Scott Kempner Birthday Celebration
On Feb the 5th we will be throwing a gig on what would have been the eve of Scott’s 70th Birthday. A whole bunch of our musical compadres will be part of the show. The proceeds will go to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. If you can’t make the gig at The Bowery Electric you can follow this link and donate in Scott’s name. Tickets to the gig are available here. We sure hope to see you at this special send off for Scott.
Scott “Top Ten” Kempner
February 6, 1954 – November 29, 2023
It pains us to pass on the news that “Top Ten” has died of early onset Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 69. You can read the press release with quotes here and read his NY Times obituary here.
We’d like to share a remembrance from Del-Lords drummer Frank Funaro.
“Nothing less than everything means anything to me… And it shouldn’t to you” – Scott Kempner / Touch One Heart
I moved into Scott Kempner’s apartment sometime in 1982, because Scott couldn’t stand the thought of me getting some kind of “straight job” to pay rent, which would quite possibly interfere with the rigorous rehearsal regimen he had envisioned for the Del-Lords. He told us we needed to take the “vow of poverty”. He wanted us to avoid performing in NYC until we had been playing together for an entire year. He had his vision mapped out.
In the Music Building studio space owned and run by the Mike and Albert Caiati, down the hall from the dBs, the Zantees, the Fleshtones, (and downstairs from a then-unknown Madonna), we labored at our craft – the craft of bringing Scott’s songs to life. And boy, did they come, fast and furious. Scott was not only a great and instinctual songwriter (whose every song came from the heart), but he was extremely prolific. He had hundreds of wonderful songs, which he meticulously transcribed and polished, and polished again in his spiral notebooks, in that Top-Ten cursive, until he said exactly what it was he wanted to say. That stack of notebooks grew tall.
Scott was always interested in our input. Manny, and Eric, and I, had ideas, of course, and Scott was all about harnessing our collective creativity. He was proudest of those compositions that started with his lyrics and chord progressions, and grew to involve everyone’s contributions. It was like he brought in a pile of really nice lumber, and said, “Let’s build a house!” He was that kind of a bandleader.
(He even wrote a song for me to sing, the zany, yet foreboding, ‘I Play the Drums’, which, all at once, gave me not only a spotlight, but also provided me with an onstage persona , an elevation from “the guy in the back”, to a soloist, and, for the very briefest of moments, (3:42 on the Frontier Days record, surely less in my adrenaline-fueled, onstage glory), the “Star of the show”.)
After rehearsal, back in the apartment he shared with Nila, who graciously allowed the homeless, jobless drummer (there’s yet another drummer joke in there somewhere) to crash on their couch for months on end, Yankee game on in the background, (oft-followed by The Honeymooners), Scott always had a guitar in hand. Constantly. His home was like a museum of rock ‘n’ roll, so I would read his many rock ‘n’ roll history books while he played, and played. And played. When I think back on those times (before we moved into the “band house” on 13th Street, but that’s another chapter…), I have very few memories of him without his guitar. 10,000 hours indeed.
Animal lover that he was, it never seemed to bother him that every single spine of every single beloved LP on his shelf was tattered and frayed by Bo Diddley the cat, who would use the entire length and height of the collection as a scratching post – You had to use your knowledge of the alphabet to find a particular album, but then again, I suppose it didn’t matter, you could play record roulette with that collection, and there was never a dud in the bunch.
(I’ll tell you what DID bother him, since you asked… When writers wrote, “rock and roll”, as opposed to, “rock ‘n’ roll. Also, when writers wrote “Del Lords”, without the hyphen. He used to get pretty exercised about THAT.)
Back in the early 80’s, we drove the length and breadth of the country in our repurposed Singer sewing machine van with Scott’s mixtapes playing at all times. I went to school in that van. He took the Led Zeppelin out of my hands and put the Otis Redding in. He pried my fingers off Black Sabbath Vol 4, and deftly inserted Johnny Cash in its place. He grabbed my beloved Deep Purple Made In Japan, spun me around and I came out the other side with an earful of Elvis, Hank, Fats, Buddy, Roy Orbison, Ricky Nelson, the Beach Boys and on and on. At first, my Aerosmith-primed, teenage-dirtbag suburban ears didn’t like a lot of it, but as the years and the miles unspooled, he wore me down (read: educated me) with his enthusiasm, his knowledge, and his arsenal of cassette tapes. When Bruce released Nebraska, it was all we listened to for a month. It was a revelation to me. It helped me understand what Scott was after. A connection to the listener. Direct communication. Communion, as it were.
I thought I knew what rock ‘n’ roll was before I met Scott. Turns out, what I had been listening to was probably “rock”. Once he injected me with the Chuck Berry serum, I thought I finally had it sussed. But, Scott knew that rock n roll was a state of mind as much as a scientifically quantifiable feel (which is most certainly an oxymoron), or some kind of dog-eared recipe book: “One part country, two parts blues, a dash of soul, stir while heating to 45 rpm”… etc) His tastes were broad. When I sheepishly suggested that the Beastie Boys were, as we say nowadays, “a thing”, he wordlessly walked over to his record collection and pulled out Licensed to Ill, which he played with as much wonder and reverence as his well worn first Stooges record, or his cherished Bob Dylan albums… far be it from me to make comparisons between those artists, I’m just saying, if it was “rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll” (to borrow a trademarked phrase from one of his favorite writers, R Meltzer), he knew it, felt it, and enjoyed it. He enjoyed and respected Prince with the same zeal as he liked Little Richard. (Which, come to think of it, is apt.)
He made me laugh constantly. (Anyone who has spent time touring in a band knows that knowing when to keep it light is one of the keys to not throttling each other.) He had a wonderfully skewed sense of humor, which was informed by one of my personal favorites, the gloriously irreverent, sacred-cow tipping Mad magazine, as well as 50s, 60s, and 70s television. He loved, and quoted, Abbot and Costello routines regularly.
One time, we were invited to appear on the Uncle Floyd show, a parody of a children’s variety show that aired on local NJ cable TV, and was later picked up by NBC. Much of the humor had a twist aimed at adults, in the style of shows by predecessor Soupy Sales (1950s-1970s), and later Pee-Wee Herman (1980s). (Some wording respectfully pilfered from Wikipedia) The studio audience consisted of the cast and small crew of the show, and, whoever wasn’t in a particular skit would supply a live laugh-track, whooping and cackling maniacally in the background. The format of the musical guest slot was a quick interview with the band, who would be standing in front of their equipment, followed by a performance of their most recent single. Floyd came out, mic in hand, and asked Scott a simple question: “So, how did you boys come to be on our show?” Without batting an eye, Scott dryly replied, “We lost a bet.” Cue uproarious “audience” laughter. It was perfect.
He actually managed to convince me of the beauty and artistry of boxing, through his love and admiration of Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and especially “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, whose t shirt he wore as a badge of pride, reference, and affiliation (and which he wore until it practically disintegrated off his back in tatters.) He took me to a Hagler vs. Hearns pay-for-view bout at a movie theater (back when THAT was, “a thing”.) As it turns out, the bout is historically noted as being one of the most amazing fights in the history of “the sweet science”, and I got to experience it in real time because, Scott JUST KNEW.
BACKSTORY ALERT: I first met Top Ten when I found out that he was forming his own band after the (what proved-to-be-temporary) dissolution of the seminal Dictators, a band I revered (I used to sing and play ‘Faster and Louder’ in one of my Long Island teenage cover bands), and I managed to secure an audition.
(You have to remember, this was a band whose fanbase included the Ramones, and the aforementioned Bruce Springsteen, who occasionally sported their t-shirt onstage.)
FAST FORWARD ALERT: When the Dictators decided to “reassemble” in 1991, Scott called me to play drums with the band, a ridiculous honor for a kid from Long Island. I got to see Scott in action as an integral cog in this awesome, groundbreaking act (as opposed to his being the bandleader), and he was (in my humble opinion) as much the beating heart of Adny Shernoff’s brainchild as Malcolm Young was the heartbeat of Angus Young’s AC-DC.
I spent roughly 5 years touring and recording with them, mostly in Spain and at CBGBs (Two places where the band was most famous), and I was frequently Scott’s roommate on the road. We spent many post-gig hotel room hours winding down like a couple of kids at sleep-away camp, talking until we passed out. Scott was a great storyteller… I wish I could remember half the stories he told. (I particularly enjoyed the one about his being at the Fillmore East the night Pete Townshend kicked a NYC fireman in the balls, mistaking a genuine emergency for a stage incursion.)
Both Lou Reed and Dion DiMucci sought him out after hearing Del-Lords records, the former taking us under his wing, taking us out on tour with him, and appearing with us in our “Judas Kiss” video, the latter seeking him out as a songwriting partner, and recruiting him to form and run his band, the Little Kings, (of which, I was the lucky drum chair).
Dave Kincaid uprooted and moved east simply because he heard the Del-Lords. He wanted to make music as heartfelt and pure as Scott’s, so he came to NY and formed the Brandos. And, after the Brandos rhythm guitar player and drummer exited the band, Scott put me up for that chair as well. He always had my back.
If he was authentic enough to impress and attract Lou Reed, Dion DiMucci, and Dave Kincaid, as well as Neil Giraldo, Lou Whitney, and countless others, well, he had something. I guess some call it, “IT”, an indefinable charisma that just attracted people to him, and his work.
Many years later, after Scott moved out to the West Coast, and he was living with Sharon and their pooch, Sally, our communication had slowed and we had drifted apart, geographically, if not emotionally, as you sometimes do. Scott called me to explain his vision to get the Del-Lords up in the batter’s box for one more set of swings. He had a fresh batch of material that he had demoed in Eric’s home studio, and was I interested? Of course I was interested, and we hung up having agreed that on his upcoming trip back to New York, we would get together and discuss, and plot, and scheme what eventually became the “Elvis Club” record.
A couple of minutes later, my phone rang again. It was Scott. He had something to add. He had met Jimmy Page at the Amoeba record store he managed, and had hung out with him, helping him shop. Just two record collectors comparing notes for about an hour. But the thing he really wanted to tell me was that, after meeting Jimmy, and finding him to be a cool cat and a knowledgeable gentleman, (as well as a fellow record nut), he had decided to give Led Zeppelin a shot. He excitedly confessed to me that he had explored the canon, and came to the conclusion that they were a band to be reckoned with, and that he had finally come to understand what all the fuss was about.
I phoned up my most fervent Zep-fan buddy, a dear friend I had been in a local band with for a minute, who was a conflicted acolyte of Messrs. Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham – his conflict being the desert island game of, “You only get to take the catalog of one artist to this hypothetical isle, for the rest of your solitary, sand-logged existence. Who is it?” My friend’s conundrum was simply: is it the Beatles, or Led Zeppelin? We had spent years discussing Top Ten’s aversion to Zep. We just couldn’t figure it out. We may not have agreed with all of his favorites, but our respect for Scott’s taste was total. All my suburban high school buddies were in awe of the man. This was the closest they had ever gotten to rock royalty, and they all knew it. So, when Scott Kempner proclaimed an enthusiasm and newfound respect for a band he had held at arm’s length for decades, it was watershed stuff.
—
As I was writing this, I was struck by the fact that so much of it seems to be about me. It started feeling wrong, as if I was using Scott’s passing as a reason to pontificate about myself. But, the thing of it is, for me to talk about myself in the context of rock ‘n’ roll is, in some ways, to talk about Scott. Because, let’s face it, the man was my mentor, and benefactor, in every sense of those words. He gave me launch pad after launch pad, wonderful gigs that I will be proud of forever. His sensibilities are inextricably woven into every fiber of my musical taste and personality. My sense of humor, my sense of decency and fairness, and love for rock ‘n’ roll may have been innate – already in my DNA as it were, but, all were boosted and amplified by Scott Kempner, and the things I learned from him, and picked up by osmosis… It’s hard to be a fan boy of a close personal friend, but let’s just say, I still feel very strongly about his place in the rock ‘n’ roll history books.
Top Ten was the big brother I never had, and I will miss him until the day I die.
He always told me his favorite movie of all time was ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. For those of you (and I suspect it’s a very small number) not conversant on the story behind this movie, it’s basically this: Through a series of fantastical events, a man finally realizes just how influential he was to everyone around him, how he touched everyone in (and, by extension, beyond) his axis, and how being good to people creates a wonderful butterfly effect – a positive ripple in the pond we all share. Scott claimed that, if you don’t cry at the final scene, you’re not human.
There will obviously never be another Scott Kempner. He touched so many. To me, he was, and will forever be, the George Bailey of rock ‘n’ roll.
God Bless you, Top Ten. Travel easy.
Del-Lords 2021
I met Scott “Top Ten” Kempner in Boulder after a Dictators show at the University of Colorado in September of 1978. I’d seen the band for the first time at the Ivanhoe in Chicago with the Ramones a year earlier. My band the Dirty Dogs, the first punk rock band in the state of Wyoming, had already been covering their songs.
We reconnected by chance after I had been bounced out of Joan Jett’s Blackhearts and I found myself at The Music Building on 8th Avenue in Manhattan with Scott, Manny Caiati and Frank Funaro. We quickly became a band focused on playing and singing the tunes Scott had written for us.
The Del-Lords lived together, played together, recorded and released records as a band through 1990. At the urging of Spanish Promoter Pepe Ugena we reformed the band in the last decade and recorded and released our most recent music in 2013 on the album Elvis Club.
I want to let the good friends and fans of the Del-Lords know that my guitar brother Scott is currently struggling with the early stages of dementia.
He wants everyone to know that he’s doing good and in addition to the new music he’s been working on with the Dictators and friend and producer Neil Giraldo, he’s psyched to let you know about the new Del-Lords tunes we have been recording with Frank, Steve Almaas and myself too.
It’s been my good fortune to sing and record Scott’s songs with the Del-Lords and with my own band.
Right now Scott could use everybody’s positive thoughts.
So let’s all pitch in for Top Ten and send him those good vibes.
E/Roscoe
Closing out 2016 with one NYC gig and some more recording
Hello Friends,
The Del-Lords are reconvening at the new location of Eric’s recording studio Cowboy Technical Services in December for more recording and we were able to convince the folks at Beast of Bourbon to have us back for another gig. We’ll be playing Tuesday December 13th at 9pm and we hope you can join us for a night of Rock & Roll with a healthy dose of Beer, Bourbon and BBQ.
We hope you can make it to Beast for this special gig.
2016 Short Notice NYC Gig Jan 13 in Brooklyn
Del-Lords 2015 tour dates in Scandinavia and the NY area postponed.
Well, just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water, or on a plane, or a stage, or pretty much anywhere, the powers of the Universe have decided, “Not so fast, pally”. As Eric reported just a few days ago, with the photo to prove it, he had an accident at home, and slipped and broke his fibula. You might remember that photo of him in that compression apparatus, and here today we present the follow-up to the compression apparatus – a full-on foot, ankle, leg, stabilizing boot. Judging by just the look of it, i would say it is mighty uncomfortable.
So, what is the skinny on all this, the headlines, the story so far? It is surgery for my guitar brother, our producer, our friend and colleague. Eric will meet with the surgeon on Tuesday of next week, and get the lowdown on what he will be facing. Besides the fun and games of surgery itself, then he will get an idea of what he will be facing recovery-wise. I am no doctor, but i am sure it will be a monster drag, not without discomfort and pain, and will take some time.
So, by now you can see this taxi coming like it’s coming up 6th Ave, after midnight, in the rain. Yes, it pains us all – Eric most of all – to announce that the upcoming shows, while still upcoming, are not going to happen in September. We have to cancel and reschedule everything for now, as we just do not have the necessary info at this time to say when we will be making up those dates, both Europe and NYC, and Joisey. We will absolutely make good on every one of those dates, as well as starting the recording of a new record as soon as we can.
We are sorry to have to make this announcement, but such is the fickle finger of Fate. After a year away for Frank and myself to have and recover from surgery, it feels more than a little unfair of the Universe to fuck with us this way, but we must do what we must do.
Of course, just in case, and before anyone suggests this – there is not a chance in Hell of hiring a sub for Eric. Eric is completely and absolutely irreplaceable for even one minute, let alone a tour. As you know, he is one of a kind – our kind. We are not the Del-Lords without him, and that’s that. Just in case, someone wanted to suggest it. Ya know, Mick would wait all night for Keith, and we will wait as long as it takes for Eric.
Scott Kempner 8-17-15
2015, The Del-Lords are coming for you
Live Single, tour dates in the planning stages. Head over to the Top Ten Blog for the full scoop.
Help A Brother Out, Frank could use a hand.
Head over to the Top Ten Blog for the latest news.
Gigs: The Del-Lords Trans-Atlantic 2013. Underway now!
Gigs: The Del-Lords are hitting the road!
Check out the Gigs Page for details. Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Chicago and St. Louis this week! Heading to Europe on October 25.
Even more Del-Lords music!
The folks at Del-Lords official are proud to announce that in addition to our first new full length in 23 years, “Elvis Club”, we also have the 2 volume set “Right For Jerry” available here only for CD’s and at the Del-Lords Bandcamp site for downloads. Read about “Right For Jerry” at the Top Ten Blog. Please keep an eye on the Gigs page. We are heading to the Americana Fest in Nashville with gigs on the way. Then to the West Coast, then some NE dates around the CBGB’s Festival and out to the midwest before heading Overseas for a month starting Oct 15.
Del-Lords release “Elvis Club”
Official ‘release date’ for the record is May 14th and that day is today! If you have a record store by you there’s a good chance they’ll have the record!
Del-Lords “Elvis Club” CD is here and shipping now.
Official ‘release date’ for the record is May 14th but we have the cd for you here now.
CD pre-orders available now here on the Store Page.
Special pre-order packages also available from GB Music
And you can listen to the whole thing and get it and a pdf of all the artwork at Del-Lords/Bandcamp!
“Elvis Club” somehow got scooped by iTunes and it’s out there early folks!
Video EPK for the Del-Lords “Elvis Club”
the new Del-Lords full length album “Elvis Club” to be released May 14th on GB Music.
Del-Lords “Elvis Club” is officially finished.
The new Del-Lords full length album “Elvis Club” will be released May 14th on GB Music.
Heads up Del-Lords fans.
Mixing on the new full length Del-Lords record titled “Elvis Club” is finished. Plan is to release the record this fall on GB Music LTD. We will also be releasing a 2 cd set of demos titled “Right For Jerry” parts I & II. Stay tuned for more details
Yeah Man, The Band….
The Del-Lords have completed basic tracks for their upcoming record at Cowboy Technical Services in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The band welcomes Michael DuClos to the fold. Read up on the Top Ten Blog.
The Del-Lords-Turbo Rocked!
Back from a whirlwind 2 date festival romp in Spain. Read more on the Top Ten Blog
The Del-Lords-Turbo Rock!
Info at Turbo Rock
U.S. Warm up date: “Elvis Club” at the Lakeside Lounge in NYC August 30 at 9pm. No advance tickets. Suggested donation $20 per person
The Del-Lords head to Bandcamp.com
Hello Friends,
we are starting to work on the second batch of tunes for our upcoming record. We’d like to thank everyone who bought one of the limited copies of our “Under Construction EP”. As we drag ourselves into the technological future we found a spot to place the 5 songs for listening or purchase as downloads. Check out the Del-Lords at Bandcamp.
Thanks for the great 2010
The Del-Lords had a great 2010 thanks to all of you. New recorded music and the first shows in 20 years. More music and shows to come in 2011. Thanks much.
More News: New Music from the Del-Lords.
The Del-Lords are pleased to announce Under Construction.
You can listen to the whole limited edition EP of rough mixes from the first new Del-Lords recordings in 20 years on the Music page. Available here exclusively.
Spanish Tour T-Shirts.
We have a limited quantity of T-shirts from the Spain Tour. They will be available on the music page starting March 22. Below is a photo of Alison Jones, bass player for Spanking Charlene and the Roscoe Trio, in the red 100% cotton Del-Lords T-shirt.
Del-Lords Spanish tour dates are in.
Check the Gigs page for the latest info on the 2010 Tour of Spain.
Merry Christmas from the Del-Lords
Way back when the Del-Lords invited ace musicologist Andy Shernoff up to their little practice room/clubhouse/studio on 8th Avenue to help them record a Christmas song that Scott had written. They dubbed 200 of them to cassette and stuffed them in envelopes that went to friends, fans and family pretty much in lieu of gifts for that year. This holiday season the Del-Lords would like to pass that gift along to all of you.
Here’s the News
Welcome to the new Del-Lords Website. 26 Years after they began in NYC The Del-Lords have begun work on new recordings. Their first 4 albums have been re-released by Collector’s Choice-American Beat with bonus tracks and expanded liner notes. Check out the site for more detailed info and hit the Top Ten Blog for the latest.
We’ll be adding more content as we get it.