Category Archives: Elsmere

Categories: Columbia, Elsmere, Erlanger, Kentucky

The Bad Seeds of northern Kentucky

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The Bad Seeds of Kentucky, Cincinnati Enquirer January 14, 1967
The Bad Seeds featured on January 14, 1967.
From left to right, top row: Jerry Foster, Gene Clarke and Ernie Bands; bottom: John Reynolds and Donald Hodge

The Bad Seeds came from northern Kentucky, in the greater metropolitan Cincinnati area. The Enquirer featured the band in its Teenager section on January 14, 1967. At the time the members were John Reynolds, Donald Hodge, Jerry Foster, Gene Clarke and Ernie Bands [sic – should probably read Ernie Banks]. The article notes the Bad Seeds appeared at Granny’s teen club in Elsmere, that the group would have an album in addition to the single, and also that “all except Ernie hail from Northern Kentucky”.

As far as I know, the album never materialized, but nine months earlier a different version of the group traveled to New York to cut a single for Columbia Records featuring two original songs by the band, the Dylanesque “King of the Soap Box” (written by John Reynolds) and the fine 12-string song “He’s Lying”, written by Jerry Foster, both songs published by Red Brick Music, Inc BMI. Robert Mersey conducted and produced the single, released on Columbia 4-43670 in May, 1966

According to a comment by Lloyd McGlasson, the band’s members on the single were:

Jerry Foster – six string guitar and backing vocals
Lloyd McGlasson – 12 string guitar and backing vocals
John Reynolds – bass and lead vocals
Earnie Banks – drums (Ernie Banks?)

Other sources list additional members, including Vicki Spencer on backing vocals on the single, and even Charlie Brown. Vicki Spencer would sing with The Bubble Gum Machine on their 1967 LP for Senate Records.

These Bad Seeds were not the Texas group who had three singles on J-Beck, nor the group from Oxnard, California with a single “Why Oh Why” / “Hearts of Stone” on TVA.

Categories: Covington, Elsmere, Erlanger, Kentucky

The Maltese

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Maltese at Granny's Club in Elsmere, KY, November, 1966
The Maltese at Granny’s Club in Elsmere, KY, November, 1966. Top photo shows John Hyland and Donny Hutcherson of Boone County High, Mike Mahoney of Covington Catholic and Carol Dodd of St. Henry High. Bottom photo shows the Maltese in the background with dancers Sharon Riley, Charleen Riley, Brenda Clayton and Lindy Agner.

The Maltese came from northern Kentucky communities such as Covington, Park Hills and Erlanger, all part of the greater Cincinnati area.

An article in the Enquirer’s Teen-Ager section on Granny’s club in nearby Elsmere, KY shows a band called the Maltese. The article calls Granny’s teen club the “Home of the Dingos”, a band who played often in the area and who often appear in the local listings, unlike the Maltese.

Two members of the Maltese are identified in the article, John Hyland with the bass, and Mike Mahoney on guitar. Both songs on the single are credited to Akers.

There is some confusion about the early lineups of the group.

Dave Willis wrote to me:

Steve Marcum and I were learning to play chords and simple guitar riffs. We learned ‘Walk, Don’t Run’ and realized we needed a drummer. Steve Belew’s family had moved in a few doors from my family and somehow I learned he was a drummer and the three of us became the original Maltese. We tried out a couple of potential bassists but settled for another voice with a six-string and Tommy Angel joined the band.

It appears the Maltese from northern Kentucky never recorded. I had thought this was the same group who recorded on the Chetwyd label of Lexington, KY, which would have been about an hour’s drive to the south, but it turns out that group was from the Winchester area. I cover that group in a recent post.