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Andy Paley of the Paley Brothers died on Wednesday, November 20. He died of cancer and was in hospice care for a short while. We feature Andy from his local bands here, The Paley Brothers and the Sidewinders but it's Andy's work with high profile musicians that has received most of attention in the media. These include Brian Wilson, Madonna, Jonathan Richman, NRBQ, Little Richard, Jad Fair, Elton John, and The Ramones. He was also known for his work in television and film, composing music for popular animated series such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Ren & Stimpy. He did movie soundtrack for Dick Tracy, A Walk on the Moon, and The L Word. Andy recorded Jerry Lee Lewis for the Dick Tracy soundtrack. That session which was at Sun Studios in Memphis is the first chapter in the book Rockin' My Life Away a bio of Lewis by Jimmy Guterman (1991). It's a harrowing story as Andy tries to corral a contentious and volatile Lewis. Andy got the song (which he wrote) recorded in the end. Later Andy worked with the Modern Lovers for many years starting in 1979 and the Real Kids for a short time. It was heartwarming to hear the praises from collogues. Brian Wilson called him the "most frighteningly talented person that I've met." Here are some sites that talk about Andy and his career. Here's an article on Andy from Rolling Stone from 2017. An article in MSN newsfeed. Another article in MSN with a little more info. Here's a remembrance in the LA Times. Here is a recent on hour interview with Andy on YouTube Trash Flow Radio is the online podcast version of a show from Cincinnati's WAIF. They had a section dedicated to Andy Paley and they did a wonderful job. They had a real obscurity with the song "Sink or Swim" from the group Between Meals. There's a story about where that comes from. There was some Modern Lovers songs, the Real Kids "Everyday is Saturday" when Andy was producing and playing in the group, a song with Brian Wilson. They played the Paley project The Young Jacques with "Jacques Cousteau" which was later covered by Plastic Bertrand. The Paley section starts around the 1:15 minute section. The playlist is here. There is a funding page to help Andy's sons Jackson and Charlie to pay for their college educations. This is a memorial service that was on Facebook on 12/8/24. Heather Paley begins by talking about Andy's life.

It's been over four years since we got the idea this CD was happening but finally it's here. Collectors' Choice Music has released a 26 track CD. All of the original album and some exciting extras.     The rest I'm going to quote can be found hin the liner notes in the CD.    Now, 35 years after the release of their lone album, the Paley Brothers are back with a collection of 26 tracks they compiled and polished in the studio, their complete recordings including the entire 1978 self-titled release on Sire produced by Earl Mankey and the singles they recorded for the label produced by Jimmy Iovine, plus the version of "Come On Let's Go" they recorded with the Ramones that was on the Rock and Roll High School soundtrack; the song "Jacques Cousteau" they recorded under the name The Young Jacques; and 11 unreleased tracks, highlighted by two from their 1978 Madison Square Garden gig opening for Shaun Cassidy and a track they recorded for Sire, "Baby, Let's Stick Together," that was produced by none other than Phil Spector. Gene Sculatti's liner notes include copious quotes from the Paley Brothers, testimonials from such luminaries as Seymour Stein, and photos from their private archive.    Here's the track listing: 1 - Here Comes My Baby (Unreleased) 2 - Meet the Invisible Man (Unreleased) 3 - Too Good to Be True 4 - Boomerang (Unreleased) 5 - Felicia (Unreleased, Live at Madison Square Garden) 6 - Come Out and Play 7 - She's Eighteen Tonight (Unreleased) 8 - Running in the Rain (Unreleased) 9 - Sapphire Eyes (Unreleased) 10 - Come on Let's Go (with the Ramones) 11 - I Heard the Bluebirds Sing 12 - Down the Line 13 - Sheila (Unreleased, Live at Madison Square Garden) 14 - You're the Best 15 - Stick with Me Baby 16 - Hide & Seek 17 - Lovin' Eyes Can't Lie 18 - Spring Fever (Unreleased) 19 - Rendezvous 20 - Jacques Cousteau - (the Young Jacques) 21 - Tell Me Tonight 22 - Magic Power 23 - Turn the Tide 24 - Ecstasy 25 - Theme From Fireball Xl-5 (Unreleased) 26 - Baby, Let's Stick Together (Unreleased)

Jonathan's daughter Violet is in a group now.    They have a video on YouTube. The blurb reads: Violet & Anya are two teens from Southern California with a soon to be released vinyl 45 record on Ramo Records. It's a power pop, slightly punky version of the old country classic, "Ballad of A Teenage Queen" on Ramo Records. Violet & Anya on YOUTUBE.

    The Paley Brothers story has not been told to any extent that I know of anywhere. I couldn't find anything satisfactory on the internet even now. I saw the Paley Brothers in different forms in the 70's. I have been privileged to get some amazing photos from Jonathan Paley and will take this opportunity to show those and tell what I know.
   One good thing is that the album The Paley Brothers is there to prove their greatness. The Paley Brothers were purveyors of gorgeous pop and the LP displays that.

   On the Boston Punk scene in the early seventies I began to hear rumors. These two brothers, The Paley Brothers, had a group and sounded great. The group had some Nervous Eaters involved and Eric Rose was in the group. This couldn't fail to impress. The Eaters were punk gods and Eric Rose was the guitarist from the legendary and underappreciated group The Sidewinders (now that's another story). This was like the punk Dream Team.

   What I didn't know then was the unparalleled vocals they were capable of and the superlative songwriting.. It wasn't long before I found out.
   The album was shockingly good. Pop you could just sink into. To make it more unbelievable this was in the middle of the punk explosion. Greg Shaw has a theory, which I also subscribe to, that there was a pop revival in the making when the Punk Explosion came and steam rolled over it. The Paley's were a victim of this.The Flaming Groovies and Blondie would be the high profile examples of pop that slipped though punk.

    Before the Paley Brothers Jonathan had been in bands in New York City. One was called Dig It and one was called The Doo Wops, The Doo Wops were a cover band that played mostly bars and parties in Brooklyn. Later he was in a band called Mong (Picture of Mong)which was centered on CBGB's. Mong had Steve Warren on bass and Barry Marshall on drums. This was during the early punk days and Mong opened for Television, Tuff Darts, Wayne County, etc.
    Steve Warren has supplied some interesting facts and stories that fill in details on Mong and early Paley's...Click for Steve Warren stories.
    Barry Marshall had a group The Marshalls that included his brothers and did some fine pop things themselves in the seventies. Here's a version of the group with Kenny , Keven, Jonathan Paley, Eric Rosenfeld and Barry on drums... The Marshalls.
Barry Marshall is still a busy guy.....Barry Marshall's site.

    A little known fact is that Jonathan did rehearsals with The Hearbreakers around this time. Jonathan says that Johnny Thunders and Richard Hell really wanted him in the band but Jerry Nolan disliked him for some reason, so he didn't get the gig. I would have loved to have heard that line up.
    Andy was in a Boston band called The Sidewinders. See below.

   

The Sidewinders The Sidewinders were a Boston group whose one album appeared in 1972. It was produced by Lenny Kaye. It included future Paleys:Andy Paley and Eric Rose. It's another lost gem. Plenty of good guitar work and great songwriting by Andy.     I have never seen any pictures of them outside of the album cover, so I was so thrilled to get these four pictures from Jonathan. Pic One - Pic Two - Pic Three - Pic Four .    This is an ad for a 1973 show they with the NY Dolls. Orpheum Ad

Steve Nelson's Photos of The Sidewinders Steve Nelson Is a local Boston Photographer and punk mucic fan. He was smart enough to know the good music when it was happening and the talent to take some great photos. Steve Nelson exhibited his photos at the New England School of Art & Design in a one-man show called "The Square: Stills from the Scene, Harvard Square and Cambridge, 1967-1973.". Here's a review of the show. Here's Steve's photos with his explaination: The close-up head shot of Andy was taken somewhere around Harvard Square in 1971 or 1972.... Andy The performance shot was taken on the Fenway in Boston when they played as part of a free outdoor concert series called "Summerthing" sponsored by the City of Boston. I think this was 1971. This was the band's lineup for their recording session. .. Sidewinders on stage in color . Same lineup in the group shot. It was taken in Cambridge in front of a house I think some of them lived in between Harvard and Central Squares (might have been Green Street). I was walking down the street and ran into them getting into or out of the car, so I asked them to hold on and let me get a shot. It was not a set-up group photo shoot, and this is the only shot I took. Click! Luckily it turned out OK. The date was probably 1971..... Sidewinders on street. All photos are Copyright © 2003 Steve Nelson and not to be used without permission.

    The First line up of The Paley Brothers included Steve Warren - bass, Mike Winger - guitar, Jimmy Wilkins - drums, with Andy and Johnathan.
Later when they toured with Shaun Cassidy, the band included members of the Nervous Eaters (the best of the early punk groups in Boston and great musicians) among others. The band line up would have been: Jeff Wilkinson - druns. Steve Calatdo - guitar, Rob Skeen - bass, Jeff Lass - piano, Eric Rose - guitar, plus Andy and Jonathan.

    The Paley Brothers then played the local club The Paradise on September 8 and 9,1978 as an opener for Greg Kiln. It was pop heaven. I will never forget the harmonies, the songs, the sound of the group. Eric Rose was in top form. I would have to say that his playing that night was one of the highlights of guitar playing I have ever heard. His tone and his guitar voicings were the height of guitar artistry.
    Pictures from the Paradise show...Jeff Lass on piano - Jonathan one - Jonathan two - Andy and Jonathan - Eric Rosenfeld (Rose) - Steve Cataldo - Andy Two - Andy Three - Jonathan Three.
   I can give you a good idea how they sounded because they really did mirror the album in tone and content. It was everything the album was with all the benefits of a rawer live sound.

   No amount of writing is going to help describe Eric Rose's guitar playing. You simply have to hear the spectrum of tonalities he creates with his Telecaster . Much of his playing is like Jeff Beck at the time of the Truth album. Single note slashes and tasty chording highlight his playing. One of the best examples would be Stick With Me Baby.

    Side Two is my favorite, but let's begin with side one, cut one.

You're The Best is a Andy Paley, Jonathan Paley and Eric Rose composition. It gives you the Paley Brothers 'sound' right off the bat. It illustrates how they added or dropped instruments to achieve interesting dynamics. The piano does a lot here.

Too Good To Be True has some wonderful fills and accents. The guitars go from a distorted flange to a trebly harp-like sound. And surprise, the solo break starts with a bass solo (the tone being that of Nitzsche's Lonely Surfer ) before giving in to some Eric Rose antics. A nicely written coda brings the song home.

I Heard the Bluebirds Sing is a country ditty written by Hod Pharis (?). Done in a Buddy Holly fashion. The chorus gives the Brothers a chance to trade off vocals.

On Magic Power they give it a bit more power. A double tracked guitar punch quickly introduces the change of dynamics. The underlining rhythm is that of Foxy Lady. Throughout the song is a 'winging' guitar effect which Eric used to get by yanking the string on the head stock near the tuning peg after he struck the note.

Turning The Tide is a power ballad with a brisk pace.A huge production sound. Amazing considering they only had six or seven people in the studio ...max.

Side Two

Stick With Me Baby has a tasty guitar intro with drum accents. The vocal harmony real strong right out of the gate. A well crafted guitar solo. The whole song is full of changing dynamics. Surprisingly, it's a Mel Tills song !
I do a lot of talking about songwriting and guitar playing. Let's look at some nuts and bolts here. This is a look at the intro to this song ....The Guitar Tab and Theory.

Tell Me Tonight begins with a tasty chord progression intro and bangs into a big drum Spector-like production. This is a delicious song written by Andy and Jonathan. A nice Rose solo in the middle and at the end a raspy sounding solo with an unusal riff of cascading intervals (fourths and fifths ?).

Lovin' Eyes Can't Lie is a ballad. It's all about the vocals. This illustrates the Paley Brothers vocal "sound".

Come Out And Play is the one song produced by Jimmy Iovine and recorded in New Jersey. A perfect pop confection. This is the stuff The Rubinoos et al are always shooting for.

Down the Line is a Buddy Holly song that they give a Yardbird Rave Up treatment, a la I'm A Man. Some nice string swoops by Eric who is very Jeff Beck sounding here.

   For months the Paley Brothers had photo features in Rock Scene magazine and Sixteen. Before the Paradise gig they played Madison Square Garden in NYC opening for Shaun Cassidy.The date was August 26, 1978 Here are pictures of Jonathan - Andy - Andy, Rob Skeen, Steve Cataldo on stage in Madison Square Garden. Here are some photos of the Paley Brothers during this era.

• Darlene Love, Phil Spector, Joey Ramone, Andy and Jonathan Paley. WOW.
• Patti Smith with the Paley Brothers
• Jonathan with a great Les Paul guitar.
• Jonathan on the apartment roof of legendary punk photographer Roberta Bayley.
• Here they are at Mount Wilson
• The Sire Promo 1. Sire Promo 2.- Sire Promo 3 - Sire Promo 4
• Here's Jonathan in front of the Charles Street Diner.
• Paley Brothers in Bel Air
• Jonathan in groupie Sable Starr's jacket.
• Jonathan with Blondie.
• Andy, David Johansen, Jonathan, Lenny Kaye, and Alan Lanier from 1977..Picture from the CBGB's 30th Aniversary Book.

Magazines loved to talk about and do photo spreads on the Paleys.
They were staples in Rock Scene 1 - 2 - 3 and Sixteen 1 - 2.

At some point they gave up the group. Andy has produced and written songs for many acts, most notably - Brian Wilson. Here is a picture of him with Jonathan Richman and also Richman and a member of Earthquake in Berkeley.

The Jacques Cousteau Project The Paleys have always kept busy with musical projects. Here is a one off thing they did in 1981. They did a single 45 RPM under the name The Young Jacques. The Songs were Jacques Cousteau and Sink Or Swim? There are sixteen musicians on the single. Along with the Paleys are Easton, Robinson and Hawkes of the Cars, and Eric Lindgren, and Ralph Fatello. Sink or Swim is a fun surf instrumental with a LOT of instruments in the arrangement. Jacques Cousteau ,writen by Andy, is a funny salute to the marine biologist. It sounds like most of the music was kept in tact when Plastic Bertrand did the song . Andy worked with Plastic so maybe the Young Jacques was just ment to be a demo version.

• After the Paley Brothers Jonathan joined The Nervous Eaters Pitures 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
• Some personel/musical changes turned the Eaters into The Reflectors. 1
  The woman in the back is Maxanne a great DJ on WBCN in the mid-seventies and latter in record promotion.
• Next had short stints in Pink Cadillac and The Classic Ruins.
• He also produced many Boston groups: The Peytons, The Dogmatics, Band 19, and NY group Shrapnel.
• Picture of Shrapnel session from 1978. From the left it's lead singer Dave Wyndorf, (now lead singer of Monster Magnet),lead guitarist Daniel Rabinowitz, (now Daniel Rey, producer of the Ramones, Nashville Pussy, etc. as well as Ronnie Spector's band leader), Jonathan, and Joey Ramone. The cut that Joey is on is called "Hey" and is the b-side of "Combat Love", Shrapnel's 1st single. Shrapnel Session Nov 1978
• He then spent a few years traveling by yacht across the Pacific and Indian Oceans several times. Check out Bora Bora and "somewhere between the Galapogos and the Marquesas".
• His good looks have landed him on some Fashion Magazine Pictures 1 - 2
• Eventually he ended up in Hollywood. Talk about exciting. Look at these.
  Johnathan with Tom Hanks on the set of Apollo 13.
  • ....with Dennis Leary.
  • ....with Chris Cooper on the set of Adaptation.
  • ....with Jake LaMotta
  • ....with the legendary Jean Simmons of The Robe etc.
  • ....with George Segal on the set of Just Shoot Me.
  • ....with Keven Bacon .
• He has done work as an extra in the movies - Promo Shot .
• Looks like he hooked up with Johnny Angel of Thrills/Blackjacks fame to play in a group called Housewives On Prozac. 1 - 2
• He happened to be in New York Cilty on 9/11 and was close to the horror and took these pictures.1 - 2.
• And look at his beautiful daughter Violet !

After traveling around the Pacific Jonathan started working with Andy again, writing music for soundtracks, including Dick Tracy and Rage in Harlem as well as recording and performing live with Brian Wilson and other sessions.
Simultaneously he was working as a stand-in for other actors and getting occasional acting gigs himself. To get a more steady job he has become a Phlebotomist/ER Technician. This is to provide more security for providing for his beautiful daughter Violet. Nice to see someone with their priorities straight.

    The song Come Out and Play has been included in a good collection of Power Pop songs called 20 Greats From the Golden Decade of Power Pop. Link to Power Pop album....CLICK

   Jonathan Paley is on the new Nikki and the Corvette's CD called Wild Record Party that's out in Japan. He helps sing Love is Strange. Click Here for a picture of the cover with an insert blow up showing the Paley Lp in the album box.

   Jonathan Paley is in a new movie out NOW September 2003. Here's a link to the site....www.girlin3d.com.

This news brought to us by Kyle A Carrozza : Andy just did the score for the second season of Camp Lazlo on Cartoon Network (he did the first season as well), and will soon be scoring my Nickelodeon cartoon short, MooBeard the Cow Pirate. He and Tom Kenny did an excellent new Spongebob song called "Where's Gary?" for a recent promotion. There's other Spongebob news, but I'm sworn to secrecy. Andy offers his musical assistance to many Hollywood bands and comedy acts such as The Naked Trucker and T-Bones, The Girly Show, and The Breakups.

Here's an article from Rolling Stone on Andy's work for SpongeBob and the play that came later. This if from 2017. Rolling Stone article on Andy Paley.