The Paradise label out of Houston, Texas is known for garage 45s by Thursday’s Children and the Warlocks, which came late in the label’s run. Most releases are r&b or blues, but there are even some country singles in the series.
any help with this would be appreciated
1000 – Joe Medwick – Second Time Around / Alabama Blues 1001 – Perk Williams – I’m Hanging My Teardrops Out / Release Me 1002 – Jimmy Nelson – Her Last Bye Bye / Tell Me Who 1003 – Frankie Anthony – Goin’ to the River (Frank Argento) / Brenda 1004 – Joe Medwick – You Little Heartbreaker You / I Cried 1005 – Willard Burton – The Last Buffalo / Cuban Cane Fields 1006 – Joe Hill – Just Not My World Anymore / Give Me a Reason 1007 – Link Davis – You Were Only Pulling My Leg / Whenever You Find Your Love My Love (1963) 1008 – Gashead – I’m Too Good / I Want to Get into Something 1009 – The Impellas – Five Plug / Sailing High 1010 – Gene Allison – Not Even Judgment Day / Fading Love 1011 – Gashead – You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone / Why Do You Treat Me Like a Tramp 1012 – Jimmy Nelson – Sweet Sugar Daddy / I’ll Be Ready 1013 – Johnny Copeland – I Need You Now / Heebie Jeebies 1014 – Link Davis – Orange Blossoms / Feu Follet (1963) 1015 – Larry Martinez – Borquinho / Melinda Café 1016 – Jim Post – Every Once in a While / Look a Long Way 1017 – The Rendevous – Ruby Baby / Ram-Bunk-Shus 1018 – Willard Burton – The Freeze / No Name 1019 – Interns – Sally Met Molly / Have Mercy 1020 – Chris Funston with the High Hopes – Summertime / There’s Nothing Left 1021 – Warlocks – Life’s a Misery / Splash Day 1022 – Thursday’s Children – You’ll Never Be My Girl (Jan Pederson) / Try Girl (Charles Helpinstill, Brown) (also released on Kidd 1334) 1023 – Interns – Don’t Make Me No Mind / Life With You 1024 – Leon Mitchison – The Sheek Part 1 / Part 2
5000 – Tommy Hammond – Ride This Train / Beging to You 5001 – Jim Jones and the Chaunteys – Sparkle and Shine / Three Squares 5002 – Johnny Copeland – Night Time Part 1 / Part 2 5003 – Oscar Perry – I’m on My Way / I Want to Get Old with You 5004 – Julius Jones and The Riverea’s – Eimmer Line / Soulin’ with the Riverea’s
With thanks to Texas Soul Recordings for filling in some missing gaps in my discography, and also to Myskatonic for confirming the Chris Funston disk, and to Bob for the listing of 5001.
Most of the Second-Hand Bitter-Sweet were from the small town of Bainbridge, Maryland. They released one 45 in August 1968, one side an upbeat pop song, “You’re Gonna Be Mine Now”, the other a moody favorite of many garage fans, “Please Don’t Go”.
Both were originals by Burchfield and Deaton, and Robert Brown produced the single on his CEI label.
Vocalist Tom Deaton answered my questions about the band and provided the photo and news clip seen here.
Q. Who else was in the band besides you?
Robert Burchfield, Bill Nelson, Mark Wirth, Mike Burchfield, John Oglevee, and Gary Donovan.
I was in a band in high school called the Cobras. When I went into the Navy, I formed another called the Cobras II. We changed the name pretty quickly to Midnite Mass. It was during that time that I let another drummer take over and concentrated on singing. We folded pretty soon and I loaned out my P.A. system to some Navy dependents. I went to pick it up and they were rehearsing for a show at a Catholic school. They sounded pretty awful – they were all just starting to play and sing. I showed them how to sing one of their songs and they asked me to join so I did.
We came up with the name, Second Hand Bitter Sweet cause of the crazy named bands at the time – Strawberry Alarm Clock, etc. When we played out, the kids made fun of us cause we couldn’t sound like the covers. So I suggested we write a couple of our own songs that the kids couldn’t compare to anything. We did – it worked – the kids thought we were great.
Got hooked up with some guy nearby (we were in Bainbridge, MD). We went to a big studio in Baltimore and recorded 2 songs.
The producer was supposed to promote the record, but instead he sent us 500 copies and moved to Ohio.
Of course, it’s virtually impossible to promote something on your own. I had one big time DJ tell me that he got hundreds of 45’s a month and threw most of them in the trash. He said if they had a $50. with it, he would play it once…
I think I gave up too early, but I spent a year in Morocco before I got out. I took up guitar over there and formed a band called the Jagged Edge. Jagged Edge was my first attempt at playing guitar. The rest of the guys were jazz musicians so we did mostly rock and a little jazz. It was fun – we were the only American band in Morocco at that time.
Back in the states, I didn’t do much for a while (college, etc.). When I took a job in San Diego, I played lead with a country band called Country Rainbow – great band. I also played acoustic in bars for drinks and tips.
Back in North Carolina I played with several bands – wrote a few more songs. The band I’m in now, Legacy, is a lot of fun. We played as a 3 piece for over a year. Now we have another guitarist and a new drummer. We do about four of my originals – it’s just a helluva lot of fun. I also volunteer at a local hospital where I sing and play acoustic to cancer patients and others who are in bad shape. 64 and still rockin…. what can I say – “I got the music in me…”
Bob Brown had been recording and releasing records in his hometown of Fremont, Ohio since the early ’60s on his Courier and Empire labels. He continued to produce singles while stationed in the Army in Aberdeen, only 11 miles from Bainbridge. During his two years there he released several records, changing the label name to CEI (Courier-Empire International).
These include:
Sodom & Gomorrah “Flower Children” (written by Caulson, Rudacille and Brown and co-produced by B. Kuhns, D. Bush and G. Gregory) / “Twenty Miles” The Soulations “Come on Thats Love Baby” (Lester Earl Lee G&J) / “Will You Be Mine” The Runabouts “Way Of Life” / “All Is All ” (is this the same group from Cincinnati that cut “I Need Time” / “The Chase” on Vox?) The Hamilton Peach “With the Girl That You Love” (Jeff Yost) / “One Way Ticket Down” The Souls of Britton “Make a New Light” / “I’ll Be on My Way” (this group had an earlier 45 from 1966, “JJ (Come Back to Me)” / “Can’t Be True” (both by Heiberger / Bumgarner, produced by C.M. Bartlett) on Ed Kennedy’s Ken-Del label out of Wilmington, Delaware). Sites n’ Sounds “The Night Is So Dark” (R. Taylor, D. Blankenship)
Back in Ohio in late ’68, R.T. Brown became even busier, releasing a good light psychedelic 45, the Majority of Six “I See the Light” / “Tears Like Rain” and a rare private press LP by “Eric”.
The Malibu’s, from left: Joe Brocolli (guitar), Peter Place (keyboards), Pete Bulger (drums) and Jack Henehan (guitar)
The Malibu’s “Cry (Over Her)” is a garage classic that made it to the first volume of Back from the Grave in 1983. It was the Malibu’s first single, written by Jack Henehan and released in 1966 on the Planet label. Stock copies on the blue Planet label are rarer than the white label promo copies like the one I own.
“Leave Me Alone” is also credited to Henehan but it repeats the chorus tag “until I can think about her without feeling sorry for myself” from the Zombies’ “Leave Me Be”. In other respects the lyrics and arrangement are different from the Zombies song.
In 1968 or 1969 the band re-recorded “Cry” in a faster version without the rough edges and ferocity of the original. The flip was a very pop song with harp, “I Miss You”, co-written by Jack Henehan and Joe Broccoli.
This 45 was issued with bumper sticker (see below), and also as a Pepsi flexi-disc.
There’s an oft-repeated rumor that the band was from Litchfield, Connecticut, but Ray Renzi, who joined Jack Henehan’s next band, Bastille, wrote to me:
None of the Malibus were from CT. All of them were from Rhode Island, most if not all, from Cranston. Three of them were fraternity brothers of mine at URI. The Malibus consisted of Jack Henehan, Joe Broccoli, Peter Place, and Pete Bulger.
They changed their name to Bastille with these same four members and played together under that name for a while. Joe left the band after he graduated from URI and left RI either for a job or for the military, and we formed the group that included Rick Nielsen, Sam Gingerella and myself with Jack, Peter and Pete.
Later Pete Bulger left the band and we hired Jim Szydlo, who played in my previous band “The Mirage” to play drums. This is when we recorded our 45 with “Music Ship” which showed up on a compilation CD (LeBeat Bespoke Vol 3) in England a few years ago. Later Peter Place went on active duty with the Navy and my brother Lou joined the band. There was one more version of the band after I left in 1973 or 1974.
I stay in touch with the guys that I played with and I have worked in some duos with my brother, Rick, or Jack. Rick and I are producing a CD (OLDZKOOL – The Ray Renzi Project) which should be done in about a month. My brother Lou from Bastille plays bass and sings on it. The other musicians are my brothers Len and Ken, my sister Dianne, Dave Maher on sax, George Correia on drums, Rick and myself on guitars.
Ray Renzi
Bumper sticker included with the second release of “Cry”
Original member Joseph Broccoli wrote to me in February, 2011:
I was an original member of the Band, the Malibu’s and can fill in some blanks from the early days of the band. The original incarnation of Broccoli, Henehan, Place and Bolger formed the band in 7th grade and continued playing throughout high school and then college. We were all from the Cranston/Edgewood areas of RI.
We played for multiple high school and frat parties, private parties, yacht club parties, WPRO appearances and for Cherry & Webb’s fashion shows. We were also involved in several “Battle of the Bands” competitions throughout the New England area. We were also managed by Ralph Stuart from the Biltmore downtown and we played for quite a few debutante balls and exclusive weddings and parties in the New England area alongside his formal big band. We also played in the RI Veterans Memorial auditorium, fronting headliners such as The Four Freshmen and The Byrds.
The first two singles, “Cry” and “Leave Me Alone” were recorded in Myron Fluff’s [Myron Arnold’s] studio in Providence. “Miss You” was recorded in Boston in the same studio that Patti Page recorded “Old Cape Cod”.
I left the band in August of 1971 to begin a graduate degree at the Univ. of Michigan. We changed the name to The Bastille because were continually played at The Bastille, a club in Newport, RI.
Joseph Broccoli
Bastille, prior to recording the 45, from left: Sam Gingerella (sax), Pete Bulger (drums), Rick Nielsen (guitar), Peter Place (organ), Ray Renzi (guitar) and Jack Henehan (bass and lead vocals)
Bastille gigged around Rhode Island and Vermont and cut “Trying to Be Free” / “The Music Ship” in 1973. I haven’t heard the A-side, but “Music Ship” has good freakbeat-style guitar work, hard drumming (with a cowbell) and heavy organ backing. Ray Renzi and Jack Henehan wrote both songs.
Thanks to Ray for info on Bastille and the photo of the group, to Mike Markesich for the scans and transfer of the second Malibu’s single, and to Yourek for the scan of the Malibu’s bumper sticker.
Note: These Malibu’s are not related to the ones who cut “I’m Cryin'” for the Quill label or the Macon, Georgia group who did “I Want You to Know” / I’ve Gotta Go” (both by David Luckie) for the PJ label, or the soul group who did “It’s All Over But the Shouting” / “A Broken Man” on White Whale. Or other Malibus like the ones who cut “Humpty Dumpty Was Making Out”, “Hey Hey Hey” or “La Da Da”.
Mop Top Mike suggested I cover the Majestics, an unknown group who cut this one 45 for MGM in 1965. Hopefully we’ll be able to find some more info on this band.
The A-side is “Smile Through My Tears”, a ballad something in the style of the Beau Brummels, written by Cruz-Columbo. It’s backed with “Love Has Forgotten Me”, which I find less compelling.
Tommy Smalls produced the single independently. Mastered in late 1965, MGM purchased it for release in April, 1966. Tommy Smalls is possibly the same DJ known as “Dr. Jive” who was involved in the payola scandal in 1958. That Tommy Smalls relocated to Los Angeles, where he was an R&B DJ for KADY in 1964 then back to New York at WLIB in 1965. By 1968 he was Vice-President in charge of r&b for Jubilee Records.
The publishing was through Earl Music, BMI, though I can’t find any listing in BMI’s database for either song.
The MGM Labels: 1961-1982 by Michel Ruppli and Ed Novitsky indicates “Smile Through My Tears” and the flip as “purchased titles” and “this group was listed in files as “The Mysterians”.
Other groups called the Majestics
There were many other groups by the name Majestics. I don’t think any are related to this group, but I’ll list some of them here.
The one closest in time to this group recorded the soul classic “(I Love Her So Much) It Hurts Me” b/w “Girl Of My Dreams” on Linda 121, both songs written by Arthur Robles, produced for Faro Productions and released in the fall of 1965. The same songs (minus the horn intro on “It Hurts Me”) had a second release as by David and Ruben on Warner Bros 7316, this time listing production by Eddie Davis. A third release on Rampart in 1969 reused the original Linda stampers. David and Ruben were Art Robles’ brothers. Their group was generally known as ‘Art’s Majestics’.
Interestingly, there was another release by the Majestics on Linda 111, “Strange World” / “Everything Is Going to Be All Right” (by Chick Carlton, produced by Bobby Gross), but this is on the blue Linda label, distributed by Scepter, NY in 1963. Supposedly, this was another band entirely, black, not Hispanic.
Other Majestics include: a doo-wop group from Detroit who recorded for Contour, Chex and V.I.P.; a Miami, Florida group who cut “Cave Man Rock” on Marlin; a vocal group from Massachusetts who recorded for 20th Century Fox and other labels.
Background on unrelated Majestics groups from Soulsource and Doo-Wop.blogg.org. Thanks to Mike Markesich for the scan and transfers.
The Regents, 1966, from left: Jerry Rosa, John Harris (sitting, holding his knee), Craig Boyd (sitting in front looking down), Johnny Mann and Mike McDonald (far right) Scan courtesy of Joni Bartley
The Regents were house band at Jack Martin’s A.M-P.M. on La Cienega Blvd., one of the many discos that opened up to compete with the Whisky a Go Go.
In 1964 Capitol recorded the band at the club for an LP of standard songs of the day. I really dig their cover of James Booker’s instrumental, “Gonzo”.
Despite having a gatefold cover to fill with photos and notes, Live at the A.M./P.M. Discotheque doesn’t bother to list a single member of the band. I’ve read some members were originally from Bakersfield. Craig Boyd and Tom Baker had started in a group called the Raiders, then Tom joined the Midnight Flyers. Jerry Rosa had been in a band called the Defiant Ones.
Band members were:
Jerry Rosa – vocals and tambourine Mike McDonald – vocals and lead guitar Tom Baker – 12-string and rhythm guitar, replaced by Johnny Mann, then Marilyn Read John Harris – bass Craig Boyd – drums
David Axelrod produced the album. Domenic Priore’s book Riot on the Sunset Strip quotes Axelrod saying “Jack Martin’s AM-PM was the kind of place where you could order steak sandwiches, and a fistfight would break out every ten minutes. A lot of tough guys went there, so it didn’t last long.” Two songs from the album, “Sugaree” / “Mojo Workout” were released in Germany.
After the A.M./P.M. club closed, the band became the house band at It’s Boss. Following the LP they cut four singles for four different labels. First up was “She’s Got Her Own Way of Lovin'”, a good original by Mike McDonald backed with “When I Die, Don’t You Cry”, released on Reprise 0430 in November, 1965 and produced by Jack Nitzsche.
Tom Baker left in 1965 and the band hired Johnny Mann to replace him.
Next came “Summer Time Blues” / “You Don’t Love Me” on Peoria 008 in March of 1966, produced by John Harris.
The Regents on stage 1965, from left: Jerry Rosa, Tom Baker, Mike McDonald and John Baker. Not pictured: Craig Boyd on drums.
Their third single has the original version of the very catchy Boyce/Hart song “Words”, later done by the Leaves, the Boston Tea Party and the Monkees, usually with a slower opening tempo than the Regents arrangement. I have a promotional copy that has “Words” on both sides of the record, but stock copies have the excellent b-side, “Worryin’ Kind” another fine original by McDonald.
This disk was produced by Norm Ratner and engineered by John Haeny and released in July 1966 on Penthouse 502, distributed by Mira. It was also released in the UK on CBS.
Their last 45 was “Russian Spy and I” written by Jackie Javellin (aka Casper Koelman) and originally done by the Dutch group the Hunters. The Regents version is probably the most well-known, at least here in the U.S. Though the Regents lift the opening riff directly from Hunters guitarist Jan Akkerman, the solo is much more intense, the tempo of the song quicker and the harmonies much more effective than the Hunters version. I bet they could have done a killer version of this live. Produced by Norm Ratner for Dot 16970 in November, 1966, the flip was a cover of “Bald Headed Woman”.
Marilyn Read joined on guitar at some point in 1966 and stayed about a year. She was also in the Ladybirds.
When the band ended, Craig Boyd joined The Hook after Dale Loyola and Dennis Provisor had left the band. Recording as a trio with Bobby Arlin and Buddy Sklar, Craig plays drums on The Hook’s second album Will Grab You. The Hook appeared on the Ironside episode “Trip to Hashbury” miming to both sides of their single “Son of Fantasy” / “Plug Your Head In”.
Michael McDonald, Craig Boyd and John Harris formed McDonald’s Farm, releasing “Excited” / “Deep Feeling” on Vital Records 2369, produced by Ron Shannon.
I’ve also read that they were the band for The Dating Game in the early seasons of that show. Tom Baker wrote to me last summer, but I haven’t had a response to the last two emails I sent. A friend of the band confirmed that they were on The Dating Game, and added that they were UCLA students who played often at Chuck Druet’s club Barnacle Bills on E. Huntington in Duarte.
There seems to be some confusion as to whether or not these are the same Regents who recorded the original version of “Barbara Ann”, but that was an entirely different band, whose members were Sal Cuomo, Chuck Fassert, Tony Gravagna, Don Jacobucci, and Guy Villari.
Nor is the Michael McDonald of this Regents the same guy who was in the Doobie Brothers (but see the Implicits entry on this site for Tom Johnston’s early band).
There are other records by groups called Regents that aren’t related to this group, including: “Cape Fear” (T. Foley) / “Summertime” (produced by J. Choate for the Ohio label Prix); and “No Hard Feelilngs” / “That’s What I Call a Good Time” on the Kayo label. The Regents with “Me and You” / “Playmates” on Blue Cat was a Canadian group who also recorded the LP Going Places with the Regents on Quality.
Some info from a phone interview with Craig Boyd.
Regents Capitol LP Live at the A.M.-P.M. Discotheque gatefoldThe Regents opening for the Lovin’ Spoonful at It’s Boss, 1965 Photo from the collection of Nancy KuehlMcDonald’s Farm: John Harris, Mike McDonald and Craig Boyd Scan courtesy of Joni Bartley
Collin Pruitt of Ink Mathematics suggested I cover this super-obscure acoustic 45 by Gered & Dodique of the Gremlins that he found in Montana. At first listen you might peg them as hippies, which may be correct, but the songs are not light-hearted, even if “Silent Meditation” mentions “free love” and “I’ve taken LSD so I can fly”. Both were written by Krueger and Smith – Gered Krueger and Dodique Smith?
“Store Away These Thoughts” is the more uptempo song, asking people to listen to their words that “one man may have thought he had the answer, but we’ll never know because he died.”
“Silent Meditation” opens with harmonies reminiscent of “Homeward Bound”. Searching for some knowledge that “will some day bring my way life’s happiness”, the writer says he might “end it all” and finishes with “I couldn’t pass away my cares and my tribulations, so you won’t have to help me anymore, because I won’t be here tonight.”
I can’t find any info on Gered & Dodique, or any reference to a Gremlins with members Krueger and Smith. Mid-America Production (M.A.P.) booked other groups across the upper midwest, like the Trenchmen, so a Montana location for this duo is a likely possibility.
The National Records number 8-8821 is a code of the Kaybank plant in Minneapolis, though that doesn’t mean the songs were recorded there. Mike Markesich’s breakdown of the Kaybank codes indicates a date of April-May, 1968.
Any help with this Bofuz Records discography would be greatly appreciated
1100 – Bonnie Fussell – Tell the World About You / Keep Walking On (Bofuz BF-1100, both written by B. Fussell) 1101 – Ernest Jackson – Our Love Will Always Be the Same / It’s You I Love 1102 – ? 1103 – Ernest Jackson and the Tytans – A True Love Is Hard to Find (J. Wells) / I Miss You (Bofuz EJ-1103, February 1965, Dover presss, matrix # 207-1249, Bofuz Pub) 1104 – Greek Fountains – Well Alright / That’s the Way I Am (Bofuz B-1104) 1105 – ? 1106 – The Tempos – Why Don’t You Write Me (L. Hollins) / A Thief in the Night 1107 – The Interpreters* – Stop That Man (Sylvia Heilig) /I Get the Message (Elsie Childers) (Bofuz AM-1107, Oct. 1965, SO #2616; same matrix is on the Gemini OO release, a Bofuz Production) 1108 – Doug Stanford – Same Old Crazy Me / Think of Me 1109 – Bud Fisher – Blue Highway / You Stopped My Wheels From Rollin’ 1110 – Greek Fountains – Howlin’ For My Darlin’ / Go Back Home (Bofuz No. 1110, “Collectors Series”, Nov. 1965, Dover press & matrix # 207-1538) 1111 – ? 1112 – ? 1113 – Jimmy and the Offbeats – Stronger Than Dirt (T. Guarino, B.G. Fussell, D. Short) / Miracle Worker (Bofuz BF-1113, “Collectors Series”, February 1966, Dover press, marix #s 207-1639/40) 1114 – The Lost Generation – Let Me Out (Rhodes-Keating) / They Tell Me (BF-114) 1115 – The Moon-Dawgs – Baby As Time Goes By / You’re No Good (BF-1115) 1116 – ? 1117 – The Neurotic Sheep – I’m Free / Seasons of the Witch (May 1968)
2005 – The Velvets with Louis Presean – Estelle Parker / I Love You (A Thousand Ways) – soul with a Lefty Frizzell cover!? 2006 – Louis Prejean and the Velvets – Nine Pound Steel / Tell It Like It Is
19691 – Sam Euggino & The Quotations – Get Caught / ? (Bofuz BF-19691) – rockabilly! 19692 – Cold Grits – Mellow Man / Mr. Doolittle (both by J. O’Rourke, Bofuz BF-19692, January 1969, LH-5204/5) 19693 – Bill Wray and his Showband Royale ** – Ooo Baby Baby / Morning Dew (Produced by Tom Guarino, Jan. 1969, LH press, #5364/5) 19694 – Joe Degrinda – Smokestack Lightnin’ / She Belongs to Me (1969/70, LH press, #6377)
I don’t know why the changes in numbering, or the reason for the different prefixes to the catalog #s on the labels.
Bofuz Enterprises, Inc. 2274 North St., Baton Rouge, LA
Owned by Tom Guarino and Bonnie Fussell, who had his own single in 1961, Bonnie Fussell and the Jives – “Too High Class” / “Where Are You” on Swan 4070 and Hammond 104 (Luke Thompson pub).
*The Interpreters also issued on the Gemini 00 label with a picture sleeve “Direct from Frankfurt, Germany … Sylvia and Beate”, with publishing by Irene Music, Nosark Pub, BMI.
** Bill Wray and His Show Band Royale also issued on Warner Bros 7317
Sources: thanks to the Sir Shambling site, Max Waller and ‘Joe’ for help with this discography.
Any help with this discography of the N-Joy Records label of West Monroe, Louisiana would be appreciated.
1001 Lance Farr and The Beltones – “Mona Lisa” / “Too Much Ain’t Enough” (1964) 1002 Syl Sims – “Lovemist” / “Landslide” 1003 Randy and The Rockets – “Doggin'” / “Let’s Just Say Goodbye” 1964 1004 Bill Dunnam and The Playboys – “Back To School” / “Anna Belle Lee” 1964 1005 John Fred & the Playboys – “Boogie Children” (Lynn Ourso) / “My First Love” (produced by Rocky Robin, 1965) 1006 1007 1008 Huey Darby – “Rockin’ Robin” / “Secret of Love” (1965) 1009 Duane Yates – “Passin’ On By” / “Anyone” 1010 Duane Yates & the Capris – “Here I Stand” / “Hold It” (C. Scott & B. Butler) 1011 Jody Daniel – “At the Go Go” / “Quando Caliente el Sol” 1012 Billy John & the Continentals – “Ooh Pooh Pah Doo” / “Does Someone Care (for Me)” 1013 Ron Gray & the Countdowns – “No More” / “Ajax The Tin Knight” (1966) 1014 Billy John & the Continentals – “Lover Boy Blue” (B & B. Babineaux) / “Put the Hurt on You” 1015 The Countdowns – “Cover Of Night” (Don Griffin – Don Strickland) / “Can’t You See” (Ron Gray, A&R also Ron Gray) 1016 1017 1018 Don & Jerry – “Too Much Confusion” / “Better Run & Hide” 1019 Thursday’s Children – “Running Around on Me” / “I Don’t Need Your Love” (J. Dunn & S. Farmer) 1020 The Spectres – “No Good, No Where World” (Ron Gray & J. L. Carraway) / “High Stepper” 1021 The Rogue Show – “Look to Me” (Larry Jefferson, Jay Boyott Music BMI) / “Little Lonely Summer Girl” (D. Box, R. Rush)
Compiled with help from Global Dog Productions though I took off their listing of Penny Gilley at 1016 as I believe that’s a different N-Joy label.
I was a drummer for one of those bands way back when. Newark, Ohio was our Liverpool. We had The Sticks and Stones for many years – they had their own bus and competed in the national battle of the bands a couple times and I think got a recording deal. Then there was The Lyte Brigade who also had a bus, AND Mel Royster who was a great singer. They put out a record, I think it was called “Showtime”.
Then there was my band – Glass Menagerie that was together till ’70. The members were Steve Risbon (lead), Steve Hideg (bass), Bob Reynard (guitar) and Fred Schonberg (drums).
We were on Jerry Razors’ “Dance Party” and recorded a cover of “Delta Lady” by Joe Cocker which got some airplay. We didn’t have a bus and rented a U haul every weekend. We opened at “Someplace Else” in Mt Vernon I think it was, for the “Ohio Express” after they came back from England and didn’t want to be bubblegum anymore. We also did the Holiday Swim Club, and played from Norwalk to Cadiz and south to West Virginia – with a lot of gigs in Zanesville, not bad when you’re 15.
The photos were taken fall of ’70 with two of the members who were on the record. We all came from garage band roots and the band had been together since 1967.
Writing about Danny and the Counts has brought in a lot of information about the Coronado and Frogdeathlabels, so I’ll feature some more artists from these companies, starting with the Imposters.
The A-side is “Wipe In”, their take on the surf standard “Wipe Out” of course, with plenty of reverb and a deranged introduction. It was written by E. Teleheny, published by Conte Music. The flip is a standard blues, “Tulsa”, written by L. Miller.
I can’t find any info or photos of the band, if anyone has one, please let me know.
Although a DJ in El Paso, Steve Crosno’s Frogdeath label was based in University Park, New Mexico. At least some records were cut at his house. He usually put a witty quip on the label, this one has “Produced by Shteve [sic] Crosno”.
Thanks to Sam Stephenson for the scans and transfers of this 45.
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 Paradise label out of Houston, Texas is known for garage 45s by Thursday’s Children and the Warlocks, which came late in the label’s run. Most releases are r&b or blues, but there are even some country singles in the series.
Mop Top Mike suggested I cover the Majestics, an unknown group who cut this one 45 for MGM in 1965. Hopefully we’ll be able to find some more info on this band.
Collin Pruitt of 
Writing about 