michael urso

aka: michael erso

     from: patrick neve (splat@darkwing.uoregon.edu)
michael urso, of rare earth, filled in on bass for zappa when Tom Fowler broke his arm in november of 1974.  the only gig that we know for certain that he played was 11-23-74, at michigan state university, east lansing, michigan.  there is a tape of this show, and if urso played any other dates with zappa, we don't know about them. James Youman would shortly replace Urso, and Tom Fowler eventually took over again when his arm healed.

he played with rare earth from 1971 to 1974, sat in with the mothers for at least that one date, then a group called hub from 1975-76, and then rare earth again from 1977 to 1983.

 i'm unsure as to his present whereabouts. (michael, if you're reading, let us know!)  there is a michael urso who co-owns a cabinet shop in new york, but i haven't determined if this is the same person:

http://www.primenet.com/~barling/finishes/finishes.html

 there's also a mention of a michael urso as an organist for some modern incarnation of the knights templar:

http://members.aol.com/kych52va/gcktnvofficers.html

discography:

(all credits for bass and vocals)

• 1971 head over heels- head over heels
• 1972 rare earth- willie remembers
• 1973 rare earth- ma
• 1975 hub- hub (credited to michael erso)
• 1977 rare earth- rarearth
• 1978 rare earth- band together
• 1978 rare earth- grand slam
• snarfel: thirty years of andy cahan
      (1995, cd, usa, hamana records) - feat. various ex-moi
• 1998 rare earth- very best of rare earth 
• 2001 rare earth- the 20th century masters 
• ???? hub- cheeta