Loading details…
Artist
The Hello People
12+ albums
Psychedelic RockPop-Rock60sclassic rocksunshine pop
about
This unusual ensemble was best known for dressing up in white-face and performing weird mime skits between songs at their gigs. The original lineup was a six-piece and included W.S. "Sunny" Tongue aka "Country" (guitar, vocals), Greg Geddes aka "Smoothie" (bass, vocals), Bobby Sedita aka "Goodfellow" (guitar, vocals), Larry Tassi aka "Much More" (keyboards, vocals), Michael Sagarese aka "Wry One" (flute, saxophone, tambourine) and Ronnie Blake aka "Thump Thump" (drums, harmonica). They originally hailed from Cleveland, OH and honed their skills playing frequently at a downtown club called La Cave. In 1967, they signed to Philips and issued a debut, non-LP single ('Let's Go Hide In The Forest' b/w 'Disparity Waterfront Blues'). In 1968, they released a self-titled debut LP which includes several notable songs, including 'It's A Monday Kind Of Tuesday' and '(As I Went Down To) Jerusalem'. By this time, the group had relocated to New York City where they frequently performed at the Café Wha? in Greenwich Village and at the Players Theater, upstairs from the Café Wha? Later in 1968, the Hello People released a second LP titled 'Fusion', which is also quite good. By this time, Tongue had left the fold to become a full-time songwriter and was replaced by Peter Weston (guitar, vocals). One of the tracks featured on the album ('Anthem') is a bitingly sarcastic stab at the U.S. establishment and was actually penned by ex-member Tongue who had done some time in federal prison in the
