BILL MESNIK'S SUNNY SIDE OF MY STREET PRESENTS: BAD MOTORCYCLE BY THE STOREY SISTERS (1958, CAMEO) - EPISODE #78

DIG THIS WITH BILL MESNIK AND RICH BUCKLAND- THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS

I have always been drawn to fables of underdogs and the unrecognized. This affinity was engendered early on in childhood, and marinated throughout 30 years in the acting trade, where I’ve seen many of the finest talents of my generation wither on the vine of show biz obscurity. This catchy girl-group number from the Cameo catalogue is spunkily delivered by a couple of black Philadelphia teens, whose exciting vocal energy belies some of the mysterious whispers of chicanery that surround the story of the record’s creation, and, afterward, the group’s precipitous disappearance.

Ann and Lillian Storey of The Twinkles created this ode to black rock n roll culture in 1957, (immortalized in the film Hairspray) - when Ann, or Lillian, (I’ve seen both credited) submitted their song to a contest run by local DJ Kal Williams, who put his name on it as co-writer, and then took it to Baltimore musician and record label owner Al Browne, who also put his name on it. Browne released it on his indie label, Peak Records in 1957. The following year Cameo, who had national distribution, changed the group’s name to The Storey Sisters and rereleased it nationally, where it went to #45 on the national charts. It was at this point that Ann, or Lillian’s name disappear from the credits. In short order, The Storey sister’s career was over, after having recorded only two more sides.

Bad Motorcycle is said to be slang for “Bad Motherfucker”, and these young women may have encountered some bad motorcycles during their short ride out of fame’s parking lot. VOOM VOOM VOOM!