After Doc Rogers & the Rock Dodgers split up in 1994, guitarist Steve Buchholz called his ex-brother-in-law Clyde Allen to see if they could quickly put a band together to cover remaining bookings. Clyde was able to recruit Joe Sanzone (guitar), Rich Butcher (keys), and John Sankonis (drums). After a few rehearsals they went on and fulfilled the obligations. The band sounded good but due to short notice and other commitments Sankonis decided he couldn’t commit so Phil Morawski joined on drums, Buchholz decided to join the newly reunited Doc Rogers & the Rock Dodgers and Rusty Hinshaw joined on guitar in his place.
They decided to name the new group Carnival, but quickly learned there was another group by that name, so they chose the name Past Time.
The group played covers of ‘50s-60s-70s popular hits, and with strong vocals of Clyde Allen and Bob Brady (Con Chords) incorporated a street corner style acapella segment into their show. They played an average of three weekends per month at mostly American Legion halls, bull roasts, and special events such as Reese Carnival, a retirement party at the U.S. Capitol Building, and a special Colts-Jets reunion game and party where they met and recruited WCBM personality Joe Armacost (drums, vocals) for a time. Guitarist Joe Bontz also played for the group for a while.
Al Parsons (guitar, harmonica) joined for a while after the group began using backing sequencing that they had made at Toyz Studios. Frank Starchak of Toyz was also a member for a while.
Joe Vaccarino recalls “when Clyde brought me to meet the group around 2007, Bob had recently been receiving royalty checks from BMI for European airplay of Bob Brady & the Con Chords blue-eyed soul song “Everybody’s Going to The Love-In.”
Bob called Clyde and said we’re flying to England, his blue-eyed soul song “Everybody’s Goin’ To the Love In” was a hit there.
Bob liked to exclaim that after 40 years he had become an overnight success!
Shortly afterward, the U.S. Burger King chain began using the record “More, More, More of Your Love” in its advertising.
After Bob became aware of this, he contacted the chain, who claimed the record was Smokey Robinson. Bob corrected them that Smokey had written and recorded the song as an album track, but Bob recorded a faster tempo version in 1967 and it was indeed Bob’s version that was being played in the commercial ads. Burger King then pulled the ads and began using the Bobby Lewis song “Tossin’ and Turnin’”
It was said that Bob’s version sounded more like Smokey than Smokey himself!
Allen and Bontz later re-joined The Cadillac Cruisers. Clyde said that he was a four-time member of the Cadillac Cruisers! He was also a member of the ‘90s band Cruise.
