Enzo Capuano “Storia Mai Scritta” 1975 Rock Progressivo Italiano

Enzo Capuano “Storia Mai Scritta” 1975 Rock Progressivo Italiano

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Enzo Capuano released this mostly instrumental gem on a small label in the mid 1970s. Born in Calabria in 1947, Capuano is a talented guitarist and vocalist who would go on to perform outside the progressive realm for years to come. After this album Enzo would do some acting and have a career in the Chemistry field before returning to singing in the late ‘80s. Often written off by proggers who got the impression this was a strictly singer-songwriter affair it will surprise many who hear it. It’s an interesting progressive album in the form of a long, connected instrumental suite combining some of the Italian folk traditions with a bit different approach than many of the other classic period Italian prog bands. Rather than the manic, wild, anything-goes approach of the day Enzo presents a more measured surface sound that finds its own way of sounding special. 

The album’s story is quite enchanting, Enzo himself revealed it to me in our interview: “Storia mai scritta is a suite. The idea for it came very easily to me: one evening I saw two young people in a pizzeria, and watched them while they were holding hands… It was clear that pizzeria was their habitual haunt, the home they were dreaming of, their nest of intimacy. She was already the mother of his children… He already felt responsible for the family they were dreaming of starting together… When I went back to the pizzeria, a few days later, I found it closed…. A notice on the door warned it had closed down for good, and that in the same premises a branch of a well-known bank would open. Through the shutters I could see the place where the two lovers had met, and then I started to think with their own minds, to imagine all they would have heard, said, decided… Perhaps that closure was the beginning of a new course for them… For me, it was the start of a new, lengthy song whose title was originally to be "La pizzeria”. However, as I was developing that theme, the music became more and more narrative in nature, and the words slowly left their place to the melodies and blocks of rhythms and harmonies which make up the structure of Storia mai scritta… a story never written down in words, but rather through the atmospheres that only music can create.“ 

"Storia Mai Scritta” takes a fairly unique approach with a blend of pastoral symphonic and prog-folk, sometimes reminding me of “Numbers” era Cat Stevens (sans vocals) but stretched out with much more space than Stevens pop approach. Other reviewers have made comparisons to Celeste and Reale Accademia di Musica and I can see why. Vocals occur only on the first and last tracks leaving the vast middle portion of the album instrumental. The other thing that makes the sound unique is the lack of electric guitars and bombast. It shoots for a more introspective approach with many mellow segments while still saving room for some punchy, louder, almost rocking parts. The original sound is obtained by creating a fabric of acoustic guitars (sometimes dual) mixed with synths/mellotron. Occasionally piano and Hammond are also used. The drumming is intermittent and fairly pedestrian but the sound is crisp and brings much energy while other kinds of percussion and sound effects come and go. In some longer and spacier sections it evolves from introspective and peaceful into a dynamic swirl of very good quality acoustic playing and keyboards, along with an active keyboard produced bass sound. Initially the album may sound too uneventful for some but repeated listenings will reveal the intricate arrangements and good melodies present throughout. Capuano sings and handles guitars and keys, backed by the late Mario Panseri also on keys and drummer Giovanni D'Aquila. This would sadly be another one-shot as far as Enzo’s prog output but it is one worth owning for any fan of quality, dreamy progressive. It’s a memorable album that is sadly overlooked. Get a copy of the Mellow Records CD MMP-286 while you still can. Yet another special thanks to Mauro Moroni for having the wisdom to make sure such an album saw the light of day…..by Finnforest …~

Enzo Capuano from Italy put out one album back in 1975. This is a laid back affair with lots of acoustic guitar. I must admit this has been a hard one for me to get into. I suppose my lack of love for Prog-Folk is the reason, I just wish the keyboards took on a greater role. 
“In Forma di Vita” builds then a calm arrive before a minute. Reserved vocals follow with what sounds like string-synths. A beat after 6 minutes with vocals takes over. Not a fan. More string- synths follow. I like the keyboards 7 minutes in. “La Nuova Stagione” opens with gentle guitar melodies, it does get fuller after 1 ½ minutes. “Volo Nella Notte” opens with more laid back guitar. It picks up before a minute then we get a calm. It picks up again as contrasts continue. Not enjoying this.The organ though is another story after 2 ½ minutes, it just doesn’t stay long enough. 
“Risveglio” opens with mellow guitar. It’s fuller before a minute. A calm follows before it picks up again with strummed guitar. “Dal Tempo Vissuto” features intricate guitar with light drums and string-synth-like sounds. A calm ends it. “La Natura Dentro” is pastoral once again with not a lot going on until around 2 minutes. It does settles to a calm before picking up again. “Memoria” opens with strummed guitar followed by drums then keyboards before 2 minutes. It settles before 3 ½ minutes as the tempo continues to shift. “Il Buio” has vocals and a light beat with guitar. It picks up after a minute. The sound of traffic ends it. 
Barely 3 stars but fans of Folk will find lots to enjoy on this reflective recording…..by Mellotron Storm ….~

A very rare Italian solo, Enzo Capuano’s music cuts the line between Italian canzone (Battisti, early Storm Six and many more) and a symphonic soundtrack type of music. The vocal music is typically romantic, grandiose, and rather formulaic, yet the instrumentals are much more interesting. More in the usual Italian 70s rock style, they encompass dramatic key changes and fat analog synth lines. Not always that memorable except for the eight-minute “Memoria,” you should still check it out if you like Italian symphonic or classical rock….by Mike McLatchey…~

For years, I’ve seen this album for sale in prog catalogs, but because it’s been mostly ignored by the prog world I figured Enzo’s music wasn’t worth checking out. Well, my friends, Enzo Capuano’s Storia Mai Scritta is a gem! I’m not sure why this CD hasn’t received more attention from prog fans, but the music is equal in quality to better known Italian groups like Celeste, Reale Accademia di Musica, and even St Just. While most of the 70s Italian prog bands focused on creating electro-acoustic music that bursted with energy and virtuoso playing, like the bands I mentioned above Enzo went for a mellower, acoustic guitar and piano-led, sound that emphasized warmth and simple melodies over complex instrumental explorations. Enzo’s music brings back a traditional Italian acoustic folk sound while updating it with 70s synths, Hammond organ, and drums. While the music is mostly instrumental, several passages feature romantic vocals that never get overly melodic or dramatic. Enzo, vocally-speaking, seems to hit the right mood with a small amount of notes. I can’t really see anyone having a problem with his style or his voice, since it’s pleasant. Storia Mai Scritta, at first, might sound song-oriented, yet after a few listen most listeners will realize that the LP consists of 8 parts that flow into one another to make a whole. Even when the tracks fade out, I can hear certain themes and melodic patterns reappear on the following tracks. Overall, here goes another high-quality Italian prog album. While Enzo seems to have been ignored by prog collectors, I’m positive that Storia Mai Scritta will be enjoyed by 90% of the listeners who give it a chance. - Steve Hegede 

Enzo Capuano released this mostly instrumental gem on a small label in the mid 1970s. Born in Calabria in 1947, Capuano is a talented guitarist and vocalist who would go on to perform outside the progressive realm for years to come. After this album Enzo would do some acting and have a career in the Chemistry field before returning to singing in the late ‘80s. Often written off by proggers who got the impression this was a strictly singer-songwriter affair it will surprise many who hear it. It’s an interesting progressive album in the form of a long, connected instrumental suite combining some of the Italian folk traditions with a bit different approach than many of the other classic period Italian prog bands. Rather than the manic, wild, anything-goes approach of the day Enzo presents a more measured surface sound that finds its own way of sounding special. 
“Storia Mai Scritta” takes a fairly unique approach with a blend of pastoral symphonic and prog-folk, sometimes reminding me of “Numbers” era Cat Stevens (sans vocals) but stretched out with much more space than Stevens pop approach. Other reviewers have made comparisons to Celeste and Reale Accademia di Musica and I can see why. Vocals occur only on the first and last tracks leaving the vast middle portion of the album instrumental. The other thing that makes the sound unique is the lack of electric guitars and bombast. It shoots for a more introspective approach with many mellow segments while still saving room for some punchy, louder, almost rocking parts. The original sound is obtained by creating a fabric of acoustic guitars (sometimes dual) mixed with synths/mellotron. Occasionally piano and Hammond are also used. The drumming is intermittent and fairly pedestrian but the sound is crisp and brings much energy while other kinds of percussion and sound effects come and go. In some longer and spacier sections it evolves from introspective and peaceful into a dynamic swirl of very good quality acoustic playing and keyboards, along with an active keyboard produced bass sound. Initially the album may sound too uneventful for some but repeated listenings will reveal the intricate arrangements and good melodies present throughout. Capuano sings and handles guitars and keys, backed by the late Mario Panseri also on keys and drummer Giovanni D’Aquila. This would sadly be another one-shot as far as Enzo’s prog output but it is one worth owning for any fan of quality, dreamy progressive. It’s a memorable album that is sadly overlooked. Get a copy of the Mellow Records CD MMP-286 while you still can. Yet another special thanks to Mauro Moroni for having the wisdom to make sure such an album saw the light of day - James Russell 

A little known album, Storia mai scritta is definitely a much more progressive album than the works of similar singer-songwriters like the expensive Affresco by Franco Maria Giannini or Antico teatro da camera by Gianni D'Errico. 
A singer-songwriter from Calabria, but raised in Bologna, Capuano released this, his debut album, for the just born small independent Divergo label, and it is a surprisingly good album. 
An eight-part 36-minute long suite, Storia mai scritta, is in fact mostly instrumental, vocal parts just covering the first 6 minutes and a final reprise, and based on Capuano’s impressive 12 string and classical guitar playing, with good keyboards (mostly synth, but even organ) and a rhythm section. The result is not far from Alan Sorrenti’s Aria or Claudio Rocchi’s Volo magico n.1 suites on the albums of the same title, starting with vocal parts and evolving into a long instrumental with a complex musical structure. 
Helping Enzo Capuano, on vocals, acoustic and classical guitar, synth, are keyboardist Mario Panseri (with which Capuano had collaborated in his Adolescenza album on RCA from 1973) and drummer Giovanni D'Aquila, while the bass parts are obtained with the synthesizer. 
After this LP, Capuano dedicated to composition of movies and cartoon soundtracks and to his singing studies, graduating at the Milan Academy of Music. Since 1989 he is a professional opera singer (vocal range: bass). - ItalianProg.com 

Enzo Capuano was born in Catanzaro, Calabria, in 1947. The family moved to Bologna where Enzo was raised. After studying Chemistry at University, he began a singing career in Milan and also worked as an actor. He collaborated on his keyboardist Mario Panseri’s 1973 album titled “Adolescenza.” After the release of his own quality progressive effort “Storia Mai Scritta” in 1975 on the Divergo label, Capuano did some soundtrack work for films and even cartoons before returning to the study of music at the Conservatory G. Verdi in Milan. He graduated with degrees in electronic music and vocal studies but continued work on his singing technique. In the later ‘80s he gave up his Chemistry career to pursue singing Opera and has been very successful. He has performed all over Europe in the great Opera houses and sings in the bass range. 
Enzo told me “Talking about my production, I always thought that Storia mai scritta is still modern, still a suite of feelings and state of soul of these days.” He also told me that he had little studio time and budget to complete his album and knowing this makes the results of “Storia” all the more impressive. - ProgArchives.com….~

- Enzo Capuano / vocals, acoustic guitars, synths 
- Mario Panseri / piano, organ, synths, archi elettronici 
- Giovanni D'Aquila / percussion

Tracklist 
Storia Mai Scritta
Parte I: In Forma Di Vita 7:58 
Parte II: La Nuova Stagione 2:27 
Parte III: Volo Nella Notte 4:30 
Parte IV: Risveglio 3:50 
Parte V: Dal Tempo Vissuto 1:28 
Parte VI: La Natura Dentro 5:10 
Parte VII: Memoria 8:04 
Parte VIII: Il Buio 3:31 

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Mike Harrison (ex Spooky Tooth,The V.I.P.s,Art -1945-2018) "Mike Harrison" 1971 UK Pop Rock,Classic Rock

Mike Harrison (ex Spooky Tooth,The V.I.P.s,Art -1945-2018)  "Mike Harrison" 1971 UK Pop Rock,Classic Rock

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For those of us who remember Spooky Tooth, Gary Wright was the leader but Mike Harrison was “The Voice”. Wright sang in two voices: a falsetto which in today’s world sounds strained and in his natural voice; tries to sound like Mike Harrison. The classic album “Spooky Two” is a gem waiting to be rediscovered. 
Mike Harrison is one of many singers who tried to emulate the soulful sounds of Ray Charles and he pulls it off in his own way. 
The music is progressive 1970s which is a form waiting to be rediscovered (in my opinion) along with groups like Traffic and unfortunately; the price of this CD is way off the charts and probably a collector’s item. 
I don’t own the CD but I did have the original record album and it’s in my memory even after 40 years when this was originally produced. If ever there was a singer to emulate a style in order to create a “current” vocalist, Mike Harrison ranks high on the list. 
I’ll wait until the price becomes more affordable but to those of you who are looking for an “undiscovered” vocalist to inspire you………….Mike Harrison and this album/CD is worth considering…..by.. Philipgstekel…~

Mike Harrison was best known as the gravelly-voiced lead singer of Spooky Tooth, which he fronted off and on from 1967 to 1974 (not counting the revivals.) In this solo effort, he stepped back from the hard-rocking music of Spooky Tooth and joined with some old friends, at least one of which (guitarist Frank Kenyon) had been involved in his previous band, the VIPs. Together, the ensemble backing Harrison was called “Junkyard Angel”. The result was a laid back, gospel-inflected album with soul-searching lyrics and pleasant if not overly memorable tunes. In 1971 their was a brief wave of “Jesus rock” (long before the “Christian Rock” movement got going)… George Harrison, Billy Preston, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, and “Godspell” got it going. Even Steve Miller dipped his finger into the trend with his album “Rock Love”. With this first solo album, Mike Harrison seems to have followed suit. “Mother Nature”, “Damian”, “Lonely People” and “Call it a Day” all have a confessional, meditative, quasi-religious feel– although “Damian” may be an oblique reference to the Hermann Hesse novel, which was also popular at the time. “Call it A Day” is even topped off by a religious choral segment, done up a capella. There are other nice touches in the arrangements, like the vibraphone solo in “Damian”. 

Harrison plays piano in addition to doing some fine singing. Some of the songs were co-written with band members, including bass player Peter Batey, who wrote the best original (“Lonely People”). There are two nice cover songs… “Hard-Headed Woman”, the Cat Stevens song, has a sort-of-heavy jam tacked onto the end with uncredited saxophone playing ( sounds sort of like Ian McDonald of King Crimson). The jam may have been included to extend the album length. The album ends with Harrison’s cover of Luther Grosvenor’s “Here Comes the Queen”. 

Harrison followed this album with a second that was done with the backing of the Muscle Shoals rhythm section. That, too, was a good effort that drew on Harrison’s VIP days with a cover of Joe Tex’s “ I Wanna Be Free”, and another cut (“Turning Over”) that was an obvious hash-up done to flesh the album out. 

Mike Harrison had an unbelievable voice, and some good instincts, but on the evidence of his solo records he didn’t quite have the confidence to make it big on his own. This album is too slight to be a classic, but it has some nice moments, and a comfortable feel, sort of like a well-worn leather jacket or a letter from a friend. Their were far worse albums in 1971 that got a lot more attention than this quietly charming effort….by…. Peter Baklava…~

Following the release of 1970’s aptly titled “The Last Puff”, Spooky Tooth called it quits with singer Mike Harrison striking out in pursuit of a solo career. Signed by Chris Blackwell’s Island Records (which had been Spooky Tooth’s label), Harrison made his solo debut with the release of 1971’s cleverly-titled “Mike Harrison”. Self-produced, the album found Harrison teamed with the band Junkyard Angel (who were from his hometown of Carlisle), showcasing the talents of bassist Peter Batey, guitarist/keyboard player Ian Herbert, drummer Kevin Iverson, and lead guitarist Frank Kenyon. 
Anyone expecting to hear a pseudo-Spooky Tooth album was probably going to be disappointed by the collection. Mind you, Harrison’s voice was enough to ensure there were some comparisons to Spooky Tooth (check out the ballad ‘Damian’), but the very fact Harrison kept things low keyed and somewhat un-commercial had a lot to do with making the album such a pleasure to hear. None of the eight tracks was particularly flashy; the majority firmly in the mid-tempo folk-rock, blues-rock realm, but the performances were all energetic - you got the distinctive impression that Harrison and company were having a blast recording music for themselves. ….by…Bad-Cat….~

It’s always a pleasure to go back to Mike Harrison’s solo debut; it’s an album I have such a strong and ancient emotional bond with that I have to admit it may eventually disturb my objectivity; in any case it deserves being discovered as much as most of the Spooky Tooth catalogue; 
In a program consisting of laid-back, mid-tempo or slightly accelerated Folk or Country tinged Rockers with a sonic signature partly comparable to the one on Elton John’s seminal “Tumbleweed Connection”, Harrison displays an intimacy he wasn’t able to express in the company of the more flamboyant Spooky Tooth. 
He’s supported by the Junkyard Angel, an obscure but instrumental and vocal competent band; with Kevin Iverson on drums, percussion and backup vocals, Peter Batey on bass and percussion, Ian Herbert on acoustic and lead guitars, piano, organ, vibes and backup vocals and Frank Kenyon on acoustic and lead guitars and backup vocals, they produce enough tonal variety and an American tinged sound that adequately substitutes Gary Wright’s and Co, and this includes several individually or co-written with Harrison titles, efficient even when kept short and simple as on Batey’s “Mother Nature”. 
It’s an album of deep spiritual moments exacerbated by the eerie vocal harmonies and liturgics chants that close “Call it a Day” or by the exaltation of motherhood on “Damian”: Harrison is sometimes so emotional and impassioned hairs can stand-up on the back of my neck; but whereas the Rocker his not often heard, the troubadour feels equally comfortable on nasty and angered tales or when he contrasts mourning with hopefulness on “Pain” or on “Wait Until the Morning”. 
The track list is complemented by an unexpected cover of Cat Stevens “Hard Headed Woman” which is driven to an accelerating Rocking pulse and crisscrossed by some sonic guitars before slowing down and changing to a menacing ambience instigated by the fat tenor courtesy of guest Arthur Belcher and some biting and spiraling guitar leads intertwined in a controlled rendition of an emotional apocalypse; and by the lilting “Here Comes the Queen”, courtesy of fellow Spooky Luther Grosvenor, where Harrison finds the occasion to blow some bluesy harmonica lines amidst active guitar work. 
OK! Wiped out the emotionally inspired ½ star and rationally left 4 well-deserved stars….by..comusduke …~

Mike Harrison’s first album with Junkyard Angel resembles a poor man’s Spooky Two. The same voice with some of the angst and a few familiar rhythms give a hint of Spooky Tooth in their prime. The material isn’t quite as good but that is asking a lot in comparison. The featured cover song is Cat Stevens “Hard Headed Women”. It’s a perfect fit for Harrison’s voice and he certainly does it justice. Former bandmate Luther Grosvenor supplied his best song “Here Comes the Queen” and it closes out the album nicely. 
File this one under obscure as no one has rated or reviewed it until now. However it would be a nice find for fans of early Spooky Tooth….by…otismidnight …~
According to the BBC, British rock legend Mike Harrison passed away of unreported causes on Sunday, March 25th, 2018; Harrison was 72 years old. 
Harrison is best known as the voice of revered ‘70s-era rockers Spooky Tooth, the band he co-founded with guitarist Luther Grosvenor, bassist Greg Ridley, and drummer Mike Kellie. The four were originally in a band called The V.I.P.s, the band including future superstar Keith Emerson. When Emerson left to pursue fame and fortune, they changed their name to Art.
As Art, the band released a single album in 1967 titled Supernatural Fairy Tales. Released by Chris Blackwell’s Island Records label, the album’s sales were mediocre at the time but it has since been reconsidered as a psychedelic-era classic, and notable for its Hapshash & the Coloured Coast cover design. Blackwell was supportive of the band, and urged them to add American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Gary Wright to the line-up, at which time they changed their name again to Spooky Tooth. 
Spooky Tooth released four critically-acclaimed albums between 1968 and 1970, and enjoyed a modicum of success with 1969’s Spooky Two, which was fueled by FM radio hits in “I’ve Got Enough Heartaches” and “Hangman, Hang My Shell On A Tree.” At Wright’s insistence, the band recorded a 1970 album, Ceremony, with French electronic composer Pierre Henry; after its release, Wright left the band for a solo career. After the release of 1970’s The Last Puff (credited to Spooky Tooth featuring Mike Harrison), the band broke up for the first time.
Harrison pursued a solo career with the 1971 release of his self-titled debut, the singer backed by a band from his hometown of Carlisle, Junkyard Angel, which included his former V.I.P.s bandmate, guitarist Frank Kenyon. A second solo album, titled Smokestack Lightning, was recorded at the Muscle Shoals Sound studio in Alabama with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and released in 1972. Not much happened commercially with either album, prompting Harrison to re-form Spooky Tooth to record 1973’s You Broke My Heart So…I Busted Your Jaw. Wright returned to the band while Luther Grosvenor – who had joined Mott the Hoople (as ‘Ariel Bender’) was replaced by future Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones; Ridley and Kellie were also gone, the bassist to Humble Pie and the drummer to the Only Ones. 
Spooky Tooth released one more album with Harrison, Witness, in late 1973, after which time Harrison left the band once again, Wright and Spooky Tooth later releasing The Mirror in 1974 with singer Mike Patto on the microphone. Harrison released his third solo album, Rainbow Rider, in 1975, but when he allegedly discovered that Island Records was taking royalties from his solo work and applying the money towards debts owed by his former band, he retired from music for nearly 25 years, reportedly working in a warehouse in Canada and various other odd jobs like bartender and milk man
In 1999, Harrison decided to inch back into the world of music, which resulted in a reunion with Grosvenor, Ridley, and Kellie and the release of the underrated Cross Purpose album under the Spooky Tooth name. Around the same time, the Hamburg Blues Band offered Harrison a monthly gig singing with the band, which yielded the 2001 album Touch, which featured lyrics by Pete Brown, longtime songwriting partner of Cream’s Jack Bruce. Harrison reunited with Wright and Kellie in 2004 (Ridley had passed away in 2003) as Spooky Tooth, their short tour documented by the 2007 concert DVD Nomad Poets. Harrison released his fourth and final solo album, 2006’s Late Starter, the album recorded with members of the Hamburg Blues Band and, along with Wright, he was still touring as Spooky Tooth as late as 2009. 
Harrison’s contributions to British rock history are unassailable; although often overshadowed in the band by Wright, he was nevertheless a soulful singer that imbued both his solo work and that band’s songs with powerful emotion and no little nuance. His 1970s-era solo albums have withstood the test of time, and Spooky Tooth’s hard rockin’ proggish sound influenced bands like Blodwyn Pig, Patto, Marillion, and Kansas while providing battle-tested veteran musicians to outfits like Humble Pie, Mott the Hoople, Widowmaker, and Foreigner. Harrison never received anywhere near the accolades he deserved, dying in relative obscurity when he should be considered as a rock ‘n’ roll legend….~

Personnel: 
Mike Harrison - Vocals, Piano, Harmonica, Organ 
Kevin Iverson - Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals 
Peter Batey - Bass, Percussion 
Lan Herbert - Guitar, Piano, Organ, Vibes, Background Vocals 
Frank Kenyon - Guitar, Background Vocals 

Tracklist 
A1 Mother Nature
A2 Call It A Day
A3 Damian
A4 Pain
B1 Wait Until The Morning
B2 Lonely People
B3 Hard Headed Woman
B4 Here Comes The Queen 

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The Demons "The Demons" 1977 US Power Pop,Glam Rock

The Demons  "The Demons" 1977 US Power Pop,Glam Rock

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Released in 1977 on Mercury records. The singer of THE DEMONS was local NYC glam punk Eliot Kid, a good friend of Johnny Thunders. He got Heartlbreakers guitarist Walter Lure from THE DEMONS. Eliot Kid was also a witness in the Nancy Spungen death case as he and Neon Leon were among the last people to see Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen on the night of the infamous murder at the Chelsea Hotel. Music wize this is a great mix of powerpop, glam and punk. Comes in the original Mercury Records insert sleeve advertising the Runaways album….~

I’ve always been a fan of the three dollar record. You know what I mean: some forgotten long player from the ‘70s or early '80s, played to death in its day, stored in the attic for decades, then eventually carted off to the record store and exchanged for a miniscule amount of currency. It’s then marked for three bucks and placed in the bins with thousands of other records, where it will likely languish until the end of time. If you know what you’re looking for, you can get a good deal on a record like that. Hell, for three bucks, it’s worth the dough even if there’s only one great song! It’s just like buying a single – except the larger surface area allows it to double as a weapon. Such titles as Romeo Void’s Benefactor and JoBoxers’ Like Gangbusters, which I ostensibly bought for one track, would have been overpriced at retail value. But at three dollars a pop, I did not hesitate. 

…Which brings us to The Demons’ self-titled debut album. It’s the ultimate three dollar record. Like almost any other band even remotely attached to the mid-to-late ‘70s New York City punk scene, The Demons got signed to a major. Singer/guitarist Eliot Kidd was probably best known for having a few quotes in Please Kill Me. He was a pal of Johnny Thunders and Walter Lure (who at one point was a member of The Demons). Having gigged a lot with the likes of The Dictators, The Demons drew the attention of Mercury Records and were given the opportunity to record with Craig Leon. Leon, as an assistant to the legendary producer Richard Gottehrer, had worked with the Ramones, Blondie, Suicide, and Richard Hell. And while The Demons may have not been top tier a la the aforementioned bands, their one and only album is a really cool artifact of early New York punk. 
The Demons are probably best known for the song “She’s So Tuff”, which was covered a decade ago by Tina and the Total Babes. Tina Lucchesi knows how to pick ‘em! “She’s So Tuff” was hands down one of the greatest power pop songs of the late ‘70s, and it alone justifies the purchase of the Demons’ album. If Kidd had been able to write a few more songs like “She’s So Tuff”, then perhaps The Demons would not be such an obscure band in our present memory. The closest the group came to another A-level track was album closer “I Hate You”, which is disturbingly funny and really fucking catchy in a Heartbreakers meets Real Kids sort of way. I can totally imagine Tina Lucchesi covering this one as well - so stay tuned, rock n’ rollers! The rest of the album, while not devoid of filler, delivers some really cool tracks. Opening cut “It’ll Be Alright” is a terrific mid-tempo rocker that kinda brings to mind Johnny Thunders fronting The Paul Collins Beat. Given Kidd’s connection to Thunders and Lure, it’s hardly surprising that “Bad Dreamin’” comes off like an LAMF outtake. “Ten Past One” is a very credible ballad in the fashion of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. And well-done covers of “She’s a Rebel” and “I Fought the Law” further affirm Kidd’s affinity for that particular era of rock n’ roll. 
Probably not a “punk” band per se, The Demons imbued their throwback rock n’ roll with enough sleaze and sloppiness to nonetheless fit the bill. The now-deceased Kidd is somewhat notorious for being in Sid Vicious’s hotel room the night Nancy Spungen died. But as a musician, he was more than worthy. You can’t really say The Demons were an influence on the glam-punk that resurged in the ‘90s (after all, who had actually heard them besides Tina Lucchesi?). But if you’re a fan of anyone from The Joneses to the Trash Brats to the Dimestore Haloes, you will most definitely recognize The Demons as some of the earliest practitioners of their style. Like a second string New York Dolls with power pop tendencies, Kidd and his mates were a fun band that must have been a good time live. They left behind just this one album, and one truly classic song in “She’s So Tuff”. In this age of Internet commerce, it’s not always easy to get a great deal on an old LP. But if there’s a shop in your proximity that deals in large quantities of used vinyl, The Demons are worth seeking out…even if you have to pay more than three dollars. …by…Josh Rutledge…..~

Credits 
A&R – Denny Rosencrantz 
Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Robbie Twyford 
Drums, Percussion – Mike Rappoport 
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Bob Jones (12) 
Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Martin Butler (3) 
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion – Eliot Kidd 


Tracklist 
A1 It’ll Be Alright 2:53 
A2 Gimme Love 3:32 
A3 She’s So Tuf 3:10 
A4 Ten Past One 4:05 
A5 She’s A Rebel 2:06 
B1 I Fought The Law 2:24 
B2 Bad Dreamin’ 3:22 
B3 Tell Him That Too 2:23 
B4 What A Shame 2:50 
B5 I Hate You 2:33 

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