The Left Banke was one of my very favorite bands of all time and some things never change. They have been described as "Baroque Pop," "17th Century Rock 'n Roll," "Bach Rock" or even "Baroque 'n Roll." If you have ever heard them, you will know what I mean.
They formed The Left Banke in New York City in 1965 with personnel including Michael Brown (songwriter/keyboardist), George Cameron (guitar), Tom Finn (bass), Warren David-Schierhorst (drums) and Steve Martin (vocals), not to be confused with the banjo-playing comedian. They were all Americans but were certainly influenced by the vocal harmonies of the British Invasion bands. Tom Finn cites the Beatles, Kinks and Zombies as having the greatest impact on the band.
Songwriter/keyboardist Michael Brown's father, Harry Lookofsky, operated a recording studio in New York and became the manager/producer/publisher for The Left Banke. After a very short time, George Cameron switched over to drums, replacing David-Schierhorst, while Jeff Winfield joined for guitar only to be replaced with Rick Brand after the release of the band's first album. So now you know the dramatis personae.
Harry Lookofsky was a classical violinist and session musician which probably contributed to Michael Brown's Baroque leanings. One might also think of Doug Ingles' keyboard styles and the obvious influence of his father who was a church organist. But Harry did more than influence, he actually played the string parts for the band.
There is so much to say about the sound of this group. It wasn't just the Baroque influence and imitation (and I mean that is a good way) but there was something so very soul-stirring in the harmonies of Cameron and Finn and in Steve Martin's lead vocals. There was a melancholy, a depth to the sadness, in their singing.
I can specifically recall when I first heard what would become their smash hit, entitled "Walk Away, Renee." The opening lyrics were: "And when I see the sign that points one way..." To this day, I cannot hear those words without a pause in whatever I am doing or thinking. The complete lyrics are:
And when I see the sign that points one way
The lot we used to pass by every day
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same
You're not to blame
From deep inside the tears that I'm forced to cry
From deep inside the pain that I chose to hide
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
Now, as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes
For me, it cries
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
Now, as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes
For me, it cries
Your name and mine inside a heart upon a wall
Still finds a way to haunt me though they're so small
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same
You're not to blame
Of course, the song appears to be about the loneliness of break-up and how one might never get over such loss. But there is also the sadness and loneliness of following that one-way sign; the sign that allows for no retreat or exit. She is free to turn and walk away, but he is on a path of no deviation. He is in a trapped life. That was how I heard it.
There is a great but apocryphal tale about the inspiration and writing of this song. The story centers around a young blonde beauty named Renee Fladen. It is a romantic tale of unrequited love... and it is false.
The truth is, and this according to Tony Sansone who co-wrote the lyrics, the mention of the one-way sign was regarding the change of Hull Avenue from a two-way street into a one-way street. He says that a little piece of his world changed with that. He also says that the sign was located at Hull and 207th Avenue in The Bronx. For Tony, the song is about growing up and saying goodbye to youth (He was 26 when he co-wrote those lyrics). Tom Finn confirms this and even offers the enigmatic suggestion of the initials of the song Walk Away Renee spells "WAR." During the height of the Viet Nam War, everyone's world had changed.
Obviously, I let the first line dictate the mood and meaning of the whole song for me.
Walk Away Renee was released in 1966 and became a big hit; reaching No. 5 on the charts and staying on the charts for 10 weeks. Even in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine listed it at No. 220 in their issue of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Yes, I would have put it much higher.
The minor key and use of those strings were just so compelling.
Early in 1967, The Left Banke released a second single called Pretty Ballerina. It was another Michael Brown composition and again the vocals were, I have to use the word, haunting. I regret having to use that word only because it has been used over and over by writers trying to describe the sound. However, it wasn't just Martin's vocals but the entire band's contribution to the complete sound that was so moving. Again, Finn and Cameron deserve so much of the credit for that.
Yet, with all that, there was this hilarious sense of self-deprecation that forced a smile even in the midst of this melancholy.
I called her yesterday
It should have been tomorrow
I could not keep the joy that was inside
I begged for her to tell me
If she really loved me
Somewhere a mountain is moving
Afraid it's moving without me
Here is the pay-off comedic line: I called her yesterday... it should have been tomorrow! Ah, 20/20 hindsight. Then the stanza concludes with the idea that somewhere, for someone, faith may be paying off. But for our guy, there may be a mountain moving but it is doing so without any regard to his misspent hope.
Pretty Ballernia reached the charts in early 1967, and The Left Banke released an album entitled Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina. Then came the fracture in the band.
Unbelievably, Michael Brown recorded a single, Ivy, Ivy b/w And Suddenly as The Left Banke, while only using session musicians and Bert Sommer on vocals. What was he thinking? Attorneys were hired and radio stations (and even the band's own record label) were left in a quandary over which group to support.
Late in 1967, the group reunited and recorded new material, including the splendid single Desiree, which peaked at only no. 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was a wonderful song. In fact, it was a masterpiece... and it killed the band. Many radio stations were still unsure about promoting the band after the debacle over the Brown single. Furthermore, as of 1967, Desiree was said to be the most expensive single ever produced.
Michael Brown left the band forever shortly following this. Cameron, Finn and Martin continued recording and touring, with Tom Feher on keyboards and writing half of the new material.
A second album was released late in 1968 called The Left Banke Too. Just for fun, you should know that this album contained backing vocals by one young man named Steven Tyler (yes, that Steven Tyler). The second album was every bit as moving, eloquent and elegant as the debut album.
The band continued touring through 1969, but without Michael Brown and Steve Martin, and they soon broke up citing financial problems. Later that same year, Michael Brown and Steve Martin reunited to record another single under the name The Left Banke. The record was Myrah b/w Pedestal and this was their final single for Smash Records.
Throughout the 1970's various members of the band would record and tour and collaborate but with little success and, in many cases, little notice (Except by me. I would grab everything I could find and cherish any morsel available).
Then came 1992 and Mercury Records, bless them, released a Left Banke compilation entitled There's Gonna Be a Storm: The Complete Recordings 1966–1969. Supposedly, it was going to bring together the band's complete recordings from the years 1966 to 1969. However, a 1969 outtake called Foggy Waterfall, which had previously appeared on two earlier compilations, was not included. The album was dropped from the catalog quickly after its initial release and is now considered a rarity. And, no, you cannot have mine. I don't care what you have to pay to get this compilation but get it. It remains one of my most-played CDs. Listen to The Left Banke radio station on Pandora. Do what you have to do.
In 2005, Alice Cooper recorded a cover version of Pretty Ballerina on his album Dirty Diamonds. Listen to the original, then listen to Cooper's cover. I am not sure if it is heretical or hilarious.
On June 13, 2009, Jeff Winfield, the original recording guitarist of The Left Banke, died following his admission on February 25 for an emergency hernia operation with complications of diabetes. His condition worsened with pneumonia.
In early 2011, Sundazed announced that they had arranged to reissue the two Smash label recordings on CD. Sadly, no singles-only tracks will be included. Those two beautiful albums can be purchased on CD or 180 gram vinyl at the Sundazed website here: http://www.sundazed.com/shop/june2011.php
Tom Finn and George Cameron reformed The Left Banke in March 2011. They performed live at Joe's Pub in New York City on March 5 and 6 to sold out audiences. In April 2011, Tom Finn revealed in a Facebook posting that he had reformed the group, with two shows planned for July in New York City. I jumped on every word and have begged them to come to the West Coast.
Finn lists current members as (in alphabetical order):
Paul Alves - Guitar
George Cameron - Vocals
Charly Cazalet - Bass
Mickey Finn - Keyboards
Tom Finn - Guitar / Vocals
Mike Fornatale - Guitar / Lead Vocal
Rick Reil - Drums / Vocals
I can recall when I heard in 1969 that The Left Banke were finished. Even though I was very young, the profound sense of loss was so heavy. No more songs like Shadows Breaking Over My Head (Brown/Martin) or Goodbye, Holly (Tom Feher) or the great three; Walk Away Renee, Pretty Ballerina and Desiree.
It's funny but when I watch the movie That Thing You Do I always feel like I am watching a movie inspired by The Left Banke which I know is not the case but I am affected the same way.
We cannot go back in time but, with the reforming of The Left Banke, maybe we really can pick up where we left off so long ago. There is always a chance for new beginnings.
They formed The Left Banke in New York City in 1965 with personnel including Michael Brown (songwriter/keyboardist), George Cameron (guitar), Tom Finn (bass), Warren David-Schierhorst (drums) and Steve Martin (vocals), not to be confused with the banjo-playing comedian. They were all Americans but were certainly influenced by the vocal harmonies of the British Invasion bands. Tom Finn cites the Beatles, Kinks and Zombies as having the greatest impact on the band.
Songwriter/keyboardist Michael Brown's father, Harry Lookofsky, operated a recording studio in New York and became the manager/producer/publisher for The Left Banke. After a very short time, George Cameron switched over to drums, replacing David-Schierhorst, while Jeff Winfield joined for guitar only to be replaced with Rick Brand after the release of the band's first album. So now you know the dramatis personae.
Harry Lookofsky was a classical violinist and session musician which probably contributed to Michael Brown's Baroque leanings. One might also think of Doug Ingles' keyboard styles and the obvious influence of his father who was a church organist. But Harry did more than influence, he actually played the string parts for the band.
There is so much to say about the sound of this group. It wasn't just the Baroque influence and imitation (and I mean that is a good way) but there was something so very soul-stirring in the harmonies of Cameron and Finn and in Steve Martin's lead vocals. There was a melancholy, a depth to the sadness, in their singing.
I can specifically recall when I first heard what would become their smash hit, entitled "Walk Away, Renee." The opening lyrics were: "And when I see the sign that points one way..." To this day, I cannot hear those words without a pause in whatever I am doing or thinking. The complete lyrics are:
And when I see the sign that points one way
The lot we used to pass by every day
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same
You're not to blame
From deep inside the tears that I'm forced to cry
From deep inside the pain that I chose to hide
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
Now, as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes
For me, it cries
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
Now, as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes
For me, it cries
Your name and mine inside a heart upon a wall
Still finds a way to haunt me though they're so small
Just walk away, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same
You're not to blame
Of course, the song appears to be about the loneliness of break-up and how one might never get over such loss. But there is also the sadness and loneliness of following that one-way sign; the sign that allows for no retreat or exit. She is free to turn and walk away, but he is on a path of no deviation. He is in a trapped life. That was how I heard it.
There is a great but apocryphal tale about the inspiration and writing of this song. The story centers around a young blonde beauty named Renee Fladen. It is a romantic tale of unrequited love... and it is false.
The truth is, and this according to Tony Sansone who co-wrote the lyrics, the mention of the one-way sign was regarding the change of Hull Avenue from a two-way street into a one-way street. He says that a little piece of his world changed with that. He also says that the sign was located at Hull and 207th Avenue in The Bronx. For Tony, the song is about growing up and saying goodbye to youth (He was 26 when he co-wrote those lyrics). Tom Finn confirms this and even offers the enigmatic suggestion of the initials of the song Walk Away Renee spells "WAR." During the height of the Viet Nam War, everyone's world had changed.
Obviously, I let the first line dictate the mood and meaning of the whole song for me.
Walk Away Renee was released in 1966 and became a big hit; reaching No. 5 on the charts and staying on the charts for 10 weeks. Even in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine listed it at No. 220 in their issue of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Yes, I would have put it much higher.
The minor key and use of those strings were just so compelling.
Early in 1967, The Left Banke released a second single called Pretty Ballerina. It was another Michael Brown composition and again the vocals were, I have to use the word, haunting. I regret having to use that word only because it has been used over and over by writers trying to describe the sound. However, it wasn't just Martin's vocals but the entire band's contribution to the complete sound that was so moving. Again, Finn and Cameron deserve so much of the credit for that.
Yet, with all that, there was this hilarious sense of self-deprecation that forced a smile even in the midst of this melancholy.
I called her yesterday
It should have been tomorrow
I could not keep the joy that was inside
I begged for her to tell me
If she really loved me
Somewhere a mountain is moving
Afraid it's moving without me
Here is the pay-off comedic line: I called her yesterday... it should have been tomorrow! Ah, 20/20 hindsight. Then the stanza concludes with the idea that somewhere, for someone, faith may be paying off. But for our guy, there may be a mountain moving but it is doing so without any regard to his misspent hope.
Pretty Ballernia reached the charts in early 1967, and The Left Banke released an album entitled Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina. Then came the fracture in the band.
Unbelievably, Michael Brown recorded a single, Ivy, Ivy b/w And Suddenly as The Left Banke, while only using session musicians and Bert Sommer on vocals. What was he thinking? Attorneys were hired and radio stations (and even the band's own record label) were left in a quandary over which group to support.
Late in 1967, the group reunited and recorded new material, including the splendid single Desiree, which peaked at only no. 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was a wonderful song. In fact, it was a masterpiece... and it killed the band. Many radio stations were still unsure about promoting the band after the debacle over the Brown single. Furthermore, as of 1967, Desiree was said to be the most expensive single ever produced.
Michael Brown left the band forever shortly following this. Cameron, Finn and Martin continued recording and touring, with Tom Feher on keyboards and writing half of the new material.
A second album was released late in 1968 called The Left Banke Too. Just for fun, you should know that this album contained backing vocals by one young man named Steven Tyler (yes, that Steven Tyler). The second album was every bit as moving, eloquent and elegant as the debut album.
The band continued touring through 1969, but without Michael Brown and Steve Martin, and they soon broke up citing financial problems. Later that same year, Michael Brown and Steve Martin reunited to record another single under the name The Left Banke. The record was Myrah b/w Pedestal and this was their final single for Smash Records.
Throughout the 1970's various members of the band would record and tour and collaborate but with little success and, in many cases, little notice (Except by me. I would grab everything I could find and cherish any morsel available).
Then came 1992 and Mercury Records, bless them, released a Left Banke compilation entitled There's Gonna Be a Storm: The Complete Recordings 1966–1969. Supposedly, it was going to bring together the band's complete recordings from the years 1966 to 1969. However, a 1969 outtake called Foggy Waterfall, which had previously appeared on two earlier compilations, was not included. The album was dropped from the catalog quickly after its initial release and is now considered a rarity. And, no, you cannot have mine. I don't care what you have to pay to get this compilation but get it. It remains one of my most-played CDs. Listen to The Left Banke radio station on Pandora. Do what you have to do.
In 2005, Alice Cooper recorded a cover version of Pretty Ballerina on his album Dirty Diamonds. Listen to the original, then listen to Cooper's cover. I am not sure if it is heretical or hilarious.
On June 13, 2009, Jeff Winfield, the original recording guitarist of The Left Banke, died following his admission on February 25 for an emergency hernia operation with complications of diabetes. His condition worsened with pneumonia.
In early 2011, Sundazed announced that they had arranged to reissue the two Smash label recordings on CD. Sadly, no singles-only tracks will be included. Those two beautiful albums can be purchased on CD or 180 gram vinyl at the Sundazed website here: http://www.sundazed.com/shop/june2011.php
Tom Finn and George Cameron reformed The Left Banke in March 2011. They performed live at Joe's Pub in New York City on March 5 and 6 to sold out audiences. In April 2011, Tom Finn revealed in a Facebook posting that he had reformed the group, with two shows planned for July in New York City. I jumped on every word and have begged them to come to the West Coast.
Finn lists current members as (in alphabetical order):
Paul Alves - Guitar
George Cameron - Vocals
Charly Cazalet - Bass
Mickey Finn - Keyboards
Tom Finn - Guitar / Vocals
Mike Fornatale - Guitar / Lead Vocal
Rick Reil - Drums / Vocals
I can recall when I heard in 1969 that The Left Banke were finished. Even though I was very young, the profound sense of loss was so heavy. No more songs like Shadows Breaking Over My Head (Brown/Martin) or Goodbye, Holly (Tom Feher) or the great three; Walk Away Renee, Pretty Ballerina and Desiree.
It's funny but when I watch the movie That Thing You Do I always feel like I am watching a movie inspired by The Left Banke which I know is not the case but I am affected the same way.
We cannot go back in time but, with the reforming of The Left Banke, maybe we really can pick up where we left off so long ago. There is always a chance for new beginnings.
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