Vance or Towers - Full Album

Provided by Salem Valley Music.

The 1975 self-titled album Vance or Towers.

Vance or Towers is a 1970s power-pop band that would be completely forgotten if not for their appearance as the prom band in Brian De Palma's 1976 film "Carrie." The name was intended to be one of those corny '70s gimmicks: swooning girls could choose their favorite cutie: Glen Vance OR Michael Towers.

The duo released one self-titled LP in 1975 which includes "Education Blues," the song that opens the prom -- though the version in the film drastically differs from the LP cut. It's also presumed that the band provided a second song in the movie, "Lady Lay," an aptly-titled mellow do-wop tune that scores the scene where Nancy Allen performs fellatio on John Travolta. Towers and a quartet of writers were responsible for this song and two short instrumental cues heard during the prom: "Pre-Prom Disco" and "Ernest's Announcement." Unfortunately, a recording of "Lady Lay" has yet to be unearthed, but "Ernest's Announcement" is heard in its entirety as the opening titles music for Tom DiSimone's gay porn flick "Catching Up."

In addition to their album, at least two singles were released featuring non-album cuts: "Can't Smile Without You" (a song that was later covered by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow) and "Whenever God Shines His Light." There's also proof of two more songs by the pair titled "I Wanna Be Loved" and "Without Love," though it's unclear whether or not these were issued on disc.

A friend once remarked that the band handed out a copies of a demo tape featuring non-album cuts, but a cassette has yet to surface and it's unknown whether or not "Lady Lay" was included.

Towers went on to write some music for television and movies (including the theme for "Simon and Simon" and the title tune for the cult sci-fi flick "Looker," which was later covered by Kim Carnes) and the pair contributed some music cues and the song "Let Me Make It Up to You" to the long-running TV soap opera "Another World" (it's possible that they also guest-starred on an episode) but both have since fallen into total obscurity.

Their album was issued on vinyl, cassette, and 8-track.

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