Category Archives: US

Categories: Century Custom, Kentucky, Paducah

The Blazers “Poison”

November 30, 2016 Chris Bishop 12 Comments

Blazers Photo: Harry Alexander, Bob Houghland (obscured), Ronnie Griffith, John Adler — The Blazers, from left: Harry Alexander, Bob Houghland (obscured), Ronnie Griffith and John Adler

The Blazers were an obscure group who cut one fine instrumental single “Poison” / “Blue Blazin” with a Century Custom franchise out of Paducah, Kentucky, in the far west of the state.

Members were:

Bob Houghland – drums
Ron Griffith – rhythm guitar
John Adler – lead guitar
Harry Alexander – bass

Lead guitarist John Adler sent in the photo at top. Check out the skull in front of the bass drum, not to mention the instruments: a Kay Value Leader bass, a Danelectro Shorthorn double-cutaway, and a Gibson SG.

“Blue Blazin” was the original A-side, a bluesy guitar workout with plenty of room echo, written by Bob Houghland and Ron Griffith.

“Poison” has achieved some fame since appearing on an early volume of Strummin’ Mental (available now through Crypt Records). John Adler and Harry Alexander wrote “Poison”.

Bob Houghland passed away in 2014.

The Blazers recorded through the Century Custom Recording Service of Thomas F. Morris at 3029 Oregon St., Paducah, Kentucky. Fellow Paducah band the Moxies recorded their great last single, “I’m Gonna Stay” / “Drinkin’ Wine” through Century.

The Century Custom release number 18054 dates it to 1964.

Categories: Evansville, Indiana, Skoop

The Nomads “Coolsville”

November 29, 2016 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

Jeff Davis of the Nomads on stage at the Washington, Indiana YMCA

The Nomads came from Evansville, Indiana and played live throughout the southwest part of the state. Members included:

Eddie Karges – rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Max Emmick – lead guitar 
Chuck Dowd – organ 
Jeff Davis – bass 
Gary Varden – drums 

In 1965 they recorded their only single in Santa Claus, IN, released on Skoop 1065, one of the labels owned by Ray Scrivener. One side is the disaffected “Coolsville”, written by Max Emmick and Jeff Davis, with some of the classic lyrics of the era:

Walking down the street with my baby,
In my baggies?? so tight,
Yeah, I was whistled at,
By a gang of girls.
Went to a dance that night,
Danced with all my might,
Walked into the gym,
Boy what a crowd of hicks,
Yeah they were doing the Twist,
C’mon and twist, twist, twist, twist, ahhh!
Strolled up to a chick,
Smiled and I said to her,
Do the Twist or (?) the Charleston?
I’m a gonna leave this town,
Yeah, I’m a gonna leave this town,
I’m a gonna leave this town,
Never to return again.

The flip is the more tender “Shy Girl”, written by Max Emmick.

Despite the Buna Music BMI publishing credit on the labels, I don’t believe these songs were registered with either the Library of Congress or BMI.

I’ve read Ed Karges and Chuck Dowd later played in another Evansville group, the Misfits, who cut “I’ll Feel Better (In the Morning)” / “Please Don’t Go Away” (both by Kneeland – DeVillez) on the Showboat label in 1967.

Jeff Davis moved to Tennessee where he formed the Amazing Rhythm Aces in the early ’70s.

Photo and some of the info from the North Knox High School website.

Categories: Catoosa, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Pla Me Records, Tulsa

The Standels on Pla-Me Records of Muskogee

November 28, 2016 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Standels of Muskogee Photo — The Standels, from left: Tom Bradley, Blaine Trumbold (in back), Boyd Bogle (front), Ronny (surname?), Eddy Cortner, and Ron Cortner

The Standels “Let’s Go” turns the Animals’ “I’m Crying” into edgy, forbidding territory:

Well me and my baby go to a show
And we get there … (?)
And me and my baby leave the show,
And we go out on this dark road.
Well here comes someone down the road,
They’re comin’ up behind us, not too slow.
Oh go, I see a red light flashing.
Well I guess we’d better get out of here fast.
Let’s go

According to Teen Beat Mayhem, the Standels came from Catoosa, Oklahoma, just east of Tulsa. I knew nothing about the band, nor any of the members names, but Max Waller alerted me that according to an interview with Ron Cortner, the band was originally called the Roustabouts. By the time of the 45 the group consisted of:

Boyd Bogle – lead vocals
Tommy Bradley – lead guitar
Ron Cortner – rhythm guitar
Blaine Trumbold – bass guitar
Eddy Cortner – drums

The band’s members changed frequently, so please check Blackwell & Lake’s research for the full story.

Pla-Me Records was located at 903 Louisiana in Muskogee, 40 miles to the southeast.

The original A-side “Love Comes Once In a Lifetime” is a fine, slow ballad.

The T4KM-9713/4 RCA custom pressing code indicates a release date from the first half of 1966. The labels credit Bobby McBride and Curtis Long with A&R, both had their own singles on Pla-Me Record. Curtis Long ran the publishing for Vilena Pub. Co. BMI, but neither of these songs were registered with BMI or the Library of Congress.

Pla-Me Records of Muskogee is not related to the Ohio label Pla Me, though both were releasing records at the same time. The Muskogee label had a 666P prefix to its RCA custom pressings, while the Ohio label’s account was 804B.

Jim O’Bryan sent in the photo at top and wrote to me:

Their lead singer, Boyd Bogle, was my cousin. He also played drums. Boyd passed away a few years ago and is buried in the National Cemetery in Muskogee. Here is a photo of the band, recently posted by Boyd’s twin sister. No info yet on the one who signed as “Ronny.” I haven’t heard either song on the record since the last time Boyd played it for me in probably 1968 or ’69.

Thank you to Jim and to Boyd Bogle’s sister for providing the photo of the Standels.

Of course, this band is not the Standells of “Dirty Water” fame.

Categories: Graco, Kentucky, Phyllis, Pikeville

The Vibrators

November 27, 2016 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Vibrators came from Pike County in eastern Kentucky, including the towns of Pikeville and Phyllis. Circa 1968 they cut the fine single “Bad Girl”, written by Stevie Justice. There’s a lot to like about the song, including a good guitar solo, excellent drum fills and lyrics like “I’ll get even with you before I die”.

The single came out on Graco Records 45-507, with deadwax markings repeated on the labels, 5650/1. The Vibrators would have traveled some distance to find a pressing plant for the singles. Lexington, Kentucky was 140 miles away, and Charleston or Huntington, West Virginia were not much closer. Max Waller suggests the 5650 code indicates Southern Plastics / United Record Pressing in Nashville, which is likely, though there is no etched “SO” or Nashville Matrix stamp in the deadwax. If the 45 is from Southern Plastics, the code would indicate a January, 1969 release.

Richard Hunt produced both sides. The labels indicate BMI for both songs but I can find no evidence of copyright registration for either song.

I only know of two band members’ names, Steve Justice and Fonso Fields. Fonso Fields wrote the flip, the bluesy instrumental “Keep a Dreamin’”.

Categories: Livingston, Re-Echo, Tennessee

The Madhatters on Re-Echo Records

November 16, 2016 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

The Madhatters have the earliest single on the Re-Echo Records label out of Livingston, Tennessee, about 100 miles northeast of Nashville. The A-side was a better-than-average version of “Unchain My Heart” b/w a breezy garage pop song, “That Kind of Girl”, released on Re-Echo Records 1003-45 in 1966.

T. Bradford, M. Peterman, J. Holloway wrote “That Kind of Girl” and were probably members of the band. I can’t find any further info on the group.

The Madhatters – “Unchain My Heart”
The Madhatters – “That Kind of Girl”

The label reads published by Middle Tenn. Music Co. BMI and Atwell Studio Production. Unfortunately, though many other songs published by Middle Tennessee Music were registered in the ’60s, I can find no copyright notice for this song or the writers.

Like many early releases on Re-Echo, this is a Rite pressing 17843/4, account number 1810. Other than the Madhatters, all other releases on the Re-Echo label seem to be either country or white gospel music.

Livingston, TN also had the Breeze Records label, based out of 209 South Church Street, with a connection to Atwell Publishing on 704 Bennett St. in Lafayette, TN, and featuring Dickey Cherry and Lonnie Holt, among others.

Re-Echo Records discography (probably incomplete)

1003 – Madhatters – “Unchain My Heart” / “That Kind of Girl”
1004 – Jim Edwards – “Talk to Your Heart” (James E. Hensley) / “If You Were My Darling”
1005 – Crownsmen Quartet – “Sweet Jesus” / “When God’s Chariot Comes”
1007 – Herman Hatfield and the Tennessee Valley Boys – “Sweet Memories of You” / “He Is The Master of Us All”
1008 – Sharlet Sexton & the Tennessee Valley Boys – “I Ain’t Good For Nothin ‘cept Pickin and Singin” / “Boys Like You”
1010 – Leon and Earl & the Bluegrass Mountain Boys – “There Could Never Be Another” / “False Dreams”
1011 – The Poston Family – “I Remember Daddy” / “It Might As Well Be Me”
1012 – Vic Jason & the Lonely Ones – Home Again” / “To Be Free” (both by Charles ‘Clint’ Cravens)
1014 – Dickey Cherry and the Common People – “All But Me” (Terry Muncy) / “Anita, You’re Dreaming”
45-6-2328-69 – Lonnie Holt – “Overton Hanging” / “One Little Things At a Time”

plus a spiritual album by the Four J’s Keeper of the Door.

Categories: Canary, Nashville, Tennessee, Unknown

The Tangle on Canary Records

November 10, 2016 Chris Bishop 4 Comments

The Tangle recorded the very cool single “Any Time, Any Where” / “Our Side of Town” for Canary Records of Nashville, Tennessee in October 1966.

Alvin Holland and Nyman Furr came from Camden, Tennessee, about 50 miles west of Nashville, so that was possibly the base for the group.

Members included:

Alvin Holland – guitar and lead vocals (?)
Ronnie Waters – guitar
Nyman Furr – bass
(?) Hayes – drums

“Any Time, Any Where” has great riffing guitars and a relaxed Stones-like feel to the vocals and band.

When I can make out the lyrics to “Our Side of Town” they’re wild: something about munching her box…lunch.

According to the labels, Halland, Furr, Hayes, Waters wrote both songs. C.L. Womack produced the single and also published both songs through C.L. Womack Pub. Co. BMI but I can find no copyright listing in the Library of Congress indexes.

Halland is a typo for Holland and a site for the Tennessee River Crooks band featuring Ronnie Waters on guitar listed the members of the Tangle as Alvin Holland, Ronnie Waters and Nyman Furr.

Holland, Waters and Furr later played in versions of Maggie Lee & the Percussions.

Nyman Furr passed away on March 10, 2007, according to Wikipedia.

Thank you to Max Waller and Mario Aguayo for their help with finding info on this band.

Canary Records had at least seven releases, most seem to be country music. J.C. Rhoton, Jr. shows up a lot on the labels, possibly he owned the label. Howard Rhoton may be his son, his “I’ll Skip School” on Canary was advertised in Billboard on April 25, 1964.

Gower-Moore Studio seems to be connected to the Gower guitar makers in Nashville.

Canary had two Nashville addresses on its labels, 2906 Ironwood Drive and 2911 Harlin Drive.

Canary Records discography (any help with this would be appreciated)

Canary 1002 – Rhodes Boys – “Pretty Little Miss” (V. Rhodes, B. Rhodes, V. Rhodes) / “Got A One Way Ticket”, prod. by Curtis McPeake, Gower-Moore Studio Production.

Canary 1008 – Howard Rhoton – “Look Back” / “I’ll Skip School” (H. Rhoton, J. Rhoton), Gower-Moore Studio Production.

Canary 1010 – Bob Hayes – “Johnny Reb Was a Fighting Man” / “1862” (both by B. Hayes, C.L. Womack for Ironwood Music)

Canary 1012 – The Tangle – “Any Time, Any Where” / “Our Side of Town”

Canary 2001 – Barbara Dale – “Winner Take All” (Joe South) / “There Stands My World”, produced by J.C. Rhoton, Jr.

Canary 2002 – Charlie Rife & the Chordsmen – “Are You Sure” (C. Rife) / “Here’s the Key”, prod by J.C. Rhoton, Jr, for J.C. Rhoton Music BMI

Canary 2003 – Barbara Dale – “Missing You Again” (Baker Knight) / “Greatest Show on Earth” (Mike Cain)

Categories: Bag One Way, El Campo, Texas

Mechanical Switch

November 7, 2016 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

Here is a previously unpublished history of Mechanical Switch written by lead vocalist and song writer Bart Baca in 1994. Thank you to Bart and to Massimo Di Gianfrancesco for bringing this history to light.

First time I heard the monster Texas garage psych two-syder 45 by Mechanical Switch was in the late ’80s when I bought a copy of Eva Records’ Texas Psychedelia. A few years after in the early 90’s. I bought an original copy with the picture sleeve from an U.S. dealer; I was so happy considering the scarcity of the 45 and for such awesome punkadelic single. At the time we did a small ‘zine called Never Existed, so for the second issue (that never came out), I sent a xerox copy of the pic sleeve to my friends Matteo Bocci and G. Del Buono to try contact the band by phone ’cause they had easier access to call the states. The band was shocked that somebody from Italy in the ’90s were looking for them and liked them so much; they happily sent us the pics and story you find here, enjoy!

Massimo Di Gianfrancesco

Mechanical Switch started in a garage in the small Texas farming town of El Campo. It was 1966, a wild period in U.S.A. history. Sixties music was rocking in Texas. Our group met at high school and began practicing, playing music by the Yardbirds, Stones, Animals, English groups.
The Mechanical Switch core band was Alan Meek, lead guitar; Leroy Shelton, rhythm and bass guitar; Benny Dusek, drums; and me, Bart Baca, vocals and tambourine. Mark Wenglar, organ and several other bass players joined later.
We started playing school gigs and local clubs in 1967. Rednecks and cowboys hated us and our hair and music. Always wanted to fight us. We tried to play in the high school talent contest but the principal read the words to the song we picked (“Satisfaction” by the Stones) and he stopped us. Just driving around town could be dangerous.
The late 60s brought psychedelic music and a dropout-anti-war, turned-on counterculture. We had played some pretty good shows in the Houston area where girls would mob us and start to rip off our clothes. We wore paisley and metallic Nehru jackets and “Beatle boots”. We did songs by psychedelic bands like Thirteenth Floor Elevators, Fever Tree, Iron Butterfly, Spirit and the Doors, and traditional English rock.
We also wrote a number of songs and recorded two in 1969. We recorded in Robin Hood Bryan’s studio in Tyler Texas where other psychedelic groups had recorded. We recorded all night. Our 45 rpm record had a drug-love song “Everything is Red” on the “A” side and “Spongeman” on the “B” side. “Spongeman”, about a flaky guy who lived by soaking up his girl’s love, was a hit and all copies of our record sold, except for a few we kept.
Vietnam was big. The war was always reaching for us, trying to get us into it. We saw friends dying for nothing or skipping off to Canada and blowing off their life. We recorded psychedelic songs and sent them to soldiers in Nam since they did not have live rock to listen to. Some songs were so radical people would not send them to the soldiers. Rednecks and cowboys were worse than ever. They were also our parents. Marching or even talking against the war was risky. Keeping long hair was hell. Mine was curly so I had to use heavy grease or go to a black lady who knew how to iron it straight.
The draft lottery and college deferments kept some out of war, but many went. Anyway, the band broke up during these times (1970). Leroy joined the service, went to Korea, returned to the U.S., and died in a mine cave-in. Benny joined the service and went to Germany. He is now in the Texas oil business. Alan and I went to college. Alan is a farmer in El Campo, still playing a little guitar. I am in environmental work in Florida. Watching for a rebirth of the rebel rock music of the late 60s. Saw it happen again with punk, and grunge. Kind of repeats itself when we need it.
Bart Baca
11-15-94

We recommend On the Road South for more info and photos of Mechanical Switch.

Categories: Columbia County, Hudson, Kennett Sound (Kinderhook NY), New York, Reeb

The Fownds of Hudson, NY

November 5, 2016 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

The Fownds came from Hudson, New York. They had two singles, first the thumping rocker “Comin On Strong” b/w the doo-wop influenced “Rosalin” in 1971, and then the moody “Remember” b/w a hot rod parody “Wheels” (the band name changed to the Founds on this release).

Both singles have a sound like something from the early-mid ’60s despite the release dates.

Donald Moore wrote most of the songs and did some lead vocals. Sal Gambino wrote “Rosalin”, and Roy Jackson sang lead on the moody “Remember”.

The Fownds released both singles on their own Reeb label (“beer” spelled backwards), a custom label through Earl Kennett’s studio in Kinderhook.

Don Moore had a later band called Confusion, I believe he passed away in 2013.

Categories: Amway, Kentucky, Paintsville

The Classics “I’m Hurtin'” on Amway

November 1, 2016 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

The Classics at Teen Town in Paintsville

The Classics came from Paintsville, Kentucky, a town about 110 miles east of Lexington, KY. Members included:

Richard Titlow – lead vocals and guitar
Bill (Fats) Garland – organ
Bill Osborne – lead guitar
Pat Donohue – bass
Frank Hughes – drums

The Classics played at the Teen Town in Paintsville, where two of the photos here were taken. Tim Warren writes “Other local combos included The Midnighters, The Shadows of Infinity, Johnny Reb & the Rebels, XLs, the Chessmen, the Crabs, the Invaders (from Prestonburg), the Mag Seven (from Lexington) and the Saxons (from Pikesville) who released one 45, “She’s All Wrong” / “I’ll Go Wandering” on REM.”

With no local studios to record in, the band started looking farther afield. When the Classics traveled to Louisville to be in Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars, Bill Garland’s father set up a deal to pay for them to record in Indiana for the Amway label.

The Classics on stage, possibly in Louisville
from left: Bill Garland, Frank Hughes (on drums), Pat Donohue, Richard Titlow and Bill Osborne

John wrote to me:

I remember Richard telling me that the 45 was recorded in someone’s house and that they all were in different rooms but it was a live take. He said the guy that was going to record them asked about the b side and they quickly had to throw an original song together.

Drummer Frank Hughes wrote the A-side “Trisha” for his girlfriend, with help from Billy Garland, Richard Titlow and Bill Osborne. It features a partly spoken vocal aswirl in the echoing organ. The flip is what makes the single legendary now, the intense “I’m Hurtin’” written by Garland, Titlow and Donahue. Playridge Music published both songs, the codes 825M-4956, T4KM-4956, indicate a custom RCA pressing from the first half of 1966.

Crypt Records included “I’m Hurtin’” on Back From the Grave vol. 9.

It’s likely the draft broke the group up. John writes that the four members he knows are all still alive and well.

Special thanks to John Chaney, a guitarist who sat in with most of the band’s members at annual reunions at the area’s country club, for the photos and some of the info. More of the info comes from Tim Warren’s notes to Back from the Grave volume 9 – but you’ll have to read Tim’s notes for the raucous stories.

John Chaney, left with members of the Classics

John Chaney with Bill Garland of the Classics

Categories: Champaign, Illinois, Rofran, Urbana

The Intruders on Rofran

November 1, 2016 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

The Intruders have the very first release on the Rofran label from Urbana, Illinois. Both sides are very good guitar instrumentals, originals composed by R.S. Little. “Deception” is particularly sharp.

I don’t know of any other releases by the Intruders, and the R.S. Little name does not appear on additional Rofran 45s that I’ve seen, so this may be their only recording.

The codes on the labels, S-4272 and S-4273 indicates Sheldon in Chicago did the pressing – anyone have a way to date those Sheldon numbers?

Intruders – Deception
Intruders – Intrudin’

So far I have not found a connection to any other Intruders group such as:

Pittsfield, IL, with Doug Oakley, Bill Mobus, Bob ‘Bub’ Evans, Larry Lemons and Jeff Hallows who released “Now That You Know” / “She’s Mine” on IT 2312 in Sept. 1966.

Rockford, IL, who cut “Bringin’ Me Down” (Ginsburg) / “The World You’ve Created (in Your Mind)” (John Bishoff) on Claremont CL 665 in May of ’66.

St. Louis, MO, with Gary Szevery, Barry Schepers, Andre Garamella, Jim Ebert and Kit Sodergren, who cut “I’ll Go On” / “That’s The Way” on Marlo and “Total Raunch” / “Ruins” on Cinema in 1966.

Garage Hangover