CC and the Chasers Photo

C.C. & the Chasers

CC and the Chasers Photo
C.C. and the Chasers, from left: Charles Currie Wicker, Ted Demos, Joe Castagno, Jack Bruno and Richard Barnaby
C.C. & the Chasers have just this one 45 on the Cori label from 1967, “Hey, Put the Clock Back on the Wall” / “Two and Twenty”

C.C. was Charles Currie Wicker, lead vocalist for this group from Boston. Both songs are by Gary Bonner. “Put the Clock Back on the Wall” is more famously done by the E-Types. The flip, “Two and Twenty” is well-turned twee pop.

It was recorded at Continental Studios in Framingham, MA, the same studio used by the Rising Storm. Dan Flynn ran both the studios and the Cori label.

Richard Barnaby wrote to me about the band, and Jack Bruno sent me scans of the two photos seen here. I will have a fuller story soon but for now here is a little info from Richard:

Members:

Charles Currie (CC) Wicker – lead vocals
Ted Demos – lead guitar, vocals
Richard Barnaby – bass guitar, vocals
Joe Castagno – rhythm guitar, vocals
Jack Bruno – drums, vocals

We switched from Bonner and Gordon, done largely with George Papadopolous’s (Unicorn) input to a more psychedelic format called “The Sacred Mushroom”, and then went to New York. After that we changed to Applepie Motherhood Band without Currie, and taking on Ann Tansey. After Applepie, the group went in many directions. Jack and I went to Florida and played with The Second Coming, and shared a house in Jacksonville with the Allman Brothers. Then Jack went with Shakey Legs Blues Band with Ted, and then Jack went with Tina Turner, and was her drummer for 15 or more years, and then he went with Elton John for about 2 years.

Thank you to Jack Bruno and Richard Barnaby for the photos and info about the band.

C.C. and the Chasers Photo
C.C. and the Chasers, from left: Charles Currie Wicker, Joe Castagno, Jack Bruno, Richard Barnaby and Ted Demos

30 thoughts on “C.C. & the Chasers”

  1. Thanks Ed. My source is Aram Heller’s New England discography, Til the Stroke of Dawn (still in print I believe). He makes a distinction between Cori and Salem. “Salem Records was formed in the mid-60’s by Tom Salem who by then already had a full career in music. After a stint in the Chessmen, Tom went to work for Continental Studios assisting Tom Flynn. After leaving Continental, he formed Salem Records and released a number of mostly above average 45s. Tom went on to opoen a successful oldies store in Framingham called Rockin’ Mania and also started another label of the same name that concentrated on reissues.”

  2. Hi, Tom Salem was behind this release and relted Salem Record label (not Tom Flynn),He was involved in releasing oldies in the 80’s can’t recall label, Ed

  3. Hi: I was the guitar player and one of the singers on this 45. Would appreciate any information you have since, if you remember the 60’s you weren’t there.

    I also played on all of the Appple Pie Motherhood Band albums and Shakey Legs albumn.

    CC and The Chasers was the house band for The Unicorn Coffee House in Boston, owned by George Papadopoulos. He also owned The Psychedelic Supermarket.

  4. Continental Recordings is owned and operated by Dan Flynn, not Tom Flynn. The studio is still in business in Plainville, MA.

  5. I believe I saw them open up for Jefferson Airplane in Springfield Ma in 1967)…they also had this incredible blind blues singer do a few songs with them. What was his name…one of the more memorable parts of the concert.

  6. You did see them open up for the Jefferson Airplane in Springfield. Yes, the blind blues singer was amazing. His name was George (can’t remember his last name). He sold newspapers in front of the YMCA. I wanted to take him on the road with us but it didn’t work out.

  7. Hi, I recall the blind singer was George Leh and he was lead singer for Swallow and the early J. Geils Band.

  8. It’s hard to believe almost four decades have passed since I sang those songs and now I stumble across a place to hear one of them again.. thanks for the memory..

  9. Well is this where all the old rockers hang out…..Yep 4 decades…..a lot has happened but it’s nice to see people still remembering

  10. Well I stumbled across this site looking to see what happened so some old friends in the 60’s
    and who do I see on here….Ted and Charles…..now Joe’s here and we need is Dick and Jack and we can put the band back together man…
    LOL

  11. Hi all- Just talked to Jack. He has a photo and will send it in. Maybe two. From the Radio Shack gig with the red vests and straw hats. And maybe from the Belmont gig downtown. Who knows.

  12. Glad everyone’s still vertical!…..Just sent a couple of photos in. Anyone have a van that runs? Barnaby said he has a PA

      1. Yikes! Is this The Marilyn(Lundquist?) Lead singer for Apple Pie for about a week!…….If you’ve been to The Hotel Albert it’s not possible to forget it. Better to contact me on my Face Book page if you do that stuff.

    1. Jack
      Thanks for the great pictures…..brings back memories….Been trying to Skype with you but I guess my timing is bad.

  13. Marilyn Lundquist I always wondered what happened to you….Glad to see you are doing well…look up my facebook and send me you email address.
    Many stories to tell…..By the way guys I had lunch with Dick and Terry today and it was a blast…..caught up on a lot of things. Dick played some very impressive piano for me and some great songs he wrote. The time went by much to quickly

  14. If any of you old farts can still play as good as I can still sing. Who knows maybe the road is calling us.

  15. It is with great sadness that I inform all here that Ted Demos the lead guitar player for the Apple Pie Motherhood Band passed away on March 17th 2017 after a short illness.

  16. I enjoyed listening to the CC recording of Put the clock back on the wall. today is the first I ever heard of it. It’s a lot different from the E types version but worth hearing. I played bass in the E Types on all recording. thanks,

  17. Hey, I’m a french man and I’m trying to write about The Apple Pie Motherhood band. I need any information and photos. Could you help me ? Thank you !
    Didier Vilaire
    tpv72@free.fr

  18. On May 5, 2021 this world lost one of the great 60’s vocalists. CHARLES CURRIE WICKER passed away in Burley ID. of a heart attack.
    R.I.P. CC WICKER
    You was a truly awesome friend…
    See ya on the other side
    Trish Broncheau / Lance Taylor

  19. I talk with Jack Bruno often and he recently told me that Currie had passed. This follows the passing of Ann, Ted and Dick Barnaby, also.
    “Another piece of the ‘Pie’ is gone!”.
    Hope you’re doing well, Joe, Jef Labes, too!
    Even I remember Albert…. 😎

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