Past

Mimi is best known as lead vocalist for the original power-pop group Pezband. The Chicago-based singer/songwriter/guitarist enjoyed a modicum of fame and female adoration in the mid 1970s as he and his band mates were lauded internationally in magazines, newspapers and on TV by no less than Jane Pauley on “The Today Show.”

Present

After the heyday of Pezband, Mimi had a distinguished career as an art educator for the Chicago Public School system. Today he spends his time recording and performing—as well as hanging out with his family and working on art projects (including mixed media collages). He also enjoys collecting vintage musical instruments and gear.

Pezband Timeline

1972 Mimi Betinis formed Pezband with Mick Rain, Mike Gorman and John Pazdan. Group plays local venues. 1973 Dan Wade replaces John Pazdan. Cliff Johnson joins group. Group plays the Chicago metropolitan club circuit. Records several demos. 1974 Start touring clubs around the Midwest and East Coast. Tommy Gawenda replaces Dan Wade. Start drawing large crowds. Play dates with Cheap Trick. Ken Adamany manages both bands. 1975 play packed club dates. Open for KISS at the Indiana skating rink. Open for Chaka Khan – at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go in Los Angeles. Cliff leaves the group and West Davis sings for about 8 months. West leaves. 1976 obtain management with Mike Lembo and sign with Passport/ABC Dunhill records. Start recording first record at Bruce Springsteen’s studio House Of Music in NJ. Guest soloist include Clarence Clemens, Brecker Bros. and Larry Fast. Group moves to NJ for next 2 1/2 years. 1977 first LP released: PEZBAND. Played the ABC record convention voted most promising act of the year. Start heavy touring of the East Coast. Open for Blondie, Ramones, Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp at 5,000 seat arenas. Received great press. Have promotional agency behind the group. Featured on NBC’s Today Show with Jane Pauley as the latest music style coined “Power Pop”. Featured on radio and PBS TV stations on the East Coast. Start second album in November at Jethro Tull’s studio Masion Rouge, London, England. 1978 2nd British recorded LP and EP released: Laughing in the Dark along with Live At Dingwalls. Records get great reviews from press including Rolling Stone. Get featured in numerous rock magazines and publications such as Goldmine, Billboard, Teen, Rock and StagePass. Chart British import top ten with “On and On” from Laughing in the Dark on Radar Records. Albums gets more rotation in New England area. Coast to coast touring continues.

Read music journalist Larry Lange’s article: Pezband: The Best Band You’ve Never Heard Of

About John Pavletic (Producer/Engineer)

After playing lead guitar in the Ides-Shames Union, and the Cryan’ Shames, John built Tanglewood Studio with partner Larry Millas (Ides Of March). He has been involved in numerous sessions at the studio, including overdubs/mixing with Ray Walker of The Jordanaires and D.J. Fontana (Elvis Presley), and recording tracks with Jay Ferguson (Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, The Jay Ferguson Band) for the Midnight Special TV show. John has recorded numerous songwriting demos for Jim Peterik (Ides Of March, Survivor), as well as tracks for Skafish, Lois Lane, and many others.

Notable Projects

  • Engineered and mixed the debut album Things Aren’t Right by Wazmo Nariz on Illegal Records/I.R.S. for Miles Copeland III
  • Mixed Pezband’s 30 Seconds Over Schaumburg live EP
  • Co-produced, engineered, and mixed Pezband’s Cover To Cover album
  • Produced, mixed, and mastered Cool Never Fades for Red Canyon Run
  • Produced, mixed, and mastered Romantic Propaganda for Tres-Tres
  • Co-produced, mixed, and mastered Pezband’s Dangerous People album
  • Produced, mixed, and mastered High Tension Lines for Raingrey
  • Co-produced, mixed, and mastered Mimi Betinis’ Music Sounds album
  • Co-produced, mixed, and mastered Mimi Betinis’ Basement Tapes, Vol. 1 album.