Local Rock Bands Past and Present

[OceanWolf808]

I want to start a thread to compile a list of active and inactive rock bands around Hawaii. This would especially be great for a reference for music aficionados to look into. Not much has been really said on this forum about Hawaii's rock (punk, metal, etc.) from both the past and present - and I fear it would become a lost history for our state's musical landscape.

If you have any anecdotes, stories, events, etc. to share about bands around, you can post on this thread! Mahalo!

G

[Pohaku]

Funny you should mention it. Someone just reminded me of The Catalogues, from the 90s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoCFnP-XFJc

[OceanWolf808]

Nice! It's good to know about bands like that originally from Hawaii. I'm relatively young and this is good for me to learn about the unsung heroes from the scene in both past and present.

[GeckoGeek]

Shnazz from the late 70's. Somewhere I have photos of the July 4th 1978 concert in Kailua Park.

[craigwatanabe]

Oh man I gotta dig up my old "Battle of the Bands" record album. The original Home Grown/Brown Bags to Stardom production from the 60's recorded at the Civic Auditorium.

[mel]

From the early 1970s, The Sweet Marie had a few hit records in Hawaii

• Remember Mary
• Stuck in Paradise
• Stella's Candy Store
• Picture of Stella's Candy Store red 45 rpm
• Group Information & Picture of 1st album

A group that I liked from the early 1990s was The Love Gods

• Video: Sorry for Me

As someone also mentioned earlier, Shnazz. Who doesn't have their LP? I have the 45 "I Think We're Alone Now" (Tommy James & the Shondells cover) with "Bad Boys" on the flipside. Saw them live years ago at King's Alley in Waikiki I believe. They were good.

From the mid 1980s Hat Makes the Man.

• Video Clip 10 minutes

One of the members, Frank Orrall went on to form Poi Dog Pondering who have had a string of album releases over the years.

My friend's son was in 2 bands. One was I believe called Vega and the other one was Explore. Both bands are long gone. Were active in the mid 2000s. Vega put out 1 CD, Explore another CD and several songs posted on their dormant myspace.com site. They played several gigs in Honolulu and elsewhere.

• Explore the Band @ MySpace.com - includes streaming music

Amity Street - saw them last year at Ala Moana Centerstage. They have one album out which I got through iTunes.

• Video: Chameleon
• Amity Street's myspace page - includes streaming audio

I also liked The Beatles' cover band Rubber Soul. Seen them about 3 times at different places over the years. Their website. Don't know if they are still active or not.

The Throwdowns are from Maui and they are still current.

• Video: Kihei Town

A few years back I caught the Greg Hammer Band. They did a lot of cover tunes. Was fun.


Greg Hammer Band by macprohawaii, on Flickr

[oceanpacific]

The Mopp Topps of the mid-'60s had Michael Nakasone, Pearl City High and Royal Hawaiian Bandmaster, as one of its "founding fathers." Among their local instrumental hits were "Mopp Topp" and "Flipper."

[mel]

The Mopp Topps of the mid-'60s had Michael Nakasone, Pearl City High and Royal Hawaiian Bandmaster, as one of its "founding fathers." Among their local instrumental hits were "Mopp Topp" and "Flipper."

And their music along with several other local bands from the 1960s are on a CD compilation called "Hawaii's Rock n Roll - Vol.2 - The 60s". Those two tracks are featured on the CD.

In addition there are songs from the following groups and artists:

• Val Richards V
• The Spirits
• The Undertakers
• The Casuals
• Telstars
• Joey & the Classics
• Linda Green & the Tempos

Of those bands the one I remember most is Linda Green & the Tempos for "My Little Japanese Boy" which also appeared on another Tom Moffatt compilation, "Best of Paradise Vol. 2".

I have a copy of both these CDs.

[cezanne]

From the mid 1980s Hat Makes the Man.

HMTM played at The Wave Waikiki. Preceded by Sonya and Revolucion in the early 80s (Sonya Mendez)

Shnazz played at the 23rd Step in Kailua before doing the booze cruises. A girl I was pursuing was one of their groupies... so yeah I didn't get the girl.

[Frankie's Market]

Ever heard of the Laughing Kahunas? A nifty audio collection documenting this early 1970s band (as well as other recordings involving individual Laughing Kahuna members) can be found at:

http://www.davehineman.com/TheLaughingKahunas.html

They were quite the crowd-pleasers in the Waikiki nightclub circuit and as the uploaded recordings show, very versatile musicians.

[na alii]

From the early 1970s, The Sweet Marie had a few hit records in Hawaii

• Remember Mary
• Stuck in Paradise
• Stella's Candy Store
• Picture of Stella's Candy Store red 45 rpm
• Group Information & Picture of 1st album

A group that I liked from the early 1990s was The Love Gods

• Video: Sorry for Me

As someone also mentioned earlier, Shnazz. Who doesn't have their LP? I have the 45 "I Think We're Alone Now" (Tommy James & the Shondells cover) with "Bad Boys" on the flipside. Saw them live years ago at King's Alley in Waikiki I believe. They were good.

From the mid 1980s Hat Makes the Man.

• Video Clip 10 minutes

One of the members, Frank Orrall went on to form Poi Dog Pondering who have had a string of album releases over the years.

My friend's son was in 2 bands. One was I believe called Vega and the other one was Explore. Both bands are long gone. Were active in the mid 2000s. Vega put out 1 CD, Explore another CD and several songs posted on their dormant myspace.com site. They played several gigs in Honolulu and elsewhere.

• Explore the Band @ MySpace.com - includes streaming music

Amity Street - saw them last year at Ala Moana Centerstage. They have one album out which I got through iTunes.

• Video: Chameleon
• Amity Street's myspace page - includes streaming audio

I also liked The Beatles' cover band Rubber Soul. Seen them about 3 times at different places over the years. Their website. Don't know if they are still active or not.

The Throwdowns are from Maui and they are still current.

• Video: Kihei Town

A few years back I caught the Greg Hammer Band. They did a lot of cover tunes. Was fun.


Greg Hammer Band by macprohawaii, on Flickr

I have Shnazz's Lp and also converted it to a CD. The tunes are in now in my iPod. The guitarist for Greg Hammer is my friend Kevin Brown and he used play in the rock circuit back in the 70's and 80's with Rock-n-Roll Roadshow and Joe Dagger.

[na alii]

I want to start a thread to compile a list of active and inactive rock bands around Hawaii. This would especially be great for a reference for music aficionados to look into. Not much has been really said on this forum about Hawaii's rock (punk, metal, etc.) from both the past and present - and I fear it would become a lost history for our state's musical landscape.

If you have any anecdotes, stories, events, etc. to share about bands around, you can post on this thread! Mahalo!

G

I currently play in a rock cover band called Velvet Mantis. Three of my members played back in the day during the 70's and 80's. My lead guitarist Rich Nakasone used to play with Joe Dagger, Tytus Canby and Broken Glass at the Jazz Cellar in Waikiki. My drummer Wes Oda was in The Honolulu Blues Band and my bassist Elwood Soueira was in a metal band during the 80's called Optimum Fury and X-Chaser.

During the 70's and 80's clubs that had live bands that I frequented was Little Orphan Annies/O'Phers, Jazz Cellar, Lucky Pierre's, Dominic's Rock and Roll Cellar, Gussie Lamours, Pirate Bully Hayes, 23rd Step, Red Lion Waikiki, Dragon Lady, The Wave, Rock and Roll Booze Cruise.

Local rock bands back in the day were. I'm sure I missed a few bands.
Conspiracy
Rex Havok
High Command
Sonya & Revolucion
Hat Makes The Man
The Squids
Fallen Angel
The Lifters
Black Widow
Sythe
Joe Dagger & The Rhythm Slaves
Tightrope
Piranha Bros
Syanide
Aarons Rod
Rogue
Zontrazio
Higher Ground
Steepcliff
Golden Ace
Giggolo
Boxer
Mike Furlong & the Condos
The Solution
Passion
Person L
Signal
Eddie Zany Band
Stagefrite
X-Chaser - Barry Lasit
Slak Alice
Calamity Jane
Broken Glass
Stephanie Borges and Body Heat -
Brain Child
Presence
Smaug
One Five One
Sabotage
Tytus Canby
Teazer
Shnazz
Naggs Head
Crippler
Blitzkrieg
Sacred Rite
Five-O
Rock and Roll Roadshow
Zuproc
Allison Flyer
Richie Walker Band

[Kalihiboy]

Anybody remember Bill Wray? I watched an episode of Midnight Special tonight where host Linda Clifford said he was popular in clubs in New Orleans and Hawaii, circa 1979.

[OceanWolf808]

I currently play in a rock cover band called Velvet Mantis. Three of my members played back in the day during the 70's and 80's. My lead guitarist Rich Nakasone used to play with Joe Dagger, Tytus Canby and Broken Glass at the Jazz Cellar in Waikiki. My drummer Wes Oda was in The Honolulu Blues Band and my bassist Elwood Soueira was in a metal band during the 80's called Optimum Fury and X-Chaser.

During the 70's and 80's clubs that had live bands that I frequented was Little Orphan Annies/O'Phers, Jazz Cellar, Lucky Pierre's, Dominic's Rock and Roll Cellar, Gussie Lamours, Pirate Bully Hayes, 23rd Step, Red Lion Waikiki, Dragon Lady, The Wave, Rock and Roll Booze Cruise.

Local rock bands back in the day were. I'm sure I missed a few bands.
Conspiracy
Rex Havok
High Command
Sonya & Revolucion
Hat Makes The Man
The Squids
Fallen Angel
The Lifters
Black Widow
Sythe
Joe Dagger & The Rhythm Slaves
Tightrope
Piranha Bros
Syanide
Aarons Rod
Rogue
Zontrazio
Higher Ground
Steepcliff
Golden Ace
Giggolo
Boxer
Mike Furlong & the Condos
The Solution
Passion
Person L
Signal
Eddie Zany Band
Stagefrite
X-Chaser - Barry Lasit
Slak Alice
Calamity Jane
Broken Glass
Stephanie Borges and Body Heat -
Brain Child
Presence
Smaug
One Five One
Sabotage
Tytus Canby
Teazer
Shnazz
Naggs Head
Crippler
Blitzkrieg
Sacred Rite
Five-O
Rock and Roll Roadshow
Zuproc
Allison Flyer
Richie Walker Band

Wow, those are mainly bands and venues I've never heard of (with exception to Red Lion Waikiki and The Wave). I was actually born in the mid-1980s, considered a newbie at most. But it is really interesting to see that the rock community in Hawaii was (and still continues to be) active in that sense.

[Ron Whitfield]

That's STAJEFRIGHT. My friend Bobby Ingano was lead guitar, they took second in an early BBTStardom, and my Kaaawa buds ZONTRAZIO took the prize. The former TWIN SIN's Scott Carter is the best guitar rocker Hawaii has ever produced, hands down, and his acoustic stuff today is just as great. Twin brother Mark also does guitar and percussion now instead of drums, he's got his own sound that compliment's his brother well. ZONTRAZIO/TWIN SIN rocked like few others, even the majors.
Bobby Ingano has 40 years with Tamashiro Mkt's produce, and is a top call steel guitarist in the Hawaiian music scene.

[na alii]

That's STAJEFRIGHT. My friend Bobby Ingano was lead guitar, they took second in an early BBTStardom, and my Kaaawa buds ZONTRAZIO took the prize. The former TWIN SIN's Scott Carter is the best guitar rocker Hawaii has ever produced, hands down, and his acoustic stuff today is just as great. Twin brother Mark also does guitar and percussion now instead of drums, he's got his own sound that compliment's his brother well. ZONTRAZIO/TWIN SIN rocked like few others, even the majors.
Bobby Ingano has 40 years with Tamashiro Mkt's produce, and is a top call steel guitarist in the Hawaiian music scene.

Zontrazio won the Battle of the Bands when it was held at the 50th State Fair at the Blaisdell Arena parking lot. Before it became a multi level parking lot.

Bobby Ingano also played with my drummer in The Honolulu Blues Band.

[Ron Whitfield]

Battle of the Bands

Thanx for the correction, na, and damn if I don't have to correct my own correction, STAJEFRITE, a true dbl. brain fart for Thanksgiving. Cool pic, what's the story?

Here's a boot from back in the day http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/nJUzU8xFk78
Can you pick him out from the pic?

[Palolo lolo]

Palolo Jones in the '90's

[na alii]

Thanx for the correction, na, and damn if I don't have to correct my own correction, STAJEFRITE, a true dbl. brain fart for Thanksgiving. Cool pic, what's the story?

Here's a boot from back in the day http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/nJUzU8xFk78
Can you pick him out from the pic?

I got that pic from Carlos Barientos of Carlos' Performance Guitars. He is the same person that posted that boot of the Stagefrite video. Of the former Stagefrite members I seen Wendell Aquino, Dwayne Valdez and Gerard Gonsalves recently. In fact Wendell comes to my drummer's house after we rehearse at his house up in Palolo.

[Ron Whitfield]

Whoa, thread revival!
I've crossed e paths with Carlos in the past, good to hear he's got his own shop going now, I should check it out.
That LP Bobby's holding looks like a former gold top, probably inside Hot Licks, which I need to visit asap..., they've got a great price on a cool Fender amp I want.
Ciao, brudda!

[kauaibc]

I was in a couple bands that were active on Oahu during the early/mid 80s.

Modern Day Chumps played a lot of newer 'skinny tie' new wave rock mixed with British Invasion stuff like early Beatles and Stones. we played a lot of UH parties, smaller clubs in Waikiki and many shows at the 23rd Step in Kailua. Drummer Bill Siegmund went on to play with Sonya and the Revolucion. One of my favorite gigs was a toga party at Johnson Hall at UH, it was Animal House revisited, a totally crazy and fun event.

After that I worked with a band called Bonnie and the Clyde. We did mainly new rock from the 80s. Our mainstay was all the military clubs, all over Oahu, as well as various clubs including Cafe on the Mall (anyone remember that one?). At one point we were slated to play a big concert at Andrews Amphitheatre with Hat Makes the Man headlining, but poor ticket sales led to them cancelling the show. We were good friends with Cynthia Dee and Andy Preston from the rock station and got some cool gigs through them too.

[kauaibc]

oops I think Bill played with Stephanie Borges, not Sonja. It's been a while!

[na alii]

I was in a couple bands that were active on Oahu during the early/mid 80s.

Modern Day Chumps played a lot of newer 'skinny tie' new wave rock mixed with British Invasion stuff like early Beatles and Stones. we played a lot of UH parties, smaller clubs in Waikiki and many shows at the 23rd Step in Kailua. Drummer Bill Siegmund went on to play with Sonya and the Revolucion. One of my favorite gigs was a toga party at Johnson Hall at UH, it was Animal House revisited, a totally crazy and fun event.

After that I worked with a band called Bonnie and the Clyde. We did mainly new rock from the 80s. Our mainstay was all the military clubs, all over Oahu, as well as various clubs including Cafe on the Mall (anyone remember that one?). At one point we were slated to play a big concert at Andrews Amphitheatre with Hat Makes the Man headlining, but poor ticket sales led to them cancelling the show. We were good friends with Cynthia Dee and Andy Preston from the rock station and got some cool gigs through them too.

I used to watch Hat Makes The Man at The Wave during the mid-late 80s. I think Peter Bond of HMTM works at Island Guitars.

[Ron Whitfield]

I think Peter is shooting for a retirement package at Island!

[Ron Whitfield]

The '50s had a local Drifters, someone named Baby Doll, Robin Luke, Teddy Randazzo, and some other names that I'll dredge up tomorrow, all of whom performed at Moffatt's Cavalcade Of Stars. Who the heck was Baby Doll?