larry & I Played Together
For A Time In A Group Called The Del- Fis. Larry Must Have Taken It Home From A Gig Or I Left It In His Parents Car, As We Were Just 15. It's Made Of Cardboard And How This Much Of It Survived For 54 Years Is A Mind Blower
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TROLLING ALONG
THE TROLLS ARE BACH ! THEY DISAPPEARED FOR A WHILE
THE TROLLS
Who later became The Music Bachs I recall playing with the Music Bachs at The Huntington Au Go Go in 1967
which had to be the smokiest club I think I ever was in. We should of got hazard duty to play there.
I used Harry Troll's white B-3 then and watched it turn yellow in a week or so
THE ORIGINAL TROLLS CIRCA 1964
The late Marcel Thompson, on the far right was one of the the Trolls guiding lights. He was also was in the Music Bachs, Alice & Mr. Flood's Party
That is Leslie Zemei next to Marcel. Leslie was in The Rainy Days along with Jack McMahon who sent in these Troll Pics
The other girl is Gail Messina & the other guys are Craig Mannion and Jimmy De' Lea
TROLLING ALONG
l - R Bobby Apponte , Rocky Cammarata , Jack McMahon , Marcel Thompson
Thanks to Original Troll Jack McMahon for these photos
HERE'S A FEW MORE COURTESY OF TED GORZKOWSKI
Strangers on the shore ? No Bachs on The Rocks
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A FEW JOINTS
( No Not Those Joints ... They Are Illeagle
Rather Summer Da Places We Played In )
MY HOUSE
Actually Danny Mazurs House I first played there in 1965 with Eddie & The Tempos when it was called The Cat & Fiddle, then with The Strangers when it was still The Cat and when Danny's Liqour License got yanked in 1966 with the Strangers . I remember the original Hassles, Harry, Jon, John & Richie auditioning for Mazur in the Summer of 66when we played there. It was a converted Vic Tanny's Gym on South Oyster Bay Road in Plainview . Held about 900 sweaty bodies
JULY 1968 It was a big weekend for (Mrs. Murphy's Basement) when the United Artists Label folks and record producer Tommy Kaye came out to My House. by then our manager was Danny Mazur and we ( Sue, Phitchie, Lou, Robbie, & Me) got our record deal. Mazur also managed The Hassles who were already on the UA Label and were about to start recording their second album. Both groups wound up working in the Studio Three in NYC... (three doors down from Carnegie Hall) from late summer 1968 through November. Never forget lugging my Hammond up the two flights of stairs into the studio. It took 6 of us about a half hour to do that. My A-100 Hammond became the studios "house organ" for that time and was also used by Jay & The Americans, Monte Rock III, John Simon (with Richie Havens) and that kid from Hicksville Billy Joel. Both groups actually disolved during that time . Billy Joel & Jon Small formed Attila and Mrs Murphy's Basement was reduced to a trio with Lou Sue & Me calling ourselves "Cold Coffee" (yech)
VAGRANTS ARE BEST KNOWN AS LESLIE WEST'S FIRST BAND
The Factory was a large industrial building located on the LI Expressway North Side Sevice Road In Syosset
The Brass Tax were a BS&T Style Horn Band
I don't recall who was in Banchee.
The late great Johnny Maestro was the leader of Brooklyn Bridge which also was jumpin' on the horn bandwagon
Drummer Eddie Corliss had one of busiest groups in the late 50's - mid 60 s on Western Long Island
Last time I saw them was at the Starlight Lounge in Coram around 1966
Bobby Groccia along with his sister Maryjane, Joe Boccia and Joe Di Bartola got together around 1958
They cut a record "Felicia" that sold well and got played on American Bandstand
The worked very steadily all through the 60s. We (The Strangers ) played with them at The Cat & Fiddle in Plainview in 1965
By then Maryjane was using a portable organ.
I still recall Bobby doing a spot on vocal cover of Little JImmy Charles' hit Million To One
photos of The Grads & Orbits courtesy of Greg Geller
THE ABSTRACTS
They were only around a for a short time in the mid 60's Acording to Guitarist Don Sucher their last gig was at Danny Mazur's Cat & Fiddle
which became My House by mid summer 1966
photos courtesy of Don Sucher
Making A Promo Film With The British Look
READ SEE AND HEAR MUCH MORE ABOUT THE ABSTRACTS HERE
SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC
From Happauge / Smithtown Area
They were around in the late 60s and played most all the popular clubs back then
BOB
JIMMY
photos courtesy Bob MIllici
Rick Bonanno's
THE FANTASY TRAIN
From the Amityville Bayshore Area Fantatasised Themselves Into The
FREEDOM BROTHERS
photos : Ricky Bonnano
THE ILLUSIONS
FRANK GAIRDINO, THE REALANDER BROTHERS (Roger & Rick) ALONG WITH GEORGE MORALDO
& DRUMMER JOHNNY ADAMEC CIRCA 1965
Johnny became a STRANGER to them in 1966 when he joined my group by the same name
AESOPS FABLES
Circa 1967-68
Frank Krepla guitar, Sonny Styles, Vocal, Wally Bone, Drums, Barry Taylor, B-3 Organ with bass pedals. The Fables as they were known, was Sonny Styles' group that he formed after his Kingsmen had gone astray. Both groups featured Sonny's incredible soul vocals that were on par with anyone who ever crooned in that genere. In fact back in the early '60s, Sonny was most likely the first white guy ever offered a recording contract from Motown records . The Fables made several albums for Monument Records . They sold regionally, but like many other talented groups from Long Island, failed to get airplay nationally . This photo by Ted Gorzkowski, seems to suggest that old music biz proverb "Don't Give Up Your Day Job" Aesop himself might of sung it too if he had a band.
"THE HABIT"
It was good to hear from co-founder John DeMartino who sent me pics and memorabilia. Formed in 1966, they played the Long Island circuit quite regularly in the '60s. Their rolling billboard artsy van was one of the very few I recall seeing around the Island that took advantage of the sheet metal canvas. Their original lineup was John on sax , his brother Ralph gtr, Jerry Lanza bass, Walt Nikles, organ, Doug Dean drums with all of them in the habit of singing. When they broke up, John and his brother Ralph formed a group called RAM with Dennis Carbone of the Down Five. RAM got signed to Polydor who released an album titled "Where" in the early 70s
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