Rasputin and the Mad Monks started out as a 4 piece basement band in Newark, New Jersey. They met as music majors at Jersey City State Teachers College in 1965. John Mulrenan, the lead guitar player and lead singer majored in piano; Ed Shaugnessy, the keyboard player majored in clarinet; Steve Gibba, the drummer majored in bassoon and Alex Mancini, the bass player was the only one who actually played his major instrument in the band. After about a year, they added Ritchie Malfitano, another JCSTC music major on tenor sax and flute and Dawn Culton, his girlfriend on trumpet and lead vocals.

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