Beacon Street Union

The Beacon Street Union was a 1960s psychedelic era rock band, named for a street in their native Boston, whose original members John Lincoln Wright (vocals, percussion; died 4 December 2011), Paul Tartachny (guitar, vocals), Wayne Ulaky (bass, vocals), Robert Rhodes (keyboards, bass), and Richard Weisberg (drums) all went to Boston University. With the exception of a few rock standards, their diverse music was composed by group members, primarily Wright and Ulaky.

MGM Records promoted them as part of the so-called "Bosstown Sound," shepherded by record producer Alan Lorber, (along with the groups Ultimate Spinach and Orpheus). The group met with little success, although their first album The Eyes Of The Beacon Street Union charted at #75 on May 4, 1968. The band relocated to New York, where, after a second album, The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens, Wright, Ulaky, Weisberg, and Rhodes recorded a further album as Eagle. Later in the 1970s, Wright went on to write and sing country music as leader of the Sour Mash Boys.

Discography

ALBUMS

• The Eyes of the Beacon Street Union (March 1968)
• The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens (August 1968)
• [as Eagle] Come Under Nancy's Tent (1970}

All three albums have been reissued as a CD set called State of the Union.

SINGLES

• "South End Incident" / "Speed Kills" (1968)
• "Four Hundred And Five" / "Blue Suede Shoes" (1968)
• "Light Your Cigarette" / "Mayola" (1968)

References

Roxon, Lillian: Lillian Roxon's Rock Encyclopedia (Grossett and Dunlap, Universal Library Edition, 1971) ISBN 0-448-00255-8

Morse, Steve, "John Lincoln Wright, 64, voice, soul of country music in New England," Boston Globe, 10 Dec 2011. http://articles.boston.com/2011-12-10/bostonglobe/30502742_1_country-music-boston-college-new-england