The Magnums had one release of R&B sounds dense with echo, both originals by Charles Collins. “One of These Days” is the uptempo side, while “Two People Against the World” is the slow ballad. Can’t tell you anything more about the band at this time.
Released as Centennial 45-1863-2, the King pressing dates it to 1964. Panhandle Pub. Co. handled the publishing, as it did for the New Mason Dixons’ single “Back Up” / “Totaled” (both by Sam Follo) on Centennial 45-1863-1. Centennial’s address was 217 Blackwell St., Bridgeport, West Virginia.
There’s also a Centennial 45-1863-3, Pee Wee & the Prophets “Let’s Work” / “Tell Me”, with the address changed to Clarksburg.
Photo taken by Dave Peirce, reproduced with his permission
Andy Mark came from St. Davids, Pennsylvania, a small community close to Wayne, about 15 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
A promotional sleeve created at the time of his first single reproduces a number of news articles, programs and letters. Andy was part of a folk group referred to variously as the Suburan Three or the Suburban Four.
These St. Davids lads are: Andy Mark, 13, guitarist; Jim Schnaars, 13, second guitarist and lead vocalist; Dan Gladish 14, Irish bass player; all students at Radnor Junior High, and Bob Schnaars, 15, blue-grass banjoist, who attends Mercersburg Academy.
Another Hootenany program omits Bob Schnaars and lists Jaccy Schnaars instead of Jim. Debbie DuPont managed his bookings, and Ed Cotlar produced his first single. Ed Cotlar had worked for Cameo-Parkway and Goodway Records, and in 1968 would join Diamond.
front of promotional package that accompanied “Partime Hippie”Billboard, April 27, 1968
Billboard published two mentions about this release in the April 20 and 27, 1968 issues.
Ed Cotlar is reactivating his free-lance record promotion service, E-jay Enterprises – House of Ideas. His first accounts are “Girl Watcher,” by the O’Kaysions on North State Records and “Part Time Hippie,” by Andy Mark on Hilaire Records.
The second news item is about Deborah Eldredge duPont forming Hilaire Records headquartered in St. Davids, PA. Unfortunately the item spells the A-side as “Oartime Hippie”.
Hilaire H-100 has two originals by Andy Mark, “Partime Hippie” and “Take a Good Look”. Both songs’ lyrics seem to question fads of the time.
“Partime Hippie”
Not all of us can make it (?), So we’ll just have to fake it, Unless we want to stand up to the world.
?? But in some peoples’ eyes, You can’t be a man till you grow a beard.
It’s a new generation, Of a new revelation, It’s a turn-on, tune-in and drop out.
[music freaks out]
I know what you’re thinking That I’m supervising (?) But you don’t know how wrong that you are.
Not all of us can make it, So we’ll just have to fake it, Unless we want to stand up to the world.
“Take a Good Look”
The time has come when I must run and leave you to your games, It’s been a year, the time is here to forget our names.
Take a good look and tell me what you see, Take a good look and tell me what you’ll be.
You say that truth is meaningless and you live for today I say that truth is valuable, who’s to say?
I regret I must disagree, That in this world, one cannot be entirely free.
Take a good look and tell me what you see, Take a good look and tell me what you’ll be.
I regret I must disagree, That in this world, one cannot be entirely free.
Until you see my reasoning I must be sure of just one thing, That when you change and come back home, you’ll know that I am here (?)
Take a good look and tell me what you see Take a good look and tell me what you’ll be.
Bissel Music is listed as publisher, but I can find no copyright record for these songs.
Interestingly, the promotional packet that accompanied the “Partime Hippie” single does not mention either song from that single or provide the lyrics.
The Philadelphia Inquirer had a full article on Andy on June 9, 1968, with a photo and the headline “‘Rich Fairy Godmother’ Aids Young Rock Star”. Unfortunately I do not currently have an online newspaper archive subscription so I can’t access the photo or full text but I did glimpse some excerpts:
“Dave Hardt on bass guitar and John Fuchs on drums. Andy and Dave were just graduated from Radnor Senior High School, while John is entering his senior year.”
Andy “picked up pointers on the instrument from his older brother. Andy cannot read music and must tape all his original songs and have a friend transcribe them. Andy and his friends have appeared on several television shows …”
There is also a mention of Andy’s music being conservative in political outlook, and that he would be studying law in the future.
Andy Mark’s statement from the promo kit
A second single saw release as Andy’s Tool Box, also on Hilaire but with a different label design and numbering (527 this time).
“Well of Your Love” is a swift-moving rocker with organ and bass in the fore of the mix, backed with the piano-led ballad “Breadcrumbs” that livens up with harmonies in the chorus. This time the lyrics are concerned with relationships and unrequited love. Andy Mark wrote “Well of Your Love” and co-wrote “Breadcrumbs” with J. Peirce.
This single came with a picture sleeve that shows Andy with photos of an unnamed drummer and bassist.
H. Kaplan produced, with distribution by Melrose Records, and publishing by Hera BMI (though once again I find no registration with the Library of Congress).
According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, in 1972, Andy Mark went into commercial jingles for radio and TV, starting several companies including Philadelphia Music Works, Broadcast Results Group, and the Canary Collection. He passed away in February, 2009 at the age of 58.
Thank you to John Pitts for research help with this article, and to Dave Peirce for the high quality scans of the photos he took of Andy.
Inside of the promotional folder that came with my copy of “Partime Hippie”
Evolution, a band from Reno, Nevada featuring two young women in white go-go boots and three men with ruffled shirts. The photo comes from Bob Dee and Associates who booked many groups around Reno, Lake Tahoe and California.
My friend Derek sent me this photo. Sure, they’re probably a show band covering soft pop, but the look is worth a few laughs. Maybe a couple of members were in cool groups a few years earlier who recorded some great unreleased music we haven’t heard yet. Maybe.
Karen and the Starliners came from Plainfield, Connecticut, but recorded at Planet Studios in Providence, Rhode Island. “I Can Count the Times” has a good garage backing, the flip “Storm in My Heart” is a more typical ballad.
Fred Richards wrote both songs, published by Planet’s in-house company Ranford Music Co., and registered with the Library of Congress in October, 1966.
This seems to be their only release. I don’t have any other band members’ names.
Revolver made one single circa 1973, with the A-side being the Kinks-like “Roll-a-Coaster Man”, and the flip the Beatles-esque “Caught In a Day”. Both sides have harmonies and a sixties sensibility but the lead guitar especially is definitely ’70s in sound.
Ken Brophy wrote “Roll-a-Coaster Man”, and Brophy and Jim Rosler wrote “Caught In a Day”, which is the song I most like. Carl Siracuse and Revolver produced the single.
I don’t know where the band was from, but Roxan studios was located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and owned by Mike Stahl. A small batch of the 45s was found in New Jersey.
Roxan also released singles by the Innkeepers “Bittersweet” (written adn produced by John Paris) / “Someday”, Staneless Steele (“Down at the Y” / “Never Tell a Lie” (both written by Joe Scovish), B.B.K’s Expedition ”Change The American Dream” / “Sole Confusion” and TNT, plus an album by Frankie & The Corvettes.
On April 29, 1965, the Duncanville Suburban published a profile and photo (unfortunately blacked out by the microfilm process): “A new band —’The Catalinas” – has been organized in Duncanville, headed by Ricky Rose. The band consists of Gerald Marable, drummer; Mike Mayhew, rhythm guitar; Ronny Teames, bass guitar; and Ricky Rose, pianist. Rose also serves as vocalist.”
In March of 1967 the Duncanville paper published a notice that the Catalinas would be playing, “a local combo that is well-known around the Southwest Dallas County area.”
As far as I know, these Catalinas never recorded.
There was a Catalinas group from the Garland area of Dallas playing at the same time as these Catalinas. I believe they are different groups though, because that one featured two guitars and no pianist.
I very much doubt this is the same group listed on a couple San Antonio ads at Teen Town in 1966.
If you have any photos or info on any local Texas bands of the ’60s, please comment below or contact me.
The Catalinas, including Gary Nicholson front center and Rodney Wall at right
The Garland Daily News ran two announcements for the Catalinas at the Karavan Klub at the Community Center Annex, first with the Cherries IV on February 26, 1965.
On April 6, 1965 the Daily News ran a photo of the group, noting “Catalinas to play at Karavan Teen Klub and DECA Club Dance at Community House … with the Fiestas who won the Karavan Battle of the Bands contest, and a new group composed of South Garland High School students known as the Sceptors.”
There was a Catalinas group from Duncanville playing at the same time as these Catalinas. I believe they are different groups though, because that one featured a pianist and only one guitarist.
As far as I know, these Catalinas never recorded.
If you have any photos or info on any local Texas bands of the ’60s, please comment below or contact me.
Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
WINSTON’S FUMBS
Jimmy Winston – lead vocals/guitar
Tony Kaye – keyboards
Alex Dmochowski (aka Paris) – bass
Ray Stock – drums
15 September 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with The Boardwalkers (Melody Maker)
29 September 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Wishful Thinking (Melody Maker)
10 December 1966 – Alex, Halifax, West Yorkshire (Halifax Evening Courier & Guardian) Says direct from Locomotive Club, Paris
31 December 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with The Mode and St Willie Cool School (Melody Maker)
Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on. I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.
I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com
Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.
Photo: Courtesy John Wiggins
PAUL WILLIAMS SET
Paul Williams – lead vocals
Jimmy Crawford – lead guitar
John A Wiggins – keyboards
Roger Sutton – bass
Jeff Condon – trumpet/flugelhorn
Johnny Almond – sax/flute
Alan White – drums
Left to right: Johnny Almond, John Wiggins, Roger Sutton, Alan White, Jimmy Crawford, Jeff Condon and Paul Williams. Photo may be subject to copyright
1968
10 November 1968 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham Evening Post)
15 November 1968 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham with Charlie Brown Show (Down at the Boat book)
Photo: Geoffrey Mason
16 November 1968 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Bruce Chanel, Yes and The Delivery (Poster from Geoffrey Mason)
17 November 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, south London (Melody Maker)
23 November 1968 – Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with The Complex (Birmingham Evening Mail)
24 November 1968 – Surrey Rooms, Kennington, south London (South East London Mercury)
Photo may be subject to copyright
30 November 1968 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)
14 December 1968 – Rotherham Baths, Rotherham, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
15 December 1968 – Surrey Rooms, Kennington, London (Fabulous 208/South East London Mercury)
22 December 1968 – City Hall, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with The Animals, Grapefruit, Happy Magazine, Barry St John, Long John Baldy, Kim Davis & The Beginning, Noble Fforde and The Tempo Set (Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Original Animals reunion gig/Geno Washington was billed but cancelled
Photo may be subject to copyright
27 December 1968 – Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster, Somerset (Somerset County Gazette)
1969
5 January 1969 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)
10 January 1969 – Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear with Cliff Bennett & His Band and The Sect (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)
17 January 1969 – Swansea University, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)
19 January 1969 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Happy Magazine (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)
20 January 1969 – Park Hall Hotel, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
24 January 1969 – Bishop Varsey Grammar School, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
25 January 1969 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex with Doughnut Ring (Southend Standard)
26 January 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)
30 January 1969 – Revolution, London (Fabulous 208)
31 January 1969 – Pantiles, Bagshot, Surrey (Fabulous 208)
Photo may be subject to copyright
1 February 1969 – Reading University, Reading, Berkshire with Yes (Melody Maker) Reading Evening Post lists Van der Graaf Generator not Yes
2 February 1969 – Surrey Rooms, Oval, Kennington, London (Fabulous 208)
4 February 1969 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
6 February 1969 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams’ research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)
7 February 1969 – Brunel University, Uxbridge, London with Honeybus and The Idle Race (Melody Maker)
9 March 1969 – Mercer’s Arms, Coventry (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
26 March 1969 – City Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)
27 March 1969 – University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)
29 March 1969 – Civic Hall, Solihull, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)
30 March 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)
9 April 1969 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Gods (Time Out)
23 April 1969 – Armour House, Gresham Street, EC2, London (Time Out)
The Black Banana had two singles under different band names. The first 45 I’d heard but hadn’t connected to the second because of the different artist name until Mike Markesich pointed out the connection in his comment below. Mike kindly provided scans of the 1st single as the Black Banana.
The group was from Limestone, in upstate New York, only a little west of Olean, the home of the Tigermen. The Tigermen were active earlier, but perhaps the bands knew each other. Mike tells me the band was also based in Bradford, Pennsylvania, just south of Limestone.
Reversing the usual way of garage bands, the group formed after some of the members had finished their military service. They have a great mid-’60s sound on both their singles despite the late recording dates.
Both singles list the members on the label, for this first one the lineup is:
Fred Mascioni Karl Langner Dave McGee
Denny Eck would join the group on guitar by the time of the second single, but he is credited with co-writing “Listen Girl” with McGee and Mascioni.
McGee and Mascioni wrote “Please Come Back to Me” which I haven’t heard yet.
Karl Langner and Arnold White designed the cool label, and Car Hamme engineered the recording. This is an RCA custom pressing from 1969.
The second release has the Fog label but the band name is changed to Banana Music Ltd. It may date as late as 1971.
Members were:
Fred Mascioni Karl Langner Dave McGee Denny Eck
Denny Eck wrote “Don’t Bother Us” and Mascioni & Eck wrote “Walkin'”.
The group is listed as “The Mack Banana Band” in the Bradford Era newspaper from August 1, 1969. From the excerpt I could find online, all the members names are listed except Denny Eck:
The new sound around, come and listen to music written & played by THE MACK BANANA Band — Fred Mascioni, Karl Langner, Dave McGee …
Besides Fog Music Inc., there are other production credits on the labels: “Langner Label”, “Rotten Crates Music Corp.” and “Black Banana”.
When Mike Markesich contacted Fred Mascioni he mentioned there were songs cut for an album that went unreleased.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
The Magnums had one release of R&B sounds dense with echo, both originals by Charles Collins. “One of These Days” is the uptempo side, while “Two People Against the World” is the slow ballad. Can’t tell you anything more about the band at this time.
