(l-r) Rod McBrien, Bob Musac, John Giametta and Benny Palmeri (bottom)
The Valrays (Long Island, N.Y.)
Personnel :
Rod McBrien
Benny Palmeri
Bob Musac
John Giametta
Discography:
1963 - Get Aboard / Pee Wee (Parkway 880)
1964 - Yo Me Pregunto / Tonky (Parkway 904)
1967 - I'm Walkin' Proud / It Hurts, Doesn't it Girl (United Artists 50145)
Biography :
John Giametta and Rod McBrien have been the best of friends for about many years, they were so close back in the early years of The Valrays, they joined the U. S. Coast Guard Reserves together under the "buddy plan." Some buddy plan! Rod went to boot camp two months before John did. But they did finish their tour of duty together because they were both in the Coast Guard Band.
Rod
McBrien (top), John Giametta and Bob
Musac
The Valrays released two singles for Parkway, the Beach
Boys-flavored "Get A Board" and "Yo Me Pregunto (I Ask Myself)". "Yo Me
Pregunto" made significant inroads into the charts. John Giametta had
been influenced by Spanish music while playing at The Copa. The decision
for Spanish lyrics was a result of that influence and Pete's
dissatisfaction with the sound of the English words. Their first two
singles as The Valrays on Cameo Parkway were written and produced by
John Linde and Pete Antell.
1967 - Rod Mcbrien, Phil Tano, Johnny Giametta, and Meco Menardo
Phil Giarratano (Lead singer of the Escorts on
Taurus) and Meco Menardo joined the group in 1967 after Palmeri and
Music left the group. For their next release on United Artists Records,
Rod McBrien and Johnny Giametta wrote "I'm Walkin' Proud" and "It Hurts,
Doesn't it Girl" and Produced it. After this, they formed Salt Water
Taffy. John and Rod also produced all releases by The Casualeers and
Salt Water Taffy together, as well as writing almost all of the songs
recorded.
Songs :
Get Aboard
Yo Me Pregunto Tonky
I'm Walkin' Proud It Hurts, Doesn't it Girl