The remake that never should have happened, of the notorious 45rpm that Phil Spector used to stick it to his recently-former business partner Lester Sill. As the story goes, instead of the juicy stack o cash Sill would get on the next Spector Wall Of Sound smash, Spector made....this. One of the rarest 45rpm records in existence. And I just had to remind people of it. Vocals by Lori Furth, Nancy McLemore, Arlyn Wolters. Chris Mezzolesta as Spector's attorney's intoning voice, virtual piano, snare drum, electronic drums & acoustic bass. We're sorry.

Bill Spectacle and the Mezzolettes - (Let's Dance) THE SCREW Part 2

The remake that never should have happened, of the notorious 45rpm that Phil Spector used to stick it to his recently-former business partner Lester Sill. As the story goes, instead of the juicy stack o cash Sill would get on the next Spector Wall Of Sound smash, Spector made....this. One of the rarest (and worst) 45rpm records in existence. And I just had to remind people of it. Vocals by Lori Furth, Nancy McLemore, Arlyn Wolters. Chris Mezzolesta as Spector's attorney's intoning voice, virtual piano, snare drum, electronic drums & acoustic bass. We're sorry.

Bill Spectacle and the Mezzolettes - (Let's Dance) THE SCREW Part 1

A set of promos for legendary hit music station WABC by Napoleon XIV (aka Jerry Samuels) based on his classic hit record "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!". No idea if this was ever actually aired at the time, as program director Rick Sklar caved to misplaced public outrage over the record and pulled it from rotation, precipitating the fastest fall from the Top 3 in the history of the charts. I think this was obtained from a WABC fan site, can't recall. Wonderful stuff.

Musicradio77.com

Napoleon XIV WABC Promos 1966

Recycled music. An experiment back from when building music from loops & doing dance remixes was all the rage - so I applied this formula to one of my favorite tunes...the Demented classic "Fish Heads". Working in Sony Acid Pro, using slices & dices from various Barnes & Barnes recordings, and giving it that hippity-hoppin' dancefloor feel (or not :-D ) Chris Mezzolesta - copyright infringement, synth & synth bass, too much time on hands. Get the original "Fish Heads" on Demented Punk Records, www.dementedpunk.com

Barnes & Barnes - Fish Heads (Power Salad Remix)

My solo rendition of the 'Felix Figueroa" classic heard in adapted form as the theme of the legendary Dr Demento Show for decades. I prepped this for live performance to open FuMPFeST in Chicago in August 2021 as we celebrated Dr Demento's 50 anniversary. Pic is of me and the Doctor at his 78.26rpm birthday party in Burbank in 2019. Nee Dr Demento Show every week at DrDemento.com!  Chris Mezzolesta - vocals, VSTs, acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, snare drum, percussion.

Pico And Sepulveda (Dr Demento Theme)

Recorded for the XTC fan tribute album King For A Day, 2001. Chris Mezzolesta - vocals, synth, grand piano, fretless bass, chair leg, chopsticks. John English - flugelhorn.

Chris Mezzolesta - The Last Balloon

From the upcoming CD "The FuMP Desecrates Tom Lehrer", www.TheFuMP.com
Arranged, performed & ruined by Chris Mezzolesta.

Power Salad - Lobachevsky

Recorded live at The University of Akron School of Music, 1990. Composed by Michel Camilo, arranged by Chris Mezzolesta. Tropical Winds: Shelly Irvine, Ron Kerns, Chris Hanning, Rich Flores, Chris Mezzolesta, with special guest Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, considered the world's greatest steelpan soloist.

Tropical Winds - Just Kiddin' (feat. Len "Boogsie" Sharpe)

A compilation CD of recordings by the University of Akron (Ohio) Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Roland Paolucci, to commemorate his retirement from the School of Music in 2000. Original recordings from 1978-1986 and new recordings from 1999.  1-2 from the LP "Jazz at the University of Akron", 3-4 from the LP "Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival", 5-6 from the LP "Now!", 7-10 from the LP "Tune Up", 11-12 recorded at Guzzetta Hall, December 1999. Produced by Chris Mezzolesta & Roland Paolucci. Digital LP transfers/editing & 1999 recordings by Chris Mezzolesta.

Tune Up (Miles Davis, arr. Roland Paolucci)

LowDown/Moose The Mooche (Thad Jones; Charlie Parker)

Sign Off (Bill Dobbins)

This is, as far as I have been able to determine, a real announcer audition for a local non-commercial radio station back in the 70s or 80s. Just a community member in off the street, back before public radio was corporatized & commercialized. This gentleman is in over his head before he opens his mouth, and the results are hilarious. I've never heard or seen mention of this anywhere else, like it might be a buried National Lampoon sketch or something, but by all accounts it appears real. For radio people, voiceover talent, and musicians alike, this is friggin' hilarious.

Inept Classical Radio Announcer Audition

One of the final tracks recorded by Akron/Kent experimental band Ice Cream Blisters, consisting of Mike Crooker & Chris Mezzolesta. The group received plenty of college FM airplay on adventurous stations around the world and was a part of the cassette underground. As sounds moved toward industrial rock & dance, ICB dipped a toe in, rerecording a song written by Mike a few years earlier & originally released on their third cassette When Nature Fails, Art Steps In (available on YouTube). This is the same song with updated equipment and better sound & performance, which is only natural after a few years. Previously unreleased. Mike Crooker - guitars, Chris Mezzolesta - vocals, synthesizer, drum programming.

Ice Cream Blisters - Drive It Down

Composed for an upcoming audiodrama mystery podcast serial, "Harmony Laine". Composed & performed by Chris Mezzolesta (Halion 6, Burns B-3 Theremin, orchestral bells).

Chris Mezzolesta - Harmony Laine MAIN THEME

Long-thought-lost original demo version of Zot Theater's parody hit "Mayberry Beret" (credited in the original Zot Theater episode as being by "Quince and the Zotolution")which was played on The Dr Demento Show in the summer of 1985. This was the original recording which used an "OOPS'd" copy of the Prince record with new vocals overdubbed, the Doctor requested that I do a re-recording so I did, playing all the instruments, that new version is the one commonly remembered, but THIS is the original, and to my knowledge this aircheck from Akron's hit music station WKDD is the only surviving copy.

Zot Theater Mayberry Beret Version 1 On WKDD-FM Akron June 1985

Professional voice actor and comedy musician. Half of comedy band Power Salad, played on The Dr Demento Show. We even have vinyl out!

ChrisMezzolesta

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