Crimson Steele (CS) was formed around 1977 by students at Harding Township Junior School.  To call its brand of music "unique" requires one first to assume that no other bands were ever formed with printed sheet music as its source of information on how to play top-40 hits of the day, and/or that all other such bands went about their work with an artistic passion or modicum of talent.  Once those notions are let go, one can see that there never has been, and never will be a band quite like this simmering crock-pot of angst.

The band members were Rob Samartin on drums, Glenn Walters on bass, Tony Lovell and Bruce Barteldt on guitar, Jeff Davis on keyboards, and the occasional vocal by Zia Gajary and Tracy Kerr.

Flailing on a Fender Coronado guitar on stage in the Harding Township School gym

Band practices took place in the Samartin basement and the song selection was limited to those songs for which sheet music could be located and the occasional "jam" original, most of which seemed borrowed from the repetoire of Bruce and Tony.

I recall there being at least 3 public performances by the band:  a dance at the school, a performance to accompany a "multimage" slideshow by Miss Lamb of the 8th grade trip to Washington DC ("Band on the Run"), and we actually played at our own 8th grade graduation.

Looking back, it astonishes me that the school officials would dare to have a student "rock band" play at graduation.  I'd say that was a vote of confidence, but I can't say I really understand how it was intended to fit in. 

The "multimage" gig requires a bit of explanation.  Miss Lamb was a jovial white-haired music teacher who had created (and named!) a concept of showing a variety of slide shows at once with perhaps film mixed in, all on the same large screen.  The images would tesselate or maybe slightly overlap, and then she'd accompany the whole with music.  Perhaps this was not the most earth-shattering concept ever unfurled, but considering that she even gave it a peppy name, one must wonder whether she could have gotten a PhD or Wired magazine cover out of this had she done it 16 years later.

Band on the Run (3:59, 5 MB)

Lyin' Eyes (2:26, 3 MB)

Oompaloomp Jam (4:54, 6 MB)

Tequila (2:58, 3 MB)