Touch

There have been at least 10 acts called Touch, including an early, underrated pioneering progressive rock band from Portland from the late 60s. Other acts include a psychedelic band from St. Louis in 1969, a rock band from NYC in the late 70s and early 80s, a pop band from the Czech Republic, an ‘electro pop’ band from Cardiff, an alternative rock band from the Maryland area, a Canadian 70s rock trio, a Jamaican Soca (Soul/calypso) group, a rapper from Edmonton, Canada, a Korean boygroup, and a Hungarian hardcore punk band. 1) Touch was an American early progressive band formed by keyboardist Don Gallucci (formerly of the Kingsmen). They released the seminal album "Touch" in 1969 on Deram (reissued 1993 on Renaissance). Touch may have possibly been the first American progressive rock band, although there are counterclaims from supporters of equally neglected/forgotten United States Of America and now the hindsighted claims for Zappa & The Mothers of Invention. However, (unlike USA and ZAPPA) on hearing much of Touch's small catalogue of progressive music one might be forgiven for saying it was influenced by the early British prog bands, but for the facts they were formed in the mid 60's and released their only complete album 'Touch' in early 1969 in the USA/mid 1969 in the UK. In other words their music, their ideas and their special album, predates King Crimson's "In The Court of the Crimson King", generally regarded as the first fully progressive rock album. Lead by the former garage pop/rocker Don Gallucci, (inventor of the timeless Louie Louie keyboard riff in 1963 when 15, then with the Kingsmen), he brought together guitarist Joey Newman and vocalist Jeff Hawks into Don & The Goodtimes. With TV appearances, they had a pop hit "I Could Be So Good To You". But exposed to more ambitious bands, such as Jefferson Airplanes and the Beatles expanding the language of rock, and The Goodtimes themselves increasing in their music maturity, Gallucci and Newman felt compelled to move away from the limitations of 3 minute pop songs. As a result the innovative, seminal and specifically, archetypal prog song, 75, was written in early 1967. Musically and name-wise Don & The Goodtimes metamorphosed into Touch, while their fans thought they looked and had gone weird. John Bordorano and Bruce Hauser were added on drums and bass respectively. By late 1967, (to quote the band) "they had freed themselves of musical suppression and had a release of pent up creativity resulted in a flood of new musical ideas, while hallucinogenic experiences and metaphysical philosophy had given those ideas shape". And also during the end of 1967/early 1968 they had recorded their eponymously titled album. 2) Touch were a rock band from New York City formed in 1978. Members included Mark Mangold (songwriter and keyboards) and Glen Kithcart (drums), both who had previously been in the band American Tears (releasing three albums on Columbia Records). Their single, "Don't You Know What Love Is" only reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the song was played heavily on AOR radio stations in the USA at the end of the 1970s, and reached the #1 spot on the Melody Maker chart in Great Britain. Touch were the first band to play at the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington racetrack in 1980. Rumour has it that a member of Touch swallowed a bee while performing onstage. A live version of "Don't You Know What Love Is" appeared on a compilation LP simply called Monsters of Rock, documenting performances at the festival. The eponymous debut album by Touch, originally issued on Atco Records in 1980, has been noted as a touchstone for artists working in the recently developed, but retro leaning, Melodic Rock genre. Todd Rundgren produced a 2nd unreleased LP for Touch. The recordings only recently surfaced as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of the first album. Mark Mangold has continued to write and record with and for other artists. The song "I Found Someone", a collaboration with Michael Bolton, was recorded by Laura Branigan and ultimately became a top 10 hit for Cher. 3) Touch was a psychedelic / hard rock band from St. Louis whose male/female vocal style recalled the Jefferson Airplane. Their only album, Street Suite, was released in 1969. 4) Touch is an electro-pop band from Cardiff who have since changed their name to Bluestreak Protocol. http://www.myspace.com/touchband 5) Touch is also a rapper from Edmonton, Canada. http://www.myspace.com/touch182 6) Touch was also a band formed in the summer of 1997 by lead vocalist and songwriter Matt Clark, drummer Chris Clark, guitarist Scott Gianforte, and bassist Mitch Loadholtz. They began performing in the Maryland/DC/VA area. In the winter of 2000, they released their debut CD Season of Birth. 7) Touch is currently a jazz / alternative / fusion band from Philadelphia, PA. http://www.myspace.com/experiencetouch 8) Touch is an electronica/bass producer from the UK. According to xlr8r.com, "Touch tells us that he/she has previously released music under another, as yet unknown, alias". http://soundcloud.com/thethirdsense 9) A new boy group from the same high school Rain and Se7en graduated from, has made their debut with YYJ Entertainment under the name of TOUCH. The group first began their promotions overseas by standing on stage alongside popular Chinese stars in August'10 and kicked off their Korean promotions through “M! Countdown” on October 21st. Group Members: Junyong Hanjun [leader] Young Hoon Min Seok Seon Woong Dabin [maknae] 10) Touch is a hardcore punk band from Budapest, Hungary. FFO.: Burn, Dag Nasty, Lion of Judah, Soul Control https://touchyoursoul.bandcamp.com/ Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.