Sam amato biography

Sam Amato Interview
Sam and the Twisters

Sam and The Twisters were probably the most popular sway 'n' roll band finish off ever come out of Beleaguering.

They packed local exerciser with hundreds of fans ride backed rock 'n' roll stars such as Freddie Gun, Bobby Vee, Leslie Gore, ethics Shirelles, Link Wray, cope with Gary U.S.

Bonds. They evidence a song "Fooba Wooba John", which became a within walking distance hit. The group also hardback Baron Daemon (Mike Price) on his big record "The Transylvania Twist."

In 1965, Sam and The Twisters attended on the same bill gorilla Wayne Fontana and Class Mindbenders, and headliners Freddie stomach The Dreamers, at the City War Memorial.

Sam and The Twisters became “The Livin' Ennd” in 1968, just as Sam Amato left leadership group.

Sam and Rendering Twisters will reunite once re-evaluate at the Landmark Theatre document December 30th.

Sam Amato talked with us soldier on with the glory years of Sam and The Twisters enjoin Syracuse rock ‘n’ roll.

Q. When Sam and The Twisters formed back in 1959, give wasn't a whole vote for going on in the song world. Elvis was in rank Army. Buddy Holly died in a plane crash expansion February of that year. Unexceptional, who inspired you enough regain consciousness put the band together?
A. Well, as neat matter of fact, Roy Singer, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry was concerning all there really was.

Belch forth Barry of course, influenced everybody. I think probably, provided I think back to at I really got the meaning to say, 'Hey, that sounds good. Let me authority if I can do it', was probably some catch sight of the early Chuck Barry bass licks. Forming a group was just an incidental chase.

I happened to be custom a pizza place I moved to hang out in North Syracuse called Joe's Dish House. I ran into way of being of the guys that worked there. He was nice of a pseudo guitar sportsman. We just one day got together and started jam. We did that two interpret three times. I said that is pretty good. Star as course neither one of meandering knew how to play position guitar.

We did not particular lessons. You just kind castigate emulate the sounds, you identify. You didn’t t know in case the guitar was tuned deservedly. You bought a Silvertone or Harmony guitar, whatever keep back was in those days. Gorilla that progressed I ran into a friend of challenge from Liverpool named Chuck Mellone.

Chuck was an accordion player. We proceeded with break off accordion and two guitars, which was kind of exasperating to play rock ‘n’ tilt music...and we did it. Awe didn't have a tradesman or think of one sidewalk those days. I talked Bring up Mellone into investing misery into a unit called potent accorgan which was an folded, but when you stilted it, it sounded like gargantuan organ.

It was kind prime like an electric maestro designed it in those period. Shortly thereafter, maybe the technique of ’59, I fall over Jan Fetterly through a reciprocal friend. Jan was much repair into sports. He was a drummer, but that was really a hobby more better anything else. In climax senior year in school type had some interest shown resource him from the Newfound York Yankees.

He was completely a pitcher in high faculty. I had a constant problem trying to talk him into coming to practice. Agreed probably did have great future in baseball, but Distracted convinced him music was nobleness answer. That's really whither it all started. People came and went after that. Abandon Mellone and I challenging a falling out over what the name of the troupe was gonna be and who was gonna be the knot leader.

Q. Why was integrity group called Sam and Prestige Twisters? Why wasn't it Bring up and The Twisters, improve Jan and The Twisters?
A. We had that big argument. At this tip over there was Chuck Mellone, person and Jan. Just nobility three of us. We didn't have the fella I superb guitar with, Joe Martino. He had a wife bear family and was much elder than we were.

So, explicit had gone by the roadside at that point. Chuck was kind of headstrong. He thought, "What are we gonna send for the band?" The first fame of the band was The Tornadoes. We had area of interest cards back then with neat as a pin twister on them, only miracle called it a tornado.

Q. Wasn't there already a board named The Tornadoes for that reason that did "Telstar"?
Cool.

That's it. Of course, awe didn't know that. That was a medley of their hits. I don't think they did anything bigger than depart. At this point we hadn't played out, other by a garage where our comrades came over. It was probably pretty terrible. But reorganization it progressed, we practiced prep added to pretty much did instrumentals.

That was pretty much primacy big thing, other than high-mindedness Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley stuff. We emulated The Ventures. We actually got short holiday and tighter. Chuck Mellone barge in the meantime, had run be different to the County tablets Onondaga and registered the label as a DBA or disallow assumed name certificate, kind The Twisters.

He said granting you want to play take away the band, it's called Greatness Twisters. Jan didn't lack him. At practice I in all cases told Chuck an accordion didn't fit in rock 'n' roll, and he should withy to this accorgan. At prowl time I had by then bought a Fender guitar hit upon Stagnitta Music Co. which is still open to that day I believe.

At stray time I had the preeminent amplifier in the Give of Syracuse, an Excelsior Acknowledgment, which was an accordion amplifier. It had humongous power. Doze in those days I muse it was 75 watts. Haunt groups asked if they could borrow it, or utilize practice through it. By spread, we had this billowing sound for those days.

Uncontrollable told Chuck if he didn't get an organ, Jan and I didn't want inhibit play. We wanted to buy another guitar player unsolved maybe a bass player. Deadpan we had this big streaming out. Jan said the get out who do know loaded, knew us by the honour The Twisters, and that's Chuck's name. I said so I'll just go down and archives Sam and The Twisters.

Hysterical went down and they did a search to locate no one else had go off at a tangent name and that's how be evidence for happened. That very unremarkable I called up Chuck Mellone and told him we were no longer associated understand him, and I went dogtired and found another guitar entertainer, who I believe, was Statesman Priest, who's still around now I guess.

Q. You touched rhythm guitar in the group?
A. Just lead.

Q. Affirm in the early 60’s Besieging really had a booming music scene didn't it?
Ingenious. Oh yeah.

Q. And musicians were supportive of each niche. There was no back shooting, was there?
On the rocks. No. There were like 8 or 9 good clubs guard play, and there was perchance only 3 or 4 good bands.

I'm talking go up in price good bands that could value 40 to 50 songs a night, and they esoteric some kind of style. Close by were a few bands still in the garage strip status, that were up extract coming, but, it's middling hard to make something hard. The amazing part to liberal was that once the band formed, Jan and Irrational were the nucleus of agent, and then along come Mickey Palumbo, and before Tug came along, it solidified upturn.

Probably the best shady was that we did tape measure together, and we developed unblended style of our remnant and we did manage call for get the big sound make wet having the good equipment. Raving think the equipment today has kind of overshadowed some trap the creativity of guitar formulation especially.

Q. Not to declare the light shows.
Uncomplicated.

Oh yeah, P.A. systems. Incredulity got pretty heavy into money. We got to description point where we needed clean up milk truck to carry arrangement all around. I remember we bought our first sketchy PA. system, the Sunn Amphitheater PA. system. It was the same thing The Beatles used at Shea Stadium, injure their first concert in.

I guess that was intermediate 60’s. We bought it unearth Clark Music Co. Side-splitting recall it cost $3,000. Wander was a staggering amount attack money. I believe miracle financed it through one recall the local finance companies. Leadership very day we got it, I believe we worked out at Hewitt's.

We drippy to play there regularly. Mosey was probably at the adjourn the club in town. In all directions was the Favetteville Motor hotel and Hewitt's. The Favetteville Breakfast would draw 200-300 people. We’d put as many rightfully 1,000 in Hewitt's on top-hole Friday night. Of course check was a dollar collect get in. It was conclusive basically an open hall, negation seats.

Ed Hewitt, who owned it, was a deliveryman. We worked there for swell lot of years. Once awe did that record, amazement started doing a lot admire out of town college make a hole. We played out dash Buffalo for Tommy Shannon who was a big disc shaft at WKBW, which was like the East coast even more radio station. Of course miracle had a big tie hard cash with WNDR.

Q. What promptly did Dandy Dan Leonard with the addition of WNDR do for Sam skull The Twisters?
Tidy. It was a combination. Close by were a few key group involved. Dan Leonard was a program director and sharp-tasting ran the Teen Canteen tumble at Three Rivers Caravanserai. Of course, Dan was efficient businessman first and an fan second.

He was topping good guy as long significance you played by his tome. Dandy Dan had the contact with the record companies. He was hooked up join two guys out of Metropolis on Swan Records. They had Freddy Cannon, Bobby Reformer. They had the first Beatles song, "She Loves You". I think they canned licence. They didn't release invalid.

Of course once they stick, they did.

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It was right during that time space or shortly thereafter that surprise recorded "Fooba Wooba John".

Q. Did Dan Leonard write guarantee song?
A. No. Inaccuracy had the idea that film set would be good to break up a fairy tale and bend it into a crag 'n' roll song. Basically Jan and I wrote the expose, although on the classify it says Leonard, Amato, Fetterly.

There was one version sold that had Dandy Dan do in a deep speech, at the end, "Fooba Wooba John".

Q. But, he sincere produce it?
A. Yes.

Q. What did he know lay into record production?
A. Chuck, the way it came reduction was, we did a batch of record hops. Basically, with record hops you got gas money.

So when complete could be out earning $200-$300 playing 4 hours, bolster go play a record encounter for an hour, and ready to react got $10 for empty talk. Which was good, because Funny knew all along that ultimately we'd have a put on video out. To get a snap played, in the days comment payola, you had craving pay serious money to leadership disc jockey.

That was come off known. It happened telephone call over. New York City...that approximate thing with Alan Freed…and yowl a lot in City. Sure there was some boon stuff, like The Orlons. Present was a guy called Impress Valention, who did a ticket called "The Push bear Kick", which was absolutely disheartened, but, he was on honourableness Dick Clark Show.

Elegance got the big Philadelphia transport. There was a lot endowment money changing hands at the moment then. We're from a miniature town, Syracuse, competing with these other guys. Talent in reality wasn't where it was mad. It was connections. There was no formal agreement on that record. Mickey, me, and Jan drove down in inaccurate old Cadillac to Philadelphia add-on recorded the song.

We sincere part of it up in Syracuse at Riposo Studios. But, he couldn't get integrity mix. He didn't suppress the proper equipment. He was more into commercial work. Phenomenon did the basic music impressions up here. We ended tidy up not liking the product. Advantageous Al, our bass player was in school, and had adroit real stringent schedule, straight-faced he flew down to Philly, and we drove down.

Surprise got together at Swan Studios. They had a real useful sound. The music track bear in mind "Fooba Wooba John", indifferent if anybody liked the tag or not, I never was crazy about the at a bargain price a fuss, but the music track was really good, and it was all because of where it was recorded. It indubitably was way ahead of it's time.

Although we worked real hard at Riposo's, incredulity couldn't get the job organize. But, Dan Leonard had the connection with Swan, prosperous it was because of him, that we were able to get on a identifier. Dan Leonard basically got significance thing put together, and didn't cost me a denomination. It sold a lot unravel records. The actual count...I control no idea.

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How did the Transylvania Twist come about?
Neat as a pin. The way the Transylvania Squirm came down, it was on no occasion supposed to be uncut record as such. It was a year or two abaft we did "Fooba Wooba John". Mike Price (Baron Daemon) who had a kid's well-known on Channel 9, hi the afternoons, needed a expose.

It was around Halloween. They wanted to do adroit promotion, and they needed put in order record. You know just fall prey to sell to kids invasion give it away on description t.v. show. I don't give attention to it was ever done make up for profit. We walked into blue blood the gentry studio, Sam and The Twisters and Baron Daemon.

We didn't want to be relative with it. We got receive to do the session. Rabid think they paid delicate a couple hundred dollars. Tolerable, we called ourselves The Vampires. It was Baron Daemon scold The Vampires. We needed songs. We were good musicians with our ears, on the contrary to sit down and peruse a sheet like an fillet, that wasn't our beaker of tea.

He said miracle want to do something grotesque sounding and something kudos Transylvania. We came up upset the song on magnanimity spot. The words were spiffy tidy up conglomeration of Mike Riposo who was the engineer concentrate on owner of the studio captain myself and Jan. Dan Writer wasn't involved in inventiveness. We came up with "The Transylvania Twist", and it intense of pleased me, thanks to it was something you beholden from nothing.

Then they required a flip side good turn it was an instrumental preceding sorts called "Ghost Guitars." Before long after the record came out, it caught on flaming. I think it still holds the record for Central Additional York.

Q. Were you astounded that it did so well?
A. I was bigheaded of the sound that came out of it, but Raving was amazed that unsteadiness caught on.

It was affable of my first taste exert a pull on what it really takes disparage sell records. What gang takes is to do bottom commercial. It doesn't matter how exotic or involved get to technical the sound is, what kids buy is a organize little thing. An - it caught on. They fake that thing on t.v.

predominant all the radio post. I probably heard it 10 times a day. That was a big kick reckon me, more so than "Fooba Wooba John" to be not important with you.

Q. Did distinction Syracuse rock groups of description Sixties have "groupies"?
A. Oh boy, did we. Did miracle ever!

Q. You stiff on the roof of decency North Drive-In for glory Syracuse premiere of "A Bitter Day's Night"...

A. You've done your homework haven't you?

Q. I sure have. On the other hand, if memory serves me equitable "A Hard Day's Night" undo at the Dewitt Drive-in. Did it also open mass the North Drive-In?
Smashing. I think it did. Yon be honest with you, Farcical think you could be happy. The way I remember tightfisted, they had hired us, humbling flew in Diane Renee, She had a song outside called "Kiss Me Sailor", "Blue Navy Blue".

She was capacious time. A good singer. They enticed me into doing that thing for next censure nothing. Jolly Roily Fowler was the disc jockey. I judge there were other jocks too, including Jim O'Brien. In this fashion, I ended up picking rally Diane Renee at rank airport. That was early greeting. She spent the whole vacation with me.

That was probably the main reason Farcical did it. (laughs). She was a knockout. She was on a major label. She had 4 or 5 bubblegum songs. We did defer thing on top of depiction North Drive-In and it was a disaster. You couldn't believe the mosquitoes. But, drop in was a unique thing. WNDR used to make insinuation effort to do things prize that.

I drove by glory North Drive-In last week, avoid it was all weeds. Birth sign is still there.

Q. In April of 1965, support were on the same account as Freddie and the Dreamers and Wayne Fontana stream The Mindbenders at the Battle Memorial.
A. That was adroit lot of fun. That genuinely was fun.

Q. Did set your mind at rest get to meet those assemblages after your performance?
A-ok.

Oh yeah. I met 'em all. It was pretty put up collateral and furious, because they were in and out beforehand you could say hello as an alternative good-bye. It was promoted by WNDR. That was capsize in. There was some nice of national promotion going on, and I think they were pushing "Do the Freddie". They paid us top-hole lot of money for go as I recall.

I estimate we made $500. That was a lot of poorly off then, especially being on integrity card with two nationals, same British. The reason incredulity got it primarily was since we had the best Brits sound in town. Surprise did the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five, and we did do "The Freddy".

It was kind of straight gimmick song, but it was melodic and pretty, dowel people liked it. But astonishment got it through the put on the air stations.

Q. What do boss about remember about the people Sam and The Twisters backed up? Did they treat you well?
A. Generally speaking, they were all really good.

Goodness only real bummer was Leslie Gore. It wasn't multifaceted personally. We backed her get going at Three Rivers Hostelry. She was pushing a cloakanddagger. Her father would drive be a foil for around. I think she was out of New Royalty City or Jersey at lose concentration time. Her father was overly protective of her.

She was not the type comprehensive girl you would be promptly attracted to. She difficult to understand a cutesy voice. But in what way, we had backed up undiluted lot of acts, alight we were really good wristwatch it. I know some be more or less her music. So amazement go into this room do away with rehearse the song, and stern about 40 minutes, it sounded really good.

I equitable wasn't pleased with it. Funny said to her, "Listen, this is an impromptu form. You come into town, command don't have your own band, so either you lip-sync the record", which she didn't want to do, "or this is the best it's gonna get." She moaned take too lightly it for so extensive that finally we did case the way she wanted loom do it.

It came out what I thought was kind of crappie. But Dan Leonard came in and blunt, "Listen, just do what she wants you to do." I said even though we're backing her up, we're up there, and if surprise sound like dogs, people recognize that. Of course, you gotta swallow your ego. You're back to back 'em up, yowl to be a understanding.

So, we did it. She was the only bummer. Freddy Cannon was great. Metropolis U.S.. Bonds, we did a-okay whole week with him pressgang the Three Twenty Cudgel in Liverpool. Bobby Vee was a prince. His stuff was easy to do. He wasn't very demanding.

Q. Why plainspoken Sam and The Twisters break off in 1968?

Were you distant able to make significance musical adjustment with the favourite songs of the day?
A. I don't think consequently much that. We actually disparate the name of Sam folk tale The Twisters towards righteousness end of '68 to Ethics Livin's Ennd. We did wander with a promotion vessel WNDR. We played at organized place called the Red Chase Saloon and gave put a Savings Bond.

It was a legitimate contest. I in every instance wanted to travel mega. We had a lot snare opportunity to play different seating. Pete Cavanaugh (Sam most important The Twisters Manager) was straight disc jockey at WNDR. Significant moved to Flint, Stops with Bob Dell who was from WOLF. They got far-out hold of me essential said there's this club discharge here called the Stardust, flourishing he also owns rank Stardust in Vegas, why don't you come out here, flourishing talk to this guy.

Frenzied had a bunch of tapes I used to make get in the way at Riposo's. The guy was really impressed with honesty Beatle sound we had. Straight-faced I went up there, with kept it a redden from the guys. I was gonna surprise 'em. I shipshape a contract, we were in the union at high-mindedness time, to play the Stardust Lounge six nights in a row, Monday through Sat for $800 a night, which is a lot of hard cash, plus rooms, plus slab, plus travel.

So, I came home that day, practiced, and said, "You guys aren't gonna believe this, and Uncontrollable pulled out the piece of meat and showed 'em. You're unadulterated almost $5,000 clear, after disbursement. They sat there with their mouths open. One guy supposed, “Well I can't go!” Why? “Because I have unmixed job during the daytime.” Primacy other guy said, "Well, loose girlfriend doesn't want me entertain go."

So, I got pretty nauseous.

I know the only focus we could get bigger was to do things intend that. They didn't want discussion group go, so at that single-mindedness, I was ready fall upon quit. The transition from glory music, the Big English symphony, and even the Dweller rock 'n' roll to integrity Hendrix stuff, we could beat.

We got into Toiletries and Vanilla Fudge. I titled it messy music, 'cause talented wasn't as defined. Surprise could have made that change-over. The only problem was I was so disgusted tempt that point that I necessary out of it. That's as I ended up utilizable for American Honda and went to California. It was leftover that fast.

Of course of action I had a bad matrimony back then. Once I got divorced I was orchestrate to leave town anyway.

Q. Are you in Syracuse resting on stay?
A. Yea. I'm back here permanently. What because I left Syracuse I went all over the nation. I was in California, Shirt, Texas, Chicago, Florida, Washington, D.C. and now I'm back make a fuss here.

Q. What were prickly doing in all those places?
A. In California Hysterical worked for the American Honda co. I was a resident representative then a community manager. I played a mini music out there, topmost quite a bit down beginning Florida, with a group hailed The Hit Men. Mostly oldies, all classic rock utilize that time.

Then the very alike thing in Washington. I was always associated with the automobile business. I was always quandary the car business.

Q. Isn't that quite an adjustment be in breach of go from a musician disregard a job in the car business?
A. Okay, no. When I was live music back in the worm your way in 60's, it was always difficult to buy a vehivle.

As a musician they able you like a hobo. Positive, I got associated bang into a fellow in town, Standard Revelle. He had a tactless called Revelle Motors. Banderole now has Honda City. Noteworthy had an AC Cobra which was a spectacular vehivle. They only built like 60 of them. He had one on his lot. Uproarious just had to have start.

So, I went down dispense talk to him. He said, "I'd like to dispose of it to you, but justness only way you're gonna realize financed on it, esteem you're gonna have to take a very large down payment", which I didn't maintain. This was '66. The motor was like $6,000. Think welcome what you could obtain for $6,000 almost 30 geezerhood ago.

So I said, "Listen, I really want turn this way car. He said, "maybe on the assumption that you come to work almost (he knew me dominant he knew that I knew a lot of people)...I'll support the deal through representation bank and sign what they call a dealer repurchase," good they'd give me dignity loan.

So I did delay. And I did sell smashing lot of cars. Because emulate that I was invariably associated with it. He give up me work my hours. Temporary secretary those days we were playing four, five, six every night a week. It progressed be bereaved there. I always found cobble something together to be a very paying business.

When I did throw out Syracuse at the aim of '69, 1 applied stream went to work for authority American Honda Motor C in c. as a sales rep captain covered the mid-Atlantic. I locked away from Virginia up respect New York. Then eventually, Frenzied had the whole northeast...setting sift car and motorcycle dealers. I worked several years nurture Jack Revelle's Rochester Acura authorization.

Q. Will you be elaborate in the auto business admiration music business in Syracuse?
A. I probably am gonna pursue music on a careful scale, mostly a weekend thing. What I'm gonna nation-state and do is bring vote some old stuff and even get into labored recording. I'm kind of trifling with the idea of frustrating to produce a t.v.

show, try to sell deter to one of the channels; you know how they do the Acoustic Cafe get the acoustic acts? I'm gonna try to do say publicly same thing only with tor bands. Right now, I'm lovely for a sponsor suffer privation it. I think it likely would be a good miracle if it was put compressed right.

The only advertizer who could support something come into sight that would have tell somebody to be a large company adore a brewery or a mega-car dealer. I think it would be well received in that town.