Monthly Archives: September 2007

Categories: Minnesota, New Ulm

The Fabulous Depressions

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The Fabulous Depressions formed in New Ulm, Minnesota, a small town southwest of Minneapolis, in 1964. It took them until 1967 to release their only and excellent 45.

The band went through several lineup changes. By the time it came to record, it included original members Phil Groebner on lead guitar, Peter Kitzberger on organ and Jim Dauer on bass, plus third drummer John Ginkel and vocalist Randy Evans.

Tom Lindsay had been their vocalist, but he left to join the Royal Emperors of Owatonna. Original drummer John Tretault left in 1966, and was replaced for a short time by Greg DeBerry before John Ginkel joined. Ginkel had been in the Shags with his brother Tom, releasing one 45 on the Concert label “Louis Louis” / “Summertime News” (Summertime Blues).

“Can’t Tell You” is a very catchy original by Phil Groebner and Jim Dauer, and features a short but devastating solo by Groebner. The flip is a good version of one of the Blues Magoos’ lesser songs, “One By One”. It was recorded at Lynn Studios in Rochester, Minn.

Categories: Indonesia

The Steps

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This isn’t that good, honestly, so you may want to pass on this one. I liked the photo on the sleeve and picked it up, and thought I should include it so people can know what this sounds like.

The Steps were from Indonesia and did instrumental recordings and occasionally backed vocalists. They’re good players, but these two songs don’t have much going for them. There’s a theme they run through during the last twenty seconds of Kitjir Kitjir that’s pretty interesting, if they’d stuck to that I’d like this better.

Categories: D.G.M.R., Erie, Pennsylvania

The Catamorands from Erie, PA

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The Catamorands were from Erie, Pennsylvania, not Nashville as I originally thought.

Guitarist and vocalist Rod Mellquist writes: “The Catamorands were from Erie, PA. and recorded this record and several other original pieces that didn’t make it to vinyl. The four members were Gary Gregor -drums, Mike Ditrick -guitar, Dick Burkett -bass and vocals and Rod Mellquist -guitar and vocals.”

The D.G.M.R. in the label are the initials of the band members first names. Both sides of this 45 are gentle, original compositions. The beautiful “Over You” was written by Rod Mellquist and produced with A. Mellquist. R. Burkett wrote “Never Say Goodbye”, which was produced by R. Burkett and M. Ditrich.

Categories: Bellaphon, Germany, Wuppertal

The Kentuckys

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l to r: Benny Weiler, Manfred Weiler, Peter Frohn, Peter Zadina and Rocky Zimdars

Originally called the Kentucky Rockers, the group formed in Wuppertal in western Germany in 1962. The first lineup was Peter Frohn, Rainer Schiffgen, Klaus-Dieter Prange and Siegfried Wagner.

In 1963 they shortened their name to the Kentuckys, and new members included two brothers, Manfred Weiler on rhythm guitar and Bernd Weiler on Hammond organ. Still later Peter Zadina came in on bass and Rocky Zimdars on drums and vocals. They became known for dyeing their hair odd colors and dressing up as women on stage.

They released two 45s on the Bellaphon label. Their first, “Uncle Willy” is a good if conventional German beat record.

Their second is another thing altogether. After the opening chant the fuzz cuts loose on “Old Hangman Is Dead”. “Stupid Generation” features Rocky Zimdars’ lyrics and madcap laughter, and makes for a timeless anthem.

Both were issued with picture sleeves, but the copy I tracked of their second down doesn’t have it. The band also cut a version of “Cadillac” that went unreleased at the time.

Peter Zadina left the group in ’67, but the Kentuckys continued into the ’70s with various lineups. Peter Frohn died in 1987, and Rocky Zimdars in 2006.

Special thanks to Bernd Rüttgers for sending in the sleeve to Uncle Willy!