From: abgem@stdvax (Gary Mosier)
Subject: Re: Crack the sky - comments and questions.
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center - Robotics Lab
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 08:07:00 GMT

In article <1ifs6aINNmot@darkstar.UCSC.EDU>, jgarcia@cse.ucsc.edu (Jorge Garcia) writes...
>Has anyone else heard of a group called "Crack the Sky"? I never see
>them posted in any of the progressive group lists that periodically
>appear in this newsgroup. As a matter of fact, I had only heard one
>song from them in the infamous Stone Trek program on KOME, then saw
>one of their CDs in a cut out bin for $5, so decided to give it a try.
>This was "From the Greenhouse", and in my opinion is a great album.
>It is available from Noteworthy. The music is similar to Pink Floyd,
>with lots of Gilmour style guitar.
> 
>Now the questions: After I got this CD, I decided to try out the other
>CDs they have out. I got "Raw", and found it to be a piece of crap.
>I was extremely disappointed with it, and now I'm not sure if I should
>even try the other CD listed in Noteworthy: "Dog City". Does anybody
>have more information on these guys? Do they have any more CDs? Any
>comments on "Dog City"? Thanks,
> 
>Jorge
> 

Crack The Sky were (are? they keep re-forming occasionally to do some 
special event or record an album, but they're not a steady band by any 
stretch of the imagination) a hard pop-rock band which started out in the
mid-late '70s. The band members for the most part are from the area around
Baltimore/southern Pennsylvania. In Baltimore they are absolutely *legendary*
among the hard-rockin', beer-drinkin' work-down-at-the-docks/steelmill crowd
from the east side of town. I stood out as a bit strange growing up there and
listening to progressive music, I did like Crack The Sky, so I wasn't a total
outcast. It seemed that the band could never catch a break in New York or
LA and were therefore destined to remain a regional success.

The band has gone through a variety of lineups - the central figures being 
John Palumbo (vocals/guitar/keyboards) and Rick Witkowski (guitar). Their
first 3 studio albums are the ones to get if you can find them. They were
(maybe still are) out on CD - the titles are "Crack The Sky", "Animal 
Notes", and "Safety In Numbers". When I saw these on CD they had been 
issued as 2-LP sets, with #2 and #3 on one disc and #1 on a disc with the 
4th album, called "White Music". These albums feature Palumbo's masterfully
quirky pop-funk-rock compositions coupled with Witkowski's manic guitar and 
a very tight rythym section. The songs are full of witty lyrics, 
unconventional time signatures, changing dynamics... in short, pretty
progressive-sounding for a hard rock outfit. Obvious influences were the 
Beatles, Elton John (at least in Palumbo's piano playing), and maybe a 
cross between Led Zeppelin/Aerosmith/Bad Company. But this band was, to my 
ears, *very* original. I can't think of anyone that sounded like them on 
the first 3 LP's.

Of the stuff released in the later years that Jorge mentions, I would agree 
that "From The Greenhouse" would appeal to Pink Floyd fans, but the rest 
("Raw", "Dog City", "Flamingo") is kinda shitty. Mostly this is due to the 
lack of a regular lineup - I get the feeling that more than ever Palumbo is 
just working in open-loop mode and then getting some guys into the studio 
to record his compositions. The last few times I've seen the band they 
have performed mostly back catalog material from the first 4 LP's, which
sort of confirms the band's lack of familiarity with the recent material.

One final note which may be of interest. Cary Siegler (sp?), the group's 
current bassist, plays in a local (Baltimore-Annapolis) bar band on 
weekends called "Band Of A Thousand Names". This group was formed by 
guitarist/guitar maker Paul Reed Smith. Paul doesn't play with the group 
anymore, but some of you might recognize the current lead guitarist. He is 
none other than Stanley Whitaker, ex-axeman for the noted prog-rock group
Happy The Man. What a small world. The band really cooks, and their shows 
are always *packed*. They play all cover material, much of which might be 
enjoyed by prog rockers (Zappa, Satriani, Santana, Floyd, Gabriel, Neil
Young, Supertramp, Allman Brothers, to name a few).

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