Update 30 January, 2012

Old Bands


Some of my old bands, as well as some old friends' bands along the way.
   You'll see many familiar faces and names on this page.

Foster's Daily Democrat Ads 1965-1966
    
 
  
 
 

'The Tidal Waves'  1965



Nobody rocked like The Tidal Waves. This amazing band started everything for me.
They were the not only the best players, they had unison dance steps and wore
killer matching outfits. Every show was a perfectly crafted presentation from the
first song to the last. I used to camp out for two hours before they arrived at a
gig just to carry their gear inside. Cousin Stevie and I were there at
Woodman Park the night they opened for Sam the Sham.
Clockwise from Left: Don Smith, Steve Penney, Walt Marston, Bill Silliker.

'The New Sounds'  1966

My first high school band (at age 14).
Check out the band's name "New Sounds" etched on the blackboard.
And how about those haircuts.
This was a Dover High dance held at Woodman Park School in January of '66.
L to R: BV (with my trusty Silvertone rig), lead singer Steve Theodore (who knew?),
drummer George Tibbetts, and trumpetist Leon Chapman.

'The Reactions'  1966

L to R: Mark Taylor, Jim Lamontange, Don Fischer, Rick Robinson.

'The Ramrods'  1966

'The Techniques'  1966

'The Spectras'  1967

One of my earliest influences. Man, these guys could sing.
L to R: Dick Ray, Chris Quackenbush, Buddy Brown, Bruce Hawkins.

'The Stolen Peaches'  1967

Two of my future bandmates in one of their first groups.
L to R: Dick Bourgault, Barry Rousseau, Carl Dennis,
Steve Weare, John 'Buck' Bochert.

'The Beacon Street Union'  1968

'The Ill Wind'  1968

'Freddie Fleet and His Band With the Beat'  1970

Just in time to catch the 'Chicago' craze.
L to R: Mark Robillard - Trombone, Thom Scagliotti - Bass, Mike Duffy - Keyboards,
BV (nice pose, eh?), Doug Leib - Trumpet, Vic Levesque - Drums.

'Aztec Two-Step'  1972

Neal Shulman and Rex Fowler

'Guillotine'  1974


   
With drummer Mark Gagnon ... playing those soft sentimental songs by
The Who, Alice Cooper, and Aerosmith. For lovers only ... NOT!
(more Guillotine photos coming)

'Master Cylinder'  1974

L to R: Andy Davis, Brian Stevens, John Kane, Jim Polychronis, Jim Spilios.

'Bullwinkle'  1975


  
Bottom L to R: bassist Andy Davis, drummer Terry York, BV.
Tearing it up at Sanford's Fireside Lounge and Kennebunk's Forefathers.

'Bullwinkle 2'  1976



Not many agents gave THIS band any crap ..
we either got the job or it was cement overcoat time.
Bottom L to R: BV, bassist Leon Chapman, drummer Terry York.

'The Blend'  1977

The Blend had it all. All five were lead singers and songwriters, and
every show was an addictive train ride that led to a climactic explosion ..
several times. To this day I use show tricks I learned from them.
L to R: Jim Drown, Don Pomber, Steve Dore, Ken Holt, Skip Smith.

'The Franconia Notch Band'  1977

   
 
The FNB kicked major butt with four part vocals, triple guitar licks, and
ferocious original rock epics.
Top: Opening for 'The New Riders of the Purple Sage' at Plymouth State College.
Middle: Festival posters.
Bottom Clockwise from top left: Brad Parker, John Bendall, Wayne Ferreira,
John 'Buck' Bochert, BV.

'The Monroe County Outlaws'  1978

The MCO played down-and-dirty Rockin' country. This is the only known photo of
the band, taken 21 August, 1978 at the Portland Civic Center in Maine.
Also on the bill were Hank Williams Jr., The Kendalls, Dotsy, and Dick Curless.
L-R: Steve Tolend (hidden), Paul Sadler, BV (hidden), Neal Thomas.

'The Notchband'  1979

Four of the Franconia boys back together for a second round.
Bottom L-R: John Bendall, BV, Wayne Ferreira, John 'Buck' Bochert.

'The BVD Band'  1980

House band at St. Jean's Club in Dover, NH.
L to R: bassist John Desjardins, BV, drummer Pete Bellissimo.

'President'  1981

L to R: Don Sempco, Jim Bitetti, Freddie Catalfo, Bud Hill, Ralph Napolitano.

'The BVD Band 2'  1982
   
With bassist Paul Topham. Rockin' at the Victoire Club in Rochester, NH.

'Freeborne Band'  1983
   
L to R: Dan Pomerleau, Mike Hill, Fran Calo, Wayne Sanborne

'The Cooties'  1984
 

This band's name ticked one agent off so much, he made us change it before he
booked any shows. We never knew what his problem was ...
obviously we were serious enough.
Top L to R: bassist Terry York, drummer Jim Bitetti, BV.

'Fran and the Cooties'  1984



When Fran Calo joined up with the Cooties later that year, the
agent was still pissed off .. but we sure had a ball.

'ZBOP'  1986
 

 
Thanks to Lani's relentless power drumming and BR's thundering bass,
ZBOP was three pieces that sounded like nine.
Man, there's nothing like Summertime outdoor Rock 'n' Roll.
Top Photo L to R: drummer Lani Copp, BV, bassist Barry Rousseau.

'Advent'  1986

   We brought the '86 World Series to Colorado ...
they liked it so much that Denver finally got their own team.
Left L to R: BV, keyboardist Pam Jackson, guitarist Paul Sadler.

'Shaboom'  1993

L to R: Dan Kecy, Keith Fields, Mike Cartier, Chuck Dunn.

'Blue River Band'  1993
   
Rockin' Country in the Massachusetts dance clubs.
L to R: Wayne Brewer, Danny Thomas, Jack Jimenez, BV.

'The Heartbeats'  1994

L to R: Darrell Preston, Tony Casey, Dick Schlesinger, Richie Whitehouse.

'Tightly Intergrated'  1995

 
Dallas, TX and the corporate world have never been the same.
Top L to R: BV, Michael, Larry, Steve.

'Heist'  1999

Scoring big in the Wedding-Special Function circuit.
Who SAYS I can't play it straight?
L to R: Leon Chapman, Jim Bitetti, Tami Burns, BV.

'The Bonnevilles'  2000


  
Wailing at the Rollinsford Legion with drummer Jim Bitetti.