I first became aware of Mangione in late 1975. I was listening to Chase the Clouds Away. It was released in 1975 by A&M records. I was cleaning out Robert’s records. I was listening to it, sitting in my bedroom, a Florida room, in my parents’ house. This was also Robert's room when he lived with us. I remember I cried, not really knowing why. I was still affected by Robert's passing. I still have those records, although they are in storage, currently in one of the bedrooms in my own home. It will be 50 years to the day this November since that day.
Robert is my brother. I use the present tense purposely. He was shot and killed on November 7 of 1975. I was taking calculus at the time. I was very much affected by his death, although I did not realize it at the time. I always found it curious that on the calendar it was also the day after my sister’s birthday. Always wondered how to remember that.
Thinking about it now, it is strange. Robert was the oldest of my siblings. My mom and dad wanted him to avoid military service for Mr. Castro. He was sent over to Miami, with my sister Teresa, in 1961 and his aunt and uncle. We would not see either of them until our arrival in Miami in 1965. To have him face such an ending in 1975 sounds horrible, and it was.
To this day there are certain songs that really bring him back. One of these was Dave Clark Five’s Over and Over. We had the 45rpm of it. One time, he and I went to downtown Miami in I believe 1966 and he saw at the Walgreens store an album by the Dave Clark Five, and he bought it. It was Dave Clark Five’s Greatest Hits. He really liked the album, and he used me to convince himself to buy it. It cost around $5, so it was a big investment. I must have been 9. He 14. Just gives me the creeps we were in downtown in Miami at such young ages by ourselves. That was the first long playing album we had ever bought. I think I still have the album, although I am not sure. I inherited all his albums in 1975.
There were other records which he would buy, that I still remember. For Your Love, by The Yardbirds and Your Song, the Album, by Elton John. I remember getting the album by Elton John. It was released in 1970. Elton John was not well known. I remember looking for the record at the J. Byron’s in downtown and not being able to find it. J. Byrons was the store for records at that time. It was important for me to find it, so I asked one of the salesmen and he did not know. He said look in the miscellaneous section. I did and I found it. I was proud of myself. It was not every day that your older brother asked you for something and you come through. I never did tell him how difficult it was to find it. I still have that album. I mean the original album which he asked me to buy that day. When I listen to any one of those songs, I am still brought back to him. Such is the power of music.
My brother’s name was Roberto Lopez de la Vega. Mine was Ramon Lopez. People who knew both of us would never know we had the same parents. We had slightly different last names; we do not look that similar. It kind of depended on who handled your papers at the airport what your name became. I never knew I had a choice so when they asked me my name, it was Ramon Lopez. His, which he got four years earlier, included our maternal surname, de la Vega. He would use both surnames since there were two other Roberto Lopez’s in his class. Robert started out as a freshman at LaSalle High school, class of 1970. I was in Coral Way Elementary in fourth grade at the time. I did not speak a word of English. Robert and I never went to the same school at the same time. I kind of always followed in his footsteps 5 years later.
We would listen to the same type of music. This was not a coincidence. When you have an older brother you admire, you tend to listen to the same songs, same music. You tend to emulate a lot of the things he did. From Robert I had a preview of every teacher we would have. Brother Ramon was my favorite teacher. Robert really liked him. I knew that since Robert spoke about him often. I could see why Robert liked him. Robert played football, right guard. His favorite subject was Chemistry. He was in the chess club. These are all things which I also did, although I do not know if I was trying to emulate him or just that we liked the same activities. He was also in track and field and Key Club.
At the time the cost to go to LaSalle was $18/month for the whole family. Since we had three children attending at the same time, it was a good deal. During his senior year the cost of going to LaSalle increased to $25 per student per month. I remember my mom and him talking about it. The cost kept increasing on a yearly basis. When I finished in 1975, it was $60 per student per month. As the family got older it became totally unaffordable. This is why our two youngest siblings went into the public school system rather than stay in LaSalle.
Robert really liked music. Early on he formed his own band. It was known as the Isles of Langerhans. They isles of langerhans are also the organelles in the pancreas responsible for making insulin. He told me that although at the time that information was secondary. Diabetis had not affected our family as much. Robert's group used to practice with the Antiques, which was a much more popular band. I know one of the members of the antiques, only because they remember Robert. I recently saw him and we spoke. He gave me some sample recordings of him still singing. Nice guy. Robert played the drums. He would practice at home, but there were a lot of complaints. It was too loud. He was very proud of his drum set. It was made by Pearl. The skins were Ludwig. I am amazed that I still remember this stuff. I do not really know why. Only later did I realize the brand Ludwig was due to being Beethoven's first name. I do not really know that. That is what I assume.
Robert would always tell me about his experiences in the band. As the complaints from the neighbors became louder and since there was no way for us to air condition our home, he decided to change instruments. He began playing a Spanish guitar. I remember when he bought it at a store on eighth street. It sounded great! He traded in his drum set. I also still have that guitar. Although currently it has an extra hole. It also makes a funny noise when you play the C chord. I also inherited the guitar. I have not played that guitar in years. Actually, I have not played any guitar in years. I still have it though.
Robert graduated from LaSalle in 1970. He went for one year to the University of
Miami and then finished up with three years at Gainesville graduating in
1974. He majored in Chemistry. He would return every summer to our house in the Roads. He would always come back and teach me several songs on the guitar. These songs I still play, when I do play guitar which is currently seldom. In fact those are about the only songs I play.
I lost another brother around 4 years ago. Carlos. I miss him but I have not been able to write about him. This is partly because of how I miss him. I will write about him. Robert died 50 years ago. Carlos only four. It is difficult.
