In 1975 Eugene Viscione, under the name “UGE” (eUGEne,
geddit?) released a single dedicated to the amazing Mad Charles. The incredible
psychedelic fuzz guitar work can’t hide the fact that Mad Charles is a ridiculously silly record.
Viscione was a barber from New Jersey who began writing
songs in 1957. He also fancied himself as an inventor, and Mad Charles was one
of his many creations.
Charles himself even appeared on the disc’s label. The record
was issued twice, first with Mad Charles Love Theme on the flip, which
was later replaced with the oddly-titled Sophie the Polish Chicken Hen, a
song Eugene had written back in 1970. Mad Charles Love Theme features
the lovelorn Charles singing to his girlfriend, Charlene, and can be seen in Part
Two of the video (below).
Viscione was an odd duck. Working since the early 1960s, he
had made a series of recordings for the Cleopatra label, including the
ridiculously overwrought Parting Kiss, before setting up his own WGW
Records (which issued Mad Charles) and, in the 1980s, Viscione Records, releasing
a series of singles as Eugene (often with added parentheses for dramatic effect),
but also producing and/or providing songs for a roster that included The Werps,
D. Spade and Co., and Keep Off the Grass as Geno Viscione. My personal
favourite is a single Eugene issued in 1989 called Hubert, the Fat Elf. Eugene
shot his own ‘holiday special’ to accompany that particular release, using his
kids as actors and including 10 self-composed songs. The show aired on local
cable channel C-Tec in 1990.
Eugene Viscione, who at one point had his own recording
studio situated in the Rustic Mall in Manville, New Jersey, which shared space
with his barber shop, died in September 2009, aged 75 having enjoyed a 56-year
long marriage to his devoted wife, Mary. Luckily for us he left behind an
amazing body of work, much of which has been collected by the Numero Group, and
issued as Fresh Cuts With Eugene Viscione. Sadly, the collection does
not include Viscione’s tribute to his favourite president, his 1982 composition
The Reagan March.
If you want to see Mad Charles - and Eugene - in action, here is the
instructional video: Mr Viscione is the man in the colourful shirt and football helmet. Those of a nervous or overly Politically Correct
disposition should probably avoid Part Two, which features ad-hoc promotional
videos for both sides of the single, but includes some horribly racist and
outdated depictions of Asians (and female robots).
Enjoy!
UPDATE: Following a lead from Bob (see below), I managed to track down the original Mad Charles press release from 1973. Here it is, warts and all:
Mad Charles ™ Helps in the following areas:
- Self-defense
- Recreation
- Karate
- Training
- Exercise
- Boxing
Defense enterprises, incorporated is introducing the most
Advanced model of patented automated exercise, recreation and training machine.
Each machine is custom built with the users safety and a product with life long
durability as foremost concerns, Mad Charles ™ enables anyone from the novice
karate student (or person just wanting to learn how to defend themself) up to
the black-belt karate expert. Mad Charles can help develop general reaction
time by speeding up the attacking limbs. Each limb can operate (chop-
vertically or horizontally)
independently of one another for greater reaction development. Mad
Charles ™ simulates an attacker, where the student must block the oncoming,
moving limb and physically hit one of the built-in targets as hard or soft as
you desire.
If you have an established course in self-defense or karate,
or are thinking of starting one, Mad Charles ™ is indispensable for student
exercise, recreation and training. Mad Charles
is a great addition to you're karate school.
Mad Charles ™ is a Registered Trademark. 1973
There was a http://www.madcharles.com/ (now defunct) operated by (I think) his daughter, Lorraine Zdeb. Too bad, I didn't save the site.
ReplyDeleteI've got two copies with "Sophie the Polish Chicken Hen" on the flip, I read on another blog that, that was the 1974 first press...so who knows.
ReplyDeleteI think that's probably right. I've just noticed that Sophie has the matrix HMR 889-B, and Mad Charles Love Theme is HMR 889-C
DeleteHi Daryll, I have the master tapes & 2” of Mad Charles. I’m hoping to release some of Geno’s stuff, he produced some really good garage in the 60’s
ReplyDeleteHi Keith. That's fascinating. I'm sure that his family, or the Numero Group who put out the album Fresh Cuts would be interested. I'd be fascinated to know what else is out there. Check them out: http://numerogroup.com/products/fresh-cuts-with-eugene-viscione
DeleteHi. I was Charlene. My brother Joe was also in the film.
ReplyDeleteHow fantastic! I'd love to hear more if you have any memories to share
Delete