Daddy Warbux / Bux

Daddy Warbux / Bux
DADDY WARBUX (1967-1972) / BUX (1972-1974)
 
Daddy Warbux was formed in 1967 by James Newlon on Cape Cod. Under his leadership, the band members included vocalists Sheba Coates, Newlon – known as “The Wheel” — bassist Jerry Stroup and former Fate drummer Tommy Bonarrigo. Sheba left the band in 1972 and joined a covers band Cortege and ex- Richie & The Renegades singer/guitarist Bob Leger joined the mix. As Daddy Warbux, the band toured the states opening for Humble Pie with keyboard/vocalist Wiley Crawford now in the fold; and finally they regrouped and renamed themselves Bux and were signed by then Aerosmith manager Frank Connolly. Bux was a hard rocking boogie band known for having lead guitarist Punky Meadows and bassist Mickie Jones both later forming Angel, and lead singer Ralph Morman who was with The Joe Perry Project from 1979 to 1980 and Savoy Brown from 1980 to 1982. In 1973, Capitol Records signed the band and put them in the studio to record their first album: but the group split up after the music was finished and the label chose not to release it because the band itself wasn’t around and couldn’t go on tour to support their music. Punky Meadows and Mickie Jones formed Angel and released their debut album the next year. By 1975, Angel was getting national exposure and Capitol saw dollar signs because Meadows and Jones’ were former Bux members and finally released the two year old recording they had previously put on the shelves; with the title We Came To Play. Sales never reached expectations because  Capitol didn’t release a single and the accompanying  poor promotion from the label. Lead vocalist Ralph Morman went on to sing on Joe Perry’s solo album Let The Music Do The Talking and recorded two albums singing for Savoy Brown. He’s the singer on their highest charting American single “Run To Me” in 1981. Bassist Mickie Jones died in 2009 and he also performed on four Angel albums (Angel, Helluva Band, Heaven and An Anthology). Both Jones and Meadows were asked to join The New York Dolls but said no. Today, Meadows lives in North Carolina.
 
(by A.J. Wachtel)
Published On: October 26, 2016

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