The Diplomats came from Wilmington, Delaware, where they recorded their only single at Ken-Del Studios. The A-side is the aptly-named “I’m Sad”, a maudlin original written by Chris Myers and Ed Welch with good guitar picking and harmonies. The flip is a good cover of “Route 66”.
Other than this I know nothing about the band.
Copyright registrations from September, 1966 have their names as Richard C. Myers and Edward P. Welch II.
The Midnight Shift, shortly before they became the Thomas Blood Band. Clockwise from top: Ken Victor, Bob Colone, Ed Jeffries and George Whitfield (aka George Werenka)
Midnight Shift came from Redford Township, Michigan, at the northwest tip of Detroit. Above is the Midnight Shift right before becoming the Thomas Blood Band. The original bass player was Ken Mose (not in photo), the photo shows his replacement, Ken Victor.
Members were:
George Werenka (stage name George Whitfield) – vocals Ed Pianasac (stage name Ed Jeffries) – guitar and vocals Ken Mose, replaced by Ken Victor – bass and vocals Bob Colone – drums and vocals
Their first release was “She’s Gone Far Away” b/w “Never Gonna Stop Lovin’ You”, both written by Ed Jeffreys and recorded sometime in late 1966.
The A-side is a gentle kind of love song while the flip has a harder sound with droning guitar and Bob Colane pounding the drums.
The band refined their sound for the next single in ’67, creating two beautiful melancholy compositions using acoustic guitar for rhythm.
“Every Day Without You”, written by Jeffries and Fazzio, is the more upbeat of the two, with excellent harmonies and hooks.
“Just Another Day”, written by Jeffries and Colone, is gentler and sadder, featuring a beautiful San Francisco-influenced electric solo.
They recorded both singles at M-S-I Recording Company in Livonia (next door to Redford). The band’s manager Bud Fazzio produced both singles.
I don’t know of other groups that used M-S-I Recording, I suspect it was the band’s own rehearsal or studio space.
Midnight Shift changed into the Thomas Blood Band, who played at the nearby Grande Ballroom and continues with different lineups to the present day.
Bob Lelli of the Thomas Blood Band sent in the photo at top and wrote to me:
Bob Colone, Ed Jeffries and Ken Victor started Thomas Blood Band playing at the Grande with the Turtles, T-Rex, Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart and more. Bob Colone came out front from drums, they got another drummer and he was lead vocalist until his drowning in 1973. At the time in negotiation for a recording contract with London Records and more. Thomas Blood still plays today. We are doing the 50th Grande Ballroom Anniversary Concert with the Yardbirds and more on Oct 8th, 2016.
Thank you to Kim for the photos below (can anyone help ID the members on these?)
http://www.motorcitymusicarchives.com/thomasblood.html Some photos of the members of Thomas Blood Band can be seen at Motor City Music Archives.
The Midnight Shift early photo with fifth member. Please help with IDs on this photo.The Midnight Shift on Swingin’ Time, with unidentified female, George Whitfield to her left. Please help with IDs on this photo.The Midnight Shift – or had they become Thomas Blood by this time? Please help with IDs on this photo.
The Shadows came from Hazelwood, North Carolina, a small town about 30 miles west of Asheville. Members included Dennis Robbins and Ken James.
The band traveled 150 miles east to Charlotte to record at Arthur Smith Studios, releasing their single on Switch Records in April, 1966. “Tell Me” is a good original by Robbins and James, a tight performance with an excellent guitar break. The flip is a version of Brubeck’s “Take Five” that gives the guitarist more room to stretch out. Switch seems to have been their own label, I haven’t seen anything else on it.
Two months later the band drove 280 miles in the other direction, west to Nashville, where they recorded another original, “She’s Like That” for release on Zeke Clements’ Gold Standard Records. “Tell Me” was reused for the flip side, though without all the heavy echo on the original Switch version. I believe it is the same take of the song, not a re-recording, and I prefer it without the echo.
Dennis Robbins and Kenneth James copyrighted both songs with Clements’ Blazon Music Co, BMI on June 21, 1966.
Gold Standard released over 200 singles during the ’60s. There are a handful of garage or teen-beat records, which I’ll list below, though some of them I haven’t heard and I’m not positive they fit here. While some artists were local to Nashville, it wasn’t unusual for Gold Standard to feature artists from around the country. The Cavemen came from Birmingham, Alabama and had an earlier single as J.C. & Cavemen. The Incidentals were from Montgomery, Alabama.
112 – The Cavemen (vocal by J.C. Raynor) – “Just One You For Me” (Hoyt Johnson) / “Tell Her One More Time For Me”
114 – The Incidentals – “Baby Shake” / “Till the Ending of Time” (both songs by James Segrest and Herbert Phelps, released Dec. ’64)
155 – The Coachmen (vocal by Tommy Burnett) – “I’ll Never Leave You” / “Possibility”
174 – Steve Stephens – “Lonely Me” (Ricky Ryan) / ‘When You Grow Tired Of Him”
204 – Ricky Ryan & Jerry Lee McKee – “My Baby’s Coming Home” / “Ask Me Baby”
209 – The Vee-Jay’s (lead singer Bill Boone) – “Give Your Heart to Me” (Ray D’ahrouge”) / ?
237 – Ronny Williams – “Move Up a Little Closer” (James Hendrix, Elijah & Geraldine Murray) / Larry Williams – “When You Grow Tired of Him”
262 – Five Emprees – “Little Miss Sad” / “Nobody Cares” (1967, re-recording with horns of their Freeport single from 1965)
286 – Paper Menagerie – “Left Up To You” (E. Macon) / “Love Again” (E. Macon & B.G. Gillespie) both pub. by Junellin Music BMI, prod. by Dick Sell Anyone have a photo of the Shadows? I’d like to know more about the Shadows or any of these other groups, especially the Paper Menagerie..
Del Paramor – tenor sax (ex-Warren Davis Monday Band)
Jack Drew – trumpet
Roy Peen – drums
This soul R&B outfit was formed in early 1968 and played until early 1971 when Sketto Rich and Roy Peen left. Johnny Wright was succeeded by Dennis Brown during this period as well.
Bobby Morris joined around April 1968 and rehearsed with the band throughout May and June at the Railway Tavern, Plumstead.
Morris’s first gig with the band took place on 3 August 1968 at the Aurora Hotel in Gillingham, opening for Unit 4+2. The musicians also played regularly at the Harrow Inn in Abbey Wood.
Jack Drew very kindly provided this 1969 list which does miss out quite a few from the period
Sketto Rich & Sonority also began to play further afield. Morris recalls playing at the Locarno Ballroom in Swindon on two occasions – 9 August 1969 with The Red Squares and 27 December 1969 with Spectrum. He also remembers playing at Queen Mary’s College in Mile End Road with Clarence “Frogman” Henry on 18 October 1969.
Del Coverley joined briefly in 1971 as new lead singer alongside incoming drummer Pete Mole (also ex-Warren Davis Monday Band) and they became Brass Lungs, performing jazz rock similar in style to Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears in Soho clubs.
When Coverley departed, the musicians linked with Freddie Mack and played their debut show at the Thomas A Beckett Pub on the Old Kent Road in London.
However, as the band started picking up more regular work, the line-up became increasingly fluid with only Brian Morris and Don Shepherd staying the course.
Musicians that joined throughout 1971-1973 included:
Johnny Orlando – lead vocals
Dave Newman – drums (ex-Sounds Incorporated and The Fenmen)
Ray Lewis – bass (ex-Barbette and Memphis Mail)
Dave Roffey – lead guitar (ex-Barbette and Lee Hawkins)
Mel Day – lead vocals (ex-Orange Rainbow)
Roy Edwards – trumpet (ex-Johnny Jackson & The Band Wagon, J J Jackson, Del Vikings, Otis Redding, The Temptations)
Mick Eve – tenor sax (ex-Georgie Fame, Alan Price, Zoot Money)
Eddie Thornton – trumpet (ex-Georgie Fame)
Buddy Bownes – trumpet (ex-Roy Orbison)
Carl Douglas – lead vocals
Huge thanks to Brian Morris for providing the band information.
Please email me at Warchive@aol.com if you can add or correct any information.
Photo: Mid Sussex Times. Gig on 22 not 23 May 1969
The Meantimers, 29 May 1966. Left to right: Bill Pitt, Mick Armes, Kenny Simon, Rick Thomas and Paul Hewson. Photo: Michael Armes
West London six-piece horn band Simon K & The Meantimers recorded a Hammond-drenched dance-floor classic called “Bring Your Love Back (To Me)”, which was coupled with “You Know I Do” for a UK single on the B&C label in November 1969.
Fronted by current Hot Chocolate lead singer Kenny Simon, The Meantimers had originally formed around mid-1964 in West Hampstead before linking with Simon.
Managed by Arthur Armes, father of the band’s drummer Michael, the original Meantimers also comprised lead guitarist Rick Thomas, classically trained organist Bill Pitt, bass player Warwick Rose and an Irish rhythm guitarist called Tony, who also handled lead vocals (sometimes with the group’s roadie Mick Eagan).
According to Michael Armes, his father turned the basement of his shop on Belsize Road in Kilburn into a rehearsal and recording room. It may well have been here that Simon cut some demos with West London band, The Tribe, including future Sweet guitarist Frank Torpey, that were picked up by Arthur Armes.
Former Overlanders’ bass player Paul Hewson had already taken over from Warwick Rose, who’d moved on to join The Soul Survivors, an early incarnation of The Love Affair, sometime before Kenny Simon joined on vocals.
It is not clear when Kenny Simon joined The Meantimers but he was definitely on-board by May 1966. Initially, they continued to be billed as The Meantimers but in early 1967 starting going out as Simon K & The Meantimers.
Selected gigs:
20 May 1966 – Club De Danse, Colchester, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)
30 May 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The New Jump Band and Rey Anton & The Profam (billed as The Meantimers)
9 July 1966 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Keith Powell Billie Davis Soul Package
30 July 1966 – Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with The Creation
1 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers) Says direct from the Pontiac, Putney, London
7 August 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
15 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers)
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
21 August 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
27 August 1966 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Graham Bond Organization (billed as The Meantimers)
31 August 1966 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Falling Leaves (billed as The Meantimers)
24 September 1966 – Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with Clockwork Shots
9 October 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
14 October 1966 – Royal Albion Hotel, Walton-on-Naze, Essex with support (billed as The Meantimers)
30 October 1966 – Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with Ian & Danny Eves and The Reformation (billed as The Meantimers)
3 November 1966 – Club De Danse, Colchester, Essex
5 November 1966 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Ironsides
Photo: Melody Maker
9 November 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)
13 November 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
21 November 1966 – Newmarket Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (billed as The Meantimers)
26 November 1966 – Newmarket Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with The 13th Floor (billed as The Meantimers)
Michael Armes, 1966/1967
A bass player called Terry briefly took over from Hewson in early 1967 but soon left to work in the West End as a scenery mover. Around the same time, former Quiet Five drummer Ray Hailey succeeded Michael Armes.
Selected gigs:
1 January 1967 – 2 ‘B’s Club, Ashford, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
6 January 1967 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (billed as The Meantimers)
14 January 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
19 January 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)
21 January 1967 – Winter Gardens, Banbury with Phase III (billed as The Meantimers)
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
22 January 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
29 January 1967 – Embassy Club, Colchester, Essex with Lee Shelby Federation (billed as The Meantimers)
11 February 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Unloved (billed as The Meantimers)
19 February 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Neat Change
23 February 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Tender Trap (billed as The Meantimers)
26 February 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as The Meantimers)
11 March 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks (billed as Simon Dee & The Meantimers)
12 March 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, Essex with Pussyfoot (billed as The Meantimers)
1 April 1967 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Suffolk with The Sales Collection (billed as The Meantimers)
7 April 1967 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (billed as The Meantimers)
9 April 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with Rick and Us (billed as The Meantimers)
11 April 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (billed as The Meantimers)
12 April 1967 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London
16 April 1967 – Klue J Klub, Saracens Head Hotel, Chelmsford, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)
22 April 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (billed as The Meantimers)
28 April 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London with The Groove (billed as The Meantimers)
6 May 1967 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with The Strangers (billed as The Meantimers)
12 May 1967 – Co-Op Hall, Chesham, Bucks (billed as Simon Kay)
13 May 1967 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with Just Friends, The Fugitives and The Martells
17 May 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
20 May 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex (Billed as Simon K & The Meantimers)
21 May 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as Meantimers)
The Meantimers, May 1966. Photo: Michael Armes
However, the changes did not end there and in early-to-mid-1967 an entirely new line up came together, starting with lead guitarist George Teo.
Originally, from Singapore, Teo had migrated to the UK in the early 1960s with friends Sam Young on bass and brothers Andrew and John Gwee on guitar and drums respectively and formed The Etceteras. After two singles on the Oriole label in 1964, Teo next joined the Ying Tongs before hooking up with The Meantimers.
Also on board were siblings, bass player Mick Glyde and drummer Tony Glyde (brothers of Major Glyde, the lead sax player from Sounds Incorporated) and sax players Brent Carter, Alan Wherry and Ken Hendy, who was later replaced by former Cliff Bennett Rebel Rousers’ baritone sax player Sid Phillips in late 1967/early 1968.
Tony Glyde had previously worked with Southeast London bands, Bob ‘N’ All, The Loose Ends and Bern Elliott’s former group, The Fenmen while Alan Wherry had come from The Richard Henry Sensation (with David O’List) and Harlem Shuffle (with Alan Shacklock). Brent Carter had also been a member of Harlem Shuffle.
Wherry remembers that the group also had a keyboard player but it wasn’t Bill Pitt. Mick Glyde confirms that the keyboard player’s name was Terry Vandenburgh. Vanenburgh however had left before Sid Phillips joined in late 1967/early 1968 and the group recruited a Russian Hammond organist.
Wherry left in early 1968 and later moved in to publishing, as director of Corgi, Penguin and then as co-founder of Bloomsbury in London in 1986.
The remaining members stayed until about late spring/early summer 1968, during which time former Quiet Five drummer Roger “Tex” Marsh took over the drum stool from Tony Glyde.
Simon K & The Meantimers, late 1967. Left to right: George Teo, Brent Carter (shades), Mick Glyde, Kenny Simon, Alan Wherry, Terry Vandenburgh, Tony Glyde. Ken Hendy is not pictured. Photo: Alan Wherry
Selected gigs:
3 June 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Groove
4 June 1967 – Klue J Klub, Saracens Head Hotel, Chelmsford, Essex (billed as The Meantimers)
6-7 June 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
10 June 1967 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Berkshire (Meantimers)
24 June 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (billed as The Meantimers)
1 July 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
2 July 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (billed as Meantimers)
22 July 1967 – Witch Doctor, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Poor Boys Soul Band
29 July 1967 – Memorial Hall, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk with The Blueprints (billed as The Meantimers)
5 August 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
6 August 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (billed as The Meantimers)
9 August 1967 – Penny Farthing Club, Southend, Kent
11 August 1967 – Windmill Club, Upminster, east London
20 August 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London
25 August 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (billed as The Meantimers)
Photo: Eastern Evening News
2 September 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
8 September 1967 – London Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Photo: Ipswich Evening Star
9 September 1967 – Framlingham Assembly Hall, Framlingham, Suffolk with The Wild Oats
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
17 September 1967 – Sunday’s Flower Scene, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire with Jeanette and Abee
23 September 1967 – Legion Hall, Amersham, Bucks
24 September 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Photo: Windsor, Slough & Eton Express
28 September 1967 – Wexham Lea Youth Club, Slough, Berkshir with Rick Marston
7 October 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
8 October 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
10 October 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
22 October 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London
28 October 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset
29 October 1967 – Embassy, Colchester, Essex
4 November 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
10 November 1967 – Kennet School, Thatcham, Berkshire with The Roosters
11 November 1967 – Casino, Leicester
12 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
19 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
26 November 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
28 November 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset
2 December 1967 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
3 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
10 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
17 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
24 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
31 December 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
20 January 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
21 January 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Huckle Bucks (billed as The Meantimers)
27 January 1968 – Cesar’s, Bedford, Bedfordshire
13 February 1968 – Public Hall, Witham, Essex
17 February 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
24 February 1968 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex
14 April 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Foursome
20 April 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
27 April 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
11 May 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
25 May 1968 – Memorial Hall, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire with Mr Lucifer (billed as The Meantimers)
1 June 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire
8 June 1968 – Beachcomber, Nottingham
14 June 1968 – Supreme Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent
21 June 1968 – Victoria Ball, Dartford, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
22 June 1968 – Gig in Brighton, West Sussex (billed as The Meantimers)
23 June 1968 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (billed as The Meantimers)
24 June 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as The Meantimers)
6 July 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
13 July 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Trax
2 August 1968 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London (billed as Meantimers)
3 August 1968 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex (billed as Meantimers)
4 August 1968 – Surrey Rooms, Oval, south London (billed as Meantimers)
6-7 August 1968 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (billed as Meantimers)
24 August 1968 – Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London
31 August 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Rocky Rivers
14 September 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
21 September 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
28 September 1968 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with Faux Pas
29 September 1968 – Silver End Hotel, near Witham, Essex
By the autumn of 1968, Kenny Simon had reshuffled the pack, bringing in Marsh’s former band mate from The Quiet Five, Roger McKew on lead guitar. Sid Phillips had already left by this point to go on to Redwind and his place was taken by Tony Hall, whose CV including Peter’s Faces, Wainwright’s Gentlemen and Rupert’s Spoon.
The new formation then comprised:
Kenny Simon – lead vocals
Roger McKew – lead guitar
Tony Hall – saxophone
Brent Carter – saxophone
Mick Glyde – bass
Roger ‘Tex’ Marsh – drums
The new-look formation resumed gigging. In March 1969, Brian Johnston from The Fantastics’ backing band, The House of Orange joined on Hammond organ. Two months later, however, Mick Glyde left and was replaced by another bass player.
Later that year, original keyboard player Bill Pitt returned to take over from Johnston. Simon also added Irish trumpet player Ron Carthy, who’d previously worked with The Blue Aces and Wynder K Frog (among others) to the six-piece line up that came together in time to cut the group’s lone ‘45 in November 1969.
In March 1970, however, Brent Carter and Tony Hall also departed at this point and joined Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.
When the band finally splintered in the early 1970s, Pitt ended up working with Espirit de Corps, while Carthy joined Gonzales and also did a multitude of sessions for artists like Freddie King, Slade and Suzi Quatro.
Selected gigs:
5 October 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with Cuby & The Blizzards
18 October 1968 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with Amen Corner and Plagel Cadence
19 October 1968 – Elms Court, Botley, Oxford with Granny’s Intentions
19 October 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Showstoppers
26 October 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire
16 November 1968 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
17 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London
23 November 1968 – Fellowship Inn, Eltham, southeast London
30 November 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
8 December 1968 – Embassy Suite, Sunday Club, Colchester, Essex with The Outcasts
10 December 1968 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London with Olaf Groups Kneed
14 December 1968 – Corn Exchange, Bedford with Luther Morgan & JD with The Red Russo
21 December 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk
22 December 1968 – Le Metro, Birmingham
28 December 1968 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
29 December 1968 – Byron, Greenford, west London
5 January 1969 – Embassy Sunday Club, Colchester, Essex with Peach Umbrella
11 January 1969 – Savoy Club, Catford, southeast London
18 January 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire
1 February 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
16 February 1969 – Welcome Inn, Eltham, southeast London
22 February 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Jon James & The Swamp and The Western Kind
14 March 1969 – Maxi Scene, Angel Hotel, Godalming, Surrey
22 March 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
4 April 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
12 April 1969 – John D’Milton’s Discotheque, Birmingham
19 April 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Sir Percy Quintet
20 April 1969 – New Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
26 April 1969 – Savoy Room, Catford, southeast London with Lee Hawkins
2 May 1969 – St Albans City Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire with The Consortium and Octopus
17 May 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
22 May 1969 – Klook’s Kleek, West Hampstead, north London
6 June 1969 – Chelmsford City Stadium, Chelmsford, Essex
7 June 1969 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London
14 June 1969 – Il Rondo, Leicester
28 June 1969 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London
6 July 1969 – New Union Rowing Club, Nottingham
11 July 1969 – The Crown, Marlow, Bucks
26 July 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
28 July 1969 – Soul Club, Plaza Ballroom, Newsbury, Berkshire with Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers
30 July 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
2 August 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Sir Percy Quintet
4 August 1969 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Original Principals, The Headline News and Wall City Jazzmen
5-6 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London
9 August 1969 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London
17-19 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London
23 August 1969 – Trocadero Ballroom, Hamilton, Scotland (Wishaw Press says that the band are straight from a continental tour)
25 August 1969 – Samantha’s, New Burlington Street, central London
31 August 1969 – Up The Junction, Crewe, Cheshire with Scotch Corner
6 September 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
7 September 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham
19 September 1969 – Plaza Ballroom, Newbury, Berkshire with J J Jackson & The Greatest Little Soul Band in The Land and The Ray King Soul Band
4 October 1969 – Savoy, Catford, southeast London
8 October 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
11 October 1969 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset
20 October 1969 – Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with Freedom Train, Pendulum and The Wall City Jazzmen
25 October 1969 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Lovin’ Spoonful
8 November 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire
21 November 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire
23 November 1969 – Le Metro, Birmingham
25 November 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
29 November 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
7 December 1969 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands
13 December 1969 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Acoustics
31 December 1969 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
7 February 1970 – Cloud 9, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Many thanks to Kenny Simon, Michael Armes, Tony Hall, Alan Wherry, Ken Hendy, Sid Phillips, Mick Glyde and Bruce Welsh for their help. Thank you Michael Armes and Alan Wherry for the photos.
Very little is known about the personnel in Simon K & The Meantimers. The author would be interested to hear from anyone that can provide more detail on the group for a future, updated version. Please email the author, Nick Warburton at Warchive@aol.com
Much has been written about Euphoria’s legendary album A Gift from Euphoria. This article focuses instead on the various releases the band members did prior to the LP and the connections to other bands I’ve covered on this site.
Euphoria had its start as a Cleveland band with David Potter and Wesley Watt called the Bushmen. Although it was thought that the Bushmen was a separate group from Wesley Watt’s projects prior to Euphoria, David Potter’s bio states:
After playing drums at the club [the Clinton Bar in Cleveland, OH] for three months, Wesley Watt, a guitar player came in looking for a drummer for a group he wanted to put together, The Bushman [sic]. When he heard David he knew he was the one. David turned sixteen in January and in May, David, Wesley, Paul Armstrong, and Carl Johnson left for Los Angeles to make their mark. On arriving in L.A. they immediately became the house band for the club, Guys and Dolls.
After only eight weeks they signed a contract with Colpix records, also signing with Buck Ram, the manager of the Platters. Their first single was “Baby” with “What I Have I’ll Give to You” on the flip side.
The Bushmen had one release “Baby” / “What I Have I’ll Give to You” on Dimension 1049 in June of ’65. Dimension Records was part of the Columbia Pictures / Colpix company at this time.
Bill Lincoln had relocated from Seattle to Los Angeles. He must have been in the group at this point as he is the composer of “What I Have I’ll Give to You”.
Bill Lincoln and Mike Dood are credited with writing “Walk on the Surf Side” by the Nova-Tones, released on Rosco 417 circa 1963, and backed with “Lost Love”. I’m not positive it’s the same Bill Lincoln, but it seems likely as the time and place are right. I haven’t heard either song, so if you have the 45 or sound files, please contact me.
Potter’s bio continues:
The Bushman [sic] were getting a lot of notoriety and attention from all over, including film producer David L. Wolper. He was looking for bands for a documentary about to start filming, Teenage Revolution. They approached Buck Ram about The Bushman being the premiere band for the documentary. Wolper wanted to show what bands went through while traveling around the country from gig to gig. (Along with The Bushman being were about four other bands, one being The Lovin’ Spoonful.) About a month later Buck set up a live gig in Lancaster CA where they filmed their part of Teenage Revolution.
A portion of Mondo Teeno aka The Teenage Revolution is online. I hear music that may be the Bushmen, but haven’t seen any footage of the band.
In addition to the Bushmen single, Watt and Lincoln recorded their original songs as the War-Babies “Jeanie’s Pub” / “Love Is Love” (Highland 4000, August 1965).
The War-Babies recorded another two songs, “Now It’s Over” / “So Little Time” but these came out under the name The Word on Brent 704.
Although I’ve read that the Bushmen came after the War-Babies and Word singles, release dates suggest the Bushmen single came first.
Potter’s bio continues:
After filming the documentary, David, Wesley, and Bill Lincoln wanted to do their own thing. Now seasoned professionals and highly respected musicians they wanted to play and record their own music. With the chance so did their name, to Euphoria. The newly named group spent all their time playing, touring, and recording material that would lead to two of the groups albums. During a successful tour in Texas, their single. “Baby”, released when they were The Bushman [sic], went to #7 on the charts, staying there for seven weeks.
The newly-named Euphoria added Pat Connolly of the Surfaris on bass by the time they toured Texas in 1966. Bill Lincoln left the group when he married and moved to England, though he would rejoin Wesley Watt within a year or two for Euphoria’s 1969 album on Capitol. Connolly also left so Watts brought in James Harrell on guitar and Peter Black on bass, both of the legendary Houston group the Misfits. I believe David Potter was still playing drums with the group at this point, but it may have been Steve Webb of the Misfits.
This group recorded some tracks at Andrus Productions in Houston, including “Pick It Up”, “In Time”, “Walking The Dog” and “Oh Dear, You Look Like a Dog”, none of which surfaced until Texas Archive Recordings released the LP Houston Hallucinations in 1982. The band had other unreleased Texas recordings which await reissue, including “People You and Me” which has some similarity to Da Capo era Love.
Back in L.A., Bob Shad of Brent & Mainstream Records brought the group into United Studios in Hollywood to record four songs in one session. Shad issued two of these (with vocals re-recorded at additional sessions), “Hungry Women” and “No Me Tomorrow” on Mainstream 655, but two originals by James Harrell, “I Realize” and “It Could Do Us No Wrong” were left unreleased and eventually lost. The single would reappear on the Mainstream compilation LP With Love – A Pot of Flowers in 1967.
Despite a good push from Bob Shad, the single didn’t make much of an impact and the group broke up. James Harrell and Pete Black went back to Texas and rejoined the Misfits, changing the name to the Lost and Found.
Potter and Watt joined Lee Michaels band where they played on Michaels’ album Carnival of Life with Gary Davis and John Keski.
Potter joined the East Side Kids in time to play on their album The Tiger and the Lamb, which featured one of his original songs as well as two by Wesley Watt, “Heavy Love” and “Can’t Feel Love”.
Bill Lincoln had returned by this time. He and Watt worked for almost two years on what would become their album A Gift from Euphoria on Capitol in 1969, produced by Nick Venet. According to his bio, Potter also played on the album. Guitarist Doug Delain is also listed in credits for the LP.
After recording the East Side KidsThe Tiger and the Lamb album, Potter moved to Houston and joined with Endle St. Cloud (Alan Mellinger) for his album on International Artists, which also included Pete Black and James Harrell of the Lost & Found. They moved back to LA to for the Potter St. Cloud LP on Mediarts in 1971.
David Potter passed away in 2011, but there was a detailed biography about him at his website, davidpottermusician.com (now defunct but viewable on the Internet Archive).
Watt and Lincoln co-produced and played on Bernie Schwartz’s solo album The Wheel, released on MGM in late 1969, which features a version of their song “Sunshine Woman” that had been on Euphoria’s Capitol LP.
Potter, Watt and Lincoln all continued in music into the early ’70s. For example, Potter and Watt played on Daniel Moore’s 1971 ABC album, and Watt played guitar on Dory Previn’s 1971 Mediarts album Mythical Kings and Iguanas.
Hamilton Wesley Watt, Jr. passed away on February 20, 2015 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
The Coachmen Five have this one obscure release from May of 1966 on the Kiski label. The band was from Oakdale, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 minutes west of Pittsburgh. The Kiski label was located in North Apollo, PA, an even smaller town about 45 minutes drive northeast of Pittsburgh.
The singing is somewhat eccentric, but the band ably rocks out on both songs, originals written by Horpenska. A comment below lists members of the band as including Joe Horpenska on vocals, Jeff Thomas on bass and Denny Singer on drums.
I can find almost no info about the band, but this seems to be one of the later releases on the Kiski label, at least of the 20xx series. Kiski had over a dozen 45 releases in the early ’60s ranging from country to religious to soul to garage. Kiski started with Vandergrift, PA listed on the labels, then Freeport, PA, then New Apollo, PA.
Any help with this discography would be appreciated.
Kiski 2050 – Jacklads (arr. Dick & Jack Tody, sax Dick Tody) – “Alouette” / “Hot Toddy” Kiski 2051 – Men From Mars – “I’ve Been With Jesus”, “Lord Build Me a Cabin” / “Previous Memories”, “The Fourth Man” Kiski 2052 – Faulkner Bros., Gary & Dick – “In The Chapel In The Moonlight” / Gary & Dick Faulkner – “Guitar Boogie” 1961 Kiski 2053 – Jack Cartwright & the String Kings – “I’ve Lost You Forever” / “Actions Speak Louder Than Words” Kiski 2054 – ? Kiski 2055 – Barnes Brothers – “All Mixed Up Inside” / “Don’t Blame Me” Kiski 2056 – The Alma-Keys (vocals) with the Citations – “Please Come Back To Me” (Roland Hayden) / “Jumpin’ Twist” Kiski 2057 – Tawni Simms – “Will You Please Be Mine” / “Goodbye My Love”
Kiski 2063 – Ed “Tex” Belin & the Bel-Marts – “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You)” / “I Overlooked An Orchid” 1963 Kiski 2064 – The Renditions – “That’s When I Cried” (David M. Wells) / “Time Goes By” (Thomas B. Kennie & David M. Wells) 1964 Kiski 2065 – The Chevrons – “Who Does He Cry To” / “Jones Girl” Kiski 2066 – The Thundermen – “Thunderbeat” / “Conjagua” Kiski 2067 – The Marauders – “Slidin’ In” (Ronald Misejka) / “Kosta Rica” Kiski 2067 – The Royal Rebels – “Drive In” / “Mojo Workout” Kiski 2068 – The Kruisers – “C’mon Sweet Baby” (James Robeson) / “Karen” Kiski 2069 – The Four Dimensions – “Moe’s Cast” / “I’m In Heaven”
Kiski 2072 – The Coachmen Five – “I Will Cry Today” / “I’m Comin’ Home”
Possibly DJ Bob Livorio of WKPA in New Kensington had something to do with the label.
The Royal Rebels came all the way from Cortland, Ohio, and had another recording as the Rhythm Rebels on Sunburst, “The Things You Do” / “Littlest Hobo”.
The Kruisers came from the towns of Sarver and Butler, PA, about 40 miles to the northwest of North Apollo. The Kruiser had another single on the Process label “It’s the Way She …” / “Panther Walk” in December of 1965, and another as the Lost Ones “I Can’t Believe You” / “I Wanna Know” on Mersey 002 in 1966.
In addition there are at least two LPs on Kiski, the Kiski Area High School Second Annual Choral Spring Concert and the Men From Mars Music From Out Of This World. Kiski also released at least one LP and single of polka and Slovakian music by Eddie Mack & His Orchestra, but with a different numbering system than the singles above.
Poster for Adrian and the Sensations at Nags Head Casino, March 22, 1969, submitted by Richard Dawes
James Shott wrote to me about a group he was in during the late ’60s, Adrian’s Sensations, or Sinsations. James wrote:
I played in a band called either Adrian’s SInsations, or Adrian and the SINsations (it was called both by audiences) in the Hampton/Newport News/Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. People knew me as “Smokey.”
The SINsations was a very good band, and played a good bit at the Peppermint Beach Club, filling in for Bill Deal and the Rhondells when they were gone.
Adrian Brandt played keyboards, Wayne Beckner played guitar, Joe Smith played drums, Jean Lynch sang, Jim Williamson and I played trumpet, Mike Minguez and Tom Gallucci played tenor sax, Dickie Dawes and David Champagne played trombone (at different times), Curly (can’t remember last name) played bass for a while and then another bass player, too. Gary Church was a singer in the band before Jean Lynch.
The Sinsations business card listing Gary Church on vocals with phone numbers for Adrian Brandt and Wayne Beckner
The band was quite good. We played soul, but also the top tunes of the day. Somewhat like Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power, the Sinsations employed elements of jazz into the arrangements.
We spent a good bit of time in Virginia Beach at the Peppermint Beach Club, and played in clubs in Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk, and also played military bases. The horn players were music majors in college, and the rhythm section was mostly self taught, but quite good. Jean Lynch was a very thin girl with a big voice; sounded like Aretha Franklin.
I was in the band from either late 67 or early 68 until I was separated from the USAF (Jim Williamson, David Champagne also in AF, Mike Minguez in Army). I believe the group continued to work for a while after that, but lost contact with the guys.
I’d like to get some feedback from other members and anyone who heard/saw the group.
Thank you to Richard Dawes for sending in a photo of the rare poster of Adrian and the Sensations at the Casino at Nags Head and the scan of the Sinsations business card..
The Royal Knights, 1965. From left to right: Phil Whitson, Ric Zacher, Jim Wilson and Steve Werner
Lead guitarist Eric Zacher sent in these two photos of the Royal Knights, one of the many bands who played the Retail Clerks Auditorium and were listed on a flyer I had posted in 2014.
Members were:
Phil Whitson – lead vocals Eric “Ric” Zacher – lead guitar, 2nd vocal Mark Drawbolt – 2nd lead guitar and rhythm Steve Werner – rhythm guitar Jim Wilson – bass Terry Buckman – drums
Eric writes:
The Royal Knights on the bill with Limey and the Yanks, the Saints, and the Things at Retail Clerks Auditorium, Nov. 12, 1965
We started in Terry’s garage as a lot of bands did in 1965. We all went to Millikan high in Long Beach, CA. My dad was our band manager and represented us very professionally unlike other bands. We got lots of gigs (most weeks after we got going were 2 per week!).
We played Retail a Go Go as the flyer said (did about 3 gigs there), Cinnamon Cinder in Long Beach, the Elks club and many “joints” (off campus clubs having Friday and Saturday parties).The songs we did included Stones, Zombies, Beatles, Yardbirds, Byrds and others from the mid 60s.
We broke up in 1967, all went our separate ways. I was in a college band called the Woods – very professional and made lots of money! I still play weddings and am jamming with several local bands. I really got into blues after the 70s. I have cut several CDS of 60s and 70s folk rock.
The Gibson 335 that you see me holding in the pics was purchased used for 250.00 in 1965. It is an original limited edition dot neck 1961 cherry – I still play it as my blues guitar!
The Royal Knights, 1965. From left: Mark Drawbolt (partially cut off), Terry Buckman (on drums, obscured), Phil Whitson (with tambourine), Ric Zacher and Jim Wilson
Los Locos del Ritmo, 1966. From left to right: Mario Sanabria, Rafa Acosta, Lalo Toral, Manuel López (el Che) and Chucho González. In the front, Javier Garza. Photo courtesy of Green Pig Studio, John A. Kurtz, Walt Walston, San Diego, CA
I didn’t know the identity of this photo until Francisco Candia of Phoenix recognized the band as Los Locos del Ritmo, Mexico’s premier rock ‘n roll group who have been recording since 1957 and who still perform today. Enrique Ochoa Calderón confirmed this and provided the identities of each member in his comment, below.
The photo was taken by Green Pig Studio, a name for John A. Kurtz and Walt Walston, photographers in the Navy, stationed at at Miramar Naval Air in San Diego. I’ll post more photos John sent to me in the near future.
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 Diplomats came from Wilmington, Delaware, where they recorded their only single at Ken-Del Studios. The A-side is the aptly-named “I’m Sad”, a maudlin original written by Chris Myers and Ed Welch with good guitar picking and harmonies. The flip is a good cover of “Route 66”.
Midnight Shift came from Redford Township, Michigan, at the northwest tip of Detroit. Above is the Midnight Shift right before becoming the Thomas Blood Band. The original bass player was Ken Mose (not in photo), the photo shows his replacement, Ken Victor.
The band refined their sound for the next single in ’67, creating two beautiful melancholy compositions using acoustic guitar for rhythm.
They recorded both singles at M-S-I Recording Company in Livonia (next door to Redford). The band’s manager Bud Fazzio produced both singles.
The Shadows came from Hazelwood, North Carolina, a small town about 30 miles west of Asheville. Members included Dennis Robbins and Ken James.
Gold Standard released over 200 singles during the ’60s. There are a handful of garage or teen-beat records, which I’ll list below, though some of them I haven’t heard and I’m not positive they fit here. While some artists were local to Nashville, it wasn’t unusual for Gold Standard to feature artists from around the country. The Cavemen came from Birmingham, Alabama and had an earlier single as J.C. & Cavemen. The Incidentals were from Montgomery, Alabama.
Sketto Rich – lead vocals
The Bushmen had one release “Baby” / “What I Have I’ll Give to You” on Dimension 1049 in June of ’65. Dimension Records was part of the Columbia Pictures / Colpix company at this time.
In addition to the Bushmen single, Watt and Lincoln recorded their original songs as the War-Babies “Jeanie’s Pub” / “Love Is Love” (Highland 4000, August 1965).
Potter’s bio continues:
Potter and Watt joined Lee Michaels band where they played on Michaels’ album Carnival of Life with Gary Davis and John Keski.
The Coachmen Five have this one obscure release from May of 1966 on the Kiski label. The band was from Oakdale, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 minutes west of Pittsburgh. The Kiski label was located in North Apollo, PA, an even smaller town about 45 minutes drive northeast of Pittsburgh.
