The Changing Scene – The Changing Scene (1971)
Artist: The Changing Scene
Title: The Changing Scene
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: Avco Embassy
The Changing Scene were a New York group that included Tom May (guitar-vocals), Roger Brenner (organ-vocals), Joe Digrazia (drums-vocals), and Lee Ognibene (bass-10 string guitar-vocals).
The record was co-produced by Barry Oslander and Don Oriolo, and is a wonderful example of Sunshine Pop with lovely harmonies and musical arrangements, but the big surprise here is“Sit Down Lorraine” with a fuzz bass line unlike anything you’ve heard!!! (Jack Dominilla)
Track Listing
- Sweet And Sour
- Color California Sunshine Blue
- I Can’t Get Sunday Out Of My Mind
- Learning How To Fly
- Mama, Don’t You Wait Up For Me (Wonderwheel)
- Real Good Woman
- Children Of The Sun
- Thursday’s Child
- Melody Of Love
- It Must Be Love
- Sit Down Lorraine
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Leonerd. So, I went to BSN Pubs.com, and I was combing through their Paramount records label discography to see what exactly was missing here in the redtelephone66 archive. And guess what?? I did find at least 1 interesting piece that has not been posted. Well, at least to the best of my knowledge. Who knows?? It might be good, or might be garbage.
Then again that is what I think the redtelephone66 is all about. Right?? To help you comb through all of the myriads of Major, and Private indie label releases from the 60′s-70′s for the attention it did NOT garnish at the time for a larger audience to listen to, and make informative decisions on purchases!!
Well, here I go Leonerd rambling again as usual!! Here is the 1 album I was telling you about to post to see whether it is good, or not.
Bull-This Is Bull on Paramount records 1970
BTW. Could you also post the Hog Heaven album?? Thanks!!
are a preponderance of pop drummers…Italian??
i begin to suspect so!
this music is much better than the incredibly bad cover would lead one to believe – I never would have expected sunshine pop! their outfits look more like 1975 disco suits than flower power. in any event, a good lp and worthy post. thanks!
Okay, I had to transcribe this lyric:
“Winds of change, they call my name,
and beckon come just like a moth to a flame
Child of spring, the scriptures bring in (?) over everything,
don’t break the link in the chain
Wherein lies the Wonderwheel
We’ve all been structured how to feel
Oh mama, don’t you wait up for me
mama, don’t try to follow me,
I’m off to see the world
Yesterday the piper played,
and lifted me, a simple child, of his shame
Little man I understand, he took my hand
and marked a path through the grain
wherein lies the Wonderwheel…”
What little man? Manson was 5′ 2″. I would have dismissed this as a fair but not especially sincere or well-sung rock effort, but now I think it’s every parent’s nightmare. Songs like “Learning How to Fly” could have inspired potential teen runaways, if any were listening.
Musically it kind of splits the difference between soulful and bubbly. A song like “Color California Sunshine Blue” starts promisingly, then goes all wrong. Better: “Children of the Sun”. However I’m not enamored of “Sit Down Lorraine” like the guy above.
Greetings!
Yes, I’m the Italian drummer from The Changing Scene.
It was a trip to find us on this site after all these years!
Thank you for your comments. We were THE 70′s “show band”.
We became a group when my Ohio college band, The King’s English, merged with another campus band, The Ascots, and formed The Changing Scene, in 1968.
A producer named Fred Parker out of NY had The King’s English on the verge of an RCA record deal, but the war and parents ended the deal! Demos of The Changing Scene got into the hands of Don Oriolo and a Fontana Records deal was made. The song, “Is It Real Worth It” was released in 1969 and recieved some positive feedback and play. The famous producers Hugo & Luigi were also involved.
This 45 got us the Avco Embassy album deal.
Don introduced us to Roger Brenner, a great singer and friend, and off we went. We all worked full time and spent 5 days and all day Saturdays creating the album and our tour.
When the album was released, we left our teaching and business gigs to become…STARS! We worked very hard to create a really good “live” show! We toured the country opening for a number of famous acts.
Our show consisted of top 40, Broadway, Oldies and some R&B.
Roger and I became front men along with Gene Raus, who finished his tour of duty. David Pirell came aboard adding his special talents and replaced Leon. The Joey Delia took over keyboards and a very young Max Weinberg was our drummer! Joey & Max were later replace by Micheal John on keyboards and Matt Patella on drums.
Recently we discovered live tapes of the group performing in Allentown, PA at a club called The Lounge. They hadn’t been heard in close to 40 years! Hearing these tracks brought back so many memories of how hard we worked and how good we were.
We are in the process of putting together a cd “The Changing Scene…Live!” I can honestly say that our vocals and live show were as good or better than many groups of the day.
The group lasted through the mid seventies but after playing the Little Ferry Holiday Inn for the third time, we went home to make some REAL money.
Even though we live in various states, the group is still close except for Tom May. I wish we could find him. I hope he’s well.
In 1965, my college band, The King’s English, released a record on Prism Records. “Could Be Bad” and “Toys In Her Attic” were local Ohio, Michigan and Indiana hits. We toured in ’65 & ’66, while attending The University of Dayton. Reuniting in 1997, we still perform every year for college affairs or anyone that needs a 60′s garage band.
Wishing you all well,
Joey D
Hello Joe,
Thank you for visiting the site and for sharing this info on the band.
it was fun, I was always stoned nobody knew it. We actually sounded pretty damn good (rehearsal makes it that way)
funny how we all got along, I was looking for the boston/yes sound they were more maj 7th mills brothers but we liked each other and combined many sounds, really could have worked but private goals & money gets in the way you know.
I had these tapes hidden away at 1 -7/8 speed (I was cheap)
I couldnt find a reel to reel but Joe had a brand new one the grease inside had turned to glue, took me a year to clean and regrease
the tapes were perfectly good/ I made copy and digitized it big surprise for joe and the others kinda makes ya feel like full circle.
how do I upload a pix?