Rock ’n Roll historians know the name Pete Best as being “the fifth Beatle.” Best was the original drummer for the legendary band before quitting long before the legend, and the millions of dollars, began pouring in.
In Westchester, Ray Tabano was a founding member of legendary rock band Aerosmith. Tabano, a longtime Yonkers resident, grew up with Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler in the northeast section of Yonkers. They both attended Roosevelt High School and together formed a gang called the Green Mountain Boys. The gang itself did nothing “gang-like,” in the words of Ray Tabano, but did humiliate other boys who expressed interest in joining. This “gang” would eventually form into Steven’s first band, The Strangeurs, a band that added a “u” to its name to avoid confusion with another band called the Strangers.
The band consisted of Tabano on bass guitar, Tyler on drums, Green Mountain Boys gang member Don Soloman on keyboards and vocals, as well as a few childhood friends on guitars. The Strangeurs quickly gained popularity as a cover band and attracted a fan base in New York and around the New England area.
Later, Tabano and Tyler moved to Boston and founded Aerosmith, and the rest is history – rock history – but without Tabano. In 1971, Tabano was replaced as guitarist with Brad Whitford. The reason, explained on several Aerosmith fan club websites, was “due to his eccentric behavior (Tabano’s nickname was Crazy Raymond) and average playing skill.”
Tabano continued to be an integral part of the band, designing the original Aerosmith logo. In addition, he helped maintain the band’s office, hangout and recording studio, “The Wherehouse,” throughout the 1970s and started up the band’s fan club and line of merchandise, designing and selling merchandise himself and writing the band’s fan club newsletters. He left the band in 1979 after a new management takeover, but Tabano and Tyler remain lifelong friends.
On June 9, Tabano will be rocking at Barney McNabb’s for disabled Veterans. The event will benefit the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 23, in the Bronx. “Currently, there are approximately 4 million veterans with disabilities, so the need is great and growing,” he said. “I’ve been an ardent supporter of DAV for 25 years and this is an opportunity to express my gratitude to those who were hurt defending our freedom. All profits will go directly to DAV. This will be an awesome show and we’ll have some surprise guests showing up”
Members of the DAV will be manning the door and on hand to accept donations. Admission to the event is $20, which includes the show and a free buffet. There will also be a 50/50 raffle for DAV’s benefit. The show kicks off at 8:30 p.m. with an opening act, followed by Tabano and his band The 3rd Step. The capacity of the venue is limited, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early.
Barney McNabb’s in located at 600 Tuckahoe Road, Yonkers.
