Category Archives: Redwood City

Categories: California, Redwood City

The Venus Flytrap “The Note” / “Have You Ever” on Jaguar Records and Mijji

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Venus Flytrap Redwood City Tribune August 3, 1967
The Venus Flytrap came from Redwood City, CA. Info on the group is a scattershot, so I’ve decided to compile what I’ve found in the hope of getting more information.

Venus Flytrap Jaguar 45 Have You Ever

They made one great single, “The Note” / “Have You Ever”, released on two different labels.

The original release came on Jaguar Records J-103, owned by Barry Wineroth. It was a hit in the Santa Barbara area, but the band also had a following in the South Bay, which may be why Mijji repressed it on Mijji M-3005, adding a production credit to Gilbert Day, drummer with the Bundles.

The Redwood City Tribune announced the release of the single on August 3, 1967, but copyright registration came later. Both songs have words by Don Danielli (not sure of the spelling – Donald Danelli ?), and music by Dan Sanchez, copyrighted on April 15, 1968 with publisher by Wren Music BMI, and again a week later with new publisher Guard Music BMI, part of Golden State Recorders.

Venus Flytrap Mijji 45 The NoteAt the time of the single, the Venus Flytrap members were:

Nancy Morgan – lead singer
Peter Sessions – lead guitar
Dan Sanchez – rhythm guitar
Ken Czapkay – bass
Debbie Binetti – drums

Bard Dupont of the Outfit replaced Ken Czapkay when he was drafted, and Michele Sevryn replaced Nancy Morgan shortly before the band split.

The Venus Flytrap after the single: from left: Bard Dupont, Debbie Binetti, Pete Sessions, Nancy Morgan and Dan Sanchez

The Venus Flytrap recorded two other songs, “California” and “Gentle Breaker” at Pacific Recording Studios in San Mateo, with Karen Jenson on backup vocals.

Venus Flytrap Redwood City Tribune, August 22, 1969

There is also a live recording from Redwood City (which I have not heard) with a different lineup: Nancy Morgan and Dan Sanchez joined by Jacque Aknin on drums, Charles J. Ashton on bass and Ralph Pena on organ. Songs include “Whiskey Train”, “Paraphenalia” and “Brand New Dress”.

The group played many venues in the area, including the Mt. Carmel Teen Club on December 1, 1967 with the Mourning Reign, and Light show by the Brothers Grimley. I can find notices for the band’s shows as late as May, 1970.

Darline Elswick, Bonnie Borelli and Marge Boutwell headed fan clubs for the group.

Members would join other groups such as the Great Society, Phoenix, New Generation, and Howl & the Raven.

Nancy Morgan (now Nancy Coggins) sent a pdf with b&w collages of photos, business cards etc. Hopefully the originals will be located for better quality images. There’s also a somewhat blurry photo around of Peter Sessions and Nancy Morgan standing in front of the hieroglyphics wall of the Matrix.

The Bay Area Bands site reprints Alec Palao’s article on Bard Dupont from Cream Puff War No. 2, February 1993.

Nancy Morgan was no longer in the Venus Flytrap by the time of this May 29, 1970 article in the Tribune for the People Helping People festival in San Mateo, with Smoke, Clover, and Cousin Roberts and Friends, plus the Illegitimate Theatre.
Categories: California, Mijji, Redwood City, San Jose, San Mateo

The Front Office “Wow” on Mijji

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Front Office Mijji 45 WowThe Front Office single on Mijji seems to be a combination of two different recording groups. The A-side “Girl” is polished, Motown-type soul, written by Steve Cook and arranged by Val Garay (who would go on to engineer and produce many high-profile acts in the 1970s and ’80s) and Mark Holly.

The instrumental flip side is something else altogether. “Wow” is first-rate psychedelia done by a band who knows what they’re doing and don’t hold back. The song writing credit goes to Gilbert Day, who is also credited as producer with G. Zacharisen (possibly George Zacharisen). Satori Music, BMI published both songs, released on Mijji M3007 in 1968.

Beyond those names, the identity of the musicians on “Wow” is a mystery. This was the last release on Mijji, which had a handful of other singles. Sound 70 had two singles on Mijji:

Mijji M-3002 – Sound 70 – “There Is No Reason” / “Seven Day Fool”
Mijji M-3004 – Sound 70 – “One Too Many Mournings” / “Chicago Blues”

Day-Gardner-Brown produced both singles, and other than song writing and publishing credits for the cover songs, “Seven Day Fool” and “One Too Many Mournings” (sic), there are no other names on the labels. Sound 70 played live around San Mateo, Belmont and San Carlos, California, adjacent towns on the peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose. Sound 70 seems to have come out of the Bundles, whose songs “Mark My Words” and “Watch Me Girl” went unreleased at the time but now appear on the Big Beat CD Dance With Me: The Autumn Teen Sound.

Judging by “There Is No Reason” and the heavy drums on “One Too Many Mournings”, Sound 70 had the ability to cut a track like “Wow”, but that’s only speculation.

The only other single on Mijji that I can find is by the Venus Flytrap:

Mijji M-3005 – Venus Flytrap – “The Note” / “Have You Ever” (both by Donald Danielli – Daniel Sanchez, prod. by Gilbert Day, published by Guard Music, BMI)

The original release came on Jaguar Records J-103, owned by Barry Wineroth. It was a hit in the Santa Barbara area, but the Redwood City band also had a following in the South Bay, which may be why Mijji repressed it.

If anyone has more info or photos on the bands, please contact me.

Front Office Mijji 45 Girl

Categories: California, Century Custom, Redwood City, San Mateo

The Juveniles “Let Me Tell You Girl”

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Juveniles, Ed Rod, San Mateo Times, July 15, 1966
Ed Rod ran this ad on at least three occasions in the San Mateo Times, this one from July 15, 1966

This 8″, six song acetate of the Juveniles on Century Custom Records was found at the estate of a music teacher who had a small studio at his home in Palo Alto, California.

“Let Me Tell You Girl” has a great opening fuzz riff and a fine solo. “Goodbye Girl” is also excellent garage.

The other four songs feature trumpet as the lead instrument. One of these is very good: “Don’t Kid Around”. The others are decent instrumentals, titled “Work Song”, “Bosa Nova” (sic), and “What Now My Love”, which is basically “Tequila”.

For years I didn’t know anything about the group or where exactly this was recorded, only that these kids sound young, like 14 or 15 maybe. As it turns out, most of them were even younger than that, ranging from 11 to 14. Geoffrey’s comment below about Ed Rod let me to search the San Mateo Times and I came up with the article seen below, something far beyond my expectations!

Members were:

Scott Beall (San Mateo) – guitar
David DeVee (San Mateo) – guitar
Don Schneider (Burlingame) – bass
Lester Lovitt (Hillsborough) – trumpet
Jim Sanchez (Redwood City) – drums

The Juveniles, San Mateo Times, July 2, 1966
The Juveniles, featured in the San Mateo Times, July 2, 1966

According to the article by Barbara Bladen, David and Scott took lessons from Eddie Rod in Redwood City, then found Don Schneider and eventually Jim and Lester joined. The group played the Cow Palace, the Burlingame Exchange Club, and the Circle Star Theatre among other venues.

Thanks to Derek for loan of the acetate.

The Juveniles – Let Me Tell You Girl
The Juveniles – Goodbye Girl
The Juveniles – Don’t Kid Around

The Juveniles and the Renaissance in the San Mateo Times Oct. 18, 1968
The Juveniles and the Renaissance in the San Mateo Times Oct. 18, 1968

The above article from October 1968 is interesting, – either the San Mateo Times mixed up the band names, or the Juveniles, now a couple years older, took on a new name, the Renaissance, and gave their Juveniles name to a new band of youngsters, consisting of Steve Grippi, Bill Weber, Mike Trantham and Pat Loeb.