Category Archives: Webster

Categories: Citation, Massachusetts, Webster

The Distant Sounds “It Reminds Me”

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Distant Sounds photo
The Distant Sounds at Killdeer Island Club, Webster, MA. From left: Jimmy Duszlak, Ben Bembenek, Billy Meagher, Dennis Casaubon, and Bob Stockdale.

The Distant Sounds came out of Bartlett High School in Webster, Massachusetts, about 15 miles south of Worcester.

“It Reminds Me”, written by drummer Dennis Casaubon, is a fine example of New England garage. The band’s name is appropriate given the somewhat murky recording quality, but I think it all adds up to a great record. The guitarist picking notes off chords combines well with the keyboards in the background. The vocal harmonies are great and I like the crude guitar solo.

Distant Sounds business cardAThe flip is a slow surf instrumental called “Dreamin'”, written by Ben Bembenek. The record was pressed at the Rite plant in Cincinnati, Ohio, a low-cost plant used by many bands at the time, and released on the Citation label.

Rhythm guitarist Bob Stockdale wrote to me about the Distant Sounds:

Billy Meagher was the lead singer and Jimmy Duszlak played bass guitar. I played rhythm guitar and Ben Benbebek played lead guitar. Ed Catteau later joined the group on keyboard. I think Ed was from Charlton MA.

We played a lot of dances at the Killdeer Island Club in Webster Ma. We also played at many places in the surrounding towns. It was nice money for school kids. On some weekends we made $50 plus each, if we had 2 gigs. We once played in Connecticut as an opening act to the Turtles. Dennis Casaubon’s dad set us up to play in New York City. His brother was a priest and provided a place to sleep a couple nights in the Big Apple.

Ben, Jimmy and I graduated from Bartlett High School in the ’60s in Webster MA. Dennis was a summer resident of Webster but went to High School in Southbridge MA, his hometown. Billy went to St.Louis High in Webster and was tragically hit by a car and killed in the late sixties … early ’70s?

Ben went to Berkley School of Music and still plays. I actually saw Ben a few months ago. I believe Dennis stuck with music as well. I never continued with the guitar playing and found other interests.

I’ve seen a signed copy of the record that has Denis Casaubon’s first name spelled with one “n” in Denis.

Thank you to Bob Stockdale for adding information about the group, and for the photo and business card.