The Beckies - Demos (2025) [Hi-Res]

When the lone album by The Beckies was released in 1976, what should have been a beginning quickly became the end of the band’s story. With little to no promotion from Sire Records, the album sank under a wave of changing fashion and sounds.
—Daniel Coston, from his liner notes

After forming The Left Banke, Montage, and Stories, the world became familiar with the brilliant songwriting of Michael Brown. Post-Left Banke, Brown was introduced to singer Scott Trusty by a mutual friend. They collaborated on a Trusty solo single in 1970 just before Brown formed Stories. Reconnecting with Trusty a few years later, Scott introduced Michael to a few Kansas City musician friends who had just relocated to New York—Jimmy McAllister and Gary Hodgden (soon to be rechristened as Gary West)—and the new collective quickly began writing and recording songs in a loft space. Known as “Brown’s Band,” the demos soon found their way to Seymour Stein, and The Beckies (renamed after Hodgden’s wife) had a home.

Sadly, as happens, the lack of live performances and promotions saw their debut sink without a trace, but those who heard it loved the power pop and lush Brown and Hodgden compositions. A bit of a holy grail for those in the know, the album found folks scouring the used bins for a copy of The Beckies.

Now, here are the demos that preceded their only album.