Don_Krider

Well, I meant "Inside Story," of course... Don

Marv, Actually, "My Heart Stops" (written by Diane Warren --- http://www.dianewarren.com ) was released as an A-side cassette-single (07822-12264-4) in 1992 by Arista. For some reason, they pulled that 1980 track "It Hurts Too Much" and stuck it on as the B-side when Arista put it out. I bought two copies of the cassette-single at Camelot Music when it came out in 1992 --- I was hoping it would click on the charts, but no such luck. "It Hurts Too Much" was originally released as an A-side 45 rpm vinyl single in 1980 (Arista 0506) with "You Need Some Lovin'" as the B-side. "It Hurts Too Much" was the highest charting debut single in Billboard magazine the week of July 12, 1980 entering the charts at #75 and spending two weeks on the charts before sliding off. I really love that song. Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/content_124870692484 ...who thinks Raspberries could do a killer version of "The Inside Story"...

This is directed at musicians, mostly, in the hope they may know some of these guys and let them know they have unclaimed royalties in japan. This site, Recording Artist Royalties in Japan at http://www.jproyalties.org/royaltyfunds.html apparently collects funds for "non-featured musicians and non-featured vocalists as a result of the rental in Japan of sound recordings on US labels" . Unclaimed royalties owed to "non-featured musicians and non-featured vocalists" on various albums are listed with the albums at http://www.jproyalties.org/japanese/albumtitles.html --- a list featuring albums by some famous acts like The Beatles, Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, Badfinger and others, including two Eric Carmen albums and a Raspberries album. The Eric Carmen and Raspberries albums are: "Raspberries Best Featuring Eric Carmen": http://www.jproyalties.org/japanese/albumtitles.html?TL00052886 Eric Carmen's "Best Selection": http://www.jproyalties.org/japanese/albumtitles.html?TL00265909 "The Best Of Eric Carmen": http://www.jproyalties.org/japanese/albumtitles.html?TA00000412 Most the personnel approved for payment are listed, with a note as to which ones have not been paid for their work because they don't have the correct contact information on the artists. Among those not getting their payments from these recordings are Michael McBride of Raspberries (also of Cyrus Erie and the first Eric Carmen solo band), Dan Hrdlicka (also of the original Eric Carmen Band), George Sipl (also of the original Eric Carmen Band, the website has his name misspelled as "Sifl"), and Neil Gilpin (Raspberries "Side 3" album and tour). Others not yet paid include Kenny Passarelli (who played on Eric's "Tonight You're Mine" album), Burton Cummings (The Guess Who lead singer and "Marathon Man" co-vocalist), Dave Wintour (the bassist on Eric's "Boats Against The Current" tour and album), and some other famous names. That's just from those three albums (and many other names are also listed as unpaid). This is not the fault of the artists who made the albums, but a problem with recording industry records keeping. I'm making this post in the hope that some of the musicians posting here may pass this info along so people can collect what's owed them. Hoping Michael McBride reads this or someone lets him know --- can't have an ex-Raspberry not getting paid. Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/user-don_krider

The British rock zine MOJO's 1000 Essential Albums List has The Choir's (Wally, Dave and Jim from Raspberries) "Choir Practice" CD, which features their 1967 hit "It's Cold Outside," at #236 in its "Ultimate CD Buyers Guide" --- "the 1000 Essential Albums" --- list at: http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Mojo1000alf.htm . Raspberries "Power Pop, Volume 2" appears at #749 on the list (which is alphabetical, so the numbers are meaningless). This also gives me a chance to plug Wally's son, Jesse Bryson, who is in New York working on a solo album. According to his MySpace page at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=16251586 , he has a solo show coming up May 4 in Brooklyn, New York. Details are on that page, as are music clips and a picture of Jesse that reminds me so much of a young Wally Bryson. After hearing Jesse's work on The Bryson Group's CD "Dry" (with Wally and The Choir's Kenny Margolis joing Jesse on that CD), Raspberries' producer Jimmy Ienner said, "The harmonies are so good, they're absurd. The world needs to hear this music," and I agree totally with Jimmy --- great album. Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/content_177981263492

Sherri, In case you haven't seen the man with curly hair lately, here's the Raspberries promo video from the new CD/DVD: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=2010652898 Don Krider

Hi Sherri, If you're interested in reading Eric's own comments as posted on EricCarmen.Com, they are logged here: http://www.ericcarmen.com/scripts/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=recent_user_posts;u=00000713 --- he's probably pretty busy right now (new Raspberries live album coming soon), but he'll be back. Welcome to the site! Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/user-don_krider

Thanks, Chris! Sounds like the success of the cd/dvd is the key that unlocks the doors to a new studio album and a tour. I know we Razzheads will do our part to promote the live album. Don Krider

Strangely, they have now deleted the previous entry and put up a new one with a different URL: http://www.icebergradio.com/node/36835 , but still with the wrong year for that concert! Don ;-)

I should note that the article has the wrong year for the Los Angeles show, which of course was in 2005. Don

From Icebergradio.Com, April 6, 2007, an article by Howie Edelson --- http://www.icebergradio.com/node/36685 (I'm only posting part of the article): ***************************************************************** THE RASPBERRIES GEAR UP FOR LIVE ALBUM, CONSIDERING STUDIO RETURN By: Howie Edelson Wally Bryson of the Raspberries says that if the group's upcoming live album, titled Live On Sunset Strip, is a success, they could be back on the road playing weekend dates as early as this summer. The new collection, due out on June 26th, features tracks recorded by the band at their 10th and final reunion concert on October 21st, 2006 at Los Angeles'House of Blues. Eric Carmen, the group's primary songwriter, is also eager to see how well the new album sells before committing to a new studio album with the band, explaining that the Raspberries, which also includes co-founders Jim Bonfanti and Dave Smalley, all lead busy lives. He told Cleveland Magazine that fan reaction to the new set might propel the band into the studio, explaining that, "Recording is not an easy process. There's no point in putting yourself through all that if there's no one to listen." Live On Sunset Strip features such early '70s power pop classics as "I Wanna Be With You," "Let's Pretend," "Tonight," "Play On," "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)," and their 1972 Top Five hit "Go All The Way." The set, which is the Raspberries'first new album since 1974, was co-produced by longtime Beach Boys engineer Mark Linett. Eric Carmen says that the connection with the other Raspberries is stronger now than when the band started in 1971: "It wasn't just the musical part of it, it was the camaraderie of being part of the 'four headed monster,'in a way. The really interesting thing that I've found since the band is back together, is that if anything, we're even more that way now."... ***************************************************************** In case anyone missed it, the Cleveland Magazine, April, 2007, article on Raspberries that is mentioned above was re-posted in a post by me here: http://www.ericcarmen.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=003188;p=2 . Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/user-don_krider

If only Raspberries had done a promo like The Rutles "I Must Be In Love": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=297zDxqzUJo Don Krider ;-) with an apology for going off-topic, but it's such a cool Pre-Fab Video...

I'm not taking a stand on this, nor am I in disagreement with any comments made here, I just thought someone should point out that there's a lot of Raspberries fans who never saw a single reunion show and would like the chance to do so, and the band's "live" album (without anyone's solo songs) may make those fans hungry to hear the band again. For me, whatever the band decides and agrees to is fine with me, but the new cd/dvd may create interest in the band's music, and I suspect Rykodisc might want the band the concentrate on performing songs from that release on a tour to generate sales for the album. I would agree that Eric's eight Billboard solo Top 40 hits and Raspberries four (five Top 40 in Cash Box) combined do increase the potential audience that might attend a show, but then you would have a very mixed audience of pop fans and rock fans who might have very mixed emotions about such a show (I can't think of too many folks who love Celine Dion who would sit through a Small Faces show, for instance, and vice versa). When the guys were thinking about a reunion in 1999 (if you read the article, it says that tour would have been "hit-driven," had it happened, with a mix of Raspberries and Eric solo material), Billboard magazine (April 10, 1999) - http://www.ericcarmen.com/press/990410.htm - had sales figures from Soundscan --- "The Arista Masters greatest-hits package Eric Carmen: The Definitive Collection, which includes Raspberries material, has sold 12,000 units since its 1997 release, according to SoundScan. A 1991 Capitol release, The Collectors' Series: The Raspberries, has sold 22,000, according to SoundScan." Those two releases were the then most recent U. S. CDs of Eric and Raspberries, respectively, and the sales don't indicate a huge interest, at that time, in either artist. I found those sales depressing, especially since Eric's "Definitve Collection" contained all the Raspberries hits plus the Arista/RCA hits of Eric that are most played on radio. Personally, I think the guys will make the right decision on what to do in 2007, and the most important thing to do right now is to help promote the cd/dvd at retail --- that's the key to whether there will be another tour, I would think. Again, not trying to offend anyone who has posted here. Don Krider

Larry, Seems to work when I click on it, but I created a different page for it. Hope it works for you: http://hometown.aol.com/dkrider214/myhomepage/personal.html Don

Totally off-topic, but a neat Anastasia Pantsios photo just the same (somebody asked a while back in another thread somewhere about "The Rock Stops Here" single Eric and his brother Fred wrote together two decades ago). Left to right in the photo, Eric Carmen, Fred Carmen and the then-governor of Ohio celebrating Cleveland being named the home of the Rock Hall of Fame & Museum back in 1986. Note that Fred and the governor are wearing promotional "The Rock Stops Here" T-shirts! --- http://members.aol.com/dkrider214/ericro_1.art I bet Eric has some neat memories of that event. Now, if we could get the current Ohio governor and the mayor of Cleveland to wear "Raspberries: Live On The Sunset Strip" T-shirts for a photo with the guys... Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/content_338701356676

Did you suggest a tour, Larry? I second that request! Don ;-)

Jenny309, if you read the article again, the writer says those comments from Wally about "Go All The Way" were made in an interview that writer did with Wally in the year 2000 --- seven years ago. The writer confuses things a bit by mixing old interviews with newer interviews in the article, though the writer does identify which interviews are old and which ones are new. The article's more recent quotes seem very positive about the guys current relationship to me (fragile, yes, but they seem to have worked a lot of things out, which is a credit to these four men, I think). LC hit the nail on the head --- great, honest article in a fine publication. Don Krider

The article as posted online at: Cleveland Mag. -------------------------------------------------- Cleveland Magazine, April 2007 Issue, Posted On: 3/27/2007 Fresh Raspberries Erick Trickey trickey@clevelandmagazine.com The first ended six summers ago in Wally Bryson’s kitchen when the Raspberries guitarist told me his band’s much-anticipated reunion had withered on the vine. Rumors had started flying a year earlier that the influential power pop quartet was getting back together after three of the band’s four original members performed together at a birthday party for Plain Dealer rock writer Jane Scott. Billboard magazine later confirmed a Raspberries revival. But by the time I sat down with Bryson for an interview at his Lake County home in June 2000, the talk had quite obviously turned sour. “It was like the old days, with all the fights and hassle,†grumbled the gentlemanly yet outspoken rebel of a man, who still sported a mane of blond hair. Before leaving, I asked him about the future. Could he envision a time when the band would be able to put its differences aside and perform together again? His reply was candidly pessimistic: “When hell freezes over.†Seeing the band in the same room together six and a half years later is quite surprising. But a lot has changed. It is almost two years to the day since the original Raspberries lineup of Bryson, singer Eric Carmen, drummer Jim Bonfanti and bassist Dave Smalley performed together for the first time in 31 years as part of House of Blues Cleveland’s Nov. 26, 2004, grand opening. A New Year’s Eve show followed. Then there was a well-received 10-show tour of the United States that not only thrilled fans (Jon Bon Jovi and E Street Band members Steven Van Zandt and Max Weinberg attended shows), but critics as well (The New York Daily News included the band’s Big Apple performance in its list of the 10 best concerts of 2005). The fact that they’re here, today, two years later, is proof those concerts have grown into something more — that the Raspberries’ reunion was not just a quick attempt to relive their heyday and cash in on fans’ memories. Bonfanti, Bryson and Carmen are in high spirits as they file into a small office inside the House of Blues the Saturday after Thanksgiving. (Smalley is in Arizona, unable to fly in for the Raspberries’ stint as grand marshals of the city’s Christmas parade because of a middle-ear infection.) Carmen, sporting a full head of graying hair and a fashionable stubble of beard, is ebulliently self-confident after the reception the Raspberries received on Public Square, declaring the band’s music has “stood the test of time.†Taking a few minutes to chat before heading into a VIP party held at the House of Blues Foundation Room, where they’ll pose for pictures and sign autographs, the trio is upbeat, talking about how the fans brought them together and their upcoming CD, tentatively titled “Live on Sunset Strip,†recorded at the band’s 2005 Los Angeles show and set to be released by Rykodisc June 26. What nobody in the room says is the Raspberries’ working relationship is still very fragile. “We’re like a gas can and a match,†Bonfanti later quips during a phone conversation. In fact, there are repeated warnings from all four members during one-on-one interviews that digging too much into the band’s past could kill any hope for its future — one that may even see the band recording new studio material, thanks to an option in its Rykodisc contract. “The more you dredge up the stuff, the more it could fall apart — like a house of cards,†Bryson’s wife, Kay, cautions. Though he speaks in a joking tone, Carmen is a bit more direct. “You don’t want to be the one who broke up the new Raspberries, do you?†The members of the Raspberries can individually rattle off a laundry list of reasons why they broke up in the first place: The well-worn “creative differencesâ€; frustration over bad management and poor record-label marketing; stress over constant touring and recording under less-than-ideal circumstances; the strength of progressive rock and FM radio that relegated pop music to screaming teeny boppers; the ignorance, selfishness and passion of youth. “When you’re 20, 21, 22, you think you’re so grown up,†says Bryson, who today works as a job coach for the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. “You realize, in retrospect, how little you knew, how ungrown-up you were, how emotional some of your decisions and even the arguments were.†Carmen and Bonfanti, who were already known around Cleveland for their respective tenures in local groups Cyrus Erie and The Choir, formed the Raspberries in 1970 as a pop alternative to the progressive rock overtaking radio airwaves and club stages. “I had always liked Jim’s drumming,†recalls Carmen. “[Cyrus Erie and The Choir] used to trade band members back and forth. But the two of us had never played together.â€The pair’s first recruit was Choir and Cyrus Erie veteran Bryson. “Wally had a difficult personality in those days,†Carmen says. “But that difficult personality also translated into fire as a guitar player.†Bryson says he “liked Carmen’s musicality, how he played keyboards,†as well as Jim’s drumming. The addition of former Choir bassist Dave Smalley, after his 1971 return from a tour of duty in Vietnam, rounded out the lineup. A year later, Capitol Records released the band’s first album, “Raspberries,†which produced the hit single “Go All The Way,†which rose to No. 5 on the Billboard singles chart. Their follow-up effort, “Fresh,†yielded the hits “I Wanna Be With You†and “Let’s Pretend.†But tensions were beginning to mount by the time the band’s third LP, “Side 3,†was released in 1973. Even though the band headlined a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall that year, its future was in jeopardy. According to Bonfanti, many squabbles were over issues as trivial as one member not liking the shirt or shoes another wore onstage. By the end of 1973, Smalley and Bonfanti had left the band (“Dave and I had been and still are the best of friends,†Bonfanti says) and were replaced by bassist Scott McCarl and Cyrus Erie drummer Michael McBride. The Raspberries broke up after their ironically titled 1974 final album “Starting Over,†which produced an aptly titled popular single “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record).†During our 2000 interview, Bryson pointed to the fact that Carmen didn’t give him a songwriting credit for his involvement in writing the now-famous guitar riff intro to the band’s hit “Go All the Way†as a point of tension. Carmen concedes the dispute has been a sore spot between he and Bryson over the years, but has always maintained he wrote that song the same way he wrote “Tonight,†“Ecstasy,†“I’m a Rocker†and everything else that bears his name — alone at a piano. Indeed, “the major discord in the band always seemed to be between Wally and Eric,†remembers Kevin Dugan, who was and still is a member of the band’s road crew. He says he believes that before there was collaboration in the Raspberries, there was competition. “Eric Carmen wanted to be a rock star, and Wally Bryson already was a rock star around Cleveland,†Dugan says. He compares the problems that subsequently developed between the two men to the well-documented difficulties between famous rock songwriting duos such as Mick Jagger and Keith Richards or John Lennon and Paul McCartney. “At first, there’s this give-and-take, this creativity,†Dugan says. “And then there’s the inevitable butting of heads.†He adds that Carmen attracted more press as the lead singer and was treated better by management, who saw a lucrative career for him as a solo artist after the band folded. As a result, the other members, particularly Bryson, felt their contributions were largely overlooked. The result spelled disaster for the Raspberries. “There were times, way in the past, when I didn’t think we’d ever be in the same room [again],†Bryson says during a December interview at his home. Or, as Carmen simply puts it: “The band imploded.†During the 30-year span between the Raspberries’ dissolution and their 2004 comeback concert, the four original members managed to collaborate on music, just never all at the same time. In July 1995, Bryson and Bonfanti performed with legendary rocker Jerry Lee Lewis, R&B artist Bobby Womack, James Gang bassist Dale Peters and Michael Stanley at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s “topping off†ceremony, a construction-site tradition that celebrates the placement of the last steel beam. Carmen had spent his post-Raspberries years as a successful solo musician, which yielded hits such as 1975’s “All By Myself†(also featured in a 2007 Super Bowl advertisement), “Hungry Eyes†from the 1987 “Dirty Dancing†movie sound track and 1988’s “Make Me Lose Control.†Relations even warmed between Bryson and Carmen after Eric asked his former bandmate to play on his 1998 solo album, “Winter Dreams.†But it wasn’t until Bonfanti, Bryson and Smalley agreed to back replacement Raspberry McCarl, who had just released a solo CD, for a 1998 show at the former Odeon Concert Club that the seeds of a full-blown Raspberries reunion were sown. Although the show was not billed as a Raspberries reunion, “we filled the place up pretty easily,†Bonfanti says. “We played pretty good, and we had fun.†Shortly thereafter, while he was visiting Carmen, Bonfanti said, “You know, I think we could put this band back together.†Carmen expressed interest, and Bonfanti contacted David Spero, who then managed former Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh. Spero offered to put out some feelers and gauge the interest among promoters. Bonfanti and Bryson say the response was huge. There was even talk of a 30-date tour. But the money that promoters finally offered wasn’t anywhere near what was originally discussed — a result of the number of solid classic-rock bands on tour that weren’t drawing as well as expected. All four Raspberries agree it was a lack of financial incentive that silenced the talk of touring. But Carmen says there was also a perception at the time that the reunion was shelved so he could tour in 2000 with Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. Carmen calls the idea “absolute and utter nonsense.†“The Ringo thing came up well after the Raspberries thing had completely fallen apart,†he says. “I wouldn’t have done Ringo Starr and blown off the band!†The situation was exacerbated by the negotiation of songwriting royalties for four original demos — all of which were co-written or written by Bryson — to be included in a planned greatest-hits collection by the band’s old label, Capitol Records. Bryson and his wife, Kay, had spent years trying to recoup such royalties generated by songs Bryson wrote or co-wrote for the group’s four original albums and wanted to avoid a similar situation. They met with Capitol executives and insisted that the royalty issue surrounding the greatest-hits CD be resolved before its release. The Brysons were also upset by Carmen’s reluctance to share information compiled in his own legal fight to settle the royalty problem regarding the band’s original releases. Carmen admits he wasn’t in a generous mood at the time. “The tone and tenor of most everything I’d heard Kay Bryson or Wally Bryson saying about me didn’t exactly make we want to just turn over hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of legal stuff I had paid for,†Carmen says. “We weren’t on great terms right then.†Smalley summed up the tenor of the time during a phone interview in mid-2000, after he’d recorded a CD of new songs with Bryson and McCarl called “The Raspberries Refreshed.â€â€œThere’s just too much baggage, too many issues, too much mistrust amongst everyone for there to ever truly be a tour,†he declared. “Trust me, this is a group of people who can’t let the past go.†In this atmosphere of lingering discord, Bonfanti received a call from the House of Blues in June 2004 asking whether the Raspberries would be interested in getting back together and playing at the Cleveland location’s grand opening. “When I came home that night, I told my wife, ‘I should be excited, but I’m actually depressed,’ †remembers the drummer, who has gracefully aged from rock star to owner of a Mentor auto brokerage. Aside from interpersonal issues, there were practical challenges to consider, mainly that any attempt at scheduling rehearsals would be complicated by Smalley’s residence in Arizona and Bonfanti’s, Bryson’s and Smalley’s day jobs. Still, Bonfanti went ahead and contacted them. Carmen was enthusiastic, not only because he knew from touring with Starr that House of Blues live venues were excellent, but also because he missed the camaraderie of being in a band. “I never wanted to be a solo artist,†he says. “I basically became a solo artist by default.†Bonfanti was sold on the idea once he checked out the House of Blues Chicago. Bryson was cautious but agreed because “it feels a lot better as a guitarist, as a musician, to be in an actual working, existing act.†In the end, however, they decided to attempt another reunion for one shared reason: a growing awareness of their own mortality. “You have to look at a lot of things in your life, put them in some kind of a priority or come to some kind of a peace with them,†says Smalley, now a respiratory therapist who was recovering from open-heart surgery at press time. “The Raspberries were one of those things, even before the heart problem happened, that I decided it was time to do that with.†But before Bryson would participate, he issued a few stipulations. The first was all four band members would receive an equal cut of proceeds from the show instead of being paid according to a sliding scale Spero proposed during their 2000 reunion attempt. He also insisted Carmen help him resolve his songwriting royalty dispute — a condition Bonfanti satisfied by simply driving over to Carmen’s house, picking up copies of the papers necessary to further the Brysons’ efforts, and dropping them off at the couple’s home. According to Dugan and Bryson, Carmen made another concession as well: None of the songs from his successful solo career would be included in the band’s setlist. “Eric put all that aside,†Dugan recalls. “He said, ‘It’s about the band and not about me.’ †Bryson, Bonfanti, Carmen and a trio of sidemen started to rehearse at the former Utopia nightclub in Willoughby the following September, with Smalley joining them in early October.“We started out with two or three guys, then we’d add a couple, then we’d do a couple more rehearsals,†Carmen recalls. “I don’t think any of us were sure what we were going to sound like. But it fell together surprisingly quickly.†Bryson goes so far as to call the sessions “amazing.†After the first Cleveland show sold out in minutes and a second show was added, offers from other House of Blues locations started coming in. The band taped a combination interview and performance, “Hangin’ With the Raspberries,†for VH1 Classic. Then, Grammy-nominated producer Mark Linnett contacted Carmen through a mutual acquaintance and offered to record the band’s 2005 Los Angeles performance. It was Linnett, Bryson says, who got the band a record deal with Rykodisc. Smalley describes the tour as “a lot of fun for the band.†But Bonfanti openly admits the group struggled with some of the same problems and “self-policing†disagreements in the absence of a strong, respected manager to help resolve them. “How do you tell somebody who’s on your same level he’s wrong and you’re right?†he asks rhetorically. “But we’re all trying to work at it. Before, it was like, ‘Aw, screw you!’ â€Smalley says they’ve actually discussed their difficulties, something they had never done in the past. During those conversations, he realized he’d harbored misperceptions about some things in the band’s past, though he doesn’t care to say what they are. “When you part badly in any kind of a situation, it’s very easy to come to a wrong opinion about how something happened or somebody else’s part in it,†he says. Even Bryson, the most outspoken of the four, believes he’s more patient and diplomatic than he was as “a hotheaded 22-year-old.†“I’ve been a very good boy, I’m proud to say,†he boasts. “I’ve tried to go right along with the flow, even when I had to bite my tongue.†He also acknowledges that he hasn’t been the savviest businessman when it comes to legal and financial issues and now realizes that conflict is pretty much a given in the band relationship. Bryson cites the inability of some people to work with his equally outspoken wife of 30 years, who now handles his business, as “the only big iceberg looming in front of the Raspberries’ Titanic.†“They hurt her, they hurt me,†he says, declining to single anyone out by name. “Other people have no problem with Kay running my business. I can trust her, and I know that she’s got everyone’s interests at heart.†Back at our post-Christmas parade meeting at the House of Blues, the conversation turns to the future no one ever thought was possible. The one thing all four members say would keep them together, perhaps unsurprisingly, is strong sales of “Live on Sunset Strip.†According to Bryson, the group could be back on the road doing weekend shows by summer if the release’s performance warrants it. It could also make Carmen less hesitant about going into the studio. On this day, Carmen says the answer is a solid “we don’t know.†He points out that he and his bandmates, now all in their late 50s, have busy lives of their own. He says he also wonders how fans would respond to new material. “Recording is not an easy process,†he says. “There’s no point in putting yourself through all that if there’s no one to listen.†But for now, the Raspberries are together, a prospect for which all four original members seem thankful. “We would be fools not to try to pursue this a little further because we now have some of the pieces in place we didn’t have before,†Bonfanti says, referring to producer Linnett; the band’s New York attorney, Jeff Greenberg; and its publicist and management consultant, Al Kaston. But even if there is no album of fresh tracks and no tour cropping out of the release of “Live on Sunset Strip,†Bonfanti says Cleveland fans will get to see the band again. He envisions a final show or two here, where it all started — no matter what. “That would be the finale,†he insists. “After that, we’re done.†-------------------------------------------------- I want to congratulate the Cleveland Magazine writer on a terrific article, and thank all the guys for the very honest comments they make in the article. Now, we just need downloads of printable flyers so the fans can act as street teams and make the record stores aware of the band's live album so it's ordered and in stock for customers to purchase after the June 26 release. If we make the album a success, sounds like Rykodisc might exercise its option for a new studio album, which of course means a tour in support of a new album --- sounds like a "win-win" situation! Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/content_338701356676

I haven't seen it yet, but a friend who subscribes to Cleveland Magazine --- http://www.clevelandmagazine.com --- emailed me that the April, 2007, issue has "a really nice article," four pages in length, on the Raspberries reunion. The magazine's website is still about the March issue, so the website doesn't have a link up yet. I'm off to the newstands to watch for the April issue when it comes to newstands since I don't have a subscription (I think subscribers probably get the magazine a few days before newstands do). Just wanted to toss out a heads up to Raspberries fans here to watch for it. Don http://www.epinions.com/content_113921527428

Well, their website now lists our favorite drummer correctly as Jim Bonfanti! Next thing you know, he'll be named Foxiest Raspberry or something... ;-) Don

Saw this post about the 2nd Annual (Cleveland) Icon Perseverance Awards --- "Cleveland Honors Its Own" --- at http://www.clevelandec.org and thought it might be of interest. Eric Carmen, Dave Smalley and Wally Bryson are among the listed nominees, as is one "Jon Bonfanti" --- I'm wondering (suspecting it is) if that's supposed to be "Jim" Bonfanti? I'm just finding out about this (if the info has been posted before, I missed it), and since the date is so close, I thought I'd post the info for anyone interested (the CEC website listed link posted above has contact information if you have questions). The event is Sunday, March 25, 2007, in Cleveland, presented by the Cleveland Entertainment Coalition (CEC), hosted by The Agora and with the legendary "Peanuts" as MC. I don't know if all the nominees will attend, but it's a fabulous list with some amazing Cleveland musicians on it. Details from the website are below: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cleveland Entertainment Coalition Presents The 2nd Annual Cleveland Icon Perseverance Awards "Cleveland Honoring its Own" Hosted by The World Famous Agora Master of Cermonies Peanuts "The Host of the North Coast" Sunday, March 25, 2007 Doors open at 6:30 PM Show: 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM Tickets: $20.00 Available at all TicketMaster Locations and the Agora Box office Membership Discount: 50% off ticket price (limit of 2 per member) Contact the CEC at 216-322-8881 or email webmaster@clevelandec.org for discount Featuring Perfomances by: Alex Razayeski & Vincent Fondale (featuring Nostalgia Cleveland) Savant Justin Geraci Jackie KB and the Riptides TBS (with guest Mike Calhoun) Teacher Recognition Award KB Spork Youth Recognition Award Julian Pavone This Year's Nominees are: Musicians Butch Armstrong Jimmy Fox Dale Peters Ralphe Armstrong Sammy Free Bill Pettijohn Mark Avsec Neil Giraldo Tommy Rich Alex Bevan Alan Greene Ted Riser Jon Bonfanti Mike Hudson Bennie Schegel Vince Broncaccio Chrissie Hynde Gene Schwartz Wally Bryson Terry Hynde Glenn Schwartz Chris Butler Steve Jochum Eric Singer Frank Camp Carlos Jones Dave Smalley John Caprix Phil Keaggy Rich Spina Denny Carleton David Krauss Frankie Starr Eric Carmen Dennis Lewin Cy Sulak Bob Caruso Lonnie Love Billy Sulivan Bill Constable Tracie Marie Dave Thomas Bennie D’Agostino Larry Meese Norman Tischler Bobby Dillinger Bill “Mr. Stress†Miller Joe Walsh Tommy Dobeck Jim Miller Charlie Weiner Bill Emery Dan Pecchio George Yunis Paul Fayrewether Neil Zaza Media Deanna Adams John Gorman Norm N. Nite Paula Balish Michael Heaton Mike Olszewski Jim Benson Jeff Kinzbach Peanuts Dick Blake Betty Korvan John “Mr. Leonard†Rio Chuck Collier Matt “the Cat†Lapczynski Denny Sanders Kenny Crumpton Bill Louis Murray Saul Lisa Dillon Larry Marrow John Soeder Trapper Jack Elliot Jeff Niesel Kid Leo Travagliante Bill Freeman Don Webster Industry Leaders Jules Belkin Dave Helton Mark Reese Michael Belkin Gary Jurist Bill “Silver B†Richards Brad Bell Bob Kasarda Bruce Seifert Jason Braceland Larry Koval Kathy Simkoff Dennis Bulone John Latimer Rick Spiar Mike Crisevne Ronny Love Kenneth Stover Mike Dragus Packey Malley Bill Szymczyk Beth Gladen Mike Manoccio Belloyd Taylor Adam Gordon Walt Masky Walt Tiburski Daffy Dan Gray Jim Mileti Tommy Wiggins Jeff Hair Anthony Nickelidus Kirk Yano Bill Peters -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Don Krider

Speaking of Wally Bryson, there's a couple of really positive reviews of his albums (now on CD) with Fotomaker online at the Glory-Daze music webzine. For the Fotomaker debut album: http://www.glory-daze.com/readarticle.php?article_id=241 For Fotomaker's Vis-A-Vis album: http://www.glory-daze.com/readarticle.php?article_id=2759 And "The Fotomaker Collection" CD (long out-of-print) containing the previously unreleased "Baby I..." and the band's Hot 100 hits ("Where Have You Been All My LIfe" and "Miles Away") is now available from Rhino Records as a digital download: http://www.rhino.com/store/digital/detail.lasso?upc=081227518462 FYI for those interested. Don Krider

That writer missed the boat in his opinion of Wally. Wally was, is, and always will be my favorite guitarist of all time. Here's a shot of Wally Bryson and Pete Townshend: http://raspberries.net/albums/album04/aah.jpg (visible on raspberries.net until it disappears, I guess). There's an amazing photo gallery on that site which includes some great shots of all the band members over the years in various incarnations (Raspberries, Fotomaker, The Secret, Dynamite, Peter Panic, The Choir, Cyrus Erie, etc,). I wish the powers that be would reconsider allowing Raspberries.net and its message board to be online (I would hate to see all the fan memories disappear): http://raspberries.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1711 Don Krider

Here's an oldie but goodie review of Raspberries' "Side 3" album that appeared in The Navy Times "Sounds" section (within the publication's "Family" magazine section) on February 27, 1974 (written by David Goeller). The writer graded albums on a four star scale (in the same issue he rated The Rolling Stones' "Goats Head Soup" as a four star album). Raspberries' "Side 3" got three-and-a-half stars, the second highest rating among the albums he reviewed in that issue: -------------------------------------------------- SIDE 3, Raspberries (Capitol) --- Between Raspberries and Blue Ash, the mid-America of Ohio may be close to the rock capital of the U. S. Raspberries have gone beyond the Beatle sound-alike stage and are their own group now. And what a rock sound! "Tonight" shakes and rocks as well as anything by The Move or The Who. This is followed by the acoustic guitar and fiddle sounds and Byrds-like singing on "Last Dance." The songs continue to have individuality, identity and the strong melodic sense that made The Beatles so great. "Ecstasy," with some prime drumming by Jim Bonfanti, is the album's top cut. The vocal abilities of the group have never been questioned. But on this, their third album, Raspberries add true instrumental clout. Wally Bryson is not the world's finest lead guitarist, but he and Eric Carmen do some fine power chording and get some excellent ringing guitar sounds. Adding to the depth of the band's sound is the fact that three members - Bryson, Carmen and David Smalley - can write highly listenable songs. Raspberries have taken a big leap forward with this album. -------------------------------------------------- Don Krider http://www.epinions.com/content_296372440708

First, Happy Holidays to everyone in Raspberryland! Second, I first discovered Raspberries at the end of 1972 with "I Wanna Be With You" --- just grabbed me more than "Go All The Way" (I had heard GATW, but there was something unique and special about the sound of IWBWY to me at 15). So I bought the singles and watched the band on television, but it was seeing the band on November 17, 1973 that won me over. And when you mention Eric's "I Can Remember," it was seeing the guys do the old "piano medley" from the "Side 3" tour that blew me away. "I Can Remember" live just stood out on stage back then --- the perfect mix of pop, rock and classical music. That and Wally's "Last Dance" just showed me a whole new dimension of the band on stage compared to the pop sound of the singles. But, yeah, one viewing of the guys doing "I Can Remember" live and I couldn't get that song out of my head (so I went out and bought the first three LPs after seeing the band live). I still can't get over how four band members and two side men in 1973 could reproduce that song on stage (and live on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" as well) --- these guys were all sweat by the end of that song, so much energy pouring out of four 24-year-olds on stage, and I remember Eric's smile after a very satisfying performance. Truly a great song, and performance, Eric. Don

We love you Dave!