The Vagrants
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Long Island , United States |
| Products | Rock and blue-eyed soul music |
The Vagrants were an American rock and blue-eyed soul band originating from Long Island in the 1960s. The group comprised Peter Sabatino (vocals, harmonica, tambourine), Leslie West (vocals, guitar), Larry West (vocals, bass), Jeremy Storch (organ), and Roger Mansour (drums).
Rise to stardom
Established in 1964, by the following year the band had developed a professional press kit and secured a contract with the semi-professional Southern Sound label, releasing the single "Oh Those Eyes" backed with "You're Too Young." This release attracted filmmakers Vince Scarza and Douglas Hickox, who featured The Vagrants performing "Oh Those Eyes" in the film Disk-O-Tek Holiday, now considered a classic music video from the mid-1960s. The band built their reputation through frequent gigs at The Action House in Island Park, one of Long Island's premier rock venues. They performed alongside prominent groups including The Doors, The Who, Vanilla Fudge, The Rascals, The Illusion, and The Hassles (which included Billy Joel). Their rendition of the Exodus theme was especially well-received during live shows. Although they were recognized for energetic covers such as "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Hold On I'm Comin'," no official recordings of these songs exist within their limited discography.
The Vagrants later signed with Vanguard Records, a label predominantly associated with folk and jazz musicians. Vanguard released their modest hit "I Can't Make a Friend," which has since become a notable track within garage rock circles. Producer Felix Pappalardi—who would later work with Cream and Jack Bruce—brought them to Atco Records (a subsidiary of Atlantic). Their 1967 cover of Otis Redding's "Respect" achieved regional success on the East Coast. In 1969, Leslie West left the band to create the power trio Mountain alongside Pappalardi.
In 1987, Arista Records released a compilation titled The Great Lost Album, compiling all their singles except for "Oh Those Eyes." On this release, Leslie and Larry West are credited by their original surnames, Leslie and Larry Weinstein.
The New Vagrants
During the 1990s, vocalist Peter Sabatino revived the band under the name The "New" Vagrants, featuring Tony Pinisi on organ, Eli Brown on bass, Tom SanFilippo on guitar, and Joe Forgione on drums—formerly of The Soul Survivors. They performed extensively throughout Long Island at venues such as the OK Club and Odyssey Club in Amityville. In 2002, they commenced recording a new album entitled 21st Century Vagrants at Electric Randyland Studios located in Manhassett.
Drummer Joe Forgione passed away from a heart attack while performing at the Downtime Club in New York on October 20, 2003. Leslie West died of a heart attack at his residence in Florida on December 22, 2020.