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The Long and Winding Road
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| They spent the summer of 1965 on Long Island, New York playing dance clubs and private parties, refining their playing skills and showmanship .Les Warren was replaced by Bill "Ody" Maniotis. The tight three-part vocals of Chris, Dick and Ody became the trademark of their sound as they moved back to UNH in the fall of 1965. | |
| In the fall of 1965 they added Bruce Hawkins on organ; the Spectras' popularity continued to grow both on and off campus, and they began putting some of their original material in their shows. In January 1966 they appeared on local television, and in the spring of 1966 they landed the house band job at the Hampton Beach Casino, the premier rock music venue in NH, for four summers from 1966-1969. Drummer Buddy Brown replaced Chip Wayne in the fall of 1966. |  |
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In January of 1967 they expanded their sound by adding a four piece horn section including Bob Lassonde (trumpet) Willie Spanos (trumpet), Marc Keroack (trombone), and Ed Gibbs (trombone.) In 1968 Glenn Jordan replaced Ody on guitar and Branch Sanders was added as trombonist and arranger. Dick left in December1968 to join the army. Rick Hibbs replaced Spanos on trumpet. Danny Mehan replaced Hibbs in the spring of 1969. |
Between 1967-1969 they toured New England
opening for such rock icons as The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin,
the Doors, The Lovin' Spoonful, Janis Joplin, The Rascals, Ray Charles, Paul Revere & the Raiders,
Simon and Garfunkel. By 1969, the Spectras were a top-name band in New England.
Bruce was replaced by Wiley Crawford and then Paul Nizza.. Buddy was
replaced by John Hoik. Ed Gibbs was replaced by Al MacIntosh. 
In 1969 the band received national exposure from their first album, And You
Love Her. A single from that album, "Best Years of Our Lives"
was mentioned in Billboard Magazine, charted as high as #4 in Denver, Colorado, and received considerable
airplay nation-wide. Late 1969-70 brought many changes in personnel due to college
graduations and the draft. Players during this turbulent period included
John Kane, Greg Dame, and Bobby Hearne on guitars, Pete Peterson on drums,
Sam DeSantos on organ, John Bethel and Russ Thibeault on saxes. By
October, 1970 the only remaining original member, Chris,
changed the name of the band to Atlantis. |
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| In December 1970, Dick returned from the army and decided to reform the band
with Ody and his brother Bobby Maniotis on guitar, Dick on bass, Buddy on
drums and Bruce on organ using the original name The Spectras. Bobby
left the band in February 1971; Bill Hickman replaced Ody. Bob Lassonde
was added on trumpet, Gary Anderson on sax, and Steve Weibust on
trumpet/valve trombone. Lee Gardner replaced Weibust in
November 1971.From Feb 1973-Feb 1975 Doug Fleit replaced Buddy on drums.
Buddy rejoined in Feb 1975. Guitarist Steve Poole replaced Hickman in
October 1975. Tim Gurshin replaced Poole in March 1976.Bruce Hawkins left
the band in November, 1976 to spend more time with his family. Gary
Anderson took a year's leave of absence in Nov 1977 replaced by Ken
Elliott. Buddy was replaced by Gary Gemitti in September 1978, Anderson
quit the band in September 1979, replaced by Ken Crowell.
From 1971 to 1980 The Spectras traveled all over New England playing dances for high schools, colleges, night clubs and private functions. They were relentless road warriors. |
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| In 1979 they recorded "Home Again" which won local critical acclaim and was recipient of the Granite State Rock Music Award. By June of 1980 the boys had had enough of the road and they decided to disband so they could pursue family and career interests. | |
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In 1990, The UNH Class of 1970 contacted band members
and asked them to reform to play at their 20th reunion. They were so well received at that
event that more offers began coming in, and soon they were back playing regularly, better
than ever. This 10-man lineup included Ray, Quackenbush, Maniotis, Hawkins,
Brown, Lassonde, Keroack, Sanders, Anderson, and Gardner. Marc Keroack
retired from the band in July, 1999 and Branch Sanders retired in
September 2001. Sanders was replaced by Chris Humphrey and Humphrey was
replaced by Paul Cole in March 2003.
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In 2004, in celebration of the 40th anniverary of their start, The
Spectras recorded and released their CD "40-04." This recording has a
combination of newly recorded tracks such as "I've Been Lonely Too
Long" and "Temptation Eyes" as well as a recording taken directly off
the radio of their award winning "Home Again" complete with the disc
jockey's talking and also a digital remastering of their original 1969
vinyl hit single "The Best Years Of Our Lives." It also includes a full
color, 8 page insert complete with pictures of the band dating back to
1965! Copies are available by contacting the band's website www.thespectras.com and they are available at all performances.
| On a sad note, on February 25, 2008 founding member, bass player and vocalist Chris Quackenbush passed away after a long and courageous battle with a rare neurological disease. Chris continued playing with the band during his illness, making a valuable contribution as bassist and background singer until it became impossible for him to perform on stage. He will long be remembered for his distinctive singing voice, and his rock-solid bass lines. His influence on the band's selection of songs, with his love of Motown, Memphis Soul, and Folk Rock are evidenced in their repertoire. He was the band's 'fashion coordinator', always insisting that the band's appearance on stage be of high quality. Chris was a dear friend and will be sorely missed by family, band members, friends, and fans. |
| Since 1990 The Spectras have played major concert venues in southern New Hampshire including the Club Casino at Hampton Beach, the Cocheco Arts Festival in Dover, and Prescott Park in Portsmouth. They
have also played hundreds of night clubs, function halls, corporate functions,
outdoor concerts, private parties, and wedding receptions in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to the delight of enthusiastic listeners and dancers who remember those great dance tunes from the 60’s and 70’s that are the mainstay of The Spectras’ repertoire. |
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To order
The Spectras |
