By Steve S. (64.12.103.182 - 64.12.103.182) on Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 08:20 pm:

A question - Is the early local band with the Terrana brothers called the Sunliners (as mentioned in the Tera Shirma story) what developed into Rare Earth? After taking my kids to see Hitsville the other day I picked up the Motown singles collection & noticed that Rare Earth is identified as having originally been known as the Sunliners. The Rare Earth lineup seems to share one member with the Sunliners lineup shown in the Tera Shirma story - Gil Bridges. And as a followup, how was Rare Earth lucky enough to have a record label with the same name as the band? Did they just happen to be the first rock group in Motown & so were honored with the label name as well? Or did they take their name from the label?

By the way, they're still talking about "Machine Gun" by the Commodores being the last Hitsville recording. Since I was there last they have opened up the 2nd floor Berry Gordy apartment as part of the tour.

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, December 31, 2001 - 03:55 am:

Steve,
Yes The Sunliners were Rare Earth. The Motown label Rare Earth was named from the group. It's a long story. If you want the real inside story on the band I suggest you get a copy of Peter Rivera's book Born To Wander. It is excellent. You can order it through Rare Earth.com.
I spoke with Peter a couple of days ago. He will be posting on the forum in the near future.

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Wednesday, January 02, 2002 - 07:31 pm:

Steve,
I should have mentioned that Gil Bridges is the last remaining member of the original Rare Earth and The Sunliners.

By Steve S. (64.12.105.164 - 64.12.105.164) on Thursday, January 03, 2002 - 03:10 am:

Thanks for the information - do you mean by last remaining member that Rare Earth still exists with only him as a founding member?

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Thursday, January 03, 2002 - 03:56 am:

Yes, Rare Earth exists. Through a legal proceeding Gil secured the rights to the name and has a band known as Rare Earth. I don't know how active the band is. Other than speaking with Gil a couple of years ago, I have been pretty much out of touch with him.

By Mike Theodore (24.4.252.80 - 24.4.252.80) on Thursday, January 03, 2002 - 09:59 pm:

If you ever wondered where the name Rare Earth came from. I was taking a college chemistry class at the time and also producing the group with Dennis Coffey for MGM/Verve and I gave them the name. Right out of the chemistry book
Mike Theodore

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 12:00 am:

And now you know the rest of the story.
Geeeze Mike...I remember that!! Man!!! That goes back a ways. I remember the album cover. Kenny Folcik, Rare Earth's keyboardist was late for the shoot, so Dennis was put in his place. I remember Kenny being rather upset by this because Dennis " didn't look like a hippy " I told you what he said and you laughed.

By John Lester (213.122.198.50 - 213.122.198.50) on Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 10:39 pm:

I been away in the south of France for the past 8 days......but it seems like a lot has gone on lately but I wanted to say HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone...

I took Pete's book with me and once I started I couldn't put it down. So now I have read it all through in one go instead of bits and pieces...its a real great book (very "rosie" in places - hee hee) and I really did enjoy it. I have to say I think Pete shortened it too much cos there was lots more he must have wanted to put in but decided not to...in fact I am gonna contradict myself here....the fact that it was a short book means I read it cos it was easy to read and I thus enjoyed it but then when I finished it, I wished it was longer. Now if that doesn't sound double dutch, then I am a heavy rocker (which I aint!!)

Pete must have been real busy to confuse a few things though ...like "Touch Me In The Morning" by the SUPREMES!!! Still, who cares if it was really Diana Ross....it was a great book....

and its nice to see our mates from here in it too.....

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.7.94.231 - 62.7.94.231) on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 08:43 am:

john, welcome back and a happy new year to you too.

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 02:40 pm:

John,
I think Pete has some of the facts wrong in his book. But that has been normal for all the guys in the band through the years. We are always findng that our individual perspectives of our story tends to vary somewhat. We have always talked about a band reunion someday. I would love to do this. Just the band holed up in a hotel somewhere with video cameras and tape recorders running. What a riot that would be.Then we might come out of it all with the definitive story of The Sunliners. However at our advancing ages it's possible that it would be more confused than ever.

By John Lester (213.1.129.214 - 213.1.129.214) on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 12:02 am:

Ralph.

Confused! That may well be......but what the 'ell..........go for it mate and tell us all when you are doing that reunion so we can all be there too, just so we can get confused as well!!

And if we get the definitive story on the Sunliners as well, that's a bonus!

Hee hee........

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 12:49 am:

John,
Ya gotta wonder what Rosie would have to say.

By John Lester (213.122.200.2 - 213.122.200.2) on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 01:46 am:

From what I have read, Rosie was not a lady of words more like actions!!!

I bet you're wearing that little boy grin again!!

HA HA HA HA HA

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 02:54 am:

John,

By DeAnne (24.234.119.126 - 24.234.119.126) on Saturday, March 09, 2002 - 06:52 pm:

I was going through some old records today, actually looking for the Royal Playboys...anyway, I found an old Sunliners rocord arranged by Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey...It's called "Well One", and the flip side Land of Nod. It's on the MGM label and has no date. Ralph, do you remember this?

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Saturday, March 09, 2002 - 11:11 pm:

Yes DeAnne,
That was done at Tera Shirma after I had left the band.It was at that time that Mike Theodore would re-name The Sunliners to Rare Earth

By Dennis Coffey (152.163.194.189 - 152.163.194.189) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 04:32 am:

Hi Folks. A few years ago, I hung out with Gil Bridges. At times we had a few beers at singer Jamie Coe's place. DeAnne and Ralph, you know who I mean. Gil told me he works with Rare Earth throughout the year and stays in town for the winter. I did end up on their album cover because one of the guys didn't show up. I thought it was Rod the guitar player. Hey, I was asked so I said ok.

Dennis Coffey

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 05:04 am:

Dennis,
On the album cover you sat in for Kenny Folcik, the keyboard player.

By John Lester (213.122.202.6 - 213.122.202.6) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 07:48 am:

Which album is that?

By Dennis Coffey (152.163.194.192 - 152.163.194.192) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 04:12 pm:

Ralph, if you remembered his last name after all of these years, you may be correct. It was the Dreams and Answers album and we took the photograph on a hill in Hines Park.

Dennis Coffey

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 04:39 pm:

Dennis,
Apparently every one was to meet at Tera Shirma and then go out for the shoot from there. Kenny didn't show so you went in his place. After you all had left the studio, Kenny showed. He asked where everyone was and I told him they went on without him after waiting as long as they could. I also told him Dennis Coffey would be his likeness on the album cover. He got all upset over this and said you didn't look like a hippie.I later told this to Theodore and he laughed.

By Dennis Coffey (205.188.200.192 - 205.188.200.192) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 12:52 am:

Well Ralph as they say, "If you snooze, you lose." :<) I was just trying to help. At first, I didn't even want to do it. I had someone come up to me the other day and said they recognized me from that cover and asked if I played on the album. I think a lot of album cover scans must be on the internet.

Dennis Coffey

By DeAnne (24.234.119.126 - 24.234.119.126) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 01:41 am:

You bring back so many memories...Hines park...haven't thought about that in years. I have seen Jamie Coe over the years. When I travel to Detroit, I make sure that I stop in Jamie's Place. I'll be there in September. Maybe we could have a drink together Dennis...I would love to see you again. Thanks for clearing up the Sunliners record. I don't know how I have kept all this stuff for so many years.

By John Lester (213.122.196.52 - 213.122.196.52) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 07:23 am:

DeAnne.

We here are all just so glad that you DID keep all that stuff!!

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 02:23 pm:

DeAnne,
In all this stuff you have, would you have a pic of John Merlino?

By philysoulman (64.12.97.11 - 64.12.97.11) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 02:35 pm:

The defacto head of the Philly mob is "Skinny" Joey Merlino. His sister used to work at Alpha international studios in south Philly that was of "Dubious" ownership. I knew her quite well and her "family"came there often.
The Christmas soirees were legendary. Loads of bulging sport jackets and ice swan sculptures. They always tried to out do Sigma (not "connected") The juxtaposition of
mobsters and soulsters was a sight to behold.
Where else could you see Evelyn "Champagne" King and John Gotti in the same room eating Sweedish meatballs over a glass of bubbly!!!!
So I wonder if perhaps John Merlino was related to our very own wise guy, Joey???

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 02:46 pm:

Bobby,
I think the John Merlino I'm familiar with fancied himself some sort of " Made Man '.
I had mentioned in some earlier thread about an " incident " between me an Merlino
that was a little on the dark side that I would write about. Something I'm not overly proud of, but it is part of the Tera Shirma story I think, so I am going to write about it for an up-coming segment. It would be nice to have a pic of him.

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 03:26 pm:

Bobby,
Talking about " the Family " ( La Familia )
A guy named Teddy Licovoli used to record at TS. I think he might have been under contract to Harry at one time. He had a band called The Human Beings.Teddy's father was Pete Licovoli who was the head of the Detroit " family " Well Teddy got into me for some studio time and I cut him off until he paid the bill. One day I get a phone call from old Pete. He asks me if I won't give Tedy a little break and let him back into the studio. He says he's trying to teach Teddy a little responsibility. In my stupid brazen way I said.." Hey Pete..( or maybe I really said..hey Mr. Licovoli, Godfather, Sir ) why don't YOU pay the tab and let Teddy be responsible to YOU. I can't remember how it all worked out, but I guess it was all OK because I'm not part of the cement in a Detroit freeway these days.I could have been " room mates " with old Jimmy Hoffa.

By DeAnne (24.234.119.126 - 24.234.119.126) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 03:44 pm:

I don't think that I have a picture, but once again with about 75 old albums of pictures, one never knows. This website has given me such inspiration to sort through it all. Everything is in books, but it is out of sequence cronologically. I'll look sometime this week. Thanks.

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 03:48 pm:

Thanks DeAnne,
I always thought John looked a lot like the old movie actor, Victor Mature.

By phillysoulman (64.12.97.11 - 64.12.97.11) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 03:57 pm:

Or in a bogus double coffin as they do in some circles( check the sigma engineer thread)
Philly has more undertakers per capita, especially in tha Italian section of the city, than any place that I have been.
There is a local D.J.named Jerry Blavat who is reputed to have mob ties,and he has been coincidently present at several restaurants having dinner with persons who were gunned down the same evening, some in the restaurant as well.

One day , I was at Alpha, the "mob" studio that I had mentioned in another thread(I think)

I was at the desk eating a tuna hoagie and a soda, and who walks in the control room but none other than my old pal Jerry Blavat(he was on the PBS show the other night as well in the NYCsegment) So as Jerry proceeded to say"my main man, Mr. Bobby Eli, how are you doing, and how's your family?" I was shivering in my shoes and getting a severe case of ahgeda(sp) an Italian
case of indigestion.Then he said "if there is anything I can EVER do for you my man, just give me a call!"

Obviously,I never called him.

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 04:05 pm:

Just as long as he doesn't invite you to dinner Bobby.Talk about permanent agiada...

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 05:22 pm:

Yeah bobby...you had to sometimes wonder why at some " family ' funeral it took twelve pall bearers to carry someone's 98 pound grandmother.

By phillysoulman (152.163.207.201 - 152.163.207.201) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 05:29 pm:

HA HA HA HA f**n HA HAHA &%$#$@*&*^

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 05:35 pm:

I'm laughing again. You never let me down Soulman.

By Dennis Coffey (206.47.172.178 - 206.47.172.178) on Tuesday, March 12, 2002 - 12:07 am:

Hi folks. Hey DeAnne, let me know when you are coming to town and we can have that drink. There is a story in my new book about an Italian gentlemen. I'm not saying its Marlino but you can be the judge.

Dennis Coffey

By DETROT SAXISTS (166.90.234.135 - 166.90.234.135) on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 12:45 am:

GIL IS LIVING IN THE DETROIT AREA AND STILL WITH RARE EARTH.ALSO DOES SOME REHEARSING WITH NICKY PALISE, DAVE KOVARIK FROM JAMIE COE AND THE GIGOLOS,AND GEORGE KATSAKIS.

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 02:40 am:

Sounds like Gil is in good company.These are some first class players.

By John Rhys (63.206.140.117 - 63.206.140.117) on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 04:25 am:

Good Evening Friends.....
You folks are blowin' me away! Talking about Rare Earth and The Human Beings, Teddy Licovoli and all. I have a few memories about those people.
Damn!
John Rhys Eddins

By Ralph (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 - 05:44 am:

Hey John,
I remember Teddy was a very funny guy. Harry Balk told me he would have liked to just put Teddy in the studio with the Mike on and let him talk and he'd have a comedy album. Did you ever produce The Human Beings? Wasn't Mike Urso, who would eventually play bass for Rare Earth in The Human Beings?