The Cannons came from Madison, Wisconsin, releasing singles in 1966 and 1967. Members were:
Lee Larsen – lead vocals Mike Keilhofer – lead guitar Peter Loeb – sax and rhythm guitar Jim Perkins – bass Mike Turk – drums
Gary E. Myers’ book Do You Hear That Beat has Jerry Cratzenberg on bass.
Their first single was “Sweet Georgia Brown” / “Lonesome” on Fan Jr. 5504, produced by Skip Nelson.
In January 1967 they made their masterpiece, “Day to Day”, backed with “‘Love,’ Little Girl”.
No writing credits are listed for either song on the Night Owl 45, or for “Lonesome” on the earlier Fan, Jr 45, but a Capital Times profile stated “‘Day to Day'” and “‘Love Girl'” … both songs were written by ‘The Cannons.'”
“Day to Day” was reissued on Highs in the Mid Sixties Vol. 15 retitled “Days Go By”, and wrongly listing the band’s origin as Milwaukee.
The Capital Times ran a profile of the group by Gary Rettgen on February 6, 1967:
‘The Cannons,’ Local Rock ‘n’ Roll Group, Discovered by Chicago Agency
A musical group of young Madison men has been “discovered” by Chicago’s Williard Alexander booking agency … but the “discoveries” already are well known to Madison rock ‘n’ roll fans.
The local Upstairs at the Gun Club, Cottage Grove Rd., bills them as “Madison’s Number One Band.” Recently the group were first place winners in the March of Dime benefit band contest at the Capitol Theatre.
Familiar, too, is the face of its long-haired, bearded leader, Peter Loeb, 21, who wields a “wicked” sax and wild second guitar … Peter will enter graduate school in social work after June graduation.
Mike Keilhofer, 20, on lead guitar is a student at the Wisconsin School of Electronics.
The bass player is 20-year-old Jim Perkins, who by day attends Madison Business College.
Mike Turk, 20, the drummer, is a U. of Wisconsin sophomore.
Singing with “The Cannons” is Lee Larsen, 19, a printer’s apprentice by day at Webcrafts. The only married man in the group, he has a daughter…
A young brother, Greg Loeb, 18, a U. of Wisconsin freshman, has formed a group of his own. Their name: “The Grapes of Wrath.”
The Varments cut two good original songs “Love Is a One Time Thing” / “I Want to Salute You Girl” for their only 45 on Varment JW 101/102. Bill Truett was the song writer and, given the prominent credit on the label, probably the lead vocalist. The other members are only listed by first names: John, Dave and Dennis.
There’s no identifying info on the label as to location. The dead wax simply repeats the JW 101/JW 102 code, with no other marks. I’m not sure what the JW refers to.
The B-side title is misprinted with Saulte instead of Salute.
Any further info on the Varments would be appreciated.
The Caravan of Sound made this cool instrumental 45 in 1969. “Walking High” starts out with the “Dirty Water” riff then turns into something the Bobby Fuller Four could have cut. It’s backed with the milder “Happy Caravan”. Both tracks are credited to R. Hudson, probably the very skilled lead guitarist on both sides.
Released on Victory Productions K 2179 in 1969, I have no idea where the group came from. There was a Caravan of Sound playing in New Hampshire and Maine in 1969-1970s, but they played country music. From the sound of the record, I expect this Caravan of Sound was a California group.
The RCA pressing codes X4KM-1074/X4KM-1074 date the pressing to 1969. Usually RCA pressings have a plant code in the dead wax: R, H or I, but this one lacks that, or it is so faint I cannot make it out. I do see a faint C etched after the stamped matrix, but no indication of regional pressing plant.
The Heard, from left: Charles Buzzell, Jr., Robert Fountaine, Michael J. Moustafa, and Eric McFadden
The Heard came from Haverhill MA but I don’t believe they ever recorded. Dennis Villanucci, bassist with another local group, the Royals, sent me the photo and card seen here.
Members included:
Mike Moustafa – lead guitar Chuck Buzzell – rhythm guitar and bass Eric McFadden – organ Bob Fontaine – drums
Dennis tells me Eric McFadden is still performing today.
The Modulation Corporation made one 45 on Atom 1001 in November, 1967: the tough garage song “What to Do” b/w the bluesy “Worms”, both written by Francis W. Wilson II, and cut at Texas Sound Studios in San Antonio.
I don’t know the names of other members in the group. Francis Wilson seems to have been known as Billy Wilson. Covering the wedding of Jane Ellent Grant and William Eilers Jr. in Luling, TX, the Shiner Gazette on December 7, 1967 mentioned “An orchestra, Billy Wilson and the Modulation Corporation, provided music during the reception.”
The Modulation Corporation seem to have been together only during the fall of 1967. I’ve read the group was from San Marcos, about halfway between Austin and San Antonio, but most of the notices I’ve found are from two Austin venues, the Lake Austin Inn and the Pleasure Dome.
They had regular gigs at the Lake Austin Inn in September and October, 1967
On December 29-30, 1967 the Modulation Corporation played two nights with the South Canadian Overflow at the Pleasure Dome, and may have been included in the New Year’s Eve show with the Golden Dawn, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and the Afro-Caravan.
Anyone have a photo of the group?
The Pleasure Dome
The Pleasure Dome opened on December 15, 1967 with the Thingies and underground films like Scorpio Rising. It was located at 222 E. 6th Street in what had been the Yank Theater building. Bill Simonson managed the club, with lighting by an unnamed person who had done lighting at the Electric Circus and the Cheetah in New York City. In progress off the lobby was the Sacred Mushroom Bar.
From notices in the American-Statesmen, the Pleasure Dome seems to have lasted only one month.
The first week of January the Pleasure Dome had the Thingies and South Canadian Overflow on Friday, the Strawberry Shoemaker and the Golden Dawn on Saturday, and the Golden Dawn and the Thingies on Sunday.
The following week featured the Thingies, the Starvation Army Band and the Vines. I have found no further notices after that.
Gossip made this one great two-sided 45 “No One’s Standing in Your Way” / “Whispering Wind” in October, 1968, released on Gossip Records ARA 102268.
The only name on the label is Monte Gagg, a senior at Scotsdale High School according to a April 5, 1969 Arizona Republic news item about a production of Our Town at the school.
The female vocalist is supposed to be Carolyn Thompson who had an album as Carrie Thompson on Rolling Bay Records in 1980, and three CDs as Carri Coltrane in the 1990s.
The band’s playing and vocals are very accomplished, heavy on “No One’s Standing in Your Way”, and with some psychedelic guitar on “Whispering Wind”. According to a youtube comment, the lead guitarist was Dennis Alexander, later engineer / owner of Pantheon Studios.
If anyone has more info on the group please contact me. I don’t believe they were mentioned in Edward Wincentsen’s Yes, Phoenix Had Music In The Sixties!
Sportin’ Life cut a great psychedelic 45 in the summer of 1968, “I Can Feel It (Servant to the Sky)” released on Riba Records R-1004/R-1003. I don’t know if Sportin’ Life was an actual group or a studio gathering. From writing credits on “I Can Feel It” members included Ronald Weissman, Michael Swerdlow, John Homenick, and possibly Richard Babeuf, who produced the record.
Babeuf also wrote the ostensible A-side, “I Can’t Wait Till Tomorrow)” and registered both songs with Kenyon Publications.
Babeuf owned Riba Records, with an address of 65 W. Merrick, Valley Stream, NY. Riba only had one other 45 I know of, the Renés “Shy Guy” / “You’re Wrong” on 45-10012 from 1965, also using Kenyon Pub.
I can’t find more info on Weissman, Swerdlow or Homenick, but Rick Babeuf had plenty of other credits in the music business.
One of the most notable is Gaslite Village “I Am Afraid” (written by Babeuf and Herbert Hilton) b/w “Up from the Underground” (Babeuf) on Murbo M-1029. Babeuf produced the record, which received a mention in the February 22, 1969 issue of Record World. Gaslite Village was probably a name made up for the record, the songs produced at different sessions, with copyright registered at different times (October ’68 and January ’69 respectively).
Babeuf was arranger on Jim Jackson “Welcome Me Home” / “Some Love with Soul” on Sandbag Records S102, produced by Mike Szymansky, who owned Sandbag and operated Omega Sound Studios in Rockville Center. Babeuf does not have any other credits on other Szymansky or Sandbag productions, but Sandbag released another good rock 45, the Epitome of Sound “You Don’t Love Me” / “Where Were You” on Sandbag S 101.
Babeuf and Frank Szelwach produced the Mauroks “Susan” / “Story of My Journey South” on De-Lite Records 517.
Babeuf produced and co-wrote (with Szelwach) the A-side of Frank Dean “My Son (This I Say To You)” / “If I Could Fly” on R & R Records R-102, also in 1969. I suppose Frank Dean was an alias of Frank Szelwach.
Cash Box August 9, 1969:
R&R Records Formed
R&R Records has been formed here at 1650 Broadway and 663 Fifth Ave. Heading up the operation, which also includes two publishing firms, Ren-Maur Music (BMI) and R.R. Music (ASCAP) are: Rena Romano, president, Steve Levy, business manager; and Richard Babeuf, general professional manager of the publishing units; Ric Drew, public relations director …
Billboard, August 8, 1970:
Riba Music Co. has just completed original music for 30″ and 60″ radio spots for Modern Sash and Aluminum Co., Inc. and Electro-Way of N.Y., Inc. Music was composed and arranged by Richard Babeuf.
Riba also did radio ads for Bick’s Family Restaurants and Hathaway’s Furniture Galleries.
Billboard September 12, 1970:
Richard Babeuf is also finishing up original material and charts for a new group called Labyrinth which will debut this fall with a new electro-visual presentation concept.
Billboard, October 17, 1970
Riba Music Co. will supervise all facets of the musical activity on the upcoming off Broadway play, “Iphegenia.” Richard Babeuf, general manager of Riba, will act as music director and conductor, and will supply all arrangements.
This may have referred to Wedding of Iphigenia and Iphigenia in Concert which ran at the Public Theater for a few months starting in December, 1971. However that production had music by Peter Link, performed by a group called Goatleg!
The Slithy Toves, from left: Chet Blackstone, Don Smith, Jon Harris, Lou Cordera (standing), and Bruce BrandfonFounded in 1967, the Slithy Toves did not release any recordings, but were an active live band in Virginia and North Carolina, including a week’s residency at the Other Place, a club in Nags Head, NC that lasted only one summer.
Bruce Brandfon wrote to me about the group:
I was the bass player in the Slithy Toves. We were all students at UVA in Charlottesville.
Members of the band were: Chet Blackstone – lead guitar, Don Smith – drums, Jon Harris – vocals and rhythm guitar, Lou Cordera (standing) – keyboard, and Bruce Brandfon – bass.
The Circle Ltd in Carrboro: a weekend with the Counts IV, Slithy Toves, and August, from the Daily Tar Heel, Feb 13, 1969We played all over Virginia (and especially at UVA): fraternity parties and clubs as well as opening for the Box Tops, the Spencer Davis Group, Martha and the Vandellas, when they played concerts at University Hall. We played at UNC parties also and quite a few times at a very cool club The Circle Ltd in Carrboro NC that was a sit-down music club. We loved playing there, rapt audiences who came to listen to the music.
We played at the Electric Circus in NYC and were hired to play a sweet sixteen party in Cleveland by a rich guy whose daughter wanted an Alice in Wonderland themed party, hence The Slithy Toves.
We played at The Other Place in the summer of 1968. Don Smith, who was our drummer and my roommate, was contacted by a booking agent about the gig in Nags Head. We loved that gig and the audiences were totally into the music. We shared one of those iconic posters with The Swinging Machine. I still have copies of the poster.
WUVA Rock Festival, May 1969, with Slithy Toves, Chrysanthemum, and Rock Lustre, May 1969Don Smith and I (founders of The Toves) graduated in 1969 so a couple of the shows you found were with another incarnation of the band. Don and I, and three of the remaining Toves (Barry Smith, Don’s bother and lead guitarist, Kent Beyer, bass guitarist, and Lou Cordera, keyboards) reunited in 1971 when those three all had graduated and we formed Childhoods End. I played saxophones in that band, and Lou’s friend David Simoni joined us as vocalist and rhythm guitarist.
Childhoods End moved up to New Jersey where we lived at Rolling Knolls Farm and became the lead house band at Mother’s in Greenwood Lake NY (when the legal drinking age was 18 in NY and NJ kids from just across the state line would come to party). Childhoods End played with Springsteen at shows on the Long Branch NY pier and the famous Satellite Lounge near Fort Dix (on the same bill as The Ronettes, with whom we shared a dressing room).
Childhood’s End recorded Decca Studios in New York and then at Chordata records in Manhattan. Recordings of both bands can be found on Reverbnation and Soundcloud.
The Slithy Toves in the Daily Progress, October 31, 1969.The Slithy Toves in 1971 before they became Childhood’s End. From right to left: Don Jay Smith, drums; Kent Beyer, bass; Barry Smith, guitar; Lou Cordera, organ and vocals; and Bruce Brandfon, sax and vocals. Not shown is David Simoni, guitar and lead vocals. Photo courtesy of Don Jay Smith
The Tikis and the Talismen had bassist and song writer Bill Schereck in common. Both bands formed at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, first the Tikis in the spring of 1965, then the Talismen in the fall of 1966.
The Tikis included Hugh Pearl on lead guitar, Bill Schereck on bass, Dale Dechstein (or is it Dale Chiusano?) on rhythm guitar and Bob Brethorst on drums.
They cut their great “We’re on the Move” / “Rick-O-Shay” at Cuca in Sauk City in April, 1966, released on Sara J-6641.
Bill Schereck wrote “We’re on the Move” (misspelled Scherek on the label), and Hugh Pearl wrote the deft instrumental “Rick-O-Shay”. The Tikis toured in the summer of ’66 then broke up. Supposedly there’s an unreleased recording engineered by the Legends Sam McCue.
The Talismen (formerly the Tikis) at the Westside Business Man’s Association, Friday September 23, 1966
Bill Schereck formed the Talismen with Paul Beneke on guitar, John Javorsky on bass and Russ Loniello on drums. They released their only record, “Glitter and Gold” / “She Belongs to Me” on Rampro Records R-115 in October 1966.
I believe this may be the first release on Ken Adamany’s Rampro label out of Janesville (and is possibly an extension of the numbering on his Feature Records). Dick Campbell produced the session and also played guitar. Russ joined group only a few days before making the record.
Schereck went on to booking, managing Axis (with members Ann Probert, Steve Paris, Gary Huebing, Don Davis and John Beth), writing the B-side of their single on Earth “I Can’t Wait”. Schereck would make a record as the Roadcrew on Mercury 73631 in 1975.
Sources: Gary E. Myers’ invaluable books Do You Hear That Beat and On That Wisconsin Beat.
Karen Verros made three singles for Dot Records in 1965 and 1966, her best known being “You Just Gotta Know My Mind” and “Little Boy”. She came from Somerset, Massachusetts, near Rhode Island, graduating with honors from Somerset High School in 1964.
The year after graduation she was in Los Angeles, recording for Dot Records with Jack Nitzsche arranging, and David Hassinger and Mike Minor producing. How she came to the attention of Dot Records I do not know.
For her first record, Nitzsche arranged a Donovan composition, “You Just Gotta Know My Mind”. The prominent bass and solid drumming, the tambourine, vocal chorus and twangy guitar lines, provide an exciting backing for Karen’s lead vocal.
Donovan didn’t release his own recording of the song. It appears he made a demo version that publisher Southern Music distributed on lacquer acetate, as that was a common way for publishers to sell songs. An Emidisc acetate cut for Southern Music sold in 2010, with Donovan’s song on one side, and an obscure Carter-Lewis song “How Can I Turn Away” on the other. Audio of “How Can I Turn Away” has surfaced, but the Donovan demo has not. I would very much like to hear it!
It’s possible one of Karen’s producers found the song because Southern Music Publishing in New York issued it as sheet music in 1965, with a piano arrangement by George N. Terry. Nitzsche’s arrangement closely follows the sheet music.
Steampacket II cut a version of “You Just Gotta Know My Mind” in 1966 on a Sweden-only 45 release, and in 1968 Dana Gillespie recorded another good version of the song for a UK single and her first album Foolish Seasons. However, Karen’s version is the first and definitive recording.
Released in October 1965 on Dot 45-16815, the labels read 1:57 on the A-side, but play a version fifteen seconds longer that repeats the first verse after the guitar solo. The B-side is the vocal-less backing track of “You Just Gotta Know My Mind” with an overdubbed lead guitar, titled “Karen’s Theme”.
There are both vinyl and styrene versions of the single. I’ve read that the first pressing of the 45 features an edited 1:57 version of “You Just Gotta Know My Mind”. However, I’ve had two vinyl copies and one styrene, and all three played the 2:12 version of the A-side despite the 1:57 time listed, and had “Re” on labels & in the dead wax.
Ace used a Sunset Sound Recorders acetate (or possibly an edited tape) for the 2006 CD release Hard Workin’ Man – The Jack Nitzsche Story, Volume 2. I believe this is the source for the 1:57 version. If someone has a Dot 45 that actually plays a 1:57 version of the A-side, please contact me!
Unfortunately this single does not seem to have had any push from Dot Records, as I cannot find any promotion or reviews in the trades.
Karen’s earliest television appearance may have been on Let’s Go Go in November, 1965, with Tommy Roe, the Plymouth Rockers and John Astin (Gomez Addams from the Addams Family, who had a 1965 single on United Artists, “Querida Mia” / “Wallflower Pete”). I’m not familiar with this TV show. The episode was announced in the Journal of Jersey City, NJ.
Karen’s next 45 came in December, 1965, “I Can’t Remember Ever Loving You” backed with a remake of the Crystals “Little Boy”, also arranged by Nitzsche and produced by Hassinger and Minor.McKeever & the Colonel, Hollywood a Go Go, Outer Limits rerun, or Nabokov interview?
This one received a good push from her management, as Karen appeared on what seems to have been the final episode of Hollywood a Go Go in February 1966, lip-synching to both sides of the record. Other performers were Freddy Cannon, the Byrds, the Bantems, the Everly Brothers, Bob Lind, David Watson and James Darren.
Cash Box reviewed the single positively on January 29, 1966, while Billboard mentioned “I Can’t Remember Ever Loving You” but not “Little Boy”. The next week Dot listed the single in an ad in Cash Box and Billboard featuring Bonnie Guitar and many other new releases.
On January 30, 1966, Karen appeared on the Danny Thomas Teen-agers’ Shindig at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium on a long lineup that included the Spats, the Sunrays, Barry Richards, the Paris Sisters, Dick and Dee Dee, Donna Loren, the Grads, and the Beauchemins, along with some who are unknown to me: Bobby Perris, Tony Dow, Paul Peterson, Tony Thomas, and the Germs (!).
She appeared on Where The Action Is at least twice, in April 1966 with Otis Redding, Steve Alaimo and Paul Revere & the Raiders, and in May, 1966 with Susan Rafey, Tina Mason and Cindy Malone.
Her third and last record on Dot was “Wish Me A Rainbow” / “So Warm My Love”, arranged by Pete King, and released in the summer of 1966. The A-side was the theme from the Natalie Wood & Robert Redford movie This Property Is Condemned, however the film & soundtrack versions were sung by actress Mary Badham.
Karen Verros at right in the Young Americans, August 1966. Also in photo: Lisa Binney, Steve Wilson, choreographer Diane Turnquist, Mary Arnold, and Ernie Becerril.
Around the time of her last Dot release, Karen joined the Young Americans song-and-dance group. The Ottawa Journal ran two profiles of the group: first on August 25, 1966, and another on September 3 that quoted Karen and described her as “a newcomer to the Young Americans.” The group appeared at the Central Canada Exhibition grandstand show.
The Young Americans originally formed in 1963 at Birmingham High School in Los Angeles. According to the Journal, M.A. Turnquist was business manager and Phil Azelton music director.
The Boston Globe ran a short item about the Young Americans on November 18, 1966:
The Young Americans, who were such a smash hit on the Andy Williams Show and the Allen Sherman special the past fortnight, will help Perry Como pry open his new season next Monday. One of its members, Karen Verros, will be watching from the home of her parents in Somerset.
On September 28, 1968, Cash Box reported:
Newest indie production firm on the coast is Raydan Prod., with Ray Katz and Danielle Mauroy partnered. Initial deal with MGM Records calls for four artists – two already released (Judd and Lisa’s “Some Other Place” and Mayf Nutter’s “Daddy Love You Boy”) with Karen Verros set to cut this week. Katz also manages a fistful of talents including Fran Jeffries and Eva Gabor. Mauroy was formerly with Barclay Records in France. Raydan is located at 9000 Sunset in L.A.
If Karen recorded for Raydan or MGM, there were no releases to my knowledge. Danielle Mauroy had produced the Lollipop Shoppe’s Just Colour album on Uni earlier that year.
On January 8, 1971 the Concord Transcript ran this notice:
Leather and Lace has top billing in the Topaz Room of Nevada Lodge … Leather and Lace has four men and one woman. All members are good enough to be considered lead singers. But Karen Verros – who is the lace of the group – is a stand-out as they perform a fast, exciting act.
An evening of Leather and Lace almost always includes the full assortment of entertainment hor d’eourves [sic]: rock ‘n’ roll, folk songs, pop numbers, spiritual songs, show tunes, comedy material and flashy dance routines.
Two members of Leather and Lace were formerly on the Doodletown Pipers television series, another was a member of the Kids of the Kingdom at Disneyland, and two were performing with a well-known rock group.
Leather and Lace record for Mercury records. The male contingents are Craig Ward, Chet Cook, Larry Walker, and J.C. Ferris.
I can’t find any recordings on Mercury Records for Leather and Lace, and I wonder what was the “well-known rock group” that the clipping mentions. The Reno Gazette also reported on Leather and Lace on June 11, 1971. That is the last notice I can find of Karen’s musical career.
Karen Verros was one of ten child performers including Chris Barnes (Turner Doyle in The Bad News Bears) who had money in savings bonds held by the Los Angeles Family Court, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times on April 26, 1998.
Karen Verros at left with members of the Young Americans, 1966.
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The Cannons came from Madison, Wisconsin, releasing singles in 1966 and 1967. Members were:
In January 1967 they made their masterpiece, “Day to Day”, backed with “‘Love,’ Little Girl”.
