[bomp] first Rollerland show: July 9, 1962

["Will Shade" <willshade@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

   First  Rock-A-Rama  at Rollerland in Plattsburgh 43 years ago today...
   line-up:  The Stratatones, The Monterays, The Lonely Ones, WIRY DJ Ben
   "Never  Rest" Everest and billed last, Mike & The Ravens... since they
   were  a  new band on the Plattsburgh scene (and from Vermont to boot),
   nobody paid any attention... after a thunderous first set, kicking off
   with Bo Blodgett's blistering rendition of "Torture" and ending with a
   revelatory  "What  I'd  Say" everbody at Rollerland knew this band was
   different  (I have it all on tape and you can hear the reaction of the
   audience,  i.e.  stunned  amazement  turning  into rapturous applause)
   Rollerland kicked off a summer of weekly Rock-A-Ramas...

   Mike  &  The  Ravens  had  their first single out on Empire that week,
   having  been  released in June: "Mr. Heartbreak" b/w "I've Taken All I
   Can"

   More  in  the  new  issue  of  "Ugly  Things" where I write about that
   extraordinary summer of Mike & The Ravens, culminating in the infamous
   church  steeple incident. Out in late July according to Mr. Stax. It's
   at the printers.

   And  on  August  8  this  year,  Dionysus  Records  will  be releasing
   "Nevermore:  Plattsburgh '62 & Beyond" by Mike & The Ravens, featuring
   41  originals,  32 of which have never been released. 20-something are
   by  Mike & The Ravens, the other tunes are by main songwriters Stephen
   Blodgett  and  Mike Brassard after the group's demise. They went on to
   record  for  Compass, Decca and Mercury later in the '60s. Those tunes
   are included on "Nevermore"...

   Anyway, I took the Ravens drummer, Peter Young, to the Rollerland site
   this past weekend... very emotional...

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