THE ELASTIK BAND – 1965 - 1969
The Elastik Band, originally called This Side Up, was a 5-piece band formed by David Cortopassi in 1965 during the exploding rock music scene in San Francisco, California. Members of the band included David Cortopassi (song writer, composer, vocals, guitar, base guitar, keyboard), Russell Kerger (saxophone, electric piano, background vocals), Rusty Kierig (base guitar, background vocals,) Vince Silvera (vocals, drums), & Scott Williams (vocals, lead guitar, base guitar). David Sturgen (base guitar) and Rebecca Tieson (vocals, flute) were also brief members of the band.
While they had their own unique sound, the band prided itself on being able to play many diverse styles of music influenced by rock greats like the Mamas and Papas (“All I Need” by the Elastik Band), the Beau Brummels or the Byrds (“Mixed Emotions” by the Elastik Band), and Paul Revere and the Raiders (“Back on My Feet” by the Elastik Band.) Their music was all original. They were not only musicians, they were part of the San Francisco music movement.
The Elastik Band played at large concerts in Golden Gate Park and throughout California on the same stage with bands like Jefferson Airplane, Bo Diddley, Grateful Dead, Santana, Country Joe & the Fish, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Country Weather, The Animals, and The Youngbloods. They also played Bill Graham’s Filmore West as opening act to other bands.
The songs “Lose Yourself” and “Turn Your Head” were the band’s first recorded songs. They were written by Cortopassi, produced by George Dipaola, engineered by Brian Gardner and released by Century Recordings on a 45RPM vinyl record in 1965 when the band was still called This Side Up.
The band came to the attention of Hank Donig, nightclub owner, booking agent, and producer who encouraged Cortopassi to change the band’s name. After considering names like The Gremlins and The Munchkins (no joke), he picked The Elastik Band. Elastik because the band played a lot of different kinds of music and outrageous originals.
Hank Donig and Fred Cohn, owner of Action Records Recording Studio, recorded two songs, “Got A Better Reason Now” and “Mixed Emotions”, and released them in 1967 under DCA Records on a 45. Action Records also recorded an entire album of the band’s original songs, but the album was never released. One song, “SPAZZ”, was picked up by ATCO Records and released on a 45 that same year. It soon became one of the most notorious songs ever. Banned in Europe for its content, “SPAZZ” is now a cult favorite sought by collectors worldwide. (Check out the story behind “SPAZZ” )
In 1968, after the notoriety caused by “SPAZZ”, Cortopassi and the band moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles where they were signed to a 7 year recording contract by Russ Regan, President of UNI (Universal) Records. However, under UNI, everything changed. UNI hired orchestras, arrangers, gave the band a new manager (Joey Fischer) and a staff producer (Norman Ratner) who just didn’t complement the band’s nature, musical style, or direction. After releasing two 45s, “I Will Still Love You”, “In A Family Tree”, “Tunesmith”, under Universal’s subsidiary label KAPP, in 1969 UNI changed the band’s name to Dangerfield. Many of the band members remained the same but the music transformed, and the new sound of Dangerfield began.
