Video: The Romantic Noise - I Fell In Love With A Baby

Growing Old With Rock & Roll Blog (2013) - The Ballad of Willie Phoenix, part one - Romantic Noise and The Buttons, 1978-1980

Growing Old With Rock & Roll Blog (2013)
The Ballad of Willie Phoenix, part one - Romantic Noise and The Buttons, 1978-1980

Romantic Noise was stunning.  Willie wrote virtually all of the songs, played strictly rhythm guitar (he didn't start playing lead guitar until The Shadowlords in 1983) and sang about 65% of lead vocals.  Bass player extraordinaire Greg Glasgow contributed the remainder of the original tunes (of which there was a mind-boggling number & variety, which we may deal with in a later appendix) and sang lead on about a third of the Romantic Noise repertoire.  Lead guitarist John Ballor only sang about three leads - the aforementioned "I Feel New,"  "Holly," and an early raver maybe called "Politician, Politician" - but Willie generously handed him off some truly killer songs to sing.  When original drummer David Machnicki (who employed a rather Ringo Starr-inspired style of playing) was replaced by madman Keith Moon-styled smasher Dee Hunt - the pride of Beckley, West Virginia - the Romantic Noise line-up was complete.  (And Dee was height-compatible to fit in with the rather diminutive Small Faces-styled Romantic Noise than the too-tall Machniki.)

Know Yer Band: Romantic Noise

Band: Romantic Noise

Members
Guitar/Vocals - Willie Phoenix
Lead Guitar/Vocals - Jon Ballor
Bass/Vocals - Greg Glasgow
Drums/Percussion - Dee Hunt

Releases
1977 - I Fell In Love With A Baby / Dead Flowers (In My Yard) 7" single (Not On Label)
1978 - '78 Affair 7" single (Not On Label)

Know Yer Artist: Willie Phoenix

Artist: Willie Phoenix

Bands
Eric
Magical Soul
The Boppers
The Buttons
Romantic Noise
Willie Phoenix And The Shadowlords
Willie Phoenix And The True Soul Rockers
Willie Phoenix And The Voodooz
Willie Phoenix And The Soul Underground

Solo Releases
1982 - Self Titled album (A&M Records)
1988 - Flower Machine album (Not On Label)
1999 - Have You Seen My Tambourine? album (Not On Label)
2000 - Eight Track Spider album (Not On Label)
2000 - A Zillion Miles Gone album (Not On Label)
2004 - Blues Reaction album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)
2005 - Quick N' Dirty album (Not On Label)
2007 - Plastic Blues And Grooves album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)
2009 - Revolution In The Basement album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)
2011 - Blues Hippy album (Orange Mono Music)
2011 - Magic Black Umbrella album (Junkyard Cat Recordings)