Jun 102011
Here’s a piece of Philadelphia rock ‘n roll history we nearly overlooked. A little more than 33 years to the day, Philly’s “original rock” band Arety, from my old stomping grounds, had their sports-rock fantasy come true: a chance to play in the old picnic area at Veterans Stadium before a Phillies game. History has forgotten Arety (but large swaths of Philadelphians have not lost the amazing Philly accent on display by the band’s spokesman/drummer), and only Phillies fans of a certain age remember the picnic area, but I bet the members of Arety never forgot their dream come true!
What’s your sports-rock dream?
Tell me it wouldn’t have been funny as hell if the announcer, after reporting that “they call their music ‘original rock’,” had added, “though, in fact, there is precious little original about it.”
Ok, so a little bit of a cheap shot. Sorry, Arety: High Five!
Mostly, I would have liked to see Greg Luzinski out there rockin’ along with the Arety boys, perhaps while chowing down on a sausage.
So: how did Arety’s soundtrack to “Satisfaction Guaranteed” turn out?
The accent is awesome! Too bad that guitar player didn’t get the memo about not wearing shorts. Is ‘Arety’ some kind of local reference?
I don’t know if this is common, but the Royals have a stage set up in one of the areas behind the outfield seats, and local bands play there every Wednesday home game. I should go to the next one, because I’ve been meaning to catch Hearts of Darkness, our local Afrobeat band.
http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/ticketing/student_night.jsp
My sports/rock fantasy would be having one of my songs used as a slugger’s walk-up music.
Arety has a lead singer / flautist. That’s a telling detail.
Playing rock n roll at the ballpark isn’t the same anymore. I was walking into Tuesday night’s game at a little before 7pm and the party band on McFadden’s patio was playing the Doobie’s “Long Train Runnin”. My friend, who see 30 or so games a year, says that they play this every single game right about this time. Like a factory job; punch in, pull your shift, punch out.
Interesting how similar that deep Philly accent is to a serious Bawlmer (i.e., Baltimore) accent. I have to say, I now realize Townsman Machinery is in possession of a fine Philly accent as well — not as pronounced as the Arety spokes-drummer, but noticeable nonetheless!
My sports-rock fantasy would be to have one of my tunes selected for the moment when a hometown slugger hits one out of the park.
Check out this other video of Arety: http://youtu.be/NhZTJwDdbYY
The guitarist is wearing a Roger Daltrey style, potentially armpit pinching, cap sleeve (thank you Lady Miss) shirt, albeit with a scoop neck and sans the nautical theme.
Perhaps the cap sleeve shirt is another of rock’s unfulfilled fashion ideas…
That style shirt may be worth an investigation. Nice find!
HOLY SHIT!
i just saw this post!
I have this accent! I grew up talking this way and one day i noticed it, and learned to speak standard American English!
The next time i am around any of you in person, i will regale you with my deep working class(almost cockney)Kensington cum Northeast Philly accent!
Arety were our local heroes.
I was taught the guitar by none other than Mike Kolber, Jackie’s older brother.
He was obsessed with slowhand era Clapton.
He taught me to play reggae by showing me Clapton’s I Shot The Sheriff.
No lie.
Yo, that fucking rocks, kilroy!
Well to answer your question Satisfaction Guaranteed was recorded. To find out about what Happened go to face book and read the bio on Arety. All the music is there along with all the songs . go to Arety Phila Rock Band and here some of the best original music of that Philly had to offer in the 70`s.
Jack yeah I am still here
Hey Jack, thanks for checking in and being a good sport about our amazement at the old clip I stumbled across. I look forward to checking out your FB page.
No joke, as a teen I spent 3 home openers in a row in the 1970s in that picnic area with a friend of the family and his group of bar friends. They are some of the greatest baseball memories of my life. I’m also a Northeast Philly guy (Parkwood).
I just checked out the FB site and there are some excellent photos up there. I was particularly psyched to see the bass player wearing a shirt from my high school, making him the second biggest celebrity to emerge from the Prep (the guy who created It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia being the first). I’ll try to check out the music tonight.
I didn’t know you were a Prep guy. You’re dead to me now, man.
You’re not a Bonner guy are you? Ew…
Oh, no! Wait a minute! Not LaSalle… please tell me you didn’t go to LaSalle.
Nah, neither of those. LaSalle High students might have actually been the worst in the Catholic League, now that you mention it, so perhaps we reach after all.
Thank you there is a lot of stuff on the Arety facebook site as well as all the originals we recorded but no one ever heard. they could hear them now. just need more exposure like what you did
thanks
Jack Kolber
Great news after almost 25 years we got back together in August to do a reunion in NE Philly and the place was jam packed with old friends and fans…Now we are booked to open for my son Jacks band ” 3AM” at Finnigan`s Wake on Nov.16th. There is video of the set we did on the Arety Philly Rock Band site on Facebook.Looking forward to the next gig.
Thx Rockers
Jack Kolber Drummer Arety
That is VERY cool, Jack! Thanks for the update, and feel free to remind our local readers of the 11/16 gig. Keep rocking.