The True 'Rain' Man - JOHN GUMMOE

You may know the name, you may not. But you certainly know the voice. The Cascades had some of the greatest pop harmony records and of course one of the biggest selling singles in the early 60s. Please enjoy reading this interview with the one and only JOHN GUMMOE.




Kyler:To start off - is it really true that you guys got the name for your group from a box of laundry detergent?

JOHN:Yes, it's true. Actually it was dishwashing soap; still around today.

Kyler:How did you get the attention of Valiant Records?

JOHN:Our manager, Andy Di Martino took a demo tape to them and they played it, liked my songs and my voice. There were about 40 songs on it, some by me and some by others in the group.

Kyler:Were The Cascades pressured into recording Barry DeVorzon material because he was the head of the label, or did the group make the decision to record those songs?

JOHN:We were not pressured to record their songs. We liked them, but still wanted to record more of ours, but when you are young and inexperienced you go with the "suits" for fear of being let go or dropped for not cooperating?



Kyler:“There’s A Reason” was the first single and of course “Rhythm of the Rain” was the second. They are both classic hits. How did The Cascades deal with the sudden fame?

JOHN:We were excited as would be expected and our managers made many mistakes after our success. Mainly not booking us correctly. We should have been at all the major venues and cites across the world. Instead, we were doing one nighters in the midwest. The group, most of them thought we'd arrived and didn't realize that once you have a hit, you still have to fight to stay on top. I'd have to say we slipped out of the limelight due to mismanagement though.

Kyler:What were the circumstances behind the creation of “Rhythm Of The Rain” (the song)?

JOHN:Rhythm of the Rain unfolded over a couple of years starting with the title which I thought had a nice ring, then I began writing the lyrics which came a little at a time although even then I had a melody in my head. The idea came while sailing on the U.S.S Jason and it was raining and storming like crazy and that's when I began creating the song. I thought the idea of the rain talking to you was novel and later on the group and I recorded a demo of it.



Kyler:“Punch And Judy” is a standout track from the Valiant album that was never given single status. Any information behind that one?

JOHN:Punch and Judy was just one of the songs submitted by Barry De Vorzon's stable of writers. I don't think there's a bad song on that album. Barry and his guys had songs that were great for us and our sound, but again, we had some pretty good songs as well which finally came to light in 1997 when Taragon Records issued "The Very Best of the Cascades".

Kyler:Why did The Cascades leave Valiant for RCA?

JOHN:Valiant forgot to pick up our option on our contract and we were longing even more to do our own thing. Record our own songs and play on our own recordings. As many know, that first album was backed by studio musicians which included Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Glen Campbell and many other great musicians of the day. It's a great album, but as a group we wanted to grow and progress. We were a really good band as well as being a vocal group.

Kyler:You had many great releases for RCA. Just a few of them are “For Your Sweet Love”, “A Little Like Lovin’”, and “Cinderella”. I am baffled as to why The Cascades never had a huge hit during this time period. Was it due to lack of promotion or changing music styles?

JOHN: I wish I had the answer to that question. "Cinderella" did well for us in some of the Asian markets. "For your Sweet Love" a Jerry Fuller song, bubbled under the top 100, same with "A Little like Lovin". I never understood why our RCA releases were not put out as an album.



Kyler:I noticed that there were many unreleased (at the time) tracks from the RCA days. Did you and the group have a say in what went released and what stayed in the can, or was that the producer’s decision?

JOHN: We had no say in what was released on RCA. Our producer was Joe Reisman, great producer and a nice guy, but he was all wrong for us. Joe did people like Henry Mancini, he just didn't have the "chops" for a pop group like us.

Kyler:I have to ask about some records that don’t get much mention but are really fabulous. When you were at CRC-Charter records, you recorded a tune called “She Was Never Really Mine To Lose”, which was reminiscent of the early 60s Cascades sound. Were you going for a similar sound to try to rack up another monster hit?

JOHN: "She was never really mine to lose" is still one of my favorite Cascade songs and yes we were trying for another monster hit. CRC Charter had no clout in the business. It was our managers label and had poor promotion and poor distribution. Should have been a monster.

Kyler:Another obscure one that I really like is called “All’s Fair in Love and War”. It has such a great pop sound. Please tell our readers anything you remember about that one.

JOHN: All's Fair in love and War was written by Bob Stone who wrote "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" and we thought it was a good release, but again if you don't have the promotion and the right distribution, it just isn't going to happen.

Kyler:“Cheryl’s Goin’ Home” was written by Bob Lind – was The Cascades version the original?

JOHN:"Cheryl's Goin Home" and the flip side, "Truly Julies Blues" were songs we were very high on. The songs were submitted to us as demo's and "Truly Julies Blues" was headed for the charts when all of a sudden, Bob Lind released his version of the song and it really killed BOTH versions. It bubbled under but that was it.



Kyler:Do you have a favorite song (Cascades or otherwise) that you recorded throughout the years?

JOHN:I have several favorites. I love "The Last Leaf" and I've always loved, "Angel on my Shoulder". Shelby Flint, the composer of that one told me she was surprised at it's success as she wrote it as a children's song. I also love "She Was never Mine to lose"

Kyler:Finally, I bet our readers would love to know what you are up to these days.

JOHN: For all the fans of Cascade music and me let me just say that we just returned from a very successful tour of The Philippines. Just got over the jet lag. My next gig is at the Orleans in Las Vegas along with good buddy, Ron Dante and Filipino Diva, Imelda Papin. I will be at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in April 2011. Would love to invite the fans to download Cascade music from itunes and Rhapsody and check out my romantic version of "Rhythm of the Rain" on youtube. Do a search for "Rhythm of the Rain 2005" Our lastest CD is "All the Way to Yesterday" available on itunes.





I wish to thank John Gummoe not only for allowing me to conduct this interview, but for all of the great music he has given the world. UNtil next time, keep on rockin'!

Happy Holiday from Rare Rockin Records!

Hello all - just a quick note to everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving to enjoy your holiday. There are several new things in the works in the future, including an interview with Cascades frontman JOHN GUMMOE. Stay tuned!

Pop From 'The Boolevards'

Think The Beatles. Think Jangly Guitars. Think Solid Three-Minute-Pop-Love-Songs. And you have The Boolevards.



The Boolevards are Hugh Murphy (guitar), John Nowik (bass), and Joe Nowik (drums). They have two super CD's out at the moment, "Real Pop" and appropriately enough, "More Real Pop".

REAL POP



'Real Pop' is The Boolevards sophomore debut. On this album the lads display a clean cut sophistication approach to the classic merseybeat sound. The Rickenbackers are loud n clear starting from the first powerhouse cut, "Tell Me Baby". Other standout cuts are the sunshiney "It's Great" and Searchers meets Herman's Hermits-esque "Wanna Meet Ya".


MORE REAL POP




'More Real Pop' starts where 'Real Pop' left off. Except this time The Boolevards have a little bite to their sweetness. The first cut, "Roxanna" (the longest ever Boolevards song - clocking in at over 4 minutes) sounds like it could be a lost Raspberries song from the early 70s. It's still insanely catchy stuff, but with a little more power pop to the merseybeat flavor. Whereas the shortest cut, "She's The One" is back with the pre-'64 Beatles sound - still a glorious thing! "Beat The Clock" is another great one that will please any fans of The Knack or The Romantics.


You can buy The Boolevards CD's at CDBaby.com. Get your Beatle Boots (I've got mine!), black suit, skinny tie, drainpipe pains, and relive the 60s with The Boolevards!

DINING, DANCING, AND TALKING WITH MR. RICK RANDELL

There are some teen/pop artists from the 60s that are good. Then there are some that are great. But wait! There's another category - the elite - the outstanding, amazing, and the awesome. Rick Randell is truly all of the above and the Rare Rockin Records blog is proud to present an interview with this legend of music.

Rick's real name is Rocco Gaeta and he has some truly interesting tidbids behind the records you all know and love. Check it out!



Kyler:Rick, to start off let me just say that you are one of our all time favorite artists and it is a pleasure to be interviewing you. Where were you born and raised? Did you know you wanted to sing from an early age?

RICK:I was born and raised in Newark, NJ, in the Ironbound neighborhood. Still a thriving, vibrant area of Newark. The radio in our home was always on. My mother loved Country/Western music. I loved the sound of the steel guitars. My parents bought me a guitar when I was 9 years old. In the 8th grade my family moved to the suburb of Bloomfield, NJ where I attended Jr. High and High School.

Kyler:I have heard a recording from 1958 by “Rick Randle and The Rockers”. Is this in fact a Rick Randell recording and how did it come to be?

RICK:In Jr. High I started a band called “The Rockers”. This group lasted into High School where we would play for the HS dances. We also did Rock n Roll Sock Hops at Daley’s Meadowbrook, Cedar Grove, NJ every Saturday for 2000 attending teens. The owners of ARC Records (Ed Danback/Joe DiMaggio – not the baseball player) heard us, liked us and signed us. We recorded “That Day” side A and “I’m Hurt” side B in 1959. We managed to be on the “Alan Freed” radio show, THE Rock n Roll number one show at that time. This is when “The Rockers’ became known as “Rick and the Rockers”.

Kyler:Tell our readers about “Rick and The Randells”. You had a really nice doo wop record with them called “Honey Doll”. Who were “The Randells”? Any history or insights?

RICK:People from ABC Paramount were interested in us from this first recording with ARC. So ARC let us out of the contract and wished us well as we signed with ABC Paramount. We recorded “Honey Doll” in 1959. That same year we recorded “Let it be You” for ABC. Since we were still in HS, permission from Parents and school district had to be obtained for Rick and the Rockers to go on a 2 month leave in order to tour the US and Canada. At this time we did an appearance on Dennis James’ Cerebral Palsy Telethon in NYC with such headliners as Connie Francis, Dwayne Eddie, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell etc… We were supposed to do 1-2 songs but the phones began to ring off the hook. We were the only performers to stay on live TV and continue playing for 45 minutes! The Rockers were Pete Schultz and Bobby Brown. We added Matty Ferrara and the 4 of us became “Rick and the Randells”.



Kyler:How did you get signed to Apt Records?

RICK:In 1960, ABC Paramount dropped the group, kept me (Rick Randell – Rocco Gaeta was too ethnic a name for the times) where I recorded for APT Records, a subsidiary of ABC Paramount.

Kyler:Out of your releases with Apt, which one did you think was the best? Among them are “More of The Same”, “Ring That Thing”, and “Mr. Butterfingers”.

RICK:My Favorite recording for APT was “Have You Ever Been Lonely”. It was a big production with full orchestra.



Kyler:How was it doing concerts and shows back then? Did you get to perform with any other 60s musicians, and if so, who were your favorites?

RICK:I was a regular at Palisades Park, NJ with host Clay Cole (a very dear friend ‘til today). I appeared with Joann Campbell, Leslie Gore, James Brown, Conway Twitty, Jackie Wilson, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, Everly Brothers, Jackie Wilson, The Shirelles, The Angels, Tommy James, Chubby Checker, Johnny Mathis, Tony Orlando (to name a few). These shows at Palisades Park were televised. My all time favorite performers and still close friends are Denise Ferri (The Angels) and Joey Dee. Although I appeared solo, I did still work with The Randells headlining 4 of NYC’s most famous nightclubs – Wagon Wheel, Metropole, Alan Freed’s Camelot and the infamous Peppermint Lounge.

Kyler:I would like to move on to your United Artists material now. What were the circumstances of signing with that label?

RICK:About 1962/3 ABC Paramount contract was up and United Artists made them an offer for me that they couldn’t refuse.

Kyler:There were two singles released on UA, which means four songs. Would you please tell us about each one and maybe any stories you have about them? For our readers - "Young At Heart", "Dining And Dancing", "Take My Name And Number" and "Stars" are the titles.

RICK:Permission had to be given to UA from Frank Sinatra in order for me to record “Young At Heart”. I had to sign a management contract with Al-Jill Enterprises (Al Schwartz/Jilly Rizzo). Jilly was very close friends with Frank Sinatra and owned one of NYC most famous night spots – “Jilly’s”. At this time “Dining and Dancing” was recorded. It is also one of my favorites. This recording received the most requests for air play from both coasts. “Stars” was a fun recording for me. Reaching these falsetto notes was never a problem – I had an extraordinary range. In 3rd grade in Newark, I won a talent contest by Yodeling – I still yodel pretty good today!



Kyler:Did you tour or do TV Shows to promote your UA releases?

RICK:I did the televised Clay Cole Show out of Palisades Park, NJ. I also did a nationally televised show (can’t remember the name) out of Baltimore with “The Big Bopper” – “Chantilly Lace”. The morning after this show, the Big Bopper and I were interviewed on Baltimore radio. After that interview, the Big Bopper boarded a plane with Richie Valens and Buddy Holly. The plane crashed – it was “The Day The Music Died”. Did tons of radio and dances to promote my recordings. Performed on a TV show “Upbeat” where James Brown was the guest host.

Kyler:In 1964 you signed with Decca and released a magnificent single called “Debbie”. It has been said Jay & The Americans do background vocals on it. Is this true?

RICK:Partly right. The Americans did do the background on “Debbie”. Jay was not part of this song. The connection to “Jay and the Americans” is that the writer of “Debbie” also wrote “She Cried” – a big hit for Jay and the Americans.

Kyler:Of course throughout the course of your career there were many other records released with your involvement. Did you ever record under a pseudonym? Are there any unreleased Rick Randell recordings still in the vaults from the 60s?

RICK:I recorded with Denise Ferri (the Angels) under the pseudonym of “Silky and Sage”. Joel Diamond produced us. In between all this, I always had a performing group for nightclubs with my dear, long-time friend Joe Pesci – called Pesci and Randell. In the late 60’s I signed with FTB Productions (Frankie, Tommy, Bobby) for MGM. These are 3 of “The Four Seasons”. I have been close friends with Joey and The Four Seasons for 50 years! We see each other all the time. Then Joe Pesci was signed using the name Jonathon Marcus. In 1973 Joey and I recorded “Mad About You Baby” and “What About Me”. I sing harmony and lead with Joe on both.



Kyler:Thanks for answering all these questions, Rick, our readers will really appreciate it! One last one, what are you up to these days and what do you think of when you look back upon the 60s???

RICK:I continued in the music business my entire adult life and made a good living with my group “Just Us” playing nightclubs in NY/NJ. I managed to get married and raise two beautiful daughters. This business is more than talent and looks – it is just plain LUCK! I enjoyed every single moment and I am so very pleased that my music is being appreciated by a new generation.

ROCK ON!!! Rick Randell




On behalf of Rare Rockin Records I would like to thank Rocco for taking the time to answer my questions and giving our readers a glimpse "behind the scenes"! Until next time, like Rick says, ROCK ON!

BUBBLING UNDER - OUT NOW!

The day you've been waiting, hoping, and praying for is finally here. You can now buy a copy of BUBBLING UNDER.

You may be asking, "why should I buy this compact disc?" or "what's so special about records that didn't even make the top 100?". Well, listen here, like I've said before, the best records didn't even come close to charting in the Top 100, and we've got 32 reasons to prove it!




WHAT YOU GET
_________________

-A CD packed with 32 tracks that bubbled under the Billboard Charts between the glorious years 1961-1964.

-32 page full color (or is it colour?) booklet jam packed with fabulous pictures of your favorite 60s stars and a very informative essay written by Mike Edwards.

-All tracks lovingly remastered by that character Johnny Gee from down in the dungeon of the Rare Rockin Records studio painstakingly discovering lost and rare audio gems.




VARIETY
_____________

When you buy the BUBBLING UNDER compact disc on RARE ROCKIN RECORDS, it's like buying an assorted box of chocolates with different flavors, so to speak. Check it out-

-Teen Idols (Dion, Del Shannon, Johnny Burnette)
-R&B superstars (Jackie Wilson, Johnny Nash)
-60s Child Actors (Johnny Crawford, Eddie Hodges)
-Doo Wop (The Five Satins, The Roommates)
-Girls! (The Murmaids, Linda Lloyd)
-Teen/Pop Vocal Groups (Barry & The Tamerlanes, The Cascades).

And really, there is so much more. It's totally worth it. Just buy it. Do it. Please. It's good. Really good. Honestly. I wouldn't lie to you. Or would I? Naaaah, I wouldn't.

You can purchase this compact disc direct from Ash @ RRR if you click RIGHT HERE

DENISE FERRI - THE JERSEY GIRL BEHIND IT ALL

You might not know Denise Ferri by name. But you know her by voice. She sang on some of the most iconic records of the 1960s. We were fortunate enough to talk to her about those times and are proud to publish her interview below.








Kyler:Your first group was The Delicates and you made several records with them. Can you pick a favorite? Maybe you can share some experiences or memories you had with them?

Denise:My favorite record was “Black and White Thunderbird”, it was on the Unart label.We recorded it in 1958 while still in grammar school, we also wrote it. We toured a lot with that recording and it became a big hit on the east coast. It made so much noise that as a result we were invited to appear on “American Bandstand” .Lots of groups have covered that song over the years, and Disney/Pixar chose it to be part of the CD “Lightning McQueen’s Fast Tracks’ inspired by the film “Cars”. We are very proud of that song.

Kyler:As The Delicates, you were the official dancing girls for the infamous Murray The K. What was he really like??

Denise:Murray was a no nonsense guy, and a good friend. We became very close to him and he invited us to appear everywhere with him. We were the “original” dancing girls, and appeared on his 1010 Wins New York Radio show many times. We also wrote and recorded his radio show themes .including “the Swingin’ Soiree” Red, Hot and Blue” theme and the ever so popular “Submarine Race Watcher’s Theme.



Kyler:Also, while in The Delicates, you got a chance to perform back ups live for many of the stars of the day including Jackie Wilson, Bobby Rydell, Connie Francis, and many more. Would you appear onstage or behind the curtain? How did you like working on those types of shows.

Denise:Some were backstage in the wings at the Brooklyn Fox, and Paramount Theaters…I remember we backed Bobby Vee singing “bouncy bouncy” to his wonderful “Rubber Ball”. We also did a lot of studio work .making .demos and major recordings. I loved working those stage shows ..five shows a day for 10 days straight, with an incredible roster of stars. We were blessed to work on the Clay Cole Christmas Show at the Brooklyn Paramount. That show broke all exsisting records.

Kyler: You did many studio sessions as a background vocalist singing on so many records we here at Rare Rockin’ Records can’t count!! Would it be OK if I mentioned some of the artists you sang with in the studio, and then you could tell me a little bit about each session/person??

Denise:Absolutely!!

Kyler:OK, here we go. I was fascinated to learn that you sang on some of Allan Vallone’s records…..while he wasn’t a big star, we just love his music! Can you tell us more?

Denise:Allan Vallone, great singer, great guy. We recorded “The Hurt Goes On and On”..he had something very special and should have been bigger than he was. It was a fun session. I just recently found the song on Youtube, I haven’t heard it in over 40 years it sounded great!

Kyler:How About Patty Duke? Her biggest hit at the time was “Please Don’t Just Stand There”.

Denise:Patty Duke was wonderful. The nicest person you could ever meet, you would never know she was a huge star and an Academy Award winning actress. We did sessions with her that lasted several days. We recorded at least five songs for an album. She was so down to earth and treated us like old friends. We were all in the same recording booth so we had lots of time in between takes to chat and shared lots of laughs...That was an experience I will treasure forever.

Kyler:Next -The Jersey Boy – Frankie Valli. Which records did you back him up on?

Denise:Our relationship goes back almost fifty years with Frankie. We came from the same hometown of Belleville New Jersey. We worked a lot with the Four Seasons, especially with my lifelong friend Tommy DeVito, doing tons of recordings. We backed Frankie on three of his solo hits. “The Proud One”, “Cry For Me” which is featured in Jersey Boys, and “You’re Ready Now” which became a hit all over again in the UK. It is now considered a Northern Soul Anthem. We see Frankie often, he looks great and is still a great entertainer.

Kyler:Finally, the man himself, Lightnin’ Lou Christie! Your “buppee ahh ooos” and various girl group sounds made some of Lou’s MGM records some of his biggest hits and best songs. What were those sessions like? From the looks of some of the pictures, you guys had a ton of fun!




Denise:We had a ball and what can I say about Lou?? Only that he is one of the nicest human beings on the planet. Working those sessions with him was a great experience. It took months of rehearsals and recordings. We even helped Lou create some of the back up words and sounds. Lou and his writing partner the late Twyla Herbert wrote the best songs. they were ahead of their time. “Rhapsody in the Rain “was banned because Lou sang “we were makin out in the rain, and in this car our love went much too far” So we had to go back in the studio and record it over again to tone down the meaning, those were the 60’s. Lou is a very talented artist. Today Lou sings his hits in the same key he did back in the day. Singing with Lou was magical, I loved the blend we had together. .I think we were on all but one tune on his “Lightning Strikes ‘ album., along with many singles. Last December we appeared with Lou in a show at the Maltz Jupiter Theater in Florida….we sang “Lightning Strikes”, and it rocked!!!! ”BUPPY AH OOH”

Kyler:Of course I missed many! What are your other favorite records you sang on?

Denise:One was our very first backup experience. It was with the late, great Al Martino, a song called “Journey To Love”., written by Teddy Randazzo and produced by the great Don Costa. Working with Teddy was so special, at the time he was a teen movie heart throb. girls our age got to dream about him, and we got to meet and work with him.

Another very special recording was one where. we didn’t sing at all, but clapped.
It was an instrumental called “I’ll Walk The Line” by Don Costa. It was a big hit
It was after one of our own sessions with Don when he decided to add clapping to his track so he asked the Delicates and my mom and two brothers to clap!!!! It was sensational, and I get quite a feeling when I hear that recording ..it’s truly a family affair.

Kyler:Thanks Denise for taking the time to do this interview! The final question is, what feelings to you have when you look back at all the great work you did, on stage and on record, in the 60s?

Denise:That I was truly blessed to be there at the best time in Rock and Roll history . There will never be another time like it.

Doing this interview was my pleasure. Thank you!!



You can find out even more by heading to jerseygirlssing.com. Check it out!

"BUBBLING UNDER" coming soon!

Great news! A new RRR release is coming your way very soon. BUBBLING UNDER compiles 32 fantabulous tracks from 1961-1964 that didn't quite make the Top 100.

The track listing can be found below:

Track Listing
Rick Nelson - There's Not A Minute
Bernadette Castro - His Lips Get In The Way
Curtis Lee - Just Another Fool
Del Shannon - I Won't Be There
Teresa Brewer - She'll Never Never Love You (Like I Do)
Barry & The Tamerlanes - Roberta
Johnny Burnette - I Wanna Thank Your Folks
The Murmaids - Heartbreak Ahead
Dion - Somebody Nobody Wants
Tommy Boyce - Along Came Linda
Annette - Dreamin' About You
The Cascades - A Little Like Lovin’
Conway Twitty - Sweet Sorrow
Skeeter Davis - Let Me Get Close To You
The Tokens - Tonight I Met An Angel
Eddie Hodges - Halfway
The Elektras - All I Want To Do Is Run
Johnny Crawford - Cry On My Shoulder
The 4 Evers - Say I Love You (Doo Bee Dum)
Tim Yuro - Permanently Lonely
The Fleetwoods - You Should Have Been There
Johnny Nash – I’m Leaving
The Majors - Your Life Begins (At Sweet 16)
Doris Troy– Tomorrow Is Another Day
The Five Satins – The Masquerade Is Over
Ray Peterson- I'm Tired
Linda Lloyd - I'm Gonna Love That Guy
The Roommates - Band Of Gold
Jackie Wilson – Baby That’s All
Robin Ward – Winter’s Here
Kenny Chandler – Drums
Linda Brannon - Don't Cross Over


I would also like to mention the fact - just because it didn't make the Top 100 doesn't mean it's not great!!! Sometimes, lack of promotion or changes of style would prevent a record from being a hit. The compilation will prove that some awesome records didn't chart.

Pre-order at the Rare Rockin' Records Store.