Now here’s a band to blow away the cobwebs! A full throttle onslaught of the best kind. Interviewed by It’s Psychedelic Baby magazine in 2011 lead singer Sandy Pantaleo explained their history. Sandy was from Brooklyn and later moved to Long Island where he formed the band Nyte with Ben Ninnman. Playing the same areas was a competitive band Orange and when the two joined forced Liquid Smoke was born.

Liquid Smoke was comprised of Sandy Pantaleo (lead vocals), Vince Fersak (guitar), Ben Minnman (keyboards), Mike Archuleta (bass) and Chas Kimbrell (drums). Spotted by producer Vinny Testa in a NY Club they were signed to Avco Embassy in 1969 and according to Sandy were Avco’s first signed artist.

Released in January 1970 their self-titled debut album was produced by Vinny Testa who had also worked with Windsor Tunnel, also on the Avco Embassy label. A mix of covers and band originals the album veers from heavy rock a la Vanilla Fudge to more soulful blues tracks like the cover of James Brown’s It’s a Man’s World and Otis Redding’s Hard to Handle. The originals are impressive written by Vincent Fersak, in particular the super-charged, raw Looking for Tomorrow and the album’s most delicate song Let Me Down Easy which has great organ leads reminiscent of The Doors.

I Who Have Nothing / Warm Touch was released in April 1970 and reached No. 82 on the national Billboard chart. An Italian song with new lyrics by Lieber & Stoller it was originally a hit for Ben E. King in 1963. UK singer Tom Jones’ version reached No. 14 on the Billboard chart a few months later in August 1970. Liquid Smoke’s version was very popular in some regions and reached No. 6 on the Hawaii K-POI chart.

The band toured in support of some greats including Spirit, The Guess Who and Three Dog Night but sadly Liquid Smoke did not continue as Sandy told It’s Psychedelic Baby:

“Unfortunately like a lot of groups did not get the support we needed to grow (and) I went on my way.”

Sandy Panaleo would later go on to a successful acting/vocalist/composer career as Sonny Rose.