After seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan in '64 my friends Lou Maresca, George Menella and I started a band named "The Other Side". At first we practiced at our parents houses, easing the pain inflicted on our families by playing at a different house each time.
I can still remember my Dad asking my Mom: "Do they ever finish a song?", as we searched for the right chords and rhythms. We played in the streets, at block parties, birthday parties and at school dances and "Battle of the Bands" shows held in St. Stephen's School Auditorium. We also did a few outdoor shows at Prospect Park and Carroll Park.
Competition in Brooklyn was tough, there were lots of other groups also looking for the same bookings.
In the fall of 1970 me and my buddies rented out a neighborhood meeting hall, The Luso-American Cultural Center on Henry and Rapelye Streets to stage one of our shows. The club was a popular neighborhood location, with a full size stage and backstage area. It was used mainly for catered affairs like engagement parties,'football weddings' and anniversaries. We drew a crowd of nearly a hundred people and played a lot of Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cream and Rolling Stones songs, all with extended jams for about four hours.
Here we are, together again, nearly four decades later, in front of the still-existing hall.
We're thinking about having a Halloween Show at the same location in 2009.
That's our good friend Chuck Farranto sandwiched between me and Lou in the bottom photo.
3 comments:
Must have been a fun reunion.
Let me know if the Halloween jam is happens, I want to check it out.
I can just hear you guys say...."Hey...let's get the ol' band back together!!"
Keep me posted on the show...I usually try to hit New York around Halloween time.
Loved the Airport art too by the way.
We've already gotten together a few times this year, and it sounded pretty good. What we're hoping to do is get the word out to our friends from the old neighborhood who are still in the metro area, as well as musicians we played with in the past few decades for a big reunion.
Could be fun. You never know...
I really think I'd have a heart attack if you guys, or anyone at work or friends from L.A. ever showed up in my old neighborhood, especially on a night like this.
And thanks for acknowledging the airport art, Ry.
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