From La Crosse, Wisconsin, the Ladds had three singles on Transaction, Universal Audio and Teen Town between 1967 and 1969. In 1970, they changed their name to Today’s Tomorrow and had a minor hit with “Bring Back The Days” / “Witchi Tai To ” on Bang Records.
As the Silver Bullets they made an instrumental single for Teen Town, “The Lone Ranger” / “No Name Boogie”.
Members were:
Chuck Holzer – vocals
Ralph Russell – guitar
Alex Campbell – keyboards
Eric Melby – bass, also Randy Taylor, and Clare Troyanek (of the Unchained Mynds)
Mark Melby – drums
This is their next single, “Wanton Forest” / “You’ve Gone Away” as Today’s Tomorrow, on Teen Town TT-118, from about mid-1970. “Wanton Forest” is fine light psychedelia, and “You’ve Gone Away” is well-crafted and commercial. Alex Campbell wrote both songs, published by Jab Music BMI.
John Hall produced. Hall later started the Blue Ribbon label and released a great punk single, the Ones “Short Dress / Tight Rope ”
The July 11, 1970, La Crosse Tribune had a note about the recording of this single. I like how they call them “old hands” when most of the group were still teenagers:
“Today’s Tomorrow,” who are old hands at making records and working in recording studios, seemed a little shook up as they entered the RCA Victor Studios in Chicago a couple of weeks ago to put their vocal tracks on their latest 45 single. Looking at the big-star albums hanging on the walls, one of the members of the group asked the recording engineer who had recorded in just the past couple of days. He replied in a very mild mood, The “Guess Who” were in the other day and cut their new single, “Hand Me Down World.” That was enough to give any young band the winks. The session pulled off great. It’s the best job of composing thus far for Alex Campbell. The two new sides are entitled, “You’ve Gone Away” and “Wanton Forest.” The tapes have already been sent in to the Bang record office in New York.
It didn’t get a release on Bang, but Cash Box listed “Wanton Forest” on the playlist of WOKY in Milwaukee on October 24, 1970.
Today’s Tomorrow would have one final single, a version of Paul McCartney’s “Smile Away” that I haven’t heard yet, backed with another Alex Campbell original, “Lifeless”, which has a ’70s funky hard-rock sound.
Alex Campbell had an early single with the Fax in August, 1966 when he was just 14, “Just Walking In The Rain” / “Not Too Long Ago” on Transaction 702, produced by Lindy Shannon.
If anyone has the picture sleeves for the Ladds first two singles, “Keep On Running” / “‘Wild Angels’ Theme” on Transaction or “I Found The Girl” / “Survival” on Universal Audio, please contact me. Also if anyone has photos of the band other than those on the Ladds picture sleeves, please write in.
Source: Do You Hear That Beat: Wisconsin Pop/Rock in the 50’s & 60’s by Gary E. Myers has extensive information that was vital to this post.