 As a baby boomer, I can tell you that one of the bands that helped form my musical taste since 1967 was The Buckinghams. From the obvious smash - "Kind of a Drag" to their big AM Radio hits like "Don't You Care" - "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" and "Susan" this band always had a "Sunshine Pop" appeal. But to fans like me, their music went a lot deeper as their album tracks unfolded. It's no overstatement to say that I have memorized all of the lyrics to every song on every album. And the production on their 2nd & 3rd albums ("Time & Charges" and "Portraits" respectively) in the hands of the man who made Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears (the second LP) sound the way they did, James William Guercio, only drove the music of The Buckinghms deeper into my brain. It is my consumate pleasure to bring you not just the music of one of my favorite bands of all time but the solo music of Buckinghams co-founder, Carl Giammarese and the music of the Tufano-Giammarese Band - the 3 albums that came after The Buckinghams. Get ready for a feast of 60's and 70's music. In 1967-68, the dam burst for Chicago's Buckinghams, and the airwaves were awash with that wonderful sound: heartfelt vocals riding over lush horn arrangements. By year's end, Dennis Tufano, Carl Giammarese and company had scored major hits with "Don't You Care," "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)," "Susan," "Back In Love Again" and more. In rapid order, the group released three Columbia albums: Time & Charges, Portraits, and In One Ear And Gone Tomorrow, jam-packed with Top 40 radio smashes and much, much more. In 1967 Billboard Magazine declared that The Buckinghams were the most popular band in the world! Windows Media Required Windows Media Required Windows Media Required |
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I've always wondered why bands from the sixties and seventies had to change their sound when it was obvious that their fans loved what they had already done. So why not keep it going? The Buckinghams have released a new album that picks up right where they left off in 1970. Welcome back, my friends! Play I'll Never Say Goodbye Play We Were Living a Dream Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Reaching Back (Intro) 2. I'll Never Say Goodbye 3. We Were Living a Dream 4. Love Is You 5. The Autumn of My Life 6. No Way To Know 7. Here We Are (Intro) 8. Here We Are 9. You Misunderstand Me 10. Reaching Back Bonus Tracks - New Recordings 11. Kind of a Drag 12. Don't You Care 13. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy 14. Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song 15. Susan 
Purchase from The Buckinghams' web site Price includes shipping. | | In 1967, the Buckinghams laid waste to the Billboard charts with their mega-hit, "Kind Of A Drag." At last, Sundazed presents the group's first album from '66. Along with their launchpad hit and the complete U.S.A.-label stereo album, we've added a single-only side and the group's lengthy fuzz-fest rave-up version of "I'm A Man," (which was included on only a mere handful of early vinyl pressings), a vintage radio spot, original and new notes, vintage photos/posters/handbill repros and more! Play Kind of a Drag Play Lawdy Miss Claudy Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. I'll Go Crazy 2. Don't Want To Cry 3. Virginia Wolf 4. Beginner's Love 5. Sweets For My Sweet 6. I've Been Wrong 7. I Call Your Name 8. Makin' Up & Breakin' Up 9. You Make Me Feel So Good 10. Summertime 11. Love Ain't Enough 12. Kind Of A Drag 13. Lawdy Miss Claudy* 14. I'm A Man* Purchase this CD from Sundazed |
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Whoever may have thought that the first album was a fluke with one hit and that no more would come of The Buckinghams was completely wrong as proven by this collection of smashes from beginning to end. Play Don't You Care Play Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Don't You Care 2. Pitied Be the Dragon Hunter 3. And Our Love 4. Why Don't You Love Me 5. You Are Gone 6. I'll Be Back 7. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy 8. Remember 9. The Married Life 10. Foreign Policy | | "So if 'Time & Charges' wasn't enough to prove that The Buckinghams were for real, they came up with this, the finest pop-rock '60s album of all time (in my humble opinion, that is). If I had to go to a desert island for the rest of my life, this is the first album I would grab. Perfection from first to last track." - Dean Sciarra - ItsAboutMusic.com Play C'mon Home Play Susan Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. C'mon Home 2. I Love All of the Girls 3. We Just Know 4. We Just Know -Reprise 5. Inside Looking Out 6. Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song) 7. Susan 8. The Mail 9. Big Business Advisor 10. Have You Noticed You're Alive 11. Just Because I've Fallen Down 12. Any Place in Here 13. Any Place in Here - Reprise |
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Although recorded in 1969 this album was the first release by The Buckinghams in 1970. By now, their relationship with producer, James William Guercio had pretty much ended while he was off producing Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears but the masterful songs survived and made this an album to cherish with songs like "Back in Love Again," "Can I Get a Witness," "Can't Find the Word" and more. Includes 9 bonus tracks that are worth the price alone. Play Back in Love Again Play What Is Love Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Back In Love Again 2. Simplicity 3. Can I Get A Witness 4. Our Wrong To Be Right 5. Can't Find The Word 6. Song Of The Breeze 7. What Is Love 8. I Know I Think 9. Till The Sun Doesn't Shine 10. Are You There 11. Time Of My Life BONUS TRACKS: 13. You Misunderstand Me 14. Where Did You Come From 15. This Is How Much I Love You 16. It's A Beautiful Day (For Lovin') 17. Difference Of Opinion 18. I Got A Feelin' 19. It Took Forever 20. You 21. I Just Don't Know How To Say Goodbye (previously unissued) Purchase this CD from Sundazed | | Play Back in Love Again Play Don't You Care Play I'll Go Crazy Play Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Play Susan Play Kind of a Drag Songs on this album are: Back in Love Again Don't You Care Good Lovin' I'll Go Crazy Hey Baby(They're Playin' Our Song) Gimme Some Lovin' I Knew You When Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Expressway (To Your Heart) Domino When a Man Loves a Woman The Letter Susan Kind of a Drag Purchase from The Buckinghams' web site Price includes shipping. |
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From 1998 - the new Buckinghams featuring original members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna. Play I Think About You Play Say It Ain't Love Play World Without Love Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. No Turning Back 2. I Knew You When 3. I Think About You 4. Say It Ain't Love 5. Terra Firma 6. 99.9 7. Kind of a Drag 8. World Without Love 9. Nothing Left to Cling To 10. Jean Jacket and Lace 11. Next Bend in the River
No longer available on CD - for download only! | | "Trying Not To Fade" is a labor of love. At the beginning it wasn't even meant to be an album, but the more I got involved in recording, the more it came together. Before I knew it, I had eleven songs that I had laid down. It's a collection that is very special to me. The songs are very straightforward and personal. They reflect everyday experiences in which I am sure everyone can relate. - Carl Giammarese Play Trying Not to Fade Play Still Searching Play Another Moment Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. For Only You 2. Sorry 3. Trying Not to Fade 4. How Long (Can We Be Still) 5. Still Searching 6. An Angel 7. Another Moment 8. Now That She's Gone 9. Geographical Breakup 10. I Can't Say No 11. Oh Lord (Make Me More Like You) |
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The First album by Tufano & Giammarese 1973 Now Available for the first time! Play Music Everywhere Play I'm a Loser Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Music Everywhere 2. Wednesday Down 3. I'm a Loser 4. Rise Up 5. Just a Dream Away 6. Here We Are 7. Communicate 8. Show Me If You Can 9. She Takes Me There 10. Can You Say What You Need 11. Take Me Back 12. Give Yourself a Dream Vocals & Guitars:Dennis Tufano & Carl Giammarese Harmonica: Dennis Tufano Electric Guitars: Carl Giammarese Bass: Wilton Felder Drums: Jim Gordon Also appearing: David T Walker - guitars, Carole King - piano, Bobbye Hall - percussion, Gary Coleman - vibes, etc., Michael Melvoin - keys Produced by Lou Adler Engineered by Hank Cicalo | | The second album 1974 Now Available for the first time Play Summer Night Play Colouring The Trance Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Let in the Light 2. Heartbreak 3. Gone Like the Wind 4. Colouring the Trance 5. Taken the Shaken 6. Honest Man 7. Kind of a Drag 8. Times Change 9. Fly Away 10. Sweet Delight 11. Hypnotizin' Love 12. Summer Night Dennis Tufano: lead vocals, guitar, keyboards Carl Giammarese: Guitar & lead vocals John Forrest: bass Marty Grebb: keyboards & sax Darryl Warren: congas & percussion Tom (Ozzie) Osfar: Drums Tracy Richardson: back-up vocals Jack Richardson: Producer |
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And the third album 1977 Now Available for the first time Play Night Rider Play The Other Side Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Night Rider 2. You're the One 3. The Other Side 4. City Guise 5. Belive in the Music 6. Memories 7. I Can Fly 8. I'm in Love with You Now 9. On the Road 10. My Woman Prod. Tom Scott & Hank Cicalo Featuring Jay Graydon, Tom Scott, Ray Parker Jr., Chuck Rainy, Richard Tee, Waddy Wachtel. | ||
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| Interview with Dennis Tufano - A special feature on The Buckinghams by Ben McLane, Esq. (with contributions from Marty Grebb) The year 1967 was a magical one for music. There were some big bands: The Beatles, The Monkees, The Mamas and the Papas, The Buckinghams...that's right, the Buckinghams. Often summarily dismissed as mere horn rock or bubblegum pop, the Buckinghams out of Chicago ushered in 1967 with the classic number one hit "Kind of a Drag." Four more memorable pop songs raced into the top 20 immediately thereafter "Don't You Care," "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)," and "Susan" making The Buckinghams legitimate chart contenders that year. I spoke with original lead singer, Dennis Tufano, about the rise and fall of this historic band. "Jon Poulos [drums] and I knew each other from the neighborhood and we were the first in the band. Originally, we were called the Pulsations. We went through several players before finding Carl Giammarese [guitar] and Nick Fortune [bass]. Dennis Miccoli was our fist keyboard player, and he is the one playing on 'Kind Of A Drag,' but music was more of a hobby for him." Soon after "Kind Of A Drag" was recorded, Miccoli was replaced by Marty Grebb, the keyboard player from the Chicago folk-rock band The Exceptions. (It is interesting to note that members of The Exceptions were also Peter Cetera, later of Chicago and Kal David, later of The Illinois Speed Press.) Like many bands from that era, the television medium was an early career boost for the group. "We won a 'Battle of the Bands' for a local TV show, 'All Time Hits,' and we became regulars on the show for 14 weeks. The British invasion was happening at that time and the TV show wanted us to use a more British sounding name. A security guard that worked for the TV station actually came up with the name The Buckinghams." During this period, the band signed to the Chicago-based independent label, USA. "Jim Holvay (of another popular Chicago horn band, the Mob, later to chart on Colossus) approached us and said he had some original songs that his band was not going to do and that maybe we could do something with them. He gave us a tape that contained his songs 'Kind of A Drag,' 'Don't You Care,' 'Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song),' and 'Susan.' (Gary Biesber, also of The Mob, co-wrote the latter three.) We took the tape home, liked 'Kind of A Drag,' and re-arranged it a bit differently, added horns." The Buckinghams recorded several sides for USA with Carl Bonafede and Dan Belloc handling production chores. "Bonafede was our original manager. He was a local DJ at a club called the Holiday Ballroom that the band played at early on. He discovered us and said you guys should make a record. [Bonafede later produced groups such as Thee Prophets and The Lot.] 'Kind of a Drag' was not released right away. USA thought it was too slow. Instead, they choose to release the more up, R&B sounding sides, such as 'Laudy Miss Claudy' (aka 'Lawdy Miss Clawdy'). The band had done a deal with USA for about 12 sides. There were no options. After they released 'Kind Of A Drag,' the contract was up. USA did not push the song. However, the local station, WLS radio, got on it heavy. Within a month, it was in the top 10 in the Midwest. After that, the brass we used became known as the 'Chicago Sound.'" Like a dream come true, "Kind Of A Drag" was soon number one in the country. "It was ironic, for six months we had no label, no manager, no keyboard player, and we opened up Billboard magazine and 'Kind of a Drag' was number one. A friend of ours from Chicago was the cousin of Jim Guercio. Guercio was playing bass for Chad & Jeremy at the time. His motivation was to be a producer. However, Columbia would not let him produce Chad & Jeremy because he did not have a name. We were his calling card to be a producer for Columbia. He went to Columbia and said 'I've got the group with the number one record. They are yours, but I produce.' That was the deal that was cut." Guercio also became the new manager, along with Garrick Ebbins. "Ebbin's father was at the William Morris Agency. Ebbins was the business connection to show-biz. Guercio connected with him in order to have a legitimate management company." The first Columbia album, "Time & Charges," with Guercio now the producer, introduced a change of direction in the group's music, as evidenced by such tracks as "And Our Love" and "Foreign Policy." "The symphonic element was Guercio's idea. About one half of it was okay with us. It got a little over-produced sounding compared to our other material. But, our arguments were tempered by the success of the record. So we had to go with the flow. Although the album reads - arranged and conducted by James William Guercio - John Andrews really did these duties, but never got credit." (Andrews later got credit for arranging [along with Marty Grebb] and conducting the last charting single by the Buckinghams, "Back In Love Again" (BB #57, 1968)). This album included the big hits "Don't You Care" (BB #6, 1967) and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (BB #5, 1967). The success of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" was unexpected. "We recorded it as an album cut only. Columbia released it as a single to follow-up to 'Don't You Care.' Bam, it became another hit." The second Columbia album, "Portraits," showed tremendous growth in the band and an attempt to change with the times; to not be pigeonholed as a bubblegum group. Unfortunately, that growth led to the demise of The Buckinghams. "We wanted to write a lot of the stuff. On the road, we really started to get into it. This was a problem for Guercio because he saw it as the group gaining back some control. We told him that since we wrote these songs, we are going to set up our own publishing company. We did not want our songs to go into Guercio's publishing company. At first, Guercio says no problem, we'll get the paperwork going. However, he later came back and said 'the record company has to release the album immediately, so I threw your songs into my publishing company.' The flags went up. From then on, attorneys starting getting involved and things got hairy. We sued Guercio for fraud regarding the publishing. It was a big knot of litigation. In retaliation, Guercio told Clive Davis [head of Columbia] that we were 'puppets,' and if not for him, there would be no Buckinghams. Guercio poisoned us at Columbia. We fired Guercio and told Columbia we wanted another producer." (Guercio later went on to produce Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago.) Although behind the scenes things were imploding, the Buckinghams were exploding on the charts with "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song) (BB #12, 1967) and the trippy, "A Day In The Life" inspired, "Susan" (BB #11, 1967). The last Columbia album, "In One Ear And Gone Tomorrow," utilized the production services of Jimmy "Wiz" Wisner. "The match of the band with Wisner was not that good. He was a nice guy, but he produced us in a different way, incorporated a different sound." Highlights of this album are the above-mentioned "Back In Love Again" b/w "You Misunderstand Me" (b side only) (both penned by Marty Grebb), and the lush group composition "Song Of The Breeze." The catchy pop song "Where Did You Come From" was also recorded during this period for inclusion in the 20th Century Fox Film, "The Guru." "It ["Where..."] could have been a hit. Columbia just did not care about us by that point. We had then become a throw away group." To make matters worse, it was during this time that the group got busted in Iowa for possession of marijuana. "Everyone was acquitted of the charges for lack of proof. The papers never printed our acquittal." "We started to work on a fourth album for Columbia. By then, Columbia started sending over staff producers that wrote their own songs. Young guys that had done very little. I knew it was all over. As for the last tracks we recorded, Columbia just released them to fulfill their contract; they did not promote." It is a shame that Columbia lost interest because two of the final releases, both produced by John Hill, "It's A Beautiful Day (For Lovin')" and the very last Columbia single "It Took Forever" b/w "I Got A Feelin'" were fine examples of late 1960s polished pop. One song from these sessions that was never finished, the Tufano composition, "You," was not released until the Sony Legacy CD, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - A Collection." "By this time, Marty and Nick were gone. John Turner was our keyboard player and Kurt Bachman took the place of Nick on bass. People were dropping like flies because it was like a sinking ship. At this point, Jon Poulos and I just wanted to pay the bills. All the money that we did get went towards legal fees. 1970 was the official break-up." (Grebb went on to briefly join a re-formed HP Lovecraft, called Lovecraft, for one album on Reprise in 1970. Then, he formed The Fabulous Rhinestones for three critically acclaimed albums on the Just Sunshine label in the early 1970s. Later, he became an in-demand studio and touring musician, playing with rock greats such as Bonnie Raitt and Leon Russell.) "After the break-up, I totally went hippy. I just started writing and did my own demos at home. Carl and I stayed in touch. We saw that our songs went together well." Thus, Tufano-Giammarese was born. "It was a hard road because we came from a rock background and we tried to play all the clubs in Chicago as an acoustic duo. The clubs would not hire us. We never used the Buckinghams as a calling card at all. Initially, we did a demo for Reprise but they did not like it. Jon Poulos was managing bands in Chicago at the time and he began to help us. Next, we did a complete album demo to shop. Jon got on the phone, but nobody would sign the group. Then, we hooked up with the guy who produced the Guess Who, Jack Richardson out of Toronto. Richardson produced a demo with three songs. All the guys from Poco played on it. Jon sent the demo to every label - nothing. Finally, Jon says he has one long shot: Lou Adler [producer of The Mamas And Papas, Johnny Rivers, Spirit] and his custom label, Ode. Two days later Adler calls and says he really likes the sound. He flew us to Los Angles to audition live. He was blown away. Adler says he not only wants to sign us, he wants to produce the album." The first self-titled Tufano-Giammarese album was released on Ode in 1973. The initial single, "Music Everywhere," had modest chart action (#68 BB, 1973). The pearl of this album is the Tufano written "Rise Up," which was released as a single in 1973 but did not chart. In order to promote the first album, the act went out on a promotional tour with Cheech & Chong, also on Ode. "We opened the show in nine states for two months. Talk about dangerous duty. People were yelling 'Hey man, where's Dave' when we are trying to play the songs. At most of the shows we got standing ovations. It was just two guitars, bass and congas. Tommy Chong used to call Adler and tell him that Dennis is bumming out our audience because he tells them to shut up all the time. We survived that tour." There was an aborted second album for Ode that was started. "We had four sides done, then Adler got sick and had to keep leaving the sessions." As this was happening, Giammarese quit. "I went in myself and starting recording with session players like Russ Kunkel and Danny Kortchmar. During this period, Adler got to a point where he could not take making records anymore. I was stuck." Eventually, the second album, titled "The Tufano & Giammarese Band," came together. "That album was Adler's punishment. Jon Poulos and I had to beg Adler to do the record. Adler said he will not do another album unless he knows that Carl is not going to leave again. In order to get back together, I had to move back to Chicago. We put the band together, worked clubs, and learned new songs. This time, Adler assigned Jack Richardson to produce. We lived in one room in Toronto; the whole band, no money. It was hell." A standout track from this overlooked LP is "Colouring The Trance." Tufano & Giammarese had one last run at the charts with the third, and final, Ode album, "The Other Side." "Adler was going to produce it. At this time, Ode was distributed by Epic Records. Adler brought in Hank Cicalo to engineer and Tom Scott to do the arrangements. On the first day we were to record, Adler says 'I cannot produce anymore, I lost my ear. I want to make movies.' Tom and Hank became the producers. The record goes into the stores. One week later, Adler cuts the distribution deal with Epic off; he wants to be distributed by Columbia instead. Adler re released the album. Unfortunately, the guys at Columbia treated it like an old record. It never got promoted. 'Night Rider,' a Jeff Lynne song, was to be the single from that album." The Adler experience, although on the surface a disappointment, actually turned into a fortunate connection for Tufano. "It was through Adler that I met Bernie Taupin. Adler had a private club on top of the Roxy in Hollywood. Over the years, we had maintained our friendship. I used to hang out at the club. Bernie Taupin started coming there. We began having conversations. One day he asked me what I did during the day. I told him I was a songwriter, that I used to be in this band, etc. He told me he was thinking of doing a solo album and he was looking for a songwriter to work with. At this time [1979], Elton was going through some changes, and they decided to take some time off. I played him a demo of my music and he liked it. He gave me some lyrics for the song 'The Whores Of Paris.' I said okay, I'll try this one. I played him the music I came up with; he said 'that's it, lets do the record.' We became partners. Boz Scaggs was also considered to be the writer for that album, but I got the job." The album was called 'He Who Rides The Tiger' and it was released on Asylum in 1980. "Asylum did not know what to do with the record. It was not an airplay record. There were no singles." "The Buckinghams were invited in 1980 by WLS radio Chicago to do a reunion. Marty could not make it because he was working with Leon Russell. We rehearsed and played three shows. [Jon Poulos passed away in March, 1980 and did not participate.] It had been eleven years since anyone had seen us play. We got a lot of jobs out of that and could have worked the whole year as the Buckinghams, but I lived in Los Angeles and had a lot of things going on. That reunion was the impetus for Carl and Nick continuing on as the Buckinghams." During the 1980s-90s, Tufano was involved in acting. The Buckinghams have continued to tour extensively as a nostalgia act with Giammarese and Fortune and they released their last recordings, the album "A Matter Of Time" and the single "Veronica," in 1985 on the Red Label label. Tufano's partnership with Taupin was recently renewed with the release of Bernie Taupin's newest project, Farm Dogs, of which Tufano is a member. The new album by Farm Dogs, "Last Stand In Open Country" was released in July, 1996 on Discovery Records. [Special thanks to Marty Grebb for contributing to this article.] Copyright 1996, Ben McLane Visit The Buckinghams Web Site |