For the UK garage/techno band called The Artful Dodger, please see The Artful Dodger (UK band)

The Artful Dodger (UK band)

Artful Dodger is a British R&B and UK garage band from the city of Southampton, which became famous through its 2-Step hits, and gave Craig David's career a boost after he appeared on their #2 hit, "Re-Rewind", in December 1999....

.

Artful Dodger (formed in 1973 in Fairfax, Virginia) are an American power pop

Power pop

Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...

 rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 band, noted for their tight rock compositions, deft lyricism, vocal harmonies, and live shows. The group was heavily influenced by The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

, Faces

Faces (band)

Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of the Small Faces after Steve Marriott left that group to form Humble Pie...

, and The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...

 and drew frequent comparisons to Raspberries

Raspberries (band)

Raspberries is an American power pop/pop rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their crisp pop sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." The members were known for their...

. Artful Dodger's studio releases received high critical praise, but the band was unable to penetrate the charts.

Band history

This section taken (modified) from the Randy's Rodeo website.

Originally called Brat, Artful Dodger was formed in 1973 in Fairfax, Virginia

Fairfax, Virginia

The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....

, out of the remains of two local bands, Homestead and Badge. Creatively, the key members were Gary Herrewig (guitar) and Billy Paliselli (vocals), who wrote most of the songs as a team, and Gary Cox (guitar and vocals), who also wrote songs (usually by himself). Steve Cooper (bass) and Steve Brigida (drums) formed the rhythm section. Brigida was an ideal foil for the band's songs, combining the steady time-keeping of Charlie Watts with the flash of Keith Moon. The group's first release was a self-produced single, "Not Quite Right", which never made it onto an LP, with "Long Time Away" as the B-side. "Long Time Away" was re-recorded for their first album with an increased tempo and more pop feeling. Armed with a demo tape, Gary Cox traveled to New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 in search of a record deal and received an offer from the Leber-Krebs management firm, whose biggest act was Aerosmith

Aerosmith

Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...

. They were signed to Columbia Records

Columbia Records

Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...

 and paired with Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas

Jack Douglas

Jack Douglas may refer to:* Jack Douglas , British actor and comedian* Jack Douglas , American record producer* Jack Douglas , American comedy writer...

. After being forced to choose a new name (another Brat had prior claim), Artful Dodger released their self-titled debut album in September 1975.

Produced with a refreshing lack of clutter by Jack Douglas

Jack Douglas (record producer)

Jack Douglas is an American record producer. He was born in New York City. Starting out as folk musician and performer, he worked on Robert Kennedy's senatorial campaign as a song-writer. Douglas then moved to England and joined a succession of bands before returning to New York to attend the...

 (Aerosmith, Alice Cooper), Artful Dodger was a near-masterpiece that combined the best aspects of hard rock and Beatles-derived pop. "Wayside" has become the acknowledged classic, but the rest of the album, particularly the explosive "Think Think" and Cox's ballad, "Silver and Gold," is outstanding. Reportedly, the label's choice of the latter song as the album's lead single (not to mention a stunning lack of sales) was the beginning of a rift between Cox and the rest of the band. This didn't seem to make much of a difference, however, on the next album, Honor Among Thieves, which expanded upon the band's mastery of classic pop with a harder edge and more accomplished performances. Co-produced by Douglas and Eddie Leonetti, the album featured the power ballad "Scream" as the single.

Once again, however, the record failed to sell. The press was supportive and the band toured relentlessly, but to no avail. They even did a stint during the summer of 1976 opening for KISS

KISS (band)

Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...

. By the release of Babes On Broadway (1977), the strain of the band's experiences in the star-making machinery (including writing and recording three albums in three years) began to show. Produced exclusively by Eddie Leonetti, critical accolades on Babes On Broadway were fewer, with "Can't Stop Pretending" standing out as the pick-to-click. It didn't, of course (click, that is), and Artful Dodger found themselves back on the street sans management, record deal, and founding member Gary Cox.

Happily, the band regrouped with piano/guitar whiz Peter Bonta (previously with The Nighthawks

The Nighthawks

The Nighthawks are an American blues and roots music band, based in Washington, D.C. The Nighthawks currently are Mark Wenner , Paul Bell , Johnny Castle , and Mark Stutso...

 and Rosslyn Mountain Boys

Rosslyn Mountain Boys

Rosslyn Mountain Boys was a band that backed up a number of nationally-known singers, and released two albums of their own.Joe Tripplet was a member of the Washington D.C. counterculture band Claude Jones with Happy Acosta and Jay Sprague. Joe and Happy began performing as an acoustic duo calling...

) filling in for guitarist Cox, and they signed to Ariola Records in 1980. The intervening three years had been eventful ones for rock music - punk happened, and power pop coalesced into an identifiable, coherent sound. On their first and only Ariola release (and their last overall), Artful Dodger is perhaps guilty of a self-conscious attempt to jump on the very bandwagon they helped create. The redeeming factor is, they succeeded magnificently.

Artful Dodger's Rave On is an unqualified (if unheralded) power pop classic, contrasting starkly with Babes On Broadway in that highlights are difficult to pick among a record so consistently fine. Certainly, however, "She's Just My Baby" warrants mention as an absolutely perfect pop single; Rave On, in fact, stands toe-to-toe with albums as great (and famous) as Raspberries

Raspberries (band)

Raspberries is an American power pop/pop rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their crisp pop sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." The members were known for their...

' Fresh and Badfinger

Badfinger

Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...

's Straight Up. Artful Dodger plays as if they had something to prove (they didn't) and as if their life depended on it (it did), and their energy fairly leaps from the grooves. Everything, including continued praises from the critics, seemed to point towards success at long last, but it was not to be. In a marketplace cluttered with skinny-tied popsters (and poseurs), Artful Dodger had become just one more band for the industry to toss against the wall of public taste, hoping they'd stick.

Billy Paliselli, whose raspy, impassioned vocals and pretty boy looks were key to the band's appeal, left to spend more time with his family (he eventually opened a motorcycle shop in Amissville, VA) and in 1982, a dispirited Artful Dodger broke up. The rhythm section of Steve Cooper and Steve Brigida partnered with Washington DC guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Jeff Smith and continue to record and play live with Smith as the Band of Steves. Peter Bonta opened his own recording studio, Wally Cleaver's, located in northern Virginia. He produced, engineered and played on solo projects for Gary Herrewig (the unreleased Four Gone Conclusions), Billy Paliselli and Gary Cox (a set of country demos shopped unsuccessfully to Nashville). Bonta also found steady work recording and touring with Mary Chapin Carpenter.

In 1991, Artful Dodger played two reunion shows in Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...

 (where they still get airplay) for the Cleveland Agora

Agora Theatre and Ballroom

The Agora Theatre and Ballroom is a concert club located in Cleveland, Ohio. The Agora name was previously used by two other Cleveland venues in succession, the latter of which was destroyed by fire in 1984...

's 25th anniversary and appeared at the Legends of Rock Reunion '91 event held in Parkman, Ohio, but the reunion didn't take. Sony briefly issued Honor Among Thieves on CD in the early 1990s, and the first two LPs were both reissued on CD by Pendulum Entertainment Group in 1997. In 2008, American Beat Records re-issued Honor Among Thieves and is currently pursuing the re-issue rights to Artful Dodger and Babes on Broadway (never available on CD).

Due in large part to a resurgence of fan interest on the internet, Artful Dodger reunited once again to kick off a year-long series of "flashback" concerts to celebrate the Cleveland Agora's 40th anniversary. This reunion show occurred on December 31, 2005. The band returned to the Agora for a show on April 1, 2006 and played at the annual Taste of Cleveland event on September 2, 2006. The band last performed on May 3, 2008, once again at the Cleveland Agora.

The band continues to practice together and interacts with fans on the internet. Their recent performance at the Cleveland Agora on November 21, 2009 was recorded live to multitrack by Lava Room Recording. Release plans for this live recording are unknown at this time.

Band Lineup

(Alphabetical)

• Peter Bonta - Keyboards, Guitars (1979–1982, 1991, 2005–present)
• Steve Brigida - Percussion (1973–1982, 1991, 2005–present)
• Steve Cooper - Bass (1973–1982, 1991, 2005–present)
• Gary Cox - Lead/Rhythm Guitars (1973–1980, 1991, 2005–present)
• Gary Herrewig - Lead/Rhythm Guitars (1973–1982, 1991, 2005–present)
• Billy Paliselli - Lead Vocals, Harmonica (1973–1982, 1991, 2005–present)

Albums

Artful Dodger

• Released: September 1975
• Label: Columbia Records
  Columbia Records
  Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
  
   PC 33811

1. Wayside (Gary Herrewig, Billy Paliselli) – 4:26
2. You Know It's Alright (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:34
3. It's Over (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 4:06
4. Follow Me (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:44
5. Long Time Away (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 2:38
6. Think Think (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 2:56
7. Silver and Gold (Gary Cox) – 3:23
8. Things I'd Like to Do Again (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 4:51
9. Waiting Place (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 4:34
10. New York City (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:05

Honor Among Thieves

• Released: August 1976
• Label: Columbia Records PC 34273

1. Honor Among Thieves (Gary Herrewig, Billy Paliselli) – 4:14
2. Not Enough (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 4:00
3. Scream (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 5:42
4. Keep A-Knockin' (Perry Bradford
   Perry Bradford
   Perry Bradford was an African American composer, songwriter, and vaudeville performer....
   
   ) – 4:20
5. Keep Me Happy (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:42
6. Remember (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:27
7. Dandelion (Gary Cox) – 4:16
8. Hey Boys (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 2:56
9. Good Fun (Cox) – 4:15

Babes on Broadway

• Released: October 1977
• Label: Columbia Records PC 34846

1. Can't Stop Pretending (Gary Cox) – 3:51
2. Alright (Gary Herrewig, Billy Paliselli) – 3:36
3. Who in the World (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 4:45
4. Wave Bye Bye (Cox) – 3:27
5. All I Need (Cox, Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:03
6. Babes on Broadway (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:18
7. Mistake (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 4:08
8. Loretta (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:40
9. Idi Amin Stomp (Cox, Steve Brigida, Steve Cooper) – 2:57
10. C'mon Everybody (Eddie Cochran
    Eddie Cochran
    Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
    
    , Jerry Capehart
    Jerry Capehart
    Jerry Capehart was a songwriter and music manager. Capehart co-wrote the famous rock 'n' roll songs "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody" with Eddie Cochran, whom he also managed. He died in Nashville, Tennessee....
    
    ) – 2:56

Rave On

• Released: July 1980
• Label: Ariola America Records OL 1503

1. She's Just My Baby (Gary Herrewig, Billy Paliselli) – 2:42
2. It's a Lie (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:46
3. So Afraid (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 4:47
4. Get in Line (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 2:42
5. Now or Never Mind (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:37
6. Come Close to Me (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:42
7. I Don't Wanna See Her (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:15
8. Forever (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 5:05
9. A Girl (La La La) (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:42
10. Gone Again (Herrewig, Paliselli) – 3:59

Singles

• 1975: "Silver and Gold"
• 1975: "Think Think"
• 1976: "Scream"
• 1977: "Can't Stop Pretending"
• 1980: "She's Just My Baby"
• 1980: "A Girl (La La La)"

External links

• The Artful Dodger Fan Site
• Yahoo! Groups Artful Dodger Site
• VH1 Band Page (Please note: There is some confusion here with The Artful Dodger (UK band)
  The Artful Dodger (UK band)
  Artful Dodger is a British R&B and UK garage band from the city of Southampton, which became famous through its 2-Step hits, and gave Craig David's career a boost after he appeared on their #2 hit, "Re-Rewind", in December 1999....
  
  )
• Randy's Rodeo & Randy's Rodeo Artful Dodger page
• Cleveland Agora flashback concert article
• [ Allmusic entry]
• Poplopedia mention