When the music moved Maine New book chronicles Pine Tree State’s ‘Rocky’ past

1955. Bill Haley & His Comets had driven teenagers into hysterical frenzies with “Rock Around the Clock.” Little Richard had a hit with “Tutti Frutti.” And Chuck Berry reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts with “Maybellene.” Slowly, over airwaves and through the mail, rock ‘n’ roll made its way out of the cities into the rest of the nation, eventually reaching Maine.

The early days of rock ‘n’ roll in the Pine Tree State are chronicled in vivid detail by Bath resident Will Anderson in his new book “When Rock ‘n Roll Rocked Maine.” It’s full of pictures, old advertisements and detailed descriptions of long-forgotten local bands from all over the state – from Old Town’s Rock and Roll Five to the Eldorados from Houlton.

Anderson has written 10 books on Maine and New England pop culture, including 1989’s “New England Roadside Delights” and “Here’s to Hoops,” about high school basketball. Rock ‘n’ roll, however, is possibly the subject nearest and dearest to his heart, as he has been a lifelong fan and is an avid record collector.

“I went through libraries and newspapers. I tracked people down. Once I talked to one person, they usually knew of somebody else who played with someone,” said Anderson. “And there were an awful lot of ads – whether it was Fats Domino or Fats Nobody, there would be an ad in the paper.”

Anderson unearthed some surprising facts during his research. For instance, who knew that Brewer used to be called the doo-wop capital of Maine?

“I was really surprised to find that there were so many ’50s vocal groups in Brewer,” he said. “There were four doo-wop groups there, like the Statics and the Triumphs.”

The Statics, like many local groups in Maine, had the opportunity to open for legends like Jerry Lee Lewis, who played in Bangor in 1957. In fact, most of those early stars, including Elvis and Little Richard, played in Maine, though not in Portland as you might expect. In the 1950s, Lewiston was the hot spot, with the Lewiston Armory in 1956 hosting legendary rock DJ Alan Freed’s “Big Beat” showcase, featuring the likes of Lewis, Berry, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.

“You had to have a certain license to have live musicians. Portland was pretty skimpy with those, whereas that was not true in Lewiston. They were much more open,” said Anderson. “There was this guy, Morris Fournier, who owned a record store that was a gathering spot for musicians. He let them borrow instruments at no charge. Portland had no such animal. I think the French-Canadian love of music and that very rich cultural background had something to do with it, too.”

Also well-researched in “When Rock ‘n Roll Rocked Maine” are all the old clubs and venues scattered throughout the state, most of which have long since closed – the Long Beach Pavilion in Sabattus, for example, or the Anchorage in Westbrook.

“The Anchorage was a Polynesian restaurant by day, and it had a slanted floor, so when you were dancing you’d go up or downhill,” Anderson said. “It’s part of the Lee Auto Mall now. It was the real thing – real rock ‘n’ roll, real smoky. The stage was above the restrooms, so you couldn’t play with too much vigor or you’d be in trouble.”

Most of those early bands, like bands today, didn’t do it for the fortune and fame – especially since rock ‘n’ roll was such a new, exciting and seemingly controversial thing back then.

“Most of these guys didn’t do it for the money,” said Anderson. “It did have great appeal to females, though, and that made it all worthwhile.”

“When Rock ‘n Roll Rocked Maine,” $22.95, is published by Anderson & Sons Publishing Co. It is available along with Will Anderson’s other books at a number of local bookstores, including BookMarc’s in Bangor and Borders Books & Music. For information, call 422-7459. Emily Burnham can be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net.