• The Valrays
    (l-r) Rod McBrien, Bob Musac, John Giametta and Benny Palmeri (bottom)

    The Valrays (Long Island, N.Y.)




     

    Personnel :


    Rod McBrien

    Benny Palmeri

    Bob Musac

    John Giametta


    Discography:

    1963 - Get Aboard / Pee Wee (Parkway 880)
    1964 - Yo Me Pregunto / Tonky (Parkway 904)
    1967 - I'm Walkin' Proud / It Hurts, Doesn't it Girl (United Artists 50145)


    Biography :

    John Giametta and Rod McBrien have been the best of friends for about many years, they were so close back in the early years of The Valrays, they joined the U. S. Coast Guard Reserves together under the "buddy plan." Some buddy plan! Rod went to boot camp two months before John did. But they did finish their tour of duty together because they were both in the Coast Guard Band.

    The Valrays    The Valrays
     Rod McBrien (top), John Giametta and Bob Musac                                                                                        

    The Valrays released two singles for Parkway, the Beach Boys-flavored "Get A Board" and "Yo Me Pregunto (I Ask Myself)". "Yo Me Pregunto" made significant inroads into the charts. John Giametta had been influenced by Spanish music while playing at The Copa. The decision for Spanish lyrics was a result of that influence and Pete's dissatisfaction with the sound of the English words. Their first two singles as The Valrays on Cameo Parkway were written and produced by John Linde and Pete Antell.

    The Valrays   The Valrays
                                                                      1967 - Rod Mcbrien, Phil Tano, Johnny Giametta,  and Meco Menardo

    Phil Giarratano (Lead singer of the Escorts on Taurus) and Meco Menardo joined the group in 1967 after Palmeri and Music left the group. For their next release on United Artists Records, Rod McBrien and Johnny Giametta wrote "I'm Walkin' Proud" and "It Hurts, Doesn't it Girl" and Produced it. After this, they formed Salt Water Taffy. John and Rod also produced all releases by The Casualeers and Salt Water Taffy together, as well as writing almost all of the songs recorded.


    Songs :

      
    Get Aboard                                  Pee Wee

      
    Yo Me Pregunto                                      Tonky        

      
    I'm Walkin' Proud                            It Hurts, Doesn't it Girl 



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