PUT the words “Connecticut” and “garage” together, and most people see visions of weed whackers and garden hoses, not long-haired guys with guitars. But chances are that’s about to change. On Feb. 19, the much fetishized reissue label Sundazed Music released “Don’t Press Your Luck! The In Sounds of 60’s Connecticut,” an album that reaches back to a time not everybody remembers, but that anyone with a fondness for fuzzed-up guitar and suburban psychedelia will want to get to know.
“Back in the 60s, each geographical area had its own sound — like in Los Angeles, it was the sound of the Byrds,” said Bob Irwin, the album producer and owner of Sundazed, based in Coxsackie, N.Y. “What came out of Connecticut were these super-great garagey cuts with killer guitar. You can hear the influence of blue-eyed soul from Long Island, threads of the Rascals and the Vagrants. But what’s in the water in a specific place comes out on a record when you do an excavation like this. It makes my heart pound.”Music — freewheeling rock ’n’ roll represented by long-forgotten New Haven-area bands like the Shags, the Bram Rigg Set and the Wildweeds — is what got the hearts of the teenagers featured on “Don’t Press Your Luck!” pounding; something the CD, available at www.sundazed.com, puts across within the first few speaker-thumping tracks.
But corralling and guiding those heavy heartbeats, Mr. Irwin said, was a single player: Thomas “Doc” Cavalier, founder of the still-running Trod Nossel Studios in Wallingford. Before Mr. Cavalier died of pancreatic cancer in 2005, Mr. Irwin made a deal with him to secure the masters for hundreds of songs, including the 22 that landed on the CD. - complete NY Times article - Hftd Courant's Eric Danton's weekly music column of 2/28/08 features this CD here
Jim Kane's response, direct from Port St. Lucie, FL:
OK you asked - Back in the 60's the state was split in two. Wallingford south, especially, was all rock n roll (all trying to be the next Beatles, Kinks, or Animals). New Haven was a particular hot bed. North of Wallingford, heading into Hartford - Soul Music was the big thing. Clubs like Tony Romano's Hofbrau Haus, Brad Davis' Fling-O Clubs, & Shaker Park were the hot spots with many a sold out night. One of the great exceptions was Bristol's Squires (Formerly The Rogues). Mike Bouyea, Tom Flanigan, John Folcik, & Kurt Robinson were signed by Atlantic Records under the name Squires. You can find some of their songs On NUGGETS & Pebbles albums still being sold today. The Squires songs sold very well in Europe. Their biggest hit was "Going All The Way". Mike Bouyea later on in the 70s was a top Disc Jockey at WDRC in Hartford, going under the name Mike Holland. One of the best bands ever formed was The North Atlantic Syndicate Of Soul. A ten piece soul group, which just happened to win a 100 band - battle of the bands at The Eastern States Exposition in 1968. This group was the lead group to record a six group album, entitled Connecticut Soul.
Other prominent groups were Billy Hooker's Flames, Dutchess & The Paramounts, The Downbeats, Harrison Glover & The LTD's, Bristol's own - Variations. The Connecticut Soul album was recorded at Syncron Sound Studio in Wallingford, under the watchful eye of none other than Doc Cavalier. Al Anderson (first band was the Six Packs) was doing some studio work with Doc at the time. For my money the best band to come out of New Haven was Bobby Bennett's Realms featuring the Marque Revue. This was one hot group.
Now here are some other names that played almost every weekend somewhere in Connecticut - Van Treavor & The Saturday Nights, Pearline Gray & The Passengers, The Fugitives, The North Atlantic Invasion Force, Yesterday's Children, The Upbeats, The Classics, The Latins, & The Wildweeds. Connecticut had its share of great recording artists - The tops were The Five Satins & Gene Pitney. But the best Connecticut group ever (Great vocals, outstanding showmanship, and fantastic crowd appeal) was The Fabulous Farquahr. They were the ultimate crowd pleasers. This is just an old fart's opinion, but I thank God that I was part of this scene in the 60s. - Jim Kane
Anyone else want to chime in on this topic?
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