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The early years
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| Under the strict supervision
of Tony's Aunt Fiona, the boys form their first
band, Cuntry Church. The long
hours of woodshedding [actual woodshed pictured
above] resulted in the critically acclaimed but
commercially disappointing first album, the self-titled
Cuntry Church. The resulting
banishment from the community was unexpected,
but fleeing prosecution from obscenity charges,
as it often does, opened new doors for them in
the european markets without extradition treaties. |
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The Swedish years
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| The Swedish Years was a coming
of age time for Speld Badlee.
No longer living in Tony's parent's basement,
they were thirty years old, and on their own for
the first time. As an opening act for such esteemed
Swedish Supergroups as Garvis,
Musikanterna, and the legendary
Gert Jonny's, Speld Badlee
learned from the best. They had a new name, new
passports, and a new attitude to go with it! |
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The Sixties ... |
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| The Sixties came to
Sweden in March 1974, and Speld Badlee
was right on, turned on and tuned in to this happening
scene. Now called the Speld Badlee Love Trio,
the boys produced this album without actually talking
to each other, or being in the same room. Although nobody
in the band recalls making this record, it remains to
this day their most successful effort. |
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The Solo Album ... |
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| Troubled by the demands
of Speld Badlee's imminent success, Gary Shapiro explored
his deeper curiosities on his first solo album. Unfortunately,
his smoldering good-looks weren't enough to propel the
album onto the charts. The result was promising, but
flaccid. He realized that he couldn't exercise his artistic
muscle effectively with his own two hands. He needed
Tony and Gary. |
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The Other Solo Album
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| Fueled by Gary Shapiro's
solo endeavor, Gary Stockdale rushed to complete his
own personal masterpiece. Originally titled JUST GARY,
it was an introspective musical adventure of a sensitive
spirit-guide into the unknown. This epic concept album
featured a seventeen minute recording of wheat. Controversy
again came to the front when the record company decided,
at the last minute, to change the album cover and title.
Stockdale was so upset that he vowed to buy every copy
from the shelves. This proved relatively easy as the
record company only printed one hundred copies. |
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Community Service... |
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| Returning to the jurisdiction
of the United States, Speld Badlee
met with a much anticipated groundswell of court appearances.
But prior to their apprehension, Speld Badlee
brought joy to countless thousands as The Banana
Splits. Later, as part of a mandated court
settlement, the album was released under the name Community
Service with the proceeds going to the plaintiffs
fund. |
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Tony Speaks... |
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| Actually pre-dating
the solo albums by Gary and Gary, this solo project
by Tony was deemed "too controversial" by
the record company and shelved for eleven years. Recorded
without Tony's knowledge or consent, it was in fact
a two-hour drunken answering-machine message left for
60's television star Frank "Sergeant Carter"
Sutton. It's release on July 4, 1976 was accompanied
by fireworks and a national celebration unrelated to
the album. |
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Tony Sings... |
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| Riding the momentum
of his first album, Tony widened the rift between himself
and the band. Recorded entirely in his bachelor pad
lair above his parent's garage, Tony also pushed the
envelope of technology. He sang along with records,
but just loud enough to hear his voice over the original.
This technique, now known simply as "loud singing"
marks another pioneering effort by Tony. Speld
Badlee would not record another album for 22
years. |
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Thee Reunion Album ... |
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After more than twenty
years apart, the two Garys and Tony combined forces
again, and the result was unmistakably Speld
Badlee. An effort of love more than a pursuit
of monetary gain, Speld Badlee reached
a level of honesty in their music drawn from the deepest
depths of court-mandated counseling. This mystical musical
tour unjudgementally feels the challenges, the adventure
and the profound joy of a living love in action.
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