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http://www.kansan.com/stories/2006/jun/27/band_reunites_one_last_show/

Band History

Originally fronted by Lonny Fame, the band was best known for their original hit, “Break Up With Freddy”. From their inception, the Belltones were mired in controversy as well as tragedy. On May 17, 1956, Lonny Fame, just days prior to the release of Break Up With Freddy, was killed when his girl friend, Babs Weinstein, inadvertently kicked the release lever on the jack holding up Lonny’s car while he lay underneath installing a nocturnal emissions control device. Fame died instantly. It wasn't until Elvis recorded "Hearbreak Hotel", later that year, that the The Belltones' "Break Up With Freddie" was bumped from #1.

Without skipping a beat, the Belltones replaced Fame with Rance Thurston as front man and lead singer. Thurston, prior to joining the Belltones, was best known for his 1952 Pro-Korean War song, “ If You Carry the Gun, We’ll Carry the Tune”.

Second coming of the Belltones

From 1955 until 1958 the band consisted of Buzzy Hunk, Rance Thurston, da’ Moose, Dizzy Turpentine, Lamont Kooch, Hugo Igo Fornabisco, and Shiv Delgredo. In 1958 Thurston and Kooch left the band, and Delgredo was asked to leave. Thurston was replaced by Sneakers Levine, (son of proud parents Milton and Gloria Levine, owners of Levine’s Fine Furniture, 25 year members of Beth Torah Synagogue in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and who, on a regular basis, donate at least $250 (pre-tax) to worthy causes annually; Marian, Sneaker's sister, is married to a dentist, Myron, with two of the loveliest children - such shana punim, the youngest, Chandra, age 11, who got 2nd Place in the Passover Spelling Bee).

Sneakers, who proved to be a formidable visionary and front man taught most of the Belltones how to read and do simple addition. Obviously influenced by his family’s retail business, Levine wrote the Belltones second hit, “Are You Looking or Are You Buying – Come Back When You’re Ready To Buy”. Critics say if not for the lengthy title, the song would have challenged Elvis’ dominance of the radio airwaves.



None of the Belltones were really sure when Kooch left the group - they finally figured it out when for the third gig in a row they each got an extra $2.50. Once they realized he was gone, they developed a sever rash, most likely induced by the large quantities of Hawaiian Punch they consumed to deal with their collective depression. The decision was finally made not to replace Kooch. "Now I know why Brian Wilson stayed in bed for all those years”, Buzzy Hunk ponders as he sadly reminisces about Kooch's departure. In an attempt to replace Delgredo, Romeo Self was hired, but soon left the group under very mysterious circumstances. To this day, Self, who resides at Our Sister of Perpetual Motion Home for the Dazed and Confused, is incapable of talking. When asked about Delgredo, his drool covered lips quiver, while his trembling fingers point to the framed restraining order he had issued against Delgredo in 1958, which still hangs on the wall in his room. In his 1987 autobiography, “For Whom the Belltones Toll”, the Reverend Shiv Delgredo quickly dismisses any wrong doings regarding Mr. Self, but does discuss the events leading up to his departure from the group, reporting: “From my perspective, the other Belltones were putting way too much importance on knowing what notes to play next."



Belltones Performing at The Timberline Lounge, Estes Park, Colorado

Disbanding

The band finally broke up New Year’s Eve 1959. In his never published Belltone Trilogy, (“Sniffing Elmers”, “Year of the Knife”, and “Turn Down the Music”), Richard Epelstein, Belltone chronologist, cited creative differences, the inability to remember the words to the songs, and the numerous impending lawsuits as reasons the Belltones broke up. Those closest to the Belltones also cite excessive glue sniffing and Dizzy's obsessive stalking of Hugh Beaumont as other contributing factors forcing the band to call it quits.



Equally known for their trend setting attire, Belltones Shiv DelGredo shows off his sensuous yet diabolical use of "blacks & whites."

Life After Disbanding

With the exception of Lonny Fame, miraculously, all of the Belltones are still alive today. Rance Thurston, after pursuing an illustrious comedy career in the Catskills, performing as Shecky Thurston, now owns and operates Rance’s Take a Chance With Romance Dating Service in Ethiopia. After studying with Guru Baba Louie Louie during the early 1960’s, da’ Moose and his wife now operate Stella’s Finishing and Manners Academy For Young Ladies in New Jersey. Dizzy Turpentine, a retired wood shop teacher (Calument City Industrial High School) is now Shamu the Whale's interpreter at Sea World. Sneakers Levine, after coaching football for the Davening Hasidics of Yesheva U., now fronts a Tony Orlando and Dawn tribute band. Lamont Kooch is in prision. The Rev. Shiv Delgredo, 4 years as choreographer for the Solid Gold Dancers, was able to retire from the money he got recycling plastic Elmer's Glue bottles. Buzzy Hunk is a motivational speaker for the Republican Party and sells Belltone memorabilia on eBay. Hugo Igo Fornabisco had a very successful career performing as Jerry Lewis’ stunt double (Hugo received an Oscar nomination for his work in Lewis’ "The Bell Hop"), and now runs Sex Without Partners support groups in California.



Belltone dads showing how proud they are of their sons

Between the Belltones, there are 24 children and 16 grand kids – all of which are either unemployed or in reform school. Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneger has made it illegal for a Belltone to reproduce in the state of California. Thirteen other states have similar legislature pending, and Arizona considers all the Belltones illegal immigrants. This is in direct contrast to Puerto Rico’s Lonny Fame and the Belltones Day, held whenever it snows.

In 2006, the Belltones held their first reunion. Surprisingly, Thurston, Kooch and Delgredo rejoined the group for this historical event held in Lawrence, Kansas. Kooch was temporarily released from prison for the reunion and performed flawlessly in cuffs and irons. Negotiations between Levine and Thurston, including the use of knives, broken bottles, smirks and eye-rolling, resulted in these two talented and strong personalities equally sharing front man responsibilities and the crowds criticism. The “Reunion” was attended by literally 10’s of fans hungry for the Belltone experience. In addition, it was filmed in preparation for the yet unnamed Belltone Documentary. It is rumored with great speculation and concern that the Belltones will release their never finished collection of greatest hits, “The Band, The Blood” in 2009 as a 45rpm.



Belltones at the 2006 Reunion

The Belltone Mystique

For fans and critics alike, the Belltones musicianship was only half of what their fans desperately tried to avoid. The other half was the paranormal-like connection the members of the group had with each other. “It was uncanny, it was like we all remembered the chords to the songs we were playing – almost simultaneously!” Thurston fondly remembers. In the second book of his Belltones Trilogy, Epelstein ponders, “How did the Belltones endure for so long?"  Some say the music, most say petty theft and unemployment checks.

It is an undisputed fact that all the Belltones were born in the same year, and coincidentally are the same age. Some of the Belltones even attended the same voctechs. But, other than the infamous meeting between da’ Moose and Buzzy Hunk at the Richard Simmons Correctional Facility, (where it is rumored that Hunk taught da' Moose the words to all of Rodgers and Hammersteins South Pacific), none of the members crossed paths until the formation of the band. Yet, like the partnership between heat and stupidity, it was like the Belltones, from day one, breathed the same air, misspelled the same words, and shoplifted from the same stores. “Ya know, man” Dizzy Turpentine ponders, “The universe, well maybe not the universe, but the god like boss of reality, is like a constantly morphing, mathematical equation of musical-like hurls. And it's like each of us Belltones is one of the chords in that perfect, yet forgiving, C-Am-F-G, chord progression. When reminded that there were 8 Belltones, and only 4 chords in that progression, Fornabisco quickly comes to Dizzy’s rescue and points out, “Not the way we played it!””



Thousands of fans dancing at the 2006 Belltone Reunion

Epilogue 2009

More to come as the Belltones stroll through the Summer of Love.

Click for Belltones Gallery

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