Impacs Rock 'N' Roll Group from Holiday Isles
Highly Successful Combo Started Because A Young Boy Was Shy
By Jean Johannessen
Of the Independent
The Southland May have given birth to the blues, but the Holiday Isles has a
claim to rock 'n' roll.
One of the newest and hottest bands in the nation the Impacs was
born on Treasure Island.
It all started when Jay Angello, who works at Walker Ford Co., wanted to help his
son Jay Jr. over come his shyness. "He wouldn't even say boo to his
mother and me - much less to strangers," remembers Angello.
A business acquaintance of Angello's told him to interest the boy
in a dance band. Angello did and Jay Jr. - now Jay Lee - and his band have been
accompanying top vocalists across the country.
But it wasn't easy getting started... "The first band
Jay was in broke up shortly after he joined," says Angelllo, "I took
Jay and Bobby Barnes from out of that original group. I thought they had talent
but I never thought they'd go so far. I even promised them I'd take them to
Miami to cut a record, But I was only kidding. I never dreamed they'd do
it!" he adds.
After his father's promise, Jay and the other members he recruited
began practicing six nights a week. "They kept that up for four Months
straight," says Angello, "There I was living in a residential section
with a rock 'n' roll band in my living room!"
Finally the boys said they were ready. they entered a
"Battle of the Bands" contestant took first place. "They were up
against experienced bands then, too" says Angello. He paid the boys out of
his own pocket until they could get started. "They didn't know it
though," says Angello. "they'd play for free only I'd tell them they
were getting money for the job." Angello was the business manager.
(A little wiser to the ways of business now, the boys are all
enrolled at St. Petersburg Junior College and are taking courses in business
administration.)
Thinking their band was really bringing in the money, the
boys decided to hold Angello to his promise to pay for making a record. The
boys, With Angello as chaperone, went to Miami. They recorded their first
record, "Lost Love." It was a hit in the Tampa bay area, but limited
funds prevented Angello from letting it go nation wide.
"After that record the boys were in," says Angello.
their next record was a twist, "For Ever and A Day," after that they
went nation wide with "I'm Gonna Make You Cry." last report some
200,000 records had been sold. that's a lot of crying. Is Jay Jr. shy? "Oh
an, now I wish he were!" jokes his father.
Actually Angello says all the boys have remained
"average American boys" despite nationwide publicity. "I make
them toe the mark," he says. toeing the mark means no steady girlfriends,
no drinking and remembering the Impacs have an image to maintain. The image the
Impacs want is one of decent, normal young men.
When they travel they go in their own bus. Angello goes on all trips. "I'm
their chaperone and father confessor," says Angello. Father confessor says
he just has one problem. He's a working man at Walker Ford Co. and the Impacs is
becoming a full time job.