WHEN WaxWAS HOT Four decades ago, a Penn-dominated rock band was poised to take the pop-music world by storm. What happened? By Geoff Ginsberg 58 SEPT | OCT 2010 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE Illustration by Sparrow v. Swallow ber” from inception to resurrection. He It’s early 1970 in Old City, booked the band on campus, traveled From deep in the recesses with them off campus, did the bulk of Philadelphia. of a wholesale clothing store, their publicity, and was their No. 1 fan. a soulful, pulsating beat, topped off with a thick layer of slide guitar, “There were all kinds of people com- drifts out to the street. In a small corner of the back room, five ing in and out, and wild parties going young musicians are locking in on a song that, truth be told, is on all the time,” recalls Holland. At one point, the non-stop partying prompted practically writing itself. Though they’re still getting to know each one of the roommates to move out, other, their unique chemistry has been apparent since the moment whereupon David Kagan C’70, who had they turned on the amps and played the first guitar riff. been the lead singer for Mrs. Wigg’s The band consists of a chain-smoking singer with a voice like Cabbage Patch, moved in. Kagan, who honey; a driven, chick-magnet lead guitarist; a brilliant keyboard went by Cohen in those days, was a lit- player with 20/20 musical vision; a fun-loving drummer with an tle older and a tad more intellectual uncanny sense of what sounds good and what doesn’t; and a laid- than his new bandmates, versed in lit- back but musically adventurous bass player. The first four are erature and classical music. He also Penn students, decked out in the era’s ponytails, cascading curls, upped the ante on the debauchery. “When David moved in the parties suede boots, wide-brimmed hats, beads, and bell bottoms. The fifth, got even wilder,” says Levy, an asser- with his short hair, button-down shirt, and khakis, looks like he tion that no one challenges. just stepped out of Happy Days. One day several members of the band Although the band has only recently been formed, the musical got arrested a few doors down for “cross- connection is deep—magical, even. At this point, their audience ing the street and looking like a bunch of consists only of mice and cockroaches, but to a man, they know freaks,” in Holland’s words. The Rizzo- that this has the potential to be something big. And they’re right: era cops rounded them up, tossed them Soon they will be playing the best venues in town and recording in in the back of a paddy wagon, and hauled world-class studios with top engineers. them off to the South Philly police sta- tion. “Levy and Kagan were nervous, but And then they will disappear. I was terrified,” says Holland. “As usual, Beau was as cool as a cucumber.” When arely in the music business has fall of ’67, they disbanded when Jones Holland finally got back to Rodman a flame burned hotter and then was drafted into the Army and sta- Street, he opened the door and saw that been so thoroughly extinguished tioned at a (supposedly) top-secret mis- his LSAT scores had arrived in the mail. Ras the one that burned for Wax. The sile base in Clementon, New Jersey. “I took it as a cosmic sign and decided band had three distinct eras in its brief Eventually he was allowed to live off - on the spot that I would become a lawyer existence; it was the second version that base, and soon found himself in a and defend my friends,” he says. “I would almost shot the moon. Several members house full of crazed college students at never let anything like that happen again.” of the band and its team went on to have 1308 Rodman Street. One of his room- One of the gigs he booked for the highly successful careers in the music mates was Levy, who had been drifting band—behind Houston Hall, in the area business, which makes Wax’s flameout in and out of bands, including the blue- now known as Wynn Commons—paid all the more remarkable. sy Mrs. Wigg’s Cabbage Patch. immediate dividends. In the audience Yet the story isn’t over. The recent The pair started a new band: Uncle was a soft-spoken, ambitious 18-year- discovery of a long-forgotten record- Beau’s Day Camp, which quickly became old from Gladwyne named John David ing, coupled with the serious illness of Wax. The original direction of the band Kalodner, who would go on to sign some one of the band’s founding members, was folk rock (à la Fairport Convention), of the biggest names in pop music, has brought Wax back together. And with fl ute player Steve Morris C’70, including AC/DC, Phil Collins, Cher, this time they’ve got an album—Melted Limits drummer Ned Earley, and lead Aerosmith, and Foreigner. He was a regu- (Lightyear Entertainment)—to show for it. vocalist Susan Hamlin CW’72. lar at Hassle Records at 20th and Sansom The Rodman Street house may have streets, an area known as Sansom Village, It began in late 1969. Guitarist Rick been a dump at the edge of a seedy which was the closest thing to Haight- Levy C’71 and his childhood friend, neighborhood—Hamlin remembers the Ashbury that Philadelphia had. After the bassist Beau Jones, had recently gradu- winter wind “blowing the snow in gig Kalodner persuaded Hassle owner ated from an Allentown-area garage through the cracks in the kitchen Bill Sisca to come over to 1308 Rodman band called the Limits, which covered walls”—but it spawned some lifelong to meet the guys and hear them play. The mostly simple, catchy songs. (Their friendships. One housemate was a Daily two promptly became Wax’s managers, manic version of “Suzie Q” is as fun as Pennsylvanian writer and 34th Street and their talent, if not their experience, it is raw.) Though the Limits continued editor named Arnie Holland C’71 L’74, represented a major coup for the upstart to play after Levy came to Penn in the who would become Wax’s “sixth mem- band. Sisca was only 21, but he was 60 SEPT | OCT 2010 THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE already running a small chain of record scene, and of the crudely painted sheets playing in those days, while intricate, stores. Moreover, he truly believed—as advertising their appearances hanging was percussive in nature—more Elton did Kalodner—a managerial trait that no from the windows. John than Keith Emerson. In the engine amount of experience can replace. “They would set up their gear on room, Jones plays very tuneful, some- “Billy had a way of talking about the Friday afternoons along the old Beta times surprising bass parts, and Chertoff band that would really get people excit- House wall that campus organizations is all over his drum kit like Keith Moon, ed,” says Levy. Plus, “he was an ex-Marine used to paint to advertise coming but with the touch of Levon Helm. with balls the size of a battleship.” events,” she recalls. “The Green would At its essence, Wax’s music captures Sisca and Kalodner were “focused on a be crowded with Penn students wear- the sound of freedom and youth. The record deal from the get-go,” Levy says, ing bell bottoms and work shirts, play- hallmarks are an eclectic mix of musical and “wanted the band to move in a more ing Frisbee and just hanging out.” With talents and songs that turn on a dime. commercial rock direction, which was bandana-wearing canines scampering Each band member was “incredibly happening naturally anyway.” about, cheap wine flowing from brown- open to what the others were writing, By then Ned Earley had moved to New bagged bottles, and the smell of mari- playing, and conceptualizing,” says Kagan. York, and he and his future wife, Sue juana in the air, Wax played “magnifi- And, adds Levy, “somehow it worked.” Hamlin, left the band. So did Steve cently loudly, keeping us rocking and “It was five guys throwing in ideas with Morris. At that point Levy recruited bonded,” she adds fondly. “They were no editing involved,” says Hyman, and a Kagan, a natural talent with charisma very talented musicians, and Penn stu- lot of ideas were thrown into each song— and a powerful, wide-ranging voice, to be dents loved them especially more something you don’t worry about when the new singer/frontman. Kagan knew because they were ours.” you’re young, the ideas come easy, and you that he could “sing and project”; he just “Wax was very much a Penn band,” don’t have the sense to worry about them needed the right set of circumstances says Holland. “In that era music meant drying up. Chertoff still can’t believe that and musicians. Given that his other a lot in all of our lives, and Wax was the “the ideas were coming so fast,” or that career option at that point was becom- hottest band on campus. When Robbie “we could remember those arrangements ing a substitute teacher, it didn’t take and Rick came in, it became something without practicing all the time.” Which, he much persuading. else: Wax was the hottest band in quickly adds, “I guess we did.” The next two additions were Rob Hyman Philly.