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After entering the Cowsills' dressing room at Steel Pier, it takes about three seconds to meet the friendly singing family.
Their recording of "Indian Lake" is currently Number 6 across the country. Their new album "Captain Sad and His Ship of Fools," is getting its first airing in the Pier's Msuic Hall and has the sound of success. And they've got a bright fall television season tied up.
Riding the crest makes people happy. "Hi, I'm Sue," says a perky nine-year-old swinger, the baby of the family. "I'm Bill." "Bob here, pleased to meet you." "I'm Paul . . . Dick and I used to take care of the lighting and equipment but now that Dick is in the Army, I've joined the group as a singer."
In short order, you meet, Barry, John, Barbara (she's mom) and Bud (he's the father-manager who supervises the Cowsills' own intricate sound equipment. He sets the levels and makes sure everything is working before a performance.) All but Dad sing.
AUDIENCE JOIN IN
They played to a full audience Sunday, but were under a handicap because they weren't able to set up all their equipment. Monday, the audience was clapping along in accompaniment. After the first show Monday, Bud Cowsill analyzed his group's appeal.
"We have about 50 songs of our own, but we also sing the best songs of other groups . . . such as the Four Tops' "Reach Out." Altogether we have a repertoire of about 500 songs. We sing to please the audience. If the listeners are all youngsters, we play them a little gutsier. This audience on Steel Pier is mixed so we give them soft rock. We don't lose any of our audience."
"We Can Fly" and "In Need Of A Friend" proved favorites with the Music Hall crowd Monday, in addition to the hit, "Indian Lake."
Asked what they thought of hippies, Bob said: "To each his own. We're not knocking them. Each group has its own thing."
Bill chipped in: "We groove out on apple pie and milk."
DIGS THE CLASSICS
How about psychedelic rock? "I don't like it personally," said Paul. "It gives me a headache."
"We dig the cream and the classics," added Bill.
What about Tiny Tim? "I love him," says Bill. "He says a lot," chimed in Bob.
Bob and Bill write about 80 per cent of the group's own music. They produced the album for "Ship of Fools," which has songs selected for each member of the group and a theme that tells the people to "look down or run aground."
"We're not preaching," says Bud Cowsill, "but we'e asking the people to be aware of life's problems and communicate with each other. Its theme is also, "Don't be a society dropout. Drop in and help the establishment."
The Cowsills already have taped two "Operation Entertainment" shows for November. They'll tape two Hollywood Palace shows, Nov. 22. In addition, they'll appear on the Jonathan Winters and Kraft Music Hall shows, and they're negotiating for an NBC series, with Timex as sponsor.
"After the season ends here Sept. 2," says Bud Cowsill, "we will go to California, where the children will go to school and be there a year or two working with the TV industry."
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