Dear GOD, if PIPA gets voted on in a few days, your video will get pulled for using a song that isn't yours and footage that isn't yours. LAME. D: I'm running around and watching every kickass YouTube video I can, like this one, before the House votes, just in case.
this is so old i fart dust and sneeze cobwebs... but its a not we all need to hear and realize how thankful we are to be sitting here now. the cold war is over we can truely be free, enjoy it. for this many of us were killed ...... rip to all my old friends miss you dearly
BTW "The Machine" is out and is a strong effort, well worth picking up. It was availble for free in Demo form off their website if you want a sneak peek before you buy. Its kinda hidden in the website so snoop around. Even the Demo sound quality is pretty good. Enjoy.
i really dig thisband i saw themback in1977at the spectrum in philly they were opening upfor i dontremember who iwas at the ripe old age of 16 i had bought animal notes on lp mint condition in 2000 it was stoling i cant seem tofind anything by them hbharpman!.com
Thanks for posting! I have this on vinyl (bad shape). The best band ever.I used to hear them on 98 Rock from Baltimore. Ahhh! High School. Surf City! Here come the sharks!
Yeh first heard safety in numbers around 78 i think... And was just floored by the music. Back than if someone had asked me, I would of put that album up against anything else that was released in that era. Love going back and listening to this whole album.
Crack the Sky - For Catherine Live double CD of the entire 2.5 hour unplugged concert is now available for $20. All proceeds go to the CF4CF charity for Cystic Fibrosis. Contact me at markus44uk "at" yahoo "dot" co "dot" uk if you would like to order one. I accept Paypal or cash
Some one asked who was playing the acoustic intro and other parts? That is Jim Griffiths,a good friend of my brothers.....seems Life Song Records was to blame for their not making it as big as some of the other bands of the day. They were getting lots of air play but distribution of the records broke down and people couldnt get their albums in their hands...I grew up listening to them and started playing acoustic guitar after watching Jim play what a phonemenal guitarist!!
Probably the most under rated band to come out of the Rock Prog movement in the 70’s and 80’s! Great band, I had the privilege of seeing them on many occasions in Youngstown Ohio. Great Memories! Should be in the R&R Hall Of Fame!
Good lord the production, the drive and the awesome song meanings why are these guys not mentioned in the same vein as Zeppelin, Aerosmith dare I say the beatles!!!! CTS and Uriah Heep are the most underated bands EVER!!!!
I've heard quite a few songs from CTS but this is just epic. This & "Lighten Up McGraw" are awesome classics. "Safety In Numbers" is a great gem of an album from a band who deserved better on FM radio.
A great band, I was fortunate enough to have a friend in the Navy form Baltimore who turned me onto them. Very few people I've known have ever heard of them.
them 7-26 at the wild duck in middle river md the show was awsome what a tight group i was not dissappointed nor have i ever been bobby hurd is a friend i met doing construction work a phenomminal guitarist!!!
@MultiMetalgod I was at that show to drove up from Pittsburgh. They were amazing. Wish they would come back and visit us in the Burgh every now and then. We miss them !!!
The boys will be at Rams Head Live next Saturday April 23rd, can't wait to see them again this will be the 4th time. They a truly an awesome band live....
CTS fan here and I just came across a studio cover of Nuclear Apathy by a band called Crucible here on Youtube. Its great to hear a band give CTS the respect they deserve and the song is very faithful to the original. The intro on Crucible's version is on piano, and the song rocks as you might expect. Again its here on youtube for the viewing.
In 1975 This band WAS the future of american rock. God bless them still. John P. is right thee with Simon and Newman as far as composers go. And the band still plays out on occasion.
@MrRichardson1967 You're very welcome! CTS is Canadian..Mike is from NY..but I believe James LaBrie is also Canadian. And if you ever heard "The Big Medley" That had Genesis, Journey, Dixie Dregs even..who they covered on last years cover cd..which that song Odyssey was the same year as Nuclear Apathy
@Hammer673 - You must have meant a different band, CTS is not Canadian, and there aren't any Mikes or Jame's in Crack The Sky. CTS is originally from the Ohio Valley and West Virginia. They are also known today as a Baltimore band their adopted home for years and years.
@Hammer673 Crack the Sky is NOT Canadian. James LaBrie is from Dream Theater, and you've obviously falsely conflated the two bands. If you'd said something about John Palumbo, you'd have been on the right track... ;)
Being from Baltimore it was awesome to be part of Crack the Sky's history in the 70s and early 80s. I saw them at the Electric Circus in Ocean City MD around 1980 and the show was fantastic for such a small club. I have no idea why they never appealed to the edge of the mainstream like Talking Heads or The Cars. Their sound was far more unique and in Maryland we loved them.
God bless you, drwoe, for uploading this...I'm a native Baltimorean that grew up listening to these wonderful musicians. A great many elements of composition similar to those found in the recorded output of bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, and Rush appear in their music.
Thank you for stating that Mr. Griffiths played the enchanting introductory guitar passage.
Please keep posting more of this exceptional music!
@MrFredfarkle- Yea me too! I have seen them a handful of times,and always was a always a great show. you can still see Carey Zigler play out with his band Expensive Hobby.
Crack The Sky nut and this is the song that started it all for me. My sister from WV got it for me on the advice of her boyfriend/husband and I remember thinking ,,,,this is good, who are they?
I moved to Baltimore in 1979 and that was the first time I saw Crack The Sky. Wow what great memories and music! They still rock today! Thanks for posting this!
1978(?) I was like wow, who are these guys. No one knew who they were back then. I heard them on "underground" radio station workin 3rd shift, got no mainstream radio airplay, too bad
they got ripped off frm lifesong records i know Jim Griffiths what can u do they should have been on the top o f the charts but no what did we get Thrillerrr please u r killing me
God, I love this song. And unfortunately, pretty much nobody I know (except for my dad and a few of his friends) have ever heard of Crack the Sky, and I can't find their albums ANYWHERE. Not cool.
God I was seeing them when Coast to Coast was fully nuts to butts. The first album was the Shiznit. Then Safety and Nuclear. OMG. Even thou White Music was a little Gary Numanish. It still had its moments but LIVE, was always the best way to see this band. They were unpredictable. It's like the Beatles, Floyd, Dan, Zep, Yes members got together for side project. Still amazing to this day. They should release the 1980 painters mill show on a DVD. They have it. I've seen it.
Is that Rick W. playing the acoustic intro? Unbelievably beautiful. Been listening to them since 1976. I saw them at least 6 or 7 times. Sheesh...where has the time gone.
I have a bootleg board tape of CTS in 77 on the Safety In Numbers tour, and on it Ricky announced Jim Griffiths as playing the intro, I am assuming this is him also in the studio.
Oh for anyone that hasn't heard, Cracks original Bass player JoeMacre is back and has produced a new CTS concept album written by Palumbo called "The Sale" it is a very strong return to form by the band. On top of that, original drummer Joey DeAmico is back on drums and the original band is back in the studio recording a new CD to be called "Machine"
My first CTS was Nuclear Apathy. Age, 15 in 1980 NY. Never heard of them, my big sis (in WV) was coming home to visit and said she would bring me some albums, I gave her my list of cool bands and her then boyfriend decided on a whim to add Safety In Numbers...THANK YOU STEVE! One of their best, still powerul, stands the test of time. There is a band called "Crucible" that covered the song, the only band I know of to cover a Crack song. Great band, great people, these are very nice guys.
Bless you, DrWoe! At long last, a true a/v clip for CTS!
The first four CtS albums (self-titled to LIVE SKY) are....and I know this word gets tossed around too loosely....frickin' masterpieces. This is heavy rock with real presence and an actual identity, crafted by and for thinking, feeling human beings, and featuring ace musicianship and brilliant songwriting. As the clip above so clearly shows.
And let's raise a glass to Garry Lee Chappel, the Crack-er time forgot. HELL of a singer!
i agree whole heartedly .. i have been listening to them since they started and trying to tell people to check them out but only the select few true audiophiles will try and appreciate them.. ....unbelievable tempo changes and musicianship second to none
When 'Safety in Numbers' was released I was working at a college radio station and played this cut-and others by them-as often as I could. Baltimore fans just loved the band and still do! Although they were a thinking man's band, their image was low-key; pics were are and usually tinted or otherwise obscured. In fact, I can't really recall seeing what they looked like, and other than record stores, concert halls or mags, no image would be available. Great to hear them again!
Is it just me or does it seem that Math Rock like Don Caballero or Battles is REALLY heavily influenced by this kind of music? The odd time signature changes, the unpredictability of the rhythm and tone of the song, just everything
Snayboy64 hit it right on the head. I work all day listening to classic rock in Texas. I talk to the dejays from the radio station who are from PA and Ohio and they remember CTS and say we can't play them here. I tell them to stop playing the same crap over and over again and find new songs. They told me that Texas just doesn't have rock and roll down yet! I used to listen to WGRX 100 in Baltimore and hear them play everything including CTS. I miss those days and the band.
Radio up north has gotten the same way.... Classic rock means a handful of bands songs over and over... I've given up on them and listen to my cd's all the time... I read blogs to search out new music... What a shame it is....
@drwoe Yea. Led Zep only has 5 songs according to the radio. They're ALL held to the same 5 songs in the play list. I too listen to my CD's and ipod. You Tube has become my go to for research on what I've missed and must get. The comment section under the videos is a wealth of info. Thanks for posting this. I listen to these guys on a regular rotation. At work I am made to listen to what the drones want to hear.......play the top 5 station. I want to hear Fergilicious 6 more times!!! =)
@drwoe word. having to listen to the same classic rock station at work 8 hours a day blasting sweet home alabama over and over and over ranks as one of the worst experiences of my life
It's the same way everywhere... radio just plays crap. They don't give people anything else to listen to. Older bands like Crack the Sky and newer bands like Riverside - they don't want you to hear them!
Love CTS having grown up in B-more (BalMer) in the 80's. (they were a staple) Had the pleasure of experiencing sitting in on some of their practice sessions as a teen. Can't believe they didn't arise above the regional level. However, funny years later in the Corps a fellow jarhead from central PA I had found was a fan as well. Did John Palumbo have a fall out with the rest? Was that their demise. They really were awesome.
This song simply KICKS ASS. Crack The Sky is so woefully underrated. It's criminal. Bands just don't write stuff like this anymore. Takes too much effort I guess, plus there's no mention of "bitches", "hoes" or "gats" in Crack The Sky's music, so obviously it's got no appeal to today's audience. It's a sad world we live in - people don't recognize REAL ART anymore. Makes me want to puke.
@Snayboy64 I'm sorry, but seriously fuck you. I'm sure you can't name one rapper or one song off the top of your head. Not to mention the fact that I'm sure you don't know one person who can. To make the ridiculous and absolutely racist statement that modern music is filled with "bitches", "hoes" or "gats" is mind boggling. You don't understand art because you don't understand taste. Art is a creation by the artist and not the audience. And you're a fool to think that all modern music is rap.
@rubicon1983 What about guys like kid cudi? Kanye west? Outcast? Not every rapper is the generic mainstream type cast. Just like back when crack the sky was around there were a hundred other terrible bands. Why is it that you people seem forget that fact that not every band was amazing, and not every band was the same genre(Remember disco?)
The problem is you aren't looking in the right area for music you like. And instead you guys just bitch about whats on the radio
@Geobon True...all modern music is not Rap....but all Rap is CRAP...of this I am certain. Rap has no musical merit...it should have stayed on the streets with the gangstas trying to impress da hoes.
@Snayboy64 There are still MANY people who recognize and appreciate real art, new or old. They just aren't the mainstream that gets flashed everywhere. I'm fine with that. Now we publicly separate the idiot followers from the true fans and music/art lovers. It makes it easy to tell who's a stupid fuckface and who's truly got their shit together. When you know what's up, you know what's up. Who gives a fuck what all the retards do? Just appreciate the great stuff there is in the world.
@Snayboy64 I agree with you but everything after a reference to CTS just makes you sound stupid. I'm part of today's audience I love rap and hip hop but I also listen other genres of music like jazz, indie and alternative. My favorite bands can be anywhere from Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd and oh yeah, a little band called The Beatles. Sure some people might make and listen to horse shit music, but not everyone. True, music isn't what it once was but it's not mainstream, which is just fine with me.
Dear GOD, if PIPA gets voted on in a few days, your video will get pulled for using a song that isn't yours and footage that isn't yours. LAME. D: I'm running around and watching every kickass YouTube video I can, like this one, before the House votes, just in case.
KitWriter 1 month ago
thank you , Joel .
normamitzy 1 month ago
A fucking masterpiece !!!! CTS is the shit !!
Smutt518 1 month ago
Great band
odin5150 3 months ago
Excellent song!!!!
espools4 4 months ago
Great job with the video! I always considered this song their masterpiece!
Ellentim 6 months ago
I'm proud to be from Maryland
thebaseballer93 6 months ago
Me too. And proud to bring some MD pride to MT.
Smutt518 1 month ago
this is so old i fart dust and sneeze cobwebs... but its a not we all need to hear and realize how thankful we are to be sitting here now. the cold war is over we can truely be free, enjoy it. for this many of us were killed ...... rip to all my old friends miss you dearly
MrFarloo 7 months ago
BTW "The Machine" is out and is a strong effort, well worth picking up. It was availble for free in Demo form off their website if you want a sneak peek before you buy. Its kinda hidden in the website so snoop around. Even the Demo sound quality is pretty good. Enjoy.
glennw53 8 months ago
@glennw53 Thanks Glenn picked that up last summer at one of their shows. Incredible disc. Great to hear new music from them.
drwoe 7 months ago
@drwoe You are well ahead of me then. You might be interested in these bands if not already.---
Cityboy,Jellyfish,Happy The Man,10cc,Nektar,Gong,Egg,Soft Machine,Be Bop Deluxe,Captain Beyond,Van Der Graff Generator. All unbelievably talented and brilliant. Enjoy.
glennw53 7 months ago
Your work with this is simply awesome.
pcianci 8 months ago 2
i really dig thisband i saw themback in1977at the spectrum in philly they were opening upfor i dontremember who iwas at the ripe old age of 16 i had bought animal notes on lp mint condition in 2000 it was stoling i cant seem tofind anything by them hbharpman!.com
hbharpman 9 months ago
im 17 and i love this haha thanks to my parents though
thekoolaidman156 9 months ago
I wil be at the Ram's Head show on April 23,2011......One of the best bands ever....
Sanz2115 10 months ago
Thanks for posting! I have this on vinyl (bad shape). The best band ever.I used to hear them on 98 Rock from Baltimore. Ahhh! High School. Surf City! Here come the sharks!
nhammerh 10 months ago
Yeh first heard safety in numbers around 78 i think... And was just floored by the music. Back than if someone had asked me, I would of put that album up against anything else that was released in that era. Love going back and listening to this whole album.
gotthatdoneyet 11 months ago
Progressive Rock Lives!!! Yeah Baby, Yeah!!!
Quadrider50 11 months ago
i cant find any of the albums! o_o
Fulmetalalkemis18 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Crack the Sky - For Catherine Live double CD of the entire 2.5 hour unplugged concert is now available for $20. All proceeds go to the CF4CF charity for Cystic Fibrosis. Contact me at markus44uk "at" yahoo "dot" co "dot" uk if you would like to order one. I accept Paypal or cash
markus44uk 1 year ago
What an awesome song , wish they had made the big time because they could have done so much more. Still this is great stuff.
dewdew34 1 year ago
Some one asked who was playing the acoustic intro and other parts? That is Jim Griffiths,a good friend of my brothers.....seems Life Song Records was to blame for their not making it as big as some of the other bands of the day. They were getting lots of air play but distribution of the records broke down and people couldnt get their albums in their hands...I grew up listening to them and started playing acoustic guitar after watching Jim play what a phonemenal guitarist!!
acousticjdw 1 year ago
hehe ya , almost as underrated as CITYBOY ! .......:)
akashaman 1 year ago 3
@akashaman
Ain't that a fact? Or Be Bop Deluxe or Charlie
mellotrongirl 1 year ago 4
@akashaman Hell Yeah! Cityboy! Monster Band!! Thanks for the shoutout!
Quadrider50 11 months ago
Probably the most under rated band to come out of the Rock Prog movement in the 70’s and 80’s! Great band, I had the privilege of seeing them on many occasions in Youngstown Ohio. Great Memories! Should be in the R&R Hall Of Fame!
slapadabass 1 year ago 2
At 5:04-6:04 I wonder if Trans Siberian Orchestra modeled its trademark sound after CTS via "Nuclear Apathy"?
bucky468 1 year ago
They were playing while I was visiting in Baltimore for Thanksgiving and I opted not to go... I feel like an idiot.
TheSoYa 1 year ago
Comment removed
bucky468 1 year ago
Good lord the production, the drive and the awesome song meanings why are these guys not mentioned in the same vein as Zeppelin, Aerosmith dare I say the beatles!!!! CTS and Uriah Heep are the most underated bands EVER!!!!
Groundpounder91 1 year ago
I've heard quite a few songs from CTS but this is just epic. This & "Lighten Up McGraw" are awesome classics. "Safety In Numbers" is a great gem of an album from a band who deserved better on FM radio.
bucky468 1 year ago
A great band, I was fortunate enough to have a friend in the Navy form Baltimore who turned me onto them. Very few people I've known have ever heard of them.
cguzz 1 year ago
This isn't just a great song, the whole album is great.
chmoodle 1 year ago
them 7-26 at the wild duck in middle river md the show was awsome what a tight group i was not dissappointed nor have i ever been bobby hurd is a friend i met doing construction work a phenomminal guitarist!!!
MultiMetalgod 1 year ago
@MultiMetalgod I was at that show to drove up from Pittsburgh. They were amazing. Wish they would come back and visit us in the Burgh every now and then. We miss them !!!
drwoe 1 year ago
The boys will be at Rams Head Live next Saturday April 23rd, can't wait to see them again this will be the 4th time. They a truly an awesome band live....
loganz28 10 months ago
CTS fan here and I just came across a studio cover of Nuclear Apathy by a band called Crucible here on Youtube. Its great to hear a band give CTS the respect they deserve and the song is very faithful to the original. The intro on Crucible's version is on piano, and the song rocks as you might expect. Again its here on youtube for the viewing.
Cooleemee43 1 year ago
I forgot how great this song is..the band that slipped through the "crack" is the sky..;)
RoxxZ 1 year ago
I agree ,,this band never got the recognition they truly deserve! Crack the Sky,,Baby!!
raytheprinter 1 year ago
In 1975 This band WAS the future of american rock. God bless them still. John P. is right thee with Simon and Newman as far as composers go. And the band still plays out on occasion.
masterhead4888 1 year ago
It would be sooo freak'n cool if DREAM THEATER would cover this song! or McGraw
for that matter......PEOPLE , PLEASE start a chain email to the Dream Theater fan club or Mike Portnoy , they must cover this one!!!!!!!!
MrRichardson1967 1 year ago
@MrRichardson1967 Or Rangers...Portnoy is on my friends list on a couple sites..MrRicharson you have one awesome vision here
Hammer673 1 year ago
@Hammer673 - thank you Hammer!!! I mean the song has everything Mike
likes, it has a little Beatles, little Floyd, little Yes.......I just hope he has heard of
Crack the Sky....
MrRichardson1967 1 year ago
@MrRichardson1967 You're very welcome! CTS is Canadian..Mike is from NY..but I believe James LaBrie is also Canadian. And if you ever heard "The Big Medley" That had Genesis, Journey, Dixie Dregs even..who they covered on last years cover cd..which that song Odyssey was the same year as Nuclear Apathy
Hammer673 1 year ago
@Hammer673 - You must have meant a different band, CTS is not Canadian, and there aren't any Mikes or Jame's in Crack The Sky. CTS is originally from the Ohio Valley and West Virginia. They are also known today as a Baltimore band their adopted home for years and years.
Cooleemee43 1 year ago
@Hammer673 Crack the Sky is NOT Canadian. James LaBrie is from Dream Theater, and you've obviously falsely conflated the two bands. If you'd said something about John Palumbo, you'd have been on the right track... ;)
renegade4dio 1 year ago
Being from Baltimore it was awesome to be part of Crack the Sky's history in the 70s and early 80s. I saw them at the Electric Circus in Ocean City MD around 1980 and the show was fantastic for such a small club. I have no idea why they never appealed to the edge of the mainstream like Talking Heads or The Cars. Their sound was far more unique and in Maryland we loved them.
mtymaus 1 year ago
This is some good music. Have you guys checked out Gentle Giant's music?
gandlbass 1 year ago
God bless you, drwoe, for uploading this...I'm a native Baltimorean that grew up listening to these wonderful musicians. A great many elements of composition similar to those found in the recorded output of bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, and Rush appear in their music.
Thank you for stating that Mr. Griffiths played the enchanting introductory guitar passage.
Please keep posting more of this exceptional music!
MrFredfarkle 1 year ago
@MrFredfarkle- Yea me too! I have seen them a handful of times,and always was a always a great show. you can still see Carey Zigler play out with his band Expensive Hobby.
dacowboys10 1 year ago
I get chills listening to this....really takes me back to my teenage years. Love CTS!
mcg144 1 year ago
at 6:30, it reminds me of Liar by Queen. ;)
herper64 1 year ago
THIS IS STILL GREAT
magnusdering 1 year ago
Crack The Sky nut and this is the song that started it all for me. My sister from WV got it for me on the advice of her boyfriend/husband and I remember thinking ,,,,this is good, who are they?
Cooleemee43 2 years ago
Remember seeing them at the OLD Painters Mill Music Theater in 79 or 80
alecjohn1 2 years ago
Great group...John Palumbo and I used to party down in Mt. Washington, Baltimore.
mrshyguy40 2 years ago
awesome video. love crack the sky.
Adonais39 2 years ago
I moved to Baltimore in 1979 and that was the first time I saw Crack The Sky. Wow what great memories and music! They still rock today! Thanks for posting this!
Nesnatae 2 years ago
Palumbo & company must have had some early Italian prog LP's in their collection...
mellotrongirl 2 years ago
Heard this as a 16 year old up and coming guitarist and it blew me AWAY...still get chills listening to it.
Chromatype 2 years ago
thank you Crack The sky
elbertsnext 2 years ago
Crack the sky............nuff said!
elbertsnext 2 years ago
THe best band that never was... Rockin your ass off and blowing everyone else away live!
bil56 2 years ago
Great video i thought it was very well done.
Iwitchfinder 2 years ago
heard "safety in numbers" back in
1978(?) I was like wow, who are these guys. No one knew who they were back then. I heard them on "underground" radio station workin 3rd shift, got no mainstream radio airplay, too bad
westrokker 2 years ago
i was there too in 1978...still like the band now...
ffej980 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
i was there too in 1978...still like the band now...
ffej980 2 years ago
Proud to say I still have 4 of their albums.Always impressive!
adktron 2 years ago
My favorite Crack The Sky song for sure.. just have to Crank it.
bananaphonehome 2 years ago 2
no one did i am the walrus, live befor them !!! no one had the balls !!! and they did it GREAT !!!!!!! R.R.
1RobbieRoberts 2 years ago 3
they got ripped off frm lifesong records i know Jim Griffiths what can u do they should have been on the top o f the charts but no what did we get Thrillerrr please u r killing me
acousticjdw 2 years ago
I still have all the vinyl Lp's here in Kitchener, Ontario - I grew up on this stuff!
mywickedtwin 2 years ago
God, I love this song. And unfortunately, pretty much nobody I know (except for my dad and a few of his friends) have ever heard of Crack the Sky, and I can't find their albums ANYWHERE. Not cool.
Psychchick1 2 years ago
Have you tried their web site, its all available on cd there, COOL!
Cooleemee43 2 years ago
this song to this video muted Mh2AY8aRQEY is crazy, you have to start them at the same time. TRY IT
damM3 2 years ago
I love this song - the bass-line is just uber-terrific
cwbutler 2 years ago 4
If you follow the journey of the bass guitar throughout this song, it is quite spectacular
balz2dewalz 2 years ago 3
That was great> outstanding song that nevewr got enough airplay
daveeeray 3 years ago
God I was seeing them when Coast to Coast was fully nuts to butts. The first album was the Shiznit. Then Safety and Nuclear. OMG. Even thou White Music was a little Gary Numanish. It still had its moments but LIVE, was always the best way to see this band. They were unpredictable. It's like the Beatles, Floyd, Dan, Zep, Yes members got together for side project. Still amazing to this day. They should release the 1980 painters mill show on a DVD. They have it. I've seen it.
guitarguts666 3 years ago
Is that Rick W. playing the acoustic intro? Unbelievably beautiful. Been listening to them since 1976. I saw them at least 6 or 7 times. Sheesh...where has the time gone.
JuilliardReject 3 years ago
I have a bootleg board tape of CTS in 77 on the Safety In Numbers tour, and on it Ricky announced Jim Griffiths as playing the intro, I am assuming this is him also in the studio.
Cooleemee43 3 years ago
Oh for anyone that hasn't heard, Cracks original Bass player JoeMacre is back and has produced a new CTS concept album written by Palumbo called "The Sale" it is a very strong return to form by the band. On top of that, original drummer Joey DeAmico is back on drums and the original band is back in the studio recording a new CD to be called "Machine"
Cooleemee43 3 years ago 3
@Cooleemee43 The new cd Machine is incredible...Got it at their last show in Baltimore....
drwoe 1 year ago
My first CTS was Nuclear Apathy. Age, 15 in 1980 NY. Never heard of them, my big sis (in WV) was coming home to visit and said she would bring me some albums, I gave her my list of cool bands and her then boyfriend decided on a whim to add Safety In Numbers...THANK YOU STEVE! One of their best, still powerul, stands the test of time. There is a band called "Crucible" that covered the song, the only band I know of to cover a Crack song. Great band, great people, these are very nice guys.
Cooleemee43 3 years ago
30 years on and Safety In Numbers is still as mind blowing as the day it was released. Fantastic band, fantastic music.
notsatch 3 years ago 2
Bless you, DrWoe! At long last, a true a/v clip for CTS!
The first four CtS albums (self-titled to LIVE SKY) are....and I know this word gets tossed around too loosely....frickin' masterpieces. This is heavy rock with real presence and an actual identity, crafted by and for thinking, feeling human beings, and featuring ace musicianship and brilliant songwriting. As the clip above so clearly shows.
And let's raise a glass to Garry Lee Chappel, the Crack-er time forgot. HELL of a singer!
sickdrjoe 3 years ago
i agree whole heartedly .. i have been listening to them since they started and trying to tell people to check them out but only the select few true audiophiles will try and appreciate them.. ....unbelievable tempo changes and musicianship second to none
patroc58 3 years ago
I left out the 'r' in rare below, as in pics were rare.
ottowes 3 years ago
When 'Safety in Numbers' was released I was working at a college radio station and played this cut-and others by them-as often as I could. Baltimore fans just loved the band and still do! Although they were a thinking man's band, their image was low-key; pics were are and usually tinted or otherwise obscured. In fact, I can't really recall seeing what they looked like, and other than record stores, concert halls or mags, no image would be available. Great to hear them again!
ottowes 3 years ago
One of the very first songs by them that I heard when I first found out about them in '79 or '80. I was literally blown away to put it mildly!
75sultan 3 years ago
Is it just me or does it seem that Math Rock like Don Caballero or Battles is REALLY heavily influenced by this kind of music? The odd time signature changes, the unpredictability of the rhythm and tone of the song, just everything
This is absolutely brilliant, this song
gabe25591 3 years ago 8
Snayboy64 hit it right on the head. I work all day listening to classic rock in Texas. I talk to the dejays from the radio station who are from PA and Ohio and they remember CTS and say we can't play them here. I tell them to stop playing the same crap over and over again and find new songs. They told me that Texas just doesn't have rock and roll down yet! I used to listen to WGRX 100 in Baltimore and hear them play everything including CTS. I miss those days and the band.
bil56 3 years ago 4
Radio up north has gotten the same way.... Classic rock means a handful of bands songs over and over... I've given up on them and listen to my cd's all the time... I read blogs to search out new music... What a shame it is....
drwoe 3 years ago 3
@drwoe Yea. Led Zep only has 5 songs according to the radio. They're ALL held to the same 5 songs in the play list. I too listen to my CD's and ipod. You Tube has become my go to for research on what I've missed and must get. The comment section under the videos is a wealth of info. Thanks for posting this. I listen to these guys on a regular rotation. At work I am made to listen to what the drones want to hear.......play the top 5 station. I want to hear Fergilicious 6 more times!!! =)
Qwazier3 1 year ago
@drwoe word. having to listen to the same classic rock station at work 8 hours a day blasting sweet home alabama over and over and over ranks as one of the worst experiences of my life
jcracker 1 year ago
It's the same way everywhere... radio just plays crap. They don't give people anything else to listen to. Older bands like Crack the Sky and newer bands like Riverside - they don't want you to hear them!
gunstar9 3 years ago
@bil56 100.7 The Bay in Baltimore still plays Crack the Sky. It makes me very happy every time I hear them on the radio!
21234Joey 1 year ago
@bil56
Love CTS having grown up in B-more (BalMer) in the 80's. (they were a staple) Had the pleasure of experiencing sitting in on some of their practice sessions as a teen. Can't believe they didn't arise above the regional level. However, funny years later in the Corps a fellow jarhead from central PA I had found was a fan as well. Did John Palumbo have a fall out with the rest? Was that their demise. They really were awesome.
gman1114 1 year ago
@bil56 I listen to XM Deep Tracks. They play CTS quite often. Heard Rangers at Midnight yesterday in fact :)
MrProster 1 year ago
This song simply KICKS ASS. Crack The Sky is so woefully underrated. It's criminal. Bands just don't write stuff like this anymore. Takes too much effort I guess, plus there's no mention of "bitches", "hoes" or "gats" in Crack The Sky's music, so obviously it's got no appeal to today's audience. It's a sad world we live in - people don't recognize REAL ART anymore. Makes me want to puke.
Snayboy64 3 years ago 16
I agree with you on that one....
drwoe 3 years ago
Amen Snayboy. music has gone dreadfully downhill since 2000...
Stealthx37 3 years ago
@Snayboy64 100% AMEN!!!!!!
herper64 1 year ago
@Snayboy64 I'm sorry, but seriously fuck you. I'm sure you can't name one rapper or one song off the top of your head. Not to mention the fact that I'm sure you don't know one person who can. To make the ridiculous and absolutely racist statement that modern music is filled with "bitches", "hoes" or "gats" is mind boggling. You don't understand art because you don't understand taste. Art is a creation by the artist and not the audience. And you're a fool to think that all modern music is rap.
Geobon 1 year ago
@Geobon You're a fucking idiot. Snayboy is right on the money. Jay Z, 50 cent, P Diddy, Eminem, Rick Ross etc........Is that enough asshole?
rubicon1983 1 year ago
@rubicon1983 What about guys like kid cudi? Kanye west? Outcast? Not every rapper is the generic mainstream type cast. Just like back when crack the sky was around there were a hundred other terrible bands. Why is it that you people seem forget that fact that not every band was amazing, and not every band was the same genre(Remember disco?)
The problem is you aren't looking in the right area for music you like. And instead you guys just bitch about whats on the radio
Geobon 1 year ago
@Geobon True...all modern music is not Rap....but all Rap is CRAP...of this I am certain. Rap has no musical merit...it should have stayed on the streets with the gangstas trying to impress da hoes.
Chromatype 1 year ago
@Snayboy64
I would scream for joy if I heard this on radio today.
I can't believe I had not heard of CTS before and I am a Big Gentle Giant fan.
svenghoulieil 1 year ago
@Snayboy64 There are still MANY people who recognize and appreciate real art, new or old. They just aren't the mainstream that gets flashed everywhere. I'm fine with that. Now we publicly separate the idiot followers from the true fans and music/art lovers. It makes it easy to tell who's a stupid fuckface and who's truly got their shit together. When you know what's up, you know what's up. Who gives a fuck what all the retards do? Just appreciate the great stuff there is in the world.
Manwithcam 11 months ago
@Snayboy64 I agree with you but everything after a reference to CTS just makes you sound stupid. I'm part of today's audience I love rap and hip hop but I also listen other genres of music like jazz, indie and alternative. My favorite bands can be anywhere from Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd and oh yeah, a little band called The Beatles. Sure some people might make and listen to horse shit music, but not everyone. True, music isn't what it once was but it's not mainstream, which is just fine with me.
seeerkit 11 months ago
I got turned onto this album as a new release.
It affected the music I listened to ever since.
SidReal 3 years ago
I feel the same way too
drwoe 3 years ago
simply..........great!
steadysteve54 3 years ago
Thanks my friend !!!!
drwoe 3 years ago