Interview avec Chuck Bene

Connaissez vous Chuck Bene et les Johnny Dentz's Hillrockers ? Allez sur youtube écouter "Come Back Baby" et I Want My Mama vous comprendrez...
A 15 ans il écrira et enregistrera ses premiers morceaux (en '57) par la suite il écrira des morceaux pour Rick Nelson. Il fait parti des inconnus du rockabilly.
Voici une interview de moi avec lui que j'ai réalisé grâce à sa boite mail ( d'où l'aspect "compact" des questions et des réponses)
P.S : Je suis plutôt mauvais en anglais, bonne chance pour la traduction !

Good morning

My name is Dorian CARNIEL I'm a french fan of you and your band, the Hillrockers. I'm 15 years and I would like more information of the begining of your career. Can you spend some time to tell me a parts of your fabulous history in answering my question?

Is it possible to know how many copy of "Come Back Baby" you sold ? How long lasted the Hillrockers ? Why haven't you recording others singles in the fifties ? Have you others pictures of the Hillrockers ? Have you TV appearence ?

I hope to not disturb you. I hope also my questions are not indiscreet or stupid.

Sincerly yours,

Dorian CARNIEL

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Dorian; How nice to hear from you and I’m sorry that I didn’t get back to you sooner but I’ve been out of town.
I’d like to refer you to my website www.chuckbene.com.
On the home page, if you scroll down to the very bottom you will see a link to Rare Rockabilly.
Click on that link and my name will come up with some other artists. Click on my name.
That will show you a magazine article that was published by the Australian Rock & Roll Society a few years ago.
It is a fairly extensive biographical article along with some photos.
I don’t really know how many copies of Come Back Baby were sold because there have been many, many bootleg copies after the initial 500 copies were printed.
I appeared on a New York television show back around 1959.
It was called Teen Bandstand.
I began concentrating more on writing in the 1960s when I wrote for Rick Nelson although I have included two song from the 60s which are actually demos that I wrote and sang. These are on my latest CD Still Kickin’ and can also be heard on YouTube.
A single from that CD called Rock & Roll No More has gotten a lot of airplay over the past year and kind of tells a story of my career, although with a bit of humor.
Dorian, I appreciate your interest in me and if you want any further information after viewing the aforementioned article, feel free to write me back and I promise to reply.

Chuck Bene’
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Thank you very much to answer me

It's a really pleasure to speak with a rockabilly legend. The rockabilly hall of fame page who tell about you is very interesting. I would like to find yout TV show on"Teen Bandstand", but i know it's impossible... Have you played on playback or in live ?

But I have others questions : where have been taking the pictures ? In a club ? Your guitar was a Gretsch ? What was your amplifier ? (I play guitar for 5 years I would like to learn "come back baby" or "i want my mama" do you know where I could find the tabs ?)

Thank you very much again ! And I hope to not be indiscreet.

Your fan,

Dorian CARNIEL

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Dorian; In response to your inquiry, back in the 50s when I was about your age, I wrote those two songs for the Hillrockers to record and we played live on television.
The photo of me holding my 1957 Gretsch Duo Jet was taken at a club where we were performing. The year was around 1960 or 61. At that time I was using a 1953 Fender Pro amplifier which predated solid state circuitry and effects pedals.
When we recorded the songs at Bell Sound Studios in NYC, in order to add some echo to the tracks, a microphone was placed in a shaft leading to the basement,several floors below and then the sound was sent back up to to studio.
Unfortunately I do not know of any website that shows the tablature for the tunes but it should be easy enough to figure out. Of course there are two guitars on the recordings.
You are very welcome and I enjoy “talking” to you.

Your friend in the USA.

Chuck Bene’
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Dear chuck

It's your french fan, Dorian, I've found a picture of you, but i don't know if it's the true date (1957). I would like to ask you 5 questions :

Do you know this picture (I think it's rare picture)

Do you remember the date ?

Is it the hillrockers in the background ?

Where has been taking the picture ?

Do you live in New Jersey ?

It's a pleasure to talk to you !

I hope to meet you if I go to the USA. (do you speak french ?)

Sincerly Yours

Dorian Carniel.
(pour l'image c'est sur youtube premiére image de la video "i want my Mama"

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Dorian; It’s nice to hear from you and a pleasure to answer your questions.
The photo is of me and The Hillrockers playing on stage at Maywood Junior High School in 1957 when I first obtained my Gretsch DuoJet.
Maywood is a suburb of NYC and is about 12 miles away in northern New Jersey where I was brought up.
The picture is somewhat rare and I believe I am the only person to have the original although we have made copies for different magazine articles.
I was 15 years old when the picture was taken.
If you come to the USA and in Arizona where I now live, by all means look me up.
My telephone number is listed in the phone book.
Unfortunately though, I do not speak French.
Stay well mon ami.

Chuck
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Dear Chuck

Good Morning,

I' ve others question to ask to you on your fabulous career !

What was your first guitar ?

How long have you learnt to play the guitar ?

Have you met some singers of the 50's ? (known or unknown) (Have you met Rick Nelson to help him to play the song you have wrote ?)

It was a Bassist or a double Bassist (I don't know if it's the good word) in the Hillrockers ?

Vic Cenicola played also on a Gretsch ?

Do you continue to see the others members of Hillrockers ?

A question a little indiscreet : You know I play guitar and I would like to know if the Gretsch was expansive in the fifties ( A Gretsch Duo Jet cost 2.500 Euros Today ! )

I hope to not disturb you. (again !)

I hope to met you !!!

Your friend, fan, servant, correspondent, ...

Dorian CARNIEL
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Dorian; It’s nice to hear from you and I am glad to answer your questions.

My first guitar was a no name flat top that was given to me by my uncle, on which I began to take lessons.
After about a year or so my older brother bought me a Gibson flat top that was in need of refinishing.
I didn’t get my Gretsch, which was my third guitar until I was about 15 years old and had been playing and taking lessons for three years.
I began playing at age 12 and I will be 71 this year so I have been playing for 59 years.
I have had many guitars along the way: Guild, Gibson, Fender, Ibanez. Mostly solid body but a few hollow body too.
These days I play many different types of music and have different guitars for different types of gigs.
I never personally met Rick Nelson although I received correspondence from him on several occasions.
During the 50s and 60s I met and played shows with Frankie Lyman & The Teenagers, The Skyliners, Gene Pitney, Del Shannon, The Four Seasons,
Leslie Gore, Dion (and The Belmonts ), Les Paul and probably others who don’t readily come to mind.
The bass player in The HillRockers was Ronnie Penque who started with us on an upright but later switched to Fender bass, shortly after which,
in a moment of musical euphoria, proceeded to knock me in the head as he jumped around the stage as if a squirrel ran up his pants leg.
Vic Cenicola played a Gibson Les Paul solid body guitar.
He continues to play Gibson L5s but plays only jazz now.
I no longer see or keep in touch with any of the guys anymore as we all reside in different parts of the country.
I believe my Gretsch Duo Jet cost about $125 brand new in 1958 ( I think mine was a ‘57 ).
It seemed like a fortune at the time but my parents bought it for me.
Dorian, it is a pleasure to answer your questions and I encourage you to follow your passion for the guitar.
Stay well my young friend.

Regards, Chuck
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Dear Chuck,

How are you ? Fine I hope !

I have new question to ask !

I've found new pictures of you on a youtube movie. I think it's you who put this video on the web. Is it possible to learn more on these pictures ? Can you give me the year of the pictures ? Where was taking these pictures ? On the first picture it's your first guitar ? It's family pictures ?

I send you the link of the video. In the footage the first picture is at 1'06 and the second at 1'24.

I hope to not be indiscreet another time.

Thank you very well to spend your time to answer my questions.

Your Fan, Dorian



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pdhRFR-pt8&feature=plcp

P.s : What is the picture at 0'40 ? I know Tony Laino was a member of the hillrockers but that's all.
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Hi Dorian; It’s nice to hear from you again.
The YouTube video of Rock ‘n’ Roll No More is a series of photos from the old days up to today.
The very first photo of myself on stage with a string tie and my Gretsch was taken in 1956 when The HillRockers were performing in a Jr. High School.
At .40 is a business card for The HillRockers. We were a high school band and after graduation Tony Laino and I attended the same college so we put together another band and called ourselves The Gadabouts.
After college, Tony got married and stopped playing music.
At 1.06 that is myself and some friends in my Corvette.
I had a Martin flattop at the time along with a few other guitars.
The very next photo of the pretty girl behind the Corvette is Barbara, my wife. We’ve been married 47 years.
At 1.24 is a photo of myself with my Chevy convertible, which I had before I got the Corvette. I was in college at the time.
All of those pictures were taken between 1956 and 1963 except for the last one showing me playing a red Peal Strat copy.
I had an endorsement deal at the time and I was promoting their guitars.
I still play that guitar and will be doing a show this upcoming weekend with it.
Although they were inexpensive guitars, they were well made Korean products.
I also have a Peavey Tele, a Fender Tele and a Gibson Les Paul but I usually play the Peal on most of my gigs.
I hope that I have answered your questions but if you have any more, feel free to ask.
Stay well, mon ami.

Chuck
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Thank you so much !

But the last time you says the picture taking at the Maywood Junior High School was of 1957 !

My guitars are a Fender squier telecaster and an Ibanez.. My amplifier are a Fender Champion 600, an Harley Benton GA15 and a little Marshall. When I could, I will replace my telecaster with a Fender Esquire.

Your friend in France

Dorian
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Dorian; I’m relying on my memory but I know that I graduated from Maywood Jr. High School in 1957 so the picture was taken sometime between Sept. of 1956 and June of 1957.
You have some nice guitars. Those Asian guitars have become good quality guitars now that they are all made by CNC computer controlled machines.
It’s easy to change the pickups and tuners if there is a problem with them.

Your friend in the USA,

Chuck

Génial, une vraie mine de renseignements, un vrai plaisir, incroyable que tu aies fait cette démarche, il t'a répondu cela ne m'étonne pas les pionniers sont ravis et souvent très touchés qu'il y ait dans le monde des gens qui les connaissent et les apprécient. Merci pour ce partage Do, c'est super.

Avec plaisir,
je publierais tout autres messages venant de lui.
Sachez que j'ai aussi essayé de contacter Johnny Jay et Mel McGonnigle mais pour le premier l'adresse était fausse et pour le second je n'ai pas eu de réponse alors j'ai pas insisté, craignant de déranger.

Dodo t'es dingue

centdreen a écrit:

Dodo t'es dingue

J'organise une séance spiritisme la semaine pro pour rencontrer Eddie Cochran. Des volontaires ?

Trêve de plaisanterie ! Merci pour l'article Dodo. Du haut de tes 16ans, tu déboites ! Yeah !

Eddie est encore vivant !! Dans nos coeur !

Bravo pour cette sympathique interview, toujours intéressant de parler avec nos chers pionniers !

D'ailleurs c'est marrant, depuis quelques semaines, je pense faire une rubrique interview de ce qui reste des pionniers, des
groupes actuels etc. Les invités à venir répondre à nos question. Je pensais faire ça prochainement voir à la rentrée

Interview de pionniers survivors, cool de cool de cool, j'achète

C'est une bonne idée, d'ailleurs je viens à l'instant d'envoyer un mail à Johnny Powers, si il répond ça fera une interview en plus !

Dodo, T'as la foi. Un vrai rocker !

Dodo81 a écrit:

C'est une bonne idée, d'ailleurs je viens à l'instant d'envoyer un mail à Johnny Powers, si il répond ça fera une interview en plus !

john pavlick un vrai rocker, j'adore

BRAVO et Merci....

BeBopCreek a écrit:

Dodo, T'as la foi. Un vrai rocker !

+1 !!

Respect !!!