The following is a transcript of a report by Team 4 investigator Paul Van Osdol that first aired Nov. 19, 2006, on WTAE Channel 4 Action News at 11 p.m.

---

When you go to a concert, do you really know whether the band is legit?

A Team 4 Investigation finds so-called imposter bands popping up all over, but now, Pennsylvania is fighting back.

Team 4's Paul Van Osdol has the story.

Oldies bands are huge in western Pennsylvania, but the next time you go to a concert, you might want to take a closer look at the band's lineup.

Experts said there are hundreds of bogus bands using the names of legendary groups like The Platters, and that hurts both the musicians and their fans.

The Platters were one of the greatest doo-wop bands, selling more records than any other vocal group until the arrival of The Beatles.

But when it comes to The Platters, there are literally dozens of pretenders; groups using their name despite having absolutely no link to the originals.

The only original member of The Platters that is still performing is Herb Reed. Reed has spent 26 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting pretend Platters.

"This is thievery," said Reed. "They're stealing from me now. They're stealing your legacy. They're stealing jobs. They're stealing your work."

One of the jobs Reed wanted was a concert last month with the Pittsburgh Symphony, but instead, the symphony hired the 21st century Platters whose members were not even born when the real Platters had their hits.

"That just broke my heart when I found out they used those people," said Reed. "I don't know who the hell they are. I don't know where they came from."

In May, Reed's manager sent an e-mail to symphony pops music director Marvin Hamlisch, calling the decision to use the 21st century Platters "quite insulting" and a possible violation of Pennsylvania's just-passed Truth in Music law, which is banning imposter bands.

In response, the symphony changed its advertising to comply with the law, calling the concert a tribute. Symphony officials declined to comment on camera.

Pennsylvania's Truth in Music law, passed earlier this year, is designed to prevent imposter groups from fooling the public. The law requires any band holding a concert to have at least one original member or a legal trademark. The law is considered a model, and its champion may be familiar to oldies fans.

John Bauman, Bowzer from Sha Na Na, heads the Truth in Music committee for the Vocal Group Hall of Fame based in Sharon.

"You got people going to these shows thinking they're seeing The Drifters, The Coasters or The Platters or The Marvellettes or the Shangri La's, and they're seeing nobody," said Bauman. "They're not sure if they're getting duped. They don't know. They think maybe there's one real one because there's an older person up there. It's an awful scam."

The newer Platters group has no original members and no legal rights to the name, but it still performs. When asking the group's leader, Paul Allen, about Reed's concerns, Allen said, "Yes. You know, I can understand his view. I don't necessarily agree with it."

Van Osdol: "Is that fair to the audience to not be able to know who's real and who's not?

Allen: "I don't think so."

It might be especially confusing for people seeing Allen, who also tours with one of the many Coasters groups.

Van Osdol: "How can you be a Platter and a Coaster?"

Allen: "It's not an easy thing. Not an easy thing."

The Turtle Creek-based Vogues had several hits in the 60s, but then the band members sold their rights to a Pittsburgh lawyer who created a new edition of the band with none of the originals.

However, a judge ruled original member Chuck Blasko could perform with another version of the Vogues, but only in western Pennsylvania.

"The vogues case sadly has already been litigated twice, and the outcome was not in favor of the authentic artists of the group," said Bauman.

Blasko has given up fighting and so has Reed.

"I've been dealing with this for the last I don't know how many years, and you get tired of being angry about it," said Reed.

The attorney general's office has intervened in several cases under the Truth in Music law, forcing imposter bands to tell the public they have no original members, but so far, no one has been cited with violating the law, which could carry a maximum $10,000 fine.

---

Related Links:
More County News

---