TCYR at Lancaster Roots and Blues - March 10, 2018

Photo by Dan Long

From the Lancaster Roots and Blues website:

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers

If you went to see live music in the mid-Atlantic region in the late 80’s through the 90’s then you probably saw Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers. They were the preeminent bar band. So much so, they signed to Columbia Records and released a #1 hit with "I’m Not Your Man.”  

Tommy had a great run here in Lancaster, PA filling the Chameleon Club for many shows. High energy blues and rock with a fun band all centered around Tommy’s guitar and voice. As a cross between Bruce Springsteen and George Thorogood the band could flat out play. We are lucky to have them at Lancaster Roots and Blues for the 2nd time. 

Since the band rarely performs together this is a real treat. 

When: Saturday, March 10, 2018
Where: Lancaster Roots and Blues Festival - Lancaster, PA
Venue: Main Stage at Lancaster County Convention Center (Main)
Time: 10 pm
Buy Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2917987

Indiegogo TCYR Update from Tommy Conwell

Update posted by Tommy Conwell on new music from TCYR. 🎸

Posted by Tommy Conwell Sep 25, 2017 • 10:36AM

Hi, people. I'm really sorry there have been no updates until now; I'm a little stuck in the 80's, and didn't understand that was not only expected, but required. Anyway, here's an update: The new Tommy Cnwell and the Young Rumblers album will not be done this month, or next, or the one after. We have hit a lot of scheduling roadblocks, and blah, blah, blah. We are working on it, and it's gonna be real good. When will it be ready? Uhhhh... I'll keep you posted! Thank you for your support!!!
Tommy

Scotland the Brave - Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings

Co-worker: Hey, did you watch Outlander last night? 

DJ Caterina: Yes! That show really brings the book to life! 

Co-worker: So what do you think about what happened to Jamie when he was in hiding… 

DJ Caterina: [interrupts] Oh! Did you see the last 2 minutes of the show where Claire walked past a man in a park playing “Scotland the Brave” on bagpipes? That made me think of Tommy Conwell… 

Co-worker: What doesn’t make you think about Tommy Conwell?!!
[end scene] 

For your manic Monday, here is Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings playing “Scotland the Brave” – a track from one of my favorite CD’s, Hi-Ho-Silver! [LLIST Records, 1999]

Audio Rumble · Scotland the Brave - Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings

The arrangement used by the Little Kings is inspired by Rufus Harley, Jr., an American jazz musician known primarily as the first jazz musician to adopt the Scottish great Highland bagpipe as his primary instrument. Hear the original from the album “From Philadelphia to Paris,” Rufus Harley with Georges Arvanitas Trio, released in December 1987. 

New Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers recording at Ken-Del Studios

Posted on June 11,2017:

Images of Tommy Conwell and Jim Hannum at Ken-Del Studios in Wilmington, Delaware during the recording of the new Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers recording -- due out this fall! (Tommy Conwell and Jim Hannum working with engineer Paul Janocha.)

FMQB Magazine Cover - 1990

Cover of FMBQ (aka Friday Morning Quarterback)—a trade magazine covering the radio and music industry in the U.S.—featuring Tommy Conwell. Dated September 7, 1990.

Hall and Oates, Hoagies, In the Pocket and Tommy Conwell

In the words of Philly Inquirer's Dan DeLuca, "Yo, I got your Hoagie Nation right here!" Today a celebration of soul and song with the inaugural Daryl Hall and  John Oates music and food Philadelphia festival at Festival Pier!







"The moving moment came when Charlie Ingui of the Soul Survivors, whose brother Richie died in January, tore through "Expressway To Your Heart." But the entire set was a blast, with Tommy Conwell bashing out "I'm Not Your Man" in a "Lou Reed Was Right" T-shirt and social protest heard in Ben Arnold's take on Pennsbury High School grad Jesse Colin Young's "Get Together." Jeffrey Gaines led the crew through the Nick Lowe-penned Elvis Costello version of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding."

Robert Hazard and the Heroes - Out of the Blue

One of the best moments to emerge from Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' May 13 concert at the music hall in Ardmore came during Tommy's acoustic solo set.

Tommy thanked everyone who donated to the band's recent IndieGoGo campaign to make new music in 2017 -- the initial goal was to reach $8,000. The final tally was a little over 11K -- 146% of the campaign goal which kicked off in December 8, 2016 and ended February 7, 2017.

Tommy introduced one of the songs that will appear on the new album - a cover of Robert Hazard and the Hereos' track, "Out of the Blue." The song first appeared on the five-track EP called Robert Hazard, released in 1982.

 

Tommy Conwell with In the Pocket - "I'm Not Your Man" Guitar Intro

A year ago this month, Tommy Conwell, performing with David Uosikkinen's In The Pocket at The Ardmore Music Hall, opened his hit, “I’m Not Your Man” with a piece known as "Kiss of Fire"--a popular tango from Argentina. 

Olé!

Record Store Day 2017

Record Store Day 2017 is Saturday, April 22!  🎶🎸🎹

DJ Caterina is getting an early start by listening to a special excerpt of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' "Let Me Love You Too" on Side 2 of TCYR's "I'm 17" single.

Also included -- "What Once Was" and "Guitar Trouble" -- these excerpts are abbreviated, slightly different recordings from the official release.

Random Weekend Audio Rumble Thoughts

Me: I think I'll listen to some Tommy Conwell this weekend. 
Friend: You listen to Tommy Conwell every day. 
Me: Oh. Yeah.


Originally posted on Audio Rumble's Facebook page.

TCYR - Review of 'Rumble' | Main Line Times [Aug. 11, 1988]

A review of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' Rumble featured in Main Line Times newspaper, August 11, 1988.
[Thanks to Bill Sammons for the article.] 

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‘Rumble’ Well Worth Wait
by Jay Friel, Main Line Times 
8-11-1988

It was a long time coming, but Rumble was well worth the wait.

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers’ first effort on Columbia Records is an unpretentious 10-song package that effectively captures the straight-ahead, bare-bones music that made this band a local favorite.

Kudos to producer Rick Chertoff, whose credits include the Hooters’ Nervous Night and One Way Home, and Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual, with keeping things simple—no effects rf filler—and letting the Rumblers do what they best—play honest, emotional, raw, rock.

The record also highlights Conwell’s collaborative songwriting abilities and ever-improving singing voice, as well as adds to the solid reputation of a fine rhythm section—bassist Paul Slivka and particularly drummer Jim Hannum whose powerful poundings drive all the Rumblers’ numbers.

Guitarist Chris Day and keyboardist Rob Miller (formerly of Robert Hazard and the Heroes and the Hooters) add new touches throughout the record, and contribute consistently fine backing harmonies.

And of course, the one element never questioned with this band—Conwell’s hot guitar—remains the focal point.

The album contains an even balance of new and old songs (five each), as well as a good mix of the usual raucous Rumblers rockers with of a couple of slower, almost ballad-like tracks.

A juiced-up version of I’m Not Your Man, the album’s first single, leads off the record with a gruff rap by Conwell before jumping into trademark crunchy guitar and rough vocals.

This version of the song has been significantly beefed-up from the version that appeared on 1986’s independently-released Walkin’ On the Water. This is the opposite of a trend that had appeared to take hold of other local bands after signing with big record companies.

Other tracks from the first album, Love’s On Fire, Everything They Say is True, and Walkin’ on the Water, aren’t changed as much, but do contain alterations, such as more prominent keyboards on the latter but the total eliminations of piano intro in the former.

The LP’s second track, Half a Heart, sounds like a Hooters’ song—and there’s a good reason. The punchy keyboard and rhythm guitar beat comes from the collective mind of Hooters Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian, who wrote the song with Conwell and Chertoff. Unfortunately, all the minds didn’t help, and this is probably the album’s weakest effort.

The album’s tastiest tracks are the Sly Stone-inspired I Wanna Make You Happy, from funk songwriter/producer Kae Williams, and an older tune—a particular favorite over the years in the clubs—Workout.

The album’s most beautiful cut, If We Never Meet Again, demonstrates clearly that Conwell can sing a slow song, as well as belt out his more traditional blues-rockers.

The gospel-influenced Gonna Breakdown, was written by the team of Conwell and Philadelphia-based songwriter Marcy Rauer. This track starts slow but progresses into some of the nastiest guitar licks on the album, as well as some soulful, to-the-limit vocals by Conwell.

Tell Me What You Want Me to Be contains a strong country flavor and that Bo Diddley beat that this band performs so well.

A chuckle from Conwell at the conclusion of Walkin’ on the Water appropriately closes the album.

Chuck Berry [1926-2017]

Legends never die. Rest In Peace to a Rock 'n' Roll pioneer and legend, Chuck Berry, 1926-2017. 

Fans of TCYR know that Chuck Berry songs have been in Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' setlists since the beginning. 

Video: Tommy Conwell talks about his musical influences and Chuck Berry (80's).  
 


Video: Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers perform a cover of Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA" at the Pennsylvania State Fair, in Bensalem, PA, Memorial Day 1989. 



More Chuck Berry covers --

• House of Blue Lights - Tommy Conwell's Young Rumblers at the Ambler Cabaret, 1986.

• Around and Around - Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers recorded live at the Bottom Line, New York City, USA, 1988.
  

• Almost Grown - Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings live at Grape Street Pub, 1999.
  

Tommy Conwell with Reilly's Daughter

Brief clip of Tommy Conwell performing with Reilly's Daughter at MaGerk's on St. Patrick's Day 2017. 

Tommy Conwell with SideArm... and flowers!

Tommy Conwell performing with backing band SideArm at the Flowers After Hours: I Love the 90's event at The Philadelphia Flower Show on Saturday, March 11, 2017.

Meeting the Young Rumblers in Dallas - Late 80s!

Sometime in the late 1980’s…

A look-back story sent to Audio Rumble from Louie Chaump:

I cannot remember the exact month and year but I remember everything else like it was yesterday. I was 25 and just got a promotion from the mail room at CBS Records to a full-time retail rep for CBS. 

At the time we were distributing Columbia, Epic, Def Jam, Chrysalis and a few other record labels. Tommy was on Columbia Records. I was on the sales side. We took records to the retail distributors like Sound Warehouse, Hastings, Tower, Camelot, and the promotions guys took the music to local radio. The promo guys were the coolest. They were always bringing in the up-and-coming acts to our office, then to radio and then to dinner. And other times to a “record release” party where I would be responsible for bringing out the local record store managers. It was the best job ever. 

I had an AMEX card and endless tab! I remember our Columbia promotions representative, Michael Scurlock, invited me to dinner with Tommy and a few of the other Young Rumblers. We went to a seafood restaurant near downtown Dallas. Tommy and the guys were super! They were polite, cordial and very outgoing. We had a great dinner. 

The next night I think Tommy had a gig down at a venue on Elm Street in east Dallas. It’s call Deep Ellum down there; the area was an old jazz and blues mecca back in the day. I think in Dallas that year, he played a venue called Deep Ellum Live, but I’m not sure about that. The show was great, and the crowd was great. On another night, we had a party for retail and radio reps at Dave and Busters in north Dallas. The party was fun, and the band again was friendly and accommodating.

I had recently bought a 1973 Fender Stratocaster and I brought it in and asked Tommy to sign it. He looked at the guitar and saw that it had already been signed by Jimmie Vaughan. He was kind of taken aback, and expressed how he much he appreciated Jimmie’s playing. Then he signed my guitar.

I still have that guitar today, and since then I have had many other guitarists sign it including: Steve Howe (Yes), Vernon Reed (Living Color), Bill Carter, Charlie Sexton, Alejandro Escovedo, Willie Nelson, David Grissom, Dino Lee, Miles Zuniga (Fastball) and Chuck Prophet. Chuck was impressed that I knew of Tommy C... 

Oh, one last thing. I believe Tommy was in Austin, Texas, the night before Dallas. He may have purchased the Antone's T-shirt at that time. I think he may have played at the Steamboat or the Backroom in Austin, but not sure. God bless Tommy Conwell! Still two of my favorite records ever are “Rumble” and “Guitar Trouble.” 

Thanks, DJ Caterina, and I am glad to share this story with Audio Rumble and continuing the life line of rock and roll!

Love and peace,
Louie

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers - February 3, 1990

Advertisement for Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers performing at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, on February 3, 1990.  

In the Pocket delivers crowd-pleasing night of Philly music history at World Cafe Live

Concert review

In the Pocket delivers crowd-pleasing night of Philly music history at World Cafe Live
By Andy Vineberg, staff writer 
Bucks County Courier Times
Jan 26, 2017 

You know all those music awards shows that feature an all-star jam at the end of the night? David Uosikkinen's In the Pocket project is like that for an entire concert — only all of the musicians have Philadelphia connections. 

Uosikkinen, long-time Hooters drummer and Bristol Township native who is celebrating 50 years in music in 2017, brought In the Pocket to World Café Live Wednesday night, and his ever-evolving lineup of area musicians delivered a dynamic, crowd-pleasing set of songs near and dear to Philadelphia. 

The project has recorded and released 15 "essential songs of Philadelphia," each accompanied by a behind-the-scenes making-of video from South Jersey producer Steve Acito. All are worth listening to and watching, but it is onstage where these songs really come to life. 

Wednesday's show started with an emotional tribute to recently deceased Soul Survivor (and ITP regular) Richie Ingui. Before the music began, the video for the making of In the Pocket's 2016 rendition of the O'Jays' "Back Stabbers," which featured brothers Richie and Charlie Ingui of the Soul Survivors on lead vocals, was shown on the large screen behind the stage. (That song also paid tribute to legendary area guitarist TJ Tindall, who played on the original "Back Stabbers." Tindall was an In the Pocket regular who died a week before the band recorded the song). 

Following the video, the entire ensemble — more than 20 musicians in all — took the stage, fronted by Charlie Ingui for a (pardon the pun) soul-stirring performance of "Expressway to Your Heart." An emotional Ingui, who was clearly moved by the enthusiasm of the crowd, sung with the intensity and passion of a man a third his age, and the other musicians fed off his energy.

It was a true show-stopper ... and it was only the first song of the night. 

From there, the concert was one giant party, nearly two and a half hours of great songs and great performances. Most of the songs had direct ties to Philadelphia, but others were just all-time classics that the musicians clearly had a blast performing (such as Kenn Kweder fronting "Like a Rolling Stone," Richard Bush fronting "Suffragette City" and Jeffrey Gaines fronting "(What's so Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" — all among the night's many highlights). 

More than 30 years after the heyday of Philly new wave favorites The A's, Bush remains one of the most dynamic rock 'n' roll frontmen in the city's history, splendidly working the crowd on the Dead Milkmen's "Punk Rock Girl" (alongside Tommy Conwell), as well as David Bowie's "Suffragette City" and the A's own "A Woman's Got the Power." (You can catch Bush's band the Peace Creeps when they open for the Plimsouls Re-Souled Friday at Boot and Saddle). 

Other highlights included Ben Arnold fronting Robert Hazard's "Change Reaction" (introducing the song with, "there's been a lot of change lately, and a lot of reaction"), Beru Revue guitarist Greg Davis singing his band's "It's Good to be the King," Kweder's boozy version of the late Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" and a double dose of Todd Rundgren classics — Gaines fronting Nazz's "Open Your Eyes" and Cliff Hillis' note-perfect "I Saw the Light." 

While the night was largely about celebrating the past with musicians who have been on the scene for decades, there were a few nods to the present, most notably in the presence of big-haired, big-throated 18-year-old throwback Joey Ditullio, a South Jersey native who was awarded the opening slot after the Ingui tribute and delivered a raucous version of Cinderella's "Shelter Me," as well as a cool performance of the Stories' 1973 hit "Brother Louie," featuring bassist Kenny Aaronson, who played on the original.

The night also featured a song from the current lineup of still-active 1980s South Jersey-based power pop band Smash Palace — original member Stephen Butler on vocals and guitar, Cliff Hillis on rhythm guitar, Fran Smith Jr. on bass, Wally Smith on keyboards and Uosikkinen on drums. 

The celebration of the city's musical history was not limited to rock and R and B — the setlist included an infectious version of the Trammps' dance classic "Disco Inferno," fronted by Graham Alexander, who showed his versatility by following that up with Little Richard's "Lucille." 

Tommy Conwell dominated the end of the show with a blistering five-song set, including his own, seemingly impromptu tribute to Richie Ingui with his "If We Never Meet Again," before most of the ensemble returned to the stage for an encore of the Hooters' "Beat Up Guitar" and its appropriate refrain, "The town that rocked the nation, Philadelphia, Pa."

The night was not without a few extremely minor technical hiccups, but this did nothing to detract from the flow of the show and, if anything, added to the loose, unscripted feel of the evening. With 20-some musicians coming on and off the stage throughout the night and lineup changes before nearly every song, it's amazing the whole thing ran as smoothly as it did — a testament to the musicians' professionalism and passion for the project.

(My favorite "unscripted" moment of the night was Conwell having to good-naturedly ask Uosikkinen to "slow it down, Dave" at the start of his "Everything They Say Is True.") 

Overall, it was a great night of music and Philly pride — Uosikkinen deserves serious praise for starting this project in 2010 and repeatedly bringing all these musicians together (and for being the only one who never left the stage — at one point even playing through a mid-song repair to his drums.) 

Happy Birthday, Tommy Conwell!

Happy Birthday, Tommy Conwell! [January 14, 1962]

Originally posted on Audio Rumble's Facebook page. 

May we all be here until the end 

May we stand together until then 

May we all keep coming back again 

May we all be here until the end

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers - 100% Goal Reached!

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers IndieGoGo campaign to make new music in 2017 has now reached 100% -- and donations are still rolling in! One month left!

 

Young Rumblers at Madhouse of Music - The 80s!

Tommy Conwell, owner of Madhouse of Music (unknown name), Rob Miller and Paul Slivka -- in the 80s!

Originally posted on Audio Rumble's Facebook page.

When Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers got the blues...

In December 2016, The Rolling Stones released Blue and Lonesome, their first studio album in over a decade. Recorded in just three days in London, England, the record takes the band back to their roots and the passion for blues music. 

In the spirit of the release of the new album, Audio Rumble celebrates New Years Day 2017 by counting down the TOP 5 MUSICAL MOMENTS when Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers got the blues…


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#5. Million Pretty Girls | Bluesy guitar solo during "Million Pretty Girls" - it's Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers at The Ardmore Music Hall on May 10, 2014.



#4. Young Thing | Video of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers live in Milan, Italy, performing "Young Thing" in 1989.

#3. It’s Too Late Brother | Audio of Tommy Conwell performing "It's Too Late Brother" [acoustic] during the encore set at the Bayou in Washington, D.C., May 13, 1987.

#2. Didn’t Want to Sing the Blues | Audio of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers performing "Didn't Want to Sing the Blues" live in Osaka, Japan.

#1. Sweet Home Chicago | Audio of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers performing "Sweet Home Chicago" live at The Bottom Line in New York City, Oct. 4, 1988.