A quick internet search of this record turns up several references to its compilation appearances and little else. That's usually a good indication that not much is known about the record or artist in question. In this case, the band is The Down 5 and this record seems to have been their only release.
What we do know is that Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich produced this and someone named Dennis Carbone wrote "I'm Takin' It Home" and it's flipside, "Show Me". Presumably, Carbone was one of the band members but I don't know that for sure. Also, one tidbit that I did pick up from my internet search is that an ad appeared in an April 1967 issue of Billboard, promoting the band and its new record.
I mentioned that "I'm Takin' It Home" has made compilation appearances, which have been garage rock related. The song sort of fits the bill, though it's not strictly a garage tune. Kicking off with a big drum sound, followed by some funky guitar, "I'm Takin' It Home" has a heavy r&b influence and makes for quite the hip shaker. I can see a sweat soaked dance floor in a steamy nightclub. The vocals are delivered Wilson Pickett style and the bridge simply consists of a big beat with vocals delivered over the top. In addition, there are backing vocals a-plenty. The song is really a great meeting of 1960's garage and soul dance music, rockin' and funky at the same time.
I don't really have a good idea of the going rate for the record. I paid $15 for mine at a record show a few years back, a rather hefty sum for me. But it's worth every bit of that in pure listening enjoyment alone.
9 comments:
I did manage to find a bit of news about this band from the Jeff Barry board.
"The band's members were Bobby Pizza on bass, Tommy Castagnaro on drums, Dennis Carbone on organ and Nicky Marshiano on guitar."
WOnder if any more news on THE DOWN 5- went to HS with drummer Tommy Castagnaro, undoubtedly the BEST Drummer EVER>>> Would like to get in touch with him>
dennis caarbone did indeed write and sing on this record..he in BENSONHURST NY would love to connect e-mail is trinibets@hotmail.com
DENNIS CARBONE HERE...ANYONE WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE WHEREABOUTS OF TOMMY CASTAGNARO, PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL @ 718 - 236 - 2337...MANY THANKS DENNIS...
B,I,A,
back in(circa) 1965,my band- "the lords four" opened _for the crestmen at the starlight lounge in centereach l.I.
augie reyes announced on the mike and...here they are "the lost four" we loved the name but we already invested in cards for the band ,so, we decided to keep the name the lords's four.we got on stage and started our set on the crestmen's equipment,i said to the guitarist from behind the drums "we sound great'!'THE DANCE FLOOR WAS PACKED WITH FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS.i was playing on my idol's drums- tommy castagnaro drummer of the crestmen.I'M ALSO GOOD FRIENDS WITH A FORMER GIRL FRIEND OF HIS.the lords four were vinny rosa,frank porcelli,tony aloe,jimmie noonan .
i am looking to reconnect with jimmie noonan and tommy castagnaro,my phone # is 631-363-5502
i was friends with bob colotta who played in a band called 'armadillo' in the late 1960's. he played with tommy castagnaro in the 1970's in a band called 'copperhead'.
we jammed together with tommy in the 80's while we were both in L.I. band "Random Speed".
sadly, bob passed away in the late 1980's and i had heard tommy did as well around the same time.
tommy , played on a track on the v.u. record "loaded", credited as only "tommy".
r.i.p. bob and tommy and long live strong island!!!!
Rick Chainey from the Crestmen here. I talked to Augie a few years ago and he was in Oklahoma City. Mike Mone died about ten years ago in Florida. I lost track of Frank Krepela. Steve Bordone died around 2007 from cancer. I live in Utica NY. Anyone wanting to contact me can email me at rickltc@gmail.com
Tommy was a reverse drummer one of the best on par with the Appice bros
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