Chicago’s Cryan Shames found huge success from the A-side of this 45, “Sugar and Spice”, but the flip “Ben Franklin’s Almanac” is their finest garage moment and might surprise you. It has a fantastic guitar break too.
Anyone have a photo of the group?
The Destination label was also home to the Boyz excellent pop 45 “Come With Me”.
Interestingly the schedule for Mother Duck, below, shows there was a band by the name Ben Franklin’s Almanac playing around Chicago in 1969.
with Grope at Mother Duck, November 22, 1968
with the Good Earth at the Jaguar, April 3, 1968
do you know if that 45 come with me is on any comp by them/
Out of curiosity I did a little research-found this on a review of Pebbles Volume 7, Chicago Part 2:
“Note that “Ben Franklin’s Almanac” by the Cryan Shames is not included on the CD even though it is included on the song list that’s printed on the CD cover; the third song is actually “Come With Me” by the Boyz, which was incorrectly listed on the CD cover for Pebbles, Vol. 6.”
I don’t (yet) have the two Chicago Pebbles discs so I can’t verify it but it’s worth checking out.
Wikipedia has a listing for Volume 7, it makes the same notation.
…The “Destination” label was also one of the record labels that was home to the band known as “The Flock” with Freddy Glickstein and the boys. I have the 45 record of their song “Take Me Back” on the Destination label. The best recording they ever made, with a great upbeat tempo and pumpin’ horns.
I have a 45 by a group The Tradewinds on the Destination label. the songs are “Floatin’ a surf instermental, and “Oop-Oop-A-Doo” a kick ass fuzz dance vocal. I have been asking around for years and nobody knows about them. So I’m asking you dear readers Who, Where, & When were the TRADEWINDS?
My consin Kenny Andersen AKA Lips Andrews was in the Tradewinds at one time. I have a LP of cover songs that was self produced ( no Label) around here somewhere. I didn’t know anything about Destination records of them. I think the band went through many changes and finally ended up as STYX.
Great to hear something about these guys. My YouTube channel is geofbrit59 I will post the record soon so you can hear it.
The surviving members of the Cryan Shames are reuniting. I believe the last time they all played together may have been in the early 80’s. James Fairs, who wrote many of their hits plays with his band the James Band is reuniting with Tom Doody (Toad), Jim Pilster (J C Hooke), Lenny Kerley and Gerry Stone (Stonehenge). They have been rehearsing and will be singing updated versions of many of the Cryan Shames hits from the 60’s. This was originally scheduled to happen in Downer’s Grove, ILL on June 27, 2009 but that concert was rained out. According to James Fairs, they are trying to reschedule for August 26 at Bolingbrook, Il. This should be a memorable concert. Tom Doody and Jim Pilster still perform regularly around Chicago as the Cryan Shames and put on a very good show.
I have seen the Cryan Shames on various occasions and am very happy to hear you are re-uniting!! I also went to see a band called The Flock and enjoyed “Are you the kind”, Can’t you see and Take me back by them. Your website mentioned the Flock and wondered if there is some way I can locate any of their music from the 60’s. I do have the Cryan Shames album and would like to find The Flock’s hits also. I know Rick Canoff passed away some time ago but any help you could give me would be most appreciated. Thanks and keep jammin!!
If you have any information on how I can acquire “Take Me Back”, Can’t You See and Are You The Kind by the Flock it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Mary
“Take Me Back” was written by my brother, Robert A. Stanley, for The Flock. He also wrote “Gotta Take It Easy”, which was recorded on U.S.A./Destination Records by Cherry Slush!
Jim Stanley
2 Flock songs are on disc 2 of this CD package:
http://www.amazon.com/2131-South-Michigan-Avenue-Psychedelia/dp/B001TKKAIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1255457095&sr=1-1
Including other Destination/USA
Hope that this helps.
Are there any recordings of “Take me Back?” It is nowhere to be found. I’ve been looking for years.
“Are You The Kind” is track 10 on Disc 2 of “2131 South Michigan Avenue” –
http://www.amazon.com/2131-South-Michigan-Avenue-Psychedelia/dp/B001TKKAIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1261977332&sr=1-1
Flock’s 4th single “What Would You Do If The Sun Died” is track 18 on disc 2 of the above.
“Take Me Back” is on “Bob Stroud’s Rock ‘n Roll Roots – Volume Seven”
http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Strouds-Rock-Roll-Roots/dp/B000LUYECY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1261977574&sr=1-5
“Can’t You See” is on “Bob Stroud’s Rock ‘n Roll Roots – Volume Eleven” (Available at all Chicago area Border’s)
http://www.wdrv.com/roots11.php
I hope that this helps
Fred
Give your brother my best! Flock hit #12 on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey with that tune!
Greetings,
Just surfed into your question about the Flock and whether there is a recording of Take Me Back.
I have an mp3 of it that I bumped into on the Internet a while back. If you want a copy, I can e-mail it to you. – write, dooblydo at mail dot com
– Dennis
Wow, great to see that old Mother Duck card. I definitely remember the night my band, Grope opened for the Shames. That was a high point in our short lived career! Ha!
Why do I remember opening for the Strawberry Alarm Clock?