Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' Rumble. [July 9 - August 9]
Marc from Kennett Square is a long-time Young Rumbler "chronicler" with his website and photographs. Read more about his past work. He shares his memories about Rumble and what it meant for him to see his favorite band go national in 1988.
Cheers to a GREAT band who left a lasting impression. Here is what I recall.....
In 1988 I was a brash junior at Drexel and feeling good about life after returning from a semester abroad in London. I had money and energy to burn -- and there was nothing more exciting to me than live music with Philly bands like Dynagroove, Beru Revue, The Hooters, and of course my favorite, Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers.
I was a Rumbler FANATIC and went to countless gigs during that magical period after the local release of Walkin' on the Water and Rumble.
Columbia Record's release of Rumble was a clear tipping point for this Philly kid. The album was released with a major national media blitz. There were album release parties, billboards, videos on MTV, WMMR radio broadcasts from Europe, David Letterman shows, and even Rolling Stone mentions. On one hand, it was surreal to see the Rumblers EXPLODE. However, this time period also turned into a real void as my weekend road trips to the Stone Pony, Stone Balloon, and Bottle and Cork came to an abrupt end. Life was no longer a cabaret! I imagine that we all moved on with our lives and careers.
What do I like about Rumble? The art work was absolutely brilliant! I think the cover photo of the band is one of the slickest rock and roll shots. It captures the interesting chemistry that was always evident amongst the Rumblers - Tommy, Paulie, Jimmer, Chris, and Rob. As far as the songs, "If We Never Meet Again" and "Gonna Breakdown" are my winners. "Breakdown" has great spirit and reeks of optimism. I always thought that was a real highlight in their live gigs. "Never" is simply timeless. The song was perfectly executed on the recording.
The 1980's are long gone but Rumble left a lasting impression. I will never forget that exciting time period in Philadelphia.
Marc Pelletier
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
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