Representative Songs: "Yellow Pills," "Cheri," "Remember the Lightning"
Biography
20/20 was formed in Tulsa, OK, by high school friends Steve Allen (guitar, vocals) and Ron Flynt (bass, vocals). They relocated to Los Angeles in 1977, adding Mike Gallo on drums, and began playing local clubs. Greg Shaw, the head of Bomp! Records, was impressed with their highly charged power pop and signed them to his label in 1978. The resulting single, "Under the Freeway," created enough interest in the band to secure a deal with Portrait Records. They added keyboardist Chris Silagyi and recorded their first LP, 20/20. "Cheri" from the album saw some minor regional success but the album was virtually ignored apart from critical acclaim. The follow-up, Look Out! (1981), was equally strong but again failed. The band was dropped by Portrait in 1982 and effectively disbanded. They returned in 1982 with the independently released Sex Trap, but by this time, their sound was out of style and the band finally called it quits. A revived interest in the genre in the '90s inspired the band to reunite, contributing a few new songs to Big Deal's Yellow Pills compilations and recording a new album, 4 Day Tornado, in the fall of 1995 on Oglio Records. 20/20 returned in August of 1998 with Interstate. ~ Chris Woodstra, All Music Guide
20/20 was an American power pop band from Hollywood, California. They were active from 1977 to 1983 and reunited during the mid 1990's to the late 1990's. Steve Allen and Ron Flynt had played together in Tulsa in 1976, and Steve decided to move to Los Angeles in 1977 after fellow Tulsa natives Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley met with success. Once in Los Angeles, Steve met with Mike Gallo (singer/songwriter/keyboardist/drummer), who had already conceived of the idea & name for the band (after having spent time in the UK). Mike first started writing with Steve, and later, auditioned, Steve's friend, from Tulsa, Ron Flynt for 20/20. The three-piece band signed with Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records in 1978 to record a single. Between the release of the single, and their first LP on Portrait Records, Chris Silagyi joined the band as a keyboardist.
After splitting with 20/20 in late 1979 (and taking twenty unreleased/recorded 20/20 songs with him) Mike Gallo went on to form the bands RadioMusic and Two Moons, and signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell.
Break-up in 1983
After Mike Gallo was no longer with the band, they stopped having success, CBS dropped them and the band broke up. Steve Allen went to work for Warner Brothers records and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Ron Flynt moved back to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Chris Silagyi became a record producer. Joel Turrisi became an actor and works in other areas of film & music.
Current activities
Mike Gallo recently (2008) started his own label, Two Moons Records, to release his catalog (previously unreleased 20/20, RadioMusic, Two Moons). He writes and records at home. Mike is currently focused on songwriting, his label and publishing.
Four band members now operate four different recording studios in four different cities.
Ron Flynt - Jumping Dog Studio in Austin, Texas.
Steve Allen - Blue Planet Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bill Belknap - Long Branch Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Joel Turrisi - VFG Productions/Panaview filters in West Hollywood CA.
Enigma records picked-up the album for wider distribution, but "Sex Trap" and "Fast Car" were remixed, and "Please Please (Listen To Me)" was replaced by a track entitled "Jack's Got a Problem."
1995
20/20/Look Out!
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Oglio Records
First two LP's, 20/20 and Look Out! remastered and released on one CD.
1995
4 Day Tornado
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Oglio Records
1998
Interstate
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1999
Sex Trap
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Japanese release
Includes bonus track, "Best of Your Life."
Singles
1978: "Giving It All" b/w "Under the Freeway" (Bomp! Records)
1979: "Tell Me Why" b/w "Yellow Pills" (Epic/Portrait Records)
