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Jimmy Mack (luke) 6-Zenith Username: luke
Post Number: 493 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.198.48.201
| Posted on Friday, August 06, 2004 - 11:11 pm: �� | ��� |
Have these guys been discussed here?Some pretty soulful stuff:With A Girl Like You(very Motown-esque), People Gotta Be Free, I Aint Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore(rock/soul), Groovin(pop-soul)--what am I forgetting?Did they make the r and b charts? |
marv (marv) 3-Pundit Username: marv
Post Number: 64 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138
| Posted on Friday, August 06, 2004 - 11:35 pm: �� | ��� |
Interesting that you should mention them. Just last week, Felix Calavaires (sp)Rascals played a concert on Long Island about 10 miles from me. They were always favorites of mine. |
Davie Gordon (davie_gordon) 4-Laureate Username: davie_gordon
Post Number: 129 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 195.93.33.10
| Posted on Friday, August 06, 2004 - 11:48 pm: �� | ��� |
Interesting that you bring them up as I've been playing their 2-cd "Anthology" set that Rhino issued - God, twelve years ago. Yes, they did have hits on the Billboard R&B charts - pop chart positions in brackets I've Been Lonely Too Long - # 33 (16) Groovin' - # 3 (1) A Beautiful Morning - # 36 (3) People Got To Be Free - # 14 (1) A Ray of Hope - # 38 (24) For my money they were, at their best, one of the greatest groups the US produced in the sixties. Listening to all 39 tracks you can clearly hear how they developed from an R&B influenced bar band (Good Lovin') to something really special with "Groovin" and "A Girl Like You" then an-all those pseudo-gospelly tracks like "Carry Me Back". It's especially interesting, if disheartening to see how Felix came to overpower the rest of the group. I'm afraid I find those gospelly tracks tedious in the extreme - they all start to sound alike. It'd hard to say how much of their downhill spiral is due to Felix's politically correct dominance or how much was down to Atlantic's choice of which ttracks would be issued as singles. Some of their later stuff I didn't really appreciate at the time but now I think tracks like "Nubia" are stunningly good. "See" is an absolute killer psychedelic raver with jaw-dropping drumming. Towards the end I think they lost a huge amount of their appeal when Eddie Brigati left. But that said, skipping over some of the more-cliched tracks they came up with loads of great material. I don't want to come down too heavily on Felix Cavaliere as I have most of his solo work and every album has at least one monster track. I'm listening to it as I'm typing and am amazed that their great version of the Knight Brothers' "Temptation's Bout To Get Me" wasn't issued as a single - it's that good. I wonder if Atlantic's decision to leave it as an album track was the inspiration for the Soul Survivors to try with their version. There's another great early track "Do You Feel It" which would have given Mitch Ryder a run for his money - why it wasn't a single is beyond me. In short, apart from a tendency to get a bit too "right on" in 68-69 they were never less than good and most of the time they were great, You could say I'm a bit of a fan. Davie ps - if you ever see the Brigati's album on Elektra clogging up a baragain bin near you - give it a good home. It's not a brillaint album but has it's share of good moments. The same goes for Felix's solo albums. I'd love to see Charlie Ingui chip in with his take on the Rascals - he and Felix are like twins to me and it was great to see them working together on Felix's last CD. |
Chi Drummer (chidrummer) 3-Pundit Username: chidrummer
Post Number: 64 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 24.14.41.10
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 12:10 am: �� | ��� |
Crossed paths with Dino Danelli while he was on tour with FotoMaker. He and Felix were very easy going and fun to talk to. At that time I'd never seen such machine-like percision from a drummer. The man played with such intensity, grace and power all at the same time. He left quite an impression and definitely sent me flying back to the woodshed. |
Eli (phillysoulman) 6-Zenith Username: phillysoulman
Post Number: 1105 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 70.16.130.2
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 12:49 am: �� | ��� |
Marv, Were Richie and Charlie Ingui of the Soul Survivors there as well? They worked at the Kimmel in Philly with Felix. It was just like old times and they sounded great! |
Jimmy Mack (luke) 6-Zenith Username: luke
Post Number: 494 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 10:37 am: �� | ��� |
Wow-thanks Davie-u got me runnin to buy the cd. Did Felix do all the leads?--they are quite estranged from each other right?I remember thier Rock and Roll Hall of Fame reunion as being nothing special-? Cant believe I forgot Ive Been Lonely Too Long--suprised Girl Like You didnt make r and b chart. |
Gil (gil)
3-Pundit Username: gil
Post Number: 66 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 65.83.208.15
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 12:20 pm: �� | ��� |
Jimmy, Eddie Brigati (sp?) sang a lot of leads. I think he sang lead on "How Can I Be Sure". He also wrote most of the lyrics. I don't think Eddie and Felix are getting along. |
dvdmike (dvdmike) 5-Doyen Username: dvdmike
Post Number: 241 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.253.186.12
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 12:26 pm: �� | ��� |
The Rascals were for the most part self-produced, although I believe Arif Mardin produced or co-produced their first few albums. I think he did the horn and string arrangements for them as well. |
Jimmy Mack (luke) 6-Zenith Username: luke
Post Number: 500 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 12:29 pm: �� | ��� |
thanks Gil-so Fleix did most of hits? |
Ralph Terrana (ralph)
Moderator Username: ralph
Post Number: 477 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 209.240.205.63
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 2:07 pm: �� | ��� |
When I was playing the Peppermint Lounge in NYC, one of the guys we were hanging with was Davie Brigatti from the Rascals. His younger brother Eddie would always try and sneak into the club to watch the band. Because he was under age ( probably 17 or so ) we would chase him out and tell him to go start his own band. I guess he took our advice to heart. It seems he had the last laugh. |
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20
Post Number: 1739 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 2:47 pm: �� | ��� |
Gil, You are correct, Eddie sang lead. How Can I Be Sure is one of those songs that reminds me of my carefree childhood of the '60s. A lot of my soulful friends don't get it with the Italian motif that played throughout & the waltz feel of the song. But that is simply a beautiful song regardless of genre. I can remember hearing that song & It's Wonderful, while playing with my Major Matt Mason set & Captain Action on Christmas Day of 1967. That song just brings back some beautiful memories, as do most of their songs. When I think of The Rascals, I think that they perfectly captured the spirit of those days. I think of those carefree summers as a kid. To me, Groovin', A Beautiful Morning, A Girl Like You & People Got To Be Free, are quintessential Summer songs. The feel of those songs...the serenity of them. Man, those songs still elicit memories of running through the fire hydrant, playing hot peas & cold butter, eating ice cream, sitting on the porch & just chilling on those hot summer nights. Lonely Too Long, & Good Lovin' were great as well. The Rascals were really big in my neighborhood. I thought that they should have tasted success for a longer period of time. I'm sure that I read about what happened with them. I don't recall at present. Can anyone explain to me why after so much success they suffered such a rapid decline??? |
Jimmy Mack (luke) 6-Zenith Username: luke
Post Number: 504 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 2:50 pm: �� | ��� |
well said Jucie--------part of it I think was their music went off into lala land some and part was animosity in the band. |
Chi Drummer (chidrummer) 3-Pundit Username: chidrummer
Post Number: 66 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 24.15.231.212
| Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2004 - 6:15 pm: �� | ��� |
Funny you should mention that Juice. Groovin' always reminds me of the brother of a childhood friend of mine who was always in the garage working on his Purple Plymouth Road Runner while we played in the back yard. Of course, the brother had a radio blasting while he worked and it seemed like Groovin was on all the time. Great memory,love that song. |
marv (marv) 3-Pundit Username: marv
Post Number: 66 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 3:08 am: �� | ��� |
Eli, I am sorry I hadn't addressed your question and even more sorry I could not attend their concert being that it was so close. So, I cannot tell you whom the individuals were that rounded out Felix's group. I will try to find out for you. Peace |
marv (marv) 3-Pundit Username: marv
Post Number: 67 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 3:15 am: �� | ��� |
Ok Eli, Felix's Rascals consisted of :Bob Montano, Congas, Percussion Vincent Santoro, Drums, Back-up vocals Mark Prentice, Bass, Back-up vocals Mike Severs, Guitar, Back-up vocals |
Gil (gil)
3-Pundit Username: gil
Post Number: 67 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 65.3.17.208
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 4:21 am: �� | ��� |
Jimmy, I'm no Rascals expert, but most of the songs I've heard and video clips I've seen had Felix on lead vocals. Juice, Those are great rememberances. I was a baby when they were big, but I do have a funny "Groovin" story. My father was notorious for butchering song lyrics. He loved Groovin because he thought they included my mother's name in the lyrics. My mom said he would always sing this line to her: "Life would be ectasy, you and me and Leslie...Groovin!" My mom would always tell him that they were saying "endlessly", but he liked his version better.
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John Lester (theboyfromxtown) 4-Laureate Username: theboyfromxtown
Post Number: 106 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 217.44.166.89
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 5:55 am: �� | ��� |
I was a big Young Rascals fan too.....I bought their 45's too. Anyone remember their "Wonderful"? It was full of weird sound effects which never seemed to stop. |
Soul Survivor (charlie_i) 1-Arriviste Username: charlie_i
Post Number: 5 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 65.179.72.43
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 8:06 am: �� | ��� |
Bobby Eli Yes,we appeared with Felix's Rascals at the Patchogue Theater on Long Island last week end.We performed a set with our band and then came on with Felix to back him on vocals. We have been working frequently with Felix and having a good time doing all those great Rascals tunes. Charlie I. |
~medusa~ (~medusa) 6-Zenith Username: ~medusa
Post Number: 432 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 68.249.245.127
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 9:36 am: �� | ��� |
I've always like the The Rascals. Felix has a style of his own and I like it. I think I have just about everything they recorded on a 45. Felix Cavalier, did lead on "Grovin" right Guys? He was the organ player too, wasn't he ? I like his voice better...another group, that should've been bigger than they were allowed. |
Linda Di. (linda_di_fsg) 4-Laureate Username: linda_di_fsg
Post Number: 136 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 66.67.206.19
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 10:17 am: �� | ��� |
KevGo can add more here -- Gene Cornish of the Rascals is from Rochester (North Clinton Ave area). There never was much done locally on this connection to the Rascals. Kevin -- do you know much about Gene or why the local media ignored it? |
Ralph Terrana (ralph)
Moderator Username: ralph
Post Number: 478 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 209.240.205.63
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 11:02 am: �� | ��� |
Soul Survivor, I'm curious about your music background. Care to fill me in? |
Gil (gil)
3-Pundit Username: gil
Post Number: 69 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 65.3.17.208
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 2:16 pm: �� | ��� |
Medusa, Felix sang lead on Groovin...and yes, he was the organ player. Soulful dude! |
Kevin Goins - KevGo (kevgo) 4-Laureate Username: kevgo
Post Number: 150 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.33.205.167
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 4:11 pm: �� | ��� |
Linda Di & folks: Gene Cornish was originally from Canada. The Cornish family moved to Rochester in the early 1950s. Gene graduated from Franklin High School in Rochester NY. Gene did mention that he was from Rochester in many early interviews with the Rascals and the band did make quite a few personal appearances in "The Flower City" during their years. As far as local support from the media, keep in mind that Rochester only had one big and decent Top 40 radio station at that time (WBBF-AM) and 'BBF's program director Jack Palvino had his hands full playing a lot of great rock & soul music (hell, 'BBF was at that time the only station in Rochester NY that played Motown and James Brown!). As far as the Rascals "demise" was concerned, it can be traced back to the "Groovin'" era. Felix was writing more far out introspective stuff ("It's Love", "Heaven", "Ray Of Hope") whereas Eddie wanted to keep it simple and pop/soul driven. Things came to a head when "Freedom Suite" was released in 1968. While "People Gotta Be Free" went to #1, "Heaven" and "Ray Of Hope" (the follow-up singles) didn't chart as high ("Heaven" peaked at #39). Felix did admit in a radio interview that Jerry Wexler (Atlantic's co-president) did warn the group that their far out experiments were driving fans away. Did Felix listen to Jerry's advice? Noooooooo......"Carry Me Back" and "Glory Glory" (from 1969 & 1970 respectively) were in that gospel/soul/introspective vein and these singles didn't sell as well as their prior releases. Also at this time Felix and Eddie had grown apart as friends and songwriting partners to the point where there was serious animosity between the two men. Their manager Sid Bernstein (according to his autobiography) said that when the group moved to Columbia Records, Felix questioned whether the advance was going to be divided up based on "fair contributions from each member" - a clear swipe at Eddie, who stormed out of the meeting (Gene Cornish also left after the sit-down). Felix and Dino formed a new lineup of Rascals and changed the musical direction of the group to jazz-rock, much to the dismay of Columbia Records and the label president Clive Davis. This lineup only lasted two albums before disbanding in late 1972. BTW - does anybody remember the Spanish and Italian versions of "Groovin"? I have the 45 and to hear Felix sing in another language is a blast! Kevin Goins - KevGo |
Kevin Goins - KevGo (kevgo) 4-Laureate Username: kevgo
Post Number: 151 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.33.205.167
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 4:40 pm: �� | ��� |
Ralph: "Soul Survivor" is none other than Charles Ingui who co-founded the group with his brother Richard and singer Kenny Jerimiah among others (the Soul Survivors were originally a sextet set up a la "Three Dog Night"-style - three lead singers and a kick-ass rhythm section!). BTW - the Soul Survivors' sole Crimson LP "When The Whistle Blows Anything Goes" is a great garage rock-soul album!!! Kevin Goins - KevGo |
Kevin Goins - KevGo (kevgo) 4-Laureate Username: kevgo
Post Number: 152 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.33.205.167
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 4:49 pm: �� | ��� |
Folks: Gil's posting of the Rascals' photo was taken during the "Groovin" era. The group is lined up as follows: From left to right - Felix Cavaliere (lead vocals/organ), Dino Danelli (drums), Eddie Brigatti (lead vocals/percussion) and Gene Cornish (guitar/vocals). As far as video clips, here's what's available - Hullaballoo (live version of "Good Lovin" - in black & white) - Ed Sullivan (live and in color - "Good Lovin'" and "Groovin'" - the latter featuring Felix on the organ [he played piano on the recording) and Gene doing double duty on guitar and harmonica!) - Where The Action Is (sadly only available as a bootleg, features "You Better Run" and "Love Is A Wonderful Thing". No instruments here, just the group frolicking in the grass while hordes of beautiful girls are chasing them!) - The Music Scene DVD/VHS (If you see this sucker, grab it! Features the group doing a medley of "People Gotta Be Free"/"Oh Happy Day" as well as their then-new release "Carry Me Back"; Dino was kicking major league a-- on the drums and that alone is worth the price of the DVD/VHS!). Kevin Goins - KevGo |
Jimmy Mack (luke) 6-Zenith Username: luke
Post Number: 510 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 5:34 pm: �� | ��� |
I always thought it was Leslie too and most people I know thought the same!!Loved Wonderful-forgot all about it. If Rascals reunited they could probably b a vital band today. |
Steve (steve_litos) 3-Pundit Username: steve_litos
Post Number: 35 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.100.86.4
| Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 10:37 pm: �� | ��� |
Kev - I have the Music Scene DVD too! Dino Dinelli is a great showman/drummer! I have a bootleg VHS of a bunch of Rascals clips with all the songs you mentioned plus 3 songs from the Mike Douglas Show in black & white. They perform live versions of "I've Been Lonely Too Long", "Good Lovin'", & "Since I Fell For You". They're wearing the silly "schoolboy uniforms". Gene Cornish does some James Brown type footwork during one of the songs & Eddie has some serious wear marks on his pants where he slaps the tamborine! I think Eddie sings lead on the following songs: I Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore Carry Me Back Since I Fell For You Love Is A Wonderful Thing (w/Felix) |
Gil (gil)
4-Laureate Username: gil
Post Number: 72 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 65.3.17.208
| Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 1:29 am: �� | ��� |
I think I've seen a clip of The Rascals performing "A Girl Like You" on Ed Sullivan also. |
Ralph Terrana (ralph)
Moderator Username: ralph
Post Number: 479 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 209.240.205.63
| Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 9:55 am: �� | ��� |
Kev, Thanks for filling me in. It's nice to have you back so I can learn things I don't know. |
Soul Sister (soul_sister) 6-Zenith Username: soul_sister
Post Number: 1180 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 65.43.165.74
| Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 11:00 am: �� | ��� |
Eddie Brigati came from Garfield, N.J. (Bergen County). His father drove a Port Authority bus from N.Y.C. thru Bergen County that I used to take sometimes. I believe Felix came from a tough area of Paterson, N.J. S.S. |
dvdmike (dvdmike) 5-Doyen Username: dvdmike
Post Number: 247 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 65.208.234.61
| Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 12:45 pm: �� | ��� |
I listened to some Rascals stuff this past weekend. On the "See" LP, Ron Carter played acoustic bass on "Nubia" and electric bass on "Carry Me Back." Hubert Laws played the flute solo on "Nubia" and Joe Bushkin played the piano intro "Carry Me Back." Chuck Rainey played electric bass on the rest of the album. |
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20
Post Number: 1788 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162
| Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 4:13 pm: �� | ��� |
Hi everyone! Thanks Jimmy, Chi D & Gil. Yes, those were some precious memories there for sure John: Yes, I remember It's Wonderful & the clock ticking to the fade. Another great memory from Christmas 1967 & the second grade Kev Go & Jimmy: thanks for refreshing my memory. I have an article from Goldmine magazine from some years ago that interviewed Felix & Eddie about the situation. Thank for clarifying the situation, as I had forgotten the particulars. |
douglasm (douglasm) 4-Laureate Username: douglasm
Post Number: 118 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.118.222.193
| Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 4:51 pm: �� | ��� |
A while back the Rascals came up, as did a question, and I don't remember the answer. Was it ever established who their bass player was, or did they use a string of studio musicians? |
Steve (steve_litos) 3-Pundit Username: steve_litos
Post Number: 37 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.100.86.4
| Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 7:10 pm: �� | ��� |
Hey Doug, They used a bunch of studio bass players on their recordings. Felix played the bass parts on the foot pedals of his Hammond B-3 for live performances. -Steve |
dvdmike (dvdmike) 5-Doyen Username: dvdmike
Post Number: 248 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 65.208.234.61
| Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 7:30 am: �� | ��� |
I have the "Hullabaloo" box DVDs and there is footage of The Rascals doing "I Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore" and "Good Lovin'". |
Kevin Goins - KevGo (kevgo) 4-Laureate Username: kevgo
Post Number: 161 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.33.151.51
| Posted on Saturday, August 14, 2004 - 2:20 am: �� | ��� |
Doug: If you have a DVD player that is hooked up to your stereo system, please pick up "The Music Scene" DVD that features the Rascals. You will hear the fullness of their sound coming from three instruments, especially Felix playing the foot pedals on his Hammond B-3 (his Leslie speaker was hidden behind a prop on the set). Kevin Goins - KevGo |