1960s TEEN BEAT

TONY SOUL AND THE
MIDNIGHT HOURS (MA)

The Midnight Hours were Anthony Parente (v), Archie Smith (o), John Smith (g), Mark Ropi (g), Allen Smith (b) and Dave Bernard (d).

Bernard, Smith and Ropi were soon replaced by David Catman Fuller (d), Allen Campbell Haig (b) and the Sobieski brothers (ho). 

When Tony was a senior in Framingham high school, he was approached by a group of under classmen, asking if he could sing and if he wanted to play in a band. Framingham by then sported a couple of local combos. Tony remembers the Rendells, One Way Out, and Apoplexy. The newly formed group assembled their instruments, sporting mostly Fender and Vox gear, and was set to go. Tony recalls their PA system was "trash".
 
Tony: "We usually played Metro West, MA, colleges in Boston, most notably the Saturday Night Cop Hops sponsored by the Framingham Auxiliary Police. It was our regular gig".

 

 

The group would play songs by the likes of James Brown, Otis Redding, Wilson, Al Green, Motown tunes. Tony says they "always wanted to be different". Unfortunately, no professional recordings were conducted at that time. The Midnight Hours received press coverage in the Framingham/ Middlesex News and a write up in the Boston Globe. The group rehearsed at Archie Smith's house on Beaver Street in Framingham.

Tony: "The MetroWest gigs were always well attended. We won all the Battles Of The Bands taking place there. A stark reality hit when we left our comfort area" .

 

When playing the State Finals, the group ran overtime and was disqualified and dropped from 1st to 4th place.

Tony: "It was a tragic reality check about discipline. Devastating for a 18 year old kid who thought we had the thing won".

Tony got married in 1969, quit singing professionally for 42 years, came back in 2011 and has been at it ever since.
 
John Smith died young in a car accident in 1969. Tony has not spoken to Archie or Alan Campbell in 40 years, but has done a few gigs with Catman Fuller. 

Tony: "I saw Dave Bernard a couple of weeks ago. It was wonderful. Tony And The Midnight Hours happened so fast and we were so young, the College mixers, the Cop Hops, we were too young to play in most clubs, so school dances drew 150-200 kids. We were in heaven. The group is a huge part of my life, the experience turned me into what I am today, I am very proud".