Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers - Here I Come (live)

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers perform "Here I Come" live at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, 1987.

Do You Still Believe In Me (live) - Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers at the Spectrum

Do You Still Believe In Me by Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers, a live recording from The Spectrum in Philadelphia, February 20, 1987.

Tommy Conwell (Timeline)

The following is an excerpt from an article originally found on www.mpprojects.com/tc.

Thomas Edward Conwell, was raised on the Main Line in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. He arrived on the local music scene around 1982. As an aspiring, 20-year-old blues guitarist/student at the University of Delaware, Conwell fed on a diet of Junior Wells, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Slim Harpo, and Bo Diddley.

Conwell’s most formative experience may have been as a roadie and guitarist with Rockett 88 - a band led by Dr. Harmonica, Mark Kenneally. Rockett 88 was a hell raising, blues band that gained some local notoriety touring with Delaware roadhouse blues rocker, George Thorogood. Conwell played with Rockett 88 for a year and a half then briefly joined Radio Carolyn before starting his own band, The Young Rumblers.

1984

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers started as a three-piece band with Chaz Molins on bass and Brad Fish on drums. The Rumblers played their first professional gig in the spring at a party at a student housing project known as Skid Row. As luck would have it, Tommy Conwell’s picture appeared on the cover of the student run newspaper. “We got lucky from day one, and we got lucky again and again,” says Conwell.

1985

Paul Slivka and Jim Hannum replaced the original rhythm section. The band continued to add to its set list which included Workout, Dig It, Yeah Daddy, Walkin' on the Water, and Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Two new band members became Rumblers shortly before entering the studio to record Walkin’ on the Water - guitarist Chris Day and keyboardist, Rob Miller, who previously played with Robert Hazard and the Hooters. 

1986

Walkin’ on the Water

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers built a reputation of incredible high-energy shows and established themselves as a major draw in the Philadelphia clubs. The vibrant local music scene hit the roof with the release of Walkin’ on the Water. The album had nine songs and was produced by Andy King, bass player from the Hooters. Philadelphia singer/songwriter, Robert Hazard, wrote the radio friendly Love’s on Fire and Everything They Say is True. Conwell’s songwriting efforts Walkin’ on the Water, and Million Pretty Girls were about youthful invincibility and struck a chord with his new audience.

Heavy radio airplay of Million Pretty Girls, I’m Not Your Man, and Do You Still Believe in Me supported the Young Rumblers as the premiere live draw in the club circuit. The independent release sold more than 70,000 copies in the Philadelphia region alone.
"Conwell is all attitude……black boots, spiked hair, Billy Idol sneer, snarling guitar,'' wrote a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter. The Philly rock radio station WMMR-FM 93.3, sponsored a contest in 1987 and received an astounding eleven million postcards from high school students trying to win a free concert with the Young Rumblers.

The Young Rumblers nurtured their live act at bars or cabarets, the Spectrum, and Veteran’s stadium. The band opened for big names such as the Pretenders, David Bowie, Bryan Adams, John Lee Hooker, and Nick Lowe.

1988

Rumble

Columbia Records signed Tommy Conwell and The Young Rumblers and nationally released their major label debut, Rumble. The album was produced by Rick Chertoff, a journeyman producer who had worked with Cyndi Lauper, Patty Smyth, and the Hooters. The Rumblers were exposed through every outlet- Radio airplay, live performance, MTV, Europe’s Music Television, David Letterman, Arsenio Hall, and the American Music Awards. Two singles from the album received heavy airplay, the new version of I’m Not Your Man and the Jules Shear tune, If We Never Meet Again. Columbia estimated sales of Rumble at 300,000.

1989

After a tour of Europe, the local hype reached its peak when the band returned to the States for EIGHT sold-out shows in Philadelphia at the Theatre of the Living Arts on South Street in April of 1989. The Rumblers premiered several gems that would unfortunately never appear on vinyl including “Seven Days to Rock,” “Play Your Music,” the Rolling Stone’s “Hand to Fate,” and a crowd favorite called, "My Mae Mae."  In late 1989, the band toured Japan.

The rock/blues machine was beginning to run out of gas.

Conwell recalls the 1989 American Music Awards performance, “We looked like such rank amateurs. No way did we belong up there. We were way over our heads.” The young guitarist had grown disillusioned with the business and insecure with the quality of his songwriting. 

1990

Guitar Trouble

TROUBLE..... best describes the Young Rumbler’s sophomore effort and the band’s commercial challenges in 1990; Columbia urged Conwell to work with professional songwriters to improve his original material; Country-rock guitarist Billy Kemp replaced the popular Chris Day; Pete Anderson, former producer for Dwight Yoakam, was hired to produce; Sony’s subsequent purchase of Columbia/CBS affected the Rumblers' label relations.

A revamped, Didn’t Want to Sing the Blues and Rock with You were the only songs from the 1989-90 live circuit to make vinyl. Artist Bruce Hornsby and Johnnie Johnson, legendary keyboardist for Chuck Berry, contributed to Guitar Trouble. The catchy pop/rock single, I’m Seventeen received extensive radio airplay but a cool response locally. 

1991

Conwell surprised the Philadelphia music scene by sacking the two original rhythm section of the Young Rumblers, bassist Paul Slivka and drummer Jim Hannum.  The duo resurface on a Jones Purcell album. Later, Paul moves to Nashville and embarks on a career as a session musician.

1991

Shout Movie Soundtrack

Hollywood movie producer, Don Hehmanand, asked Tommy Conwell to contribute two songs to an upcoming film starring Jon Travolta. For movie buffs, the flick was Gwyneth Paltrow’s debut. Tommy wrote two songs, More Than a Kiss and Devil Call Me Back Home. The first song was recorded in Los Angeles with Tommy on vocals backed by Stray Cat alums, Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker. The other song was recorded with blues legend Otis Rush on lead vocals with Conwell, Setzer, and Rocker. 

1992

Neuroticus Maximus

Conwell's recording contract was dropped by Sony/Columbia/CBS and picked-up by MCA Records, new home of the Hooters. Tommy Conwell dropped the name 'Young Rumblers' and his new backing band included Rob Miller on bass, Billy Kemp on guitar, Danny Beirne on keyboards, and drummer Andy Kravitz. Tommy assembled a new lineup to record album No. 3 tentatively titled Neuroticus Maximus.  A preview of the new rock material featured on a WMMR live received a chilly local response.  Neuroticus Maximus was later rejected by MCA and the band was dropped.

In an interview with Jon Springer, Conwell reflects on his roller coaster ride, “When I realized the big time was over, there was a lot of ego deflation. The scariest part was thinking about getting a job again. I never wanted someone to say, Hey -- you are Tommy Conwell! What are you doing cutting lawns?”

1996

Buzz Zeemer | Play Thing

In his hiatus as a professional recording artist, Conwell plays guitar with a few local bands including the eccentric Leroy Hawkes and the Hipnotics. In 1996, Conwell hooks up with a Philly pop songwriter, Frank Brown, formerly of Flight of Mavis. Record Cellar releases Play Thing, an independent effort featuring Brown’s witty, sophisticated lyrics and Conwell delivering dynamite grooves and harmony vocals. The Inquirer dubs the combo, "Philly’s Travelling Wilbury’s." The songs Crush and Sometimes get airplay on U of Penn’s WXPN and WDRE.  The band is a live favorite with their Cheap Trick cover songs and originals at the Grape Street Pub in Manayunk, PA. Tommy brings down the house with Let Them Eat Rock at each performance. 

In the words of Billboard Magazine [“Indie Labels Discover Freedom in Philly” – 10/28/1995]:

“…melodic pop-rock band Buzz Zeemer…has stepped up to the most-unjustly unsigned level since adding Tommy Conwell on lead guitar.”

1997
Sho’ Gone Crazy

Conwell starts a rockabilly and jump blues band called Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings. Wearing his trademark crown, the Kings include guitarist Tommy Conwell, tenor saxaphonist Darryl Ray Jenkins (former member of Philly’s Dynagroove), drummer Paul Ramagano, and bassist Pat Coppa. In 1997, Llist Records, from Lancaster, PA, releases Tommy Conwell’s first independent studio recording titled Sho’ Gone Crazy. The music is vintage and reminiscent of the big band swing of the 1950’s. Conwell’s sassy humor is still evident in Bad Haircut, Josephine, and Bottle Woman.

1997
Season’s Greetings Philadelphia

Tommy Conwell contributes a quirky song titled Kinda Christmasy to a soundtrack of holiday tunes featuring local Philly bands such as Marah, Rolling Hayseeds, the Friggs, Emily Valentine, and Buzz Zeemer.

1998
Delusions of Grandeur

Buzz Zeemer’s follow-up effort to Play Thing is more polished and reminiscent of an Elvis Costello or Squeeze recording. Zeemer plays monthly with live favorites including This Town and Red Balloon. The band steps up efforts for major label exposure with a trip to the legendary Austin, Texas South by Southwest Music Festival. In 2000, the band runs out of gas and calls it quits. Frank Brown has surfaces with a new band of singer/songwriters named Solid For Sixty.

1999
Young Rumblers Reunion

The five band members who recorded Rumble reunite for a gig at the General Wayne Inn located in Pennsylvania.

2000
Hi Ho Silver!

The Little Kings, with Tommy and Darryl, and a new rhythm section released a second album titled Hi Ho Silver! on Llist Records. The album includes a heart-wrenching version of Without Love which is an old classic recorded by Elvis Presely in 1969. Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings play anything from AC/DC covers, Chuck Berry rockabilly, and classic Young Rumblers. Cheers!

2002
Young Rumblers Reunion

The band reunites for a gig at the Stone Balloon in Newark, Delaware.

2004
Who's Not Forgotten

Tommy records the classic Long Live Rock with the Dipsomaniacs.

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