Most of the band members got their start from yet another famous group, you may recall the band 'Joey Dee and The Starliters' ( a house band at The Peppermint Lounge in New York) who happened to score a big hit of their own in 1962 titled, "Peppermint Twist".

The early years:

Initially Eddie Brigati and Gene Cornish were in the Starliters during that time, former pre-med student Felix Cavaliere joined the group after "Peppermint Twist" was a hit.

Getting tired of backing Mr.Dee, Felix, Gene and Eddie left and formed The Rascals along with Dino Danelli a drummer that Felix had met in Las Vegas. They never looked back and soon to become New York's greatest bar band performing R&B classics at a nightclub called The Barge ( which is actually on a floating barge).

Their success:

They were discovered back in 1965 by then legendary promoter Sid Bernstein who brought The Beatles to America. To avoid any litigation from the group The Harmonica Rascals, Sid dubbed them The Young Rascals.

The songwriting skills, the schoolboy outfits (ruffed shirts,and knickers) designed a s a gimmick by Brigati and their effortless interplay they were soon on the charts.

Note: the bands firt smash hit hit was "Good Lovin'" it wasn't an original, that song was already an R&B hit for The Olympics (a doo-wop band from 1957).

Up next the later years and other facts.

The attached videos are that of the 1962 hit "Peppermint Twist" from Joey Dee and The Starliters and The (Young) Rascals hit from 1966, "Good Lovin'".

 



 

 

 

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