Appendx Three - Reader's Comments

Appendix Three - Comments and Critiques 

For those who are following this story, I have renamed it "Waiting on the Angles - the Long Cool Summer of '65 Revisited" and posted it with revisions and additions in order at: 

http://waitingontheangels.blogspot.com/

Comments: Bob Brock said... B4 you all came along about 1958/9 Tito came from Waterloo Iowa with his band the Upsetters….He left that group somewhere 1959/60 and took on a band called the Cyclones from Mass. booked by the Circle Artists Agency N.Y., a mutli faceted group consisting on Brian Souza on B3/Lead Guitar, Frank Perry on Bass Guitar, Bob Brock TenorSax/Lead Guitar and Paul Nunes Drums. The band traveled the road circuit doing club dates, amusement parks and the likes across the country. If you knew Tito then you know what I am saying he was a crazy ahead of our times pre Beatles and Hippies. With HIS long hair he did look like Jesus! He would use his hair to crash on the drummers cymbals in some of his antics, not much of a singer he did play keyboard and trumpet sometimes, but he did have a showman style that people came to see. For all I know I might be the last survivor of our band lost track over 40 years ago. Martin Palmer: My God I remember the day Tito dressed as Jesus and told everybody he would walk on water this certain day behind Bay Shores where there was many was a long walkway over pilings but at high tide it was covered by water so Tito proceeds 2 the back behind Bay Shores dressed as Jesus on the high tide followed by a few hundred fans watching this event and walks on this walkway covered by water. His fans went crazy! Screaming and clapping for what seemed like hours but really five or ten minutes. Tito walked to the end and back giving the fasod he truly was walking on water. My band also played all those Jersey Shore clubs - Bay Shores, Dunes ‘Till Dawn, Tony Marts, Gables in Margate, the Old Tavern, many clubs in AC. Oh the good old days! Johnny Caswell I worked opposite at Bay Shores. He was the headliner there for many years as was Ray Sharp and the Soul Set and many others I played with. I remember Tito Mambo at Bay Shores on the weekends before the season even started in 1965. We worked at the College Grill and were asked to come down on the weekends before Memorial Day. Seems to me Tito was playing that early in the season. You could hear the music way out in the parking lot and over the bay. Very crazy guy. And what a way to start the summer.....  Linda said...  I saw Tito Mambo at the Venus De Milo when I was 16 in 1964. He did that skit with the guy in the coffin. If my memory is correct he and 'Do the Bird'. I worked with Tito in Boston in 1966. I was his B3 player. Never a dull moment with Tito. The band was called "Tito Mambo and the Voodoo Men". At one time he suggested to me that he wanted to call the band "Mambo's Muffins". Ron Santosucci    Ron Santosucci said...  I have been told that Tito died in Florida some years ago. As nutty as he was, I miss him, although Tito could be "set off" like a firecracker, I always got along with him, and saw myself as " the peacemaker" between him and the other band members. Ron Santosucci  While Tito Mambo was a little before my time, he was described as one of the most eccentric performers to ever play the Point by everyone who saw him. The legendary Vince Rennich, former Bay Shores bartender, said that Tito Mambo was one of the first hippies and actually before his time, dressed with long hair and looked like Jesus Christ. He even did a Jesus Chris act by trying to walk on water once, and also was carried into the bar in a coffin and rose from the dead.  At the end of one summer he bought, at discount, one of the convertibles used to ride Miss Americas down the Atlantic City Boardwalk Saul Selitetring:  I love reading these posts on the Somers Point Clubs. I was the sax player for Tito Mambo & the Messiahs of Soul. We worked in the mid 60's at both Bayshores & the Dunes. As with the other posters here, I remember those times as some of the best. Great life for a young guy. Played every night/after hours/wknd afternoon sessions. Weight trained with bouncer Guy Borelli from Bay Shores, slept on the beach, ate lunch at the College Grill, & worked. Our band consisted of Tito/Vocals, BJ Stone/B3, Dick Sequino/Guitar, Paul Nunes/Drums, & Diz Lee & Saul Shocket/Tenor Saxes. This group was loaded with talent & it was an honor to work with them, especially Diz.  Saul Selitetrng If anyone out there remembers any of these names, please feel free to email me @ saulselitetrng@aol.com  Buy Saul's Book "You're Saul? I Thought You'd Be Bigger" via Amazon (Outskirts Press, April 2015) Saul Sackett here. Tito lives! Well, not actually, but it does seem his legend lives on. Tito's real name, as I remember him telling me, is Tito Mambo DeLaCruz. He was originally from Cuba. I've looked but have been unable to find an obit. Somewhere there must be info on his death. I've recently published a book that details some really crazy Tit stuff from my experiences with the band as we travelled around the East Coast, spending the Summer of "65" at Bayshores and the Dunes. Lynch Mobs, marriages to women in each town we travelled, Hells Angels, Fired and on the street because of Tito's arrest, NJ State Troopers and more...The last time I saw Tito was years later as a contestant on Chuck Barris's GONG SHOW. He still owed me money from Sept 1965-Wildwood, when he was arrested, withdrew the band's weeks pay, then jumped bail and disappeared. I, along with others writing to this site, would not change anything about my experiences with Tito (Athesus) and the Messiahs of Soul. The money that he owed us, well, I wrote that off as my "tuition" money. If you're interested, I have a great photo of Tito & the Messiahs of Soul, circa 1965. I'd also be willing to send Ken said...  I remember Tito at the pic 1965 when he sang the novelty song "Malasadas." I've tried to find someone who remembers that song without luck thus far. Do any of you remember that song?  Jim Glover writes: It’stough hard work gigin' in bars on the Road. When they started backing Dylan they became stars. My old friend, Phyllis Schwartz, sent me Levon Helm's book, Wheels on Fire, which tells about how tough it is to stay on top. I am glad I am too old for the life on the road in smoky bars, just an old softy now. Jim Dwyer: Billy, Don't you remember that there was a false rumor that Tito stabbed me. He& I were great friends but he was crazy as a loon. KeepSmiling. Peace Out, Jim Dwyer aka The 100% IrishRagnCajun. Billy Hancock said. I worked with Tito Mambo as early as 1964. He fronted a club called Tito Safari in Newport, RI. Can’t remember all of the band member’s names. I played bass and did a small amount of vocals. Mike was on guitar, a fellow by the name of Mark on Hammond organ, Ronnie on tenor sax and I believe the drummers name was Ray. At that time he called the band Tito Mambo and The Disciples. Tito was a wild and crazy guy alright. One night I was on stage with him when he clubbed a sailor over the head with an electro voice microphone. He really opened up the top of the guys head. He used to line beer bottles on the wall of the rooming house where I stayed and blast them off of my dresser with his pistol. When he wanted to, he could be very entertaining. Does anybody out there know what actually happened to Tito? I lost track of him when I left the band. Billy Hancock  Fairhaven Pete said...  This is crazy ! Just thought I'd look up this guys name on Google and here I am. Lived in the Fairhaven--New Bedford, MA area all my life and I remember this guy. It was around 1963-4, I can't remember, but I and four underaged girls (including myself) snuck in a place called the Piccadilly Lounge on Union street in New Bedford. I will never forget this guy, Long, long hair and a huge comb he had in his back pocket. These girls I was with went crazy. When we walked in the place, there was no door man or bouncer, it was just solid smoke, cigarette smoke, you could hardly see in front of you. We walked to the back where we found an empty booth and got some beers. We listened to this new kind of music, and watched this crazy guy perform. He was really ahead of his time. I also worked at a place called Fairhaven Mills, in the paint and wallpaper department, my High School job, with a real nice woman who told me she was his mother. My God, 50 years ago. I wish I……