• The Quotations (1) 

    The Quotations (1) (Brooklyn, New York)
    (The Early Years)


    Personnel :

    Larry Kassman (Lead)

    Richie Schwartz (First tenor)

    Lew Arno (Second Tenor)

    Harvey Hershkowitz (Baritone)


    Discography :

    The Quotations (1)

    Singles :
    1961 - Imagination / Ala Men Sy (Verve 10245)
    1962 - This Love of Mine / We'll Reach Heaven Together (Verve 10252)
    1962 - See You in September / Summertime Goodbyes (Verve 10261)
    1964 - In The Night / Oh No I Still Love Her (Admiral 753)

    Demos :
    1959 - Time Was
    1959 - Sunday Kind Of Love
    1959 - September In The Rain
    1960 - Imagination
    1960 - We'll Reach Heaven Together
    1962 - Why Not, Why Not You
     

    Mike Regal bb The Quotations (1)

    1963 - Too Young / Is It True What They Say About Barbara? (Kapp 506)


    Biography :

    The Quotations, best known for their 1961 smash hit "Imagination", were first formed in late 1958 in Barney's pool room on Kings Highway and East 14th street in Brooklyn, N.Y. Richie Schwartz (First tenor), Lew Arno (Second Tenor) and Harvey Hershkowitz (Baritone) were harmonizing when Larry Kassman asked if he could sing with them. Larry instantly was asked to join the group as lead singer. The group took their name from a song "Quotations Of Love" that a friend Mike Rose had written and the group often sang.

    The Quotations (1)

    The Quotations could often be found singing under the Rainbow Store by the Kings Highway train station, Manhattan Beach, The Brighton Beach boardwalk and at Sid Gordon's Bowling Alley. Most Members attenuated James Madison High School. In 1959 they recorded their first demos "Time Was", "Sunday Kind Of Love" and "September In The Rain". Lew Arno sings lead on "September In The Rain". A songwriter who worked for Don Kirshner and whose brother was a friend of the Quotations heard the group and decided to become their manager. The songwriter, Helen Miller took the group on various auditions but the group was always told o come back with original Material.

    The Quotations (1)    The Quotations (1)

    In 1961, the Marcels had a number one hit with "Blue Moon" and this gave the idea to take another old standard and give it some outrageous treatment. In 1961, the Quotations first release "Imagination" on Verve Records a division of MGM brought the group Success. Concert appearances followed as far away as Detroit and in the southern states. The flip side "Ala Men Sy" caused problems because many disc jockeys decided to play this side rather than "Imagination". In 1962 the Quotations follow-up release "This Love of Mine" b/w "We'll Reach Heaven Together" received some airily. In April 1962 the group recorded "See You in September" and "Summertime Goodbyes". The Quotations felt that "See You in September" was going to be a big hit for them. Verve Records planned a late spring release for this record but somehow the record didn't get released until the last week in August. Disc Jockeys decided to not play this summer song because the summer was all but over.

    The Quotations (1)
    1964 - (L to R) Larry Kassman, Sandy Sonner, Richie Schwartz and Harvey Hershkowitz.

    The Quotations rarest record was released on Admiral Records in early 1964. These two sides "In The Night" and "Oh No I Still Love Her" were recorded in 1962 and the group themselves were never aware that this record was released. Admiral records was owned by Richard Wolfe who was also the producer and arranger for the Quotations Verve Releases. "Why Not, Why Not You" is a demo recorded by the Quotations in 1962. Hellen Miller brought this tune and the Quotations arrangement of it to the attention of the Dovells and they released their own version of it one of their albums.

    The Quotations (1)

    "Too Young" and "Is It True What They Say About Barbara?" were recorded on Kapp Records in 1963 under the artist name Mike regal. Mike Previously was the lead singer for Bobby Roy and The Chord-A-Roys who came from the Brighton Beach and the Sheepshead Bay Sections of Brooklyn and recorded for JDS Records. Mike also was the lead of the Romeos who recorded the answer to the Token's "Lion Sleeps Tonight" on Amy Records, "The Tigers Wide Awake". In 1964, Sandy Sonner replaced Lew Arno and the group recorded some acappella sides for Relic Records and finally the group broke up.



    Songs :
    (updated by Hans-Joachim) 

    The Quotations (1)

         
      Imagination                           Ala Men Sy                    This Love of Mine

         
    We'll Reach Heaven Together       See You in September        Summertime Goodbyes

         
    In The Night                     Oh No I Still Love Her                   Time Was (demo)

         
    Sunday Kind Of Love   (demo)        September In The Rain (demo)       Imagination (demo)

      
    We'll Reach Heaven Together (demo)          Why Not, Why Not You (demo)


    Mike Regal bb The Quotations (1)

      
                           Too Young                 Is It True What They Say About Barbara?


    ...


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