The Beatles, 1964, from left: Bill Suddith, Lonnie McLane, Russ Jordan, Wayne DeWitt and Donnie Turner
The Beagles “All I Need Is You” is a crude garage number very reminiscent at times of “Can’t Buy Me Love”. There are a couple good shouts and a decent guitar break. It’s backed by the goofy “Him and Her”, a song about the two dogs at the White House getting in LBJ’s way.
The band was from Lynchburg, Virginia, with song writing by John William Suddith and Wayne DeWitt, published with Gary Simpson who owned the Beagles name (thanks to Mop Top Mike for the info).
The band members were:
Bill Suddith – lead guitar and vocals Lonnie McLane – guitar and lead vocals Russ Jordan – bass and vocals Wayne DeWitt – sax and vocals Donald Turner – drums
Released on the Empire label in the spring of 1964, this 45 was pressed at the Southern Plastics plant in Nashville, using Nashville Matrix to master and plate.
No relation to the Beagles cartoon which had some great tracks like “I Feel Like Humpty Dumpty”.
Freddie and the Freeloaders, from left: Jamie Montana, Bobby Dennis, Fred Prue, Al Roberts, and Dennis BroadbeltThe Volcanoes, Fred Prue at right, the others are unidentified
Updated March, 2022
Left-handed guitarist Fred Prue came from Newport, Vermont, the eldest of thirteen children. His father Frederick Adelbert Prue was also a guitarist, with a record as Fred Prue with Roy Baxter & His Combo – “Don’t Wink at Me” / “Lookin for Joe” (both songs by Prue & George Zorich) on Arctic 45-100 in 1957.
Fred Prue started the Volcanoes, but I am not sure who was in the early lineups of the band. Al Roberts, who had been with the Thunderbolts from Plattsburgh, NY joined sometime around 1964. Prue and Roberts would be constants in the lineups of Freddie & the Freeloaders over the next couple years.
The 1965 lineup of the Volcanoes or Freddie & the Freeloaders seems to have included:
Fred Prue – guitar and vocals Al Roberts – organ Bob Dennis – guitar Joe Seta – bass Dennis Broadbelt – drums
The Volcanoes met Johnny Baylor, probably in New York City while touring. The Volcanoes were among Baylor’s first record productions, their single released on his B&J Records 100 in early 1965.
“Two of a Kind” is a slow weeper with a long dramatic introduction. I prefer the flip, “Someone Like You”, a rocker with swirling organ, a couple good shouts, decent guitar solo and a solid rhythm section. Frederick C. Prue wrote both songs, though Amy Prue told me her grandfather wrote the original version of “Someone Like You”. The red-label stock copy has a different logo at top, and oddly, a second vocal track on “Someone Like You”.
Also in early 1965, the Volcanoes changed their name to Freddie and the Freeloaders, based out of Burlington, VT, but touring constantly. They made another single with Johnny Baylor producing, “Shindig Dance” (Betty Newsome, Eddie Silvers) b/w “Two of a Kind” (written by Fred C. Prue), arranged & conducted by Eddie Silvers.
The only other artist Baylor produced on B and J Records and Baylor Records was Little Dooley and the Fabulous Tears. Baylor would relocate his operations to Memphis, Tennessee, where he started the Koko label in 1966, and would eventually become involved with Stax Records.
Willie Mitchell’s band with Freddie and the Freeloaders in Memphis, circa 1966. From left (kneeling): Willie Mitchell, unidentified, Freddie Prue, and Don Bryant. Top row from left: James Mitchell, six unidentified people, Dennis Broadbelt, and unidentified
The connection with Baylor may have brought Freddie & the Freeloaders to Memphis, where they would cut their next single at Sun Studios. The rockin’ “Patty” is credited to Fred Prue and Gene Simmons, Arkmil Pub. Co., and “The Octopus Song” is by James Mitchell & John Franzese. The initial release was on Crossroad 103/4 out of West Memphis, Arkansas in March, 1966.
Laurie Records immediately picked it up for national distribution as Laurie LR 3334. The single even saw release in Germany on Ariola 18 880 AT.
Freddie and the Freeloaders, from left: Jamie Montana, Bobby Dennis, Fred Prue, Al Roberts, and Dennis Broadbelt
An article in the Nashua Telegraph (Nashua, New Hampshire, not far from Boston) on December 31, 1966 lists the members as:
Fred Prue – lead guitar Al Roberts – rhythm guitar Joe Seta – bass Robert Allen – organ Bob Bennet – drums
Freddie and the Freeloaders from Burlington, VT … have made many records such as “The Octopus Song” and “That’s the Kind of Man I Am.” They were recording in Memphis, Tenn for Laurie Records and came from there [via] the Fred Petty Agency.
Some of their college dates have been at Tufts, Rensselaer and Princeton.
Ranging in age from 20 to 23, the boys, Fred Prue, lead guitar; Al Robert, rhythm guitar; Joe Seta, base guitar; Robert Allen, organ and Bob Bennet, drums, have a style of Rock and Roll combined with rhythm and blues … very much their own.
I could use help identifying the musicians in this photo. Fred Pruce is center.Ad for an engagement at Pal Joey’s Lounge in Somerville, MA, Feb. 13-25, 1967, the band includes Fred Prue, Al Roberts, Joe Seta and Dennis Broadbelt, with an unidentified drummer
A photo from an ad for February, 1967 shows in Somerville, MA includes:
Fred Prue – lead guitar Al Roberts – rhythm guitar Joe Seta – bass Dennis Broadbelt – drums unknown – ?
I am not sure when Freddie & the Freeloaders split up. Fred Prue continued playing music, including Prues Blues. He passed away on February 15, 2020.
Thank you to Amy Prue for the photos & information on her father’s bands.
Thanks also to James for the scan of “Someone Like You”.
There were most certainly not the Volcanoes from Canada, who made “Sympathize” / “Listen to the Clouds” on Sound Inc (and picked up by Sparton in Canada), two songs written by Ron Allan Neilson & Harry Olsen and produced by Getz-Powers.
Also, there were three other Freddie and the Freeloaders acts with records. None of these are related to Fred Prue’s group:
Freddie and the Freeloaders with Fred Halls from Danville, Illinois who recorded on Redd Hedd.
Freddie and the Freeloaders – “Say It” (Freddie W.) / Little Prince & the Freeloaders – “Nursery Love” on M and M 1263 in 1963
Freddie and The Freeloaders from the Baltimore area – “Little One” / “You’re Gone” on Dome SR 4014
1967 lineup, from bottom right: Dennis Broadbelt, Fred Prue, Al Roberts, Joe Seta, and unidentifiedFred Prue at left
The Versatiles were from Mobile, Alabama. They played at The Happening and the Stork Club, among other venues. Members were:
Daryl Huffman – lead guitar, keyboards Jerry Smith – guitar David Smith – bass P.J. Johnston – drums
Darryl Huffman’s distorted tone and wailing lead distinguishes the top side of their first record, “Cyclothymia”. The title refers to a mild form of manic-depression, with lyrics to match.
If released as I’ve read in September 1967, then it was a heavy sound for its time. Of the four songs they released, this was the only one written by the group. The flip is a cover of Brian Wilson’s “Farmers Daughter”.
One unusual aspect about the band is that there seems to be no real lead singer, as they sing all four songs from their singles in unison, both verse and chorus.
Their second 45 on Rickarby, “Somethin’ Like A Man” starts out like “Cyclothymia” with intense drumming and riffing. Huffman plays leads behind the verses, while the lyrics (excerpted below) could be described as anti-war, but seem to me to be more ambiguous:
What is a man? Does he knows what’s happening when he sees, The world and all its atrocities? Yes he does. Now ain’t that something like a man? He only does what he has to, when he can.
What does he do when the world is tilting right? Picks up his gun and he runs to join the fight. Does he know which side he’s fighting for, Or is it just an excuse to join the war? Don’t you agree that he’s something like a man?
Does he know just what to say? Does he get down on his knees and pray? Is he aware of the life that he’ll have to take, To protect his home for his family’s sake? Yes he is. Now ain’t that something like a man? He only does what he has to, when he can.
“Warm In The Rain” has a lighter sound, with ringing guitar notes. Both of the songs on their second 45 were written by Clarence Previto (Tony Previto).
Tom Fortener, keyboard player for Tom and the Tempests sent me this incredible 45 and sleeve and a short bio on the group:
Tom and the Tempests were formed in 1963 by Tom Fortener. Original members were, Randy Debord, rhythm guitar and vocals, Frank Hall, lead guitar, Bill Muncy, drums, Fred Nagle, bass and Tom Fortener, piano, organ. The band was managed by Toms’ Dad, Ray Fortener.
They wrote and recorded “It’s Over Now” and “Play It Cool” in 1964. They sponsored Sunday afternoon dances at GBU hall in Dayton, Ohio. They hired disc jockeys from WING and WONE. A popular promotion there was the Battle of the Bands. In 1965, they played the New State Pavilion, New York World’s Fair in Flushing, New York. They played throughout Ohio and was considered by many the best band in the area.
Tom Fortener
This is a Rite pressing from 1964. Alco’s first two releases were by Sonny Flaharty and His Young Americans, so the Young American Productions credit on the labels of this indicate Flaharty’s involvement. Alco was owned by Arvey Webster on Springboro Ave in Dayton.
The Aliens, 1966, from left: Bill Gaunce, Conrad Dedacatoria, John Davis, Robbie House and Rick Hudson
Original bassist Bill Gaunce sent me this early photo of the Aliens. I love the illustration painted on the organ. A couple years after this photo they recorded two 45s, “Love Someone” / “Tobacco Road” on the Telastar label, and “Come Fly with Me” / “Season of the Witch” on the Son of a Witch label. Hear “Love Someone” on the excellent CD, Aliens, Psychos & Wild Things vol. 1.
Here’s the first official band photo taken of The Aliens from Norfolk, Virginia. This picture appeared in Norfolk paper, The Ledger Star, when the Aliens became the house band at the Four Seasons club. We’re all 15-16 years in this pic.
The Aliens played in the 1967 WNOR battle of the bands. There was also an Aliens from Hampton, Virginia which prompted a battle of the bands challenge at Mercury Roller Rink in Norfolk to determine who would keep the name. The Aliens from Norfolk won the battle, but from then on were known as The Norfolk Aliens which had been originally adopted just for the battle of the bands.
The lineup changed in the next few years, this photo is of the original members. Pictured from left to right:
Bill Gaunce on bass Conrad Dedicatoria on drums John Davis guitar Robbie House (front with tambourine) Rick Hudson keyboards
Rick and Conrad asked me to join the band they were forming. Conrad and I “auditioned” Robby House (without his knowledge!) when he was in a band called The Royal Wellingtons. We asked him to join and he did. The Aliens were in a battle of the bands with the Corduroys; Steve Green was the singer/gutarist and really impressed us so we ask him to join. Byrd was a high school friend who basically hung around and sat in enough to eventually be “absorbed” into the band.
Rick Hudson was replaced by Steve Green (guitar/vocals) shortly after this picture and Bill/Claire Sechman (aka Byrd) was added shortly after that. We played at the Four Seasons with this lineup and then I left and formed a band called Quagmire (me on bass, Steve Wilson vocals, Nick Kepics guitar, and Russell Scarborough drums). In ’68-’69 we were a fixture in downtown Norfolk’s seedy bars, most notably The Jamaican Room where we were house band for a short time.
The Aliens expanded their lineup to include Nick Bonis (keys) and PooNeil [Gayle Hollowman] on vocals. With Doug Coward on bass they had their recording lineup. Doug has passed away, Nick Bonus still plays and is the bass player in a band called Big Fun, which coincidentally had Quagmire’s old drummer Russell Scarborough playing with them until just recently. Robbie House still gigs around town doing acoustic stuff, Steve Green is playing bass and guitar in Nashville.
I played live until 2004. Now I write and record my own stuff & I’ve put out a few CDS with my music. I’m getting ready to release a cd of Americana flavored music & the songs are scattered about on my site at www.billgaunce.com.
Bill Gaunce
Later photo of the Aliens, from left: John Davis (Spazz), Pooniel (Georgia Randall or Randell … not sure about spelling), Steve Greene behind Pooniel, Doug Cowert in back (not sure about spelling R.I.P), Morgan Hampton (previously Conrad), Byrd (William Sechman R.I.P), Nick Bonis, and Robbie House. Submitted by the estate of Joanne Tluchak, Virginia Beach
This photo was found with another by the East Coastmen – could there be any connection between the two?
JP suggested I feature this unreleased group from Columbus, Ohio, with the odd name King Clam and the Marine Band. The band recorded four tracks in 1969 that went unreleased at the time. JP said: “These four garage-psych-punk tunes are too hot to handle to just leave them die and rot in the dust!”
My two favorites are “High Strung Woman” and “Inertia” their six-minute tour de force.
I didn’t know anything else about the group until I heard from guitarist, songwriter and leader of the group, Terry Bell:
I am Terry Leigh Bell, the lead songwriter and singer of King Clam. I’m in white shirt. The photo was late 1968, however, in January of 1969, as lead singer and songwriter, I parted ways with the three fellows in the photo and formed a solid garage/rock band which included:
Terry Leigh Bell – rhythm/lead guitar and lead and harmony vocals Mike Wright – vocals and percussion Andy Kowalski – bass Danny ? – drums Mark ? – keyboards
The band got together as all Ohio State University students. All of us were “hippie” types by this time indulging in whatever. We played around a lot in 1969, particularly at and around Ohio State University.
The band played around Columbus and went in to Musicol Studios in Columbus in June of 1969 and laid down four original tracks. I remember when we laid down the four tracks at Musicol, the owner really liked the songs and said they were some of the best he ever recorded to that point, particularly in that style. Our four songs were never released except for some acetates. We never shopped them around to record companies and in hindsight, maybe we should have.
The band was together as a performing and recording band from January 1969 till December 1969 when we all graduated from OSU and went our separate ways.
In the 70s, I had a 4 piece folk group like Crosby Stills and Nash and we played around Cleveland quite a lot as Morningstone. In the 80s, I released two singles on my own label, Down The Road Records (published by Down The Road Music-BMI) sort of in an acoustic rock sound, “Heartburn” & “The Way That I Do”. I hired a music promoter out of Nashville to plug the songs to radio stations but they never hit critical mass. They got a lot of airplay down south and particularly Florida. We played out of Nashville for a while then back to Cleveland.
Currently, my partner and I are playing and recording under the name: The Sages, and our free music download site is www.thesages.net.
There are sadly no photos of the band. I have tried to contact some of the members but they seem to have disappeared or gone out of state.
Terry Bell
These songs are so good, they deserved a proper release on vinyl – and as of May 2014, three of them have been! Now Sound Records has pressed 300 copies on blue vinyl in a color sleeve with expanded notes on the back cover. Order them through nowsoundrecords.nl
The Other Half at the Greenville Country Club, from left: David Heath, Alex Bauknight, T A Tredway and Carroll Grant. Not pictured: Phil Sudderth.
It’s not often I hear unreleased songs that catch my attention as these two by the Other Half, a quintet from Greenville, Texas, about fifty miles NE of Dallas. “Severance Call” has excellent harmonies over a solid rhythm, fast bass runs, and a good guitar break without effects. “Lost Everything” is even better, as Phil Sudderth sings in as rough and gravely a voice as I’ve ever heard over staccato guitar chords.
Bassist and vocalist T A Tredway sent in the photos, music and story of the band:
We started The Other Half in Greenville, TX in 1965. T A Tredway (bass guitar, vocals), David Heath (lead guitar, vocals), Carroll Grant (rhythm guitar, vocals), Phil Sudderth (lead vocals, tambourine) and Alex Bauknight on drums.
I had been to a band practice and really didn’t know anyone in the band (don’t think they ever played a gig). Started talking to some people in the band and was asked to come back to listen to the next practice session so I agreed. I was not a musician, just fooled around with a six string with a little folk music. Come to find out at the next practice the band decided to break up. I started talking with David and Phil and said why don’t we just start our own band, half kidding … but we started thinking seriously about it. I was 24 at the time.
David (age 17) was the drummer and Phil (age 18) sang but there was a young kid, Alex (age 14), who wanted to play drums so David decided he would play guitar and we would look for a lead guitar player. After a short time not being able to find a lead suited to what we wanted to do, David decided to play lead and we decided on Carroll (age 21) who had been to a couple of practices would fit right in.
David is the tall lanky kid playing the Gibson hollow body and Carroll is playing the Fender to the right in the pics. I was playing a metalic blue Mossrite Ventures bass all the time in the band. David and Carroll changed to a sunburst Gibson 335 and a Gibson cherry red 330E, respectfully, with Super Beatles and I had a Vox Bassman amp with two speaker cabinets. We had four Vox line speakers run through a 50 watt Bogen amp for our speaker system.
Phil Sudderth, David Heath, T A Tredway and Carroll Grant; hidden is drummer Alex Bauknight
We were really in to The Rolling Stones because Phil sounded just like Jagger. We all loved and performed almost every song on their first 3 albums, “Round and Round,” “Little Red Rooster,” “You Can’t Catch Me,” “Route 66” etc.
We started getting jobs playing sorority and fraternity parties from ETSU in Commerce, renting our own halls in Greenville, and playing any benefits when we could. Through word of mouth, sororities at SMU heard about us and we started getting offers to play for them.
I think while playing one of those parties some one recommended we check on this club at Lovers and Greenville called Louann’s. So we went there, auditioned and got to play there shortly after. Louann’s had been a big band venue and decided to change to rock and roll. Then she asked us if we would consider being the house band during the summer of ’66 and later asked if we would continue to be the house band in ’67 which we also agreed to do. It was a great experience. We played Buffalo Springfield, Yardbirds, Beatles, The Who, Mamas and Papas, The Byrds, Sam and Dave, just about anything during those years but the Stones music was our mainstay. More than one person told us that we sounded better in person than The Stones sounded in person.
In ’66 I think it was we recorded two sides at Robin Hood Brian’s in Tyler, TX. I wrote the songs along with Phil and David. They always got great response when we played them live. We had some acetates done at Seller’s studio in Dallas and I still have one of the 45s. They got a lot of play on KGVl in Greenvile and quite a bit of play by Ron Chapman at KLIF in Dallas.
In ’67 Phil joined the army under suspicious circumstances and we were left without a lead singer. We found another guy from Greenville, Matt Tapp who sang with us for a while but it never was the same. We broke up late in ’67 and I haven’t seen or heard from anyone since then until a few weeks ago I got an email from Carroll who now lives in Sandy, Utah. It sure has been great talking about the fun we had in the 60’s with The Other Half.
T A Tredway
Update, December 2010
T A sent in a live set by the Other Half, recorded on reel to reel during a dance at the Greenville Country Club during the mid-60s. The set leans heavily on the Rolling Stones: four originals plus “Around and Around” and “Cry to Me”, and the rest are by the Beatles, Kinks, Animals and Them, along with some US hits like “Little Latin Lupe Lu” and “Mustang Sally”. I’m including a few here:
The Regents from left: Sumner Bell, Bobby Hill, Jeff Paul, Robbie Pond, Jimmy Finnegan, Richard Phelps, Lou Flowers and Johnny Johnston. Not pictured: lead vocalist Mel Gaines
Mel Gaines – lead vocals Jimmy Finnegan – lead guitar Jeff Paul – bass guitar Sumner Bell – organ Robbie Pond – trumpet Richard Phelps – trumpet Bobby Hill – saxophone/lead Lou Flowers – saxophone Ken Lewis – drums Johnny Johnston – drums
The Regents started in Portsmouth, VA in 1967. Looking for a vocalist, they met Mel Gaines in 1967, who was a co-worker of bassist Jeff Paul’s father at WAVY-TV 10. For a group of eight white high-school students to have a lead singer who was African-American and already 21 years old might seem an unlikely pairing, but the band found considerable live success.
Their record on the Mad label shows the band working seamlessly with Mel, as each song features Jimmy Finnegan’s sharp rhythm on guitar, solid drumming from Johnny Johnston and memorable horn arrangements. “What’cha Gonna Do” has been a long-time favorite of mine. The band provides plenty of momentum and gritty backing vocals for Mel’s soaring voice.
“I Tried With You” starts off solidly but really picks up in the second verse as staccato bursts from the horns precede Mel’s pleas, segueing to an smooth, affecting chorus. Bobby Hill wrote both sides of their only 45, recorded at Norfolk’s D’Arcy Studios in 1968.
Mel Gaines passed away on November 18, 2009, two days short of his 63rd birthday.
Below are the stories of drummer Johnny Johnston and organist Sumner Bell in their own words.
Practicing at Bobby Hill’s parents house around 1967. From left: Jeff Paul, Bobby Hill, Jimmy Finnegan and Johnny Johnson on drumsJimmy Finnegan on lead guitar and Johnny Johnson on drums
The Regents featuring Mel Gaines, 1967-1968 as remembered by Johnny Johnston
The Regents Featuring Mel Gaines was a popular soul band established in Portsmouth, Virginia around 1968. The first memory I have of the group is my audition for the band as a drummer in the spring of 1967.Rusty Gibbs, an old high school buddy of mine, told me the group was auditioning drummers at Jeff Paul’s house in the Churchland area of Portsmouth. Jeff played bass with the group and actually liked how I played, and to my surprise the group asked me to join them. I was a junior at Cradock High School in 1967 and was trying to determine if I should continue to play sports or follow my heart’s desire and become a drummer in a dance band.
I had taught myself how to play drums by watching all of the local bands. I especially studied and copied Fat Ammon of Bill Deal and the Rhondels and also The Swinging Machine’s Dickie Bocock. I loved their styles and really became accustomed to the beat and timing they both had. This was when dancing at teen clubs, dances halls, high school dances such as the Ambassadors Club (or AB Club as we called to it) and The Lighthouse in Portsmouth were both at their all time high.
The other band members were especially talented and we were blessed by having a great black singer by the name of Mel Gaines, who resided in Suffolk’s Pughesville area. Mel was a very talented and blessed singer of our group. He was the person our fan base came to see. I remember playing at a dance at Cradock High School in 1967 and when his name was announced the crowd exploded and rushed the stage to sing and dance as he sang.
Johnny Johnston
Soul music was the big sound of our day and we really had a powerful brass section. Robbie Pond and Richard Phelps were on trumpets, Bobby Hill and Lew Flowers on saxophones. Bobby Hill was the driving force of the horn section, and the great horn sound heard on our record. Jimmy Finnegan was the best lead guitar around, and is still playing guitar for a group called El Kabong in the Tidewater area. Jeff Paul was our outstanding bass player and mostly the one responsible for motivating us to perform at our top level of showmanship. I did not realize how good they all were until years later when listening again to our record. Our rhythm section was also capped off by Sumner Bell who played Hammond organ. During the high mark of our short career, all of our members were juniors or seniors in local high schools and on the brink of following college careers.
The short career of our band was topped off when we decided to go into the studio and record “What’cha Gonna Do” which was Side A and “I Tried with You”, was the B Side. As my memory would have me believe we recorded both songs at D’Arcy Studios in Norfolk in four hours. Of course our horn section was pretty tired after playing Side A about twenty five times in a row. At $25.00 per hour for studio time we wanted to get our money’s worth. We made about 300 copies and started selling them for a buck apiece. I think I made about twenty five dollars. We actually made it to the Billboard chart and made the playlist at local radio station WGH.
Just as with all the other local bands we played all the local places such as The Lighthouse in Portsmouth, Ambassador Club, Peabody’s Warehouse in Virginia Beach, The Peppermint Beach Club, The Kage in Hampton, The Four Seasons in Norfolk, The Dome in Virginia Beach, The Sand Box and local high schools such as Wilson, Cradock, Deep Creek and Norfolk Academy.
My favorite place to perform was the Glenshellah Woman’s Club in Portsmouth. It proved to be the best venue for live bands and we could get close to the dance floor. The next best place was the Knights of Columbus Hall in Portsmouth. The dance floor was on the second floor and I remember having a great time. All who attended these dances have fond memories of the music and the people we hung out with. We also appeared on the WAVY-TV DISCO-TEN television program, which highlighted local area high school dance scenes in addition to private parties and other local dances.
Just when we started to really get a following and some momentum, we had finished our senior years in high school and off to colleges we all went. One last ditch effort to try and stay in the music world was when we started a new group called Brave New World. That group was way ahead of its time though and never really caught on, due mostly to our impending college departures.
I am not sure where all the members have gone but I am trying to trace them and would like to see them again if at all possible. Members of our group moved on to other careers. I must say that all of them made my life much richer by playing a big part of my musical career. I still enjoy playing our record and remember all the places we played. Some of the clubs are still in existence after 40 years. And yes, I still have the fire to play thanks to them.
Many thanks to my “way back when” neighborhood friend Len Hamilton who encouraged me to play drums and was instrumental in getting me started in local bands.
Johnny Johnston Cradock High School, Class of 1968 Portsmouth VA
Announcement of Disc-O-Ten show, May 11, 1968, from left: Bob Hill, Robbie Pond, Jeff Paul, Johnny Johnston (with drumsticks), Sumner Bell (at the organ), Jimmy Finnegan, Richard Phelps and Lou Flowers.
The Regents Featuring Mel Gaines’ by Dr. Sumner Bell
Portsmouth, Virginia. AM Radio covers the hits. WRAP. Vinyl 45s. Segregated Schools. Protestant – Catholic. Camelot President. Black – White…..”The times they were a changin”Fast forward to the Fall of 2001: A road trip with my college aged son, Joe, on a Friday night jogged some memories. ‘Invisible Downtown’ packs up its gear in a car in Boston heading for a 9:30 pm gig at the Yale University Women’s Center. Unlike my early band days, the car is driven by the lead guitar player and not one of the fathers. But it seems just like old times, I am with the band in the back seat wondering what the first set will be.
But, times have changed. My son Joe, the rhythm guitar and song writer is riding shotgun. This is no cover band – only original stuff. I’m along for the ride in the back seat, trying to remember what it was that got me interested in bands. We unload and ‘Invisible Downtown’ plays the set. One thing catches my eye as I exit the Yale Women’s Center for the last time carrying an amp and snare drum to repack for the early am drive back to Boston, and it is not what I recall from my days as an XL or Regent — a basket of condoms by the door. Not one of those band members had a bulging wallet.
“Satisfaction” – times have changed, but small bands still ride together and pack their stuff in the trunk. It seemed that I was back where I had been 35 years before; my ears were ringing all the way back to Boston.
Jimmy Finnegan, Bobby Hill and I had been friends thru elementary school. My Dad and Jimmy’s father worked together and Bobby and I went to Monumental Methodist Church; Jimmy went to St. Paul’s. Our families interacted in a variety of settings and encouraged our socialization and many developmentally rich experiences together included after school sports, Boy Scouts, trick or treating, and church before deciding on music as a shared interest and experiment. Little did we or our parents know where our shared interests would lead the boys.
I can remember playing “rock music” in 1963 or ’64 sitting at a upright piano in Jimmy Finnegan’s living room with Jimmy on a guitar…not even sure if it was electrified. Perhaps this was the only time that the keys could be heard above the guitars and soon to be added bass and drums. I think Bobby Hill next came over and may have had a guitar that he reversed the strings on so he could play left handed. Jimmy’s mom Frankie was “quietly” encouraging us. We needed a bass guitar player and Bobby took on a project — to not only learn to play the bass, but also to make one. Ken Lewis (a fellow Trucker and Methodist) subsequently joined us on drums and Andy Copley (a student at Portsmouth Catholic and natural, fantastic musician and ear) took on the bass (something he continued as a professional career across the country).
But, Jimmy loved the music and was the driving force in getting us going as the XL’s. Jimmy’s musical flame has always burned brightest. Jimmy played the St Paul’s Catholic card and we were booked at the Knight’s of Columbus with a microphone stuck inside an upright piano and plugged into one of the first little Fender amps. After our first gig I received a letter from a female fan, a first (I was hooked) and last (what went wrong?)! Eventually, we went on to play “The AB – Ambassador’s Club”, Churchland Teenage at the VFW, and many private parties.
The XL’s were authentic, but an average white band. Jimmy had a Fuzz Tone and we could play “Satisfaction”, the words being distinct enough to be heard across the Elizabeth River by Bobby’s dad Stoney. All of us were too young to drive and when Dr. Hill picked us up in his Rambler Ambassador Station wagon from Portsmouth City Park he wanted to know what WE knew about satisfaction! Not much, but we all were interested in learning as quickly and often as possible. The amps got bigger, as the boys grew to young men, got driver’s licenses and hormones.
The drama that ended the XL’s is lost to me. I think Andy Copley went on to play with a “cooler”, bigger and better band. The bitterness spurred the survivors to retool ourselves. Bobby once again stepped up to learn how to play another new instrument, the saxophone! This time he didn’t make his new found instrument but purchased it.
Retail shoppers for musical instruments visited Portsmouth Music, we haunted the pawn shops on High Street. Jeff Paul came on as our new bass player and with him we enjoyed the contacts of his dad the general manager of TV 10 and his brother Jay who served as our booking agent. I think the addition of Jeff introduced modern marketing to the guys.
Bobby was very interested in the regal sounding name, The Regents, and after some discussion of alternatives the name stuck, usually to our blue blazers, the iconic adhesive pocket logo. R&B, soul music, and beach music were the popular dance bands in southeastern Virginia. So a very practical decision was made to play what the market wanted and would pay for. Jimmy packed away his Fuzz Tone, and saved up lots of musical ideas for his future. One minor weakness that had hampered the potential of the XL’s and subsequently, The Regents, was the lack of an exceptional singer. Mel Gaines filled that need and became the “featured act” of the ever so regal “The Regents, Featuring Mel Gaines”.
Ken Lewis was the first of the original band members to graduate from high school and leave the area for college. Ken was red headed, high energy, and enjoyed swirling those drum sticks between swats at the snare. Johnny Johnston’s transition to the band as our new drummer was seamless. What a quick study!
Johnny’s good nature, sleepy smile, and steady beat assured he fit right in and quickly proved to be a valuable asset. He brought new fans and exposure to the group. The Regents didn’t miss a beat.
Bobby organized the horns into a coalition of harmonies that were extraordinary. Robbie Pond and Richard Phelps were on trumpet and Bobby and Lou Flowers played sax. They swayed and stepped to the music usually prodded by Jeff Paul’s big “axe”.
As lead singer, Mel Gaines was a few years older than the high school instrumentalists, but what we lacked in maturity he covered ever so well. Mel had patience, talent and soul and propelled The Regents from gig to gig as we developed a reputation and following from the Virginia Beach oceanfront to Capron.
Mel Gaines took the stage in a humble way usually dressed in a suit that belied his coming performance. By the end of the second set, Mel had removed his suit coat, sweat was streaming from his face and soaking his shirt, damp handkerchief clutched in his hand and singing with an intensity that was matched by the enjoyment of the listeners and dancers whom he had whipped into a frenzy.
Mr. Gaines was an unassuming man who was always dependable, hard working and on key. Mel only asked for one thing that I recall and that was for “The Regents, Featuring Mel Gaines” to play at a small club in Pughsville that was owned or managed by his relative. Mel wanted to play for his family and friends in his neighborhood and so, we did.
A talented singer, interested and competent management, receptive audiences, and teenage swagger resulted in excellent music. We all came to understand the meaning of Satisfaction and the importance of music, organization, practice, and teamwork in our lives. And, hearing your own band on the radio with Mel’s amazing voice as you traveled home as a senior in high school was way cool! Almost as cool as going on a road trip band gig with my son.
Johnny, thanks for putting this together. It has been fun for me to reminisce.
Sumner
Special thanks to Johnny Johnston for his help with this page, to Jimmy Finnegan for the clipping about the record release, and to Jeff Paul for the video link.
Basic Things from left: Herman Bennett, Gerald Pierce, Charles Jayroe, Larry Quinn, Ronnie Cooper and David Neel. Taken by the Holiday Inn, Beaumont, April 1967, for a KA fraternity Old South Dance
Port Arthur, Texas group the Basic Things made their only 45 at Jones Recording in Houston. The A-side is a good version of “Ninety-Nine and a Half”, but the original on the flip, “You’re Still Dreaming”, gets more attention nowadays. The group puts in a great performance with a marching rhythm, sharp guitar solo, organ flourishes and strong bass runs towards the end of the song.
Vocalist Herman Bennett describes his role as “screaming in public”! Herman sent me his CD Pay Attention, which included both Basic Things songs transferred from the original master tape!
My band, The Basic Things, was locally popular in the late ’60s in Port Arthur and the Golden Triangle. The Basic Things were: Tom Arrington on rhythm guitar (later David Neel would replace Tom), Charles Jayroe on lead guitar, Larry Quinn on Farfisa organ, Gerald Pierce on Hofner bass, Ronnie Cooper on drums, and me trying to sound as British as a Jewish Texan can.
We cut a 45 in 1967 at Jones Recording Studio in Houston, a cover of Wilson Pickett’s “99 ½” b/w an original “You’re Still Dreaming”. Recording at Jones was funny, more than remarkable in any way — we showed up late, not realizing that (duh) they charge by the hour and had a schedule for a reason, we weren’t even prepared to do both sides. The guy was forgiving and precise — I remember he buzzed in on the first take and said, “Guitar player, your fourth string is out of tune” and, because I was screaming a lot in those days, positioned Gerald (our bass player) to keep me away from the mic with an extended hand in front of me. He made a move as if to karate chop me in the Adam’s apple, made me sort of laugh, and we decided to keep that take because it was an inside joke.
“99 ½ (Won’t Do)” was The Basic Things piece ‘de resistance. We were pretty sure that this song would put us on the map because of the reaction it got at gigs. I guess we ignored the fact that you can’t do the song too badly because it’s so wonderful and every band of that era had it on their playlist.
Tom and Larry wrote “You’re Still Dreaming” on the spot in the recording studio because it hadn’t occurred to us that we’d do more than one song that day. But, the engineer pointed out, “If you are going to release a record, you’ll probably want something on the other side.” It’s a pretty good snapshot of what we were doing. I was screaming in public and they were playing excellent garage band rock and roll.
The whole thing cost us less than $200 bucks, I think, including pressing 100 copies, maybe more. Purple Can, if memory serves, was sort of a play on the notion that red might, but purple can … following the Moby Grape and Strawberry Alarm Clock model … thought provoking, but ultimately meaningless.
I think we sold all of ten records but somehow the rest of them disappeared over the years. Fortunately, Tom Arrington had the 1/4 inch master tape and thirty five years later a friend of mine discovered that there was actually a tape recorder in town that was the same model as the one the song was originally recorded on. I had it dubbed into a digital format for posterity. Neither song is exactly remastered but the sound is enhanced by virtue of the fact that the original 45 release version of “99 ½” was ramped down to shorten the song for radio play – too bad we didn’t get any – and “Wish That You Were Here” [“You’re Still Dreaming”] had some sort of tape anomaly on it at the very beginning that, for some reason, now sounds like it not only belongs there but leads you back, back, back in time.
I’d like to thank Ruth Hall, my friend gone but not forgotten, for ponying up the entire $180 to record and press those records.
Herman Bennett
Herman’s site has much more information on the Basic Things and his music career, check it out at hermanbennett.com. Gerald Pierce has two other photos of the band and more at www.unclestick.com/music (site defunct).
The Nite Walkers, 1965. From left: Rich Hernandez, Joe Stoddard, Ray Almonza and Robert Stoddard, with go-go dancer Linda Hernandez
The Nite Walkers cut two 45s at Russell Recording, a studio located (according to the liner notes to Teenage Shutdown vol. 6) above an air conditioning store in Downey, CA. Mop Top Mike tells me the studio basically disappeared when the owner skipped out without paying back rent.
All four songs they released are originals. Their first 45 has a cool guitar instrumental on the A-side, “Florence Ave”. The group yells an intro “Let’s meet at Al’s on Florence Avenue!”. It was backed with a dirge-like ballad “My Girl” (not the Miracles song by a long shot).
The second 45 has “High Class”, the singer alternates between a menacing spoken mumble and an intense shouting, sometimes within the same line of verse. The band creates a gloomy background through a droning riff and rolling drums for most of the song’s three minutes. The backing vocals are straight out of “Gloria” but the verse seems to have some awareness of “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, with the line “you’re gonna wake up one morning, you’re gonna start to cry, you’re gonna wonder why”.
The flip “You’ve Got Me” is another moody number, something similar to “My Girl” but it works better. I spent a lot of time with audio software taking out clicks from a bad scratch on the 45, but the result is excellent.
With no names or publishing on the label, it was nearly impossible to trace these guys so I thought we may never know the story of this group until Robert Stoddard contacted me:
The band was formed in 1964 I believe. Members are Richard Hernandez (bass), Ray Almonza (rhythm guitar), Joe Stoddard (lead guitar), and Robert Stoddard (drums). We were indeed from Bell Gardens and all songs are originals. What made this band unique at the time was their ages. I was 12 and the other three were 13.
My drumming was a direct result of the music scene of the time. I beat on couch pillows with sticks for two years to “Pretty Woman” and Beatle tunes. Christmas of ’64 brought me a cocktail drum and Joe a cheap electric guitar and super small amp. Richard and Ray were aquaintances of Joe’s from Bell Gardens Junior High.
The slicked back look in the hair was Mom’s idea, you know how Moms are. The mop cut was about a year later with the British Invasion in full swing and all. The girl in the one pic is Richard’s little sister, she was our occasional go-go dancer, her name was Linda.
We played mostly for school assemblies, grand openings of businesses, weddings. We used to play at a place in Hollywood called Pandora’s Box on Sunset and La Brea. Made a TV commercial in a topless bar. Came in 2nd place in the famous “Countdown ’65” battle of the bands at the Olympic Auditorium which was televised. It was sponsored by “the Royals” a British family of con artists who just ripped everybody off and never had any intention of awarding any prizes.
Other bands were the Cosmictones and the Velvetones. The Cosmictones tried to compete. The velvetones were a surf band and they were older and really good. their drummer Al Stigler taught me alot. Lead guitarist Gary Stovall went on to make a name for himself in the biz.
There was definitely a music scene in town. we played at the City Parks Dept. dances often, and every summer there was a Battle of the Bands at the yearly amusement park also held at the Parks Department.
The songs were written basically by all of us, we used to rehearse in the Toler Ave. garage next to my house.
Both [records] were done at the same time. Don’t remember much about the studio but I know I was behind a glass wall, no plexiglass yet. Music tracks were done first and vocals were done second with all of us circling one auditorium type microphone.
Russell recording I believe was affiliated somehow with Downey Music Center where we purchased all our equipment. I remember the man’s name was Nate. They were pressed somewhere on Melrose in West Hollywood, I remember because we all went there in the band car, a 1948 Cadillac candy apple red hearse. I believe we got it because the Monkees had a candy apple red dune buggy kind a thing.
I don’t really know much about those transactions, my Dad handled all that stuff. But I do know that only 300 copies were pressed due to the cost at the time. My Dad sent them everywhere, radio stations, etc, but to no avail.
Q. Is it Joe who yells “Let’s meet at Al’s on Florence Avenue”?
It was indeed Joe who yelled but he was just closest to the mike, we all had a hand in that. To this day I still think that was cheesy. Al’s however was a real place we used to hang out at. It was like a really good Greek hamburger stand built on the lot on the north west corner of Florence Ave. and Garfield. It was kitty corner from Toler Ave where we were based. I believe it’s a donut shop now, I don’t know.
I had to quit due to the war in Vietnam. Joe stayed in music and is still performing, check him out at joestoddardshow.com. Richard lives up north somewhere, and I haven’t heard from Ray since the 60’s. I returned to playing live and touring with several bands from ’76 through the 80’s and still occaisionally dabble in it.
Robert Stoddard
Russell RRC-43106: Florence Ave / My Girl Russell RRC-43107: High Class / You’ve Got Me
The Nite Walkers, 1966. From left: Rich Hernandez, Joe Stoddard, Rob Stoddard and Ray Almonza
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 Beagles “All I Need Is You” is a crude garage number very reminiscent at times of “Can’t Buy Me Love”. There are a couple good shouts and a decent guitar break. It’s backed by the goofy “Him and Her”, a song about the two dogs at the White House getting in LBJ’s way.
The Versatiles were from Mobile, Alabama. They played at The Happening and the Stork Club, among other venues. Members were:
The Regents Featuring Mel Gaines was a popular soul band established in Portsmouth, Virginia around 1968. The first memory I have of the group is my audition for the band as a drummer in the spring of 1967.Rusty Gibbs, an old high school buddy of mine, told me the group was auditioning drummers at Jeff Paul’s house in the Churchland area of Portsmouth. Jeff played bass with the group and actually liked how I played, and to my surprise the group asked me to join them. I was a junior at Cradock High School in 1967 and was trying to determine if I should continue to play sports or follow my heart’s desire and become a drummer in a dance band.
I had taught myself how to play drums by watching all of the local bands. I especially studied and copied Fat Ammon of Bill Deal and the Rhondels and also The Swinging Machine’s Dickie Bocock. I loved their styles and really became accustomed to the beat and timing they both had. This was when dancing at teen clubs, dances halls, high school dances such as the Ambassadors Club (or AB Club as we called to it) and The Lighthouse in Portsmouth were both at their all time high.
Special thanks to Johnny Johnston for his help with this page, to Jimmy Finnegan for the clipping about the record release, and to Jeff Paul for the video link.
