The Cliches are Homegrown Band

November 18, 2008 in Uncategorized by Stan the Man | 25 comments

"The Cliches are a fun band . . . a terrific dance band!" - Mary Cronin

"The Cliches are a fun band . . . a terrific dance band!" - Mary Cronin

By MIKE CIDONI

Three Fisher students, with one other musician from the dance band the Cliches, have gotten a little closer to stardom.

They were selected from about 130 bands to represent Rochester’s local musicians on WCMF’s second Homegrown album, a collection of one-track songs by 10 local bands, to be released around Thanksgiving, said Trip Reeb, program director for WCMF.

Seniors John Perevich, Geoff Proud and Jeff Laben comprise three-fourths of the Cliches. Drummer Tom Backus, 21, formerly of Berkeley, Calif. School of Music, completes the band -which makes “music that really isn’t punk or new wave, just dance music,” Laben said.

The Cliches' Stickers

Cliches' Stickers

The Cliches formed in April of 1980 and first performed in public as an opening act for New Math in September of that year. They’ve since built such a steady following that they recently “opened for national stars The Ramones.

The Homegrown appearance will be the Cliches first “on vinyl” release.
“We did some recording last April at Sandcastle Studios that never got picked up; never made it out of the can,” Laben said.

WCMF is paying for all studio costs for recording the Homegrown track, which is being produced by PCI studio’s Todd Schaefer. Hi-Techs, Cheater, Stoney Creek, P.F. Flyers, Insiders, Little Trolls, Dark Star, Lifter and Buxx will also appear on the album.

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The Mid-Period – Yuk-Yuks & Hiccups

November 18, 2008 in Your Stories by Del Rivers | 5 comments

I thought I’d make a quick mention for now about the period when Scorgies became Yuk-Yuks, then Hiccups. It was a time when stand-up comedy was red-hot on a national basis…and for then, Scorgies bands were on the wane. I had mixed feelings about the switch-over from a cool club (after The Ramones were the last major band to play there) to a painted-black and chilly downstairs place for a few years. I used to supply music cassette tapes for the d-j, and interviewed comedians from Saturday Night Live that used to swing by there (like Rich Hall, David Spade, and Colin Quinn).  Many local comedians became nationally known like Brother Wease, Joel Lindley, Eric Nusbaum, Dan Liberto, Ralph Tetta, Mike D’Ambra, Spilt Milk (with Eric Haessler, Mark Cooper, and Duncan Kennedy). Some of us stand-up comics (local guys) were also given the chance to write ideas for the then-popular Joan Rivers Show (prior to becoming The Arsenio Hall Show). Some of the comedians performed later when the place was Token Joe’s upstairs. I’m sure that I can write a lot more about those times…but that’ll fill yet another web site. Of course, stand-up comedy also waned and a newer Scorgies (albeit temporary) did come back again! – Del Rivers

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The Press Tones – Not Your Average Brand of Shady Soda

November 18, 2008 in Your Stories by Stan the Man | 13 comments

The Press Tones (with Dave "Devoe" Anderson) .

The Press Tones - Minus Tony Brown!

The Press Tones

Appearing at the Scorgies Reunion: The Press Tones

THESE ROCHESTER ROCKERS AIM TO BREAK THE BIG-TIME SOON.
But not before they find money to feed the dog.

By MARSHALL FINE
Times-Union March 10th, 1983

Buddy the dog needs a meal. The Press Tones are trying to scrape up cash for a bag of dogfood for the enthusiastic German Shepherd that guards their rehearsal space. “We really should get Buddy some food,” says Dave Devoe, the band’s 24-year-old bassist. “Where’s the $25 left from Casablanca?” “I spent it,” drummer John Schwittek, 22, says sheepishly. “Hey, I’ll make it up.”

More haggling and scrounging ensue before the money is collected. The odoriferous Buddy — rescued by lead singer B.B. Lummocks (Scott Weichman), 23, from a fatal trip to doggie death row — wags his tail and the Rochester rock band turns its attention to rehearsal.

But not before someone asks, “Did you pay the rent on this place for this month?”

“No, not yet,” says Peter Presstone, 23, the group’s leader, founder and writer. “Not enough money in the account.”

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A Personal Effects Guitarist Checks In

November 16, 2008 in My Favorite Shows, National Acts, Uncategorized, Your Stories by Bob | 2 comments

It was mid 1981, I think. Pee Wee, an old friend and former bandmate as well as the soundman for New Math, called and asked if I’d be interested in trying out for a band. The band was called Personal Effects. I said sure, I’d love to.

I went to try out with them and thought it went pretty well. The songs were cool, with chord changes I’d never thought of before. In general, things were an exercise in ‘less is more’ – using a minimalist approach to tell the slices of life that the songs expressed. I was called back many times before the end of the year and kept hoping that I was in the running, as I very much loved the material and the people. In December, I had a party during which Paul and Peggi told me that we had a gig lined up at Scorgies on January 23rd (this would be ’82). I said, “so, does this mean I am in the band?” They had a good laugh… they’d forgotten to tell me that I’d been in the band since, pretty much, the second time I ‘tried out.’

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Get Your Tickets!

November 15, 2008 in My Favorite Shows, National Acts, Uncategorized, Your Stories by Stan the Man | 18 comments

Note, I have updated the link to Mike’s Show, Whole Lotta Shakin. Mike’s show is now on WRUR FM (and simulcast on Ithaca’s WITH FM)

Scorgies Reunion Poster by Bob Martin

Scorgies Reunion Poster by Bob Martin

The reunion is less than a week away and already we have three posters for the show. The latest is from Bob Martin and is to the left.

Bob, Simon Ribas, Pete Presstone, Gary Trainer, Del Rivers and meself will be guests on Whole Lotta Shakin with DJ Mike Murray. WLS is broadcast every Saturday between 4-6 PM on 88.5 WRUR FM (formerly on RIT’s WITR FM).

A note about tickets: while they are not being sold through Ticketmaster (hey, no egregious service charges), they are available at the Bop Shop ( Village Gate Square, 274 North Goodman Street ph. 585-271-3354) or at Abilene (153 Liberty Pole Way  ph. 585-232-3230).

This just in (From Abilene’s website):

“Make plans for the Scorgie’s Reunion After-Party later that night at ABILENE save your ticket stub and your first drink is FREE!”

Note: for of out-of-town friends who need to purchase tickets in advance; please call the Bop Shop at 585-217-3354 and the Bop Shop staff will help with your ticket purchases.

Also, If anyone out there doesn’t want to worry about driving, Jim Havalack of Quality Transportation can arrange anything from a Sedan to a Limo to take you and your freinds to the Scorgies Reunion in safety and comfort. Call 585-455-8294, mention Scorgies, and you’ll get a special rate!

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1st Scorgies band????

November 15, 2008 in Uncategorized by Brian Goodman | 4 comments

I played a gig in Albany, NY last night and ran into Kevin Maul(?). Some may remember Kevin as the WCMF DJ that went on before Uncle Roger or you maybe remember him as the steel guitar player guy.

I mentioned the Scorgies reunion to him knowing he also was once a Rochester guy!

He said that he was in the 1st “band” to play Scorgies! He said the Dady Brothers were the 1st band to play there!

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Scorgie's: One of a kind

November 15, 2008 in Your Stories by cmbarons | No comments

Ahh- when Rochester supported local music.  The yuppies had yet to neuter the scene with political-correctness.  The government hadn’t excluded 18 – 20 year olds from alcohol consumption.  Scorgie’s sponsored a vibrant melange of hip local (New Math, Chesterfield Kings, Personal Effects, Cappy and the Frenchman) and national acts, Scorgie’s club anchored the “new wave.”  I recall the moths that basked in the glow emanating up the stairs to Andrews Street.  The epicenter for Monroe County Bohemian chic; every night was Le Bal Masqué, and Mardi Gras was perennial.

One night as the Pesonal Effects played, their guitar player lost footing and landed among the opening act’s drum hardware-off stage.  He was mid-solo and never missed a note.

On another occasion (Note: Don had no tolerance for the Pogo as it began its evolution to mosh pit) Don was personally evicting an over-zealous patron.  The patron turned on Don and the two were locked up beneath an up-ended table.  I offered a hand, and Don rewarded me with carte-blanche at the bar.

It was in the upstairs dressing room that I discovered the Ramones secret energy booster: Jolt Cola hopped up with additional sugar.

What a great era!  Thanks Don.

Lucia's Supper Club

November 14, 2008 in Your Stories by Paul | 3 comments

None of the Personal Effects material has ever been available on cd so we revisited the six releases and picked twenty songs to put on a compilation cd that we hope to have available at the show next Friday. One of the songs that made the cut was “Lucia’s Supper Club.”

I remember finding a pack of matches on Culver Road (I think) from Lucia’s Supper Club in Olean, NY. There was a gondola on the front and we were intrigued by the “Supper Club” name. We wrote a song about the place and put it on “It’s Different Out There” LP. The illustration I did for the cover sort of pictures Lucia’s the way we imagined.

Years later we found Olean on the map and drove down there for dinner at Lucia’s. We ordered Chicken Picatta and it was delicious. We brought an album with us and left it with the chef. I detailed our trip there on this Refrigerator entry. A few months later we received this letter in the mail.

Personal Effects - It's Different Out There

Hi, I just had to write to you…

I was browsing the Internet this week and came across your info on the web. What prompted me to write to you is that I am Lucia Bardenett’s great-granddaughter. She was the “Lucia” of Lucia’s Supper Club in Olean. Oddly, this weekend we are celebrating my grandfather’s (Lucia’a son) 87th birthday. Nonna (as we called her) died in 1986, so my grandfather is really the last of the restaurant’s founding immediate family. My grandfather was her only child. He had 6 children who gave him 15 grandchildren and 2 of those have given him 3 great-grandchildren. I am the oldest of the 15.

So there’s a little info for you. I didn’t want to go on and on, but anyone who would be so intrigued by a pack of matches to write a song, design an album cover, and make a trip to Olean would probably be interested.

I am forwarding the link to your website to all of my family members (as you can tell from the above is quite a few). Could you tell me how to get a copy of that song? The mp3 version on your site won’t work for me. If you have a chance, could you even send me a copy of the lyrics. We’d be interested to see what you imagined about our family’s old restaurant.

By the way, I can guarantee Nonna would have gotten a kick out of your album cover; she was such a character! Marie Rakus Olean, NY

Here’s the cd version of Lucia’s Supper Club.
[audio:http://www.popwars.com/downloads/personal_effects_lucias.mp3]

Corruption of a Pittsford youth..or the start of a real addiction!

November 13, 2008 in Uncategorized, Your Stories by JayCoyle | No comments

Being a fat and insecure sophomore at Pittsford-Mendon was hard in 1983-84, but being turned onto the local music scene, the great bands of the day just making waves in the underground music world and seeing live music at a club was life changing!

I struggle to remember much of my time at Scorgies but I do recall me and my friends (who were also band mates of mine) sneaking into there at least twice. Once I know we saw a Personal Effects set and one other time …dare I say it was either for a Rain Parade or a Let’s Active set. I just remember being so worried that we would be kicked out. We were there to see live music by these bands we were just learning about and not those big RAWK show at the War Memorial.

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One Good Set List Deserves Another

November 13, 2008 in Gigs, Your Stories by Stan the Man | 11 comments

SET LIST MANIA

Projectiles Set for Ray's Stag

Projectiles Set for Ray’s Stag

Set lists are instant artifacts; hastily scribbled out on a scrap of paper before a gig (I used to use old band fliers). Typically, after the band had loaded in and finished their sound check, you had a little time left to scratch out a set list before the audience filtered in and then hand copy it out for other band members, unless you were organized enough to put together one before the gig!

If you were the second or third on a bill then you could luxuriate in the dressing room drinking beers put together a list of songs (or, if you were Debora Iyall of Romeo Void, you would get your set together while downing two dozen of Scorgies’ finest Buffalo wings). If your band was on the bottom of the bill, however,  you didn’t have much time to commit your list to paper (especially if you were a “Last Minute Larry” like me).

I’ve acquired a few set lists from New Math, Personal Effects, Hi-Techs, The Press Tones, The Projectiles, The Cliches, Bowery Boys and Invisible Party. I’m certain that a few of the Scorgies alums among us will be printing them out and trading them with their pals. Check them out after the jump.

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