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In preparation for my March 2023 talk at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I spoke with Mert Madsen, the original bassist for Cleveland rock band the Outsiders. We spoke about his early experiences with music, his joining Tom King and the Starfires, and his career with the Outsiders in the 1960s.
The band in 1967. Tom King (seated), and standing left to right: Mert Madsen, Sonny Geraci, Ricky Baker, and Bill Bruno. The Outsiders were an American rock and roll band from Cleveland, Ohio, that was founded and led by guitarist Tom King.
1 de sept. de 2020 · “Time Won’t Let Me” was the debut and highest charting single for The Outsiders. Bassist Mert Madsen told Goldmine, “We were rather sure that this was it. This song had ‘hit potential’ written all over it and we were right.”
15 de sept. de 2020 · Interviews with The Outsiders’ bassist Mert Madsen and drummer Rick Biagiola – this week Mert and Rick discuss the group’s third album “In” including the Top 40 single “Help Me Girl”.
22 de sept. de 2020 · Interviews with The Outsiders’ bassist Mert Madsen and drummer Rick Biagiola – we conclude the special Goldmine series this week with the group’s new album “It’s Time…” and single “You & Me”
Their best-known song, "Time Won't Let Me" was a Top 5 single in early 1966, and used elements of both Merseybeat and Motown that were dominating the charts in that time period: a brass section, a la the Motown sound, with the big beat formula of the Beatles.
Mert Madsen joined the band on bass in late 1958, a few months after the group started. At the time he was playing an upright bass. The band made their 1st 45 in 1960, recording for the Rescue label which was based out of Maryland, although the record was recorded at Audio Recording in Cleveland.
