Collin Pruitt of Ink Mathematics suggested I cover this super-obscure acoustic 45 by Gered & Dodique of the Gremlins that he found in Montana. At first listen you might peg them as hippies, which may be correct, but the songs are not light-hearted, even if “Silent Meditation” mentions “free love” and “I’ve taken LSD so I can fly”. Both were written by Krueger and Smith – Gered Krueger and Dodique Smith?
“Store Away These Thoughts” is the more uptempo song, asking people to listen to their words that “one man may have thought he had the answer, but we’ll never know because he died.”
“Silent Meditation” opens with harmonies reminiscent of “Homeward Bound”. Searching for some knowledge that “will some day bring my way life’s happiness”, the writer says he might “end it all” and finishes with “I couldn’t pass away my cares and my tribulations, so you won’t have to help me anymore, because I won’t be here tonight.”
I can’t find any info on Gered & Dodique, or any reference to a Gremlins with members Krueger and Smith. Mid-America Production (M.A.P.) booked other groups across the upper midwest, like the Trenchmen, so a Montana location for this duo is a likely possibility.
The National Records number 8-8821 is a code of the Kaybank plant in Minneapolis, though that doesn’t mean the songs were recorded there. Mike Markesich’s breakdown of the Kaybank codes indicates a date of April-May, 1968.
Gerald Smith and Doug Krueger were in a band called the Gremlins around Billings, Montana in 1968-1969. Gerald Smith was from Hardin, Montana and Doug was from North Dakota and had relatives in Hardin also. Gerald was in many different rock bands around Billings, Montana and moved to Austin Texas and was involved in the music scene there for years. The last band I heard he was involved in was a group called the Mothers but not Frank Zappa’s band. I believe they fronted for the Grateful Dead in the later 1980’s.
Rob, thanks for all the great information. Do you know if there any more recordings or 45s that were done by Gerald and Doug while they were still living in Montana? It’d great to get in touch with one of them and see what they have to say about this particular period of their lives…and I’d love to hear more of their music too!
Thanks!
Collin
You’re pretty much on the money Rob S. I’m Gered “Eli” Smiths brother. I had a couple copies of the old “45” but they are long lost….never thought I’d hear the two great songs again. Cool that someone posted them here!
Brother Gerald “Eli” Smith lives in Denver.
I think Doug was in Hawaii but might be back around Billings.
I graduated from Jamestown HS in Jamestown, ND in 1966. The Gremlins, who were comprised of guys from the class of 1967, were the most popular local band of the time. They cut one 45 record that I know of which included a good cover of “Good Lovin” by the Rascals. The only name from the band that I can remember is Doug Kruegar. I was kind of a roady for them for a short time. Once they got the audience to fever pitch, they would break into “They’re Coming to Take Me Away”, which featured the wild drummer coming to stage center in see through pants. His penis was painted in iridescent paint and was clearly visible to the crowd.
My music partner of many years (Smitty) called me and told me about this site…..pretty cool, yeah, that’s our record…..just a quick accoustic recording to cover a copyright…..had an accoustic duet in 67-68, Gered and Dodiquue….The Gremlins was my high school band in Jamestown, ND, like others have said above…Smitty and I went back to Jamestown summer of 68 and put The Gremlins together for the summer, so we cut the disc from a master reel to reel tape to promote the band’s reunion, named the label “National” so our summer posters could say National Recording Artists……hey, it’s all marketing, right? Gentleman in Missoula, MT found the disc there and got a hold of me last year and got a little history…don’t know if this site is related, I’ll check it out later…..I’ve gotta run, I’ll fill in some more details and stories later…names are Doug Krueger and Gerald Smith, I’m in Billings, MT amd Smitty is in Denver, CO…..Smitty played sax and flute for many big name groups from the late 70s until about 2008….I did mostly club acts and cover music in and around Montana until about 1990…I’ve never quit singing, playing guitar and writing songs…..do mostly gospel music, playing in some awesome worship teams…..best wishes to all who have survived those crazy 60s and 70s…..and God Bless!
Was there a Richard Dwyer in the Gremlins?
yes, Richard Dwyer was in the band….not in the start up group, but we just had to add him because he had a thousand girl friends and that instantly doubled our audience…..I just hooked up with Richard a few months ago on facebook…..
Briefly for now…maybe more later…
“THE GREMLINS” was a North Dakota act, mid to late sixties…Tim Ingstad and I put the group together (encouragement from Bill MacKenzie) added Bobby Ringstrom and Mike Pallanche….Richard Dwyer later and Steve Runquist later…..forgive me for the spelling, guys…2-3 years of gigs and I head off to Montana for college in Billings…I meet Jerry Smith and we do the duet thing, with the accoustic recording of “Silent Meditation” and “Store Away These Thoughts”….Gered and Dodique was the duet act…in the spring of ’68 Tim, Jerry and I decide to put the Gremlins together for another run…..we put our accoustic recording on a 45, designed the “NATIONAL” label, then put out “Gremlin” posters for that summer tagged with “National” Recording Artists……oh, how clever! Took the band back to Billings and gigged at “Grammas”, then back to North Dakota for a few summer gigs, then it was over. So that’s the story behind the 45 and Gered and Dodique of The Gremlins…..the guys found the 45 in Missoula (I’ve got two sisters there) and contacted me for a little info. Jerry Smith and I have a long history of playing music in Montana, but the Gremlin Montana history was very short…..now the real story and history of “The Gremlins” in Norh Dakota from 65-68 or so………well, that’s for another time…..and we probably should tell it on the North Dakota site…..great idea with this web site…great job and thanks to all of you who brought it to life!
Doug Krueger
Billings, MT
I graduated from Minot High School in 1969 and remember seeing the Gremlins perform at a couple dances at the Minot Armory sometime between ’67 and ’69-probably 1968. They were a really good band–high energy and entertaining. Į have a memory of one of the band members (drummer Į think) coming up front wearing only a green day-glo diaper under a black (UV) light. Į felt stoked and proud that such a good band came out of Jamestown because Į lived there for 8 preteen years (ages 3-10, 1954-62-attended Roosevelt elementary school). Į saw a lot of good bands at that Armory-The Lošt Souls from Dickenson, Unbelievable Uglies from Fargo, Churchkeys (?) from Grand Forks, Trenchmen, Stompin’ Spyder, and Embermen from Minot, plus all the good Midcontinental Agency bands likę the Flippers and Blue Things. The Gremlins were awesome. BTW, Į am a guitar player and started playing professionally in 1970 in Grand Forks; tried to be a full time musician in VA and CA for about 20 years, and am currently playing in two bands and a duo in the San Diego area while working a day gig as a lawyer. I’m on this site as a result of googling The Gremlins from Jamestown on a random whim. Pretty crazy.
Dan Lehner….I was your neighbor and friends in pre-teen years in the SW JAMESTOWN, Roosevelt Elementary school neighborhood.
I just found this site while looking up DOUG Krueger in Billings. I’m visiting an uncle and we are celebrating his 80th birthday. I played baseball with Doug in the late 60’s early 70’s.
Crossed paths with Krueger years ago in Billings and if I recall properly in Roy, Utah!
I have good memories of the Lehner family.
I was the youngster of the founding group of Gremlins. I had just quit high school band after the director Carl Ulmer accused me of stealing a “marching bass drum”. Whattt? Tim and Doug recruited me from the dust-heap of lost drummers and I tried to fit into the act by being as outrageous as possible. I had to strut my stuff to run with the big dogs: but glow-in-the dark paint on my johnson? I have no alternative but to deny everything.
I can tell you that Tim Ingstad, and Doug Krueger started the band. Tim Ingstad invited me over to Doug’s house and gave me a guitar for a tryout and They excepted, me and we became a three-piece band involving . It was Doug, Krueger, Tim Ingstad’s, and Richard Dwyer then added Bob ingstrum as drummer and we began to play out. We then recruited Michael plant, and that became the full gremlins. I would like to say hi to my old musician friends.
Richard
I found an old poster from these guys.
Email me for a picture mcchesney96@gmail.com