Name a GREAT Pgh local band (feel free to say why as well)

[Mike M.]

I'll start - THE COSMOSONICS...great dirty rock'n'roll, with a great look, talent and great hooks.

[Mike M.]

No other great Pgh bands, huh? Is STRANGEWAY still together? I never saw them live, but they definitely had some GREAT songs.

[Danny Gochnour]

Mike
Strangeway is still together and I agree that they have some great songs. Walter is doing some side work in a cover band as well as an acoustic solo thing. He's also a regular at Orchard Hill on the weekends.

[Derrick Edwards]

Back in the early 70's I'd say "Harombee" was the one of the top bands. "Ira Carrott" was also a great band back then. Any old-timers (like me) remember those bands?

[jim franciscus]

The Businessmen. A HUGE band fronted by energetic frontman John Vento and featuring the incredible John Fiore on lead guitar and a full horn section. They play a great variety of songs in all styles, everything from Bruce Springsteen to Chuck Berry and also some note-perfect Chicago and Steely Dan covers. And they are all actually businessmen who own their own companies in the Pittsburgh area. Since they are all businessmen who have enjoyed success in their respective industries, they perform nothing but charity gigs and have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various causes in the area. I've had the pleasure to share the stage and sit in with them on many occasions and it's like driving a Ferrari. There is nothing like the feel of singing in front of a fancy, well-oiled machine like this! Check them out whenever you get the chance!!

[Frank]

Hey Jim,
While I've never seen them live I remember seeing Tim Hadley, one of the founding members of the Businessmen years ago at Excuses at their open stages and he used to play one of the best Hendrix style renditions of "Red House" I've ever heard. I mean it was spot on. Really a nice guy too though I haven;t seen him in many years since but would live to sometime. I used to go just about every week for a while just to see him play it!

[Tobacco Road]

Ok, in no particular order from the old timers to new on the scene:
Tobacco Road (need to plug us of course), The Triggers, Trapline, Bill Deasey, The Clarks, Grapevine, House Rockers, Donora, Johnny and the Razorblades, Sacred Dominion, Donnie Iris, B.E. Taylor, The Cosmosonics, Hyperion.

I could go on, but I'll stop with these for now.
We,Tobacco Road are new to the scene and of course hope we can break through with our old school flavor that has catchy hooks.
Triggers bring a nice fresh style and the Cosmosonics are energetic and are a nice throwback to how rock n' roll should be.
It's just a shame that Pittsburgh is SOOOOOOOO stuck in the past....radio doesn't give new local bands the chance...just keep on playing the same ol' stuff. I mean, Bradshaw, Swann, Clemente, HouseRockers are all HUGE parts of our city and will always be, BUT it is time to move ahead musically.

[Danny Gochnour]

I can't wait for the new Houserocker record. Move agead? This new CD is a milestone in the HR history. It's as fresh as anything. Joe's writing is as strong as ever amd I'm ptoud to say I've nudged them in a new direction. Hell, there's even a banjo and a loop sample on there.
There were and are great bands in the 'Burgh. Gathering Field and Bill Deasy is still one of my favorite writiers out there. Strangeway is always happening. MoJo Filter..when yhey play are great. Never caught them live yet but the CD's kick ass.
Lot of good cover bands. "80s Band, No Bad JuJu, Souled Out, Hausen.

[Joe Bradley]

Hey, How 'bout The Silencers, Tangent (first generation), or the Parker Brothers? I also remember seeing a band called "Coogie and the Zebra" down in Weirton that used to rock out......

[Danny Gochnour]

I first caught Coogie with Wild Cherry before he left and started his own band Zebra. Weirton was putting some great bands out in the 70's. BE Taylor, Coogie, Wild Cherry, Dancer....
I remember watching Coconut play at the Grove in absolute awe. Myron Grumbacher was the drummer who later became famous with Pat Benetar. The guitarist was Gary Markasky who went on to fame with The Michael Stanley Band in 1978.
The Grove in Castle Shannon on Sunday nights was where I was really exposed to live music. Every Sunday a great band was playing. I learned alot there during the early'70's.
The late '70's/early 80's was my jazz phase and I hung out at the Boardwalk where the Parker Brothers with Kenny Blake, Mark Kock, Norm Hogle, and the trumpet player....what's his freakin' name? I can't believe I can't think of it right now who went on to play with Prince, was the house band. Killer band!!!

[Derrick Edwards]

Hey Danny G,
Are you talkin' about Eric Leeds? I know he went on to play with Prince.

[Derrick Edwards]

I remember a bar in Shadyside back in the late 60's & early 70's called Foxe's Cafe and as a young teenager I used to sneak in there and watch bands like "Gravel", "Ira Carrott", and "Sonny & The Satans". They would play every week Mon.-Sat. (I also remember a cop who was the bouncer there and he gave me quite a hassle over my fake ID! LOL!)
As for the early 70's Soul/Funk bands, I used to go and see "Six Day Thing", "Family Of Eve", and "Wantu- Wazuri" at the at the Aurora Club in the Hill District and the Pittsburgh Grog Shops in Downtown Pittsburgh at (or near) the USS Steel Building and also at The Crazy Quilt in Market Square six nights a week!

[Danny Gochnour]

Eric Leeds!!!! Thanks!!!