The LEFT BANKE: Band History |
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- Опубліковано 19 січ 2022
- Baroque Rock, the latest pop style, was applied to the Left Banke after they hit with Walk Away Renee. Though they only recorded two albums and several singles, they Left Banke left behind a rich catalog of pop music from 1966-1969. Steve Martin, Michael Brown, George Cameron, Tom Finn, along with several other contributors make up this elusive band.
Special thanks to Daniel Coston who helped with the timeline of band events. His excellent website has more Left Banke information including info on the latest release Strangers On A Train: bit.ly/33ZZZqI
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CD Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina: amzn.to/3H5kGQJ
I still stop and listen when Walk Away Renee comes on the radio. I’m 76 years old and this song takes me back in time ❤
DESIREE.
Pretty ballerina is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Absolutely.
Agreed!
About a pretty girl named Renee.
Love the drum sound - that ‘66 snare just works for me
There oughta be more songs in Lydian Mode. Lennie Bernstein might agree...
Left Banke played my high school in 1968 with the Tokens and Lesley Gore when our school won the Clark’s Gum Wrapper contest :)
I’m one of the ones who requested The Left Banke …this was magnificent..
Well thank you for that request, Peter! For a band that didn't release a lot, they sure have an interesting story.
Can't get enough of Pretty Ballerina. What a great song!
i attended a memorial for Michael Brown shortly after he passed. Alan Merril and George Cameron sang Walk Away Rene with Michael Brown's twin sons playing the violin parts ..beautiful
I love Pretty Ballerina!
I love this song as well....maybe it's a Day thing!
@@2kenday 🤣
I was in diapers then, but it is a pretty classic
A rainy Day thing ! 🔥💥👍@2kenday
Somewhere , I have the original newspaper ad "Left Bank is looking for a new guitarist".... (I collect old newspapers)
I think it was in the Village Voice.
Wonderful. Thankyou so much. I was born in 1947, so grew up with all the great music of the 60's. The Left Bank grabbed me. "Pretty Ballerina" still brings me to tears. Such an undervalued group.
"Walk Away Renee" is one of the sounds of the 1960s. I was a teenager back then and loved the song plus bands like The Association, Mamas & Papas, Lovin' Spoonful, Beach Boys. Listening to the music of the time, on a small medium wave (AM) transistor radio, from a "Pirate Radio" ship anchored in the Irish sea (UK) was part of my history and always will be. Thanks for the series.
I like comments like this. Thanks. USA 🇺🇸
@@robinhood480 Radio Caroline
I don't recall ever hearing bands like The Left Banke or The Tradewinds ever being played by the execrable yet legitimate BBC radio stations. Thank God for Radio Caroline.
Hi there Matt! As a 20 year old Left Banke obsessive (and self-described music historian), I want to commend you wholeheartedly for your brilliant, well-crafted and insightful overview of this great band's career. It's funny that they're so well remembered, yet really on the strength of two tracks - despite a catalogue filled with so many gems (albeit complete commercial failure!) I really appreciate the time you must have taken to find all of these rare images as well (some I've never seen previously!). Their story is certainly a bittersweet one, like many of their songs. I agree totally with your thoughts on 'Left Banke Too' - which for some reason, even among their ardent fans, seems to be swept under the rug as subpar or unnecessary. I think that considering Michael Brown was the effective 'leader' and songwriting spearhead of the band, that Tom, Steve and George overwhelmingly exceeded expectations on their own with the quality of the songwriting and playing (and production from Paul Leka, who was riding high with 'Green Tambourine' and the like!). I also appreciate you mentioning Montage - I'm sure you were already aware of the track 'Men Are Building Sand' featuring on the 'Storm' CD as well in a Bert Sommer-led version pre-dating Montage's conception - to me this is a far superior arrangement, and while there will be ceaseless debate about whether that was really the 'Left Banke,' his vocals are hauntingly out of this world and I think it's one of the best tracks recorded under the Left Banke title. I love 'Ivy Ivy', but perhaps it wasn't very commercial and certainly marked the beginning of the end for chart success! Also, just in case you didn't know, the complete first album's tracks on the 'There's Gonna Be A Storm' CD are all brand new remixes from the multitracks by Rhino's legendary Bill Inglot - great sound quality, highly improved on the originals to my ears, though some songs lose a bit of that 'bite' which the original dodgy mixes have - the originals being inferior perhaps, but very of their time - in an enjoyable way! The original mixes are used on the 2011 reissues from Sundazed however. Finally, in a funny twist besides my own self-discovered love of the Left Banke, my dad was actually lab partners in his high school chemistry class with 'Ricky Brand' (as he remembers him) - he always recalls that Rick could easily nab members of the opposite sex being an aspiring guitarist, and usually missed class to go out on dates. This left Dad in the awkward position of doing all of the work and giving Rick half the credit, which he obliged for quite some time - but at some point called it off, replacing Rick with a female friend of his own...! That was the last my dad heard of him until he was in college and heard from a mutual friend that Rick was now part of the Left Banke, who were then currently local one-off hitmakers...! From my own research, I found that Rick is now a practicing psychologist, still based in the New York metro area - and of course, sadly, the last living member of any iteration of the band. My apologies for leaving such a long comment, but I hope some of this info may be of interest to you, and my sincere thanks again for some fantastic wisdom and entertainment, Matt! Long live the Left Banke!!
Your comment is not too long, Brinley! Thank you for the kind words and the Ricky Brand background. This band is somewhat typical of the talent of the time - there was so much that their simply weren't enough places in the charts for all of them!
gems are not commercial failures. these are mutually exclusive in most cases.
I always loved the pathos this band could evoque with the baroque, 1966 was really an interesting time for avant garde music before rock got self aware and became formulized by marketing types
I have Left Banke’s “There’s Gonna Be A Storm” CD, and it is one you can play all the way through with very few (if any) sub-standard tracks.
Good liner notes on that cd
I second all of this! Great anthology.
I agree wholeheartedly.
Now that you've covered this favorite band of mine, perhaps you can tackle another of my favorite bands: the Beau Brummels. I love their "Triangle" and their "Bradley's Barn" albums, among others.
Yes, they will certainly get the Pop Goes the 60s treatment. I've got a great selection of their obscure stuff so I will look forward to crossing them off my very long list!
@@popgoesthe60s52 yeah
Remember when I was a little kid I'm saw that episode of The Flintstones😂 oddly enough that's how I heard about this band until about 5 years ago I was listening too ulvers cover of magic hollow
loved that song Walk Away Renee
"She May Call You Up Tonight" is perfect power pop.
A very nice piece. And thanks for the kind words about the "Storm" CD. Tom Finn was very involved with it and that he was pleased with it meant the world to us.
Hey Bill! I recognize that name - you're one of the good guys! Welcome.
Thanks for push starting my Opal GT to get to the Abba concert Bill.........TN
Hi Bill,I remember you very well from your pre-Rhino days, when I was with Bomp! You'd drop by for a visit mostly on Saturdays, and we'd discuss '60s bands. And you were a regular at the Pasadena City College Swap Meet, where my friend, Ron Lavery and I had a record booth. You did a great job on every release you put your hand to. All the best!
I bought
A history of the zombies would be awesome love groups like this that broke up way too soon
I already gave my suggestion to Matt for a Zombies episode also! Yep, I don't think The Zombies ever recorded a bad track. "Tell Her No," and "She's Not There" were way above what was coming out at the time and Odessey and Oracle was an amazingly good and diverse LP. "Time Of The Season" was also on another level and I think the first great album by Argent would have been a Zombies album if they stayed together.
...And it's there!
They broke up, yes, but don't forget the seven Argent albums, Colin's wonderful solo albums (especially the first three, produced by Rod Argent) and the more recent Blunstone/Argent studio records in the 90's till today. Like Left Banke, they didn't disappear!
@@Mr.-J-2024 Argent was a great band/album! I listened to it all the time!
I had no idea Michael McKeon was actually self-satirizing in Spinal Tap when he said their first band, the New Originals, had to change their name. I always thought that was a New Yardbirds/Zeppelin reference. I also now know where his Baroque Pop chops come from on the lovely “Cups and Cakes,” by the Thamesmen. Currently residing in the where-are-they-now file.
I don't know of a better record than Pretty Ballerina. Not saying it's "the best of all time" or anything. Just that it's perfect, and it's never ceased to move me when I hear it.
It haunts me still. An amazing composition, beautifully performed.
Tom Scholz said he took the line from the Left Bank's gem Walk Away Renee for his great song More Than A Feeling. "Till I see Marianne walking away"
I didn't know that about Scholz, thanks for that info!
I had more than a feeling that is where Tom got that line.
Way back when I had a tryout with Left Banke. I hauled my silvertone twin twelve and my mosrite to the Kaleidoscope on sunset Blvd. I wonder which left banke I was auditioning for. Needless to say I didn’t get the gig. Nice guys though.
That's a hell of a combo. 🥊
Grew up listening to these guys. They created some timeless music. My first love's name was Renee back in "65 so you can guess which song of theirs bring back the most heartfelt memories. Man, those were the days my friends
I could not hit play fast enough. Definitely a band music fans should check out! I like sharing their work with friends.
Nice rare pictures and interesting little known tidbits of their history...Still wonder if rumors are true about the reason there is no Stereo version of "Desiree". Lost tapes? Sad & ironic how Rick Brand is the only one main member left, he had a bit of a wild streak!. Warren D. Shirehorst too?
Walk Away- a mesmerizing song & one of my top ten favorites.
What great memories, my friends and I hung out with the Banke, my girlfriend and her sister knew them well. We went to just about every gig and loved it. Thanks Dusty for introducjng me.
‘There’s Gonna Be a Storm’ sends a shiver up and down my spine every time - those shimmering strings are incredible.
Hallelujah! One of my favorite groups of my youth. I loved “Walk Away Rene’”from the first chord played. I’m always glad to hear the song whenever it comes on, where ever I happen to be. I’m an amateur musician and music producer and I tried my hand at recording my cover of this great song. It was horrible. My goal in writing and recording music is to come up with something beautiful like Walk Away Rene; it’s not likely, but I hope the members of that group are proud of their contributions to rock. I also loved “Pretty Ballerina” and “Sing Little Bird”. Thank you for expanding my knowledge of this group. I had always wondered what happened to them.
Thank you for watching and for the comment, Robert!
I met the original Left Banke through my girlfriend's sister. She was a kind of groupie but was close to the band members. They did shows in New Jersey outdoors and asked help to set up which i did several times. Thanks for this vid,. They had a hard time playing live versions of their songs and were quite pissed about that. Overall it was a great experience. My girfriend's sister moved on to the Hollies. All this happened in '67 , I was 20. Thanks for the memories. PS the Banke liked to play pachinko in NYC.
Cool beans, man. I was 16 when "Rene" hit the airwaves. It was a great record and from a group I'd forgotten all about. This was a somewhat esoteric, but nonetheless particularly compelling review, and an exemplary addition to your pop history oeuvre.
Keep up the good work, man, I'm diggin' what you're cookin.'
Thanks, Doc!
You jumped over the Stories' other crown jewel, "I'm Coming Home", which includes one of the best choruses Michael Brown has ever written. Simply tears me apart. Made it to a respectable #42 in 1972 as a regional hit.
Not as good as the Left Banke
@@JoeChrisMorris I agree with shyman99
.....NOT to mention "Darling", "Love In Motion" and their version of "Mammy Blue".....
Back in the days where garage bands were a dime a dozen, here today gone tomorrow. The Left Banke left their mark in the music industry and with the records buying public with quite a few well-crafted songs and one of the best debut record albums by a garage band. I never get tired of hearing any tracks off that album. I love the melodic sounds and lyrics to "Sing Little Bird Sing" The Left Banke 2 written by Tom Feher. I recall hearing rumors that Steven Tyler was associated with The Left Banke but could not confirm that. Excellent homework on The Left Banke. Matt. 👍
One of my favourites bands ever. The “storm” cd comiplation is probably one of my ten most played albums ever
Thank you for putting this bio together on The Left Banke!! I got to see them when I was 10 years old. My mother took my sister and I to concerts when we were growing up. She being 4 years older, Mom would let her take some of her friends along. I was just a tag-a-long but what great benefits! The concert I saw them at was on February 1, 1967 at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. They were there along with The Electric Prunes, Keith, and was headlined by The Beach Boys. You showed some concert posters and one was of that line up and brought back great memories. The Left Banke were very accessible after the concert. My sister got their autographs. Love what you do. I watch every one you post. Keep up the great work my friend!!
Thank you so much, Randall! How lucky you were to see them live and I'm glad that in coincided with one of the posters I showed. Plenty more to come!
Thanks for this one! One of the greatest should-have-been-bands to come out of the 60's.
Lots of memories seeing "Electric Prunes" in that photo and "Strawberry Alarm Clock" on a concert poster. I had a few 45 RPM records released under the Buddha label. The one I recalled instantly was "Green Tambourine" by the Lemon Pipers. Some great music memories. Thanks, Matt!.
This channel just keeps getting better and better
Another excellent job Matt. Again even at 66 I'm still learning things that I didn't know. I'm not trying to sound big-headed but I mean that's all I really know is music especially 60s and '70s so I'm really loving this what you're doing here. I have someone in mind that I think would really be interesting for you to discuss, he also was a friend of mine. I'll tell you more in an email. Again Matt I'm really enjoying this.
Thank you so much for your devotion to this amazing band. I have to be one of their biggest fans, wearing out their first album twice, ending up with three copies I have still. It is one of the truly special albums of the era, right up there with the Beatles’ best.
I went to a Beach Boys concert because they were second on the bill. They played with a string quintet, much harder to do in an 18,000 seat arena back then. I was transfixed by the beauty of their composition.
Matt, always wondered if Renee was an actual person, much like "Sloopy Girl". Seems Renee had a pretty positive and productive influence. I must mention The Four Tops here as their cover is pretty outstanding. Amazing what a little "Motown" sound can do. Both records are now classic time machines. ps: Like the round ice cube.
Supposedly Renee dated all of the band at various points except for Michael. Go figure.
I utterly love the Left Banke, ever since I was a teenager (some 20 years ago). I also love Montage, yes the vocalist definitely isn't as good but the soul is still there. So happy the algorithm got me introduced to your channel/this series, the 60s were utterly phenomenal. Thanks for the great video!
Another interesting episode, Matt. The history of the Left Banke has many twists and turns so you must have had to do a fair bit of research to put a coherent profile together. Great job!
Although I knew (and loved) "Walk Away Renee" and "Pretty Ballerina" I was unaware of their other material until I came across a "tribute" CD. Although the covers (mostly by indie bands) were inconsistent, I was impressed by the depth of material. I unloaded the tribute disk once I got the real thing: THERE'S GONNA BE A STORM on the Mercury label. There are at least another dozen excellent songs in their oeuvre including "She May Call You Up Tonight" (excellently covered by Susanna Hoffs & Matthew Sweet on their UNDER THE COVERS series), "Barterers And Their Wives", "There's Gonna Be A Storm" and, of course, the shimmering "Desiree".
A takeaway of this (and other episodes) might be that merely having talent and some hits were not enough to make it really big in pop/rock. Good management, label support, a strong touring presence and, especially, a lot of luck, were also part of the equation! There were millions of bands that never got heard outside of their hometowns and thousands of bands, like the Left Banke, with limited success. This puts into perspective the achievements of The Association, Turtles, Lovin' Spoonful, Rascals, etc. The Beatles, Byrds, Kinks, Beach Boys, Stones, Who, etc. were on a whole other level in that era.
You're getting dozens of band requests so I won't add to your 'to do' list other than to say, keep up the amazing work, Matt! Much appreciated.
I don't mind requests! Yes, excellent point on 'one cannot survive on talent alone.' The stars must really align for success!
I remember a documentary from 1966 on contemporary music of the time where Leonard Bernstein played a recording of the Left Banke's "Pretty Ballerina" as an example of fine composition. The Left Banke and Michael Brown in particular are definitely worth an investigation as I felt their contributions were trivialized, probably because of what the British were sending our way at the time.
What a tragic story that had played out in so many bands of the mid-sixties. When the first song goes viral it is hard to follow up with a next hit. They did their best to hang in there, but they just got buried under their own sucess.
I loved Walk Away Rene and Pretty Balarina the first time I heard them. I believe it was the summer of 66 they played a teen club in Tampa Florida called the Inn Crowed. I was in the boys room combing my bushy hair and some guy with long black hair to my right said the Left Bank sucks. There were maybe four guys in there. I piped up with, well at I really like them. He says thanks man, I'm in that band. We chatted a minute or two. He seemed very humble and just a nice guy. I tend to believe he was Finn possibly Brown. They did another set and we're right on.Their vocals live were supurbe. To me their sound was the Kinks meet the Monkeys. Music was so light and pretty back then. When I hear them till this day they pull on my heart strings. Your cometary was excellent. Hope to see you again.
As a die-hard Left Banker - thanks so much for this!! I’m thrilled to learn “Strangers On A Train” is being re-released with bonus tracks!
Great job on putting this together . You did your homework on this . Musically if you were to define the 60’s then Walk Away Renee was one of the songs that you would listen to.
I never knew much about this band but now I know everything about them . Once again thanks for the great video ❤
Great work Pop Goes the 60's. Great details on a band with such a convoluted career.
I love The Left Banke, so talented and so unique, they should have got the financial reward and the recognition that they so deserved. I am astounded at their lack of chart success. I was listening seriously to music from a very young age thanks to my teenage Aunts and my Mother ande was exposed to The Beatles in 1964 at age 4, and have loved music since. I was born in the UK and never knew or heard anything from The Left Banke. Only via the internet through a page citing groups relevant to The Zombies (Odessey and Oracle) which has always been one of my favourite albums was i directed to The Left Banke, got to say that i was so impressed by them. Amazingly talented magical band.
I was so glad that you mentioned the Steve Tyler/Aerosmith connection to the Left Banke. I read about it in Steve Tyler’s autobiography so I was really hoping you would mention it, and you did!
kinda wild that they had aerosmith and spinal tap links
Great stuff. Bert Sommer had an interesting career both as a performer and songwriter. Nice to see him get a little love.
He did some tunes for the Hot Parts album. Michael Brown wrote some of the tunes.
I named my daughter's middle name, "Renee" after West Banke's song.
You're a veritable scholar of this music, sir, with an appreciation beyond your young years.
A+
I appreciate that, thank you!
West ?
Excellent review of the Left Banke and as one of the Baby Boom generation we would hear these great songs like Walk Away Renee and Pretty Ballerina on the radio but have no idea of how these songs came about. I'm a big fan of the use of the harpsichord on pop records which seems to have lasted from only about 1965 - 1972 (Left Banke and the Rolling Stones (Dandelion) in the earlier period and finally the Partridge Family and Jackson Five in the later period).
Glad you highlighted 'Lazy Day' and 'Evening Gown', what fine tracks those are. Excellent presentation as always.
I'll place "Shadows Breaking Over My Head" in the same category as, "Walk Away Rene" and "Pretty Ballerina" as their brilliant songs.
I went to see STORIES in Boston but they already had the new keyboardist, we chatted.
Thank you, very much, my friend! An excellent video-lesson about this great and underrated band. I confess that always I listen a Left Banke song, I feel like they were always doing their best to bring us an unforgettable moment. And, in my opinion, they did it. From the "Too" album, a special track for me is "Nice To See You", with its psychedelic guitar introduction, the wind instruments sound (in that baroque style) and the wonderful vocal harmony. From the last album ("Voices calling"/"Stranges On A Train"), recorded in the seventies but only released in 1986, I like specially two of its tracks: "I Can Fly" and "Lorraine". Thanks so much, my friend Matt!
You are quite welcome, Denis!
I love "Strangers On A Train." The song, the album, both great.
I saw the reformed Left Banke at Joe's Pub in Manhattan. George and Tom signed my album jacket and ticket stub and were very nice to talk with. They are now framed.
Another great Michael Brown project from the early 70s, were the Beckies. They only made one album, but the songs were very much in the Left Banke style. Great video!
The Beckies' only album is hard to find, and is a definite play-all-the-way-through every time. It's great. Even the outtakes are great.
My favorite song from the Beckies is Fran!
harry seibert for me it’s The Other Side Of Town and One Of These Days, but they are all great!
@@rumblehat4357 i hear you on one of these days I like it too!
.....WORTH noting, is that this album paved the way for Gary West's work with Shooting Star (particularly "Last Chance") IMMENSELY - and yes, a TERRIBLY-overlooked one.....
Thanks Matt. You always hit it out of the park with your insightful videos. I woke up with Desiree in my head today and went to have a listen and here I am. Their music is haunting, well written and recorded which makes it timeless. I got shivers, then tears listening to these great songs today. BIG thanks.
My dad Ralph Affoumado was responsible for arranging the commercials - we kept in touch with all of the members of the band until their passing- Dad passed away December 2021- I remember Tom, Steve and George sleeping in our living room on the fold out couch! Please watch Drama Cantorum Desiree on UA-cam for the work dad did in 2016 with Tom and George - Seth Affoumado
Wow, what a great opportunity to know those guys! I will check out your dad's other work - thank you!
@@popgoesthe60s52 ua-cam.com/video/SsJodqBURNA/v-deo.html There you go Matt- Dad is conducting 2012 was the date of this concert. It looks like Tom, George and Steve were on guitars...
Great synopsis. Well done, walk away Renee, a classic beauty of a song, too bad there wasn't a whole lot more😢
The 60s was a decade of bands. Not just on the radio, but everywhere.
I was in high school in SF and in LA; there were more garage bands than you can shake a stick at.
Many of my close friends started their own bands. In my sophomore year, a close friend invited me to see his garage band. They played so well, even wrote their own songs. Right then and there, I was convinced there is no future in my friends' bands. Think about this, even a band as talented as, for example, the Left Banke, they could only chart one or two songs in their life time. The music business is very, very tough.
Such a great job Matt. You do such phenomenal research. The Left Banke was one of my favs growing up in Chicago. Played them all of the time. Pretty Ballerina and Walk Away Renee 45’s were playing often as was their album. Thank you again for such a thorough and well presented job on some of our favorite 60’s bands.
Thank you, Lance. This was a fun one to do.
Thanks a bunch for this one Matt I remember hearing Walk Away Renee when I was 14 and really liking it.The Rhino album hadn't come out yet and the only other track that I heard was Pretty Ballerina, which I also liked. I couldn't figure out why these guys weren't huge. Now I know. More importantly the music that has become available shows how good they were. I agree that they had a good rock sound and that gave them an edge that some of the folk rockers lacked. This was a group I was hoping you would get to. Cheers.
Thank you for the comment, Martin. Had they been based in LA, they may have had more TV opportunity, but their sound is very "New York." The Association, who toured with them in the 60s, still cover Walk Away Renee to this day.
Thanks for this. (I think I was one of the "many" folks who requested it). I always considered Michael Brown and T. Finn as the thrust of the band, but when they hit with "Walk Away Renee" I was totally blown away. Bought the LP the same day, I'm sure. And you're right - their vocals were what really made the group. Really enjoyed this, great job.
Hey Roger - great request. There are several bands with talent on this level that I plan to cover. Their catalogs are worth delving into, so stay tuned!
In the book, Everybody Had An Ocean, William McKeen says the Beach Boys used to mess with the Left Banke by harmonizing their songs better than they could. Great book.
He may be correct, but, according to Tom Finn, the Beach Boys had a high regard for Steve Martin Caro's voice, and the harmony arrangements that the Left Banke came up with.
Steve Martin's voice defined their vocal sound. He was excellent. Beautiful, genius songs until suddenly the songs and the vocals became ordinary.
I honestly can't think of a more perfect pop song than Walk Away Renee. I truly can find absolutely no fault in it.
I thought this would help set the record straight and people would find it very interesting to know the gospel truth about who the girl is in this song. It is not Renee Fladen, Tony just used her name because it fit the song and it could compete with the French name "Michelle" by the Beatles. "Walk Away Renee" was written by Anthony Sansone and an experience he had at his own home about a girl he was in love with. Michael Brown (real name, Michael Lefkowsky) wrote the melody for the hook and that was his only contribution with the exception of "YOU'RE NOT TO BLAME", So here it is....Tony lived directly across the street from PS 56 on Hull Ave. Bronx, NY. His address was 3268 Hull Ave. From his stoop he could watch the kids hanging out in the schoolyard. He was 15 years old and a very shy boy. From his front stoop he could see the real girl in this song hanging out with her friends. He would watch her daily. When she would walk home, Anthony would follow her. YOU WON'T SEE ME FOLLOW YOU BACK HOME because the schoolyard and 3268 Hull Ave. was on top of a very steep hill and she would disappear over the horizon just a few feet away. The "EMPTY LOT" was on Hull Ave in 1955 which was a changed to a "ONE WAY" street :-) THE EMPTY SIDEWALK ON MY BLOCK IS NOT THE SAME because all the streets in the neighborhood were concrete except Hull Ave. In those days there were still Blue Stone slate sidewalks which were common throughout NYC 100 yrs ago. So there you have it folks. The geographical evidence is absolute. This entire experience was Tony Sansone's alone. That 15 year old boy never forgot her. He was 28 years old when he wrote the song on his Wurlitzer Spinet piano at the same address. Here's the cherry on top, HE NEVER KNEW HER NAME!!! She was an Irish beauty with auburn hair in her Freshman year of HS. She moved away before her sophomore year. She never knew she was the subject of such a beautiful and famous song! Can anyone help find her???
Thank you so much Michael, what a great explanation,
I thought it was Tony singing- but didn't know he wrote it. Is he a friend of yours?
@@kingsxkids yes, Tony and I are close.
@@michaelflorio7913
So, is it Steve Caro as the lead- on the record- but Tony wrote it?
@@kingsxkids Steve Martin is lead singer> Tony is not on the recording. It is a story about a girl Tony had a crush on in HS. Renee Fladen never really met Anthony Sansone nor is the song about her. Nor did Renee Fladen live on Hull Ave in the Bronx where the hill is so steep that she would not see Tony follow her back home, lol. They were trying to capture the feeling of the Beatle's song "Michelle", in hopes of a hit song. So they needed a French name with 2 beats and they named the band after a Parisian River. Someone suggested the name Renee because Renee Fladen was a girlfriend of a band member. Her name was used because it had 2 syllables and was French. Tony wrote the lyrics with a little help from a friend I do not know. I can find out if you would like. Michael Brown was obsessed with Chopin and this song is heavily influenced and founded in Chopin. Tony and Michael together had a lot of interest in Chopin. Michael wrote the melody. The intro is Chopin verbatim. I can ask Anthony where from Chopin the intro was taken if you're interested. Michael's father saw money and recorded the song with his orchestra and took 50% of the royalties for himself. The rest of the band split 50% and Tony got 10% for himself. Michael never forgave his father for taking so much money. The most interesting aspect of this story is that the real girl this song was written about never knew she was the subject of one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. She had reddish auburn hair and blue eyes. An Irish beauty. Today she is in her mid 80s. Tony was and is very shy. He never knew her name. She moved away.
That first LB album is one of the most solid discs of the 60s; quality from start to finish.
Date:2.04.23,
Thought I'd share this with the fans of Left Banke here.
I watched a video on UA-cam of a garage band playing at a graduation party who played Walk Away Rene . It was very touching as they had a flute player who hadn't played for awhile accompanying them.
But the best part was seeing the widow of Left Banke's Michael (Brown)leaving a comment thanking them for honoring her late husband.
I hope I got the details correct 🙏. Enjoy everyone. Thanks
Plug in "Walk Away Rene graduation song" in the search.
Thank you, Malcolm!
Thank you for The Left Banke history. I found out today that ALL 5 of the original members are now gone. Feeling sad and nostalgic..., so good to have this video to watch now🌟❤
Finally got to see the Renee the song is based on, it takes a muse like her to inspire one of the most beautiful and sad songs ever. Another great job !!
Thanks for another wonderful piece on a very special (if somewhat neglected) group. I was fortunate to have seen a couple of the reunion shows this century. Tom Finn and George Cameron were there, and the group was augmented by some terrific local players. Most prominent was Mike Fornatale who did a wonderful job recreating Steve Martin’s lead vocals. Michael Brown made a couple of unannounced appearances, and I kept missing him. Also, Steve Martin appeared with George Cameron after he and Tom Finn split. There was lots of drama, but it was a miracle that we got to witness these shows. Sadly, they’re all gone now. Thanks, again, for doing what you do. Nobody does it better.
Hey Jeff, I appreciate the support and the kind words. More to come!
Thanks Matt! You are 🐐 of 60s podcasts!
When walk away rene came out, I heard it on the radio, I was in grade school, I loved it, and bought the single/45, my friends older sister had the album, and I heard it a few times, but didn't really like much of the other songs, I still have the 45, great song, but for me, that was it, but this is a great mini doc, learned a lot about the band, I just discovered this channel, great stuff, I watched part 1 of The Jefferson Airplane, one of my favorite bands, looking for part 2, I found part 3, but not part 2.
It's crazy and cool that, in spite of some members coming in and out of the group, their sound remained pretty cohesive. One thing I've always found frustrating about their two biggest hits is that the vocals are either buried in the mix, not enunciated very well...or both. In the 1980s, in those pre-internet days, I tried getting the lyrics off an old 45 and a tape made off the air, and it was impossible (akin to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale"). Anyway, I always found it a good testament to the group that PolyGram kept the album in print until the mid-1980s, and that Sundazed Music records has kept the torch for the album ever since.
One reason Renee has muffled vocals may be due to the singer, Steve Martin, being sick of that song by the third time they recorded it. The producer had to get on him to give it more gusto.
@@popgoesthe60s52 - Three times is a lot, especially when a tune like "Walk Away Renee" has a tricky melody. With "Pretty Ballerina" I felt that the trouble was with the lead vocal track was mixed "under" the piano and violin tracks. There's a stereo mix here on UA-cam that's a whole lot better, but we didn't have digital mixes back when I was growing up. Thanks.
@@markjamesmeli2520 I agree. Sometimes the mix frustratingly covers Steve Martin Caro's voice. I wondered why they would do that. And yeah, I think Steve either didn't enunciate super well sometimes or else that his enunciation was itself kind of swallowed. His "ahhs" often sound like "uhhs," for example. He didn't seem to open his mouth very wide sometimes: not a criticism! I chalk it up to singing style.
Matt, you have an amazing album collection by the Left Banke! You are so deep into this music that we're hearing the unrecognized talent of these guys!
Lots of these bands have very eclectic and deep catalogs so I hope to spread the word through this channel. Thanks, Terry!
Loved your History of the Left Banke. I am glad that I found your channel. The 60s to mid-70s, in my opinion, is the absolute best rock.
Thank you, and welcome!
Enjoyed the video. Have always liked the Left Banke. Walk Away Renee is one of the greatest songs ever done. Always puts a smile on my face. Pretty Ballerina is a wonderful song as well. Thanks for doing the video. Always a learning experience!
Michael Mckean was a semi-legitimate rock star due to Spiñal Tap. He was also-comic book reference time-Perry White on “Smallville.”
.....and 'Dream On' with Brian Benben, a younger Wendie Mallick.....
Thanks for doing this video, Matt... A very interesting view of this talented group.
Phenomenal job!! Thanks Matt
I saw the Left Banke with the Jill Gibson version of The Mama's and the Papa's at the Washington Arena sometime during 1966. This is the same venue The Beatles played after the Ed Sullivan show in February 1964...It's long, long gone...
Wow, what a show to have seen!
Matt, you do such an excellent and well-rounded features.... I know that no one to my knowledge presents what you do, and to the depth you present them in. Also, your narrative is so interesting!
Thank you, George. I've spent a lifetime collecting music and information on these bands and I'm happy I figured out a way to share them.
@@popgoesthe60s52 No one comes even close to how you do your videos. You are the Ken Burns of music! If I ever make it back to Indiana, I would love to get up to the great state of Wisconsin and ask you a few things. You are a true aficionado in the You tube music realm. Thanks!
@@georgemixis2172 Ken Burns - what a nice compliment. Thank you.
That was great! Thanks so much for this band overview!!!
My pleasure!
Great video, thank you, i love the West Bank so extremely talented musicians singers (harmonies are beautiful) i heard Steve Caro was born in Spain. They are all gone way too soon 🕊️🤍❤️
Very well done!! This now my favorite UA-cam channel!!
Thank you, C. Keefer!
Great band history Matt! I will definitely need to check out some more of this band’s music. Thanks again for making these great videos. This is so important since people will forget about some of these groups and could miss out of some great stuff! Great work!
Thanks, Bill - they are certainly worth checking out.
Fantastic job! I have collected most everything that you showed over the years, but I didn't know all the history and timeline. I'd love to hear you finish the Michael Brown story with a review of Stories and The Beckies. Thank you for doing this!
The Left Banke, a band name that fits the sound + vision of the band, created some of the most undervalued music of the Sixties.
As for me, The Left Banke isn't the Left Banke without Carmelo Estaban Martín Caro, billed as Steve Martin (Silly Americans!) Lead Vocalist, Composer, and sometimes, Guitarist, Bassist, the only Spaniard Lead Singer ever in a successful American Pop Rock Band, and Michael Brown (Michael David Lookofsky) Composer, Keyboardist and Mastermind, a fragile talent but one of the highest order.
Born in Madrid, España, Carmelo Estaban Martín Caro was a rare singer with tremendous range and natural perfect pitch. His mother, Sarita Heredia, was also a singer and the only female Flamenco Guitarist in the World, in the Fifties and Sixties. His father, Pedro, a Spanish Envoy to the United States, died six months after moving his family to New York City when Carmelo Estaban was only 15.
To me, The Left Banke are as much influenced by The Zombies as The Beatles.
Yeah “Bryant Hotel” (based on an actual hotel here in San Francisco, California, USA) sounds just like The Kinks.
PS! Remember, this was a really young, inexperienced band. It’s amazing they accomplished what they did without any discernible management devoted to their success, not mismanagement, but non-existent management.
He was certainly one of the great singers of his time. Thanks for commenting!
Vital, I agree. They were so young particularly Michael Brown. Carmelo Steven Caro a wonderful singer, I knew he was from Spain his mother was a talented musician . Thanks for the additional info on how he came to the U.S as a teen.
Yeah, I was hearing The Zombies influence immediately too.
Fabulous presentation. Many thanks.
Thank you, Rich - much appreciated.
In my opinion, "She May Call You Up Tonight" is one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded. I saw the Left Banke in 8/2012 at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock N.Y. Tom Finn & George Cameron were the only original members. They performed the first 2 albums and "Two byTwo" from Hot Parts. Their performance was spot on with cello and violin players. The only way it would have been better would have been to have Steve Martin and Michael Brown performing. That was a bucket list show for me!! Since then, all four original members have passed away.
....."Two By Two", is DEFINITELY the BETTER song on that 45.....
@@ogam5 Ya, I agree however given the fact that much like the songs of The Beatles, I consider everything The Left Banke has ever recorded, sacred.
I thought they were pop
It was all "pop" music back then baroque fell under the pop music umbrella@@vickimingus9281
I remember as a teenager when Walk Away Renee was a hit on the radio. I have wondered why I didn't hear from the band afterward. Now I know why. Thanks.
Thank you for another great video Matt! I’ve heard about the Left Banke but I never knew much of there history before!
Thanks so much for doing this! Their music stands the test of time. They captured a cultural moment in time.
I never knew how great these guys are. Thanks for bringing them to our attention, Matt. Great video as always!
My pleasure, Ken.
Noice job Pop Goes! Love the depth of the info here.
Thank you Matt, this was fantastic. You're a very good presenter and do it without any hype but let the music speak for itself.
Sorry I’m late to the party, I’ve discovered your channel recently and have been watching the videos you have produced. I love the genre of Baroque, “Bach-rock”, pop/rock. Another group of the genre is Los Angeles based The Merry-Go-Round and it’s singer Emitt Rhodes. Loved their single You’re Such A Lovely Woman. An episode about them would be much appreciated.
You are not late to the party, welcome! I actually did a Merry Go Round video which you'll find perusing my older videos.
@@popgoesthe60s52 Will be on the look out. Thank you. BTW, I subscribed!
Everything I ever wanted to know about The Left Banke-and didn't even know to ask! I've got the first album, LP and CD, and will be spinning it today! Great show, Matt! I love this channel! We have very similar musical taste!
Hey J.D. - thanks for watchin!
Saul Goodman's brother and Steven Tyler were two people that I never ever thought would be associated together, let alone via a rock band from the 1960s, but I guess you learn something new everyday! Great video!