The Roosters I Wanna Do It 1965 Private Press Garage Rock Utica NY Hamilton
$
45
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Description
Ultra Obscure Regional Garage Rock Single out of Upstate New York
According to Chris Bishop at Garagehangover dot com JULY 12, 2014 CHRIS BISHOP
The Roosters were one of a number of bands from the area near Utica, Oneida and Syracuse. They shared a record company, if it can be called such, with Eric and the Chessmen. The person heading this operation was some way assocated with Hamilton College in Clinton, NY and released singles on labels such as “Buddha”, “Krishna” and “Kama”.
The Roosters were:
John Lotz – lead vocals Trey Lotz – lead guitar Peter Brohl – bass Ralph Guastaferro – drums
More info by Bobtherecordgusy WNY.FM
John Lotz and his brother Trey Lotz were from Amherst NY and attended Amherst High School. Trey went on to study Philosophy & Religion at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY (in the Upstate area). While at Hamilton guitarist Trey met bass player Peter Brohl. John Lotz was convinced to move to the area and registered with a College in nearby Utica. With the vocalist question settled (John also played a bit of guitar and keyboards) only a drummer was lacking. Western NY friend and drummer Ralph Guastaferro was soon a student at Mohawk Valley Community College and the band was complete.
The band played the local gig circuit in the Utica / Oneida area, ranging to Syracuse; but specialized in frat parties at all the wide-ranging Upstate NY institutions of higher learning. During their core period (1965-67)
Many of the Upstate NY bands recorded for a series of labels based in Utica with unexpected Eastern-sounding, vaguely-religious names: Krishna, Kama and Buddha. Note that this isn’t the famous NYC-based Kama Sutra Records or it’s affiliate Buddah. In fact, I wonder if the different (‘incorrect’) spelling of the famous Buddah label was due to the correct spelling having already been copyrighted by the Upstate people?
In any case these labels also seem to be associated with Hamilton College, with the Roosters record on Buddha carrying a Hamilton College address.
The Roosters first (probably!) 45 was a version of “I Wanna Do It”. This Feldman/ Goldstein/ Gottehrer (aka The Strangeloves) song was first recorded by The Avons in 1964 and eventually by the The Strangeloves themselves in 1968. In between that time it was recorded by others – Upstate and Western New Yorkers probably know it best by local guy Bobby Comstock – but it was especially popular played by garage bands for wild frat parties. It had mildly risque lyrics which may have been altered for live performance. And a rollicking rhythm which probably broke them up at the keggers!
This 45 appears on Buddha. The flip was a cover of the Zombies’ “You Don’t Need Any Reason”. Next for them was the The Rooster Song on Krishna Records. The label reads “In album ‘The Roosters Live At The Appollo’ (sic)” but no such album ever existed. In a nod to the changing sounds of the day there’s a Yardbirds-sounding guitar riff from Trey Lotz. John Lotz apparently played piano on this track (promo photos also show him playing rhythm guitar in the band).
Last came “Midnight Green” b/w “Hurry Sundown”, again on Krishna. Following that the band broke up.
John Lotz made his way back to WNY. There’s a lot of info missing but he must have stayed in the music scene and was known to the guys in The Road to the point that he wrote songs for them. I have a feeling he may have PLAYED music here too, in some capacity, but no one seems to know. Eventually John and Trey Lotz seetled in the L.A. area and I have no further info on them.
Ex-Rooster Ralph Guastaferro returned to Buffalo and played with a commercial band, and I have no further info on him.
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