Labels RCA Record label RCA Records | Active until 1966 Albums Bad Way to Go | |
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Years active 1965 (1965)-1966 (1966) Associated acts The Young Rascals, The Blues Project Past members Alf Delia
Frank Delia
Mike Delia
Joe Delia Origin New York, United States (1965) Genres Garage rock, Rock and roll, Proto-punk Similar The Galaxies IV, Milan the Leather Boy, The Uncalled For, Joe Delia, The Unrelated Segments | ||
The Bruthers were an American garage rock band from Pearl River, New York, active in the mid to late 1960s, and whose membership consisted the four brothers, Alf, Frank, Mike, and Joe of the Delia family. They recorded several songs for RCA records, of which, “Bad Way to Go” is the best known. The song is included on the compilation album, Pebbles Vol. 8, and is regarded by enthusiasts and collectors as a classic in the genre.
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The four Delia brothers started playing as a group in the early 1960s. They were signed with manager, Sid Bernstein, best known for promoting the Beatles’ Shea Stadium concerts in New York City, and who managed successful acts, such as The Young Rascals and The Blues Project. Bernstein was able to arrange a recording contract with RCA Records. In 1966, they released the single, "Bad Way to Go" / "Bad Love." Though it’s A-side has come to be regarded as a classic in garage rock, the single failed to chart. Also that year, one of their unreleased songs, “Rock It to Me,” would be used as background music for the Muppets’ first network TV appearance on the September 18 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. Though the Bruthers would continue to recorded several more songs for RCA, such as the protopunk "The Courtship Of Rapunzel," which would later be included on the Garage Beat '66 Vol. 6: Speak of the Devil compilation issued by Sundazed, they were soon dropped from the label, and would break up in 1967.
After the Bruthers disbanded, keyboard player, Joe Delia, would play as a sideman to numerous artists, such as David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter), in his 1987 hit “Hot, Hot, Hot” and would go on to work on soundtracks for various movies, documentaries, and TV shows. Guitarist, Frank Delia, directed music videos for The Ramones, Wall of Voodo, and Jefferson Starship. The Bruthers complete recordings for RCA was released on the compilation, Bad Way to Go, issued by Sundazed on October 21, 2003.
Personnel
Albums
Singles
Songs
Bad Way to GoBad Way to Go · 2014
The Courtship of RapunzelBad Way to Go · 2014
Wake Me - Shake MeBad Way to Go · 2014