Here’s a strange 45 by one of the many groups calling themselves the Esquires. One side is a ballad and the other a decent garage number, but neither one should be considered essential listening.
I wonder how many lyricists had passed on rhyming “make life brighter” with “like a zippo lighter” before the Esquires wrote it into the top side ballad “What Made You Change Your Mind”.
Better is the flip, “Boo Hoo Hoo”, where the band has a good stop-and-start rhythm going.
Oddly, both sides have been altered to fill out their run time. It appears that the band turned in performances of about one and a half minutes on each of these songs. The engineer deftly repeats sections to extend each closer to the three minute mark. This is especially noticeable on “Boo Hoo Hoo”, where a drum fill introduces a section that is repeated four times in the song.
Dick Welch wrote both sides, and publishing is by Pat Chipps for Panhandle Music.
I knew nothing about the band until Dick Welch commented below, so I’ll repeat it here:
This Raven label was located in Clarksburg, West Virginia in the late 60′s. I wrote both sides of this record and played guitar. It was a four track studio. I also recorded a record there with a group called Them Prodigals.
Them Prodigals’ 45 is “Icing Too” / “Cake Time”, released in February 1968 at Raven 101.
This Raven label is distinct from the Danville, VA label that released the Individuals “I Want Love” / “I Really Do” and the Lost Souls “For You” / “Minds Expressway” 45s.
Anyone have a photo of the group, or know the names of the other members?
I don’t think this is the Danville-based Raven Records.
I’m from Danville and have about a dozen 45s on the local label. The owner worked at K-Mart and ran a small studio on Piney Forest Road called “The House of Sound.” He would press 50 records for $50, but would do them for less if you provided the master tape. Anyway, I’ve never seen a blue label with this logo or typeset. In fact, I’ve never seen any logo on a Raven release. Most of the rock or soul 45s were on a red label with silver or black typeset. The 45 by Lost Soul was on a yellow Raven label. The subsidiary, Piedmont Records, were also on yellow labels. The logo was an outline of the state of Virginia. Other garage groups that recorded for Raven include the IV Pack and The Mustangers. The label also released country records by artists including Susan Lea and a number of bluegrass & gospel records.
Jack Garrett
The panhandle reference refers to the panhandle of West Virginia, where this Raven label was based.
This Raven label was located in Clarksburg, WV in the late 60’s. I wrote both sides of this record and played guitar. It was a four track studio. I also recorded a record there with a group called Them Prodicals.