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Chapter 3
By Lenny Stogel
the Cowsill's friend and manager
All of their hopes, all of their dreams rested on the outcome of their audition for MGM Records executives. What happened was an experience they'll never forget!
IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE that it was only a little of a year ago when the Cowsill family did their first audition for Mort Nasatir (president of MGM Records) and the rest of the bigwigs at the label. It was a hot day in New York City when Bill, Bob, Barry, John, Susie and Barbara got on the stage at the Prevue Theatre (the executive movie screening room) at 1540 Broadway. Needless to say, this was the tensest moment in the biggest event in the lives of the Cowsills. Let's listen to them tell you how it was in their own words:
BILL: We didn't have any proper Sunday-type clothes in those days, so our biggest hassle wasn't getting equipment or any of the usual things that plague a group. Our main problem was what to wear! The night before the audition, we carefully went through our suitcases and ended up with a really weird set of clothing. For instance, I had on a tweed winter jacket (that didn't fit me) and a fat red polka dot tie. Can you feature that when it was 95 degrees in the shade?!
BARBARA: Johnny and Barry wore identical outfits - maroon wool jackets, white pants and white shirts with dark ties. Though they were melting, they somehow managed to look very, very cool . Bob wore a green wool sports jacket and tan gabardine pants. I wore the only decent thing I had - a blue wool suit. Susie was the only one who was really comfortable. She was all decked out in an adorable yellow cotton dress with daisies on it. Incidentally, none of the boys wore socks. In face, none of them ever do - unless it snows!
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Barry & Lenny
BUD: Well, my gang might not have been sartorially excellent, but musically they got an A plus. First off, when I got to the screening room, all I saw were a few gray and bald heads - all in my age category! I took Mr. Nasatir aside and explained to him that since it was lunch-time, I thought it would be a really groovy thing if he would let me go about the building and invite secretaries, junior execs and people like that to the audition. He was somewhat surprised by my suggestion, but he consented - and I ran off rounding up all the young faces I could find. Soon, I had the screening room stacked and it was time to begin!
DICK: I had set up the equipment and all the instruments were tuned. Somebody introduced the guys and they came on with some of the greatest sounds they've ever made! First, they played the top hits of all the MGM artists! (pretty clever of them Cowsills, don't you think?) They did Summer In The City, House Of The Rising Sun, Soul & Inspiration, and so on down the line. Guess what? They even did Buddy Can You Spare A Dime? They were great! I'd never been so proud to be a Cowsill in my whole life!
PAUL: I stood stunned after the family finished their audition. What stunned me was that everybody in the audience stood up and, cheering loudly, gave my family their very first standing ovation! Man, the audience couldn't have been better if we had picked them all from Central Casting! When things finally settled down, one by one all of the people there came over and introduced themselves. We had never met so many people in our lives. We got all mixed up and couldn't remember anybody's name. Mr. Nasatir kept coming back to shake all our hands again and again. He was the one who counted - and he was wonderful! Within one week we signed a contract to record for MGM Records. Within two weeks we were in the studio working on our first single, The Rain, The Park And Other Things!
Well, there you have it - just about up-to-date with my favorite family, the Cowsills. Being their manager has been the finest experience I've had. Naturally, they were too modest to mention their biggest moment. That came when, on returning to New York City after a six-week tour to promote the record, they discovered that The Rain, The Park And Other things was number one on all the charts!
Many beautiful things have happen since then, not the least of which is the Cowsills' own TV spec. By the time you read this, that show will have been taped and its air date - on NBC-TV - is November 23. See you then. Meanwhile, stick with 16 - cos you can always count on finding Bud, Barbara, Bill, Bob, Dick, Paul, Barry, John and Susie right here!
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