It's one thing
to be an aficionado, still another to go crazy
and throw one's life into a pursuit. He's played
rock and roll, the blues, R&B and has even
been into classical music.
He's
always been amazed at the attitudes one finds in
the music world. His forays into the pop and rock
world flabbergasted his classically trained
classmates in college--he was making money at
frivolous music. In their opinions, it was
probably a better choice to starve than play rock
and roll!
Harry's
crazy! Uh, about guitars, I mean. And
about all forms of music.
He
wasn't always the wine-soaked classical guitarist
pictured to the left playing a wonderful Jack
Kirk-built concert guitar in Park Slope, Brooklyn
in 1983. And that is an actual chord he's
playing. He saw it on an Eliot Fisk album cover,
and it did actually make an attractive sound! Of
course, his paws weren't always so massive.
In
1968, he was given a low-end Japanese bass (a
'Stadium') for his birthday. Here he is seen in
March 1968 doing something with it while his
childhood buddy Albert Fusco sings while beating
on a floor fan. It could have been worse, the fan
might have been plugged in.
The
Stadium Bass served well over its five year stay
with Harry. He used it for two months in the band
Stampede. The much abused item even went on to
become the first bass played by George Giga when
he was a student. By that time the poor thing
sported a home-sprayed metalflake purple paint
job and a sticker across the pickguard that
stated Vote YES on the Masters & Johnson Act!. Hey, Harry's
always had class!
Harry
is not Jaco by any stretch, so when people (read:
girls) didn't flock to him to hear his solo bass
performances at parties, he took all his eighth
grade graduation money and bought a Teisco Del
Rey blue and paisley six string at EJ Korvettes
on Boston Post Road. Fortunately, there are no
known pictures of Harry with this instrument
which was sold in 1974 for $10.00 two years after
he'd gotten his Fender Telecaster. Below left is
a picture of Stampede doing "In The Still of
The Night." We know it's this song as for
this one tune, Mark Berlingeri put down the
guitar and manned the drums while Bert Muriello
took center stage for the lead vocals. You
couldn't pry the Tele out of Harry's hands. This  other image of
Stampede shows Harry with a broomstick concealed
on him somewhere, his oversized and underpowered
amp and his 12 string electric propped to one
side. Great guitar, given to his first love. She
said thanks.
Of
course, prior to Rory Gallagher's influence,
Harry was a victim of the prog-rock movement and
its fashion atrocities. Laugh along with the rest
of us...
The
Tele is still in service to this date, although
it has been augmented over the years by a long
parade of Stratocasters. His first Strat can be
seen on the Fender page elsewhere
on this website. Over the years, Harry has owned
a few nice Gibsons, but Fender won his heart at
an early age and he wasn't willing to put the
time in to learn the peculiarities of a new scale
length and touch.
In
1975, Harry joined Tony and
the Starlighters, an Elvis
tribute outfit. We rehearsed close to the
Reservoir Oval on Kingsbrideg Road. in the Bronx.
This was during the years that the Third Avenue
Elevated Subway was being demolished and I still
remember feeling that the Bronx was changing
faster than I'd like. The neighborhood in the
mid-seventies was still mostly Irish and Italian
hold-outs. We had a lot of fun at Tony Barbella's
parent's house.
Here's
a photo from April 1976 in the Barbella
attic--Terry Farrell is playing his Ric bass and
Harry is looking lost in thought on his
Telecaster--the famous 1971 Fender from Manny's
on 48th Street. This Tele is still in service
here in the 21st century.
Being
in an Elvis band was not the greatest career
move--until Elvis checked out. Then, there was a
payday! Elvii had been changed at that point from
Tony Barbella to VJ Adino and Harry liked to
bring a more modern-rock slant to the old Fifties
chestnuts. By 1978, the Tele had sacrificed its
neck for an Explorer project that Harry's Dad
built. Solid American Black Walnut, weighing over
twelve pounds, this was a workout as well as a
guitar. Seen here as it is today, it now sports a
Player neck. Harry
wanted his old Tele in one piece again!
But
pictures still do exist of Harry playing in an
Elvis act with an Explorer. Iconoclastic, eh?
Our
Elvis was VJ Adino, aka Vincent Adinolfi,
currently a record company executive. Wonder how
much he'd pay for every know n copy of this picture? These
pictures were taken in August of 1979 at
Shorehaven Beach Club. They had shows there, we
opened for Morey Amsterdam. I was star-struck and
had to meet him in the dressing room before we
went out and played, got his autograph and
everything! Then we played. He took the stage a
few minutes after and spent the first fifteen
minutes of his appearance beating up rock music
in general and us in particular!
After
college and Elvis, the bars beckoned--for music
as well. After his ill-conceived and ill-fated
first marriage first reared its head in 1980, AIR RAID came along in
the person of one Martin Seddon. And if you know
Marty, you can see that there'll never be another
like him.
AIR
RAID survived two major incarnations before
folding in the late Summer of 1982. 
Here is
the last photo of Harry and Marty in a musical
situation, a recording studio in Dobbs Ferry in
1987. Read LOW END, the story is related there.
From left to right, Mike Panteleo (sorry if I've
misspelled it, Mike) Captain Marty, Sasha, Harry
and Mark.
To
look at the photos on this site, you would be
convinced that Harry has never looked at anything
but Fenders. Well, although there really isn't
too much point to look at anything else, he still
has owned and played some niche guitars over the
years that fulfilled certain roles. The ES355 was
used for blues numbers--it got that BB King
sound! The mockingbird, actually a Lipman of 1977
vintage was perfect for death metal!
 Here
is an old photo (circa 1975) of Harry's
left-handed SG and my Peavey Musician. The head
is still around, though not in service. It still
works though, even after a pitcher (no kidding)
of beer spilled into it during a gig at The
Viking on City Island in 1980. The Peavey has
gobs of power, but no tone whatsoever. It makes a
great slave amp. It was often used with a Scholz
Rockman to drive the head. He used an SVT cabinet
with it(!) The original 4X12 Peavey cabinet
sounded great for bass, but not terrific by any
stretch with a guitar. The SG sounded okay
always, but lost its head twice in small mishaps.
It sold it in 1977 to buy a Christmas gift for
Harry's girlfriend.
A
car accident in 1989 left Harry with a left side
neurological deficit, it was believed that his
musical adventures would be over. Thanks to God,
he is back playing--and still loving every minute
of it!
Here's a recent shot
(off a TV monitor) with Harry playing a '62
reissue Strat in Lake Placid Blue. Jeff Elston on
bass. They did A Million Miles Away on
10/31/03 with Scott Francisco on drums.
Government
Conspiracy. Electric Guitars.
 |
LOW END By Harry George Pellegrin. The
first in the Gary Morrissey series of mysteries. Dealing
with modern subject matter in the classic style of the 1940's
Mystery Noire masters--think Raymond Chandler in New York in the
1980's... LOW END is the story of a drug addict who is
murdered after he believes he has found evidence of a major
government conspiracy. Is it only drug-induced paranoia?
Might be, except his paranoia could be considered justified: he
was murdered, after all. Friend Gary Morrissey takes it
upon himself to find out just what happened and lands himself in
the crosshairs.
See more info...
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Classic Guitar Method Composed,
written, transcribed, edited and arranged by Harry G. Pellegrin: Now in one volume, much of what the novice classical guitarist will need to know to lead him or her to the recital stage. From proper instrument care and maintenance to the necessary technical skills, musical mind-set, and the standard repertoire—all exposed and explored with enough detail and insight that the student will wish to keep this book handy years to come as a ready reference source.
See more info...
|
 |
DEEP END: The Wreck
of the Eddie Fitz
By
Harry George Pellegrin. A mystery novel. Involving a
semi-professional musician and a Kreyol death cult, DEEP END
takes the reader from the bottom of Long Island Sound to the
steamy streets and Blues clubs of New Orleans. Alternative
spirituality does battle with the common working man. Published by
PAB Entertainment Group in association with LULU.com.
See more info...
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Reflecting Pools
Original Music by Harry G. Pellegrin:
Reflecting Pools is a departure for me
as it is totally keyboard. Well, the guitar did show up on one
track...
"...Reflecting Pools is a notable first album [for
Mr. Pellegrin]. A dramatic sense of tonality and mood are
propelled by exemplary musicianship and exciting compositional
exploits."
...And containing nine tracks that are relaxing, inspirational
-- sounds like a snooze. Not really, this is great stuff to
listen to on a rainy afternoon, while with your significant
other (nudge, nudge, know what I mean?)
Please visit the Reflecting Pools
page on this site or
www.bathtubmusic.com.
|
AVAILABLE NOW !
The Classic Guitar Method: Now in one volume, much of what the
novice classical guitarist will need to know to lead him or her
to the recital stage. From proper instrument care and
maintenance to the necessary technical skills, musical mind-set,
and the standard repertoire—all exposed and explored with enough
detail and insight that the student will wish to keep this book
handy years to come as a ready reference source.
With the aid of a good teacher, the student will rapidly
progress through The Classic Guitar Method attaining technical
proficiency and musical eloquence.
This method stems from the need to incorporate a number of
schools into a single cohesive curriculum. Years of honing a
logical approach to the guitar and the creation of music
culminate in this volume. As a self-proclaimed Disciple of
Valdés-Blain , much of that famed teacher's focus can be found
in Mr. Pellegrin's method.
ISBN: 978-1-4116-9442-2
Published by PAB Entertainment Group, P.O. Box 2369 Scotia, New
York 12302
Please go to
www.lulu.com
Or through
Ask
for
LOW END
at your favorite local book retailer!
Please visit these
other fine sites:
http://www.roryon.com/
and http://www.rorygallagher.com/
for more information
on Rory Gallagher
Visit http://www.projectguitar.com/
if you are into cool axes!
http://www.roryon.com/harrystrat208.html
to see a Rory Gallagher tribute guitar built by
the author.
LOW
END is Published by Bedside Books, an imprint of
American Book Publishing.
ISBN
1-58982-074-6
LOW
END Copyright 2003-2006
Harry G. Pellegrin
In
God We Trust
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