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I
started the Vinyl LP series because I have a collection of over 20,000 vinyl record albums I am
selling; each blog entry is about an album from my collection. Inquire
for information here.
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In 1982 I went to
New York for the first time. It was the height of the
New Wave era; the music was fresh and exciting in San Francisco and it was fantastic! It had evolved from
hardcore punk:
Jello Biafra aka
Dead Kennedys,
Toiling Midgets,
The Offs,
The Residents, AlieNation,
Crime,
Flipper,
The Avengers,
Hot Tuna, No Alternative,
The Nuns,
Mutants,
The Units,
Negative Trend, the VKTMS, SVT, Impatient Youth (and many, many other groups) into something that was totally unique and I wanted to see what was going on there in New York.
I
searched out all the new wave music I could find and I was not disappointed. I discovered many exciting groups. The Stip was one of my finds.
Although The Stip has been forgotten in the memory of the music world,
much less the history of new wave, members of the group went on to perform with
world class artists of
many different walks in the music, theater and performance
industries as well as social and political movements (more info below).

As with all albums, I have a favorite
track. The opener for the album,
I'm Back,
is my pick. It sounds pretty tame by today's standard but at the time, 1982, it was right up there with the best of the new wave coming out. It should have become a classic
New Wave hit but somehow it never made it and it disappeared in the mist of time. It is a fast and driving-with-determination song. Rick Ulfik utilizes swooping
synths with exquisite results. If you'd like to hear it, click on the arrow in the next panel to listen while you read the rest of this article.
audio file
The Stip ©1982
(click on arrow)
The Stip
vinyl LP record
back cover detail
The song,
Wandering Eyes, which opens side 2, is a gentle
reggae/
ska tune and the runner up to my favorite song on the album.
The Stip
vinyl LP record
back cover detail
As far as I know, the group only had this one release, however, executive producer, Carmine Stipo, released two solo works and a 45 single from one of them (
see link below).


the members of the group:
Rick Cutler (Drums):
Some of the artists Cutler has performed and recorded with include
Michael Franks,
jazz violinist and
record producer Noel Pointer,
Stevie Van Zandt,
Herbie Hancock,
Freddie Hubbard,
Don Rickles,
Billy Eckstine,
Gloria Gaynor,
Rodney Dangerfield,
Regis Philbin,
Donna Summer,
Larry Coryell,
Jon Lucien,
Johnny Hartman, Savion Glover,
Perry Farrell (of
Jane's Addiction),
Richie Stotts (of the
Plasmatics) and
Charles Aznavour.
He has performed in many Broadway shows including
Hair,
The Wiz,
Candide,
They're Playing Our Song,
Woman of the Year and
Seesaw.
He was one of the original percussionists for,
Mass, by
Leonard Bernstein, which was written and performed for the opening of the
Kennedy Center in
Washington, D.C. He performs on the original recording of that piece with Mr. Bernstein conducting.
Alan Ross (Sax):
Ross has worked with
Kylie Minogue,
Jennifer Rush, the German pop group
Queensberry,
Tim Harding,
Tata Young,
Tony Santos,
Chet Baker,
John Coltrane,
Stan Getz,
Roll Deep,
Kristian Leontiou, Biz, Cherie,
Vic Lewis,
Sonique,
C21,
Liberty X,
Aaron Carter,
Damage, Fred Ross, Ross,
Tom Jones,
Gary Barlow,
Tina Turner,
Ali,
911,
Melanie,
John Entwistle, Louise,
George Michael,
Judy Cheeks,
Melba Moore,
Evelyn "Champagne" King,
Wilson-Gale,
Lisa B. Burns,
Stanky Brown Band,
Suntreader aka Morris Pert,
Aaron Wright and the Aprils,
Riders of the New Purple Sage,
Renaissance,
Kid Creole and the Coconuts,
O’Jays,
Denise Williams,
Marvin Gaye,
Lorna Luft,
Liza Minelli and
Cissy Houston.
His has prodiced commercials for Century 21, Pepsi, Mc Donalds, and IBM, and performed in the orchestras of such Broadway shows as
Dancin,
Barnum and
Hey Ma.
The Stip 1982
Side 1:
I’m Back 4:27
Superpower 5:40
Summer Was 2:49
None of Your Business 6:43
Side 2:
Wandering Eyes 7:38
Our Worlds 4:24
All My Friends Have Gone To California 6:13
The Stip
204 West 10th Street
New York, NY 10014
Chelsea Sound Studios
Greenwich Village USA
mixed by Phil Bulla
produced, arranged and conducted by Rick Ulfix
Executive Producer: Carmine Stipo
Bass: Chico Rindner
Drums: Rick Cutler
Keyboards: Rick Ulfik
Synthesizers: Rick Ulfik
Sax: Alan Ross
Background Vocals:
Jocelyn Brown
La-Rita Gaskins
Connie Harvey
Voices:
Michael Meskers
John Oliver
Carmine Stipo
Styrous® ~ Friday, July 29, 2016