The Rascals
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2019) |
The Rascals | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | The Young Rascals |
Origin | Garfield, New Jersey, United States |
Genres | |
Years active |
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Labels | |
Members | Felix Cavaliere Gene Cornish |
Past members | Eddie Brigati Dino Danelli David Brigati Robert Popwell Danny Weis |
Website | therascalsarchives |
The Rascals (initially known as the Young Rascals) are an American rock band, formed in Garfield, New Jersey, United States, in 1965.[2]
Between 1966 and 1968 the
The Rascals were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame in 2010 and also reunited in 2012 for a series of shows in New York and New Jersey. The reunion continued in 2013 with shows on Broadway.
History
Origins
Felix Cavaliere was already trained in classical piano by his mother when he founded a doo-wop group, the Escorts (not the R&B group of the same name), while enrolled at Syracuse University.[4] In 1964, Cavaliere took a job with Joey Dee's backing band, the Starliters, of "Peppermint Twist" fame, where he met Starliter David Brigati. When the group played the Choo Choo Club in Garfield, New Jersey, Cavaliere met Brigati's younger brother, Eddie, who wanted to follow in his brother's footsteps. Cavaliere, in an interview with journalist Don Paulson, spoke about his first encounter with the younger Brigati:
I saw a little kid walk into the place. He didn't look old enough to go out of his house alone. He used to walk into the [Choo Choo] club and no matter who was singing, get on the stage, and bury them with his voice. We made an impression on each other. He used to come around every once in a while, and I loved to play behind his singing. I told him that someday we were going to get together.[5]
Canadian guitarist Gene Cornish left his group, The Unbeatables, for which he acted as their frontman, to join the Starliters, in early 1965.[5] After meeting Cornish, Cavaliere's interest in forming a band of his own led him to convince both Cornish and (Eddie) Brigati to depart from Dee's backing band to start a new one with an old acquaintance of his, jazz drummer Dino Danelli.[5][6] The group came up with the name "Rascals" while at the Choo Choo Club. Prior to the Rascals name they were using another group name "Them". Because there was another group,which included Van Morrison, using the name "Them" in the UK they dropped that name and came up with The Rascals name through the help of TV comedy star Soupy Sales whom they met through manager Billy (Amato) Smith. The Rascals were Sales's back up band touring local colleges in the early months of 1965.
Initially, the Rascals began rehearsing at Cavaliere's house in Pelham Manor, New York and then, the Choo Choo Club, mostly because it was close to Brigati's home and they needed a showcase.[5] Later in May 1965, under the direction of their management Billy (Amato) Smith, they were hired to do a summer engagement at the debut club of The Barge on Dune Road in Westhampton New York,[7] a floating Long Island club, where they settled.[8] There they developed their mixed R&B-soul sound based on Cavaliere's organ and soulful vocals, mostly filled with traditional R&B covers.
The quartet did not have any official bass player, because of Brigati's inability to play musical instruments, other than percussion (even when the band bought him a Fender Mustang Bass in 1967) and the Rascals' wish of staying in the formula of four members.[9] Cavaliere's organ pedals (and later, session bassists, like Chuck Rainey, in studio recordings) filled the bass parts.
In August 1965, manager Billy (Amato) Smith, who discovered them at the beginning of their music career as the Rascals, introduced the group at the Barge on Dune Road in Westhampton New York to Sid Bernstein, an impresario known at the time for helping to promote the British Invasion, bringing famous UK bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to America.[10]
To promote the band, in August 1965, Bernstein and Smith came up with the publicity stunt of posting the phrase "The Rascals are coming!" at the
A lot of people who hadn't seen pictures of them thought they [the Rascals] were a R&B group. I sensed something big about them with the thanks to Billy (Amato) Smith.
— Sid Bernstein
This event helped the group to get a $15,000 contract with
Commercial success and songwriting development
The line-up of Brigati on lead vocals, Cavaliere on organ, Cornish on guitar and Danelli on drums would stay true in the Young Rascals' debut single, the Pam Sawyer/Lori Burton "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore", which was performed in their first television performance on the program Hullabaloo on February 24, 1966. But the track reached only #23 in Canada and did not reach the Top 40 of the US charts. After the modest success of "Eat Out My Heart Anymore", Cavaliere would assume the lead vocals on their subsequent records, starting with its follow-up "Good Lovin'", originally recorded by Lemme B. Good and The Olympics in 1965, with the same arrangement and different lyrics from the original. Ironically, David Brigati, had been the lead singer of the Starliters, but never had any hits. Once Joey Dee had a hit with "The Peppermint Twist" he took over the lead vocals. History repeated itself when Felix replaced Eddie as the Rascals' lead singer. They performed "Good Lovin'" on The Ed Sullivan Show.[15] The Young Rascals version became their first Canada/USA #1.[2][10] Shortly after, their eponymous debut album was released, mostly composed of garage rock renditions of folk rock ("Just a Little" and "Like a Rolling Stone"), and soul tunes ("Mustang Sally" and "In the Midnight Hour"), with only one original, the Cavaliere/Cornish penned "Do You Feel It". The Young Rascals reached #15 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and #10 in Cashbox. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA.[16]
From there, the songwriting partnership between Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati began to flourish. Cavaliere wrote the music and themes, and Brigati, the verses with the former's help.[6] Their second album, Collections, had four Cavaliere/Brigati songs and two Cornish originals in its eleven tracks. Follow-ups to their number one record, "You Better Run" – later covered by Pat Benatar in 1980 – and "Come On Up", did not do as well as their predecessor (peaking at #20 and #43, respectively).[citation needed] The band made their UK debut on December 1, 1966, at The Scotch of St. James club in London. Paul McCartney attended the concert and was so excited by the band that he also attended their show the following night, held at the Blaises Club.[17]
In the meantime, Cavaliere started to date
Groovin' marked the first time that the Young Rascals used outside musicians, bringing some important collaborators like Chuck Rainey, Hubert Laws and David Brigati to augment their sound. Particularly, D.Brigati would also help his brother's band in arranging vocal harmonies and singing background on many Rascals records.
The band, especially Cavaliere, wanted to depart from their "singles act" label to be more like an "albums act", something that would become common to more artists at the late 1960s.[21] The album Once Upon a Dream, released at 1968, is an example of this change, because it was the first Rascals album designed from conception as an album, rather than as a vehicle to package their singles (eight of Groovin''s eleven songs had been released as single A or B sides, most in advance of the album). Once Upon a Dream also incorporated Indian music in its sound, adding Eastern instruments like sitar, tamboura and tabla. David Brigati also makes a special appearance on the album, singing lead on the title track. The psychedelic "It's Wonderful" was released before the album, but its different style, in comparison with their earlier singles, hindered its sales and the single only reached the #20. The album's song "My Hawaii" became a top of the charts hit in Hawaii.
The band would bill themselves as the Young Rascals for the last time with the single release of "It's Wonderful"; from that point on they were known as simply 'The Rascals'.[2]
Their first official single release as "the Rascals" was the optimistic 1968's "A Beautiful Morning", which reached #3. Internationally, the band was exceptionally popular in Canada where "A Girl Like You", "How Can I Be Sure?" and "A Beautiful Morning" all reached #1. But they struggled in the UK, where they only twice reached the top 75, with "Groovin'" (#8) and "A Girl Like You" (#35).
Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits, released in mid-1968, topped the U.S. album chart and became the group's best-selling album.
The same year, "People Got to Be Free", a horn-punctuated plea for racial tolerance (the band was known for refusing to tour on segregated bills)[22] just months after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and of Robert F. Kennedy, became their third and final U.S. #1 single,[2] and their sixth and final Canadian #1. It was also their final U.S. Top Ten hit, although they remained a Canadian top 10 act for the next few years.
In 1969, the Rascals released the double album Freedom Suite. An album with one LP dedicated to "conventional" songs and another to instrumentals, it should have been the band's definitive change to produce more ambitious albums, according to Richie Unterberger.[23] But Freedom Suite would be their last Top 40 album, peaking at #17.
Brigati's songwriting contributions diminished on this album, in favor of Cavaliere's solo compositions, as well his vocals, singing lead only on two songs on Freedom Suite. His participation would decline even more in later albums.
Commercial waning and demise (1969-1972)
The follow-ups "A Ray of Hope", "Heaven", "See", and "Carry Me Back" were all modest U.S. hits for the band during late 1968 and 1969; all entered the top 40, but none higher than #24. In Canada, however, the Rascals were still major stars; all these songs went top ten, completing a run of 11 straight Canadian top ten hits for The Rascals from 1967 to 1969. December 1969's "Hold On" broke the run of top 40 US singles for the Rascals, stalling at #51, as well as the run of Canadian top tens, peaking at #22.
Brigati left the group in 1970, followed by Cornish in 1971.[2] Their last Rascals album was Search and Nearness (#198 U.S.), which featured Brigati's lead vocals on the Cornish-penned "You Don't Know", a cover of The Box Tops' hit "The Letter", and drummer Danelli's composition "Fortunes". The only single release from the album to chart was the spiritually themed "Glory, Glory" (#58 U.S., #40 Canada), with backing vocals by The Sweet Inspirations. Search and Nearness would be the Rascals' last album for Atlantic Records, with Cavaliere and Danelli taking the band to Columbia Records in mid-1971.
Cavaliere shifted towards more jazz- and gospel-influenced writing for the Rascals' next two albums, the double disc
Post break-up
Cavaliere released several solo albums during the 1970s.
After appearing at
After that, Cavaliere returned to his solo career, and in the 1990s there were two factions touring: The New Rascals (featuring Cornish and Danelli) and Cavaliere, who sometimes called his grouping Felix Cavaliere's Rascals. The New Rascals lasted only a short time but toured again in 2006 with two new members, Bill Pascali (formerly of Vanilla Fudge) on vocals and keyboards and Charlie Souza on bass and vocals. The New Rascals released a concert DVD, shot at club Centro in New Jersey on Route 35.
The Rascals were inducted into the
In early 2009, Eddie Brigati put together a project of young musicians who played all the classics. Eddie performed with the group along with his brother David. Called The Boys From The Music House, the band consisted of Anthony Duke Claus, a cousin of Eddie's, on lead vocals and tambourine, Joseph Pomarico on lead guitar, harmonica and background vocals, Adam Sullivan on piano, organ, and background vocals, and Matt Gazzano on drums.
Once Upon a Dream reunion (2012-2014), later developments, Danelli's death, and another reunion (2014-present)
On April 24, 2010, all four members of The Rascals reunited for the Kristen Ann Carr benefit, which was held at New York's
The group's original lineup reunited in 2012 for their first public performances since 1988 (other than one-off reunions in 1997 and 2010) with The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream, a combination concert/theatrical event that was produced and directed by
Fifteen performances of the show were subsequently delivered from April 15 to May 5, 2013, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in New York City.[26][27] Near the end of the show's Broadway run, it was announced that Once Upon a Dream would be taken on the road, with performances scheduled in various cities on the East coast of North America for a six-month tour during May–November 2013.[28]
Following its national tour, the show was expected to return to Broadway for a second three-week limited-run from December 2013 through January 2014, at the Marquis Theatre, but was canceled.[29]
Later in 2014, Cavaliere returned to performing as "Felix Cavaliere's Rascals" with The Lovin' Spoonful as their opening act. Both Cavaliere's Rascals and the Lovin' Spoonful served as opening acts for a concert by The Beach Boys in Jones Beach, New York on Long Island on July 5, 2014.[30]
In 2018, Cornish collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest while performing in Billings, Montana. After recovering, in 2020, he published the memoir Good Lovin': My Life as a Rascal.[31]
In October 2022, in an interview with Rock Cellar Magazine, Cornish announced that he would be reuniting with Cavaliere later that month (and into 2023) for the "Time Peace Tour" (though Cornish was unable to perform at the tour's first show).[31] Interviewer Frank Mastropolo expressed his surprise that the two were reuniting again, to which Cornish revealed that the group had never expected to reunite in 2012 and 2013 (after the original lineup first split in 1972). Cornish also revealed that he and Cavaliere wanted the Once Upon a Dream reunion to continue in late 2013 and into 2014. Cornish revealed that Danelli "had a lot of demands that we couldn't meet" and "was coming up with excuses," while "Eddie [Brigati] didn't want to do it any more [sic]."[31] With regards to their then-upcoming reunion, Cornish stated that "Dino [Danelli] is incapable of playing drums anymore [and] is in a long-term facility. And Eddie turned us down again."[31]
Danelli died from
In 2023 and 2024, Cavaliere and Cornish have continued to perform together as "The Rascals" (sometimes credited as "The Rascals featuring Felix Cavaliere and Gene Cornish").[36][37][38] Their 2024 dates are billed as the "People Got To Be Free Tour 2024;" at least some 2024 dates again feature the Lovin' Spoonful as an opening act, similarly to Cavaliere's tour with them in 2014.[39]
Legacy
As stated previously, The Rascals were inducted into the
In 2005[citation needed], the Rascals were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.[38]
In August 2007, the Rascals' catalog of Atlantic Records albums was re-released by Atlantic Records affiliate
On June 18, 2009,
"Groovin'" has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Members
Current members
- Felix Cavaliere – lead and backing vocals, keyboards (1965–1972, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2012–2013, 2022-present)
- Gene Cornish – backing and lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, occasional bass guitar (1965–1971, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2012–2013, 2022-present)
Former original members
- Eddie Brigati – backing and lead vocals, percussion (1965–1970, 1997, 2010, 2012–2013)
- Dino Danelli – drums (1965–1972, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2012–2013; died 2022)
Unofficial members and later additions
- David Brigati – backing and occasional lead vocals (1965–1970)
- Annie Sutton - vocals (1970-1972)[2]
- Molly Holt - vocals (1970-1972)[2]
- Robert Popwell – bass guitar (1970–1972; died 2017)[2]
- Buzzy Feiten – guitar (1970,[2] 1971–1972)
- Danny Weis – guitar (1970–1971)
Touring members
- Mel Owens - vocals, percussion (1988)
- Steve Mackey - bass (1988)
- Ed Mattey - guitar (1988)
- Dena Iverson - backing vocals (1988)
- Cindy McCabe - backing vocals (1988)
- unspecified horn section - horns (1988)
The New Rascals
- Gene Cornish - vocals, guitar, harmonica (1990s, 2006)
- Dino Danelli - drums (1990s, 2006)
- Bill Pascali - vocals, keyboards (2006)
- Charlie Souza - vocals, bass (2006)
Felix Cavaliere's Rascals
- Felix Cavaliere - vocals, keyboards (1990s-2012, 2013-2022)
(Eddie and David Brigati's band) The Boys from the Music House
- Eddie Brigati - vocals (2009)
- David Brigati - vocals (2009)
- Anthony Duke Claus - lead vocals, tambourine (2009)
- Joseph Pomarico - backing vocals, lead guitar, harmonica (2009)
- Adam Sullivan - backing vocals, piano, organ (2009)
- Matt Gazzano - drums (2009)
Discography
- The Young Rascals (1966)
- Collections (1967)
- Groovin' (1967)
- Once Upon a Dream (1968)
- Freedom Suite (1969)
- See (1969)
- Search and Nearness (1971)
- Peaceful World (1971)
- The Island of Real (1972)
References
- ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 52 - The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 8] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
- ^ ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- ^ "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website". Rockhall.com. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ "The Rascals". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e "About The Rascals". billyamato.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ a b "Felix Cavaliere Interview - Writing The Rascals Classic Hits". Songwriter Universe. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ "Felix Cavaliere And His Rascals Perform In Westhampton Beach August 28". 27east.com. 2016-08-23. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ "All Access: The Rascals: Summer of '65". Backstageauctions.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ Cohen, Elliot Stephen (26 April 2019). "The Rascals' Gene Cornish". VintageGuitar.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ a b "The Rascals". Waybackattack.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ a b "Sid Bernstein Facts". elviswade.com. 2009-03-13. Archived from the original on 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ Mills, Fred. "Getting into the Groovin' Again: The Rascals". Blurt Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ "August 17, 1968: Rascals 'People Got to Be Free' Hits #1". Best Classic Bands. 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ a b "Soul Serenade: The Young Rascals, "Groovin'"". Popdose.com. 2012-12-06. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ The Young Rascals 'Good Lovin'' on The Ed Sullivan Show, YouTube, archived from the original on 2021-12-11, retrieved 2021-03-30
- ^ "Cratedigger: The Young Rascals, "The Young Rascals"". Popdose.com. 2010-11-13. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ISBN 978-0-7119-8308-3.
- ^ Pellino Crane, Joyce (2003-06-10). "A Groovin' Reunion With A Rascal - And A Hero". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
- ^ "The backstory of making the 'Groovin'' album by The Young Rascals". The Vinyl Dialogues Blog. 2019-05-12. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
- ^ "Groovin' - The Young Rascals | Songs, Reviews, Credits", AllMusic, retrieved 2021-04-09
- ^ "The Rascals | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
- ISBN 1-84403-606-5, p. 360.
- ^ "Liner Notes for CD Reissue of the Rascals' 'Once Upon a Dream'". Richieunterberger.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
- ^ "Felix Cavaliere's 2009 interview on The Strange Dave Show Part 1". YouTube. 2010-04-11. Archived from the original on 2012-12-07. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ Gioia, Michael; Jones, Kenneth (April 15, 2013). "The Rascals Reunite On Broadway in Once Upon a Dream, Beginning April 15; Steven Van Zandt Directs". Playbill.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "The Rascals Reunite for Broadway Dates". Billboard.com. Associated Press. February 22, 2013.
- ^ Gioia, Michael; Jones, Kenneth (April 16, 2013). "Broadway Engagement of The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream, Directed by Steven Van Zandt, Opens April 16". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-19.
- ^ "The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream to Embark on North American Tour; Dates and Cities Announced". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-06.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam; Gioia, Michael (December 2, 2013). "Broadway Return of The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream Canceled". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03.
- ^ Homonoff, Howard (July 8, 2014). "Back from the Beach (Boys): The Endless Summer of Nostalgia Media, and How It Gets Bigger". Forbes.com. Forbes. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Mastropolo, Frank; Cornish, Gene (October 13, 2022). "Gene Cornish Talks 'My Life as a Rascal,' Reuniting with Felix Cavaliere & More". RockCellarMagazine.com. Rock Cellar Magazine. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ Risen, Clay (December 17, 2022). "Dino Danelli, Whose Drums Drove the Rascals, Is Dead at 78". The New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ Barr, Sabrina (16 December 2022). "The Rascals musician and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dino Danelli dies aged 78". Metro. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (December 16, 2022). "Dino Danelli, Founding Drummer of "Good Lovin" Rockers the Rascals, Dead at 78". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Dino Danelli obituary". The Times. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ Best Classic Bands Staff. "Rascals' Cavaliere and Cornish Set 'Time Peace Tour'". BestClassicBands.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ DeSisto, Rich (April 10, 2023). "Review: The Rascals Featuring Felix Cavaliere & Gene Cornish at State Theatre New Jersey". WMTRAM.com. WMTR-AM: Classic Oldies. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "The Rascals Keep Groovin'". FlowerPowerCruise.com. Flower Power Cruise. July 12, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "Rascals & The Lovin' Spoonful". StadiumTheatre.com. Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre & Conservatory. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ^ "Felix Cavaliere's 2009 interview on The Strange Dave Show Part 1". YouTube. 2010-04-11. Archived from the original on 2012-12-07. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
External links
- "The Rascals". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- Rolling Stone: The Rascals - Rolling Stone articles
- The Rascals at Allmusic
- The Young Rascals discography at Discogs
- The Rascals discography at Discogs
- The Rascals at IMDb
- The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream at the Internet Broadway Database
- New Rascals at newrascalsreloaded.com
- "The Rascals' Struggle for Change", Pop Matters; 2007, by Tony Sclafani