Mad Angel

1972-1975:  Mad Angel featured three originals members of The Joneses; (guitarists) Jimmy and Joe D'Angelo plus Rob Zicaro (drums).  Donni Thayer (bass) joined the D'Angelo brothers when Marty Norris left DNZ (D'Angelo, Norris, Zicaro).

The new line-up played the same circuit as the up and coming Aerosmith at clubs such as the Red Barn (formerly The Seventh House) in Westboro and The Cricket Lounge in Ashland. 

Jimmy and Joe's dad (Fred) quit his job at the Worcester Post Office to manage the band and drive their converted school bus.

Mad Angel recorded a 45rpm for BASF Records in 1974.  "Can't Run, Can't Hide" was actually the B-side of the record but got more airplay than "Sweet Sleep, Sleep Sweet" which was the A-side.  BASF promoted the record with a Mad Angel billboard on the roof of the Kenmore Club (Katy's) in Kenmore Square.

In August of that year, Mad Angel opened for Aerosmith at a huge outdoor concert at the Westboro Speedway when "Get Your Wings" was released.   Mad Angel broke up in early 1975.  In 1976, Jimmy D'Angelo and Donni Thayer formed Pretty Poison.



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The Joneses / DNZ


1967 - 1969:  Jimmy D'Angelo (guitar/vocals) was just 15 years old when he joined The Joneses in 1967.  Brother Joe (guitar/vocals) and Marty Norris (bass/vocals) had formed the band the previous year, with Rob Zicaro (drums) coming on board prior to Jimmy's arrival.

The Joneses were regarded as the "coolest" band around by anyone's standards and were the top draw at clubs like The Seventh House in Westboro (across Rt.9 from The Westboro Speedway).




1969 - 1971:  In the fall of 1969, Marty Norris left the band to form Black Watch and was replaced by Jamie Pease.

For the next two years, The Joneses were the most popular band in Worcester County, co-headlining with Aerosmith numerous times in 1971. "The Joneses, we used to love them. They were the best band around, next to us.  That's how we thought of it. We thought these guys are going all the way and we were very surprised when that didn't happen." - Tom Hamilton / Aerosmith - Worcester Telegram / July 13, 2012



1971 - 1972:  Marty Norris returned from Detroit and rejoined the D'Angelo brothers and Zicaro when Jamie Pease joined Jon Butcher in Johanna Wild.  The Joneses were forced to change their name by the New York Musicians Union and became DNZ (as in D'Angelo, Norris, Zicaro).

Donni Thayer replaced Marty late in 1972 and the band became Mad Angel.  Jamie and Jimmy would get back together in 1978 when they formed August with Louie Santoro and Dave Amato.







Jimmy Carter Show (The) / Sass / Run 21



post industrial revolution : greg novak, jimmy carter, howard mitch mitchell form the nascent SaSS and create the seed of what is, and will continue to be, a power greater than the sum of its individual parts. novak moves on to include a horn section, while jimmy starts writing with stephen albright. they get together in the carter house in burlington, VT, the songs pour out, a great logo is designed (hi-hat silhouette against a big red sun). great tunes ..... few gigs. they recruit stephen peisch on violin, learn some solomon burke, sam and dave, bb king, otis (as you do when you get a VIOLIN in the band).


1971 : mitch leaves, middy joins, stephen leaves, stephen leaves, john moore joins and a band is reborn.JM brings to the mix an influence that includes albert lee, yes, django and that country picker who was really really great .... as a power trio now, with three part-time vox, it makes sense to jazz up the yes songs with some funny shit...




1974 : john moore retires to middle management, jay johnson joins up and moves with the band to new haven CT. at this time the band becomes the jimmy carter show, and actually transforms itself into a quasi theatrical, anything-goes, milk-the-sacred-cows kind of performing act that is loved, feared and despised (usually by the same audience).





1977 : jay is enticed away by dave pike to become the town cryer, and cosmic joe is found in portsmouth NH, languishing in a rich guys' never-to-be-band.
NOW the brown stuff hits the whirly blades and JCS conquers the known world, until a foray into NJ gets them thrown in the ocean by the mob, and a slick NYC manager fucks them over.

 

1980 : JCS becomes run21, they kiss larry fogel's ass goodbye, record some stuff in west haven with joe mendyk, normandy sound with phil greene...

passing like thieves in the night, most of NEMO circulates like a galactic rocknroll maelstrom, and many good times are had (i guess...don't remember... must have been... i smile in my sleep alot i'm told...).

1982 : middy leaves, cosmic leaves, jimmy is pounced upon by doug blair (lucek) and stet howland, and that story gets even weirder ... 

the golden years were brought to you by glad wrap, bc rich, time guitars, converse allstars, north drums and the best roadies on the planet...


...and even now, 30+ years later ... still consummate professionals who understand dynamics









The Headliners



Scott Livingstone Vocals Guitar
Dick LaFreniere Vocals Guitar
Jeff Chapman Bass
Hugh O,Neill Drums
And later Ray Dio Drums


Originals and covers in the early 80s. Played 150 gigs a year mostly in central Mass. Perhaps best known for their Saturday night "Oldies Show"


Dark Horse

Photo above is left-Brian Kimball on guitar, top-Joe Reilly on bass, right-Monk Moran on drums, lower-Kevin Vicalvi on guitar & keys


Based in Shrewsbury, Mass. School friends in the late 1960‘s, Brian Kimball, Joe Reilly and Mike “Monk” Moran were the core of the band playing guitar, bass and drums and several 4th members over the years made for different incarnations.




They were booked by Campus Services and played the bar and college circuit along with bands like Circus and Fate. A brown-painted school bus was modified to haul band gear in the back while the front half had couches and a table. The tales of things that happened in that bus would fill a book.




Ian Macconnell, Keys (lower left in photo)




Here’s an old live recording from the 70’s with Steve Salem on keys. They were playing a Jethro Tull medley. There may be a few gaffs but they played incredibly fast and tight and the crowd was enthralled.







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