Sometimes I pick up photos of unknown bands through ebay or in antique shops. This set came from a seller in Yuba City, California, north of Sacramento, but I don’t know the locations in the photos yet. Most of the photos show what seems to be a Christian music group called Sonlight from about 1970 and 1971. One photo shows some teens in front of a Saint Anthony Seminary, possibly in Santa Barbara, but I’m not sure of that. The photo at the top left is from 1967 and shows what is definitely a teen garage band in front of a banner “Sound”, but I don’t have the name of the group unfortunately.
Jeffrey Harvey pointed out that The Ancient Star Song website posted the cover and tracklist of an album by Sonlight that may be the same group. The back cover lists members of Sonlight:
Vicki Higgins, Betty Davis, Patti Bryson, Doug Norby, Ron Quigley, Richard Johnson and Roger Walck.
The group has an address in Van Nuys, California. Dean Talley produced the LP, and Mike Wallen designed the cover. Recorded at Customcraft Recordings in North Hollywood.
Can anyone identify who these people are?
1967 band photo, one member may have been in Sonlight band lateron back: Jerry, Kathy, Me [Joe?], Sue before the jazz danceSt. Anthony Seminary – Santa Barbara?Great dorm room!
The Denny & Kenny Duo at GG’s in Davis, CA, from left: Kenny Whitcombe on organ and Dennis Sacco on drums
The Denny and Kenny Duo were Kenny Whitcombe on organ and Dennis Sacco on drums. They came from Davis, California, where they played regularly at Gi-Gi’s night club.
“Meet My Little Sweety In the Night Time” immediately grabs the listener with its speed and echo. I find Sacco’s drum fills endlessly entertaining. The flip “I Love You So” is also good, if not as original. Kenny Whitcombe wrote both songs. Released on Sacramento’s legendary Ikon Records IER 179/180 in 1965.
I’ve always loved this single since hearing it on Crypt Records’s fantastic “The Ikon Records Story”. I finally found a copy, signed by Dennis Sacco! For two people they raise a huge racket.
Whitcombe came from the Carpetbaggers with Dehner Patten who would go into the Oxford Circle and Kak. I’m not sure if this was the same Carpetbaggers from Sausalito who had the single “Let Yourself Go” / “Just a Friend” on the LTD International label in mid-1966. Sausalito is an hour and a half from Davis, but it’s not inconceivable.
Whitcombe opened another Davis club, Mousey’s, and eventually the duo split up. Sacco played with the Daytrippers, then with the Sacramento’s Burgundy Express, and now is pursing a writing career.
Dennis Sacco wrote to me a little about the group, and added more history to the notes for a CD of later, jazzy recordings that he and Kenny did either together or separately.
As a drummer I grew up listening to Gene Krupa, then Joe Morillo and then Louie Bellson.
Back in 1965, Denny and Kenny started playing at GG’s, a little beer bar in Davis, California. Soon, their reputation and fans out grew GG’s. Kenny built a bigger night spot in Davis called Mousie’s. Between GG’s and Mousie’s, Denny and Kenny played in Northern Caliornia and Nevada. During this period, Denny and Kenny cut a record at Ikon Records in Sacramento, California.
Denny and Kenny were a great match. Denny used a Ludwig double bass drum setup and Kenny used a Hammond organ kicking bass pedals. They both did vocals and backup. Many people thought that they were listening to at least four players. They don’t perform as a duo anymore. But each of them, separately or together, have made a few recordings. Included in this album are Kenny’s beautiful and “original” songs (ala 40s style) and some of Denny’s earlier big band recordings for you to listen and enjoy.
There’s a small but interesting genre of organ and drum duo records that include the Me and Him Duo and the Chancellors b-side “5 Minus 3”.
Here’s a good photo of a band that would be anonymous but luckily the photo was mounted to a backing board which names the band as the Phantoms, and the photographer as Newell Wood of Ulfinian Way in Martinez, CA. It also tells that the photo placed second in the Concord California Club miniprints competition in June of 1966.
Martinez is about 8 miles from Concord, and the band could be from anywhere around the East Bay, Vallejo or Walnut Creek. I’m not aware of any group named the Phantoms from that area, or if they made any recordings.
In April of 1967 a band called The Colony released their only single, the wild “All I Want” b/w a great song called “Things On My Mind” on Platter Records P-105. The two make for an interesting contrast: one is hard-edged r&b with a desperate-sounding vocal, the other a much more polished production that includes string arrangements but keeps its drive.
Both songs were written by Mike Foley and Bill Eucker for Worlday-Jenks BMI.
Platter Records: a redundant name wouldn’t you say? Platter was located at 34 San Clemente St, in Ventura, California.
Warren Patients and the Cobras playing in Hazleton, PA, Feb. 25, 1967
The Platter Records discography looks like this (any additions would be appreciated):
Platter 1001: Homer Lee – “Pedernales River” (Bert Peck) / “I’ve Got Some Crying To Do” (June 1966) Platter 1002: The Cobras featuring Warren Patience – “It’s a Lie” (Michael Walker) Worlday-Jenks BMI / “Thoughts of You (Are Wrecking Me)” Sept. 1966 Platter 1003: Morrie Hamilton “Wimoweh” / “Pickin’ and Grin’in” (Morrie Hamilton – Chas. Wright for Worlday-Proctor BMI) (produced by Joe Bill D’Angelo) Platter 1004: The Two of Us (Bill & Dorice) “You’ll Love Me” (Richie Carpenter, Lightup Music BMI.) / “Piki Teepee” (no artist listed) Platter 1005 – The Colony – “All I Want” / “Things On My Mind” (Mike Foley and Bill Eucker) April 1967
Billboard mentions Burt Peck and Homer Lee’s Platter release, Billboard, June 18, 1966
The Cobras came from Kingston, Pennsylvania, west of Scranton. I have no idea how they came to be on Platter Records, but their 45 is a rare and classic garage single. The label for the Cobras reads “featuring Warren Patience” but an ad I found in a central PA newspaper puts his name as Warren Patients.
Homer Lee worked with a song writer out of Dallas, Texas. Morrie Hamilton worked in various locations including Denver. The Two of Us (Bill McClure and Dorice Vance) worked around Anaheim and Santa Ana in Orange County.
With the widespread origins of these artists, the Colony may have been the only act on the label actually from the Ventura area.
Platter Records reissue of “Piki Teepee”, originally the b-side of the Sundancers Breakout 45 “Devil Surf”Bill Eucker produced and arranged both sides of the Colony single. His full name is William Herschel Eucker. I have no other clue as to who performed on the Colony single, or if they were even a real band outside the session for these two songs. Bill Eucker’s name connects Platter Records with an earlier label from the Oxnard area, Break Out Records.
One odd thing about this discography is the B-side to the Two of Us single, credited only by its title “Piki Teepee”. This instrumental had original release two years earlier as the flip to the Sundancers’ Break Out Records single, “Devil Surf”. Who were the Sundancers? They were Chiyo & the Crescents by another name.
Chiyo & the Crescents and Break Out Records
The best info on Chiyo comes from the article and comments section of Office Naps’ post Everybody Wipe Out Now, which I’ll summarize here, though I can’t attest to the veracity of all this information.
Chiyo was supposedly of Hopi Indian descent, originally named Chizomana. In the 1940s Chiyo went to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln to study music. She married an engineer by the name of Fred Ishii who worked at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station in Oxnard. She began giving lessons in various instruments at her home, but by the early ’60s she opened up her shop, Chiyo’s Guitars and Drums, on Saviers Road in Oxnard where she continued teaching, notably flamenco-style guitar.
Around 1962 or 1963, Chiyo formed a band called the Crescents:
Chiyo Ishii – lead guitar Thom Bresh – rhythm guitar Tom Mitchell – bass Ray Reed – sax Bob Ross – drums
Thom Bresh is Merle Travis’s son. He would have been about 15 or 16 at the time of these recordings. Bresh was taking lessons at Ernie Ball’s store in Thousand Oaks, where Bill Eucker was teaching. Eucker wrote an instrumental he called “Pink Dominos”, which would become the first of three singles by the Crescents on Break Out Records. Oddly each of the three releases has a different artist name, even though all are by Chiyo & the Crescents.
The only single on Breakout not by Chiyo and the Crescents was by the Dar Vons: “Hot Pepperoni” (obviously trying to cash in on the Dartells “Hot Pastrami”) b/w “Bowling Alley Baby”. The Dar Vons or Darvons included Dave Bowers and previously were known as the Surftones – but I don’t believe this is the same Surftones that backed Dave Myers, that band included Johnny Curtis, Ed Quarry, Dennis Merritt, Seaton Blanco, and Bob Colwell.
Break Out Records discography
Break Out BBM-3/4 – Chiyo & the Crescents – “Pink Dominos” (Bill Eucker) / “Devil Surf” (Chiyo) (Sept. or October 1963) Break Out 105-A/106-B – Kresents – “Purple Checkers” (Bill Eucker, Dimondaire Music BMI) / “Maple Syrup” (Chiyo) (February, 1964) Break Out 107-AA/108 – Dar Vons – “Hot Pepperoni” (Steve Middleton, B. Peeler) / “Bowling Alley Baby” (Waldemar Mennigen – Jerry Jaye) produced by Moraga- B. Moon Break Out 111 – The Sundancers – “Devil Surf” / “Piki Teepee” (both by Chiyo)
I could use good scans of the Sundancers single if anyone has it. Also would definitely like to hear the Dar Vons, and would like to purchase a copy of any of the Break Out singles.
Break Out was at least partly owned by Harold Moraga. Moraga also owned part of Dimondaire Music BMI, which published all the songs on Break Out.
The Crescents featuring Chiyo, Era 45 “Pink Dominos” – written by Bill EuckerKim Fowley bought the master for “Pink Dominos” and placed it with Era Records for a wider release, reaching #95 in Billboard on December 28, 1963 and reportedly climbing as high as #69 in early 1964. I read Ghoulardi used it on his show so it became an in-demand in the Cleveland, Ohio area.
Fowley controlled half the publishing for both sides through Room Seven Music, BMI. The flip side “Breakout” is credited to Moon and Moraga and even though Chiyo’s name is on the label, this sounds like a different group using a cheap organ sound.
Despite the success of the single, the two follow ups on Break Out were recorded under different band names. The Kresents single features a song Bill Eucker wrote called “Purple Checkers”, while the band remade “Devil Surf” with saxophone under a new title, “Maple Syrup”. As the Sundancers, they do yet another version of “Devil Surf” with “Pink Teepee” on the flip. BMI shows he wrote a song called “Torment” during this period, which seems to have gone unrecorded.
I wonder what Bill Eucker was doing in the two or three years between writing for the Crescents and recording the Colony single. It’s also a mystery how “Pink Teepee” shows up on the flip to the Two of Us single, as there doesn’t seem to be any overlap in publishing or production between the Break Out and Platter labels.
I find no more credits for Bill Eucker until 1972, when he turns up playing guitar on the John Henry Kurtz LP Reunion on ABC Records. That record that contains the original version of “Drift Away”, a later version of which continues to be heard in supermarkets across the country.
Thank you to Dick Blackburn for adding the Dar Vons to the Break Out discography. Thank you to Chuck Keever for the scans of the Kresents single and suggestions about the order of release.
“Breakout” – credited to the Crescents, but sounding like another group altogether.
Here are two obscure singles that seem to have been recorded in one session on the same day, apparently March 12, 1965. Both feature the Mockers, and each was released on the Monte-Vista label and numbered 3-12-65.
The first features two surf instrumentals: the atmospheric “Children of the Sun” backed by a first-rate surf-rocker “Madalena” with crunching wet guitar. Both songs were written by David Norgord for Monte-Vista Music BMI.
Dave Norgord of the Mockers, photo courtesy of John Morgan
The Mockers were obviously a very competent group, and may have come from Glendora High School. If anyone knows the names of the other members of the Mockers, please contact me or leave a comment below.
The second single has them backing what sounds like a prepubescent lead singer, Chris Parry, on another single written by Dave Norgord, “I Need You Now”. The flip is a cover of “Angela Jones”, written by John Loudermilk (composer of “Tobacco Road”).
The producer was Dale Smallin who in 1963 managed the Surfaris’ and brought them to Paul Buff’s PAL studio in Cucamonga to record “Surfer Joe” / “Wipe Out” (Smallin also contributed the maniacal laughter to the opening). Smallin may have lost the Safaris when he and Dot Records brought in the Challengers to record tracks to fill out the album. In any case, the Mockers may have been the only records after the Safaris to feature his name as producer. If there are others, I haven’t found them yet.
Monte Vista Street runs in Highland Park in Los Angeles, not far from the Glendale origin of the Safaris. Smallin would name his film production company Monte-Vista and produced a 28 minute movie show in West Covina, The Day That Sang and Cried in 1968, featuring another band, The West Coast Blues Company. Dave Smallin died on March 1, 2011.
The Majestic Five have this one obscure single on Santa Records out of Phoenix, Arizona in 1965.
The A-side, “Jerk Like Me” is a cover of Rudy Gonzalez & the Reno Bops “Do the Jerk Like Me”. The drummer lays down a rock-solid beat up front in the recording, while the rest of the group sounds somewhat distant. The singer does a good job but the record has a sparse sound.
The Majestic Five in Albuquerque, September 1965
The flip is a ballad, “Queen of Fools” written by Saenz and Escobedo who were members of the Majestic Five. Santa Records was located at 506 W. Cocopah in Phoenix, I haven’t seen any other releases on this label.
According to a comment below by Joseph Saenz, members included:
Albert Escobedo – guitar Benny Dimas – rhythm guitar Joe Saenz – keyboards Arturo Borquez – bass Albert Rodriguez – drums Jerry Cruz – vocalist
In June of ’65 I find several ads for their week-long engagements as the Majestics 5 at the Can Can on 3rd St. and E. Roosevelt in Phoenix and then in September at the Grand Canyon Bar and Lounge at 119 4th NW at Copper in Albuquerque, but no mentions of the group after that. Joseph Saenz explains in a comment below that the group relocated to Los Angeles for a number of years.
Majestic Four, March 28, 1968
Tedd Thomey’s In Person column from the Long Beach Independent / Press-Telegram on June 27, 1968 profiled the Majestic 4 during their time in California:
… the best-liked band ever to appear at the Purple Bunny, 11311 Imperial Highway, Norwalk …
The Majestic 4 are lead guitarist Albert Cardoza, 25, born near Albuquerque, N.M.; bass guitarist Arthur Borquez, 23, of Nogalez, Ariz.; drummer Albert Rodriguez, 23, of Tamalpais, Mexico, and organist Joe Saenz, of Globe, Ariz.
By the time they were teen-agers, the two Alberts, Arthur and Joe were all living in Phoenix …
In 1965, a “battle of the bands” was held at the Phoenix fairgrounds featuring Sonny and Cher. Thirty-five bands, amateurs and pros, competed for prizes, including an electronic organ. The Majestic 5 decided to enter, hoping to win the organ for one of their singers, Joe, who lacked an instrument. During the contest, they played their theme song, “Hello, Everybody,” which they wrote …
When the judges announced that they had won, the boys were so astounded and overjoyed that they could hardly speak. They had their choice of the organ or a recording contract with VeeJay Records. They chose the organ. It was a good decision, because the recording company decided to sign them anyway. Through no fault of the band’s, the recording deal later fell through, largely because of legal complications.
The Majestic Four and Mary-Lee Whitney opening for Brook Benton, Cannonball Adderly, Carmen McRae, Richard Pryor, and Sam Fletcher, Shrine Auditorium, March 19, 1967… Then the group decided to come to California. They dropped one musician … and changed their name to the Majestic 4.
Joe, their spokesman, walked up to Stan Rossi, owner of the Purple Bunny, handed him the band’s business card and asked politely: “Sir, we’d like to play for you tonight while your regular band is on its rest break.” Rossi agreed. The Majestic 4 made such a hit with the crowd that Rossi hired them on the spot. They started work three weeks later and stayed eight months. Last April, after playing at clubs in Nevada and elsewhere in California, they returned for another smash engagement at the Bunny.
Majestic Four and Mary Lee Whitney, Long Beach Independent, June 27, 1968
… Their star singer, Mary Lee Whitney, is another natural …
Born in Portland, Ore., she sang for seven years with a Baptist Church choir … She was the seventh of the nine children in her family. An older brother, Jimmy, a singer who had his own band, inspired her to become a professional.
Ad for the Majestic 4, Mary Lee Whitney, and the Shirell’s (Shirelles?) at the Purple Bunny, June 1968She became so good that a church friend, Henry Moore, asked her to join his professional group, the Harlequins. She came to California with them in 1966 and sang with them at the Purple Bunny and elsewhere.
Mary Lee Whitney released one 45 in 1966 on Loma 2044, “Don’t Come a’Knockin'” (produced and arranged by Bobby Paris with Doug Best, supervised by Russ Regan) / “This Could Have Been Mine” (produced by Larry Shayne).
As Mary Lee Whitney Evans, she sang backing vocals to three Stevie Wonder songs on Songs in the Key of Life and Hotter than July.
Thank you to Francisco Candia for sending me the clippings of the Majestic Four’s time in California.
Blue Wood has the third release on the Jet Set label of Santa Barbara, California, though this time the label features a detailed logo. I don’t know anything about the group yet.
The A-side has a somewhat rural psychedelic sound (harmonies and no fuzz) on “Turn Around” by Rich Geiger. The flip is a hokey country-rock song, “Happy Jack Mine” by Ralph C. Multon and Lance Rose. Both songs published through Jet Set Publishing ASCAP, as were all the other original songs on the Jet Set label.
Produced by Tom Lubin, with Doug McGuire, the owner of the label, listed as executive producer.
As far as I can tell there were four releases on Jet Set:
JSR-45-2: Planned Obsolescense – “Exit Sticky Icky” / “Still in Love With You Baby” (Sept. 1967) JSR-45-3: The Calliope – “I’ll Take It Back” / “Ryan 5” (eng. by Frank Kajmar, February 1968) JSR-45-4: Blue Wood – “Turn Around” / “Happy Jack Mine” (1968) JSR-45-5: Don Robertson – “Yesterday’s Rain” / “California”. Executive Producer Doug McGuire, Produced by Tom Lubin
Don Robertson also had the only album on Jet Set, titled Yesterday’s Rain.
Jet Set was located at 4296-A Modoc Road, Santa Barbara.
For more on Planned Obsolescense, see the post I wrote last year.
This is not the same Jet Set label that released singles by Jimmy Armstrong, Barbara Long, Jimmy Castor, Eldrige Holmes and others.
The East Side Kids at the Sea Witch, 1966 From left, back row: Danny Belsky, Joe Madrid, Jimmy Greenspoon, Dennis Lambert front row: Dave Doud and Mike DoudEastside Kids on Philips – almost certainly a different group, possibly related to the Secrets of “Twin Exhaust” on Swan
First let me discuss a couple red herrings.
A single on Philips as the Eastside Kids likely had no connection to the East Side Kids I will be discussing in this article. Philips 40295 from June of 1965 has a great bluesy instrumental “Sunday Stranger” written by Billy Strange and almost certainly he’s playing the lead guitar too.
Another studio production probably unrelated to the East Side Kids I’ll be discussing below, despite the identical band name
The other side was also an instrumental, “Subway Train” written by Billy Carl, Ron Gentile, and Richard Moehrle. Hear both at Left and to the Back blog, from which I took the label scan seen here.
Billy Carl (aka Billy Carlucci) co-wrote “(We’ll Meet in the) Yellow Forest” for Jay and the Americans, “Goody Goody Gumdrops” for the 1910 Fruitgum Company, and many other songs.
Ron Gentile and Richard Moehrle (aka Rick Morley) were in the Secrets. They wrote a classic instrumental called “Twin Exhaust”, released on Swan in 1962. As Crystal Mansion they had a 1968 single and LP on Capitol.
In May of 1966 there’s a single by the East Side Kids “Chocolate Matzos”/”Night Mist Blue” on Warner Bros. 5821. Like the Philips single, this sounds like a studio production, but is more exotica than rock ‘n roll, and I doubt the East Side Kids I’ll be discussing below were a part of this. Both sides written by C.B. Jerry for Phenomenal Music BMI, and produced by Dick Glasser.
So now let’s get on with the actual Sunset Strip group the East Side Kids and their initial incarnation as the Sound of the Seventh Son.
Sound of the Seventh Son: “Shaggy Singers” from left, front row: Danny Belsky, Joe Madrid, David Doud, back: Jimmy Greenspoon and Michael Doud
In September of 1965, the Sound of the Seventh Son released their single on Tower 169. “I Told a Lie” is a good, crude garage rock. It was written by James Greenspoone (aka Jimmy Greenspoon) and Ed Fontaine. On the flip was the Byrds-like “I’ll Be On My Way”, written by Dollarhide, Greenspoone, Fontaine. Both songs published by Chemistry Music BMI, produced by Al Hazan for S.O.S. Productions.
The Sound of the Seventh Son also recorded a one-sided demo “She Lost Me” which I haven’t heard – anyone have a copy of that?
One of the first venues we performed at was called Stratford on Sunset. The owner was Jerry Lambert and his nephew’s group, The East Side Kids, was the house band. At that time, they had another name, something like The Sound of the Seventh Son, I think. They were older, very professional and served as mentors to us … Stratford was great while it lasted … and it was Jerry Lambert again who got me the audition for The Yellow Payges a year later.
Members of the Sound of the Seventh Son were:
Joe Madrid – vocals David Doud – lead guitar Michael Doud – bass guitar Jimmy Greenspoon – piano Danny Belsky – drums
Greenspoon and Danny Belsky had been playing together since the very early ’60s with the New Dimensions with Michael Lloyd, Craig Nuttycombe and Art Guy. David Doud had joined when the band became the Alley Kats.
Sound of the Seventh Son in the news, September 3, 1965Sound of the Seventh Son in the news, September 3, 1965
The band received press when they went to court on September 2, 1965 to get their contracts with Tower Records and SOS Productions approved and Judge A.A. Scott exclaimed “They look like freaks! … I don’t know whether they are girls or boys … God help them if they get to some real men”. The band were all between the ages of 18 and 21. Coverage was so thorough, and photographs so timely, that I have to wonder if this was a publicity stunt to coincide with their Tower single release.
The band also appears in the background of a fashion photo shoot for the LA Times magazine taken at the Crescendo Club, though only Madrid, Belsky and Greenspoon are visible in the photos.
Danny Belsky at the Hullabaloo, 1966
Around the time Stratford on Sunset closed in December 1965, the Sound of the Seventh Son became the East Side Kids. Although the Warner Bros. single came in May of 1966, there may be no connection between that production and this group. Dominic Priore, in Riot on the Sunset Strip says that the East Side Kids “took up a residency at a club called Wild Thing near Hollywood and Vine before moving on to the Hullabaloo, leaving their original house band spot to the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band.”
There’s a great photo (at top of page) of the band at the Sea Witch on Sunset Blvd with guitarist Denis Lambert, who would sit in with the group and later form Lambert and Nuttycombe with Craig Nuttycombe of the New Dimensions.
In January of 1967 the East Side Kids release their single “Take A Look In The Mirror” /”Close Your Mind” on Orange Empire Records OE-500. “Take A Look In The Mirror” has a good guitar break while “Close Your Mind” has more drama in the performance. Someone, probably Danny Belsky, is playing the flute on both sides.
The songs were written by Bernie Schwartz and M. Cavett, but the A-side was published by World Showplace Music, Inc, BMI while the flip by Egap BMI.
Bernie Schwartz has an interesting history, releasing two 45s on the Tide label as Don Atello, including “Questions I Can’t Answer” which you may remember from Boulders vol. 7. He then released “Her Name Is Melody” / “I Go to Sleep” as Adrian Pride on Warner Bros 5867. After writing for the East Side Kids, the Yellow Payges and Power, he formed the Comfortable Chair who had the excellent single “Be Me” plus and LP on Ode, and his own LP The Wheel on CoBurt.
Jimmy Greenspoon seems to have left the group at some point in 1967. In June, he released a 45 as Boystown “Hello Mr. Sun” / “End of the Line” with Michael Lloyd who had just left the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. Around this time he moved to Denver for close to a year before returning and forming Three Dog Night.
I’m not sure if Jimmy Greenspoon was still with the group in October, 1967 when they put out their next single on Valhalla 672, which features Jimmy’s original “Listen to the Wise Man” plus a song by Doud and Madrid “Little Bird”. Both sides feature strings and pop production by Larry Tamblyn of the Standells. Publishing by Kim Fowley Music and Padua Music, BMI.
Valhalla also released 45s by the Sunday Funnies (“A Pindaric Ode” / “Whatcha Gonna Do”) and the Vikings (“Boo-Hoo-Hoo” / “Lonely Prisoner”).
Danny Belsky also seems to have left in 1967, being replaced by David Potter from the Bushmen and Euphoria.
East Side Kids news clipping from the time of their Valhalla release, January 5, 1968
By January, 1968, according to one article I found, the members were:
Joe Madrid – lead vocals David Doud – guitar Mike Doud – bass David Potter – drums
This group recorded their LP The Tiger And The Lamb on Uni 73032 in 1968. Buzz Clifford and Dan Moore, both formerly of Hamilton Streetcar, produced the album. Clifford and Moore also contributed songs, along with John Fleck of the Standells and Wesley Watt of Euphoria. Dave Potter and David Doud each contributed one original composition. One single was taken from the album, David Doud’s “Taking The Time” backed with Fleck’s “Is My Love Strong” for UNI 55105 in early 1969.
Gladstone
Around October of 1968 a 45 turns up under the name Gladstone, “Pitter Patter” / “Gone By Day” on Kirk Record Co KR-5002. Under the artist name is “Tracks by EAST SIDE KIDS” and D.F. Potter (David Potter) is one of the producers along with Gregory and Gladstone. Both sides were written by Gladstone but published by different companies, Song & Dance Music BMI and Rockliffe Music BMI.
I cannot determine if Gladstone was a particular person or only an alias for the East Side Kids, but “Gone By Day” ranks among the best performances the East Side Kids were ever involved in.
In May of 1969 a Gladstone single appears on A&M Records 1061, the beautiful “What a Day” backed with the hard-rockin’ “Upsome”, both originals by Al Graham.
Alex Palao wrote to me: “The Gladstone on Kirk was an LA-based singer named Gary Gladstone, [who] cut an earlier(?), way better version of Gone By Day at Original Sound, along with other stuff. Not the same as the A&M / San Jose group of Otherside/Bogus Thunder lineage.”
I wouldn’t necessarily link this single to the East Side Kids except for the producer, Lee Michaels, whose album Carnival of Life included Wesley Watt and David Potter. However, one source lists this Gladstone band as from San Jose, CA, with members Alan Graham (vocals, bass), Ned Torney (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Ken Matthew (drums, vocals) and Jim Sawyers (guitar). Torney, Matthew and Sawyers had been in the Other Side, who had one fine single on Brent in Nov. 1965, “Streetcar” / “Walking Down the Road”. By 1969 they had been playing with Al Graham as Bogus Thunder (possibly with Wayne Paulsen on guitar instead of Jim Sawyers – sources differ).
No connection to the early ’70s band called Gladstone from Tyler, Texas that recorded on ABC and Probe.
I don’t know how the band ended, or what most of the group did afterwards. David Potter joined Endle St. Cloud, with whom he formed Potter St. Cloud. He was also a session drummer. He passed away in 2011. I believe the Doud brothers are both gone too.
The Just VI formed at Tennyson High School in Hayward, California in late 1964.
The early lineup included:
Tony Rhodes – lead vocals Mike Cantrell – guitar, vocals Ken Houston – guitar, replaced by Kenny Simms in 1965 Don Cantrell Jr. – organ, vocals Dennis Brock – bass Sal Saccardo – drums
The band played out frequently, helped by their Cantrell’s father, Don Sr., who was a promoter and booking agent. Sometimes listed as the Just Six, they played at venues including the Coconut Grove in Santa Cruz, the Newark Pavilion, Frenchy’s, the Rollarena in San Leandro, Carpenters Hall, Maple Hall in San Pablo, at the Carousel Ballroom and Longshoreman’s Hall in San Francisco and the Avalon Ballroom on Catalina Island (with the Yardbirds), IDES Hall in Hayward, and at Battle of the Bands including at the Santa Clara Fair Grounds. They also appeared on Dick Clark’s Happening ’68 and toured with the Animals.
In November ’65 the Just VI cut two original songs, “Bo-Said” (written by Tony Rhodes and Mike Cantrell) b/w “You” (written by Kenny Simms and Tony Rhodes) at Golden State Recorders. Both sides published by Merrie Making Music, BMI.
The songs were issued on Wax W-211 and the single sold well, including a supposed sold 14,000 copies in Winchester, Missouri!
Just VI with the Harbinger Complex and Peter Wheat & the Breadmen opening for the Yardbirds at the Carousel Ballroom and the RollarenaOver the next few years the band recorded additional songs that were not released at the time, including auditions for Capitol and Columbia. Big Beat included “I’m Gonna Be Gone” on the excellent compilation CD You Got Yours! East Bay Garage 1965-67. A photo in the liners shows the band in patriot dress like Paul Revere & the Raiders.
In 1968 Tony Rhodes left the group and Roger Corboy joined, along with his brother Dave Corboy from a Fremont group called the Differentiated Concepts. Dennis Brock left and Steve Lind took over on bass.
The band had a 45 as the White Haven Pillow “Wreck It” (K. Simms Jr., D. Corboy) / “Muisc Man” (D.E. Cantrell Jr.) on the MTA label in 1969.
After Sal Saccardo left the group hired Terry Rissman of Peter Wheat & the Breadmen to play drums. When Terry left, Mike Cantrell played drums until the group split in late ’69.
Most of the group had some involvement in music after the Just VI. Roger Corboy joined Helix, Sal Saccardo went into the Powers of Darkness and played with Little John, the Cantrell brothers had Crossfire in the ’70s, and Kenny Sims had a group called Truckin’ later on.
The best source of info for this article was Bruce G. Tahsler’s The San Francisco East Bay Scene: Garage Bands from the 60’s Then and Now, including the scan of the Yardbirds show poster.
Poster for Whyte Haven Pillow formerly Just VI with the Little Princess light show at Moreau High School in Hayward, Oct 18, 1968. Courtesy of Jeff Hawley.
Wax Records
Wax Records of Oakland started out with at least two soul singles in 1964, Tiny Powell’s “My Time After Awhile” / “Take Me With You”; and Sugar Pie DeSanto’s “Strange Feeling” / “Little Taste of Soul”.
In 1965, Wax released two 45s by the Cheaters of San Leandro, “Take It Easy” / “Girl – I Want” (Wax 210) and “My Favorite Girl” / “Suzanne” (Wax 213).
Certain later pressings had a yellow and orange design, large logo and featured the tagline “If It’s a Hit, It’s on Wax”.
The Teen Turbans playing “You Can’t Sit Down” during the final of the KHJ Big Boss Battle at the Hollywood Palladium, 1966. From left: Robert (percussion); Lester Smith (holding trumpet); Luke Flowers; JD Luna (with guitar behind Luke); Olaf Tweetie; Arthur Cooper (playing sax, in center on floor), Ralph Johnson (drums), Dale Thalley (bass)
Lester Smith – trumpet player and band leader Luke Flowers – lead vocals and tambourine Al McKay – guitar (replaced by J.D. Luna) Arthur Cooper – horns Wayne Davis – tenor sax Olaf Tweedy – keyboards Dale Thalley – bass Ralph Johnson – drums Robert – percussion
A few years ago I posted the program to the 1966 KHJ 93 Big Boss Battle of the Bands, which listed the Teen Turbans from Los Angeles High. Guitarist J. D. Luna sent in these photos and wrote about the group:
The Teen Turbans – what TV set or stage is this?
I was the guitarist in the Teen Turbans from L.A. High school at the time of the Hollywood Palladium Final, when The Teen Turbans won the Boss KHJ/Pepsi Battle of the Bands. I have some pictures that the dad of our percussionist took of us.
The Teen Turbans were an all black band, except for me, who snuck in when their funky Telecaster master left and they needed someone quick. I played a Les Paul with P90’s and a Tele through a four-ten Tender Bassman.
The drummer was Ralph Johnson, who later went on to Earth, Wind and Fire fame. In fact, the guitar player I replaced was Al McKay, who of course also went on to Earth, Wind and Fire. Lester, the band leader, is a nephew of Louis Armstrong, and was a master at directing and cuing the band (and not surprisingly, was a great trumpet soloist!). All the players came from families with musical backgrounds, and all had tremendous performing ability. I was very lucky to be there.
At the Palladium final we played on Limey & the Yanks equipment and I plugged into what I think was a Super Reverb that must have been set on eleven. I was so nervous I didn’t think to check the dials. So when I struck the first chord of “You Can’t Sit Down” my turban almost came off and the Paul seemed to be playing itself. When my solo came up I felt I had control of the stick and was ready to channel Freddie King … so I did!
Sonny Bono presenting Lester Smith with the first place trophy. L-R: Dale, Arthur, Tweetie, Luke, Ralph (behind Lester), JD (me, behind Sonny), and Robert. The two guys in suits are two of the KHJ DJs.
We got a complete set of instruments and amps at the Fender factory and they took pictures. I’m not sure what the deal was with the drums and the brass instruments, but something was worked out with our manager, who was the father of two of the singers. I noticed somewhere on your site that no recording time had been promised, yet somehow we ended up at a studio. I have no idea when “We Need to Be Loved” was done, but probably after I had left the band.
Teen Turbans at Knights of Columbus Hall on Vermont Ave
This photo [above] was taken at a Knights of Columbus Hall on Vermont Ave. just south of Sunset Blvd, in Los Angeles, circa 1965. This was a showcase set up by our manager to help us get some local exposure. The manager is the fellow sitting in the audience with a turban just like the ones we wore. Everybody called him Pops; he was the dad of one of the girl singers and the guy singer in the band. I’m the guitar player standing on the far left, just to the right of the keyboard player. I’m playing my gold top Les Paul.
We got to play at Ciro’s on the strip, The Hullabaloo, which was also a Hollywood club, and a teen club in north Hollywood known as The Cinnamon Cinder that Bob Eubanks ran.
My experience with the Teen Turbans was the launching point for a lifelong career and love affair with music that continues to this day. I learned a tremendous amount not only about music, but also about how bands should and could work together, and that experience served me extremely well as I went on to work as a a professional musician, songwriter, teacher, band director and studio engineer.
Backstreet, from left: Chip Catrow, Bob Norsoff, Boomer (drums), and J.D. Luna.
After the Turbans, I performed with various groups through the Musicians Union Local 47 and on my own and worked the club circuit on the West Coast. Two of the bands I worked with were booked by the Gail McConkey booking agency out of Hollywood. Backstreet was Chip Catrow on bass, Boomer on drums, Bob Norsoff on lead and rhythm guitar and me on lead, rhythm guitar and vocals. We added Jeff Davis on Hammond organ later. This would have been around 1968-69.
Another band was booked by the Howard King agency; that band included Dick Dodd of the Standells as our front singer. I also later managed a music store in Lawndale (south of Los Angeles) called Hogan’s Music, which became locally famous for its clientele, which included the Beach Boys.
A recent photo of me performing at the Carlsbad Sculpture Garden.
I began working as a recording engineer at various studios in the South Bay and eventually became a post-production recording engineer for film and television. I produced a female vocalist, Kim Gile, in the Santa Monica area, and we wrote and performed original R&B, rock and soul. I also built a band around this artist and we worked the Southern California club circuit for 10 years in the 90s and early 2000s.
For the past 12 years, I’ve been focused on playing solo acoustic guitar instrumentals, in the style of people like Chet Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel and other fingerstyle players. I perform locally (in north San Diego County) and also teach guitar.
J.D. Luna
Al McKay and the Turbans cut a single “Rubber Legs” / “Bear Meetin'” on Cenco 108 in early 1966, which likely predated J.D. Luna’s time with the band.
I do not know if there is any connection to two other Cenco singles: Fred and the Turbins “Till There Was You” / “Bernadine” on Cenco 111, and the Turbines “What More Can I Say” / “We Got to Start Over” on Cenco 116.
The Teen Turbans received other press notices including one for a benefit at P.J.s with Aaron McNeil and the Ike Isaacs Trio on August 27, 1967. The last notice I can find for the Turbans was on December 19, 1968 when the Southwest Topics-Wave – Southwestern Sun reported: “Music for dancing was furnished by the Teen Turbans and Turbanettes, and guest stars were Richard and Willie, and singer Diane Johnson.”
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
