The Modulation Corporation made one 45 on Atom 1001 in November, 1967: the tough garage song “What to Do” b/w the bluesy “Worms”, both written by Francis W. Wilson II, and cut at Texas Sound Studios in San Antonio.
I don’t know the names of other members in the group. Francis Wilson seems to have been known as Billy Wilson. Covering the wedding of Jane Ellent Grant and William Eilers Jr. in Luling, TX, the Shiner Gazette on December 7, 1967 mentioned “An orchestra, Billy Wilson and the Modulation Corporation, provided music during the reception.”
The Modulation Corporation seem to have been together only during the fall of 1967. I’ve read the group was from San Marcos, about halfway between Austin and San Antonio, but most of the notices I’ve found are from two Austin venues, the Lake Austin Inn and the Pleasure Dome.
They had regular gigs at the Lake Austin Inn in September and October, 1967
On December 29-30, 1967 the Modulation Corporation played two nights with the South Canadian Overflow at the Pleasure Dome, and may have been included in the New Year’s Eve show with the Golden Dawn, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and the Afro-Caravan.
Anyone have a photo of the group?
The Pleasure Dome
The Pleasure Dome opened on December 15, 1967 with the Thingies and underground films like Scorpio Rising. It was located at 222 E. 6th Street in what had been the Yank Theater building. Bill Simonson managed the club, with lighting by an unnamed person who had done lighting at the Electric Circus and the Cheetah in New York City. In progress off the lobby was the Sacred Mushroom Bar.
From notices in the American-Statesmen, the Pleasure Dome seems to have lasted only one month.
The first week of January the Pleasure Dome had the Thingies and South Canadian Overflow on Friday, the Strawberry Shoemaker and the Golden Dawn on Saturday, and the Golden Dawn and the Thingies on Sunday.
The following week featured the Thingies, the Starvation Army Band and the Vines. I have found no further notices after that.
The Good Humor Band, 1968, from left: Ken Cottrell, Jesse Preciphs, Mona Bateman, Jimmy Rogers, David Jones and Bobby Henderson
The Good Humour Band came from Austin, Texas, forming about May of 1968 and playing a number of shows at the New Orleans club in June and July. Gig notices always billed them as The Good Humor Band.
The Austin American-Statesman ran a photo of the group on July 27, 1968. The lineup at this time was:
Jesse Preciphs – lead vocals Kenneth Cottrell – organ David Jones – lead guitar Mona Bateman – rhythm guitar Bobby Henderson – bass Jimmy Rogers – drums
A September 19, 1968 article in the Austin Daily Texan describes a talent show of UT students:
“The hypnotic throb of the Good Humor Band assailed the eardrums of a packed Hogg Auditorium audience Wednesday night as the Forty Acres Talent Show stages its ninth annual performance.” The article discusses some solo performers at the show: Wayne Holtzman, Roger Woest and David Flack.
On December 11, 1968, the Good Humor Band played a benefit concert for the Zachary Scott Theater Center with the Shadows of Doubt. A news item mentions the group recently completed a recording session at Robin Hood Brians studio in Tyler, and that Ken Cottrell was also their manager & spokesman.
In January, 1969 the band played three nights at the Pusi-Kat in San Antonio with Joe Thomas and the Virgil Foxx Group.
According to a short notice about the group from February 28, 1969, the lineup had changed, dropping Jesse Preciphs, Mona Bateman and Jimmy Rogers; and including Billy Jones on drums:
Ken Cottrell – organ and piano David Jones – lead guitar Bobby Henderson – bass Billy Jones – drums
The February 28 article has this tantalizing note:
… the first Good Humour record – “You’ll Get By” on the A side – was released here this week and the band’s initial album – Aunt Mabel’s Golden Tonic – will be out next month.
Unfortunately the album was never to see the light.
Ken Cottrell and David Jones wrote both songs on their only single on Ignite Records H-692, “You’ll Get By” / “The Man”. Library of Congress registration on March 28, 1969 lists words by Jones and music by Cottrell.
The man’s been driving by my house today, I think it’s time I got away …
Bruce H. Hooper produced the single. He also produced the Shiva’s Head Band single on Ignite, but not the Richard Dean 45, which was C.F. Rowsey (Fred Rowsey). Ignite Music BMI published the songs.
A Brite Star Promotions ad in Billboard on May 24, 1969 lists both the Good Humour Band and the Shiva’s Head Band singles on Ignite.
Billboard listed in Buyer’s Guide of August 30, 1969 lists Ignite as label, publisher and recording studio at 308 W. Sixth St., Austin, with President Bruce H. Hooper, and Vice President C.F. Rowsey. The 1970 guide drops Rowsey and adds Richard Gembler as General Manager.
One interesting note about the studio is 308 W. Sixth St. became Odyssey Sound, Ltd., owned by Jay Aaron Podolnick and Steve Shields, from February 1972 until August 1978. In 1978, John Ingle and Larson Lundahl purchased Odyssey and renamed it Pecan Street Studios after remodeling.
I’d like to know what other recordings were made at 308 W. Sixth St. in those early days before it became Odyssey.
Ken Cottrell passed away on July 9, 2009 at the age of 60, according to a website devoted to him, www.kennethcottrell.com
More info or photos of the group would be appreciated.
July 4 weekend with the Good Deeds (“1st Austin appearance winner of Corpus Christi Battle of Bands”) and New Orleans Club regulars the Eternal Life CorpAt the Pusi-Kat in San Antonio, January 1969
Thank you to Jonas Carlsson for help with this article.
The Baby Cakes, July, 1965. From left: Don Lupo, Chuck Bakondi, Pat Russell and Tommy Hill
The Baby Cakes were a legendary Austin band that lasted from 1965 until August, 1967. The Baby Cakes never recorded under that name, but they may have been the first Austin group with long hair, they won the first Aqua Festival Battle of the Bands, and they were a big influence on later groups. Two of their members would go on to form the Lavender Hill Express.
John Schwertner of the Reasons Why told Not Fade Away about the Baby Cakes:
We had always looked up to them ’cause they were the first band I remember to play English style rock and roll. A real scruffy looking band, sort of the Texas Rolling Stones I guess. They helped us get some bookings and they’d come to our shows and tell us how to improve our band, really helped us alot.
Early lineups included:
Chuck Bakondi – vocals Leonard Arnold – lead guitar Tommy Hill – rhythm guitar, 12-string guitar Don Lupo – bass Pat Russell – drums
At some point Layton DePenning joined on guitar and vocals.
After drawing crowds of University of Texas students to their rehearsal space, a woman named Paula started booking the group for parties. Michael Lucas would become their promotions and business manager.
The Austin Daily Texan ran a feature on the group on July 27, 1965:
Austin Goes Liverpool Or, Little Church by the Drag: What Gives?
There’s a new beat in Austin … you can hear it resounding from the basement windows of the Congregational Church almost any week night. Call it the West 23rd Street sound — that’s where the “Baby Cakes” hang out.
Practicing in a church basement is probably a unique idea for a rock-and-roll group. But Pat Russell, the Baby Cakes’ drummer, lives there. An English major at the University, Pat hopes to be a Congregational minister …
The group has been together about a month and a half under the name of the “Baby Cakes.” The first members were Pat Russell, Don Lupo on bass, and Leonard Arnold, lead guitar player.
Chuck Bakondi of the Baby Cakes at the Union, September 1965
Then they met Dave Biondi a former KNOW disc jockey. Dave is from Phoenix, Ariz. and had managed a group there. Deciding that the “Baby Cakes” needed a singer, Dave wrote Chuck Bakondi in Phoenix. Along with Tommy Hill, rhythm guitar player, the group was complete …
Sometimes it’s difficult to get together since Don is in the Air Force and stationed at Bergstrom, Leonard is presently going to school in Kingsville and has to commute …
Chuck is the Englishman (sans accent) of the group, complete to his hairstyle and boots. Pat, with his fantastic red hair and beard, looks like a musician, but hardly a potential minister. don, Tommy, and Leonard just look like they enjoy music. Seeing them blast out lines from “Satisfaction” and “For Your Love” you can tell.
The average age of the group is 20. But as Pat put it – “we’re all teenagers at heart.”
Performing on the job, the Baby Cakes wear Beatle boots, black shirts, gold jackets and white lace shirts. They play for about $120 a night.
“We’re expecting a baby organ,” said Pat. The group wants a baby organist and a guitar player to substitute for Leonard on week nights.
Dave got the idea for the group’s name from an old DJ friend of his in Phoenix – broadcasting over the radio he would often say – “what’s happening, Baby Cake?”
The Austin American wrote on July 29, 1965:
“‘Way Outers’ ‘Baby Cakes’ Booked for City Teen Dance”
The Baby Cakes – a newly organized rock-and-roll group of the “way out” variety – will provide half the dance music Friday night at the Parks and Recreation Department’s first annual City-Wide Teen Dance in the City Coliseum …
The second band scheduled for the evening is the popular Imperials group led by Frank Nunez and featuring vocalist Little Joe Castillo. The Imperials are known for their vibrant pop-Latin style and their recordings on the Valmon label …
A special guest appearance by the Petites – sisters Suzanne and Janice Dillingham of Brownwood – will be another highlight …
The Petites recorded the recent “Baby Blue Mustangs” hit for Troy Records, and have another current poll climber – “Baby Heartbreak”.
Frank Nuñez and the Imperials made eight Spanish-language singles for Valmon. I’ve heard an early version of the Baby Cakes backed Ronnie Cells on a single for Valmon: “My Love Is Haunted” / “Chicken” as Ronnie Cells and His Continentals on Valmon VN-1-067, issued circa May 1965.
Ronnie Cells had been performing in Austin since 1967, and used the Continentals name for his backing band from 1962 until 1970, when he changed to Ronnie Cells and the Fidels! Members of the Baby Cakes may have been part of the Continentals for a time, but if so, they struck out on their own by summer of ’65, even as Ronnie continued with a group called the Continentals for years to come.
The Austin Statesman reported on September 8, 1965:
KHFI cameras and tape recorders will be on the prowl this weekend to pick up the sounds at local fraternity houses. The taping, headed by Mike Ginn, is in preparation for a special program called Talent in Central Texas to be aired probably the following weekend.
Local Rock ‘n’ roll groups scheduled for recording include The Babycakes … a college group known as the Cavaliers, and a high school group called the Pack.
The Austin American on December 16, 1965 names their early manager: “Booked Friday at the Circleville Hoedown Club in Taylor – the Baby Cakes, a popular Austin rock band. Manager Leroy Ponkoney says the band returns by ‘popular demand'”.
Tower Fund benefit with bands including the Baby Cakes and the Wig.Wow! April 14, 1967: Baby Cakes with the Playboys of Edinburg, 13th Floor Elevators, Zakary Thaks, Chevelle V and Chandells for the All-night Round Up Party at the City Coliseum
On March 4, 1966, the Austin American wrote:
New feature at the Jade Room on Tuesday and Wednesdays is a big dance contest. With the Baby Cakes supplying the music, couples vie for free movie passes and record albums. This week, KNOW program director, Chuck Boyle, who also manages the Baby Cakes, was on hand along with staffer Richard Moore to judge the event. When asked how he managed to pick his winners from all the high-stepping young girls on the dance floor, Doyle confessed: “I watch the boys.” Oh well, to each his own, Chuck.
In August, 1966, the Baby Cakes participated in a benefit for the Tower Fund, to aid families of the victims of the University of Texas tower sniper. KNOW DJs hosted the event, and other bands included the Wig, the Mustangs, the Zakary Thaks and the Reasons Why.
The Austin American reported on August 4, 1966 “they are scheduled to being a European tour this fall, and are now negotiating the release of a new recording.
1967 photo of the Baby Cakes, a few months before their split
The Austin American on April 6, 1967 reported:
The Baby Cakes … will be back in town to perform (along with The Wig) outside the Paramount Theater Wednesday night for the world premier of “Good Times” …
And starting Thursday night, the group will be appearing weekly at the New Orleans Club. Lately, however, the Baby Cakes have been all over the place – at Texas Tech in Lubbock, at clubs in Dallas and Abilene, at the Catacombs in Houston … in Corpus Christi and at Texas A&I College in Kingsville. They’ll also be sharing the bill with the Playboys of Edinburgh at a Friday night bash in City Coliseum.
The last notice I can find for the Baby Cakes is from August 2, 1967, and ad stating they would be playing at Ozone Forest on 3405 Guadalupe “each and every Wed.”
On September 3, 1967, the Austin American announced a September 9 benefit for KMFA-FM, Austin’s classical music station … “making its debut will be South Canadian Overflow with former Wig [sic] Chuck Bakondi, Baby Cakes ex [sic] Johnny Richardson, and former Reasons Why John Inman, Tommy Langford and Dennie Dolan.”
At some point in 1967, Leonard Arnold and Layton DePenning formed the Lavender Hill Express with John Schwertner of the Reasons Why and two members from the Wig, Jess Yaryan and Rusty Weir. Baby Cakes manager Michael Lucas would continue with the Lavender Hill Express.
The first Lavender Hill Express notice I’ve found is from the Jade Room on November 7, 1967.
Don Lupo would go on to play with the Georgetown Medical Band, Liquid Glass with Bill Campbell and Virgil Harris (lamingo Lounge at 3709 Lake Austin Blvd on April 1, 1968) and other groups before moving to Tucson in 1971 and continuing in music.
Tommy Hill moved to Nashville but returned to Austin to form Tommy Hill and the Country Music Revue (also covered on Sonobeat).
1st notice I can find for the Baby Cakes, with the Outcasts and the Greenmen, KNOW show at the Municipal Auditorium, July 9, 1965
Partial list of live shows:
1965:
July 9: KNOW show with the Outcasts of San Antonio, and the Greenmen at the Municipal Auditorium.
July 18: Cimmaron at 4900 S. Congress
July 30: City-Wide Teen Dance at City Coliseum with the Imperials
August 10: Austin Aqua Festival Battle-of-the-bands with Rob London & the Rogues, the Outcasts, the Emerals, the Pack and the Spades.
September 19: Union Week Ice Cream social
November 6: The Adolphus Hotel in Dallas for a North Texas State College fraternity party
December 18: TCU Fraternity party at the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth
Baby Cakes play the Bat Dance, March 12, 1966February 22, 1966: The Baby Cakes at the Jade Room, while upstarts Roky and the 13th Floor Elevators are at the New Orleans Club
1966:
January 16: The Circleville Hoedown Night Club
January 22: Austin High School senior party at A.L.A. Hall
March 6: opening for Sonny & Cher, with the Outcasts and Scotty McKay, at the Municipal Auditorium
March 12: “Bat Dance” at the Municipal Auditorium
March 14: at the New Orleans Club
March 19: Gunsmoke a Go-Go at ALA Hall March 20: Austin Livestock Show
April 7: at the New Orleans Club
April 27: at the New Orleans Club
April 29: Club Westerner Teenage Dance, Victoria, TX
May 5: at the New Orleans Club
June 1: at the New Orleans Club June 1: with the Nomads at a midnight screening of Hold On!
June 10: Club Westerner Teenage Dance, Victoria, TX
June 19: Swinger’s Club Sunday Jam Session
June 29: Swinger’s Club
July 6: The Swingers Club “with go-go girls Leslie and Maggie”
July 18: Club Westerner, Victoria
August 4: Starlight Revue series at Zilker Hillside Theater
August 11: Austin Aqua Festival at the Municipal Auditorium: “Last year’s winner, ‘The Babycakes,’ will be back this year as the house band hosting the visiting bands.”
August 19: The Circleville Hoedown Nite Club in Rockdale, followed by Ronnie and the Farrells the next night
The Swingers Club, after Leo & the Prophets, October 1966
October 7: The Swingers Club
October 24: Texas Federation of the Blind variety show in Town Hall at Hancock Center
October 30: Lanier High gym
November 12: The Same Place (managed by Burt Womack)
December 30: The Swingers Club
Baby Cakes and the Wig opening the premier of Sonny & Cher’s “Good Times” at the Paramount, April 12, 1967
1967:
At the Carousel on May 11, 1967 preceded on May 7 by the Zulus, the Second Story and the Grim ReapersFebruary 10: Rockdale Teen Club (American Legion Hall)
April 7: at the New Orleans Club
April 12: Baby Cakes and the Wig at the premier of Sonny & Cher’s “Good Times” at the Paramount. April 13: at the New Orleans Club April 14: Baby Cakes with the Playboys of Edinburg, 13th Floor Elevators, Zakary Thaks, Chevelle V and Chandells for the All-night Round Up Party at the City Coliseum
April 27: at the New Orleans Club
May 4: at the New Orleans Club
May 11 and 12: The Carousel, Corpus Christi
May 19: Richard King High School senior dance at the Corpus Christi Country Club with Kit and the Outlaws
June 6-11: The Pusi-Kat, San Antonio, with Joe Thomas
June 17: at the New Orleans Club
July 2: The Dunes, Port Aransas
July 5: at the New Orleans Club
July 18-23: The Pusi-Kat, San Antonio
August 2: at the Ozone Forest on 3405 Guadalupe “each and every Wed.”
August 9: at the Ozone Forest
One of their last advertized shows, at Ozone Forest, Wednesday, August 9, 1967
The Thingies were a peripatetic band, settling and playing shows in a number of locations, and occasionally recording. A full story of the band is on the Cicadelic site. I wanted to include a brief post on the Thingies because of their single on Casino Records.
In late 1962, Larry Miller formed the TR4 while he was stationed with the Air Force in Topeka, Kansas.
The TR4 were:
Don Ferguson – lead guitar Dave Daws – organ Larry Miller – bass and vocals Joe Rodriguez – drums
The TR4 released a single in 1963, “Peter Rabbit” backed with a stomping instrumental, “Surfin’ TR” on Exclusive Records.
In 1964 the band added Phil Weaver as lead vocalist and changed their name to the Coachmen. Gordon Marcellus replaced Joe Rodriguez on drums.
By 1965 the lineup changed again along with the band name to the Thingies:
Fabulous Thingies at the Emporia Civic Auditorium, Nov 11, 1966
Phil Weaver – lead vocals John Dalton – lead guitar Ernie Swisher – organ Larry Miller – bass Gordon Marcellus – drums
They released “It’s a Long Way Down” / “Merry Go Round Of Life” on Casino in early 1966. The group played often in Omaha, Nebraska, where the band first learned about psychedelics. The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band played at The Tiki Club in Topeka, and they helped the Thingies get a light show together according to Larry Miller.
In December, 1966, the Thingies recorded two original at Fairyland Studios in Columbia, MO, “English Eyes” / “No Matter What The World May Say” that were not released at the time, but “English Eyes” appeared on the CD “The Thingies Have Arrived” on Collectables. That CD also features one vocal and two instrumental takes of another original, “I’m Going Ahead”.
The Thingies spent the summer of 1967 in Miami, playing regularly at a huge teen club called The World.
Georgetown Megaphone Sept. 29, 1967
They went to Waco, where Phil Weaver had family, then moved to Austin, Texas in September. One of their earliest shows in Austin was at a Love-In at Zilker Hillside Theater on September 24.
In an article headlined Capital Cops Tops With Hippie Love-In, reporter Mary Callaway gets a little carried away, but still presents a great window onto the Thingies stage show:
Freak-out music dramas presented by the Thingies, a national psychedelic band.
Dressed in a collage of costumes from full monk garbe to Daniel Boone, the Thingies presented a trip experience in which an amber light caught on the jags and peaks of a lump of raspberry jello one into a dream of all worldly objects and abstract concepts merging into one single sound which becomes dust, spirals, and creates a new being. Then the drums and guitars pick up the poet’s rhythm and “Gloria” crashes in in full orchestra.
In “Suzi Creamcheez, What’s Got Into You” the female member of the band expresses a trip experience in which for twenty minutes, with wailing guitars, computer sounds, and aggressive band members, throw her absurd world into supersonic gear, and pathetically enough she screams frantically throughout the drama.
The Austin Daily Texan writer Merry Clark had a more sober account, and named the other bands on the bill:
The Jackels from Dallas began the afternoon playing a new sound for the group formerly known as the Chessmen. They were followed by the Austin Conqueroo …. then a newer Austin band composed mostly of University architecture students, Shiva’s Head Band … A group of men from Bergstrom Air Force Base called the Afro-Caravan [with] Robert King, the leader of the group.
The evening program began and ended with a light show, “Mothers of Invention” sound, and freak out of the Thingies band from Miami.
Austin Love-In with the Jackals, the Conqueroo, Shiva’s Headband, Afro-Caravan, and the Thingies, Austin Daily Texan, Sept. 26, 1967 Over the next six months, the Thingies would play many live shows at the Matchbox, the Vulcan Gas Company, the Pleasure Dome and other venues. Their manager (Night Productions) owned the 11th Street Folk Club, and the group recorded some live shows but the tapes have apparently been lost.
The band signed with Sonobeat, who recorded them at the Swinger’s Club during the club’s off hours, and did overdubs at KAZZ-FM studios. The single featured Gordon Marcellus and Larry Miller’s original “Mass Confusion” backed with Phil Weaver and Bob Cole’s “Rainy Sunday Morning”. Recorded in December, 1967, Sonobeat didn’t release it until the spring of 1968, by which time the Thingies had split up.
Unreleased songs from the Sonobeat sessions include “I Died”, “Mrs. Baker”, “Richard’s Song”, all without finished vocal tracks. You can hear “Mrs. Baker” on the Sonobeat page for the Thingies.
Gordon Marcellus passed away in 2004, Phil Weaver passed in 2014, and Larry Miller passed away at 74 in 2017.
Thingies at the Match Box, Austin Daily Texan, Nov 29, 1967
An additional source was Mojo Mills’ interview with Larry Miller in Shindig.
Night Productions: the Thingies management in Austin
The Thingies, partial gig list:
September 3, 1966 – at the Skyline Club, Manhattan, Kansas
November 12, 1966 – The Fabulous Thingies at the Emporia Civic Auditorium
June 30, 1967 – Atchison, KS Memorial Auditorium
September 24, 1967 – Zilker Hillside Theater, Austin, TX, Love-In with the Jackals, the Conqueroo, Shiva’s Headband and the Afro-Caravan.
September 29 and September 30, 1967 – the IL Club, Austin, TX
October 3, 1967 – New Orleans Club, Austin October 20 and October 21, 1967 – The IL Club, Austin (“After Hours 1 a.m. – 4 a.m.”) October 31, 1967 – New Orleans Club, Austin (“Halloween Ball … wear mask”)
November 29, 1967 – The Match Box, Austin
December 15 and December 16, 1967 – The Pleasure Dome, Austin
December 29 and December 30, 1967 – Hilltop Club, Atchison, KS “The Thingies out of Austin … Just back from the Bahama Islands” ?!
Notorious even in distant Fort Stockton, TX, reported in the Pioneer, Nov. 30, 1967
Leo and the Prophets cut one of the legendary Austin singles of the ’60s, “Tilt-A-Whirl” b/w “The Parking Meter” on Totem Records T-105 in April, 1967.
The band members were:
Leo Ellis – vocals and lead guitar Travis Ellis – tambourine Dan Hickman – rhythm guitar Rod Haywood – bass Bill Powell – drums
In January or February of 1967 they recorded their first songs with Sonobeat’s Bill Josey Sr. and Rim Kelley, resulting in a finished vocal, “Flowers on the Hill” and two instrumentals “Ozone Forest” and “Prophecy of Love”. Unfortunately none of which were ever released, but you can hear about half of “Flowers on the Hill” at the impressive Sonobeat website. Thirty seconds of “Ozone Forest” used to be on the old Sonobeat site but I can’t find it now. It’s a pity these songs weren’t finished and released, but at the time Bill Josey and the band felt there was too much distortion in the recording.
Andrew Brown published interviews with Dan Hickman, Rod Haywood and Bill Powell on his site 1966: Texas Music in the Sixties, which makes the best history of the band. I don’t have much to add to that.
My copy of the single is signed by Leo W. Ellis, Bill Powell, Haywood and “To the Roman Nose … Danel Boone” which I believe is Daniel Hickman as he signed the copy on the 1966 site in the same manner.
A possibly complete discography of Totem Records:
Totem T-101 – Rix Slaughter “Listen Little Girl” (Rix Dale Slaughter and James O. Glass)/ “Shades of Dawn” (Slaughter), November 1964 Totem T-102 – Rix Slaughter “Bright Lights” / “Everybody’s Fallin’ In Love” Totem T-103 – Damon Meredith & the Western Caravan “Don’t Interfere With Love” / “(I Know That) You’re Trying to Forget Me” (WAM-45-66126, copyright reg. May 1966) Totem T-103 – Cecil Moore & The Diamondbacks “Wind It Up” / “Stuff” (WAM-45-66125, copyright reg. June, 1966) Totem T-105 – Leo & the Prophets – “Tilt-A-Whirl” (Ellis, Haywood) / “The Parking Meter” (Ellis, Hickman), April, 1967
Totem Records and KCFH advertisement in the Cuero, Texas paper in November, 1964J.O. Glass (James Otto Glass) and J.C. “Scat” Hamilton produced all the singles.
Totem advertised Rix Slaughter’s first single in conjunction with KCFH in the Cuero Record on November 3, 1964.
The Meredith and Cecil Moore singles have a code I’m not familiar with, WAM, the Moore reading WAM-45-66125, while the Damon Meredith notes WAM-45-66126. Both singles share catalog number Totem T-103.
The singles list Totem Records at 4307 Speedway, Austin, with publishing by Fathom Pub. Co.
James Otto Glass copyrighted other songs in 1963 and ’64 that may not have been recorded, including “Halfway to Heaven (I Can’t Believe In You)”, “Window In My Heart”, “Fleeting Love”, “Just a Tear Away” and “What Doesn’t Show (I’ll Feel in My Heart)”.
The only photo I’ve seen of Oedipus and the Mothers, taken by Steve Delk for the Daily Texan, May 13, 1967
Oedipus and the Mothers made one fine record, “(I Remember) How It Used to Be”, with a great combination of distorted lead guitar and tremolo rhythm.
Andrew Brown did a long interview with rhythm guitarist Joe Blinderman in “Brown Paper Sack” back in ’97. The interview is a great read, and I recommend it if you can find a copy. The facts about the group are as follows:
The band formed at the University of Texas, Austin in 1965. Don Passman was lead guitarist, Joseph Blinderman rhythm guitarist, Scott Davis played sax, Bob Hunt bass and Stuart Glass was the drummer.
Oedipus and the Mothers featured two African-American vocalists: first Alvin Easter, then Reuben Halton who sings on the record.
An early mention of the band in Jim Langdon’s Nightbeat column from February 25, 1966 lists Robi Bendorf on drums and Alvin Easter on vocals. The band played for 200 people at the opening of Ray Vines’ Orange Bull Club and continued to play there into March, alternating with the Baby Cakes.
Bob Burns was their equipment manager.
Oedipus and the Mother-Lovers, San Antonio Light, March 1967
Oedipus and the Mothers traveled to Dallas to record the 45, probably at Sumet Sound Studio. Joe Blinderman wrote “(I Remember) How It Used to Be”. Don Passman wrote “Lonesome”, which is a very mellow song and nothing like the flip. There may be a few unreleased tracks still in existence.
Don chose the shocking band name. An announcement in the San Antonio Light lists them as the even more scandalous name, “Oedipus and the Mother-Lovers”! Joe recalled to Andrew Brown that it didn’t hurt their getting gigs, and their 45 even received some local airplay.
The band broke up in May of ’67 when Don Passman graduated and left for Harvard Law School.
An article in the Daily Texas for one of their last shows on May 13 at the Union Main Ballroom has some interesting information, but I don’t think they ever released a record named “I’m Gone”: that may be an error by the writer. I haven’t seen the Time article mentioned, but a national UPI item listed Oedipus and His Mothers along with other odd band names, like the Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Iron Butterfly, etc..
Oedipus and the Mothers appear very briefly at a frat party in the CBS special “If You’re Appalled at My Texas, I’m Bewildered by Your England” hosted by Dan Rather and David Dimbleby (called “Texas vs. England” in the news item at top). The English part of the special does have good footage of the Who, plus short interviews with Mary Quant, Margaret Forster, Jean Shrimpton and publisher Gareth Powell.
Bob Hunt wrote to me:
Alvin was our first singer; Ruben was the second. They both sounded a lot alike and had that high range. Needless to say, our set lists included a lot of James Brown, Sam & Dave, etc. material. We also covered the Stones, Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, etc. We were a rock & roll band with five UT students including a black vocalist and a Seminary student … me.
Baby Cakes and Oedipus and the Mothers at the Orange Bull, Austin Daily Texan, March 3, 1966
One more note on the recording of the Beacon material. I direct inputed to the board and I think now in retrospect that I may have overdriven the desk, but the engineer didn’t know that. He was impressed that I had a real Fender ’58 P-Bass with the sunburst and the gold anodized pick guard! Live, I played through a 60 watt Fender head into two Bassman cabs, each loaded with two 15″ JBL 140s. I could fill up a room and make your pant legs flap!
Bob Burns, the equipment guy actually built the sound system for us since there weren’t too many options out there at the time. We had a Bogen 100 watt, four channel amp and four mics which all plugged into two huge homebuilt speaker cabs containing four 12″s apiece. No monitors in that era! I don’t know what kept us from setting venues on fire with that set-up. Don occasionally played a Farfisa keyboard too.
If anyone has a photo of the group, please contact me
Scan courtesy of Mark Taylor. Thank you to Jonas Carlsson for pointing out the Austin Daily Texan article with the band photo.
Either Oedipus & the Mothers were known as far away as Hollywood, or there was a California group with that name, ’cause it’s the first example given of weird group names. Lubbock Avalanche Journal, January 10, 1967
The Wig – from left: Jess Yaryan, Rusty Wier, Benny Rowe, Bill Wilmot and Johnny Richardson. Thanks to Liz for the correction.
Updated October 9, 2009
The other great Austin, Texas band of the mid-60’s was the Wig: Rusty Wier (drums, vocals), Benny Rowe (lead guitar), John Richardson (guitar), Jess Yaryan (bass) and Billy Wilmont (keyboards).
Benny Rowe had been in an earlier version of the band known as the Wigs that had toured Europe.
The 45 version of “Drive It Home” is phenomenal, but the live version makes the studio cut seem tame in comparison! The live recording was done at the Jade Room, one of their regular spots.
The flipside of the Goyle 45 is “To Have Never Loved at All”, a good ballad I hadn’t paid much attention to until someone requested to hear it so I made a transfer. The Wig released “Drive It Home” / “To Have Never Loved at All” in November 1966.
“Crackin’ Up” is as exciting as any song cut in the mid-60s. The opening guitar riff is unforgettable for one thing. Rusty Wier’s drumming propels the song, his vocals are confident and Benny Rowe’s guitar solo is intense.
Wier wrote “Crackin’ Up”. The flip is “Bluescene.” It came out on two labels, BlacKnight and Empire. The BlacKnight single is rare enough and came out in May of ’67, but the Empire ones seems even harder to find – one copy I’ve seen was issued on yellow vinyl – anyone have a scan of that?
I don’t have a release date for the Empire version – it may have actually come later than the Blacknight.
There are more live tracks along with both sides of an early unreleased 45, “Little By Little” and “Forever And A Day” that I haven’t heard yet.
After the Wig broke up, Yaryan and Wier formed the Lavender Hill Express, blending country and pop sounds. A lot of information on that group can be found on the Sonobeat site.
I just heard Randy Wier passed away after battling cancer. The Austin360 site had an obituary but it has been taken down. Tommy Taylor had written a comment on an Austin Chronicle article for a personal take on Rusty’s influence on the Austin music scene, but that is now down too. I hope Mr. Taylor does not mind my reproducing his letter here:
Dear Editor,
On reading this week’s article concerning Rusty Wier and his passing, I couldn’t help but make note of the incorrectness of a portion of the story [“Off the Record,” Music, Oct. 16]. Rusty Wier did not join Gary P. Nunn’s Lavender Hill Express. The Lavender Hill Express was formed as a “supergroup” featuring the best guys from many other top local groups. Leonard Arnold from Felicity (Don Henley), Jess Yaryan and Rusty Wier from the Wig, Layton DePenning from Baby Cakes.
Gary P. Nunn was not even in the Lavender Hill Express originally. The original keyboardist was Johnny Schwertner. The group was a year into its tenure before Gary came on the scene. It was Rusty Wier’s Lavender Hill Express from the get-go.
I was disappointed in the size and content of the article. This man was at the very heart and very beginning of everything that this music community now holds dear and prides itself upon. While I realize that the 2002 article pretty much covered the main points [“I Before E,” Music, May 31, 2002], Rusty Wier deserves the cover once again. The passing of these luminaries in our local music community needs top attention, even though they may no longer be at the height of their careers or as popular with the kiddies as the latest flavor of the month.
Rusty Wier was an Austin icon. He had the first major label record contract ever awarded to an Austin artist. He was the first person in Austin to stand out from the crowd of players in bands, to be recognized as an individual, even as a drummer. Rusty Wier and the Wig held the No. 1 slot with their two-sided single “Drive It Home”/”To Have Never Loved at All” for several weeks in 1966-67 on K-NOW, the only radio station in town that played popular music, above groups like the Beatles.
In Austin, Texas, before Rusty Wier, there was nothing.
Tommy Taylor
Rusty Wier’s official site, www.rustywier.com (now also defunct) had more on his career, and many photos, including some I’ve reproduced here.
Rusty Wier in 1969, when he was with the Lavender Hill Express. Photo taken by Hilton Puckett and reproduced from Rusty Wier’s official site (now defunct)I like how the clipping above calls Rusty the “lead drummer”! It also gives a different spelling of his last name.
Two non-lp sides by the Bubble Puppy, a Texas group based alternately in Austin and Houston, and recording on International Artists. To me this is probably their best work.
“Thinkin’ About Thinkin'” is intense guitar driven hard-rock, not garage. “Days of Our Time” is maybe too busy but still has a good momentum to it.
Members were:
Rod Prince – lead guitar and vocals Roy Cox – bass and vocals Todd Potter – lead guitar and vocals David “Fuzzy” Fore – drums
Rod Prince wrote a good history of the band on their official site, which is otherwise kinda clunky.
I should expand this entry on the band if anyone is interested in helping or writing it…
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
Oedipus and the Mothers made one fine record, “(I Remember) How It Used to Be”, with a great combination of distorted lead guitar and tremolo rhythm.
