Fuller Up, The Dead Musician Directory David
"Chico" Ryan |
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David Allen "Chico" Ryan: Born, April 9, 1948 in Arlington, MA Sha Na Na Biography Spearheading the US rock 'n roll revivalism that began in the late '60s, the group emerged from Columbia University in 1968 with a repertoire derived exclusively from the '50s, and a choreographed stage act that embraced a jiving contest for audience participants. Looking the ana-chronistic part—gold lame, brilliantine cockades, drainpiped hosiery et al -the initial line-up consisted of vocalists Scott Powell, Johnny Contardo, Frederick Greene, Don York and Richard Joffe; guitarists Chris Donald, Elliot Cahn and Henry Gross; pianists Scott Symon and John Bauman, plus Bruce Clarke (bass), Jocko Marcellino (drums) and—the only musician with a revered past—saxophonist Leonard Baker (ex-Danny And The Juniors). Surprisingly, there were few personnel changes until a streamlining to a less cumbersome 10-piece in 1973. The band were launched internationally by a show-stealing appearance at 1969's Woodstock Festival (that was included in the subsequent film and album spin-offs) but their onstage recreations of old sounds did not easily translate on disc -especially if the origin al versions had emotional significance for the listener. From 1972's THE NIGHT IS STILL YOUNG, Bounce In Your Buggy—one of few self-composed numbers—was the closest the outfit ever came to a hit (though Gross would enjoy a solo US smash in 1976 with Shannon). Nevertheless, the approbation of the famous was manifest in Keith Moon's compering of a Sha Na Na bash in 1971 and John Lennon's choice of the band to open his One-For-One charity concert in New York a year later. By 1974, however, their act had degenerated to a dreary repetition that took its toll in discord, nervous breakdowns and more unresolvable internal problems culminating in a fatal heroin overdose by Vincent Taylor, a latter-day member. Yet Sha Na Na's early example enabled archivist-performers such as Darts, Shakin' Stevens and the Stray Cats to further the cause of a seemingly outmoded musical form. MUSIC CENTRAL '96 |
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