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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZBEAU BRUMMELS, ThePop group formed '64. Lineup: Sal Valentino (b Sal Spampinato, 8 Sep. '42, San Francisco), vocals; Ron Elliott (b 21 Oct. '43, Haddsburg CA), Ron Meagher (b 2 Oct. '41, Oakland), guitars; Declan Mulligan (b Eire), bass; John Petersen (b 8 Jan. '42, Rudyard MI), drums. One of the first Bay Area bands to break nationally. Signed by pioneer FM disc jockey Tom Donahue to his label; hits prod. by Sylvester Stewart (later became Sly Stone). Beatles- infl. 'Laugh Laugh' made USA no. 15 and established them as an answer to the British Invasion, their name chosen to sound British. '65 hat-trick completed with 'Just A Little' (no. 8) and 'You Tell Me Why' (no. 38), but they couldn't sustain it. The label was bought by WB and they became an album band as fashion dictated. Petersen had left to join Harpers Bizarre; Mulligan departed (later sued band for a share of loot). Voguely progressive LP Triangle '67 (with guest guitar Van Dyke Parks), country-rock Bradley's Barn '68 (with session men soon to be Area Code 615) failed to shake Beatle-suited harmony image. Split after '68; Valentino made solo singles, formed Stoneground; Elliott did solo LP The Candlestick Maker '69, then sessioned widely (Randy Newman, Van Morrison, Little Feat), formed shortlived Pan. Original lineup re- formed '74 with guitarist Dan Levitt to make eponymous LP for WB; split '75; Mulligan, Valentino re-formed '84. Rhino label reissues '80s. Derivative bandwaggon-jumping left them a curiosity; some say their twelve-string-and-harmony Searchers- soundalike period infl. early Byrds, but Roger McGuinn isn't talking. |