Hackamore Brick | Interview | “Almost forgotten 1970 record from Brooklyn”
Hackamore Brick formed in Brooklyn and released ‘One Kiss Leads To Another’ in 1970 on Kama Sutra.
Founding members Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman have remained active and have released additional Hackamore Brick titles in the last couple of years. Chick Newman was playing a Farfisa organ with a band in Canarsie when Tommy Moonlight met him. They decided to put a band together themselves and took local legend Robbie Biegel with them. Bob Roman moved from the lower east side of Manhattan to Park Slope, Brooklyn. That was where Hackamore Brick began. A few people at Kama Sutra Records liked the demo tape the band had recorded at the Record Plant and time was booked to record an album. The site was Bell Sound Studio and eight or nine days later, the album ‘One Kiss Leads To Another’ was complete. It was recorded in September, 1970 and released a few months later. The band worked some dates locally, and spent six weeks over the holidays in St. Thomas, working at Duffy’s Place in the Sun. They returned to New York to record the 45 RPM single, ‘Searchin’. When terms and studios could not be agreed upon for the recording of the second album, the contract with Kama Sutra ended. Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman continued recording in the 1970’s and taped an album’s worth of material at Parrot Tracks in Austin, Texas in 1984. After that they took a break, but a few years later met again at a wedding and sang a few songs. With the encouragement of some guests, they decided to record again. In 2009 they released a 6-song CD, ‘Long Way Home’. In 2013 they released ‘From There to Almost Here,’ a collection of studio recordings from 1972-1984. Their most released album is titled, ‘Snails in Astoria’.
“We meant to present a few stories, while bucking the trend to heavy guitar rock with long instrumentals”
Where and when did you grow up? Was music a big part of your family life? Did the local music scene influence you or inspire you to play music?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: We grew up in Brooklyn in the 50’s and 60’s.
Tommy Moonlight: Father played piano and sang. Piano, guitar and reel-to-reel recorder were in the house. I picked up piano. Radio always on, music playing.
Chick Newman: Big band, doo-wop, show tunes played on phono and radio. Remember family singing on car trips.
When did you begin playing music? What was your first instrument? Who were your major influences?
Tommy: From six years on I played accordion, then moved to piano. Picked up guitar in teens because of The Everly Brothers and folk music. When The Beatles arrived, I convinced my parents to buy an electric guitar from the Spiegel catalog.
Chick: When I was about 7-10 years old I took piano lessons. Sang and played piano in school shows.
Tommy: Major influences for piano – Jimmy Durante on TV, Chico Marx in movies. We were both happy to see Mike Smith when he played organ in Dave Clark Five.
What bands were you and other members of Hackamore Brick part of prior to the formation?
Tommy: The Cardinals in high school (with Doug Walker, later of The Chapin Brothers Band); Tommy Carberry and Joe Ross (recorded 4 songs in 1967).
Chic: Played with The Cads in high school and college.
Can you elaborate on the formation of Hackamore Brick?
Tommy: We met in college. Chick was playing in a band. A fellow named Mike was on guitar, Steve on bass. I joined. Robbie Beigel on drums joined. Sire Records was interested in signing the band. The band decided against it. Chick, Robbie and I continued as a trio. We signed a contract with Koppelman & Rubin in 1968. K&R produced Tim Hardin, The Turtles, Three Dog Night, among others. Charles Koppelman later held the position of Chairman and CEO of EMI Records among other titles. Robbie left the band. Never recorded with us and the contract dissolved. Then Bob Roman signed on as a bass player and Robert Wright played the drums as Hackamore Brick. Hackamore Brick signed a contract with Kama Sutra. Robert Wright left. Robbie Beigel rejoined. We recorded ‘One Kiss Leads to Another’ in September, 1970.
When and where did Hackamore Brick play their early gigs? Do you remember the first song the band played? How was the band accepted by the audience?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: In the beginning local spots – Ritz Theater in Staten Island, Prospect Park, Bitter End Greenwich Village and Bellevue Sanitarium. Two six-week stays in St Thomas, Virgin Island (Duffy’s Place in the Sun), Ungano’s and Electric Circus in Manhattan.
Audience reaction was generally enthusiastic especially in the six-week gigs in V.I..
How did you decide to use the name “Hackamore Brick”?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: We were calling ourselves “Ice” and thought we needed a new name. We had an interest in horse racing – hackamore was part of the horse’s equipment – so we put it together with brick. When people ask what the band’s name is, we say Hackamore Brick, they say what?
What influenced the band’s sound? What was the overall vision of the band?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: Ice was originally two guys on keyboards, one on drums. This band played at Steve Paul’s Scene to good reaction. The idea was not to be a loud guitar band which was a growing trend. The music was arranged to fit the songs. We played a few cover songs with our own arrangements.
How did the Kama Sutra contract for your debut album come about? Did an agent see you play live or?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: In those days (late 60’s), you could bring a tape of original songs to a company in person. Reaction to our tape was usually positive. Sire wanted to sign us, Koppelman & Rubin signed us in 1968, Kama Sutra signed us the following year. The tape we brought to Kama Sutra included three of the songs that would end up on’ One Kiss to Another’ – ‘I Watched You Rumba,’ ‘Someone You Know’ and ‘Zip Gun Woman’.
What’s the story behind your debut album, ‘One Kiss Leads to Another’? Where did you record it? What kind of equipment did you use and who was the producer? How many hours did you spend in the studio?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: It was recorded in Bell Sound Studio, NYC. Farfisa organ, Gibson guitars, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes piano, Ampeg amplifiers. The producer was Richard Robinson. Spent about 35-40 hours one week, 10-15 hours the following week in overdubs and mixes.
Please share your recollections of the sessions. What were the influences and inspirations for the songs recorded?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: It was a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. Richard Meltzer visited. Fun fact – Paul Anka offered to buy us lunch at a pizza place next to Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway.
Influences – The Beatles and George Martin; The Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Burt Bacharach, Brill Building people, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Dylan, Jack Hansen (producer of 1967 recordings).
What kind of amps, gear, effects, pedals did you use in the studio?
Bananas – Fuzz Box. We used a small amp for a distortion effect in ‘Reaching” and ‘Peace Has Come’. Engineer spent 30 minutes trying to get the distortion out.
Would you share your insight on the albums’ tracks?
A1 ‘Reachin”
Chic: The Vietnam era tune about war and conflict which still exists.
A2 ‘Oh! Those Sweet Bananas’
Tommy: Was written right before recording – a story that came true later.
A3 ‘I Watched You Rumba’
Tommy: A young guy and a certain older female. It was fun mixing the piano and organ in the same song.
A4 ‘Radio’
Tommy: Story of a date gone wrong – having fun with disaster songs of that era.
A5 ‘Peace Has Come’
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: Bob Roman had written the lyric; Tommy put it to music and sang it in Prospect Park. It was an impromptu arrangement done on the spot – Chick on piano; Tommy on guitar.
B1 ‘Got a Gal Named Wilma’
Tommy: I thought all Wilmas should have a song written for them – my inspiration – the girlfriend of a returning soldier in The Best Years of Our Lives and, of course, Mrs. Flintstone.
B2 ‘I Won’t Be Around’
Chic: I left home shortly after writing this.
B3 ‘And I Wonder’
Chic: The song from the earlier group, Ice. Robbie had re-entered the band and influenced us to do this older version.
B4 ‘Somone You Know’
Chic: First song I wrote in my new place. Both this song and ‘Reachin” were influenced by a side project we had started.
B5 ‘Zip Gun Woman’
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: A rocker about a rebel woman. One of the few Chick and Tommy collaborations.
Was there a certain concept behind the album?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: We meant to present a few stories, while bucking the trend to heavy guitar rock with long instrumentals. A fight we lost. Please excuse ‘And I Wonder’ – it was almost spiritual for us by then.
Do you know how many copies were pressed? Did you get a lot of airplay?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: Maybe a few thousand. Some, not a lot. For example, ‘And I Wonder’ was played in the St Louis area; ‘Radio’ on WNEW in NY.
Where was the cover pic taken?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: Joel Brodsky Studio courtesy of the record company. Brodsky had done the first two Doors’ albums among other works. Someone in the band had the fire escape idea.
How pleased was the band with the sound of the album? What, if anything, would you like to have been different from the finished product?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: Three more takes on each song and a louder lead vocal would have improved it.
Did the band tour to support the LP?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: One week at the Bitter End in Manhattan; six weeks in St Thomas – Duffy’s Place in the Sun; Ungano’s.
What happened after the band stopped? Were you still in touch with other members? Is any member still involved with the music?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: The band has never stopped. We are still playing, writing, and recording to this day. We speak to Robbie in Florida and Bob in Maine a few times a year. Both are still playing.
Looking back, what was the highlight of your time in the band? Which songs are you most proud of? Where and when was your most memorable gig?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: We have taken some breaks from playing but have performed as duos, trios and four-piece bands up to now. Songs – we think we continue to do good work.
Most fun gig – Duffy’s Place; also memorable – Steve Paul Scene and the Bellevue Mental Hospital.
Is there any unreleased material by Hackamore Brick, aside from ‘From There to Almost Here’? Please take a moment to share some words about these archive recordings.
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: We have plenty of songs. ‘From There’ are some of the studio recordings. We have other studio recordings and plenty of home recordings.
What currently occupies your life?
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: We currently have a four-piece band – did a job last week. We record from time to time. Have four new songs on the website this week. We are enjoying life with family, friends and travel.
Thank you for taking your time. Last word is yours.
Tommy Moonlight and Chick Newman: After the contract with Kama Sutra ended… The boys were faced with some decisions. They were offered a chance to write jingles for commercials. They did not want to do that. Not interested in writing songs for other performers (at least, at that time). They opted to put another band together. This they did and in one form or another have been doing it ever since.
From time to time in the seventies, they would go into a studio to record some original music and made some attempts at getting a new contact. That contract idea came to an end in 1982 when Arista turned down ‘Somebody Will’ and ‘Lose You’ after showing some initial interest.
From then on, it was just playing. There have been other studio recordings through the years, but no attempts to be signed to a label. Never attempting to get jobs as producers, managers, A&R men, the band just played on.
This is who they were: Ice, Stars, Moonlight, Blue Yonder, Horsesugar, Tommy Moonlight & Chick Newman, Triple Play, Tommy Carberry & Joe Ross, Anaheim, Azuza & Cucamonga (featuring Tommy Anaheim, Lou Azuza & Chick Cucamonga), Seventeenfeet, and Hackamore Brick.
This is where they played: The Ritz Theater (Staten Island), Gerde’s Folk City, Electric Circus, Ungano’s, Bitter End, CBGB, Gildersleeve’s, Max’s Kansas City, Mothers (Manhattan), Tap n Rap (Riverdale), Buckley’s Tavern, Tamaqua Club, Chelsea Station, Ft Hamilton’s Officer Club, Postime (Queens), Duffy’s Place in the Sun, among others…
So, if you’ve seen the band at any of these places – in any of their guises or if you knocked at the door of the apartment at 7th Ave in Park Slope or on Union St where the band squatted for awhile or heard the noise from that basement near the convents in Marine Park, Brooklyn, and complained about the noise – you have heard Hackamore Brick at work.
Discography
‘One Kiss Leads to Another’ 1970 re-issued CD & Vinyl Real Gone Music 2013
‘Searchin” 45 rpm 1971
‘That Cigarette in Bed’ b/w ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Mind’ – Say Hey 45 rpm 1984
‘Long Way Home’ – 6 song CD – 2009
‘From There to Almost Here’ – studio recordings 2014
‘Snails in Astoria’ – CD – 2016
Klemen Breznikar
Hackamore Brick Official Website / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube