Towson area avant-garde acid-progressive band formed in late 1973 by former members of Quinn / Little Hans. Original members Mark O‘Connor (keyboards), Steve Heck (bass), and Joe O‘Sullivan (guitar) retreated to O’Sullivan’s basement where they experimented with musical styles. O’Connor later described their sounds from this period as “really chaotic stuff, just making noise, total nihilism. We had no intention of recording, it was just a release from boredom.” Using the initials of their last names, they called themselves OHO. Jay Graboski (guitar, vocals) and fusion drummer Larry Bright soon joined the band. Bright lasted only a few brief weeks before moving on and being replaced with drummer Jeff Graboski (aka Spink). Bright went on to an illustrious career performing with artists such as Sun Ra, Ronnie Laws, Cissy Houston, Brecker Brothers, John Scofield, etc.
The tracks for their first album “Okinawa” were recorded in January 1974 and released in July of that year. The music was very unusual – reminiscent of a mix of Zappa / Genesis / King Crimson / Bonzo Dog Band. Germany’s “Hanf” magazine described it as “Sgt. Peppers for the advanced listener.” Okinawa was privately pressed and 1000 copies were circulated. 31 original tunes were recorded but only 16 were included on the LP. Also, in 1974 the band recorded the music which would eventually be released in 1991 as “Vitamin OHO”. During these sessions the band’s recording engineer introduced them to producer Thomas Apple. During 1975-76 the band recorded the tracks that would become “Dream of the Ridiculous Band” under Apple’s direction. From those sessions a single “Seldom Bought” b/w “Lez Lee” was released. “Seldom Bought” was eventually included on the 1978 WKTK album with the above lineup.
OHO performed anywhere that “anyone would allow them to perform” according to Jay – including outdoor festivals, college concerts, the Steelworkers Hall… Their first live gig was at the Steelworkers Hall in Dundalk February 1974. The band played at the Putty Hill Rock Concert on Sunday, June 23, 1974 along with the Royal 5+1, Wintersunn, and Pooba. Also appeared at the Santa Claus Anonymous Benefit at Catonsville Community College on November 30, 1974 along with two stages of various local bands alternating from 12 noon to 12 midnight. OHO also traveled to D.C. clubs including the Bayou.
In 1977 David Reeve replaced Graboski on drums and the band recorded material for another album (which was never released). Later that year the band folded.
O’Connor and Jeff Graboski later formed the GoHog Revue which included the alias combo’s Dark Side, Trixy & the Testones, later evolving to Food for Worms. Members on the Dark Side records included mainstays Jay and Mark, along with David Jarkowski (bass, lead vocals ex-Stray Dog), Steve Simcoe (woodwinds), Jeff Graboski (percussion), Pete Wulforst (guitar), T. Craig Considine (trombone), and Jim Furst (trumpet).
The group was well represented on the on the 1979 various artists compilation “The Best of Baltimore’s Buried” (Balto-Weird 1001) which included cuts by OHO, Dark Side, and other conglomerations using alias nicknames. The OHO song “We’ll Be Famous When We’re Dead” featured O’Sullivan, O’Connor, Heck, the Graboski brothers, and the harmonica of John Strausbaugh (ex-Prime Movers). The song by the Dark Side “Bluestown” featured Dave Jarkowski (bass guitar, lead vocals), Jay Graboski (guitar, vocals), Pete Wulforst (guitar), Jeff Graboski (drums), Mark O’Connor ‘D.C.Volta’ (keyboards), Steve Simcoe (tenor sax and horn arrangement), with T. Craig Considine (trombone), Jim Furst (trumpet), and John Strausbaugh (harp). Another Dark Side song “Down the Tubes” was included on the WKTK “Maryland Music ’81” album, and “In the Dark” was included on the Voxx Records national compilation “Battle of the Garages” in 1981.
In the early 1980s the group morphed into Food for Worms. This conglomeration resurrected OHO in 1984 going to Steve Carr’s Hit & Run studios in Rockville where they recorded the album “Rocktronics.” The lineup featured Mark O’Connor, Jay Graboski, David Reeve, with front man Gyro, bassist Mike Kearney, with background vocalists Karen Parr, and Tracy Tiernan.
Shortly thereafter the group split leaving only Graboski and Reeve, who continued to work primarily as a studio band. Many of the previous members continued to return for subsequent projects. Others contributors included Gene Ingham (bassist formerly with Orange Wedge, Fantasy…), Mick McMick (bass ex-Food for Worms), Richard Lake (keyboards)…
OHO’s song “Change in the Wind” was chosen as a finalist in Musician Magazine’s 1986 search for “Best Unsigned Band.” The recording featured Graboski, Gyro, Reeve, and Grace Hearn (vocals ex-Rock Island Express).
By 1988 OHO had recorded 11 new songs. They submitted songs for competition in the “Yamaha Soundcheck Contest” for the best unsigned bands. Their recordings were chosen as 1 of 8 finalists. The original songs “Breaking Away,” and “Til Death Do Us Part” were performed by the group which featured Graboski (guitar), Steve Carr (guitar), Reeve (drums), and Hearn. Being a studio band, the Yamaha people insisted the band play live. As a result the group began rehearsing to play live music. They recruited Glenn Workman (keyboards), Bill Janssen (woodwinds), and Tom Hirschmann (multi-instrumentalist). The group traveled to L.A. and performed at the Universal Amphitheater.
Vocalist/keyboardist Angela Lazaroni (formerly with Gratitude) joined the group in late 1988. She later went on to front the group passionfix. Bassist Mike Kearney was also a member during this time.
OHO began to play local clubs throughout the Baltimore / D.C. area. They recorded a collection of songs in 1989 that were released the following year on the Sky label. Most of these recordings were rereleased in 2002 as the CD “Up.” From this collection Washington radio station WAMA included “Out of Thin Air” on their 1989 local music comp “WAMA DCCD III.” Also in 1989 Musician magazine chose OHO as one of the five “best unsigned bands in America.” The group was nominated for 5 WAMMIE awards in 1990 including artist of the year, best “new” artist, best recording, best song, and Grace Hearn for best female vocalist. As fate would have it the up-and-coming regional artist Mary Chapin Carpenter walked away with most of the awards.
Hearn eventually relocated to Seattle and gained some success in the ‘90s with album releases with Michael Savage in a duo known as Hand to Mouth. Album releases by the duo include “This Is the Place” (1993), “Calling Magdalene” (1995), “Weightless” (2000), and “Messy Blue Ending” (2002).
The OHO song “Angels” was included on the 1992 local comp “Spitting Seeds” and featured vocal contributions by Grace Hearn and Mary O’Connor… Their song “It Will Not Be Late” was included on the 1993 comp “Spitting Seeds II.”
Personnel changes continued within OHO as Harry Maben became the new drummer. Vocalist Mary O’Connor was briefly with the group and was replaced with Sue Ellen Sacco (ex-Rock Island Express). Recordings circa 2001 featured vocalist Jane Brody and fiddler Sue Tice. Jane since moved on to San Francisco and released a solo CD “Grin.” She was replaced with Elise Major.
Most of the members have been involved in various musical projects over the years including a reunion in 1995. Graboski and Reeve did some studio work with Bill Pratt as The Vulgarians. Jay played with Lunar Merchant, and with Gyro and Reeve as St. Joseph’s Ass. Jarkowski provided lead vocals for the Lost Incas. Simcoe was also member of Mixed Nuts, Kaos, Isabelle’s Dream… Through it all OHO has been seen performing locally off and on. Numerous canned projects have been resurfacing as additional releases to the OHO catalog, some in conjunction with Little Wing of Refugees label in Germany which specialized in reissuing important, but lost music of the ‘70s. The Album “Okinawa” has also been reissued, along with a CD of 1974-76 recordings titled “Recollections.”
Keyboardist Mark O’Connor continues to be active in the studio. His band Buck Subtle and the Little Planets, an alternative pop/rock band, released the CD “Lowdown” in 2014, and his latest CD “Life Among the Solids” in 2015 (both on Angry Little Planet Records). The group features O’Connor (keyboards, lead vocals), with Charles Emmett Freeman (bass), M.H. Lis (guitars), Ryan Lis O’Connor (trumpet, trombone), Mindell Siegel (sax), James Wilson, Sr. (drums), and Deborah Patterson (backing vocals). Mark provides lead vocals and everyone contributes backing vocals.
In 2003 OHO released the CD “Up.” In collaboration with Progression magazine, Graboski released “Best of Baltimore’s Buried Bands II” (OM-53) in 2003. The 2-CD set features cuts from local progressive bands OHO, Neige, Outrageous, Elf Park, Richard Lake, Klangfaarb, Food for Worms, and others.
In 2015 they released a retrospective CD consisting of previously unreleased studio instrumental tracks recorded on various sessions 1974-2010 along with two new tracks from 2015.
A 2019 CD release “Just Jay (& His Sonic Sphere of Acquaintance) Steps 1971-2019” is a retrospective of the OHO family including rare tracks by OHO, Grok, El Sledge, St. Joseph’s Ass, Lunar Merchant, The Weaszels, Food For Worms, Unyflow, Trixy & Testones, Dark Side, and Little Hans.
Also see – GoHog Revue – Food for Worms
Singles:
1975 GoHog 1 Seldom Bought / Lez Lee
Albums:
1974(LP) NR-4579 Okinawa
1984(LP) Clean Cuts 5001 Rocktronics
1989(CD) OHO CD1 Audition
1990(CD) Sky 7-2004-1 OHO
1991(CD) Little Wing 3023 Vitamin OHO
1998(CD) Little Wing 3053 Ecce OHO
2002(CD) GoHog Recollections
2003(CD) OHO Music 052 Up
2014(CD) OHO Music 063 Ocean City Ditty
2022(CD) OHO Music 072 Ahora!
Recordings by the Dark Side:
1978(EP) GoHog 002 Wholesale Diamonds
1979(EP) GoHog 003 Damaged Goods: (You And I Are Through / Bluestown b/w How I Cried / Out on A Limb)
1980(LP) GoHog 004 Rumors in Our Own Time / Legends in Our Own Rooms
1995(CS) GoHog C-3 Dark Side ‘96
2005(CD) OHO Music 054 Odd Fellows on An Even Day: Dark Side Anthology 1977-1995
2015(CD) OHO Music 64.75 Where Words Do Not Reach
Recordings released as Jay Graboski
2019(CD) OHO Music 069 Just Jay (& His Sonic Sphere of Acquaintance) Steps 1971-2019
2023(CD) OHO Music 073 authentic fake
Note: A 1979 basement recording of their song “In the Dark” is on the Voxx Records compilation “Battle of The Garages.”
