- Dick Barnaby - bass (1967-69)
- Jack Bruno - drums (1967-69)
- Joe Castagno - rhythm guitar (1967-68)
- Ted Demos - lead guitar, vocals (1967-69)
- Jeff Labes - keyboards (1967-69)
- Adam Myers - harmonica, backing vocals (1969)
- Bruce Paine - vocals (1969)
- Michael Sorafine - rhythm guitar, backing vocals 

  (replaced Joe Castagno) (1969)  
  

- CC and the Chasers  

Genre: rock 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  The Apple Pie Motherhood Band

Company: Atlantic

Catalog: SD-8189

Year: 1968

Country/State: USA, Chicago Illinois

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: minor ring, wear and edge wear; bullet hole; minor skip 1st song side 2

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 

Price: $20.00

Cost: $1.00

Built out of the remnants of Boston's CC and the Chasers (see separate entry), followed by a short stint as The Sacred Mushrooms, The Apple Pie Motherhood Band featured the talents of bassist Dick Barnaby, drummer Jack Bruno, rhythm guitarist Joe Castagno, lead guitarist Ted Demos and keyboardist Jeff Labes. Signed by Atlantic, the band's cleverly-titled 1968 debut "The Apple Pie Motherhood Band" teamed them with producer Felix Pappalardi (then hot from his work with Cream). Like most of their Bosstown compatriots, these guys weren't without talent, though the absence of a distinctive sound and standout lead singer didn't exactly help their cause. Musically the set offered up a fairly typical set of late-'60s AOR, including the pseudo-psychy (the instrumental "The Ultimate"), Association-styled ballads ("I'd Like to Know") and conventional rock (the fuzz-propelled "Barnaby's Madness"). While all five members contributed material, the standout effort was an extended meltdown cover of the Stax classic "Born Under a Bad Sign" (wonder where Pappalardi got that idea ... didn't Cream do a cover of it?). With minimal promotion and support, the LP vanished without a trace.

"The Apple Pie Motherhood Band" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Born Under a Bad Sign (Booker T. Jones - William Bell) - 7:05
2.) I'd Like to Know (David Blue) - 2:15
3.) Ice (Ted Demos - Marilyn Lundquist) - 2:31
4.) Yesterday's New Song (Jeff Labes) - 3:14
5.) Barnaby's Madness (Richard Barnaby) - 2:45
6.) The Ultimate (instrumental) (Dick Barnaby - Jackie Bruno - Joe Catagno - Ted Emos - Jeff Labes) - 
(side 2)

1.) Contact (Alan Gordon - Gary Bonnor) - 2:27
2.) The Way It Feels (Jeff Labes) - 2:27
3.) Bread and Jam (instrumental) (Dick Barnaby - Jackie Bruno - Joe Catagno - Ted Emos - Jeff Labes) - 3:14
4.) Apple Pie (Jeff Labes) - 2:55
5.) Variations on a Fingernail (Jeff Labes) - 3:15

Genre: rock 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Apple Pie 

Company: Atlantic

Catalog: SD-8233

Year: 1969

Country/State: USA, Chicago Illinois

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+

Comments: still in shrink wrap; minor edge and corner wear; cut out slash

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 

Price: $20.00

Released in the wake of personnel changes which saw the departure of Castagno, the band returned with 1969's "Apple Pie". Produced by Tom Dowd, the sophomore effort wasn't a major change in direction, featuring another mildly interesting mixture of blues (the year's upteenth cover of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want To Make Love To You"), psychedelia ("Orangutang") and conventional rock. As on the debut, the absence of a distinctive singer, some gawdawful covers (including one of the worst versions of "Get Ready" we've ever heard), combined with Barnaby's overwhelming bass (check out his ear-ringing performance on "Grandmother Hooker"), left quite a bit to be desired. Hardly an album that was going to drastically change your life, the set still had a couple of nice moments, including Demos and Sorafine's meltdown guitar dual on the leadoff track "Orangutang". A commercial non-entity, the set vanished without a trace, followed in short order by the band.

"Apple Pie" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Orangutang (Michael Sorafine) - 7:36
2.) I Just Want To Make Love To You (Willie Dixon) - 4:05
3.) Brown Eyed Handsome Man (Chuck Berry) - 3:14
4.) Grandmother Hooker (Michael Sorafine) - 3:02
(side 2)

1.) Get Ready (William Robinson) - 4:24
2.) Super Music Man (Jeff Labes) - 4:15
3.) Gypsy (Ted Demos) - 3:22
4.) He Turned You On (Michael Sorafine - Don Henny) - 4:16