Dots

Years Active: March 1978 – December 1990

Dots was a New York City Pop-punk band fronted by Jimmi Quidd, with most of the songs written, composed, and arranged by guitarist Rick Garcia.

Dots (not “The” Dots as their former record label called them on two of the band’s three albums) was founded in 1976 by Rick Garcia and Jimmi Quidd but didn’t hit the stage until March 1978. It took a year to find the right players and another year of rehearsal before they were ready to go. The longest process of putting Dots together, Garcia revealed, was finding the right drummer. “Between March and December of 1976, we interviewed and auditioned 72, that’s SEVENTY TWO drummers. Each more screwy than the one before him,” Rick stated. “But God smiled on us that last day of auditions and sent us two quite excellent drummers. The last two. Numbers 71 and 72 were phenomenal. Despite how good number seventy-one was, he was… well, he was ugly. No, I mean a toad might well look at this cat and have his self-esteem lifted. So it was no contest Vin was a dreamboat, and he played like
Keith Moon. Exactly what we were looking for.”

The original lineup was Jimmi Quidd on lead vocals, Bob Baltera and Al Lange on guitars, Vinnie Signorelli on drums, and Rick Gehl on bass. Rick chose Grehl as a stage name (a combination of Garcia and his stepdad’s name, Rosello) and dropped it in under a year.

Dots debut

In March of 1978, Dots played their first gig at Max’s Kansas City, home of The Fast, New York Dolls, and The Heartbreakers. Two weeks later, they played CBGBs and then made their out-of-town debut at the Rathskeller in Boston. However, after six months of slowly building a following, Al Lang decided he didn’t fit in any longer. His replacement came in the form of a loyal fan. Guitarist Alison East (Spicy Bits and later Swinging Madisons) approached the band for a shot. Allison, or simply East as she was known, would later introduce the band to her mentor, Genya Ravan of Genya Ravan and Ten Wheel Drive.

Alison East didn’t stay long; she left to play in Swinging Madisons. After her departure, Rick moved over to guitar, and Leigh Sioris joined on bass. Soon thereafter, they added Billy Bell on keys and Jimmy Agnello on guitar. Then it came to a grinding halt when drummer Vinnie joined Turbo Hy Dramatics, which was signed to German label Rebel Records.

Dots get a record deal

Shortly after Vinnie’s departure (in 1979), Dots self-released their only single record, I Don’t Wanna Dance (With You) b/w Immortals (with Robert Medici from Model Citizens on drums). Eventually, Vinnie pitched Dots to Rebel, and the label took them on. “When the smoke cleared,” Rick said, “the final roster included Jimmi, Leigh, and me. Plus, the addition of Al Maddy from the Nightcaps and Nat Sealy of the Bowery-tones.

Rebel Records released three albums by the band between 1985 and 1986, their last being the album 15 Songs, 15 Stories (Live In West-Germany). “You may think it is Live in West Germany,” Garcia states, “but you would be wrong.” He clarified, “The record company threw that in the middle of the album jacket for some unknown reason, and people believed the album was titled Live in West-Germany“.

Dots LOSE Their Vocalist

Without a record label and tour support, Dots continued to perform only throughout the US until 1990, when lead vocalist Jimmi Quidd (born Jim Hatzidimitriou) died from a brain aneurysm on August 15, 1990. Jimmi was only 37 years old.

Dots Last Call

In 2022, guitarist and songwriter Rick Garcia reunited the surviving members of the band, along with Jimmi’s son, to record Last Call. It was self-released on October 22 as a limited edition of 100 CD-R copies.

Dots GET THEIR LIVE IN WEST GERMANY ALBUM reissued – 15 SONGS, 15 STORIES IS DONE!

13th Street Records will reissue Dots’ 1986 Rebel Records release 15 Songs, 15 Stories (Live In West Germany). This limited CD release has been remastered and will include five bonus tracks restored and remastered from their 1978 It’s Not Just Music session recorded at Daily Planet Studios, NYC. Coming in early December!

From founder Rick Garcia: “We put the band together mostly through ads for players without bands and bands without players, who had placed ads in the old Village Voice.  We actually auditioned 72 drummers before settling on one. There was an endless line of guitarists, too. We rehearsed for a year and studied other bands on the circuit as well to make some sort of sense of what was expected of us. 

“When we finally debuted on a chilly March 6, 1978 evening at Max’s Kansas City, we were raring to go. We played two or three times a month in NYC and started doing road trips as well.

“Over the years, we were graced by a good deal of help from others… Genya Ravan, Walter Carlos, Todd Rundgren, and Klaus Nomi to name but a few. After Jimmi’s death, we reconciled ourselves to the fact the band was done. In 2022, we regrouped with Jimmi’s son for Last Call. We never thought about reissuing the old material since all the masters disappeared when Rebel Records in Germany went out of business. Good fortune eventually gave us another shot in the form of Ted Sterns, stalwart founder and producer over at 13th Street Records. A friend and a fan. Thanks for the ride, Ted.”

Rick gave his approval of the new cover design and told us, “The facelift looks great [front cover]. Now it looks like the way I named it – 15 Songs, 15 Stories.”