Offbeats - "Seven Days" (Live on WRUW, 1985)

Offbeats - "Seven Days"

Live on WRUW-FM, Cleveland Ohio, 1985
Tom - guitar, lead vocals. Doug - guitar, backing vocals. Carl - bass. Bud - drums. Larry Collins - host.

The Generics - "Fire and Rain"

Early 1980's Cleveland Pop / Punk combo. The name was inspired by the beer called "Beer."

"Fire and Rain," (written by James Taylor of course) was performed on one of the rare occasions the Generics left their basement and played for a few people at a suburban house party. Tom Hamilton - bass. Tom Hawk - guitar and lead vocals. Mark Vocca - guitar and vocals. Bob Richey - drums. That vintage sound courtesy of a stereo cassette deck and a couple of cheap mics.

TA Miller - "Upset" 

Ephemera Records. Written and recorded by TA Miller on Fender guitar, Ludwig drums, Synsonics bass, Epiphone amp, Shure microphone and Fostex 4-track cassette. Copyright 2015 by TA Miller.

tHE dRAGGED aROUND - "A Pack of Truth"

tHE dRAGGED aROUND. Cleveland, Ohio punk rock.

There's a swarm of flies on the horizon.


Everything recorded in one take. Copyright 2013 / 2014 by tHE dRAGGED aROUND.

RIP Tony Urso

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013 after a long battle with cancer.  Tony played in the Cleveland, Ohio bands Starvation Army, Sissy, Hucklebuck and Buddy Love Combo.  He loved life and was loved by many:  his family, wife, children, friends and fans.  You are missed Tony.  I played in Starvation Army with him back in the late '80's / early '90's.  Below is just one memory from those years.

Tony Urso was a great guy.  A perfect balance of smart and smart-ass.  A real straight up Cleveland guy.  They don't get better.  His many friends, his family...they all know that.  He did have his quirks though.  Since I played with him in a band for a while, and went on a couple of tours with him, I got to know a few of those quirks firsthand.  Just little things that made him unique.  It's funny what you think of at times like this, but one thing that has been on my mind the last week concerns Tony and electronic guitar tuners.  Mainly I remember how much he disliked them.  In the two years I was in a band with Tony, I never once saw him use one.  Let's face it, clubs and bars can be very noisy places when you are trying to get ready for a performance.  All of us used an electronic tuner, it's just easy and more reliable then the ears when you are an environment where it's so loud you can't hear yourself think.  Not Tony though.  He'd scoff at tuners: "I don't like those things."  Of course he usually was in tune and he sure knew how to play the hell out of his guitar, so it never really mattered.  Still, just out of curiosity I recall questioning him a few times about his aversion to electronic tuning gadgets.  On one of those occasions I remember him telling me: "I don't need them…because I am in tune with nature.  I AM IN TUNE WITH THE COSMOS!"  Of course my response was to laugh (at, with) him.  Right Tony, I think you are also in tune with a few beers!  That was Tony though.  He was known within the band circle to occasionally be slightly "out there."  On his own plane of existence, I mean.  Planet Tony.  A deep thinker I guess is another way to put it.  Anyway, later during the gig I began to notice something...something out of tune.  Who is it?  Well it couldn't be TONY.  He's in tune with the cosmos...so it must be the rest of us!  Now I think, well, he really is in tune with the cosmos - and the cosmos is now a much better place.  Unfortunately he has left a vacuum on this level of existence, here in Cleveland.  We are not a better place without Tony...but we are a better place for having known him and having good memories of him.  So I just want to say, so long Tony.  See you 'round the cosmos sometime.

Links:

Starvation Army on ReverbNation

Starvation Army on Facebook

Tony Urso obituary

Starvation Army - "Tarantula" on YouTube 

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Francisco Antonio "Tony" Urso passed away Aug. 14, 2013. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=francisco-antonio-urso-tony&pid=166446300#fbLoggedOut

Death of Samantha

Tonight Cleveland's DEATH OF SAMANTHA are playing their first gig in nearly 20 years.

I saw DOS many times back in the 1980's.  I think I was probably at their second or maybe third-ever gig, way back when they were only a 3-piece band.  Even in that early stage I liked them right away.  They had some really good songs...not to mention an additional mysterious "it" that all great bands seem to have.

This particular recording captures them at the very first gig they played with their then-new guitar player, Doug Gillard.  It was at the long-gone Pop Shop near Cleveland State University.  The date was May 25, 1984 and they had not yet recorded their first single.  With John Petkovic's permission, I was allowed to tape their set on my boombox that night.  He also told me, "In 28 years from now, please post one of the songs on something called the internet."  I didn't know what he was talking about of course, but now it is clear what a visionary person he was/is.

I should be at their show tonight, but alas can not make the drive to Cleveland.  Sucks.  Oh well, I hope they don't wait another 20 years to reform.  I don't think I can hold out that long.



I don't know how long this will be here.  It might disappear if someone from the band objects...

TA Miller - Something Right (mp3)

TA MILLER
"Something Right"
(mp3)



Click above to listen. Written, recorded and blah, blah, blah by TA Miller, Dec. 2011. Happy holidays.