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THE EXCELLENTS

“CONEY ISLAND BABY:

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They were three students from Christopher Columbus High School; three from DeWitt Clinton High School.

Bronx, New York schools.  Their sound was excellent, possibly ah ha, that’s where the name came from.

Peers pushed and the Excellents knocked on doors with a demo.  Vinny Catalano at Sinclair Records had

them record an Al Jolson tune from 1931, “Red Red Robin.”  It was issued on Sinclair’s subsidiary label,

Mermaid.

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It was 1961 and the East Coast loved it.  Months later they recorded a remake of the Cleftones’ “You Baby

You” and and original “Coney Island Baby.”  It would be their finest, a classic and their last session.  Two

45s and was to be all over, though the six knew it not.  All was looking well.  Dick Clark like one of the tunes.

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Clark liked the “B” side and invited the boys to appear on his “American Bandstand.”  The teens were

eagar, but the label’s representatives told them that they would have to gather the finances to get their butts

to Philadelphia for the show.  The record company would not pay even a smudge.  When the six-some told

the label they had no money and they were burned out from local appearances, the brains at

Sinclair/Blast/Mermaid sent another gathering of young males, as the Excellents to “American

Bandstand.”

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Like why?  If you’re gonna pay for a fake Excellents, why not pay for the real thing to hawk the company’s

wares? “Coney Island Baby” scored a nationwide top 50; not bad, though not quite a nationwide notable.

A follow-up single was needed.  With bad vibes between the group and the label, Sinclair had another

group carry on as the Excellents.  Those recordings (by The Ultimates in masquarade) were quite good,

though.

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We will never know what the Excellents might have given us.  All we have is that initial single, “Coney

Island Baby,” and, in 1964, some scraps the group recorded at that “Coney Island” session being issued as a

45 by Bobby Records.

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