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The Bruthers Biography

the-bruthers
  • Years Active: 1960s
  • Genre: Rock & Alternative

The Bruthers only released one single, "Bad Way to Go"/"Bad Love," in 1966. But the A-side eventually became one of the most highly regarded mid-'60s garage band obscurities after its reissue on Pebbles, Vol. 8. It was also one of the rawest garage band tracks to gain release on a major label (RCA), its furiously fast, shifting rhythms, berserk circular guitar and organ riffs, and malicious put-down lyrics bringing to mind something like a garage band at a harem. Although the Bruthers did do some more recording in a similarly tightly coiled, slightly unhinged manner for RCA, the label didn't issue anything else before dropping them, although a few unreleased RCA outtakes would eventually surface on a Bruthers CD compilation. The Bruthers were actually real brothers: Alf Delia (who wrote most of the original material they recorded, including "Bad Way to Go"), Frank Delia, Mike Delia, and Joe Delia. The Pearl River, New York quartet had started performing in the early 1960s, and by the mid-'60s hooked up with manager Sid Bernstein, who also handled the Young Rascals and the Blues Project (as well as promoting mid-'60s New York City concerts for the Beatles). The single made no commercial impact, depending upon revival from garage collectors to reach a bigger audience, starting with its inclusion in the Pebbles series, and culminating with a full CD on Sundazed in 2003 that matched both sides of the single with RCA outtakes and some demos from 1965 and 1967. After the Bruthers broke up in 1967, keyboardist Joe Delia went on to play as a sideman for numerous acts, playing and arranging David Johansen's 1987 hit "Hot Hot Hot," and scoring many feature films, documentaries, and TV series. Guitarist Frank Delia eventually directed videos for the Ramones, Wall of Voodoo, and Jefferson Starship, as well as some episodes for television series. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi

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