RASPBERRIES: MUSIC MEN
Spero Spotlight
 
Raspberries' million-selling hit single—"Go All the Way"—is a perfect description of the popular group's new Capitol album Side 3. The new LP—which should be in record stores next week—was previewed by David Spero on WMMS-FM. Eric Carmen and Wally Bryson—half of Raspberries—were at MMS while the album was being played. I also sat in on this special session through an invitation by Mike Manocchio, district promotion manager of Capital's Cleveland-Pittsburgh marketing area.
 
"We felt the constant description of Raspberries as a 'singles group' was misleading," said Carmen. "We have three completely different writers in the band, do all original material and feel we are definitely an album group. We are extremely grateful over the success of our first two albums, but we don't think either one captured our true sound. The new album is what we're all about. The studio won the first two battles, but Raspberries came out on top on Side 3."
 
Spero agreed with Carmen and said that MMS could suitably program any one of the nine cuts on the new album. "I wanted Eric and Wally on my show because I don't think I was being fair to Raspberries," said Spero. "I unconsciously wrote them off as an AM sound, and never even considered playing their music on MMS.
 
"Then I heard their current hit, 'Tonight', and this prompted me into listening to the rest of the cuts on Side 3. I was impressed by the progressive sound of the LP, and I plan to play all of the tracks."
 
Carmen said the group was excited about headlining a Music Hall concert with Johnny Nash and Rainbow next Friday night at 7:30. "It's been 18 months since we performed in Cleveland, and It's always a special thrill to play before the home crowd. When our current tour was being put together, we all insisted that Cleveland be included. After all this is where we all got our start, and the Cleveland fans have continued to be the most loyal."
 
Manocchio, who has been instrumental in sprouting Raspberries out of its own backyard said that this area has continually purchased more of the group's records than any other marketing area in the world. "All five of the group's hit singles started here," said Manocchio.
 
"Of the 1.3 million copies sold on 'Go All the Way', more than 90,000 were purchased in this district."
 
Following this tour—which includes headlining a Carnegie Hall date with Stories Sept. 26—Raspberries will do a Los Angeles Forum concert with Three Dog Night. "Three Dog also invited us to tour with them in Japan," said Carmen.
 
On the strength of their recording and concert triumphs, Raspberries has been featured on several national television shows. "We were on Flip Side, American Bandstand and Midnight Special," said Carmen. "But our best TV shot will be NBC's new Go show Saturday afternoon, Sept. 22 (12:30, Ch. 3). It shows how we recorded our new album, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at all the work that is involved in making a record," Don Imus, former WGAR morning man now with WNBC in New York, will be host and narrator of that show. Carmen said Raspberries also will be featured in a Thanksgiving television special with actor Bill Bixby.
 
Carmen admitted to still getting a kick from hearing the group on the car radio. "We're a car-radio group," he laughed. Getting serious he said that the group has been able to duplicate its recording sound on stage by adding two mellotron players. "No one in Cleveland has seen our new stage act, so we're anxious to show it before a full house in Music Hall next Friday," Carmen said. "Fans here have gone this far with us, they might as well 'Go All the Way'," he laughed again.

Cleveland Press / September 7, 1975