Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

RASPBERRIES, The

USA pop group formed in Cleveland '70 by classically trained Eric Carmen (b 11 Aug. '49, Cleveland OH), guitar; Wally Byson (b 18 July '49, Gastonia NC) and Dave Smalley (b 10 July '49, Oil City PA), guitars; Jim Bonfanti (b 17 Dec. '48, Windber PA), drums. Ex-Cyrus Erie singer Carmen doubled on bass, keyboards; others came from the Choir; Bonfanti had drummed on "Time Won't Let Me' by hitmakers the Outsiders (no. 5 '66, with lead singer Sonny Geraci), the only Cleveland group except the James Gang to reach national charts '60s, with enthusiam for sound of British Invasion (the Choir known as the Mods at one point). Demos attracted Jimmy Ienner who signed the Rasps to Capitol, prod. eponymous first LP '72, incl. no. 5 single "Go All The Way'. Carmen wrote this and majority of hits; had teen-appeal looks, and lyrics devoted to romance came close to pin-up pop, but band's skill and musical muscle kept them in with more than a shout of rock credibility. "I Wanna Be With You' made top 20, "Let's Pretend' top 40 from Fresh '72, Beach Boy harmonies guaranteeing radio play. After Side 3 '73 Smalley and Bonfanti left to form Dynamite with two ex-Freeport Cleveland musicians, replaced by Mike McBride (ex-Cyrus Erie drummer) and bassist Scott McCarl, the latter because he "played like Paul McCartney and looked like Todd Rundgren', said Carmen. This lineup made suitably titled Starting Over '74, incl. top 20 5.5 minute "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)', then were lost in AM/FM radio divide and split early '75. They were never original but never less than entertaining; the balance of Carmen's teen-dream appeal, band's playing and Ienner's prod. ideas (tranny radio sound on "Overnight Sensation') had worked well. Carmen signed with Arista, had five top 40 hits, two incl. themes from Rachmaninoff incl. no. 2 "All By Myself' '76 (no. 12 UK); resurfaced on Geffen '84 with Eric Carmen, collaborating with lyricist Dean Pitchford on these songs and "Almost Paradise' from film Footloose '84. He wrote hits "That's Rock'n'Roll', "Hey Deanie' for teen-throb Shaun Cassidy; other songs covered by Frankie Valli, Olivia Newton-John, Bay City Rollers.