Love it or leave it.
The man sitting next to me says, "Who do you think is performing first?"
Me: "Well, the set-up looks like The Buckinghams."
Man: "Yeah? Well here come The Hermits!"
Me: "That is Tommy. Definitely The Buckinghams. And here is Bruce, Dave, and Nick. Carl should be coming down the ramp soon."
Man: "You know them all? HONEY! SHE KNOWS ALL OF THEM!"
Hmmmm.
I never thought about it much. I guess maybe that could be unusual.
That conversation and my visual perspective tonight on seeing the
concert turning in the round has made me focus on the musicians behind
the original members/lead singers of each group. I will be speaking for
myself, but I am certain others will share this introspection.
None
of these "back-up" musicians performed onstage as A Buck, A Union Gap,
or A Hermit when they recorded the songs they are now playing and
singing. But I know from talking to the audiences that many are unaware
of that fact and are enamored of their musicianship. In the book The Wrecking Crew, they
speak of the reluctance of musicians to switch from jazz to rock and
roll, as rock and roll was just so rudimentary and not creatively
appealing as was jazz. It took arrangements by The Wrecking Crew and
others in the business to open up the possibilities to where this new
medium could surge and make it rise above the imaginations of many Big
Band and Jazz aficionados. It could be a simple song kept basic or
enhanced to create majesty. Sometimes both; in the same song. So where
are we now?
Since I do know these specific musicians, and try to keep up with their careers, let me talk about them.
They practice their instruments and work on composing when not on tour.
They are forever honing their crafts, and perform in other venues, or with other people as they see fit.
They have worked to be where they are.
They love where they are ... maybe not everyday, maybe not every concert ... but they WANT to be musicians.
They
back off when the lead singer(s) tour in a group form with other bands,
or perform in other countries where legalities create restrictions.
They rejoin with a smile when they reunite.
They get paid. Of course. Hopefully enough to relax a bit and enjoy life.
They
are not just playing "from the record." They are creative and have
learned to work with other sound systems and instruments while on the
road.
They get tired. They do not always have great
days. They DO smile when they get onstage, even if two minutes before
showtime, they wanted to strangle someone.
THEY FILL MY LIFE. THEY MAKE IT HAPPIER.
I
watched the grand guitar riffs, the drumsticks twirling or being thrown
in the air, the keyboards changing the instrument scheme. I saw
intensity. I saw legs kicking, arms windmilling around guitars. I saw
love.
Am I down-playing or
dismissing our original leads in these groups.
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
They are
the standard, the drive, the basis of our admiration. They are the
reason we keep wanting to attend concerts. In the education field, they
keep telling us "It takes a village." One person alone is never as
affective as a group of supportive and caring people. Cheers and
Accolades to Nick Fortuna, Carl Giammarese, Peter Noone, and Gary
Puckett. Fantastic night!
Today, in reverse alphabetical order, I salute:
Dave Zane - A Buck
Billy Sullivan - A Hermit
Rich Spina - A Hermit
Bruce Soboroff - A Buck
Tommy Scheckel - A Buck
Woody Lingle - Union Gap
Jamie Holmbolt - Union Gap
Dave Ferrara - A Hermit
Mike Candito - Union Gap
Vance Brescia - A Hermit
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
Forgotten Hits, NE Correspondent
Your question of the day is:
Who
performed at the opening of the Westbury Music Fair (Long Island, NY)
and also at its 50th anniversary, wearing the same clothes?
