Wednesday, April 09, 2014

From the Racks #1: American Tears


First in a series that features releases that can be found in our used vinyl racks... titles that may not have the immediate recognition of a Led Zeppelin IV or a Beatles Abbey Road.  Some may be more obscure than others, but they should all have some appeal to the right listener.  First up is:

AMERICAN TEARS - TEAR GAS (CBS 1975)

Artist Biography by


American Tears was a keyboard-dominated, New York-based hard rock band of the 1970s. Its leader was Mark Mangold, and its initial lineup included bassists Gary Sonny and Greg Baze and drummer Tommy Gunn. This edition made American Tears' debut album, Branded Bad, followed by their "heavy ivory" sophomore effort, Tear Gas. Failing to find an audience, Mangold reorganized, emerging with a new lineup featuring guitarist Evan Brooks, and a rhythm section of Kirk Powers and Glenn Kithcart. They made the third album Powerhouse, still without popular response.


Various auction sites list this record for between $20-25... we have a VG copy currently priced at $6.99 in the racks.