Originally known as Arcangel, Crack the Sky was formed in Weirton, West Virginia, near Pittsburgh in the mid-’70s. Members included John Palumbo (lead vocals, guitar), Jim Griffiths (guitar), Rick Witkowski (guitar), Joe Macre (bass), Joey D’Amico (drums), and appearances by keyboardist Vince DePaul. They performed throughout western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
In 1975 they released their first album – a self-titled work which consisted of quirky rock & roll integrated with many time changes and switch-ups with a few Beatle-esque touches. Declared “Album of the Year” by Rolling Stone magazine, it was not promoted well and failed to catch on nationally. Soon the band moved to the Baltimore area where they were embraced by the music community and heavily promoted on WIYY (98 Rock). They were seen at many of the larger clubs around the area including the Hollywood Palace, Four Corners, Sandbar, Painter’s Mill, and Hammerjacks…
1976 saw the release of their second album “Animal Notes” which fared about as well nationally but was well received in the local region. During the recording of the band’s third album “Safety in Numbers” Palumbo decided to leave the band to pursue a solo career. At Lifesong Records he developed an affiliation with New York based recording group Arc as a songwriter and guitarist. The group released a self-titled album in 1978 (Lifesong 35413) that contained Palumbo’s compositions. They also released a couple singles “Life on The Run” (Lifesong 1768), and “Sometimes the Time Flies By” b/w “I Feel Beautiful” (Lifesong 1778).
Palumbo was replaced with vocalist Gary Lee Chappel as vocalist on the LP’s “Safety in Numbers” and “Live Sky” in 1978. The band split up soon after the “Live Sky” album release.
In 1980 the group re-formed with Palumbo rejoining Witkowski and DePaul to record the album “White Music.” The LP was recorded at Flite 3 and featured accompaniment by the “Crack Pack Horns” which were actually the brass section from Baltimore’s Both Worlds. Shortly after the LP was released, they split again.
The band re-formed again in 1981 with Palumbo assembling the latest incarnation along with DePaul (keyboards), and new members Carey Ziegler (bass ex-Shane, Glass House, Carry On), Michael Taylor (guitar), and John Tracey (drums ex-Queen’s Chapel, Trigger Happy, Climbadonkey). This line-up recorded the album “Photoflamingo.” By 1983 guitarist Bobby Hird (ex-Ravyns) joined the group and they released the album “World in Motion-I” and the band’s (then) swan song “The End.”
Palumbo again embarked on his solo work recording the album “Blowing Up Detroit” in 1984. Also, during this period, the other former members Rick Witkowski, Joe D’Amico, and Joe Macre teamed up with B.E. Taylor (a former member of Donny Iris’s Pittsburgh group the Jaggerz) to form the B.E. Taylor Group. Based in Philadelphia, they scored a 1984 national hit “Vitamin L.” CTS members Ziegler, Tracey, DePaul, and Hird went on to form the band No Heroes and performed original music as well as Crack the Sky songs in and around the Baltimore area.
Throughout the remainder of the ‘80s and into the ‘00s CTS transformed through numerous incarnations and solo projects. The 1986 LP “Raw” was basically Palumbo and Jamie LaRitz (guitar, keys). A re-formed Crack the Sky went on to perform a series of well-received reunion shows at Hammerjacks in the late ‘80s. Palumbo formed Cruel Shoes in 1990 and his group released a self-titled album on Rendezvous Records after which John returned to CTS. Palumbo has also produced and/or appeared on recordings by many area groups including Hybrid Ice, Ravyns, Tail Gunner, Fool Bros., Breakers, Kix, Eddy Feldman, David Heckscher, Cracked Actor, Dirty Deal…
In the ‘90s CTS performed at local venues including A.L. Gators, Bohager’s, Daytona’s, Hard Rock Café, and the 1996 Colt Fest at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. The group enjoyed a strong following and continued performing concerts and releasing new material.
In the band’s 50+ year history, many members have had long term relationships, and many have passed through the ranks. Some of the studio and/or live performing musicians have also included Leo McLaughlin (blues harp), guitarists Dave Carrera, Ron Zebron, Dave DeMarco, bass guitarists Mark Easley, vocalists Marvin Brown, Terry Brown, Mark Easley, Patty Reese, Jen Smith, Cathy Zebron…
At the suggestion of J.J. Gunning, the CTS CPH could use an update…
Crack Pack Horns members have included:
Tom Williams – Trumpet (1980s-1990s)
Tom McCormick – Tenor saxophone (1980s)
Dave Fairall – Tenor & alto saxophone (1980s-2000)
Paul Soroka – Lyricon (1980s-1990s)
Chris Walker – Trumpet (1990s-2000)
J.J. Gunning – Trombone (1990s-2000)
Ronnie Fowler – Horns (1986)
Jim Stienfeld – Horns (1986)
Keith Zaffino – Horns (1986)
Dave Makowiecki – Trumpet (2000-present)
Barry Caudill – Tenor Sax (2000-present)
Jim McFalls – Trombone (2000-present)
Ziegler continued to perform and record. Over the years he has toured with Roy Buchanan, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter, Greg Allman, played to a packed house at Carnegie Hall. Locally he has been with Band of a Thousand Names, and in the ‘00s performed with his Expensive Hobby (see bio) that also included Andy Shriver… Hird also continued to perform into the ‘00s with bands and solo projects. He released a solo CD on Harmony Cottage Records in 1998 titled “Heartbeat Away” featuring studio help from various local musicians including CTS alumni Ziegler and Tracey. Hird played with the Delta Dogs blues band.
Crack the Sky singles discography:
1976 Lifesong 45003 She’s A Dancer / Robots for Ronnie
1976 Lifesong 45016 (We Don’t Want Your Money) We Want Mine / Invaders from Mars
1977 Lifesong 1763 Give Myself to You / A Night on The Town
1978 Lifesong 1764 Long Nights / Give Myself to You
1978 Lifesong 1782 Lighten Up McGraw / I Am the Walrus
1980 Lifesong 45081 Suspicion / Techni Generation
1983 Criminal 1710 Monkey Time / Stealer
1983 Criminal Needles & Pins / Mr. D.J.
1989 Grudge 4650 Lost in America / Greenhouse Finale
1989 Grudge 4750 Lost in America / (same) 12” single
Crack The Sky albums:
1975 Lifesong 6000 Crack the Sky
1976 Lifesong 6005 Animal Notes
1978 Lifesong 35041 Safety in Numbers
1978 Lifesong 35620 Live Sky
1980 Lifesong 8028 White Music
1980 Lifesong Crack the Sky – Live!
(mail order only promotional LP of live recordings from WBAB-NY)
1980 Lifesong 8029 Classic Crack the Sky
1981 Lifesong 8133 Photoflamingo
1983 Criminal 1696 World in Motion I
1984 Criminal 1711 The End (live)
1986 Grudge Raw
1989 Grudge From the Greenhouse
1990 Grudge Dog City
1994 Yodelin’ Pig Rare
1996 Renaissance Crack Attic
1998 Stepford Wives Cut
2000 Winthrop The Best of the Rest (And Then Some)
2000 Aluminum Cat Live – Recher Theatre 06.19.99
2001 CTS Ghost
2004 RedLine Dogs from Japan
2006 Lifesong Alive and Kickin’ Ass (live 1978 recordings)
2007 Aluminum Cat The Sale
2010 Aluminum Cat Machine
2012 Aluminum Cat Ostrich
2015 Aluminum Cat The Beauty of Nothing
2018 Loud & Proud Living in Reverse
2018 Loud & Proud Crackology
2021 Renaissance Crack Attic
2021 Carry On Music Tribes
2021 Carry On Music Between the Cracks
2023 Aluminum Cat From the Wood
2024 Adobo The Baker Files
John Palumbo solo releases:
1978 Lifesong Innocent Bystander
1978 Lifesong 1781 No One Wants to Be Alone / It’s Okay to Die
1985 HME Blowing Up Detroit
1985 HME 1974 Blowing Up Detroit
1989 Grudge 4517 Victim of the Nightlife
1989 Grudge 4762 Drifting Back to Motown
Cruel Shoes album
1992 Rendezvous Cruel Shoes
For much more detailed history of CTS see the 2024 book “All Things Crack… Some Endure – A Crack the Sky Biography” by Tyson Koska
