THE BINGS . . . THE BINGS!
THE BINGS . . . THE BINGS!
THE BINGS . . . THE BINGS!
MEET "THE BINGS"
THE 40 YEAR "OVERNIGHT SENSATIONS"
"BRING HER TO TEARS" ('81 LIVE!)
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The Bings Perform Live In Manhattan Beach, California (Friday, December 11, 1981)
Photo Shoot in Paul's House (Woodland Hills - 1981)
Glendale, California Photo Shoot (1982)
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Bings Play Catalina Island (Sept. 1981)
Doug Weston's Troubadour, W. Hollywood (June 3, 1981)
Rosewood Recording (January 3, 1981)
Paul Chaffee's Backyard (Spring 1981)
Doug Weston's Troubadour, W. Hollywood (Aug. 18, 1981)
Dave Chrenko &
Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac)
on the ferry to beautiful Santa Catalina Island. The Bings' were enroute to their show at Avalon High School on the island.
(September 1981)
The Bings at Doug Weston's Troubadour
The Bings in Paul's Woodland Hills Backyard
The Bings' Photo Shoot in Paul's Backyard (1981)
Quarterback Quint & The Bings Front Line
On Tour in Provo, Utah for 2 Shows at BYU (Sept. 1981)
Road Crew Promoting The Bings on Santa Monica Blvd.
The Best Album of 2024
WAS RECORDED 42 YEARS AGO
The Bings - Riding The '80s New Wave!
Birth of The Bings
The Bings came together following the long musical journey of New Jersey native and teen guitarist, David Chrenko. In 1973, his family left the East Coast for Los Angeles. It was a game-changer.
Two events changed how Dave looked at Rock 'n' Roll. First was his buying a copy of a music periodical called Bomp! Magazine at Tower Records on Hollywood's "Sunset Strip". Bomp! was edited by Rock Music writer and critic, Greg Shaw. The magazine was dedicated to reviving the energy of 1960s Rock 'n' Roll. Greg's mantra was prophetic, "It's all coming back".
"Please Please Please" b/w "Oh, No!" (1981)
Cowabunga!
WE Put The Bomp!
Greg Shaw
The second event came in 1976 with the release of "RAMONES", an album that would ultimately change everything about modern Rock 'n' Roll. In 1977 Dave co-founded a San Fernando Valley cover band, named Vision. On drums was Paul Chaffee, who later would co-found The Bings with Dave. Among the radio hits of the day, Vision ripped through The Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop". Vision must have been one of the first U.S. Top-40 bands to cover The Ramones.
Dave landed a job at Greg Shaw's "Bomp!", a center of the growing Punk Rock scene. At Bomp!, he designed promo flyers for Devo, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Dead Boys, and Talking Heads, among others. He created a 6'x9' 3D montage for "Bomp! Weekend At The Whisky". Club owner, Elmer Valentine called it "the best artwork ever displayed at the Whisky". Punk/New Wave nightspots were springing up all over Los Angeles and Orange County.
Greg Shaw was right. It was all coming back !
Dave in the display window at Bomp! (December 1978)
The Ramones: Johnny, Tommy, Joey, Dee Dee
Meanwhile, Mark & Quint Randle were in Top-40 band,
"Four Wheel Drive" (1976)
Before long, Paul Chaffee (drums) & Dave Chrenko (bass) were in Top-40 band,
"Vision" (1977)
In 1978-79 Dave was doing session work as a backup singer and bass player for progressive rock groups, The John Dunn Band and Shepherd at Warner Brothers Studios. The sessions were produced by a true recording legend, engineer Dan Wallin. Following the John Dunn sessions, guitarist Eddie VIncent and drummer Tad Malone formed hardcore Punk band, "Hollwood Squares" and landed in the Billboard Hot 100 with "Hillside Strangler".
In 1979 Dave began recording with keyboardist, John Dunn and hard rock guitarist, Greg Conte on the "Shepherd" sessions. A drummer was needed, so Dave called his friend, Paul Chaffee, who was drumming with Top-40 band, "Fable" at "Gazzari's" on Hollywood's Sunset Strip.
Dan Wallin produced both the "John Dunn Band" and "Shepherd" sessions. Dan has recorded The Beach Boys, The Bee Gees, George Harrison, Barbra Streisand, Peter Frampton, Neil Diamond, and countless film soundtracks. Dan retired with his wife to Hawaii a few years ago, having been a top recording engineer into his 80s. See what you learn here?
Warner Brothers Studios in "Beautiful Downtown Burbank" & Dan Wallin, legendary Warner Brothers studio engineer.
Though recording at Warner Brothers (one of the world's greatest movie and recording studios), watching movies being made, and wandering Warner Brothers back lot was an amazing experience, when the "Shepherd" sessions were over, Dave wanted to play his own songs, so he started writing New Wave and Power Pop songs in the styles of the Punk and New Wave music he was introduced to while working at the Bomp! Records label & Bomp! Magazine.
Paul continued drumming at "Gazzari's" with Fable, a Top-40 band that included another future-Bing, Mark Randle on bass guitar and lead vocal. Dave Chrenko was recruited to run their lighting at Gazzari's. It wasn't long before Dave invited Paul to listen to his originals - and one night, they decided to form a New Wave Power Pop band. It was 1980, and "The Bings" was about to be born.
John Dunn, lead singer on both Warner Brothers sessions, was killed in a car crash in December 1980. Greg Conte formed another lineup of "Shepherd". This version of the band appeared in an episode of popular TV show, "CHiPs" in January 1982. Greg is the cat playing the hot lead guitar. Vocalist is Susan Richardson of "Eight Is Enough" and "American Graffiti" fame. You'll find a clip from the CHiPs episode below.
SHEPHERD
"Twist And Shout"
CHiPs TV Show
(1982)
JOHN DUNN BAND
"Not So Long Ago"
Warner Brothers Studios
(1978)
