Early lineup of the King Pins, 1962, showing piano and saxophone
94 Second Surf – first version with girl chorusThe King Pins came from Sandia High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Though they recorded in 1965, they were an instrumental group, not at all ‘garage’ but I dig this record.
Members were:
Steve Maase – lead guitar Gary Shouse – rhythm guitar Rob Cardin – bass Larry Kuck -drums
In August 1965 they released a 45 “Rod Hot Rod” / “94 Second Surf” on Larse 101, recorded at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, NM. The group’s manager Bill Sego, a DJ on KCLV in Clovis, wrote the top side “Rod Hot Rod”. This song has its fans but Steve Maase’s original “94 Second Surf” commands the most attention nowadays.
MGM picked up the single for a national release in November 1965. “94 Second Surf” is retitled “Door Banger” on the MGM 45, but there is a difference. The Larse single features a female vocal chorus on both sides, while the MGM leaves it off completely on “Door Banger” and cuts the vocal intro on “Rod Hot Rod” but keeps the rest of the vocals.
Larse was Bill Sego’s label but I don’t know of any other releases on it. Prior to managing he had his own single on the Nor-Va-Jak label “Down From The Clouds” / “Come Along Dolly”. When he ran for the New Mexico Senate he reissued “Doorbanger” on the flip side of a campaign message with the motto “We Go Sego” on the labels and sleeves.
Steve Maase joined Lindy Blaskey and the LaVells, playing the wicked lead on their Space single “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” (on the flip, “Would You Believe” Lindy shouts out “Hey Steve, would you believe …” after the guitar break), and on “You Ain’t Tuff” / “Let It Be”. In the early ’70s, Steve formed a band called Tala, and then played with Linda Cotton and Sparxx, among others, while composing his own music and becoming a well-respected music teacher. Steve Maase passed away on October 1, 2016.
Thank you to Lily Maase for sending in the photo of the King Pins and for informing me about her father’s career after the King Pins.
King Pins, January 1964Announcement of King Pins signing with MGM, November 23 1965
Mop Top Mike suggested I cover the Majestics, an unknown group who cut this one 45 for MGM in 1965. Hopefully we’ll be able to find some more info on this band.
The A-side is “Smile Through My Tears”, a ballad something in the style of the Beau Brummels, written by Cruz-Columbo. It’s backed with “Love Has Forgotten Me”, which I find less compelling.
Tommy Smalls produced the single independently. Mastered in late 1965, MGM purchased it for release in April, 1966. Tommy Smalls is possibly the same DJ known as “Dr. Jive” who was involved in the payola scandal in 1958. That Tommy Smalls relocated to Los Angeles, where he was an R&B DJ for KADY in 1964 then back to New York at WLIB in 1965. By 1968 he was Vice-President in charge of r&b for Jubilee Records.
The publishing was through Earl Music, BMI, though I can’t find any listing in BMI’s database for either song.
The MGM Labels: 1961-1982 by Michel Ruppli and Ed Novitsky indicates “Smile Through My Tears” and the flip as “purchased titles” and “this group was listed in files as “The Mysterians”.
Other groups called the Majestics
There were many other groups by the name Majestics. I don’t think any are related to this group, but I’ll list some of them here.
The one closest in time to this group recorded the soul classic “(I Love Her So Much) It Hurts Me” b/w “Girl Of My Dreams” on Linda 121, both songs written by Arthur Robles, produced for Faro Productions and released in the fall of 1965. The same songs (minus the horn intro on “It Hurts Me”) had a second release as by David and Ruben on Warner Bros 7316, this time listing production by Eddie Davis. A third release on Rampart in 1969 reused the original Linda stampers. David and Ruben were Art Robles’ brothers. Their group was generally known as ‘Art’s Majestics’.
Interestingly, there was another release by the Majestics on Linda 111, “Strange World” / “Everything Is Going to Be All Right” (by Chick Carlton, produced by Bobby Gross), but this is on the blue Linda label, distributed by Scepter, NY in 1963. Supposedly, this was another band entirely, black, not Hispanic.
Other Majestics include: a doo-wop group from Detroit who recorded for Contour, Chex and V.I.P.; a Miami, Florida group who cut “Cave Man Rock” on Marlin; a vocal group from Massachusetts who recorded for 20th Century Fox and other labels.
Background on unrelated Majestics groups from Soulsource and Doo-Wop.blogg.org. Thanks to Mike Markesich for the scan and transfers.
Early 1963, clockwise from left: Tony Valentino, Gary Lane, Larry Tamblyn and Gary Leeds
Larry Tamblyn (keyboards, vocals) Tony Valentino (lead guitar) Gary Lane (bass) Gary Leeds (drums)
1962
The group is formed in Los Angeles by Larry Tamblyn (b. February 5, 1943, Inglewood, California, US), (brother of actor Russ Tamblyn), and guitarist Tony Valentino (b. Emilio Tony Belilissimo, May 24, 1941, Longi, Italy), who arrived in the US in 1958. Tamblyn has previously recorded three singles for local label, Faro.
Tamblyn and Valentino form the original Standells with Jody Rich (bass) and Benny King (drums) and work in Hawaii at the Oasis club in Honolulu for several months. The group takes its name from the long hours spent hanging around record company offices awaiting an audition.
1963
January The Standells work at the Club Esquire in Eureka, California. Soon afterwards, former New York Aerospace Technology school student, Gary Leeds (b. September 3, 1944, Glendale, California, US) and bass player Gary Lane (b. Gary McMillan, September 18, 1940, St Paul, Minnesota, US) take over from King and Rich. The group’s first recording is the single, “The Shake”, which receives airplay on KFWB radio station. May The group plays at the Royal Room in West Los Angeles. August The Standells appear at Tykes in Pasadena, California. September The band performs at the Trophy Room in Sacramento, California and then becomes the house band at the Peppermint West in Hollywood. December The Standells’ debut single, “You’ll Be Mine Some Day” is released as Larry Tamblyn and The Standells on Faro’s subsidiary label, Linda Records.
Standells, early 1964: Gary Lane, Larry Tamblyn, Gary Leeds and Tony Valentino
1964
February (6) Tamblyn, Valentino, Lane and Leeds sign a record contract with Liberty Records. March The group plays at the Thunderbird Lounge in Las Vegas billed as America’s answer to The Beatles. May Gary Leeds leaves to join first Johnny Rivers and then P.J. Proby, before co-founding The Walker Brothers, and is replaced by Dick Dodd (b. October 27, 1943, Hermosa Beach, California, US) from surf band, Eddie & The Showmen. (Dodd has also been an original mouseketeer on the popular TV show, The Mickey Mouse Club). June The Standells land a residency at Hollywood’s illustrious nightclub, PJ’s (where they record an album) and also play at the Haunted House on Hollywood Boulevard. Liberty releases the single, “Peppermint Beatle”, in an attempt to cash-in on The Beatles’ recent US success, but the single flops. July A cover of James Brown’s “I’ll Go Crazy” is lifted from the forthcoming album and issued as a single but fails to chart. In The UK, b-side, “Help Yourself” is released as the single.
French EP taken from the Liberty album In Person at PJ’s
September Liberty releases debut album, The Standells In Person At PJ’s, a blatant cash-in on The Kingsmen’s recent live album, Louie Louie: The Kingsmen In Person. The record is released in the UK the following year; the only Standells album to be issued there. The Standells travel to Nicaragua for 12 days. October (17) A final Liberty single, a version of Johnny Otis’ “So Fine” is taken from the album but does not chart. The band signs a new deal with VJ Records. December (5) The Standells perform at Sammy Lee’s Westlake in Chatworth, California. (22) The band makes its third return to P J’s in Hollywood.
Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino, Dick Dodd and Gary Lane
(26) Having signed a new recording deal with Vee-Jay Records, the band’s debut single for the label, “The Boy Next Door”, produced by Sonny Bono and featuring Cher on backing vocals, is released and eventually peaks at US #102. The single’s release comes on the heels of MGM film, “Get Yourself A College Girl”, where the band performs covers of “Bony Moronie” and “The Swim”. (31) The Standells appear on That Regis Philbin Show and perform a cover of The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and one other song.
Standells, late 1964: Tony Valentino, Gary Leeds, Larry Tamblyn and Gary Lane
1965
January (7) The Standells open New Tiger A-Go-Go Room in the Hilton Hotel, San Francisco. (18) “Zebra In The Kitchen” is released as a single by MGM but is not a success.
March (18) The Standells appear in episode “Far Out Munsters” for the popular TV programme, The Munsters. After the initial success of “Help Yourself” as a single in Los Angeles, Dodd become the group’s principal lead singer. (20) The band appears on American Bandstand with Brenda Holloway. (25) The group appears on Shindig with Dick and Dee Dee, Shirley Ellis, Bobby Goldsboro, The Trade Winds and Glen Campbell.
On the Munsters, from left: Larry, Tony, Dick and GaryLater Japanese release of “Dirty Water”
April The Standells return to the Tiger-A-Go-Go at San Francisco Hilton Hotel where they are advertised as the “return of the Wild Standells”. May(28) The band plays at the Gardon Grove’s Alamitos Intermediate School assembly. July(12) The Standells appear on Hollywood Discotechque TV show. August Final Vee-Jay single, “Don’t Say Goodbye”, backed by “Big Boss Man” is released but fails to chart. October The band is introduced to Ed Cobb, a former member of fifties vocal group, The Four Preps, who is currently working as a freelance producer and songwriter. Cobb is looking for a group to record one of his recent compositions, “Dirty Water”; a song written about a recent experience he had fighting off muggers, while walking with his girlfriend along the River Charles in Boston. He is suitably impressed with The Standells to use them on the track and offers his services to the group as a manager/producer. Shortly after, Cobb is approached by Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol), who are eager to obtain a record he has produced for Ketty Lester. Cobb proposes a deal, whereby Tower agree to sign The Standells in return for the Lester single. November “Dirty Water” is released as a single but is slow to sell. Dodd, who apparently hates the song, leaves the group and is replaced by former Sir Raleigh & The Cupons, drummer/vocalist, Dewey Martin (b. Dewayne Midkiff, September 30, 1940, Chesterville, Ontario, Canada; d. 31 January 2009). The group records a version of “Why Did You Hurt Me” with Martin on lead vocal but it is re-recorded when Dodd rejoins the band a few months later. December (5) The Standells perform at the Tiger-A-Go-Go in San Mateo, California.
Rare Tower promotional photo from 1966, featuring second bassist Dave Burke
1966
February Dodd rejoins the band while they are working San Jose (and after Cobb arranges a summer tour supporting The Rolling Stones). Martin, meanwhile, leaves to join The Dillards, before gaining greater acclaim with The Buffalo Springfield. May Bass player Gary Lane leaves the band during its first concert tour and is replaced in Florida by former member of the Tropics, Choir and Rush, Dave Burke. (20) The Standells appear at Birmingham High School, Van Nuys with The Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, The Sunshine Company and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. (20) The Standells perform “Dirty Water”, “There’s a Storm Comin'” and “Hey Joe” on the Mike Douglas Show. June (11) After a long climb “Dirty Water” breaks into the US charts at #31, the group’s biggest hit to date. Liberty Records, exploiting the success of “Dirty Water”, reissues The Standells’ debut album as Live And Out Of Sight, adding the “Peppermint Beatles” single to the track listing. A single, “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” is also issued, to tie in with the album’s release. Second Tower single, Cobb’s “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White”, reaches US #43, while debut Tower album, Dirty Water hits #52. (24) The Standells supports The Rolling Stones at the Manning Bowl, Lynn, Massachusetts on the opening date of The Stones’ US tour. Also on the bill is The McCoys and The Tradewinds. The crowd is subdued with tear gas, and the concert (even though it goes ahead) will be the last to be held at the venue until 1985. July “Dirty Water” is The Standells’ second and final single to be released in the UK, but doesn’t chart. (9) “Dirty Water” peaks at US #11, the band’s biggest hit. (22) The Standells open with The McCoys and other acts for The Rolling Stones at the Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California. (25) The group supports The Rolling Stones at The Hollywood Bowl alongside The Buffalo Springfield, The McCoys and The Trade Winds. August “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” is lifted from the earlier live album and released on Sunset but is not a chart success. September Second album, Why Pick On Me – Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White is released but doesn’t chart. November Third album in six months, Hot Ones which is entirely comprised of covers of recent hits like The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City” and The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” is released but is not a success. Burke leaves, later to join San Francisco band Indian Puddin’ and Pipe [note: it may have been a different Dave Burke who joined Indian Puddin’ & Pipe and West Coast Natural Gas] and is replaced by John Fleck (b. Johnny Fleckenstein, US), who had been an original member of Love, co-writing “Can’t Explain” on that band’s debut album.
(26) Cobb’s “Why Pick On Me?” stalls at US #54.
The Standells in 1967, from left: Larry Tamblyn, Dick Dodd, Tony Valentino and John Fleck
1967
February The first single to feature Fleck on bass is “Try It”, arguably The Standells’ finest record. However, despite becoming an immediate hit in L.A., the record is soon banned by radio stations at the direction of rightwing moral majority radio mogul Gordon McLendon who argues that “Try It” is a blatant request for teenage girls to lose their virginity. (7-12) The band plays at the Ice House in Glendale, California. March The group releases the novelty tune, “Don’t Tell Me What To Do” under the name The Sllednats (The Standells backwards), but the single flops. (25) Valentino and Fleck’s “Riot On Sunset Strip” hits US #133. April Cobb is commissioned by Tower to come up with a soundtrack for a teenage protest film revolving around the disturbances on Sunset Strip 1966/67. The band is featured in the film, alongside label mates, The Chocolate Watchband.
From left: Gordon McLendon, Art Linkletter, Larry Tamblyn, John Fleck, Dick Dodd and Tony Valentino
May (27) The Standellls appear on Art Linkletter’s TV show, Let’s Talk, debating radio mogul Gordon McLendon, who has been leading the campaign to ban music with “objectionable” lyrics. The Standells handily defeat him. However, after creative editing, it appears the debate was more evenly matched. July (5) The Standells support The Doors and The Coasters at Lowell High School Auditorium, La Habra, California. (23) The group appears on the Shebang TV show with Brenton Wood. August (26) – September (4) The band performs at the ‘Fort Worth Teen Fair & Mardi Gras Festival’, the Will Rogers Exhibit Building, Fort Worth, Texas. (5-12) The Standells play at the Ice House in Glendale. October The Standells’ next release, the R&B/soul single, “Can’t Help But Love You” is a minor hit, peaking at US #78. Tower releases The Standells’ fourth and final album Try It, which doesn’t sell. November (7) The group appears on the TV show Groovy with The Sunshine Company. (9) The Standells make a TV appearance on Pat Boone in Hollywood. December The group appears on the Joey Bishop Show. (8-9) The Standells perform at the Cheetah, Venice, California with The Hour Glass.
Larry Tamblyn, American Recording Studios, 1967
Live, 1967: Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino, Dick Dodd and John FleckLate 1967, just before Dick Dodd left the band for a solo career
1968
January (9-14) The Standells are billed to appear at the Ice House in Glendale, California but the shows are postponed until after playing at the Guitar Center in February. February (10) The group plays at the Guitar Center in Hollywood, California. April The band is eager to write and perform its own material and decides to split from Cobb, who continues to work with The Chocolate Watchband. Cobb is offered another film commission and decides to record Dodd as a solo artist without the rest of the group. Dodd records “Guilty” for the film, Square Root but problems arise over its distribution and the single flops. (9-14) The Standells return to the Ice House in Glendale for further shows. (19) The group plays at Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, California with The Illinois Speed Press. May Dodd joins Green Grass Productions as a solo artist. His place is taken by drummer Bill Daffern. June A final single, “Animal Girl” is released but is poorly received, despite being one of the group’s finest records. Featuring Tower producer Richie Podolor on sitar, and recorded before Dodd’s departure, the record is a radical departure in sound for the band and is lost in the media rush which follows. July A Larry Tamblyn’s solo single, the instrumental “Summer Clothes (Parts 1 &2)”, is released on the small Sunburst label. The one-year old track was recorded around the same time as “Can’t Help But Love You”. Dodd’s first solo single “Little Sister’ is released but fails to chart. August Fleck also drops out and moves into film work. He later becomes a top cinematographer with Jaws among his credits. The Standells recruit ex-Factory lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George (b. April 13, 1945, Hollywood, California, US), but no recordings are made. September (3-15) The new line-up begins a series of dates at the Ice House, Glendale, California with Pipe Dream but they are never completed due to differences between Tamblyn and George. October Tower releases Dodd’s solo album, The First Evolution Of Dick Dodd but it doesn’t chart. (27) The Standells appear at the Artists and Models Ball at the Century Plaza with Taj Mahal and others. November George leaves to join Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention (and later Little Feat). December Dodd’s final single “Fanny” is another chart failure and he quits the music business for the next few years. (7) A new version of The Standells supports Johnny Rivers at the College of Sante Fe with Blue Marble Faun in Sante Fe. Daffern and Tamblyn contribute material to The Electric Prunes’ final album, Just Good Old Rock and Roll.
Standells 1969, from left: Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino (in front), Bill Daffern (Willie Dee), Tim Smyser, Paul DowningRare EP from Thailand that seems to include a version of “La Bamba” not heard anywhere else – anyone ever heard this version?
1969
Tamblyn and Daffern form Chakras with former Knack members Michael Kaplan and Larry Gould with Valentino acting as manager. Reprise releases the Charkras single, “City Buy” c/w “Agnes Vandalism”, both sides of which are written by Michael Kaplan. Daffern leaves and subsequently records with Hunger! and later records with Truk. Tamblyn and Valentino then reform The Standells with English guitarist Paul Downing. November (14-16) Billed as The Standells, the group appears at Pier 7 in Van Nuys, California. A photo circa this time includes new members Bill Daffern (Willie Dee) and Tim Smyser.
1970
July (7-12) The Standells play at the Beach House, California. September Dodd releases the single “Requim: 820 Latham”.
1975
Dodd emerges with Los Angeles group, Joshua, who release an album Willy And The Hand Jive (produced by Ed Cobb) for the independent AVI label.
1982
American indie label Rhino Records releases compilation album The Best Of The Standells. Around the same time Valentino cuts a number of solo demos (but is unable to attract a record deal), before joining Tamblyn and Dodd in a full-scale Standells reunion.
1983
August The Standells perform at the Club Lingerie in Hollywood, the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, a weeklong engagement at Harrah’s in Reno, Nevada, supported by The Fleshtones.
1984
Rhino Records issues second album, Rarities, a collection of rare Standells tracks, including Dodd’s solo releases and the band’s pre-Tower Vee-Jay singles.
1986
Third Rhino release The Best Of The Standells is issued. July (19-20) The Standells appear at the Summerfest/Return to the Sixties at Glen Helen Regional Park, San Bernandino, California. Tamblyn, Valentino and Dodd reunite in 1999 for the Cavestomp Festival in New York. The group records a live CD, Ban THIS, a slam at Gordon McLendon.
2000
Gary Lane rejoins The Standells as they perform at the Las Vegas Grind, Las Vegas, Nevada.
2004
The Tamblyn/Valentino/Dodd/Lane line up play before the Game Two of the World Series.
2005
April (11) The Standells appear at Fenway Park. The band will return the following year for a show on September 8.
Many thanks to Larry Tamblyn for his personal contributions.
Sources:
Bronson, Harold. Sleeve notes to Rhino album, The Best Of The Standells. Burgess, Chuck and Nowlin, Bill. Love That Dirty Water! The Standells and The Improbable Red Sox Victory Anthem, Rounder Books, 2007. Doggett, Peter. ‘The Standells’. Record Collector, May 1991, #141. Grushkin, Paul D. Art Of Rock – Posters From Presley To Punk, Artabras, Cross River Press, Ltd, 1987. Hogg, Brian. ‘Little Feat’. Strange Things Are Happening, Vol 1, #3, July/August 1988. Joynson, Vernon. Fuzz, Acid And Flowers, Borderline Productions, 1993. Maclean, Hugh and Joynson, Vernon. An American Rock History – California The Golden State, Borderline Productions, 1985. Rees, Dafydd and Crampton, Luke. Book Of Rock Stars, 2nd Edition, Guinness Publications, 1994 Robertson, John. Neil Young – The Visual Documentary, Omnibus Press, 1994. Shaw, Greg. The Doors On The Road, Omnibus Press, 1997, pages 46 and 57. Whitburn, Joel. Billboard – USA Top 40 Hits, 3rd Edition, Guinness Publications, 1987. Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn’s Pop Annual 1955-1994, Billboard Record Research Inc, 1995. Billboard, May 11, 1968, page 50. Billboard, September 7, 1968, page 3. Variety, September 2, 1970, page 60.
Another great resource is: www.newspaperarchive.com/
Some of the scans and photos seen here are on the Standells Facebook page. from the collections of Larry Tamblyn, Thomas Haaland and others.
Sky Saxon (born Richard Marsh) passed away this morning, June 25, 2009. As any garage fan knows, he was singer for the Seeds, the prototypical ‘garage’ band of all time.
I saw him in concert a couple times, once circa 1994 at a free show in San Francisco. He had a pick up band and was pretty out of it. The band tried to get him to sing “Pushin’ Too Hard” but he would only repeat a chant “Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out here”. Well, it was Mothers Day. A few years ago he came to Brooklyn, looking great in a white suit to match his beard and did a fine show with a new group that actually knew the material. I wish I’d taken the request to put him up for a few days.
Many of the Seeds early records on GNP Crescendo have been in print almost continuously since their release. Less well-known are two singles Sky made with a revamped Seeds lineup for MGM in 1970, the incredible “Bad Part Of Town” / “Wish Me Up” and “Love In A Summer Basket” / “Did He Die”. It’s a little vague who’s playing on these, but Patrick Lundborg gives a possible lineup of Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, and Richard Barcelona, with a few others only remembered by their first names, Chip, Rob, John.
Sky’s story is told piecemeal on the web. The ‘official’ skysaxon.com website is one place to start, but it lacks detailed info on his career. For info on his later recordings, including “Bad Part of Town” I recommend the Lama’s write up here.
“I ran out of gas one day, so I took Michael Jackson’s album in, and all I could get was a dollar” – Sky Saxon, ‘Rolling Stone’ #456, September 12, 1985.
Grant Smith & The Power, spring 1967, shortly after their formation. Left to right: Brian Ayres, Val Stevens, Charlie Miller, Ralph Miller, Jim Pauley, Mike Harrison, Wayne Stone and Grant Smith
Grant Smith (Vocals) all line ups
Val Stevens (B-3 Organ) line up ABCDEHI
Jim Pauley (Guitar) line up AB
Mike Harrison (Bass) line up ABCDE
Wayne “Stoney” Stone (Drums) line up ABCDEF
Charlie Miller (Drums) line up A
Ralph Miller (Trumpet) line up ABCDEFGH
Brian “Otis” Ayres (Saxophone) all line ups
Jon Palma (Guitar) line up CD
Steve Kennedy (Saxophone, Harmonica) line up DEF
Kenny Marco (Guitar) line up EF
William “Smitty” Smith (Organ) line up F
Sonnie “Jiggs” Bernardi (Drums) line up GHI
Gord Baxter (Guitar) – line up GH
Rick Berkett (Bass) – line up GH
Wulf Stelling (B-3 Organ) – line up G
Ted Stack (Trumpet) – line up GH
Bert Hermiston (Saxophone/flute) – line up GHI
Josef Chirowski (Keyboards)
Frank De Felice (Drums)
Joe Agnello (Bass)
Terry Aubertin (Guitar)
Pedro Cortez (Keyboards)
Pierre Galipeau (Trumpet)
Former Weepers member Val Stevens together with Mike Harrison and the Miller Brothers had been playing with Toronto band Eddie Spencer & The Power when a decision was made on 1 January 1967 to shake up the band.
New lead singer (and former drummer with The Missing Links) Ellis Grant Smith (b. London, Ontario), together with guitarist Jim Pauley from his previous band, E G Smith & The Express and sax player Brian Ayres, who’d previously played bass guitar with Brantford, Ontario groups, The Galaxies, The Marque-Royals and The Beau Keys were brought in.
Two weeks later, another former Express member and second drummer, Wayne Stone joined. Stone had also previously played with London, Ontario band The Sticks and Stones with bass player Jim Laramie before the pair joined Grant Smith in E G Smith & The Express with Jim Pauley and keyboard player Vernon Pickell, who went on to briefly record with the mid-1967 version of The Mynah Birds at Motown before reuniting with Laramie in Natural Gas (with former Mandala singer George Olliver).
The first line-up remained together until mid-1967 and initially gigged as E G Smith and The Power before adopting the better known, Grant Smith & The Power.
Canadian music publication RPM Music Weekly featured a short article and photo of the group in its 10 June 1967 issue on the front page. The article notes the group first started playing at the In Crowd in Toronto’s Yorkville Village.
RPM Weekly article in June 1967
After Charlie Miller’s departure in June, the group went to the United States, now working with only one drummer, and played on the Atlantic Seaboard, including playing at the Number 3 Lounge in Boston.
After returning to Canada, Jim Pauley quit and was replaced by Jon Palma in September. Palma had previously played in The Weepers alongside Val Stevens and Charlie Miller.
The band’s debut 45, a soul version of The Spencer Davis Group’s ‘Keep on Running’ coupled with Smith and Stevens’s ‘Her Own Life’, came out in January 1968 and featured line up C.
Both singles were recorded (with Steve Kennedy on the sessions) at Toronto music mogul, Art Snider’s Sound Canada studios in Toronto. Kennedy, a former member of Diane Brooks, Eric Mercury and The Soul Searchers, joined the group as its musical director in January 1968.
RPM Music Weekly’s 20 January issue notes that the group opened their second US tour in Revere, Massachusetts on 15 January, with follow up appearances in Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago. The first half of the tour was due to end on 9 March and then they returned to Toronto.
The band, spring 1968. Left to right: Mike Harrison (missing), Jon Palma, Wayne Stone, Val Stevens, Ralph Miller, Grant Smith (front), Steve Kennedy and Brian Ayres. Photo used for front cover of their LP.
While in New York in May 1968, Palma left to join Mary Ann Brown & The Good Things and guitarist Kenny Marco, who had played alongside Brian Ayres in The Galaxies, The Marque-Royals and The Beau Keys joined.
Grant Smith & The Power, summer 1968, shortly after Kenny Marco (second left) joined and before Mike Harrison (second right) and Val Stevens (far right) departed
With Marco on-board the group recorded their second single, ‘Thinkin’ About You’ c/w ‘You Got What You Want’ at Art Snider’s Sound Canada studios in Toronto. The tracks were picked up by MGM and released that autumn. (Ed. Stone thinks Jon Palma was the guitarist on these two tracks and not Marco).
In October 1968, Harrison left to join McKenna Mendelson Mainline.
Stevens also left at this point and William Smith, who’d previously worked with The Soul Searchers came in, covering bass on Hammond organ.
November 1968, left to right: Brian Ayres, Kenny Marco, Wayne Stone, Grant Smith, Steve Kennedy, Ralph Miller and William Smith. Photo used for back cover of their LP
Line up F was responsible for recording the bulk of the group’s album on Boo in November 1968, which also included the band’s debut single and a few tracks recorded by earlier line ups.
However, Marco, Kennedy, Smith and Stone weren’t happy with the recording and its reliance on cover material and left in mid-January 1969 to form Motherlode.
Four members of Franklin Sheppard & The Good Sheppards took their place. Gordon Baxter had started out with Kitchener, Ontario group The Counts Royale.
In mid-1966, however, Wulf Stelling, who had played alongside Brian Ayres in The Marque-Royals in the early 1960s, invited the guitarist to join a new band he was forming in Brantford, Ontario that also featured former Jay’s Rayders members Rick Berkett (aka Ric Barker) and sax player Glen Higgins.
After rehearsing for several months with another singer (Larry Lewellan), Stelling’s group was picked up by Franklin Sheppard in October; Sheppard had broken up the original Sheppards following dates in Vancouver the previous month. In August 1967 Sonnie Bernardi joined from Mary Ann Brown & The Good Things and The Sheppards toured the US before splitting in mid-1968.
Franklin Sheppard & The Good Sheppards, August 1967. Left to right: Chuck Slater, Rick Berkett, Glen Higgins, Frank Sheppard, Wulf Stelling, Gordon Baxter and Sonnie Bernardi. Photo: Gord Baxter
Baxter had started to put together a new R&B group in Kitchener when Stelling called him to join Grant Smith in January 1969 alongside Bernardi and Berkett. At the same time, Smith added two more horn players, Ted Stack on second trumpet alongside Ralph Miller and Bert Hermiston on second sax and flute.
Following several weeks of rehearsals at the Hawk’s Nest in Toronto and playing some local gigs, line-up G headed to the Boston area in the first week of May 1969.
Sonnie Bernardi next to gig sign for 30 June to 6 July 1969 at Mill Hill Club, West Yarmouth, Cape Cod. Photo: Gord Baxter
However, Grant Smith soon clashed with Stelling and Val Stevens was brought back into the group around July.
Left to right: Rick Berkett, Ralph Miller, Val Stevens and Gordon Baxter. Photo: Gord Baxter
The revised line-up continued to gig around Boston and the Cape Cod areas before returning to Toronto in August 1969. Smith then briefly disbanded The Power because he wanted a break. Baxter then reunited with Wulf Stelling in The Wulf Pack.
The Wulf Pack, 1970. Clockwise from left: Blake Barrett, Wulf Stelling, Gordon Baxter and Stacy. Photo: Gord Baxter
When Smith reformed The Power as a sextet in September 1969, he retained Brian Ayres, Bert Hermiston, Sonnie Bernadi and Val Stevens. However, the line-up remained fluid throughout 1970 and Smith expanded the line-up again to an 11-piece.
Former member Kenny Marco re-joined during this period as well after Motherlode split up and the group played in Las Vegas at Caesar’s Palace.
Grant Smith & The Power, 1970. Left to right: Brian Ayres, Bert Hermiston, unknown musician, unknown musician, Sonnie Bernardi, unknown musician, unknown musician, unknown musician, Val Stevens and (front) Grant Smith.
During 1970 Bernardi left and subsequently worked with Ronnie Hawkins, King Biscuit and then Crowbar. Hermiston did sessions with Heaven and Earth among others while Stevens formed his own trio before travelling to England in late 1970 and played with Clown, Tucky Buzzard and Steve Hillage’s Khan.
Marco subsequently joined former member William Smith in Los Angeles backing David Clayton-Thomas.
At some point (most likely late 1969/early 1970), keyboardist Josef Chirowski, who’d previously played with The Mandala and The Power Project worked with Grant Smith & The Power briefly. Also, another former Franklin Sheppard & The Good Sheppards member Frank De Felice was a brief member before forming Jericho.
Grant Smith continued to front various line-ups of The Power throughout the 1970s and beyond.
Former Leigh Ashford bass player Joe Agnello recalls playing with Grant Smith & The Power around 1971-1972 before he formed Fullerton, Little and Agnello Group (Flag). He says that former Power member Wayne Stone was on drums alongside guitarist Terry Aubertin and organist Pedro Cortez. He also remembers two trumpet players Pierre Galipeau and a guy called Benoit.
Stone subsequently worked with Johnny Otis in Los Angeles in the early 1970s and then returned to Toronto to play with Dr. Music, a band that had previously featured Kenny Marco and also included Steve Kennedy.
In the mid-1970s, former members Kenny Marco, Wayne Stone and Val Stevens (after he had returned from England) returned to play with Grant Smith in a line-up that also featured sax player Leo Sullivan.
Recordings
45 Keep On Running/Her Own Life (BOO 681) 1968
45 Thinkin’ About You/You Got What I Want (MGM 13979) 1968
LP Grant Smith & The Power (BOO 6802) 1968
RPM, 28 October 1969RPM, 17 March 1969
Selected advertised gigs
5 February 1967 – The Syndicate Club, Toronto, Ontario (formerly Club Isabella) (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
11 February1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
18 February 1967 – Gogue Inn, Toronto, Ontario with Franklin Sheppard & The Good Sheppards and The Wyldfyre (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
4 March 1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
10 March 1967 – Gogue Inn, Toronto, Ontario with The Five Good Reasons, Dana and Sunny & Peter
24 March 1967 – Avenue Road Club, Toronto, Ontario
26 March 1967 – Avenue Road Club, Toronto, Ontario
9 April 1967 – Crang Plaza, Downsview, Ontario with R K & The Associates (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
14 April 1967 – Club 888, Toronto, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
29 April 1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
6 May 1967 – Broom and Stone, Scarborough, Ontario with Luv-Lites and The Tiaras and The Syndicate Five (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
13 May 1967 – Whitby Arena, Whitby, Ontario with Shawne Jackson, Jay Jackson & The Majestics, Bobby Kris & The Imperials, The Last Words, Jack Hardin & The Silhouettes, The Tripp, The Ugly Ducklings, Roy Kenner & The Associates and others (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
2 June 1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
2 June 1967 – Annadale Country Club, Pickering, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
9 June 1967 – Don Mills Curling Club, Toronto, Ontario with The One Eyed Jacks
16 June 1967 – Whitby Arena, Whitby, Ontario with James and Bobby Purify, Shawne Jackson, Jay Jackson & The Majestics, Jack Hardin and Stitch In Tyme (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
27 June 1967 – Broom and Stone, Scarborough, Ontario with The One Eyed Jacks and Who & The Blazers
The band travelled to the United States for the summer
6 September 1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
23 September 1967 – Club 42, Stratford, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
29 September 1967 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
30 September 1967 – Broom and Stone, Scarborough, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
Grant Smith and the Power RPM 2 October 1967
14 October 1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
21 October 1967 – York University, Toronto, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
22 October 1967 – Teddy Bear Club, Toronto, Ontario
10 November 1967 – Club Boogaloo, Chandelier, near Wentworth, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator)
11 November 1967 – Broom and Stone, Scarborough, Ontario with The Taxi
17 November 1967 – Club Shade Blue, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator)
18 November 1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
1 December 1967 – Club Shade Blue, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator)
8 December 1967 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
15 December 1967 – Club Trocadero, Toronto, Ontario
22 December 1967 – Club Boogaloo, Chandelier, near Wentworth, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator)
23 December 1967 – Bunny Bin, Toronto, Ontario with Christopher Edward Campaign and The Village Stop
26 December 1967 – Hidden Valley, Huntsville, Ontario
31 December 1967 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
6 January 1968 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
12 January 1968 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Ontario
The band’s second US tour begins on 15 January and concludes on 9 March, according to RPM Music Weekly’s 20 January issue. It also says they will record most of their Boo LP from 11-23 March.
22-26 January 1968 – Buttercup Hill Club, Lunenburg, Massachusetts (Fitchburg Sentinel)
28 January 1968 – Buttercup Hill Club, Lunenburg, Massachusetts (Fitchburg Sentinel)
29 January-2 February 1968 – Buttercup Hill Club, Lunenburg, Massachusetts (Fitchburg Sentinel)
4 February 1968 – Buttercup Hill Club, Lunenburg, Massachusetts (Fitchburg Sentinel)
8 March 1968 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Ontario (may not have happened if US dates correct above)
10 March 1968 – Teddy Bear Club, Toronto, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
17 March 1968 – O’Keefe Centre, Toronto, Ontario with The Hollies and Spanky & The Gang (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
19 March 1968 – Club Riviera, Norval, Ontario with Stitch In Tyme and The Lords of London
20 March 1968 – Civic Centre Auditorium, Brantford, Ontario (The Expositor) Advert says they are leaving for Los Angeles next week but this seems unlikely
23 March 1968 – London Arena, London, Ontario with The Entertainer
24 March 1968 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
29 March 1968 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Ontario
30 March 1968 – Neil McNeil Student Council, Toronto, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
31 March 1968 – Intersection, Windsor, Ontario with The Amboy Dukes (Windsor Star)
RPM Music Weekly’s 20 January 1968 issue says the second half of their second US tour starts on 25 March and ends on 15 June. It looks like the start date may have been pushed back though to early April.
Mid-May 1968 – Trudy Heller’s, New York, USA (Toronto Daily Star)
14 June 1968 – Memorial Centre, Kingston, Ontario with The Varmints and Paper Dream (Kingston Whig-Standard)
16 June 1968 – Broom and Stone, Scarborough, Ontario (billed as E G Smith & The Power and says just back from US tour)
20 June 1968 – Huron Park Recreation Centre, Cooksville, Ontario with The Lords of London, The Five Shy and The Cat (billed as E G Smith & The Power)
21 June 1968 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Ontario
22 June 1968 – Club Commodore, Kawarthas, Ontario
23 June 1968 – Summer Garden, Port Dover, Ontario
25 June 1968 – London Arena, London, Ontario with The Entertainer with The Soul Agents and The Grass Company
29 June 1968 – Balm Beach Danceland, Balm Beach, Ontario
2 July 1968 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
5 July 1968 – BCI, Brantford, Ontario (billed as EG Smith & The Power) (The Expositor)
6 July 1968 – The Cove, Long Beach, St Catherine’s, Ontario (The Standard)
12-13 July 1968 – Sauble Beach Pavilion, Sauble Beach, Ontario (Sun Times from Owen Sound)
14 July 1968 – Summer Garden, Port Dover, Ontario
29 July 1968-18 August 1968 – Tony Marts Somers Point, Ocean City, New Jersey, US with The Shades and The Shadettes, The Aerodrome and The Pop Explosions (Courier-Post/Press of Atlantic City)
24 August 1968 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto, Ontario
25 August 1968 – Summer Garden, Port Dover, Ontario with The Federation (The Expositor)
28 August 1968 – The Glenbriar, Waterloo, Ontario with George Olliver & His Children and The Web & Dover Street (Waterloo Region Record)
1 September 1968 – Hidden Valley, Huntsville, Ontario with The Private Collection
10 January 1970 – Pillar Square, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator)
Early February 1970 – Lakeview Manor Hotel, Centennial Room, Kingston, Ontario (Kingston Whig-Standard) Week-long residency; advert says it’s a six-piece
13 February 1970 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Ontario
3 April 1970 – Town & Country Palace, Toronto, Ontario (Toronto Daily Star)
13 April 1970 – Town & Country Palace, Toronto, Ontario (Toronto Daily Star) Advert suggests longer residency. Last Canadian appearance before opening at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas
30 May 1970 – Grange Tavern, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator) Advert suggests long residency
6 June 1970 – Grange Tavern, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator) Advert suggests long residency
13 June 1970 – Grange Tavern, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator) Advert suggests long residency
22 June 1970 – Town & Country Palace, Toronto, Ontario (Toronto Daily Star)
25 June 1970 – Town & Country Palace, Toronto, Ontario (Toronto Daily Star) Advert says it’s an 11-piece
23 October 1970 – Town & Country Palace, Toronto, Ontario (Toronto Daily Star)
Early November 1970 – Choo Choo Stop, Guelph, Ontario (Waterloo Region Record)
21 December 1970 – Grange Tavern, Hamilton, Ontario (Hamilton Spectator) According to article in Hamilton Spectator, 22 December, p36, this is the start of three-week stand
Thanks to Carny Corbett, Mike Harrison, Sonnie Bernardi, Craig Webb, Gordon Baxter, Joe Agnello, Wayne Stone and Grant Smith for their help. Thanks to Grant for some band photos and gig posters.
The source for most of the live dates listed here was the “After Four” section, published in the Toronto Telegram and RPM Music Weekly unless otherwise noted. RPM images courtesy of Ivan Amirault. I’d also like to credit John Mars’s article on Kenny Marco in Blitz magazine, published in 1982.
Huey Meaux and Doyle Jones behind the console, the Dawgs in front, from right to left: Bobby Sharp, Freddy Arechiga, Gaylan Latimer (in the striped shirt) and Jimmy Rogers filling in on bass. “This photo was taken at 2 AM, at Gold Star Studios in the summer of 1965” – Freddy Arechiga
Updated and rewritten, January 2011
Fred “Freddy” Arechiga wrote to me about the origins of the Dawgs:
I met Bobby Sharp in Waco, TX (1963-4). Bobby was dating my cousin Paula, and she put Bobby and me in touch, so we could form a new band for him.
At the time, I was 14 years old and playing drums with Ramsey Horton and the Silvertones. Ramsey Horton formed the original Silvertones, while he was attending Baylor University, in 1961. Horton had put together a big band, with a horn section, and black lead singer, Bobby Bradshaw. We were playing that new stuff called, Motown, and that other stuff called, Soul Music, ala James Brown.
I had a close friend, Tommy Nash who played bass, he was only 13 years old and sounded like he had been playing for 20 years. He was also one of the best jazz guitar players I’d ever run across in my life (and I’m old). Tommy became the third Dawg. Bobby, Tommy, and I began rehearsals of Bobby’s original songs. The three of us immediately knew we had something worth pursuing. However, Tommy and I didn’t sing, so we needed on more singing Dawg. Later, when we went into the studio, Tommy Nash could not make it; the fourth person behind the console in the photo was a bass player that the record producer brought in the night we recorded our album.
It was during this time that I had first started growing my hair long, and every time I looked at myself in the mirror, I thought I looked like a long-haired dog. I told Bobby this story and he said, “I like it!” I asked, “You like what?” “The name of our band.” At first, Bobby wanted the band to be called, “A Band of Dogs.” After some discussions and some time had past, I wanted to call the band, Bobby Sharp and the Dawgs; I originated the spelling of Dawgs; some how this spelling didn’t make me think of the animal, when I read it in print. Bobby agreed.
After playing a frat party one night, (I was still gigging with the Silvertones as well) I stopped by a Waco beer joint called the Branding Iron, on the edge of town, to hear a childhood friend, who was singing and playing guitar in a rock band there. I walked in and saw Gaylan Latimer and his small cover band. Mickey Sharp (no relation to Bobby), was on drums, Wallace Pelton on bass/keyboards/vocals, and Gaylan Latimer, lead vocal/rhythm guitar/lighting director.
The first thing I noticed was Gaylan had rigged up his own lighting system. He had taken colored, flood lights, and put them on to the end of their boom microphone stands, operated by a footswitch. When I walked in they were between songs, and were on a dark stage. When Gaylan started singing, he would turn on the flood light and it would only light up his face, and while the solo was being played, he switched it off, then back on when he started singing again. Gaylan looked like he was getting a tan, while he was singing.
I left before the break, the light show made me feel like I was on acid, and drunk.
Bob and Gaylon from the Houston Varsity Tattler, 1965I thought Gaylan would be a good back up singer for Bobby; another plus was that he sang kill’n harmony. The next day, I told Bobby about Gaylan, and his light show, and we went to see him the next night, but didn’t let Gaylan know we were there. After Bobby heard half a song, he said, “Call him tomorrow,” and we slipped out. The next day, Gaylan said, he’d be interested in being a Dawg. Gaylan became the fourth Dawg.
Bob Gumm, Bobby’s manager, booked The Dawgs into the Westview Rollercade, a huge, modern, roller skating rink in Waco. We played to an almost empty house the first night we played there. The second night they sold out of skates, within an hour. The crowd began to get so large, the owner’s, Syd and Claire, stopped the skating altogether, and turned the rink into a dance party, whenever The Dawgs played there.
The next thing that came along for The Dawgs was the 7-11 stores contracted us to introduce the Icee at each one of its Waco stores. W-A-C-O Radio set up a live broadcast of every one of our shows. They had us playing on a flat-bed trailer of an 18 wheeler, in front of the stores. People would call in and request to have songs dedicated to their boyfriends, or their girlfriends.
At one point, our girl fans were having Dawg parties; we were typically picked up by some DJ, in a big rented car, and he took us around making appearances at these Dawg parties.
We were noticed by a DJ, Gene Kelly, of W-A-C-O, who approached us to make an album. Kelly was connected to Huey P. Meaux (Crazy Cajun Records) and thought that Meaux might be interested in producing The Dawgs. The next thing I know, we were in Gold Star Recording Studios – now Sugar Hill Studios — in Houston, TX recording an album of Bobby’s songs. Meaux signed Bobby Sharp after we had recorded the third song. Bobby was a natural in the studio; he was an excellent arranger as well.
We finished and headed back to Waco for more Dawg stuff; KBGO, and W-A-C-O Radio kept us busy, and W-A-C-O Radio put two Dawg songs in their top ten list; “It Belongs To You” and “I Don’t Want To See You Again,” were the titles.
Gaylan Latimer (Gaylon Ladd) adds:
Definitely before the Dawgs there were bands. Even early on at Chuck Harding Studios in Waco on Franklin Ave, at a very young age (around 7 or 8 yrs old) Chuck would split us into small combos, maybe 4 or 5 kids – we would get to come up with our own band name and play pre-teen/early teen dances that he would have on the weekends. I would compare it now to a sort of “School of Rock”. We would actually make a little money from the door.
A little later on (6th or 7th grade). I was playing VFW Halls, etc… In Jr. High, I was with a group called the Convertibles. That was the band that Freddie had mentioned he saw us play. The light thing was actually a Chuck Harding and the Confederates concept (they even used black lights, way before they became popular also). Wallace Pelton took the idea and made some for us. It was an electrical nightmare!!
That particular band played private parties and clubs – pretty much, a dance band. The night Fred mentioned that he saw us play, the club was called the Branding Room – a small Waco bar on LaSalle Ave. I remember them coming out to the club for a short while. I had seen Bobby perform with a group at a place outside of Waco called Geneva Hall (can’t remember the name of the band – they had horns,keyboards, the whole works – very impressive back in that day).
Bobby and that band had a demo of a song called “White Roses” – great song. It was later recorded by Gene Thomas along with another song called “The Picture” – Bobby and I played on that recording session. Anyway, I think he and Fred came over to the house the next day. Bobby was quite the talker. He wanted to do this English thing – accent and all, trying to convince everyone he was from England. He was from a little town in Oklahoma actually. Bobby ended up living with my family for about five months before moving to Houston. We became a small town sensation – screaming girls, fan club, the whole mess – it was a first for Waco.
A dj named Gene Kelly, along with another dj (can’t remember his name) picked up on us and became our managers. They came in contact with a man named Charlie Booth who drove down from Houston and signed us to a recording/split management contract. I’ll never forget him driving up in his brand new, bright red, ’65 Implala convertible.
He went back to Houston to set up recording session time – that’s when Huey found out about us. Huey called our managers, had the contract null and voided with Charlie Booth – then signed us to a recording, publishing, production, and management contract – all within 24 hours. Crazy, yes it was, but that’s how we got connected with Huey. He never even saw us play, until we walked in Goldstar studios. I don’t think he ever heard the demo that we cut at KBGO studios (it used to be on the 2nd or 3rd floor above Walgreens on Austin Ave. I have a tape of that I need to get baked before copying.)
As Gaylan explains on his excellent web, gaylanladd.com, Meaux released songs cut by the Dawgs at Gold Star on three different labels and under three different artist names, hoping one would break out in the charts.
First out was the Dawgs release on Pic 1 (#119), “Won’t You Cry for Me” / “Shy”, both songs written and sung by Gaylan and pressed in June of ’65. Hear these and other songs on Gaylan Latimer’s site.
Next came a release as Bob and Gaylon on Ventural V-722, both songs by Sharp, released in September of ’65. On the A-side, “Don’t Go in My Room Girl”, the singer is warning a girl who “laughed at me” not to go into his room because he has another ex-girlfriend in his room?! The tearjerker on the flip, “It Belongs To You” features some nice acoustic guitar.
Billboard announces Epic’s release of Bobby Sharp’s 45, November 5, 1965That same month Meaux placed two more of Bobby Sharp’s originals on Epic: “Walk, Think & Cry” / “I Don’t Want to See You Again”, receiving notice in Billboard in November, 1965.
The band toured as Bob and Gaylon, until Bob Sharp had a nervous breakdown, smashing a Gibson 12-string and pawning his Birdland and Gibson amplifiers.
Many of these 1965 recordings turned up on two LPs credited to Bobby Sharp and released on Crazy Cajun in 1978, Walk, Think, and Cry and Autumn Leaves Must Fall.
The first of these leads off with both songs from Bobby Sharp’s Epic single, contains seven other songs that went unreleased at the time, and finishes with “Won’t You Cry for Me” – the same version as on the Pic 1 single, but with drums and bass low in the mix. The sound on the album isn’t great, with occasional dips in volume from mishandling the tape. The cover just shows some clouds and sky and has Bobby’s name and the title on it. There are no notes, or a listing of musicians or recording info on the back.
The unreleased songs are “Baby We Got a Good Thing Going”, “I’ve Done It Again”, “Please Not Again”, “Bring It to Me”, “Down Home Girl”, “Something’s “Wrong” and “This Reminds Me”. “Something’s Wrong” really shows Bobby’s fake English accent and Beatles affectation.
Gaylan is listed as writer of “Please Not Again” and “Won’t You Cry for Me”. Bobby Sharp has the credits for all the rest of the songs except “Baby We Got a Good Thing Going” which lists Meaux. I expected the Barbara Lynn song, but it’s altogether different, and works well. “Down Home Girl” should not be listed as a Bobby Sharp song, it was written by Leiber-Butler for Alvin Robinson, then covered by the Stones.
I haven’t yet heard the second Crazy Cajun LP by Bobby Sharp, Autumn Leaves Must Fall. These are all Gold Star cuts from ’65 as well, and none were released prior to this album. The titles are: “Autumn Leaves Must Fall”, “How Many Times”, “That’s All”, “Naughty Girl”. “Find Me Another”, “Love Is Gone”, “The Picture”, “As The World Turns”, “Greenie Meanie” and “Please Lie To Me”. If anyone has a copy or a CD transfer of this, please let me know.
Gaylan Latimer again:
I on all of Bobby’s recordings. All of those tunes were recorded at Goldstar in 65′. We never finished a lot of those songs in the studio (especially the Autumn Leaves one). Bobby just disappeared in ’66. The last time I saw him, he was heading to a hospital (looked like a nervous breakdown). It was like he just disappeared after that -no one ever saw or heard from him since that time.
During ’75-’77, maybe into ’78, Huey and Mickey Moody were recording many acts, myself included. Huey would get the pictures for the covers, songs (had publishing rights of course), got Joe Nick Potoski to do liner notes – the whole package. He then would sell the albums to corporations and individuals for tax right offs. Never intended to release any of them, – the artists never getting anything. Most of the songs were demo form.
I was part of the studio band and also recorded six albums of my material in June and July of ’76. Like the so many other artists, never getting anything from them. The recordings are still in Sugar Hill’s vault. Funny thing though, I just received last week a royalty statement that had a song called “Deep Water” – it was in that batch of songs that I had recorded then. 17 cents by the way. I never actually saw the LP’s of Bobby [until recently].
The “Greenie Meanie” song was inspired by Frog Man Henry who was at that session that night in Goldstar (’65). I still have some of the original lyrics/ paper copies of some of those songs. “As the World Turns” doesn’t ring a bell. “The Picture” was recorded later by Gene Thomas – that was one of the very few recordings that I played keyboard. We recorded that version at the Pasadena studio.
Around this time Huey Meaux opened up Pasadena Teen Town, with an office and studio in a building nearby. At this location Gaylan recorded three solo 45s, starting with “Smokey Places” / “Think About Me” on Ventural in September of 1965, then “Think About Me” / “Her Loving Way” for national release on MGM in December, and another 45 on Ventural “I Better Go Now” / “Painted Lady” released in 1966. This was a different band than the Dawgs, and included Dennis “Crash” Collins on bass, Wallace Pelton on bass and keyboard, and a drummer named Tommy. They really rock on some of these songs, notably “Her Loving Way”.
Gaylan wrote all of the songs he performed as a solo artist. Later on, for the Heather Black band he would collaborate with Tommy Christian on most of their material.
In 1966 Huey Meaux and Charlie Booth were arrested and eventually convicted for violating the Mann Act, bringing a 15 year old girl to Nashville for purposes of courting favor with DJs attending the NATRA convention. While fighting the case he moved between Texas and Clinton, Mississippi where he started the Grits and Gravy studio. Gaylan moved back to Waco, writing and recording at Chuck Harding studio, including two songs for an obscure release, Glennis Annette and the Confederates “You Better Find Your Way” / “Sadness Is” for Harding’s TRC (Texas Recording Co.) label (read about it on Lone Star Stomp).
In the spring of ’67, Gaylan came back to Houston to record with Meaux, cutting Gaylan’s originals “Repulsive Situation” / “My Life, My Love” for release on Meaux’s Pacemaker label in May of 1967. His band for this record was the East Life Transfer with Tommy Christian on guitar, Vernon Womack on organ and Sammie Piazza on drums, while Gaylan sang and played bass. “Repulsive Situation”, is a lament against distrust and alienation.
The Pacemaker label had other good releases, including Johnny Winter’s psychedelic number, “Birds Can’t Row Boats”, the Triumphs “Better Come Get Her” and Yesterday’s Obsession “The Phycle” / “Complicated Mind”.
In May of 1968 Huey went into prison to serve a 14 month sentence for the Mann Act violation. Gaylan returned to Waco where he cut a 45 with the Silvertones “Something Is Strange” / “Get Out of Town” for TRC (without the Confederate flag now) at Chuck Harding’s studio.
Gaylan writes, “As far as the Silvertones, after Ramsey and Bobby Bradshaw, there were quite a few different personnel changes. I was in Houston when a lot of the early Silvertones were playing together. When I started playing with them, they had a singer named Little Anthony (not the famous one). I believe Dennis Black was the leader at the time, Jim Shanks, another sax player and another horn player that I can’t remember. When I started, I was playing bass and singing. Mickey Sharp was playing drums–I don’t remember who was playing guitar at the time.”
Gaylan formed Heather Black with members of the Silvertones, Mickey Sharp, Ted Richardson and Tommy Christian. They would record again with Meaux, first a single on Meaux’s American Playboy label, and then an LP on Double Bayou, produced by Meaux and distributed through his new deal with Shelby Singleton in 1970. For more on this period of Gaylan’s career, check his website.
Gaylan Latimer’s recording releases (pre-Heather Black only):
The Dawgs – Won’t You Cry for Me / Shy (Pic 1 119, June 1965) Bob and Gaylon – Don’t Go in My Room Girl / It Belongs to You (Ventural V-722, September, 1965) Bobby Sharp – Walk, Think and Cry / I Don’t Want to See You Again (Epic 5-9849, September 1965) Gaylon Ladd – Smokey Places / Think About Me (Ventural V-723, October, 1965) Gaylon Ladd – Think About Me / Her Loving Way (MGM 13435, November, 1965) Gaylon Ladd – I Better Go Now / Painted Lady (Ventural V-731, 1966) Silvertones – Something Is Strange / Get Out of Town (Texas Record Co. TRC 2099, 1966?) Gaylon Ladd – Repulsive Situation / My Life, My Love (Pacemaker PM-257, May 1967)
Sources include: the SugarHill Studios site (http://www.sugarhillstudios.com/news/news_doylejones.html – link now dead) and background on Huey’s conviction from The B-Side.
Thanks to Larry Nichols and Freddy Arechiga for help with identifying the band in the photo, and to Mike Markesich for accurate record release dates. Thank you to Gaylan Latimer for answering my questions. Special thanks to Fred Arechiga whose comment below I’ve added to the main text.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
MGM picked up the single for a national release in November 1965. “94 Second Surf” is retitled “Door Banger” on the MGM 45, but there is a difference. The Larse single features a female vocal chorus on both sides, while the MGM leaves it off completely on “Door Banger” and cuts the vocal intro on “Rod Hot Rod” but keeps the rest of the vocals.
Larse was Bill Sego’s label but I don’t know of any other releases on it. Prior to managing he had his own single on the Nor-Va-Jak label “Down From The Clouds” / “Come Along Dolly”. When he ran for the New Mexico Senate he reissued “Doorbanger” on the flip side of a campaign message with the motto “We Go Sego” on the labels and sleeves.
Mop Top Mike suggested I cover the Majestics, an unknown group who cut this one 45 for MGM in 1965. Hopefully we’ll be able to find some more info on this band.
