L-R:
Harri Vallittu (keyboards), Randy Joyce
(drums), Terry Barnett (guitar/vocals),
Paul Bergman (bass)
1975
Photo credit:
Gregg Burner
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Deluxe Chance Reunites
Rock 'n' roll reunions are approaching a
level of acceptance that's difficult to
ignore - first Crosby, Stills & Nash,
then The Guess Who, The Animals, The Band
and no Winnipeg's own Deluxe Chance Band.
According to then and now keyboardist
Harri Vallittu, eight years ago the Deluxe
Chance Band was touring nationwide and
being courted by RCA representatives to
sign a recording contract.
Management problems signalled the end of
those negotiations as well as the demise
of the Deluxe Chance Band (edition no. 1)
a short time later.
Since that time, Vallittu has kept busy as
a member of a local band that enjoyed a
similar sort of cult status - the late
great Houndog. After Houndog's
official dissolution following this year's
Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vallittu
re-established contact with original
Chance Band members Terry Barnett (guitar,
lead vocals) and Randy Joyce (drums,
vocals). Vallittu's longtime musical
associate and bassist Bryan Czarnecki was
brought in to complete the quartet.
"This is sort of like unfinished business
for everyone involved," Vallittu
said. "We believed and still believe
strongly in the original material we were
doing back then - so much so that right
now we're in the process of reviving a lot
of it as well as writing new stuff.
Even though we were on the scene as far
back as 1972, I consider the band a new
commodity."
Few would argue with Vallittu's assessment
of the material included in a typical
Deluxe Chance Band set. Groups
covering old Mose Allison, Ronnie Hawkins
and Sam Cooke tunes are hard to come by
anywhere - never mind the local pub and
lounge circuit. DCB originals such
as Turning Point follow a similar
raw-boned rock and boogie musical course.
Vallittu admits the band's sound and root
music preferences are making it "kind of
tough" to land local gigs, but he feels
exposure gained from the group's upcoming
appearance on CKY-TV's Night Sounds
coupled with perseverance might find the
Deluxe Chance Band reliving some of those
past glories.
From the AFTER DARK column published in
the Winnipeg Free Press October 27, 1983
Page 52
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L-R: Harri Vallittu, Paul Bergman, Terry
Barnett, Randy Joyce
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L-R: Terry Barnett, Randy Joyce, Wally
Landreth
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L-R: Terry Barnett, Randy Joyce, Wally
Landreth
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L-R: Harri Vallittu, Terry
Barnett, Bryan Czarnicki, Randy
Joyce
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The above photos and newspaper article courtesy of Terry Barnett.
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