NEWS UPDATE : September 2022
September 25
:
New release from SMASHED GLADYS featuring 4 songs from the Gene
Simmons‘ sessions
 From
:
cgcmrockradio.com
Out on 7th October through Golden Robot Records will be RAW by
Smashed Gladys.
The Raw album is a collection of some of the works that were
initially the demos for a never released third record. Those songs
have been recently mixed by the band’s first producer, Mark Dearnley-whose
credits include a wide range from AC/DC to Paul McCartney – and John
Catto – the guitarist from Toronto’s infamous punk/power pop band,
The Diodes. The album rounds out with an additional 4 songs from the
Gene Simmons‘ sessions.
ABOUT SMASHED GLADYS
Born from the members of the vibrant Toronto punk scene, Smashed
Gladys helped to craft a legendary period of New York City rock.
Lead singer Sally Cato started as a singer in the art rock band The Concordes, while guitarist Bart Lewis did a brief stint with
Canada’s most dangerous band, The Viletones, before departing for
NYC. Soon after relocating to Gotham, Sally & Bart met songwriter
Tommy Boyce, who (along with his partner Mickey Hart) had coined
most of The Monkees‘ songs.
Under Boyce’s guidance, the group began rehearsing at a well-known
studio in midtown Manhattan. SG started playing venues in and around
the NYC area, during which time they met Gene Simmons, who offered
them a production/management deal. The band’s original 4 members:
Sally Cato (vocals), Bart Lewis (guitar), Matt Stellutto (drums) and
Ken Fox (bass) from Toronto’s Raving Mojo’s, Jason and the Scorchers
and The Fleshtones, along with the addition of Hilly Michaels,
drummer from the Ian Hunter band – went into the studio and recorded
close to an album’s worth of material
produced by Gene Simmons.
Four of the songs from those sessions are being released now, for
the first time ever. Simmons captured the personality and raw
grittiness of the band perfectly, and by the end of 1984, SG were in
the UK recording their first album,
Smashed
Gladys, with Mark Dearnley at the producer helm. Smashed Gladys returned to the states
and began touring and doing opening slots with The Dead Boys, Van
Zant, Nazareth, Ace Frehley, Cheap Trick, Poison, Rick Derringer,
Blue Oyster Cult, Crocus and others. It was during this feverish
period that they established the infamous Wednesday night series at
The Cat Club.
Smashed Gladys caught the attention of Elektra Records A&R rep
Micheal Alago. In 1986 they were signed by Elektra VP, Howard
Thompson. The band played a signing gig to a packed house at one of
the first venues they played in NYC – CBGB’s. Elektra picked up the
rights to the first record and then sent the band into the studio to
work on their next record, Social Intercourse, recorded in NYC with
Rick Browdie and in L.A with Michael Wagner doing additional
tracking and mixing.
Smashed Gladys was making demos for their third record when they
received offers from producers John Paul Jones and Mick Ronson. They
went with Mick Ronson and began pre-production, but Ronson fell ill.
The Band was then picked up by Teddy Slatus, Johnny Winter’s manager
and label.
Tragically, Smashed Gladys' third bass player, Mark Sliker, then
died from a drug overdose. Following the trials and tribulations,
Sally left the music business and returned to being a graphic
artist. On May 19, 2020, Sally Cato passed away. |
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