Curtom Mystery Group ??

[The Yank]

    A friend of mine recently found these pics- He said he couldn't find anything on the group, I drew a complete blank .

    Does anyone know anything about them? 

[Robbk]

The name "Demolition" rings a bell in my cloudy memory.  I'm sure I've seen it before.  When I picture in my mind's eye, a Curtom 45 with the group name, "Demolition" on it, it seems to look like something I've seen.  I probably saw that 45 and just didn't bother to buy it, because it was a '70s record with a too modern sounding group name to be something I might like, and the songs were probably not written by a writer I liked.  In any case, they were a semi-Disco group.  So, I wouldn't have liked their material.

There is no Curtom record by them on 45 Cat.  But I'm pretty sure I saw a 1977 or 1978 45 by them.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Robbk

[The Yank]

I tried discogs, Billboard, Cashbox and Record World and couldn't find anything on the group.

   Thanks for doing the research ! 

 

 

[Billy Jo Jim Bob]

I wonder if the band name was connected to 'Disco Demolition Night' at Comiskey Park in Chicago where a local 'shock jock' radio DJ destroyed thousands of disco records. However it was widely seen as a racist gesture by the black community. Chicago is the connection it seems.

Maybe some short lived protest band which never took off ? It seems strange they have a Curtom promo photograph but no release.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/lets-blow-up-this-black-music-the-ugliness-and-unrest-of-1979-s-disco-demolition-night-212310331.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHmOOgyKfr0m4GAZmtVMIho3N2QeGzCtDiXxHQrsLLAzhk3OjRO3RCmAwYutvCyiLxF0XgsECOnlthFRGcUrM23cCMHQkbdUZLheKdGr0nIXjtwOZoJHfqj8qNNjK5qYOuq24QgDd4Nj-NaNPzp1Jyj2ao2X2-9plPRzUlYA0fS9

 

[The Yank]

    I would almost swear the pictures were from the early 70's just going by the clothing of the band members. 

    There wasn't much black participation in Steve Dahl's Disco demolition so I doubt if there is any connection  between the group and the event.

          But... I do appreciate all the research you did - THANKS ! ! 

  Update- As I was handing back the pics to my friend, he said "I never noticed this- this picture is autographed" At the bottom right of the picture of the guitarist, it reads "Stephen Stone '73". 

Edited December 16, 2021 by The Yank

[Robbk]

1973-5 seems about right.  And there were missing numbers in 45 Cat's Curtom discography around then.  Maybe The Demolition 45 I remember is one of those missing numbers.  For example, 2004 from October, 1974 is missing (only number since 1971 missing.  May be THAT was The Demolition issue I saw?

[The Yank]

45 minutes ago, Robbk said:

  For example, 2004 from October, 1974 is missing (only number since 1971 missing.  May be THAT was The Demolition issue I saw?

  I doubt if it 2004 since that is "Three The Hard Way" by Travelin Soul. But , I believe Curtom 1977 is missing - maybe that is the Demolition 45 ? 

 

[Alan T]

14 hours ago, The Yank said:

   

 Update- As I was handing back the pics to my friend, he said "I never noticed this- this picture is autographed" At the bottom right of the picture of the guitarist, it reads "Stephen Stone '73". 

He could be the photographer who took the pictures. There's a photographer who did the pics on this album from the same year.

https://www.discogs.com/master/584780-Bodacious-DF-Bodacious-DF

[Kenb]

could they have been Curtis Mayfield's band? He did have one at that time for concerts and such.

[Billy Jo Jim Bob]

21 hours ago, The Yank said:

    I would almost swear the pictures were from the early 70's just going by the clothing of the band members. 

    There wasn't much black participation in Steve Dahl's Disco demolition so I doubt if there is any connection  between the group and the event.

          But... I do appreciate all the research you did - THANKS ! ! 

  Update- As I was handing back the pics to my friend, he said "I never noticed this- this picture is autographed" At the bottom right of the picture of the guitarist, it reads "Stephen Stone '73". 

You misunderstand I think. I meant the band name was a reaction to the event called 'Disco Demolition Night'. The event was in Chicago and Curtom is out of Chicago, hence the Chicago connection. Of course the black community didn't participate as they saw it as a racist gesture although Steve Dahl went out of his way to say not and that it was a stunt that had been misinterpreted. I think he was a rock DJ and was having a pop at the Disco scene. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Billy Jo Jim Bob

[Billy Jo Jim Bob]

45 minutes ago, Kenb said:

could they have been Curtis Mayfield's band? He did have one at that time for concerts and such.

Could be a shout. I assume like most labels with a large (ish) output there would have been studio musicians or an in house band.

[Chalky]

I will ask on the Chicago Soul FB Group, they might know something.

[The Yank]

5 hours ago, Billy Jo Jim Bob said:

You misunderstand I think. I meant the band name was a reaction to the event called 'Disco Demolition Night'. The event was in Chicago and Curtom is out of Chicago, hence the Chicago connection. 

 I think that is an interesting theory but I don't know why a group would name itself after an event that occurred five + years in the future. The clothing is definitely early 70's and the autographed photo is dated " '73" so I'm not sure how that would work. But, thanks for your interest in the topic. 

6 hours ago, Kenb said:

could they have been Curtis Mayfield's band? He did have one at that time for concerts and such.

          I checked 2 of Curtis's live albums from that era  ("Curtis Live" and "Curtis In Chicago- Recorded Live") and the band doesn't appear to be the same one. 

1 hour ago, Chalky said:

I will ask on the Chicago Soul FB Group, they might know something.

         Thanks Chalky - much appreciated !!