The Bruthers
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Founder | Alf Delia, Frank Delia, Mike Delia, Joe Delia |
| Defunct | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Pearl River , United States |
| Products | Music recordings |
| Parent | RCA Records |
The Bruthers were a garage rock ensemble originating from Pearl River, New York, active during the mid-1960s. The group was composed of siblings Alf, Frank, Mike, and Joe Delia. They produced several tracks under RCA Records, with their most recognized song being "Bad Way to Go." This particular track appears on the compilation Pebbles Vol. 8 and is highly regarded among collectors as a quintessential garage rock piece.
History
In the early 1960s, the Delia siblings established the band, which came under the management of Sid Bernstein, a prominent figure known for organizing the Beatles' Shea Stadium concerts and managing acts such as The Young Rascals and The Blues Project. Bernstein facilitated their signing with RCA Records. In 1966, they issued the single "Bad Way to Go" backed with "Bad Love." Although this release did not achieve chart success at the time, it has since gained recognition. That same year, an unreleased composition titled "Rock It to Me" was featured as background music during the Muppets' debut network television appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The Bruthers recorded additional material for RCA, including "The Courtship Of Rapunzel," which later appeared on Sundazed Music’s compilation Garage Beat '66 Vol. 6: Speak of the Devil. Despite these efforts, RCA eventually dropped the band, leading to their dissolution in 1967.
Following the group's breakup, keyboardist Joe Delia pursued work as a session musician for artists such as David Johansen (also known as Buster Poindexter), notably contributing to the 1987 hit "Hot, Hot, Hot," and went on to compose scores for film and television. Frank Delia transitioned into directing and cinematography under the name Francis Delia; his career included work on early Abel Ferrara films and directing over eighty music videos for artists like Starship, Rockwell, Wall of Voodoo, and The Ramones. Alf Delia penned "We Want Lava," which was recorded by The Beaver Trail Boys in 1980 and received some radio airplay; he continued recording music into the 2010s.
All of The Bruthers’ RCA recordings were compiled and released by Sundazed on October 21, 2003, in the album Bad Way to Go.
Personnel
- Alf Delia – vocals
- Frank Delia – guitar
- Joe Delia – organ and keyboards
- Mike Delia – drums
Singles
- "Bad Way to Go" b/w "Bad Love" (RCA, 1966)
Compilations
- Bad Way to Go (Sundazed SC 6209, 2003) – CD anthology of their RCA sessions
External links
- Dangerous Minds – details about the band including their involvement in the Muppets' 1966 televised performance