Biography
The Ran-Dells notched their lone Pop Top 40 placement with the unsettling, manic “Martian Hop,” which climbed to number sixteen on 28 September 1963. Two follow-up releases failed to register, prompting the college trio to count their brief good fortune and exit the industry.
Steven Rappaport of Villas, New Jersey, his cousin Robert Rappaport, and another cousin, John Spirt, both of Cape May, New Jersey, formed the group. Although the Rappaports and Spirt differed in age by six years, all three were enrolled at Brandeis University when they assembled as the Ran-Dells in 1962. The name derived from Steven’s on-air alias, Steven Randle, which he had used during campus radio shifts and chose to retain.
Working on a budget below four hundred dollars, the cousins self-produced “Martian Hop,” a track depicting extraterrestrials on the dance floor. Songwriter Gerry Goffin happened to be present during the mastering session, expressed enthusiasm, and recommended the master to Don Kirshner, who placed the Ran-Dells on his Chairman imprint. Its B-side, “Forgive Me Darling,” offered a straightforward, guileless pop ballad. The A-side received heavy rotation on WABC and topped charts in France, Israel, Greece, and West Germany, ultimately moving more than a million copies worldwide and becoming Chairman Records’ biggest seller. Steven’s concurrent studies in electronic music introduced additive synthesis techniques to the pop mainstream.
The group’s moment in the spotlight included an appearance on American Bandstand and lip-synced performances alongside other chart acts. Their 1964 Chairman follow-up, “Sound of the Sun” backed with “Come On and Love Me Too,” attracted no attention, ending the label relationship. A final single, “Beyond the Stars” coupled with “Wintertime,” appeared without fanfare on RSVP Records later that year. With academics resuming and sales figures remaining flat, the cousins redirected their energies toward completing their degrees.
Robert Rappaport, who sang lead on “Martian Hop,” later operated a hotel in Key West, Florida; John Spirt established himself as an artist in Philadelphia; and Steven Rappaport practiced law in California, specializing in senior-citizen advocacy.
Steven Rappaport of Villas, New Jersey, his cousin Robert Rappaport, and another cousin, John Spirt, both of Cape May, New Jersey, formed the group. Although the Rappaports and Spirt differed in age by six years, all three were enrolled at Brandeis University when they assembled as the Ran-Dells in 1962. The name derived from Steven’s on-air alias, Steven Randle, which he had used during campus radio shifts and chose to retain.
Working on a budget below four hundred dollars, the cousins self-produced “Martian Hop,” a track depicting extraterrestrials on the dance floor. Songwriter Gerry Goffin happened to be present during the mastering session, expressed enthusiasm, and recommended the master to Don Kirshner, who placed the Ran-Dells on his Chairman imprint. Its B-side, “Forgive Me Darling,” offered a straightforward, guileless pop ballad. The A-side received heavy rotation on WABC and topped charts in France, Israel, Greece, and West Germany, ultimately moving more than a million copies worldwide and becoming Chairman Records’ biggest seller. Steven’s concurrent studies in electronic music introduced additive synthesis techniques to the pop mainstream.
The group’s moment in the spotlight included an appearance on American Bandstand and lip-synced performances alongside other chart acts. Their 1964 Chairman follow-up, “Sound of the Sun” backed with “Come On and Love Me Too,” attracted no attention, ending the label relationship. A final single, “Beyond the Stars” coupled with “Wintertime,” appeared without fanfare on RSVP Records later that year. With academics resuming and sales figures remaining flat, the cousins redirected their energies toward completing their degrees.
Robert Rappaport, who sang lead on “Martian Hop,” later operated a hotel in Key West, Florida; John Spirt established himself as an artist in Philadelphia; and Steven Rappaport practiced law in California, specializing in senior-citizen advocacy.