The Five Bucks, from left: Steve Hearn, Chris Rose, Bruce Kerr, Jerry Daller, and Bauchman Tom
The Five Bucks had two of the finest harmony songs of the mid-60’s: “No Use in Trying” and “I’ll Walk Alone”. The group had a third 45 as the Five Bucks, and then three more releases as the Byzantine Empire. Jim Heddle of Ann Arbor wrote to me and said I should cover the Five Bucks, “WPAG played ‘Now You’re Gone’, which was a ballad, but I remember WAAM playing the b-side, ‘No Use In Trying’, which is a great rocker.”
I contacted Bruce Kerr, the bassist and one of the principal songwriters, who kindly answered my questions about the group and provided photos:
We formed the band days after we all converged on University of Michigan/Ann Arbor in August of ’65. Chris Rose and I met in our dorm piano lounge and started harmonizing. He brought in his roommate from Glencoe, IL, Steve Hearn; we grabbed our guitars and had a trio. We then added Jerry Daller across the hall from me who had to call his parents and have his drums shipped up from Detroit. I called my parents to have my amp shipped over from Waukesha, Wisconsin. These are calls parents do not want to receive three days into a frosh year, as you can imagine.
“Now You’re Gone” makes #46 on Ann Arbor station WPAG’s chart on April 26, 1966We put up an ad for a keyboard player and Bauchman Tom from Akron, OH, also a frosh at U/M answered it. [He played] a Farfisa organ, that characteristic 60’s sound, but he could make it cook. He turned out to be very good, played rock, classical, and jazz, and was Chinese-American which gave the band’s look some uniqueness and, right in the middle of the Civil Rights era, some political correctness before that phrase was in use.
We decided to name the band, “The Five Bucks.” I recall it was Chris’s idea. Our band card was a fake $5 bill with our names and dorm phone numbers in the corners (plus 1).
Chris, Steve, and I were all rhythm guitar players so we decided I’d learn bass, Steve would sing lead and play rhythm, and Chris would play lead. The three of us started collaborating immediately and “No Use In Trying” was our first effort, “Now You’re Gone” was our second (misprinted as “Now You’re Mine. The band was plagued by label misprints, the “5 Bucs” [on the Omnibus single] was a misprint, we were never anything but the Five Bucks, then the Byzantine Empire).
And after playing frat parties, doing Beatles song with perfect replication of the harmonies, and getting a great reception, the thing in those days was to get out a single (as your website shows). An album was a distant dream but local bands who sustained nearly always got to a single. We had a date with Detroit’s Edwin Starr on a Sunday to record. We drove in and he didn’t show at the studio.
In the spring of ’66, as our freshman year was ending, we all decided to live in the Chicago area where Chris and Steve had their family’s homes and play for the summer. When we got to Chicago, Chris’s dad had arranged through a friend for us to audition for a label, which turned out to be Afton, eventually. The mistake, we felt, was the promotion ended up going for the ballad rather than “No Use In Trying.” So it got played on WLS a few times, got us some good gigs, but never made it.
The Five Bucks, from left: Bruce Kerr, Chris Rose, Jerry Daller, Bauchman Tom and Steve Hearn
Chris & Steve’s friend, Harlan Goodman, went to work for William Morris in Chicago and the next thing we knew that spring and summer, we were opening major concerts in Chicago and Indiana for the Animals, Turtles, Hollies and others.
“I’ll Walk Alone” reaches #1 on WCBN, March 19, 1967Harlan Goodman booked us in ’66 as Del Shannon’s band, backing him up at two county fairs in Minnesota and a small college, I think it was. It was amazing to be 19 years old playing bass behind “Runaway” and other hits that six years before I was dancing to at junior high dances.
Having flunked out of U/M Engineering, I had to go back to Ann Arbor for the second part of the summer and Steve Gritton filled in on bass on keyboards.
We played a bunch of venues like the Aragon Ballroom with other bands like the Shadows of Knight, Buckinghams, the Flock, the Real McCoys and a couple more that were popular locally that I can’t remember…ah, the Cryin’ Shames. Went between Ann Arbor and to Chicago on half the weekends and all summers.
There was camaraderie but competition too. Everyone wanted to be the breakout band, like American Breed finally did, and Chicago (Transit Authority) who became monster-big.
We hung back stage in Hammond, Indiana with the Hollies in ’66. I asked Graham Nash how long he’d be in the states and he replied, “about 6 feet.” everyone laughed and I shrunk back into the ranks of the opening acts.
“I’ll Walk Alone” a pick hit on WAAM’s chart on April 10, 1967Five Bucks opening for the Doors at the U. of Michigan Homecoming
The Five Bucks opened for The Doors, fall of ’67 for our U/Michigan Homecoming. Morrison got booed off the stage, he was drunk and the crowd wanted to DANCE. The student in charge came begging to us, “Please go back up and quiet down this crowd.” We took to the stage and opened with the Temps’ “Ain’t to Proud to Beg” and the place went crazy and the night was saved. Huge crowd, the old U/M gym, high stage, it was nuts.
That winter of ’66-’67, we recorded on Omnibus: “I’ll Walk Alone” / “So Wrong.” Came out in the spring, was #1 in Ann Arbor and some other places. In the fall we recorded “Breath of Time” / “Without Love” on USA Records.
Q. Where were the Afton and Omnibus singles recorded?
Both in Chicago, I forget the studio names. The Afton record was recorded in an old 4-track studio. I think Omnibus, as well. Only with Universal in ’68 were we in anything bigger, 12 track then. Still, the singles were mono, not stereo.
That fall, our agents, Bruce Shankman and Earl Glicken (the Monkees promoter in Chicago) hooked us up with Traut. We went in unplugged (another term before its time) to Traut’s office and played some new originals: “Whenever I’m Lonely,” “Girl In the Courtyard” and some covers and Traut was sold on us. Wanted us to be an answer to “The Association.” Even had the Asian-American. Bauchman briefly took on a Hawaiian stage personna as Kelly Kulukua, something like that.
The Byzantine Empire at Soldier Field, from left: Steve Hearn, Bauchman Tom, Bruce Kerr, Jerry Daller and Chris Rose
Bill said, rightly, we needed a new name. I was a history major and suggested the name [The Byzantine Empire], a weird choice of a name in retrospect, but what wasn’t that year?
In the winter of ’68-69, Traut signed us and booked us on spec into Universal Studios, a 12-track studio, state-of-the-art facility, hired members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. We recorded the two originals listed just above, plus the Association’s album song “Happiness Is,” “You,” “Snowqueen” by Carole King, and “Shadows & Reflections”, two sessions, a couple months a part, as I recall.
Traut sold us to Amy records, a sub of Bell Records in NY for $25K. Problem is, he had his pal, Eddie Higgins & Bob Schiff produce us. They were competent but not the visionary Bill was. We would have done better with Bill producing but he was trying to build up his team. He was partnering with Jimmy Golden but they had a falling out just as we were hoping to blossom, which caused problems for Bill, and ultimately, for us, I think.
The Byzantine Empire in the studio, 1967, from left: Chris Rose, Bruce Kerr, Bauchman Tom, Jerry Daller and Steve Hearn
Q. So Bill Traut set up the Universal Studio sessions but didn’t produce any of them?
Right, he gave us Eddie Higgins & Bob Shiff instead; we were let down by that.
Q. Were you all playing your instruments on the Amy recordings, or using studio musicians for the backing?
We all played except Jerry Daller on drums. Traut brought in a jazz club drummer, especially for the 3/4 beat on “Snow Queen.” not many drummers in rock bands played 3/4, Jerry included. He was really a garage band drummer, but he held his own. Still, Traut was right to replace him for the two sessions, three songs at each.
Q. I can see “Happiness Is” as an obvious commercial choice, but how did you decide to record “Shadows and Reflections”?
Traut, it’s a weak song, strange too, but we couldn’t find anything better in the stack of writers’ promo demo copies he gave us to choose from. “Shadows & Reflections” was during our second session with Bill, probably summer/fall ’68.
Q. Were you aware of the original version by Eddie Hodges (ironically on Sunburst, which was distributed by Amy) or the one by the UK group the Action?
Interesting, no, I hope they were better than our version.
Q. Would you say the band tried to cultivate a more refined sound over time, or was that mainly Bill Traut’s doing?
Yes, the Byzantine Empire went for harmony a la Association. We liked their sound anyway, from “Mary” to “Cherish.” We could do chords (correctly) and we could do harmony, this was no band of blues three-chorders. So part of it was Traut…definitely the “You” / “Shadows & Reflections” stuff…we thought it was square, like the Vogues, and wanted something rougher but he knew we were no Troggs, that our look and sound had to be melodic and pop sounding. The USA side A, “Breath of Time” before that, was an attempt to get a rougher sound, fuzz tone, etc.
“Snow Queen” was a Gavin pick but, being 3/4 waltz time, and with no major hook other than the title being sung at the end of each verse, our soaring harmonies weren’t enough. Then “Happiness Is” was released (we pretty much copied the arrangement of the Association) and it didn’t make it. Finally, per the contract, “You” came out close to our graduating and did zip.
Bill Traut once told us, in retrospect, that “Whenever I’m Lonely” could have been a monster ballad hit. I’m not sure if he was hoping for a flip hit after “Happiness Is” which he thought was a sure-fired hit, if “Snowqueen” didn’t hit. None of them did and we maybe should have stayed with our original sound instead of thinking we had to have a hit with an almost exact replica of “Happiness Is.” But, we were hungry to make it, felt we could shape our sound after we had a commercial hit.
Even “Courtyard” and “Whenever I’m Lonely” were our soft side. We had a rockier, Beau Brummels type sound that had more grit and might have served us better by ’68, with the way music turned away from pretty harmonies toward heavy guitars and, if any, soul harmony, or none at all.
We graduated, did one more gig that summer in Chicago, and went our separate ways. Chris and I have maintained our friendship for the next 40 years, he still is in contact with Steve, but Jerry’s totally gone, and Chris and I only kept up with Bauchman through the mid to late 70’s and he disappeared also.
Q. Are there any unreleased recordings? Any live recordings?
Somewhere there’s our third song ever from ’65, “Say It Now,” that I think could have been a hit. It was a recording session dub, nothing ever came of it. Chris had a great song, “Inspector Hayes,” another dub from a session that never became a record. No one knows where these two are. Nothing live ever, too bad.
Q. Lastly has there been interest in re-releasing the records? I know they’ve come up on bootleg compilations, but I don’t think they’ve ever been legitimately released, at least not together.
Nothing I’ve heard about. Frankly, there may be more interest in our stuff now than from the record buying public back then (apparently)!
Q. Finally, I find it amazing that the group was able to stay together all four years of college with no changes, other than that short time “Stubs” subbed for you.
Yeah, we all got along pretty well. Steve, Chris and I were fast friends which was the core. We all liked the money (lots of gigs) and (mostly) not having to work other jobs in the summers or during the school year. Helped with meeting girls on campus since the band was popular there…
Mostly, it was the age-old (well…) bit of the dream to become like the Beatles or Stones, on the radio, songs people would love and hum, and the life of a millionaire rock star, as we envisioned it. All of this with the Vietnam War draft in the background. And there was no deferment for rock star. Some of the best moments were when we were in the studio, it seemed like we were about to make it, there with all the tools and “old guys” at the controls (they were probably in their 30’s), telling us, “it could be a hit!”
When you get played on WLS, you pretty much figure it’s just going to keep going up from there. It was a great time, and I’m probably happier today for our not making it and having to play state fairs now with REO Speedwagon.
When the band broke up, I went to law school and am a lawyer today (though I took 20 years off, ’73-’93 to be a solo performer, “Loose Bruce Kerr,” so the itch was not entirely scratched in the band years). Easier now as a lawyer than living in motel rooms and touring!
Bruce Kerr
Chris Rose adds:
It was Steve Hearn’s girlfriend’s father, Jerry Wexler, real estate tycoon, who got us the audition with Milt Salstone, owner of Reprise records [actually owner of M-S Distributors]. Milt started the Afton label as a subsidiary for rock and roll music.
I haven’t heard from or about our keyboardist in many years. His name is Bauchman Tom (people used to frequently mispronounce his name as “Tom Buachman”). He was, by far, the best musician in the group. He was up there with the best of the day in keyboard talent. On one mini-tour with The Iron Butterfly, Doug Engle (the composer of “In a Gadda Da Vida” ) told Bauchman that he played the song as well, if not better than Doug did. Our road managers [were] Terry Gano and Dean Suffka – they went on to work for The Seeds, Friend and Lover, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, The People, Kansas, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Blues Image, The Doors, and Captain Beyond, and others after our group broke up.
The Seeds, Friend and Lover, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, The People, Kansas, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Blues Image, The Doors, and Captain Beyond.
The Byzantine Empire at the Jaguar, April 6, 1968 with the Strawberry ExpressAdding to the list of groups and artists we played with or opened for: Del Shannon (opened and played as his band, the second set), Edwin Starr (he told Barry Gordy he wanted to manage our group because we could harmonize), Bobby Head (Sunny), People, The Iron Butterfly, Paul Revere and the Raiders (Lake Geneva), The Vogues (opened and backed them up instrumentally), Eric Burdon and The Animals, The Turtles (one concert at the Hammond Civic Center – crowd: 10,000, and one TV appearance), The Hollies, The Royal Guardsmen (they hated the Snoopy songs), Friend & Lover, colleagues of Herb Alpert (from our manager’s stable of talent) – he even went to Arlington Park racetrack with my Dad, all the Chicago based groups, multiple times – The Flock, The Buckinghams, The New Colony Six, The Shadows of Knight, The Mauds, The Ides of March with Jim Peteryk (they used to wear long-haired wigs when they were 17 – their parents wouldn’t let them grow their hair), Baby Huey and the Babysitters, The American Breed, Brenda Lee (a TV show in Windsor, Canada), Siegel-Schwall Blues Band, Sam the Sham, The Knickerbockers, The Kingsmen, The McCoys. I am sure I have left a few out.
The Byzantine Empire, 1968 from left: Chris Rose, Jerry Daller, Steve Hearn, Bauchman Tom and Bruce KerrThe Byzantine Empire, from left: Chris Rose, Bruce Kerr, Bauchman Tom, Steve Hearn and, Jerry Daller.
45 releases:
The Five Bucks
No Use In Trying / Now You’re Gone (erroneously printed as Now You’re Mine) (Afton 1701) May 1966 I’ll Walk Alone / So Wrong (Omnibus 1001) November 1966 (band listed as The Five Bucs) Breath of Time / Without You (U.S.A. 882) 1967
Byzantine Empire
Girl In The Courtyard / Snowqueen (Amy 11,018) 1968 Happiness Is / Whenever I’m Lonely (Amy 11,034) 1968 You / Shadows and Reflections (Amy 11,046) 1968
All photos courtesy of Bruce Kerr. Thanks to Jim Heddle for scans of the radio charts and Omnibus 45.
35 thoughts on “The Five Bucks “No Use in Trying” and The Byzantine Empire”
I love the 3 Byzantine Empire singles and never knew that they recorded previously until stumbling upon this page. They really had a great Association-like sunshine pop sound. I just wonder if their earlier output is nearly as good as the Amy recordings.
If you want to hear them again then just let the music out! You wouldn’t want to repress it mow, would you? I may feel repressed about this though and want to break out! (sorry, couldn’t help myself. Had to EXPRESS instead!) OK, OK, enough!
I knew Steve Hearn, sang in a duo with his brother, Larry back in 1964. Steve was in a folk trio then called the “Trevian Three” with Mark Springer who later played with the New Christy Minstrelsc I knew Steve Hearn’s girlfriend’s younger sister, Judy Wexler, and went to school with her. Both sisters were very pretty and very popular and very rich, being the daughters of the famous producer, Jerry Wexler. I wonder where Larry is now?
Thanks so much for this story. This is the first hit I’ve gotten on The Five Bucks in 40 years. I was at U of M at the exact same time and I used to record songs off radio on my old wallensak(sp?) reel to reel (if any one remembers those!!). I WALK ALONE was one of those songs and I still listen to it to this day, one of my favorites oldies up there with GO NOW and others. Always wondered what happened to that group and never even knew they were at U of M too!!!! Amazing. I didn’t even know they came so close to making it. I thought it was a one song shot and that was it. Didn’t know they had other songs and opened for big groups. Thanks again for the story. Gary
Chris Rose died suddenly at his Chicago home on Thursday, October 17, 2013, sadly enough on his 25th wedding anniversary with wife Gwen; he also leaves his sister Hilary, daughter Megan and son Jason and their children. Chris was playing and singing until the end, and so now the many friends whose hours he enriched with music are doing the same in his memory. Have a music party and sing the old songs together! That’s what Chris and I did for years. He is deeply missed.
Thanks for this wonderful site, pledged to reminding us of the joy and challenge of making music, and the amazing kids who did so. I learned a lot I didn’t know about my late friend Chris Rose. Thanks to Curt Hrabe who sent me here.
…correction re the above comment: the Jerry Wexler, father of Susie & Judy that Steve Hearn dated the former of…was not the Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records fame, rather, he was a very rich & successful businessman in Chicago. His brother, Haskell, was a very famous cinematographer, e.g., “Chicago.” (the protest film). -Bruce Kerr
and now I have to convey the sad news that, right on the heels of Chris Rose’s passing, Bauchman Tom just died, no details yet. His landlord apparently found my email address on Bauchman’s desk because, after 25 years of disconnect, a fellow U/Mich. alum tracked down Bauchman’s phone number & gave it to me. I called him in Dec. 2013 and we talked for an hour catching up, promising to do lunch next time he was in the Bay Area or I was down in LA. Sadly, that’ll never happen.
I gave Steve Hearn the news about Bauchman and he joked in our black humor way that this was just Chris’s way of getting the band back together. Cracked me right up!
I also got in touch with Jerry Daller for the first time in over 50 years, again, through the U/M guy, talked to him for a few minutes, both of us promising to do another call later, which I intend to still do, if we can just not die yet! 😉 So no there are “The Three Bucks,” and without Chris & Bauchman, we’d be a sorry lot, especially at this age. It was our time and now it’s beginning to close out. We had a great 4 years, ’65-’69, on the heels of the Beatles, when the dream was alive. Many great times performing & off, sharing our dreams. I’ve learned you don’t have to make it, you just have to go after it…sometimes it turns out even better if you don’t, we’ll never know.
Anything you can tell me about Bauchman Tom I would really appreciate. He went to high school with me and we have been trying to get news of him and just when we are having our 50-yr reunion in July we find this sad news of his passing. I would love to know about his life from 1965 to 2014 when he passed. Anything would be so appreciated. He was a wonderful classmate and friend to many.
Hi Diane, Bruce here. Re Bauchman, that call we did just before he died…he got excited telling me that in the 80’s, I think it was, maybe ’90’s, Joni Mitchell adopted him as her @safe date” (no romance) for many parties in L.A. I don’t know how he survived doung music there, rough road. He was part of some recording studio in the late 70’s. Performed some too.
Sorry he missed your 50th. Got any stories about him in HS, younger?
…correction re the above comment: the Jerry Wexler, father of Susie & Judy that Steve Hearn dated the former of…was not the Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records fame, rather, he was a very rich & successful businessman in Chicago. His brother, Haskell, was a very famous cinematographer, e.g., “Chicago.” (the protest film). -Bruce Kerr
We have been searching for Bauchman Tom for 50 years Went to high school together. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing. Any information about him you can give me would be appreciated. He was a wonderful person.
I remember following the Five Bucks when i was just a junior at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, IL. First saw them play at the Northbrook Park District and enjoyed the friendships I had with each and every one of them. My friends from Deerfield High School and I would go to hear them play wherever and whenever we could. I had a record of theirs. Those were beautiful times and I cherish the memories. I am so sorry to hear of Chris’ death and Bauchman’s death.
I was at the 1967 Doors concert. I remember the rescue band being the Long Island Sound. Were both bands there? I met Steve Hearn and played golf with him in Scottsdale, he remembers BE being there but not Long Island Sound. Can anyone clear up mystery
Yes, I can, both Steve Welkom’s Long Island Sound and we opened and then played in succession after Morrison walked.
Years later, 1998, I negotiated a contract with Bill Graham Presents in SF when I was a lawyer at Sun Microsystems. We did phone introductions and the guy says, “Steve Welkom.” I go…Steve? U of M. Yup, ’twas him. We then went to a concert together.
Hello Dave , I came across this page today. I know it’s been some time since you posted this comment so I guess I’m taking a long shot. But I was curious what is BE your refering to? And How late did you stay at the show? Accounts say the Doors tried twice to perform before finally taking the stage and giving a good show, is this accurate?
Hi Matt, by BE, he meant our band, Byzantine Empire. Both bands opened for the Doors that night. Then, after the were boo’d and Zmorrison walked off drunk, they asked both bands to step back to their respective stages and save the nite. Zthe L I Sound went first for a set, then us again.
I suspect you’ll be deluged by East High ’65 folks. Bauchman and I were friends and I’d appreciate anything else you can tell me about his career and how he died. He was a terrific guy, and brilliant. In fact, the summer after senior year we washed dishes together at a local hospital. I am sad to hear the news that he passed.
I was Bauchman’s girlfriend starting in 1969 when I was a freshman at UM and he was finishing his final year in engineering. We moved out to LA when I graduated in 1973. His first major gig was as the keyboardist for Bobbie Gentry’s Las Vegas act at the Desert Inn. After leaving Bobbie as after we broke up, Bauchman moved to Santa Monica where he lived, writing music and surviving as a very creative musician. His engineering background helped him to develop his electronic music skills. He became very close with Joanie Mitchell, a friendship that lasted until he died. We have always stayed in touch, there still is s place in my heart for Bauchman. By 2005, he was dismissed with brain cancer and lost an eye to it. He was in remission and constantly worried about a recurrence. In November 2013, I sent him a birthday card. I usually would hear from him but this time I received a letter from his sister, May, telling me that the cancer had returned and he had lost his other eye and that he had weakened. She had taken him to the doctor who immediately recommended Hospice. Bauchman passed away just a view days after entering Hospice in mid December 2013. Thank you for helping to keep his memory alive, he was a kind human being and a creative genius.
thanks, Adele. He never mentioned his cancer or losing his eye in our 1 call before he died. He and I always got along and shared the musical direction of our band. I did the harmony arrangements, he played lead on his Farfisa. Del Shannon once wrote on a napkin to us something like, “Watch that keyboardist!” in ’66 when we backed him at 2 county fairs in Minn., Owatana & New Ulm. He had a good sense of humor and a great laugh. Gifted man.
I ended up with some of Bauchman’s slides and tapes. Digitized some of the slides. Almost everything else was in pretty bad shape when he died. I was associated with cleaning the place up. I’d be happy to pass it on.
I’d love to see those! Bauchman and I talked for an hour after 40 years, months before he died, poor guy! Great guy, great musician, good sense of fun & humor. Dated Joni Mitchell (platonic, said he). We had amazing times, almost made it as a band. My email is BKerrLaw@aol.com
This has been a wonderful story to read, of the band and of Bauchman Tom. I was at UofM in the late 60s and knew Bauchman at Phi Gamma Delta/FIJI fraternity. We were blessed to know him and how he shared his musical skills with us, in one case as he guided us into the Inter Fraternity Council IFC Song Fest… which we won surprisingly as mostly a bunch of novices. I saw his name on the FIJI “missing contacts” list and decided to search, and found this. I usually don’t post comments but had to say Thank You all for this information about the band, its members, and especially, but sadly, of “Bach” and his life since the 70s and now his passing. Thank you for those details, Adele.
I was very sad to see that Pac-Man had died I had been looking for him ever since 09 when I got an email from him an MP3 music that he rode with Ron Miller and a singer. I finally after many hours of trying to locate him found the email and tried to email him back and it came back to me tonight I’m very curious and good at researching so I was able to find this band that he used to be with and I was as I said sad to hear what happened because I certainly tried to find him. I’m currently singer/pianist/songwriter in LA and made my living at the Century Plaza Hotel and …Jade West restaurant where he played and that’s how I knew him. I always liked him very much and thought it was very talented and he was just singing Boz Scaggs and had the nicest deep voice he was quite a talent. We tied for “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” on the Gong Show with The Lockers from the Playboy Club. This is just so sad – I am so very sad to hear this after I spent so many hours and years trying to find him again.
I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bauchman Tom. He and I were very close in LA, as fellow musicians and friends. We played lots of gigs together and recorded together. I had tried to contact him for years, and suddenly came across this sites info about him and the groups he had told me about with excitement and pride!! Hello to Jennifer Wood, we both were trying to find Bauch…..he was truly a brother to me. I’m saddened, but glad to see and read the stories of him. RIP my buddy, Bauch🎵💗🎵💗
For some reason I thought of the Five Bucks today. Being from Chicago originally, my girlfriend and I followed and worshipped them. I remember them doing at least one concert in Evanston, not on campus, but I think on the south end of the city, but we could walk from our dorm. This was a great trip down memory lane!
Hi, Bruce (if you’re still following this). I’ve been meaning to write you for several years since discovering this great piece. I was close friends with Steve and Chris throughout grammar school in Glencoe and then at New Trier High School (where we were also carpool mates). We also had a regular Friday night gin rummy group that included Harlan Goodman, Steve Gritton (who joined your band one summer; he could play anything on the piano), and Bob Goldstein (who with another high school friend, Mark Springer, later had a San Francisco Bay Area band). The two Steves and I were also on the Illinois state champion New Trier tennis teams together. They were all great guys, and I still often think about them.
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The Five Bucks had two of the finest harmony songs of the mid-60’s: “No Use in Trying” and “I’ll Walk Alone”. The group had a third 45 as the Five Bucks, and then three more releases as the Byzantine Empire. Jim Heddle of Ann Arbor wrote to me and said I should cover the Five Bucks, “WPAG played ‘Now You’re Gone’, which was a ballad, but I remember WAAM playing the b-side, ‘No Use In Trying’, which is a great rocker.”
The Five Bucks opened for The Doors, fall of ’67 for our U/Michigan Homecoming. Morrison got booed off the stage, he was drunk and the crowd wanted to DANCE. The student in charge came begging to us, “Please go back up and quiet down this crowd.” We took to the stage and opened with the Temps’ “Ain’t to Proud to Beg” and the place went crazy and the night was saved. Huge crowd, the old U/M gym, high stage, it was nuts.
I love the 3 Byzantine Empire singles and never knew that they recorded previously until stumbling upon this page. They really had a great Association-like sunshine pop sound. I just wonder if their earlier output is nearly as good as the Amy recordings.
GREAT STUFF THANKS
Thank you for this work on the Five Bucks and Byzantine Empire. I hope that someone represses these 45s someday–they’re just awesome.
If you want to hear them again then just let the music out! You wouldn’t want to repress it mow, would you? I may feel repressed about this though and want to break out!
(sorry, couldn’t help myself. Had to EXPRESS instead!)
OK, OK, enough!
I knew Steve Hearn, sang in a duo with his brother, Larry back in 1964. Steve was in a folk trio then called the “Trevian Three” with Mark Springer who later played with the New Christy Minstrelsc
I knew Steve Hearn’s girlfriend’s younger sister, Judy Wexler, and went to school with her. Both sisters were very pretty and very popular and very rich, being the daughters of the famous producer, Jerry Wexler. I wonder where Larry is now?
Thanks so much for this story. This is the first hit I’ve gotten on The Five Bucks in 40 years. I was at U of M at the exact same time and I used to record songs off radio on my old wallensak(sp?) reel to reel (if any one remembers those!!). I WALK ALONE was one of those songs and I still listen to it to this day, one of my favorites oldies up there with GO NOW and others. Always wondered what happened to that group and never even knew they were at U of M too!!!! Amazing. I didn’t even know they came so close to making it. I thought it was a one song shot and that was it. Didn’t know they had other songs and opened for big groups. Thanks again for the story. Gary
Chris Rose died suddenly at his Chicago home on Thursday, October 17, 2013, sadly enough on his 25th wedding anniversary with wife Gwen; he also leaves his sister Hilary, daughter Megan and son Jason and their children. Chris was playing and singing until the end, and so now the many friends whose hours he enriched with music are doing the same in his memory. Have a music party and sing the old songs together! That’s what Chris and I did for years. He is deeply missed.
Nancy Sellers
Thanks Nancy. Missing Chris everyday. Just felt like hearing their music and reminiscing.
Thanks for this wonderful site, pledged to reminding us of the joy and challenge of making music, and the amazing kids who did so. I learned a lot I didn’t know about my late friend Chris Rose. Thanks to Curt Hrabe who sent me here.
…correction re the above comment: the Jerry Wexler, father of Susie & Judy that Steve Hearn dated the former of…was not the Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records fame, rather, he was a very rich & successful businessman in Chicago. His brother, Haskell, was a very famous cinematographer, e.g., “Chicago.” (the protest film). -Bruce Kerr
and now I have to convey the sad news that, right on the heels of Chris Rose’s passing, Bauchman Tom just died, no details yet. His landlord apparently found my email address on Bauchman’s desk because, after 25 years of disconnect, a fellow U/Mich. alum tracked down Bauchman’s phone number & gave it to me. I called him in Dec. 2013 and we talked for an hour catching up, promising to do lunch next time he was in the Bay Area or I was down in LA. Sadly, that’ll never happen.
I gave Steve Hearn the news about Bauchman and he joked in our black humor way that this was just Chris’s way of getting the band back together. Cracked me right up!
I also got in touch with Jerry Daller for the first time in over 50 years, again, through the U/M guy, talked to him for a few minutes, both of us promising to do another call later, which I intend to still do, if we can just not die yet! 😉 So no there are “The Three Bucks,” and without Chris & Bauchman, we’d be a sorry lot, especially at this age. It was our time and now it’s beginning to close out. We had a great 4 years, ’65-’69, on the heels of the Beatles, when the dream was alive. Many great times performing & off, sharing our dreams. I’ve learned you don’t have to make it, you just have to go after it…sometimes it turns out even better if you don’t, we’ll never know.
-Bruce Kerr
Anything you can tell me about Bauchman Tom I would really appreciate. He went to high school with me and we have been trying to get news of him and just when we are having our 50-yr reunion in July we find this sad news of his passing. I would love to know about his life from 1965 to 2014 when he passed. Anything would be so appreciated. He was a wonderful classmate and friend to many.
Thank you so very much.
Hi Diane, Bruce here. Re Bauchman, that call we did just before he died…he got excited telling me that in the 80’s, I think it was, maybe ’90’s, Joni Mitchell adopted him as her @safe date” (no romance) for many parties in L.A. I don’t know how he survived doung music there, rough road. He was part of some recording studio in the late 70’s. Performed some too.
Sorry he missed your 50th. Got any stories about him in HS, younger?
-Bruce Kerr
…correction re the above comment: the Jerry Wexler, father of Susie & Judy that Steve Hearn dated the former of…was not the Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records fame, rather, he was a very rich & successful businessman in Chicago. His brother, Haskell, was a very famous cinematographer, e.g., “Chicago.” (the protest film). -Bruce Kerr
We have been searching for Bauchman Tom for 50 years Went to high school together. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing. Any information about him you can give me would be appreciated. He was a wonderful person.
Thank you so very much.
I remember following the Five Bucks when i was just a junior at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, IL. First saw them play at the Northbrook Park District and enjoyed the friendships I had with each and every one of them. My friends from Deerfield High School and I would go to hear them play wherever and whenever we could. I had a record of theirs. Those were beautiful times and I cherish the memories. I am so sorry to hear of Chris’ death and Bauchman’s death.
Hi Myra,
Was 1 of your friends Leeta Mortinson from Deerfield HS? I dated her briefly, then a date in New Orleans many years later when I went thru town.
cheers,
Bruce Kerr
I was at the 1967 Doors concert. I remember the rescue band being the Long Island Sound. Were both bands there? I met Steve Hearn and played golf with him in Scottsdale, he remembers BE being there but not Long Island Sound. Can anyone clear up mystery
Yes, I can, both Steve Welkom’s Long Island Sound and we opened and then played in succession after Morrison walked.
Years later, 1998, I negotiated a contract with Bill Graham Presents in SF when I was a lawyer at Sun Microsystems. We did phone introductions and the guy says, “Steve Welkom.” I go…Steve? U of M. Yup, ’twas him. We then went to a concert together.
Hello Dave , I came across this page today. I know it’s been some time since you posted this comment so I guess I’m taking a long shot. But I was curious what is BE your refering to? And How late did you stay at the show? Accounts say the Doors tried twice to perform before finally taking the stage and giving a good show, is this accurate?
Hi Matt, by BE, he meant our band, Byzantine Empire. Both bands opened for the Doors that night. Then, after the were boo’d and Zmorrison walked off drunk, they asked both bands to step back to their respective stages and save the nite. Zthe L I Sound went first for a set, then us again.
cheers,
Bruce
Bruce Kerr
BE bass player
I suspect you’ll be deluged by East High ’65 folks. Bauchman and I were friends and I’d appreciate anything else you can tell me about his career and how he died. He was a terrific guy, and brilliant. In fact, the summer after senior year we washed dishes together at a local hospital. I am sad to hear the news that he passed.
Can you tell me any more about Bauchman’s career and how he died. We were close.
I was Bauchman’s girlfriend starting in 1969 when I was a freshman at UM and he was finishing his final year in engineering. We moved out to LA when I graduated in 1973. His first major gig was as the keyboardist for Bobbie Gentry’s Las Vegas act at the Desert Inn. After leaving Bobbie as after we broke up, Bauchman moved to Santa Monica where he lived, writing music and surviving as a very creative musician. His engineering background helped him to develop his electronic music skills. He became very close with Joanie Mitchell, a friendship that lasted until he died. We have always stayed in touch, there still is s place in my heart for Bauchman. By 2005, he was dismissed with brain cancer and lost an eye to it. He was in remission and constantly worried about a recurrence. In November 2013, I sent him a birthday card. I usually would hear from him but this time I received a letter from his sister, May, telling me that the cancer had returned and he had lost his other eye and that he had weakened. She had taken him to the doctor who immediately recommended Hospice. Bauchman passed away just a view days after entering Hospice in mid December 2013. Thank you for helping to keep his memory alive, he was a kind human being and a creative genius.
thanks, Adele. He never mentioned his cancer or losing his eye in our 1 call before he died. He and I always got along and shared the musical direction of our band. I did the harmony arrangements, he played lead on his Farfisa. Del Shannon once wrote on a napkin to us something like, “Watch that keyboardist!” in ’66 when we backed him at 2 county fairs in Minn., Owatana & New Ulm. He had a good sense of humor and a great laugh. Gifted man.
I ended up with some of Bauchman’s slides and tapes. Digitized some of the slides. Almost everything else was in pretty bad shape when he died. I was associated with cleaning the place up. I’d be happy to pass it on.
I’d love to see some of the slides. I’m not set up to do good tape transfers but if you need any other slides scanned I’d be interested.
I’d love to see those! Bauchman and I talked for an hour after 40 years, months before he died, poor guy! Great guy, great musician, good sense of fun & humor. Dated Joni Mitchell (platonic, said he). We had amazing times, almost made it as a band. My email is BKerrLaw@aol.com
Happy New Year! -Bruce
I can do the tape transfers and share the files with Chris to post here or to share with whoever is interested in hearing them.
Pouvez-vous partager Without Love svp?
This has been a wonderful story to read, of the band and of Bauchman Tom. I was at UofM in the late 60s and knew Bauchman at Phi Gamma Delta/FIJI fraternity. We were blessed to know him and how he shared his musical skills with us, in one case as he guided us into the Inter Fraternity Council IFC Song Fest… which we won surprisingly as mostly a bunch of novices. I saw his name on the FIJI “missing contacts” list and decided to search, and found this. I usually don’t post comments but had to say Thank You all for this information about the band, its members, and especially, but sadly, of “Bach” and his life since the 70s and now his passing. Thank you for those details, Adele.
I was very sad to see that Pac-Man had died I had been looking for him ever since 09 when I got an email from him an MP3 music that he rode with Ron Miller and a singer.
I finally after many hours of trying to locate him found the email and tried to email him back and it came back to me tonight I’m very curious and good at researching so I was able to find this band that he used to be with and I was as I said sad to hear what happened because I certainly tried to find him. I’m currently singer/pianist/songwriter in LA and made my living at the Century Plaza Hotel and …Jade West restaurant where he played and that’s how I knew him. I always liked him very much and thought it was very talented and he was just singing Boz Scaggs and had the nicest deep voice he was quite a talent. We tied for “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” on the Gong Show with The Lockers from the Playboy Club. This is just so sad – I am so very sad to hear this after I spent so many hours and years trying to find him again.
I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bauchman Tom.
He and I were very close in LA, as fellow musicians and friends.
We played lots of gigs together and recorded together. I had tried to contact him for years, and suddenly came across this sites info about him and the groups he had told me about with excitement and pride!!
Hello to Jennifer Wood, we both were trying to find Bauch…..he was truly a brother to me. I’m saddened, but glad to see and read the stories of him.
RIP my buddy, Bauch🎵💗🎵💗
For some reason I thought of the Five Bucks today. Being from Chicago originally, my girlfriend and I followed and worshipped them. I remember them doing at least one concert in Evanston, not on campus, but I think on the south end of the city, but we could walk from our dorm. This was a great trip down memory lane!
Hi, Bruce (if you’re still following this). I’ve been meaning to write you for several years since discovering this great piece. I was close friends with Steve and Chris throughout grammar school in Glencoe and then at New Trier High School (where we were also carpool mates). We also had a regular Friday night gin rummy group that included Harlan Goodman, Steve Gritton (who joined your band one summer; he could play anything on the piano), and Bob Goldstein (who with another high school friend, Mark Springer, later had a San Francisco Bay Area band). The two Steves and I were also on the Illinois state champion New Trier tennis teams together. They were all great guys, and I still often think about them.
Great Band.