- Peter Bonita -- keyboards (1980)

- Steve Brigida -- drums, percussion (1980)
- Steve Cooper -- bass, backing vocals (1975-80)
- Gary Cox -- guitar (1975-80)
- Steve Grigida -- drums (1975-80)
- Gary Herrewig -- guitar, backing vocals (1975-80)
- Billy Pallisell -- vocals, harmonica (1975-80)

- none known

Genre: rock

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Artful Dodger

Company: Columbia

Catalog: PC-33811

Year: 1975

Country/State: Virginia, USA

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: re-glued along bottom

Available: 1

GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed

Price: $20.00

Powered by vocalist Billy Paliselli and guitarist Gary Cox's affection for '60s rock, Artful Dodger stood as a mid-1970's band possessing all the skills required for major stardom. Unfortunately, in spite of support from a major label and several critically acclaimed collections of mainstream rock; the quartet's efforts were greeted by complete critical and public indifference.

Formed in Virginia, the original line-up featured bassist Steve Cooper, guitarists Gary Cox and Gary Herrewig, drummer Steve Grigida and vocalist Billy Pallisell.  Extensive touring won the band a mid-Atlantic and mid-Western audience, eventually capturing the attention of Columbia Records.

Teamed with producer Jack Douglas, 1975's "Artful Dodger" was nothing less than wonderful. Largely written by Herrewig and Pallisell (Cox contributing one track), material such as "Wayside", " You Know It's Alright" and "Think Think" offered up a mixture of Raspberries-styled guitar pop; albeit with a much tougher bite - imagine Eric Carmen with a nasty temper. Strong melodies, tight harmonies and chiming guitars ... mid-'70s power pop didn't get any better. Featuring at least six outstanding tracks, the album proved the band's artistic highpoint. 

"Artful Dodger" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Wayside (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 4:26
2.) You Know It's Alright (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:34
3.) It's Over (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 4:06
4.) Follow Me (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:44
5.) Long Time Away (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 2:38

(side 2)

1.) Think Think (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 2:56
2.) Silver and Gold (Gary Cox) - 3:23
3.) Things I'd Like to Do Again (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 4:51
4.) Waiting Place (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 4:34
5.) New York City (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:05

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Honor Among Thieves

Company: Columbia

Catalog: PC-34723

Year: 1976

Country/State: Virginia, USA

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: --

Available: 1

GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed

Price: $15.00

Although slicker and better produced, 1976's "Honor Among Thieves" rated slightly lower since it only contains four outstanding songs. In spite of strong reviews, the set could do no better than # 208 on the charts.

"Honor Among Thieves" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Honor Among Thieves
2.) Not Enough
3.) Scream
4.) Keep a Knockin'
5.) Keep Me Happy

(side 2)

1.) Remember
2.) Dandelion
3.) Hey Boys
4.) Good Fun

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Babes On Broadway

Company: Columbia

Catalog: PC-34846

Year: 1977

Country/State: Virginia, USA

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: timing strip along bottom front sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed

Price: $20.00

Understandably frustrated that neither of the first two albums had sold well, 1977's "Babes On Broadway" found the band making some minor changes in pursuit of commercial acceptance. Continuing their partnership with producer Leonetti (Jack Douglas credited as executive producer), the band still boasted a formidable songwriting pool in Cox, Herrewig and Paliselli. At least to my ears material such as 'Can't Stop Pretending', 'Alright', the acoustic ballad 'Who in the World' and 'Wave Bye Bye' was as good as anything on the first two albums. Boasting the band's trademarked blend of gorgeous harmonies, chiming guitars and sweet melodies, mid-1970s rock simply didn't get much better. Less impressive, exemplified by tracks such as 'Mistake', 'Loretta' and a remake of 'C'mon Everybody' much of the second side found an element of formula AOR orientation creeping into the formula. Matching their earlier sales, Columbia subsequently gave the band their walking papers.  (In case anyone cares, Aerosmith's Steve Tyler provided backing vocals on 'Alright'.)

"Babes On Broadway" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Can't Stop Pretending (Gary Cox) - 3:51
2.) Alright (Gary Herrewig - Billy Paliselli) - 3:36
3.) Who in the World (Gary Cox) - 4:45
4.) Wave Bye Bye (Gary Cox) - 3:27

(side 2)

1.) All I Need (Gary Cox - Gary Herrewig - Billy Paliselli) - 3:03
2.) Babes on Broadway (Gary Herrewig - Billy Paliselli) - 3:18
3.) Mistake (Gary Herrewig - Billy Paliselli) - 4:08
4.) Loretta (Gary Herrewig - Billy Paliselli) - 3:40
5.) Idi Amin Stomp (Gary Cox - Steve Brigida - Steve Cooper) - 2:57

10.) C'mon Everybody (Eddie Cochran - J. Capehart) - 2:56

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Rave On

Company: Ariola

Catalog: OL 1503

Year: 1980

Country/State: Virginia, USA

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: 2

GEMM Catalog ID: 5571

Price: $15.00

It only took three years, but in 1980 Artful Dodger's extended recording hiatus came to an end when they were signed by Ariola.  Recorded in Springfield, Virginia's Bias Studios 1980's self-produced "Rave On" didn't show any adverse effects from the layoff and served as a a partial creative comeback, coming close to the quality of their first two studio collections on about half of the tracks.  Like those original albums, on songs like 'It's a Lie' and 'Get In Line' the writing team of Gary Herrewig and Billy Pallisell managed to combine conventional rock and pop moves into a highly commercial end product.  Pallisell's classic rock voice remained in fine form and the band's vocal harmonies were enough to shame most of the competition.  Imagine The Raspberries with rock aspirations rather than power pop tastes and you'd have a good feel for the record.  Unlike many AOR band, these guys even managed to make power ballads like 'So Afraid' and 'Forever' palatable.  Other highlights included the sparkling 'She's Just My Baby', 'I Don't Wanna See Her' and the country-flavored closer 'Gone Again'.  Unfortunately, in an era of rampant disco and new wave madness, pop-rock gems such as 'It's a Lie', 'Come Close To Me' and 'Now or Never Mind' attracted little attention from the buying public or radio stations.  Ariola's promotional support was also lackluster.  True the company tapped the album for a couple of singles, but somehow they were unable to turn the blazing  'A Girl (La La La)' into a major hit. 

- 'A Girl (La La La)' b/w I Don't Wanna See Her''  (Ariola catalog number OS815) 

- 'She's My baby' b/w 'Gone Again' (Ariola catalog number OS816) 

With sales peaking at # 209, the album quickly vanishing into cutout bins. Cox subsequently tendered his resignation with the rest of the band then calling it quits.

"Rave On" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) She's Just My Baby   (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 2:42
2.) It's a Lie    (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:48
3.) So Afraid    (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 4:47
4.) Get in Line    (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 2:42
5.) Now or Never Mind    (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:37

(side 2)

1.) Come Close to Me   (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:42
2.) I Don't Wanna See Her   (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:15
3.) Forever   (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 5:05
4.) A Girl (La La La)   (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:42
5.) Gone Again   (Gary Herrewig - Billy Pallisell) - 3:59

YouTube has a couple of album related performance clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjEpjyduNhs

'Come Close To Me'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trux2hJoWqs&feature=related

'She's Just my Baby'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eERZYhox110&feature=related

'A Girl (La La La)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ5ONc27RWY&feature=related

'It's a Lie'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRIgI9IW2yc&feature=related

'Now Or Never Mind'

By the way, you'll have to register, but the band has a nice website presence at:

http://www.artfuldodgersite.com/

e Again