All posts by Chris Bishop

The Savages – Live ‘n Wild

The Savages Duane LP Live 'N WildUpdated January 26, 2007

The Savages – four kids in Bermuda playing the hotel nightclubs for tourists wound up cutting one of the great live lps of the era. This is a solid garage album, with standout tracks being “Quiet Town”, “Nobody But You”, “The World Ain’t Round” and “No No No”.

Since first writing this post, I’ve corresponded with guitarist Paul Muggleton, attempted to interview producer Eddy DeMello with negligible results, and gathered information from as many other sources as I could, including Ed Nadorozy’s previous interviews with bassist Rob Zuill and Paul. Following is a revised and updated telling of their story that is as complete as I can make it. There are still some gaps to fill and mysteries to be explained, with luck some more information will turn up in the future.

Paul Muggleton: “The Savages started in 1965 in Bermuda. We used to watch another band in Bermuda rehearsing, they were the Gents. We were not sons of diplomats …my father was a printer…both Jimmy O’Connor and Bobby Zuill’s fathers were sea captains and Howie Rego’s father had a supermarket. Jimmy O’Connor and I started the band and recruited Bobby Zuill and [drummer] Howie Rego.

“We played teen functions periodically then got a job at the Hub [a nightclub at the Princess Hotel in Hamilton, Bermuda].The Savages Live & Wild Side 1 We worked pretty solidly, sometimes doing three gigs in a day. In the morning we played for two or three hours on Elbow Beach to thousands of American college kids, then from 7 to 9 in the clubhouse above the beach, then from 11 to 3 at the Hub.

“We played seven nights a week doing mostly covers until we were asked to make an album which Jimmy and I wrote in about 3 weeks which became the ‘Savages Live’ album. It was recorded straight to a four track machine, warts and all, live except for one track. ‘No No No’ was recorded after we recorded the album as a b-side to the first single ‘She’s Gone.’ I think it was a small audience, maybe 150 tops, set up to record the album.”

Rob Zuill: “We recorded that album live at the Hub [on February 6, 1966] and we were all so scared that we played everything way too fast. The songs should have been played much slower. In listening to the album later we were very disappointed with our performance. Anyhow it was way to late to do anything about it then. But I know that if we had recorded the album at a proper studio it would have turned out much better.”

Rob may not have been happy with the results, but listening to the album today is a pleasure. For one thing, most of the songs are originals, and the quality of the songwriting is amazing considering the inexperience of the band. Paul Muggleton wrote “Poor Man’s Son”, “Gone to the Moon”, “Nobody But You”, “No No No” and the fantastic “Quiet Town”. Jimmy O’Connor wrote “She’s Gone” and “Oh My Soul”, and he and Muggleton collaborated on “I Believe”. Howie Rego and Rob Zuill co-wrote the most famous song on the record, the dissonant “The World Ain’t Round, It’s Square.”

Of the three cover songs, two are predictable – a fine version of “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place”, and one that I would say is the least worthy track on the LP, “On Broadway”.

The third, however, is a very unusual choice – an English version of an Icelandic song, “Ertu Med” written and recorded by Thor’s Hammer in 1965. Paul Muggleton: “Our manager, Bev Welsh was Icelandic, he played us the song and I may have written the lyrics in English.” Confusion arises because Thor’s Hammer recorded their own English version of the song under the title ‘If You Knew,’ with totally different lyrics than the Savages’. In fact, Thor’s Hammer’s English version wasn’t recorded until May of 1966, several months after the Savages live session!

Also of note is that “No No No” came to be recorded by The Instincts, a band from Connecticut, most likely because someone brought the Savages 45 back home with them after vacationing in Bermuda.

The Savages Duane 45 The World Ain't Round It's Square

The Duane label was run by Eddy DeMello, a Bermudan of Portuguese descent. All the Duane releases recorded in Bermuda have a fine natural echo, leading me to believe they were recorded at the same location. Two other garage bands are also on Duane, the Weads and the Gents, along with a fantastic funk LP, Spacing Out by the Invaders. For more info on the Duane label, see the list of releases I’ve added to the site.

Paul Muggleton: “Eddy De Mello was the only promoter on the Island and I think initially he worked hard for us…putting us on tours of the West Indies and getting us to the States [summer, 1966] for gigs like the Scene and The Coney Island Pub and gigs on Long Island and Providence, Rhode Island. We went to New York to record ‘Roses Are Red.’ We also recorded two other songs at A&R studios with engineer and producer Chuck Irwin.” Released as their second 45, “Roses Are Red My Love” shows a tighter, more mature sound than the live recordings done just a few months previous. No one seems to remember the names of the other songs recorded in NY, and the tapes have disappeared.

While in NY, someone in the band made an insulting remark in Harlem which caused an irrepairable rift in the band. Paul: “The Savages broke up because of an incident in New York that nearly got us all killed through the stupidity of some of the members…and that’s all I can say on that one, even after all these years.”

Paul Muggleton: “The album is still to this day on sale [on CD, taken not from master tapes but from a scratched vinyl copy] and up to this moment no one has received any royalties for either the publishing or mechanicals. The record was only promoted in Bermuda but thousands were sold to college kids so there should be quite a few out there.”

EThe Savages Duane 45 You're On My Mindddy De Mello currently runs a nightclub/music store called the Music Box. When I asked him about the band all he had to say was “it’s history.” Paul sums up De Mello: “I’m afraid he wouldn’t be interested because there was no money in it…that’s the way he is, someone who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.”

After the Savages broke up, Paul Muggleton and Jimmy O’Connor joined with Andy Newmark and Glenn Mello of the Gents to make the Bermuda Jam album for the Dynovoice label, which includes the incredible psychedelic patische “Good Trip Lollipop”. Part of this band including Muggleton became the house band at Steve Paul’s “The Scene” in New York in June and July of 1967.

Since that time, Paul Muggleton has been active in music. Recently I heard one fine single he recorded for Columbia in Spain in 1970 under his own name: “Billy Snow, Jim Black” / “Where Time Flies”.

Rob Zuill: “We were a very big group in Bermuda in the late 60s. We really thought we were hot shit. And maybe we were.”

45s:
Duane 1043 – The Savages – No No No / She’s Gone
Duane 1049 – The Savages – Roses Are Red My Love / Quiet Town
Duane 1054 – The Savages – The World Ain’t Round, It’s Square / You’re On My Mind

Paul Muggleton Columbia 45 Billy Snow, Jim Black - Where Time Flies
Thanks to Borja for info on “Billy Snow, Jim Black”.

The Rites “Things” / “Hour Girl” on Decca

The Rites, l-r: Pete Kerezman, Tom Fitzpatrick, Pete Feller, Bob Azzarello and Jimmy Cahn
The Rites, l-r: Pete Kerezman, Tom Fitzpatrick, Pete Feller, Bob Azzarello and Jimmy Cahn

The Rites Decca 45 Hour GirlThe Rites actually called themselves the Last Rites, and they made this one great double-sided 45 on Decca before changing their name and lineup. There’s more than a touch of psychedelia to both “Hour Girl” and “Things.” Peter Kerezman wrote both songs, and the 45 was produced by Stephen Hammer.Band members at the time of recording were Jimmy Cahn, organ, vocals; Bob Azzarello, drums; Tom Fitzpatrick, bass; Peter Feller, lead guitar, vocals; and Pete Kerezman, vocals, rhythm guitar.

A former band member I heard from writes: “I believe [the Rites] got the record deal as a result of a contest that included playing around the city with some sort of a thing sponsored by some cosmetics company [Clairol]. They were given a ton of Ampeg gear as well and met a ton of models, who used to hang with us.

“The band was re-named Thin Ice and we continued to play Things and The Hour Girl along with several other originals by Pete & Jimmy. Unfortunately the band only lasted about a year and we never quite got off the ground.

“Thin Ice did some demos (I think they’re lost now). We played a big club in Phillie, a bunch of resorts in Stowe VT, Yale, a street festival in Phillie, some other gigs around the city. Used to rehearse in a basement studio owned by the manager of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. The guy wanted to sign us. I think the last gig we ever did was a Hell’s Angel’s benefit at the Electric Circus in NYC. Yet another manager hooked it up for us, but we were just too drugged out to deal.”

A sad ending to the band but it doesn’t diminish the beauty of this music.

The Rites with Patsy Sabline, Clairol Caravan, Time magazine, June 30, 1967
“Time magazine, June 30, 1967, taken during a dress rehearsal in Central Park. You can barely see me, all the way on the left there, and up front is Jimmy dancing with model Patsy Sabline.” – Pete

Click to see the inside of the program
Pete Kerezman wrote to me with his story and photos of the band and his music career:

I was a coffeehouse folk musician prior to doing the group thang. I guess my first “band” was with Rites guitarist Pete Feller in a folk duo, “The Candymen,” two guitars and vocals. We had been having a friendly competition in Rockland County coffeehouses and decided to join forces. I insisted that we wear striped shirts, like the Kingston Trio. We played the coffeehouses, and had a regular gig at the Fort Hamilton army base enlisted club. Then Pete went off to Oberlin College in Ohio.

Later that year (Or was it the following year? The memory’s dim), Pete’s younger brother, Phil, who was attending Columbia University, called me and said he was putting a band together, asked me if I wanted to play bass, which came as quite a shock because I’d never played a bass, except for washtub in a bluegrass wannabe outfit, and didn’t even own one. For some odd reason I agreed. That group was a quartet – Phil singing, me on bass, Tommy Fitzpatrick on guitar, and a cat from Westchester name of Wally Westphal on drums. It turned out that Phil wasn’t much of a singer, so we kicked him up to “manager” and Wally enlisted Jimmy Cahn and we became The Last Rites.

We played the Columbia University frat house circuit for a while, and the band outgrew the drummer, so we replaced him with another C.U. student, Rick Davis, who was a superb jazz drummer who could handle rock with ease.

Time passed. Pete Feller quit Oberlin and moved back to the New York area to join the band. We had a fairly serious competition with another C.U. frat band, The Walkers, who had a damn good lead guitarist, Billy something. They were numero uno and we were numero dos. Couldn’t dislodge ’em.

At some point in time we played a gig where Bob Prescott, our eventual manager, was quite taken with us, but Rick’s wife got to humpin’ the whole band so we lost his services when he went off to Africa on a geological dig to try and forget his sorrows.

I honestly can’t remember who put us on to Bob Azzerello, maybe it was Prescott, but Az was up to the task and came on board. I also can’t remember when I moved back to guitar and Tommy took over the bass chores, but it happened. Next thing we knew we had to lawyer up and read and sign contracts.

We passed an audition and became members of a traveling troupe of musicians and fashion models in a show called “The Clairol Caravan.” In addition to our own stuff we backed up a singer, Lamont Washington, who later died in a horrible fire, and played schlock music so the models could strut their stuff. The caravan and the record deal were parallel events, instigated by our manager, Bob Prescott, who was a sound effects expert for ABC radio and television and a founder of Audio Fidelity records.

We played some teen clubs in the New York area, signed with Decca and got that Clairol gig, all in a relatively short space of time. We were pretty much isolated and self-contained (arrogant and conceited). A fascinating sign of the times was that Decca thought that “The Last Rites” name was too controversial, so we morphed into “The Rites.”

The Rites with Jerry Blavet
The Rites with Jerry Blavet, l-r: Pete Feller, Bob Azzarello, Jerry Blavet, Tom Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Cahn, Pete Kerezman

We went into Decca’s studio A on 57th street. Recording legend Milt Gabler manned the board, with Steve Hammer hovering around being mostly useless. We were thrilled just to have a record out and we thought it turned out pretty good. Unfortunately the label didn’t do much for us in terms of promotion and the record went nowhere.

I think the one royalty check I saw was for about twelve bucks, and I had written both sides! Prescott did manage to get us on a Philly TV clone of American Bandstand, the Jerry Blavet show, where we lip-synched “Hour Girl,” but it didn’t help any. I’ve got a shot of Jerry and us standing outside our van in the snow.

After some time spent occasionally gigging, drugging and generally just spinning our wheels, Pete Feller and Tom Fitzpatrick realized what was happening, had the good sense to move on, and that was the end of The Rites.

 Thin Ice, l-r: Bernard Grobman, Jimmy Cahn and Pete Kerezman
Thin Ice, l-r: Bernard Grobman, Jimmy Cahn and Pete Kerezman

Thin Ice

Jimmy, Bob and I held auditions, and even though Bernard was quite a bit younger than us at the time he was already a monster guitar player and was obviously up to the gig. I don’t remember what name we performed under, maybe The Rites, maybe not, just don’t remember. When Bob had enough (we were a pretty rowdy bunch) we continued on as Thin Ice with a couple of other drummers passing through at various times.

Jimmy and Bob were still jamming, but I wasn’t really in their plans until I sat in with ’em one time, opened their ears, and we became “Feel.” We hooked up with a bottom-feeder agent and got a few gigs but eventually realized that Jimmy, who had switched from Farfisa to guitar, needed some help. That’s when we held guitarist auditions and hooked up with Bernard Grobman, eventually becoming “Thin Ice,” playing ski resorts in Vermont, and a few Westchester clubs.

We lost Bob’s services when he returned to college, and took up with another drummer, Andy Stone. That’s when we made the Philadelphia scene, playing The Second Fret and some street concerts. We then lost Andy and hooked up with yet another drummer, Gaspar Mirabele.

At that point Jimmy moved to Sausalito and Bernard and I formed up with a couple of crazy go-go dancers/vocalist wannabes in a group called “Your Mother.” Played some Westchester bars. Bob Azzerello was with us for a while but the girls didn’t care for him, fired him, and, partly because he was a friend and partly because he was a very good drummer, I quit the band.

Somehow, no recollection how, I got drafted by piano man Doug Konecky, and violinist Diana Halprin, who played for the American Philharmonic under Leopold Stokowski and the Metropolitan opera. Those two were monster musicians and very serious, so that’s when I *really* learned to play the bass. We were called J.S. Blue, played wine and cheese joints in Greenwich Village, and made some demos with a guy name of Jimmy Ienner, who handled Eric Carmen and Rasberries. When Doug and Diana realized just how obnoxious I really was they showed me the door.

That’s when I hooked up with piano man Jim Carling, who later did some time with Chubby Checker’s band, drummer Chris Jackson and guitarist Donny Siegel in a band called “Visions.” We were good, cut some demos at a twelve-track studio somewhere downtown but alas, nothing came of it. Jimmy and Chris moved to Newark, Delaware, Donny went back to college, and in 1976 I moved to Texas, where I gave up “the dream.” Came to visit, never left, which apparently makes me a “damn yankee,” (because I stayed).

I have reel-to-reel copies of the “J.S. Blue” and “Visions” demos, but no way of transferring them to more modern media. Sorry I don’t have the Feel demo which we made up in Decca Studio A again, and Thin Ice never did any recording. Decca 32218 was the only record The Rites ever made. I have no copy of the record so it’s a real treat to hear it again after all these years.

I must say, I’ve had more fun playing country music down here than I ever did pounding my head against the show-biz wall in The Apple. Had about a fifteen year run in outfits such as “Low Country,” “The Stardust Cowboys,” “Rough Cut,” and variety band “Flash Flood.” No pressure, just good music and mostly good times. Had guns pulled on me a couple or three times, almost got stabbed by a meth-crazed tattoo artist, but man, I *love* the honky tonks. You can have your country clubs, I’ll take the joints where the hoi polloi go to drink.

Texas Pete Kerezman
Kingsville, Texas

The Kickin’ Mustangs

The Kickin' Mustangs
Back row from left: Albert Richardson, Larry Creech, Larry Talerico, Buddy McCoy, Brad Rhodes; Front row from left: Danny Shortridge and Bruce France. Missing is Pat Loving.

Unlike the other 45s on the Plato label, the Kickin’ Mustangs record is not garage, but has a wild two-minute funk number “Kickin'” on the top side and a fine ballad “Take a Miracle” on the flip. It was recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio the same day as the Outcasts’ record, which shows the range of musical styles of the time.The band was from Ashland, Kentucky, original billed as simply the Mustangs. The original band included

Danny Shortridge – lead vocals
Larry Creech – sax
Darrel Tucker – trumpet
Rudy Hester – keyboards
Boots Shelton – bass, replaced by Larry ‘Frog’ Johnson
Dave Osborne – drums

By the time of the Kickin Mustangs single, Danny Shortridge and Larry Creech remained from the original group, but the rest of the members were new:

Danny Shortridge – lead vocals
Bruce France – lead vocals
Larry Creech – sax
Larry Talerico – trumpet
Pat Loving – lead guitar
Brad Rhodes – keyboards
Albert Richardson – bass
Buddy McCoy – drums

“Kickin'” was written by Parnell, Loving, & Minnefield. “Take a Miracle” on the flip is a nice ballad written by Bob Minnefield. This is also the most valuable record on the Plato label, by the way.

Keyboardist Brad Rhodes sent in the photo above and gave me some background on the group:

I was the keyboardist for the Kickin’ Mustangs when we recorded our 45 rpm disc in Cincinnati. At the time, the members were Larry Creech, Pat Loving, Danny Shortridge, Larry Talerico, Bruce France, Buddy McCoy and Albert Richardson.

Attached is a promotional photo of the Kickin’Mustangs from back in the day with Hal Scott Enterprises. The only person missing is Pat Loving, our guitar player. This photo may have been taken when Pat was laid up after a car accident.

I had joined the Mustangs around 1966-67 after playing in a band out of Flatwoods, KY. “Frog” Johnson was the bass player initially and the group always had an R&B / soul feel to it, but when Albert, Buddy and Bruce were added, it created a whole new sound that complimented the R&B scene during those days. Bruce, Buddy, Albert and Talerico were from Huntington and they were instrumental in taking the Mustangs to another level. Man, I miss the days of R&B!.

We played the usual Tri-State venues, but were also fortunate to have played with Cream, The Grass Roots, and performed in an event in Ashland with The Left Banke and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.

I remember when Hal Scott came to us with the opportunity to cut a disc with Plato Records, because all the bands he booked received the same offer. Although I do not recall the date, I remember traveling to Cleveland, Ohio after cutting the record, and appearing on “Upbeat”, a syndicated T.V. show. I imagine it is lost in the archives!

Brad Rhodes, July 2010

Later members included Terry Sanders on drums and Mike Tolone. Pat Loving and Larry Creech have since passed away.

The Fabulous Plaids

The ’66 Mustang in the foreground of the sleeve dates this record from no earlier than September of 1965 but from the looks of the band you’d think this was early ’60’s frat rock. So what do you get?

Most garage fans will want to pass on “Let’s Learn About Love”, the designated top side. It’s an odd pop tune, catchy in its way, though I have a hard time imagining this being a real hit. The b-side is another story. “I’m Comin’ Home to You” is tough r&b with blasting horns and a good guitar solo. Never comped before, either!

The Dixie label, located at 1020 Central Ave. in Charlotte, North Carolina, is better known for rockabilly and country releases. As far as I know, this is the only release on the label that comes close to garage.

The back cover lists the Fabulous Plaids as Ken Carpenter on guitar and vocal harmony (he wrote both songs); Denny Allen able to play alto and tenor sax “simultaneously, in complete harmony”; Jessie Smith on vocals, piano and organ; Tommy Hoover lead vocals, trumpet and “showmanship”; Jerry Vassey bass; and Mike Mallonee on drums. It also lists Hymie Williams – the latest addition – as an “old veteran of the big time bands” and that he “adds polish.”

In case you were wondering, “the attractive young lady on the cover is Miss Jayne Tatum of Winston Night Club, Charlotte.”

As the sleeve says, “What could be more rewarding to a group of young Americans than a ‘hit record!'”

The Tigermen “Close That Door” and “Tiger Girl”

Tigermen photo
Only known photo of the Tigermen – anyone have more pics of the band?

Tigermen Buff Records 45 Close That DoorThe Tigermen were from Olean, New York, south of Buffalo, and started out in 1964.

Members were:

Tom Consedine – lead vocals
John Farrell
Jeff Todd
Tim Stavish – drums

The Tigermen recorded four songs in October 1965 at a studio in Buffalo, releasing two 45s in quick succession featuring a tough organ-driven sound. First released were two originals by Consedine and Farrell, the garage classic “Close That Door” backed with a moody ballad, “Love Me Girl”.

The second is a slow, spooky grinding rocker, “Tiger Girl”, with a cover of “Runaway” on the flip. “Close That Door” seems to be the rarer of the two 45s.

Production was by Art Dedrick who later created the Free Design around the singing and songwriting talents of his children.

The Tigermen had regular gigs around the Cuba Lake resorts and in northwestern Pennsylvania, but after the summer of 1966 the band split up as members went to college or were taken by the draft.

Does anyone have better photos of the Tigermen?
Tigermen Buff 45 Tiger Girl

The Shays

The Shays in 1963 photo, from left: Steve Naylor, Denis Ahlborn, Jim Harvey, Ken Heinrich and George Mattson
The Shays in 1963, from left: Steve Naylor, Denis Ahlborn, Jim Harvey, Ken Heinrich and George Mattson

Updated June, 2016

The Shays came from Mount Prospect, Illinois, northwest of Chicago, and released one 45 on Astra, “People’ve Been Sayin'” / “Tell Me Where”. These two tracks feature basic but solid two-guitar instrumental backing for the vocalist.

Members were:

Ken Heinrich – lead vocals
Denis Ahlborn – lead guitar
George Mattson – rhythm guitar & backup vocals
Steve Naylor – bass
Jim Harvey – drums

Both songs were written by George Mattson, who contacted me about the band:

Jack Schapps owned three music stores in shopping centers in suburban Chicago and Astra Records was kind of a sideline business of his. The Shays’ bass player, Steve Naylor, and myself worked at his music store at Randhurst Shopping Center in Mt. Prospect and Jack agreed to record our band on his label. I understand that he had worked for RCA records before going into retail, therefore we recorded at the RCA studios in Chicago (somewhere near Navy Pier) around 1965. We did get airplay on WCFL-AM for “Tell Me Where”, which is what we considered the A side. Originally the playing time was almost 3 minutes. WLS told us that was too long to get airplay on their station. At that point, Jack had the 2nd verse removed to reduce the playing time. WLS still wouldn’t play it. 😉

While checking out your website, I discovered the pics of “The Mouse Trap” club in Vernon Hills. The Shays played there regularly in the mid-60s and I still remember The Riddles as another regular band from there. It was another flashback to see the photo of Phil Metzler there. I believe Phil was the guy who started the rumor that burned through the NW suburbs that The Beatles might make a stop at the Mouse Trap after their concert at Comiskey Park in 1965. That night the club was the most crowded that I ever remember. (Phil was a real promoter.)

George Mattson

As George added in a comment below, “we basically were busted up by the Viet Nam draft around 1966-67.”

This group was not connected to the Shays from Canada who had a couple 45s on Roman Records.

Astra Records were part of the Nova Corporation in Hillside, Illinois. Their RCA account number was 806N, with original songs (such as the Shays and Bobby Stanton Sextet) published through Randhurst Music, BMI. There about five other Astra labels from the ’60s including the the reissue label from Pittsburgh and one from Detroit specializing in doo-wop and r&b.

Astra Records discography:

Astra 300: Bobby Angel and the Hilltoppers “Submarine Races” / “Heartbreak Hotel” (instrumental) (N8OW-7560/1, 1962)
Astra 301: Bobby Stanton Sextet Scree….Aghh” / “Scree….Aghh’s Gone” (1963)
Astra 302: Tommy Johnson & Bobby Stanton Quintet “Do You Mean What You Say” / “Coolin’ My Heels” (both by Emme Mullis & Ruth Kling, P3KM-8119/20)
Astra 303: ?
Astra 304: ?
Astra 305: The Shays “People’ve Been Sayin'” / “Tell Me Where” (1965, SK3M-1475/6)

Thank you to George Mattson for the photo and information on the band, and to Gary Cease for providing the photo of the label.

The Unknown IV of Raleigh

Unknown IV Photo
The Unknown IV, summer of ’65, unidentified location. From left: Carline Clayton, Junior (?) on bass, Asa “Dosher” Ruark at mic, and Frankie Presnell on drums. Not visible: Jerry Evans. Photo courtesy of Asa Ruark.

The Unknown IV were from the Raleigh, NC area which was also the base of the JCP label. “I Want You To Be Mine” is a good number that the band recorded twice, first on JCP 1017 label with a good rockin’ flipside, “All of the Time”, and again for the Howell label with a country-style weeper, “Happiness Ain’t Comin’ to My House” on the flip. The Howell recording is a little faster and more confident but both performances are very good.

Jerry Evans was the lead vocalist and songwriter for the group. Two comments below give additional members.

Carline Clayton Allen wrote “I was the bass player & female vocalist on the JCP recording. Who replaced me, I do not know. I only know I was out of the band prior to the Howell label re-recording.”

Frankie Presnell played drums, Roy Stewart was on lead guitar, and Jimmy Anderson played bass. Asa “Dosher” Ruark joined for the summer of 1965 on lead guitar and vocals, and provided the photo at top.

Danny Adams’ son commented that Danny was in a later version of the group with Ed Adams, Jerry Evans and Kenneth Buffaloe.

Unknown IV JCP 45 I Want You To Be Mine

Unknown IV JCP 45 All of the Time

They have a second 45 on JCP 1019, “What’s Gonna Happen” / “Give Me a Chance”, both written by Jerry Evans.

Thanks to Gary Cease for contacting me about the Unknown IV.

Anyone have a photo of the group?

WNYU Mod Monday Radio

WNYU Mod Monday radio show – one of the very few ways to hear garage sounds when I was in high school in suburban NY in the 80’s. I’ve since lost my cassette copies of portions of the show, but a friend gave me a few cds of shows recorded back in the day. I’ve uploaded an entire show (as two tracks, mono to save space) in mp3 format.

Part one is about 46 minutes, and 27 MB. Part 2 is 30 minutes and about 17 MB. Of course, you can just stream these instead of downloading. This one includes the Chesterfield Kings, a cool version of I’m Down by the 13th Floor Elevators, the Trademarks, Them, Lyres, Quests, etc etc.

Mod Monday October 5, 1987 part 1
Mod Monday October 5, 1987 part 2

The Amen

The Amen (left to right: Dave Wilson, Nick Scali, Bob Clarke, Tim Ryan and Ed Schryer)
The Amen (left to right: Dave Wilson, Nick Scali, Bob Clarke, Tim Ryan and Ed Schryer)

The Amen Algoma 45 Peter ZeusThe Amen (or A Men) originated in Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario, Canada. Band members in 1966 were Tim Ryan on vocals, Ed Schryer lead guitar, Nick Scali rhythm guitar, Dave Wilson bass and Bob Clarke drums. At this point they were known for their original songs and also for the 15 minute drum solos of Bob Clarke. A later clipping lists Bob Yukich and Bob Yeomans as well, and omits Ed Schryer.
After eight months together, playing at the local Teen Centre, they traveled to Toronto in late 1966 to record their only 45, a fine 60’s pop 45 released on the local Algoma label early in ’67. No songwriting credits are listed on the label, but an article from the Sault Daily Star mentions Tim Ryan as the composer of the a-side, “Carnivals and Cotton Candy”, with the slightly psychedelic “Peter Zeus” being a collaboration between Tim and Bob Clarke. Production was by John Holt.

Boris's Coffee House and Red Gas Room bands, the Amen, the Tripp, The Rabble
Amen at the Red Gas Room
The Amen apparently moved to Toronto at some point in 1967, returning on July 21 to Sault Ste. Marie for a homecoming concert at the Memorial Gardens. (The Memorial Gardens were demolished in May of 2006.) They stayed active until at least late 1967, sharing billing with the Guess Who at the Princess Theatre in September. They certainly had ambition and talent, but for some reason never cut another record.

A Men live on CJIC-TV with the Odds and Ends and the Rogues RPM, October 17, 1966
A Men live on CJIC-TV with the Odds and Ends and the Rogues RPM, October 17, 1966
Thank you Jim Witty for letting me know about this group, and special thanks to Bård Hodneland for the cool photo and memorabilia of the Amen, and Ronald T. Robinson, former DJ at Sault Ste. Marie radio CKCY, who sent in the fabulous article “Amen Cut Peter Zeus” from the Sault Daily Star which his wife had saved since high school. Thanks also to Ivan Amirault for the scan from RPM.

Amen are back clipping

The Amen cut Peter Zeus

Amen Sault Memorial Grounds ticketAmen and Guess Who ticket

Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Above, the Vandettas (Vendettas?): Bob Yukich, John Derbyshire, Keith McKie, Bob Yeomans, Alex Darou.
Bob Yukich and Bob Yeomans would join a later version of the Amen, and Keith McKie went on to Kensington Market.

(Those) Rogues

Those Rogues with Debbie Lori Kaye photo
The Rogues with Debbie Lori Kaye. Photo from the collection of Joe Spina.

(Those) Rogues Algoma 45 Wish I Could See You AgainAnother band from Sault Ste Marie are (Those) Rogues, who have a fine and rare double-sider on Algoma, “Wish I Could See You Again” / “Girl”.

Members were Bryan Primeau organ and vocals, Rick Rogers guitar, Terry Davey on saxophone, Harvey Bell on bass and Mike Jargan on drums. Terry Davey left the group sometime before they recorded their 45.

In 1963 or ’64, the group recorded a whole LP worth of songs in John Holt’s basement. John Holt had about 10 acetate copies without covers made from the tape, some of which were used for promotion. Any copies John Holt had of this were lost in a house fire, and both Bryan and Terry have lost their copies. Does anyone have this lost artifact of Soo rock n’ roll?

(Those) Rogues photo: Mike Jargan, Rick Rogers, Bryan Primeau, Harvey Bell
(Those) Rogues – left to right: Mike Jargan, Rick Rogers, Bryan Primeau, Harvey Bell
CJIC-TV Telethon notice with local Soo groups the Odds and Ends, the A Men and The Rogues.
CJIC-TV Telethon notice with local Soo groups the Odds and Ends, the A Men and The Rogues.
Those Rogues Photo
Photo as the Rogues, with Debbie Lori Kaye on vocals and Terry Davey on saxophone at right. Photo courtesy of Rose Davey.

(Those) Rogues photoIvan Amirault explained to me: “The Rogues changed their name to (Those) Rogues, because at the time Mandala used to call themselves the Five Rogues.”

The single was recorded at Arc Studios in Toronto on February 26, 1967 (I’m not positive on the year), with Marshall Shapiro engineering the session. The label lists the address as Case Road. As with the Amen’s 45 the producer is John Holt, but no songwriting credits are listed. As Bryan’s son Joel mentions in the comment below, his father was the songwriter for the group for the 45.

Those Rogues on stage photo

At this point the band was regularly playing at the Sundown Room, though I’m not sure if that was in Sault Ste Marie or elsewhere in Ontario.

Notable in the article below is when Bryan describes the feeling of playing in front of an audience: “It’s like going to an LSD party, without the LSD”!

Joe Spina, program director at Cambrian College in 1966 and 1967 sent me a number of cool photos of the Rogues, some with Debbie Lori Kaye.

Thanks to Ed Nadorozy who sent in scans of the newspaper clipping and the smaller photos, and to Ivan Amirault who interviewed the late John Holt and provided me with info on their acetate and about their name change. Thank you to Joe Spina for photos of the Rogues on stage and with Debbie Lori Kaye.

Rogues are off to Toronto to cut their first disc

 An early photo of (Those) Rogues
An early photo of the group

Terry Davey spoke to me about the early days of the group:

The Rogues started their career playing in the Moose Hall in Thessalon in the very early 60’s. The Fireflies gave us a break to fill their spot at the Peppermint Hall in the Soo as they were taking a trip. We played there and then moved across Queen Street to play at the former Knights of Columbus Hall. As I remember we were the last group to play at the Peppermint Hall. The Fireflies had just moved their equipment into the hall when it burned down.

When I was with the Rogues we made an LP with the help of John Holt. John Holt managed the entire thing. I believe it got a little air time at CKCY radio and possibly CJIC, but hey, that was the early 60’s. I had one copy and all the other band members had a copy.

When the Rogues decided to go to Toronto I decided to stick with my job at Algoma Steel. It was a good choice!

That is me on the sax in the photo. I am not that tall. I was standing on the rails of the barstools.

Some years later I also started a group called the Bishops Court Trio with Ed Shire and Jerry Pennet. We played at the Algonquin Hotel and also the Black Knight and other places.

Is Harvey Bell still alive? He was Chief of the Ojibwa tribe for some time.

My son Kevin Davey, formally of the Soo, is making a real name for himself in Canadian music. I had taught him guitar and bass many years ago and now he really makes me proud. He now lives in Vancouver, B.C.

I am currently playing sax, sometimes bass and guitar, in our church’s Prase and Worship group.

Update May 2019: Terrence J. “Terry” Davey passed away on April 5, 2019 in Florida. See comment below for more information on Terry’s life. Thank you to Rose Davey for writing to me with this information and for sending some of the photos seen here. Thanks also to Al McGrath for help with identifying some of the musicians in the photo of the Dimensions.

The Dimensions, from left: John Legacy, Terry Davey, Jerry Pennett, the next two are unidentified. Any help identifying the musicians would be appreciated
Terry Davey's group in the '70s
Terry Davey’s group in the ’70s, any help identifying the musicians would be appreciated