Emy Jackson (エミー・ジャクソン) was born in Essex, England as Emy Eaton. As a teenager in Yokohama she still couldn’t read Japanese well, but her ability to speak both English and Japanese fluently landed her a job as a youth DJ for the Good Hit Parade on Radio Kanto.
The notes to the compilation Nippon Girls: Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-1970 say:
Her DJ career was cut short when her colleague Reiko Yukawa found Jackson singing “You Are My Sunshine” whilst strumming the guitar and sent word to A&R man Akira Izumi at Columbia Records. Akira insisted that Jackson break with the cover-pops tradition and tackle original songs written by Japanese songwriters in her native language of English.
Emy gives a strong vocal on “Crying in a Storm” (涙の太陽) backed by the aptly-named Smashmen. The heavy drumming and surf-styled guitar really help elevate this song.
This was her first 45, released in April 1965. Because she was singing in English, Columbia released Emy’s records on the CBS imprint, a label for foreign artists. As ‘imported’ music these cost more than 45s of Japanese-language pop, but the allure of a Japanese teen singing in English may have helped break her first single. “Crying in a Storm” reached #4 on the chart of foreign releases in Music Life in July ’65 (ミュージック・ライフ外国盤ランキング), and #6 on the Turn Table Top 50 on October 18.
Michi Aoyama (青山ミチ) covered the song with Japanese lyrics in May of ’65, leading to competition for sales. “Crying in a Storm” was also recorded by Singapore’s Rita Chao.
Most of her songs were composed by her vocal coach Yasutoshi Nakajima. “Crying in a Storm” was composed by Nakajima in collaboration with singer Reiko Yukawa. Sheila Burgel again: “Jackson claims to have helped Reiko write the English lyrics”.
Her initial recording career was very brief, consisting of eight singles released in 1965 and 1966, always with a ballad on one side and an uptempo pop song on the other.
“Don’t Break My Heart”, the B-side to her second single, has a similar surf guitar sound to “Crying in a Storm”, and was released in May of ’65, just a month after her first. Her third single had two Chirstmas songs including the awkwardly put “I Saw Mammy Kissing Santa Claus” (sic).
Her next was a good return to form, with the uptempo “You Don’t Know Baby” from February of ’66 (and in mono for some reason instead of the more typical stereo). Because these songs were written and sung in English, CBS had to make up Japanese titles for the sleeves. They made some bizarre choices. One example is giving “You Don’t Know Baby” the Japanese title 涙のゴーゴー (Namida no Go Go) which translates to “Tears a Go Go” – which happens to be the name of the A-side of her fifth single.
Other highlights of her early releases include the excellent and odd pop number, “Angel Fish” and her only vocal in Japanese, “Love Is Crazy Sports Car” (天使のいたずら) from November of ’66, which was also her last release of the 60’s. This song is now one of the highlights of Big Beat’s Nippon Girls CD.
Emy retired from the music business by 1973. She sang on another 45 in 1984, “ＣＲＹヨコハマ” (Cry Yokohama) but didn’t return fully to music until the early 1990s. In 1994 her ’60s work was collected in an expanded 20 track version of her 1967 LP,The Emy Jackson Album. Emy is still performing in Japan, and released a new CD in 2009, Timeless.
I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Jackson in January 2010:
Q. Can you tell me about how you started in music?
Emy: The director of a radio program asked me if I could sing. I picked up my guitar and sang – that’s it. I had no intention of becoming a singer.
“Crying in a Storm” at #6 in Turn Table’s Top 50
Q. Who were the Smashmen (the band on “Crying in a Storm”)? In particular, do you remember the guitarist’s name?
Emy: There was no band called “Smashmen” – it was a ghost band to make my songs. The players were pick up musicians chosen by Columbia records through testing procedures. The back end chorus were the MGM boys from the Philippines. Regarding the guitarist – there were so many musicians involved, I couldn’t tell you.
Q. Did singing in English limit your career at all? Why were your records were released as imports in Japan?
Emy: Singing in English did not limit my career. To get my start, English was a requirement to satisfy the foreign element of my contract. At the time there were no more openings for local contracts. Therefore, it was the idea of Columbia Records to introduce me as a foreign singer. In actuality my records were made in Japan but marketed as foreign records.
Q. Any memorable live shows or stories?
Emy: I had a performance with the Ventures in Kyoto before they became famous. I had a live performance in Kyoto Budokan that was very memorable for me.
Q. I believe you retired from music for 20 years, is that correct? How did you decide to return, and how has it been since then?
Emy: I owned a restaurant and live coffee shop, Lugano, over 35 years in the Yokohama area. I got started again, singing at Lugano after raising my children. There were many offers, because of my background – I am the first pop star in Japan that sang in English that sold a million records. It had been very tough to make a comeback due to the changes in the entertainment industry. Now I have a band, the Cadillacs – we have been performing for over 20 years now. My priority to sing was country music, but could not make a living in Japan with only country. You need to sing a variety of music to make it in Japan. I am still enjoying my singing career.
Emy’s website is www.emyjackson.com (in Japanese but there’s a recent video clip on there).
Thanks to Hiroshi for providing the good scan of the sleeve for “You Don’t Know Baby”.
Eddie Reeves was writing songs, arranging and producing for United Artists in the mid-late ’60s. He wrote and produced the fantastic “A Million Things” for the Restless Feelins, layering distorted guitar throughout the track, even over the vocals and chorus.
The flip is a Byrds-like song by Bruce Murdoch, “Hey Mama You’ve Been on My Mind”. I knew nothing about the band behind this 45 until Eddie Reeves set the record straight with his comment (see below). I repeat it here in its entirety:
The Restless Feelin’s was me along with Ron Dante singing harmony. The “A” side of the record was actually “Hey Mama You Been On My Mind” but not the Dylan song. It was written by a fellow named Bruce Murdoch and it’s a clever song with Dylan-type lyrics. I did the recording as a demo for United Artists Music Company in New York while employed by them as a demo producer, song writer and song plugger from 1965 thru 1967 in New York and then from 1968 thru 1971 in Los Angeles.
The musicians are Hugh McCracken -guitar; Frank Owens -keyboards; Bobby Gregg -drums; and Joe Macho -bass. United Artists Records decided to release it as a single and asked me to record a “B” side and “A Million Things” was the result with the same musicians but without Ron Dante doing harmony which was done by me.”
A short time after this record by the Restless Feelins, Eddie Reeves produced another UA 45 by the Hysterical Society, a band from his hometown, Amarillo, Texas.
60sgaragebands.com has an interview with Eddie covering the early part of his career.
The Family’s with F. Abdullah and Zainorin M. Don and Rosiah Chik
This record is probably from late 1966. Apart from the Family’s being led by Ismail M. Taib, I don’t know that much about them. It seems they recorded with many vocalists in Malaysia in the mid sixties. They also used the name Orkes Family Combo (Family Combo Orchestra), or Okes Family Combo, as it is given on the back cover of this record.
F. Abdullah has three songs on this record. The best in my opinion is Hasrat Chinta (Longing for Love). The record also includes one song with Zainorin M. Don and Rosiah Chik, Kaseh dan Chinta (Love and Affection). This is a more traditional-sounding call and response song, but with a very up-tempo backing from the Family’s. I have heard one of Zainorin M. Don’s songs from the EP shown on the back cover and it has a slightly jazz feel.
Rosiah Chik is the best known of the artists on this record (at least to me). She died in 2006 at the age of 75 and had a career in music over six decades. While she recorded a lot of popular music she is remembered also for her efforts in keeping the public aware of traditional Malaysian music and singing-styles.
The Only Onz were from Illinois – one member from Lincoln, the others from Chicago, so I’m not sure where they were based. This 45 was originally released on the R.I.P. label – anyone have a scan of that label?
“When Teardrops Fall” was written by Drezner, Gayle, & Reiss. The band takes about half a minute to get the song really going. On the other side is a decent version of the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “On the Road Again”.
Members were Bruce Drezner, Rick Gayle (organ) and Jack Reiss.
The Stormies formed in Athens in 1964, releasing three 45s, two of which have killer garage songs sung in English.
All their members played in other bands from the time: Alekos Glykas in the Charms; Cemos Petros in the Minis and the Forminx; Makis Saliaris in the We Five; Spyros Metaxas in the Sounds, We Five and maybe Cinquetti, and second drummer Loukas Sideris played with the Mini’s and later Aphrodite’s Child.
The group wails away on “Dilly-Dilly” in finest beat style. The flip is the poppier “Teenager’s Love”; both were written by Spryos Metaxas and Nick Mastorakis. Mastorakis wrote dozens of songs for the Charms, Forminx and others.
Spyros breaks out the fuzztone for their next record, the rare “Try Try Try,” and delivers an astounding solo. The instrumental on the flip, “Drums in the Storm” has a Bo Diddley beat and a good drum solo by Loukas Sideris.
The third 45 features a singer named Zoe singing an English adaption of France Gall’s “Laissez Tombez Les Filles” and the somewhat silly “Girl of Ye Ye”.
There is an interview with Nikos Mastorakis on a Greek website that I tried running through an auto translation with only partial success. Info on these groups in English is very limited at this point.
l-r: Tommy Turner on keyboards, Tim Justice (kneeling) on drums, Mike Kelley on guitar and vocals on “Cry’n Shame”, Bruce Bland on bass, and Seab Meador on lead guitar and vocals.
Seab with Vox Super Beatle ampTim Justice, drummer for the Gentlemen, gives the history of the band behind one of the most essential 45s of the 1960s, “It’s a Cry’n Shame”:”The Gentlemen played in and around Dallas, Texas from 1964 until 1968, always enjoying a booked in advance schedule and putting on energy packed shows. Originally started by guitarist Seab Meador and drummer Tim Justice, they were joined by bassist Lonnie Taylor and guitarist and singer Mike Kelley in early 1965. The band’s early musical direction was crafted by Meador whose guitar genius was recognized by all who came in contact with the group. Seab loved early Rolling Stones, Animals, Kinks and Yardbirds, concentrating heavily on the stylings of Jeff Beck.
“The band took on more of the rhythm and blues swagger of the Stones and Animals than the pop ballads of the Beatles and Dave Clark Five. Our original bass player was Lonnie Taylor, who lived in South Dallas and had a hard time making all the gigs. We found Jimmie Randall, or he found us, and slowly the transition took place. I do remember a few nights when he AND Lonnie showed up and we played with 2 bass players. Heavy.
“Jimmie also remembers something that I didn’t, that he played bass on our first and earliest recordings, ‘Beg Borrow and Steal’, and ‘Here I Cannot Stay’, both written by Seab Meador. Boy, were we young. Must have been 15 at the time. In the session, Seab was on guitar and singing, I was drumming, Jimmie Randall was on bass and Mike Kelly was on guitar. The later three sang backup. Seab penned both songs and as far as I know, there are only 2 copies of the acetate, one owned by me and the other by Jimmie Randall. Jimmie reminds me that these AND the later ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’ sessions were recorded at Summit [Sumet] Studio, and the master acetates where made upstairs at Boyd Recording Service. [This first session] cost $150 that we split 4 ways. We just wanted to see what we sounded like and never tried to find a label.
“This unit played through 1965 with the addition of fellow Oak Cliff musician Jimmy Vaughan, later of the ‘Fabulous Thunderbirds’, creating a powerful duet with Meador during a several month stint. Meador and Vaughan forged a solid friendship during this time.
Tim: “A business card with no phone number on it….Doesn’t make a great deal to sense, but I’m thinking we thought it was cool at the time!”“In early 1966, the nucleus that would come to represent the band formed, including Meador, Kelley, Justice and new members Bruce Bland on bass and Tommy Turner on keyboards. This incarnation solidified into a driving rock band that always brought down the house. They played venues such as Louann’s Club and the Studio Club in Dallas and Panther A’ Go-Go and The Box in Ft. Worth. During ’66, The Gentlemen opened for James Brown at the Dallas Convention Center, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and The Beau Brummels at Louann’s. They played along side Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison at Panther A’ Go-Go.
“Tom Brown, president of Vandan Records heard us play at LouAnn’s Club in Dallas, and wondered if we would do some writing with him and Gene Garretson, his arranger. After several weeks, we came up with a song called ‘You Can’t Be True’ and what was considered the B side, ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’. We liked ‘Cry’n Shame’ better, but Gene spent a lot of time arranging violins and multiple tracks for ‘You Can’t Be True’ so that was the track they pushed. It took us nearly two weeks to record ‘You Can’t Be True’, and as a complete after-thought, 2 takes and probably 1 hour to slam down ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’. Therein lies the genuine spontaneity that makes it pure straight ahead punk rock, I suppose.
“The result was what has now become a garage rock classic. ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’ has been referred to by the G45 LEGENDS listings as: ‘One of the top 10 tracks to play to anyone you need to convert to 60s garageism. Absolute perfection in every respect, including barnstorming drumming, scorching fuzz guitar complete with ripping break, bass alternately swooping and thumping. Add to this the distinctive vocals which combine the best pop sensibilities with the classic Texas punk sneer, and simple yet effective backing vocals. Everything’s just perfect.’
“Bruce Bland, our bass player, was playing a no brand bass guitar that he picked up at a thrift shop for $50. He had a Fender for gigs but this thing was so funky-butt ugly and had a fuzzy thumping sound, perfect for Cry’n Shame.
Seab Meador, 1965
“Seab Meador had a gaping hole in the center of his Vox Super Beatle so that he could stick his guitar neck inside to get the Fuzz tone that is prevalent on ‘Cry’n Shame’. He was a big Yardbirds follower.”Mike Kelley, our singer and guitarist, stuck his finger in the master tape spool by accident when it was rewinding, causing the strange modulation during the final cord at the end of the record. Since the mix had been finalized, it stayed in….
“Brown then pressed 1 or 2 thousand of the dreadfully flat Vandan copies and sent them to his DJ cronies in Detroit, Philly and Boston for airplay.
“A few weeks later when we were having the photograph [above] made at the Studio Club in Dallas, a triumphant Brown walked in with a copy, (Jan. 1967) of Record World Magazine. In the 4 Star Rating column of hits to watch were 3 songs, ‘For What It’s Worth’, by the Buffalo Springfield, ‘Somebody to Love’, by the Jefferson Airplane, and ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’ by the Gentlemen. We wondered how that could be at the time, whether Tom Brown paid someone for that privilege, but now I think maybe that song got there on it’s own merit. After all, it was suppose to be the B side. Ha.
“I remember when that 45 came out, it was sent to KLIF and KNOK radio stations is Dallas and they began to play it. We, of course, were completely beside ourselves. We had accepted a job playing at a large auditorium ‘go-go’ show in south Dallas with several other bands, but our new song established us as the band to beat. The promoters arranged to have 2 off duty Dallas police cars intercept us a few blocks from the gig. Girls were lined up several deep wanting autographs and such, so we had to run through them to get to our room back stage. Once there, a guard was stationed by our door and we could see girls jumping up to look in the little opera window, yelling and screaming.
“Bands were rotating equipment so that there were always 2 setups on stage. A band called Mike and the Midnighters played before us, and then it was our turn. We typically dressed in collarless jackets (Nehru Jackets they were called at the time) with gold ascots, stovepipe black slacks and Beatle boots, of course. What a crowd reaction! Several hundred wild kids whooping it up! When we finished and started off stage, several girls ran through the equipment to get to us, knocking over the Midnighter’s drum kit. The bass drum rolled over and fell off stage. They were very mad, but we were very happy, as this was about as close to ‘That 60’s British Rock Star Magic’ as a bunch of 16 year old kids from Dallas would ever get.
“It was 2 takes for Cry’n Shame because Tom Brown was out of money. Shortly after he showed up with the magazine, we showed up at his home to find a for sale sign and no furniture. We would find our later that he was down to his last cash and skipped town to avoid creditors. We never saw him again, but read that he moved to Los Angeles to start over. He died there not long after.
“In 1967, Seab Meador left the Gentlemen to pursue his quest for guitar immortality, including stints with Dallas bands The Bridge and The Werewolves. Guitarist Danny Sanchez who later played with the Roy Head band took over lead duties, but the magic that surrounded the core group was partially lost with Seab’s departure. The Gentlemen disbanded in early 1968 as other goals became important. Like so many bands of this era, we had an incredible time playing music that we loved during a time when 16 to 18 year old high school kids were able to live lives far more mature than their ages implied. It was a unique time that will never be repeated. Texas is known for braggin’ rights, and I realize that this bio contains some strong bragging, but I was and still am so proud to have played with such a great bunch of guys. You can’t buy that kind of friendship and strong ties. Seab and Mike have passed away, but I am still in touch with Tommy and Bruce and since we all still play our given instruments, a Gentlemen musical reunion is being discussed down in Dallas later this year. We may be a lot older, but at heart, we’re still kids from Oak Cliff and we can still rock.”
Tim Justice Drummer, The Gentlemen
Bruce Bland and Mike Kelley
I asked Tim a few questions regarding the band:
Q. Didn’t the band start in Ft. Worth?
Tim: The Gentlemen were always from Dallas. Yes, we did play gigs in Ft. Worth, which as you know, had a thriving music scene of it’s own in the 60’s, but the guys from Norton Records who put the “Ft. Worth Teen Scene” compilations together either assumed or were told that we lived there. Not so.
Q. A band from Florida, the Invaders also performed at a movie theatre showing the Beatles movie Help! Strange coincidence, or maybe it wasn’t uncommon to have bands at movie theaters then?
Tim: I noticed that the Invaders had a similar newspaper clipping regarding HELP! That is a coincidence. I know that they must have had as much fun as we did. We played in the foyer of the theater and got paid PLUS great seats to watch the show. Big stuff for 16 year old kids.
Q. That set list is incredible, I can’t believe a band could play that many songs in one evening.
Tim: The playlist was pretty normal for a 4 hour gig back in those days. We would start around 7:30 and end up around 11:30 with 15 minute breaks in between sets. Each set was tweaked as we learned new songs. There were always a few requests, too.
Jimmie Randall on the Gentlemen:
“My connection was my friendship with Seab Meador. He introduced me to Tim and the other guitar player was Mike Kelley. They all went to Kimball High School in Dallas, I was at Sunset til we moved to Duncanville. They seemed to like my playing and let me be a sort of honorary member.
“I played with Lonnie on guitar in The Squires maybe that’s how I met Seab who knows? Not me. Everybody was changing bands so often then. I think because we were all learning to play and searching for a style and sound. It was like you sort of ‘outgrew’ one band and went on to the next size up. I do always say that the Gentlemen was the first ‘real’ band I was in. They had a real song list and could actually play.
“My time with the Gentlemen was really never as the ‘official’ bass player. I filled in some and played on a recording and on the Panther Hall TV show on Channel 11 from Ft.Worth. We even played a gig at Oak Cliff Country Club with two bass players …with predictable results. But we were 15 and 16 years old what did we know besides it was fun.
“Anyway as far as the Gentlemen recording I don’t really remember what was up with that. I know we did it at Summit Studios [Sumet Sound Studio]. I have the original acetate. These 2 songs [‘Beg, Borrow and Steal’ & ‘Here I Cannot Stay’] really showed off Seab’s early guitar licks and writing capabilities.
“It was recorded for our appearance on the Ft. Worth TV show that was on Friday nights on channel 11 from Panther Hall … a club on Camp Bowie. My first TV appearance was there with The Gentlemen. Seab and I got my mom to drive us over in her old Ford station wagon. First ‘out of town gig.’ Lots of local bands were on that show. I remember the night we were there a group called the Warlocks played I think Dusty and Rocky Hill were in that band they had a girl singer and all dressed in black. Also Johnny Green and the Green Men a show band with horns. Sort of a Wayne Cochran deal except with Giant green pompadour hair, instead of giant white pompadours.
“That was the first time I played with Seab. Later we tried to form a couple of bands, one of which was called the Hurricanes in Houston with Brian Papageorge and Ron Barnett. That became the Werewolves when Ron and I left to rejoin Gary Myrick in his band Slip of the Wrist. Seab was a great friend I was at the hospital the night before he died. He taught me a lot. I miss him still.”
After the Gentlemen, Jimmie Randall went on to play with Dallas groups The Styks and Stonz and The Beefeaters before joining Jo Jo Gunne.
As an interesting sidenote, Seab Meador did a short tour as a member (along with two future members of ZZ Top) of a fake version of the Zombies, a story told with great candor and excellent photos by fellow guitarist Mark Ramsey (Ramseur) at I Was a Teenage Fake Zombie.
The Vandan 45: The Gentlemen – It’s a Cry’n Shame The Gentlemen – You Can’t Be True
I detect a similarity between the riff of “It’s a Cry’n Shame” and Hilton Valentine’s opening to the Animals’ “Baby Let Me Take You Home”. Not to take anything away from Seab Meador, his playing is incredible. The Briks also did a version of this song not long before the Gentlemen cut “It’s a Cry’n Shame”.
The mastering of the Vandan 45 gives it a somewhat distorted, flat sound. Interestingly, a test pressing surfaced with both songs in better sound quality. It was labeled “Crimson Records”, but no one seems to know the definite origin of this copy. The master stampers are different from the Vandan release, and the markings in the dead wax are also unique.
According to Mark Taylor, the Crimson test pressing has in small handwriting “CRIMSON 1006A” and “B”, then “3 ∆ I”. The Vandan has a handwritten “TK4M 8303 1.” Mop Top Mike adds, “Dead wax details allow me to relay that the Crimson pressing is definitely 60s. The triangle and the “I” signify a Capitol custom pressing from the Scranton, Pennsylvania plant. The likely scenario – a better sounding copy was remastered for a subsequent pressing – perhaps the major label, Capitol records showed some interest, and the go ahead was made to upgrade from the original lacquer / stamper done by RCA. A second scenario – I believe the Gentlemen 45 was the last if not the second to last issued by the Caprice / Vandan label. The operators packing in the label might have had something to do with the new pressing.”
The liner notes to Ft Worth Teen Scene vol. 3 state that the band recorded the song for release on their own label (hence the Crimson Records test press), and then gave it to Vandan when they struck a deal. Tim Justice states, “There is no Crimson Record label per se. The now legendary Crimson copy is just that, a single copy which we believe to be the original master to disc recorded after the Vandan studio sessions and before the several thousand Vandan pressings were made.”
Credits: Photo of Seab in 1965 from the BigD60s yahoo group. Transfers of the Gentlemen test press 45 courtesy of Mark Taylor. Some of Tim’s recollections first appeared on the G45 Central site and are reproduced with permission. Quotes from Jimmie Randall from my correspondence with him as well as the BigD60’s group.
Mikael Nilsson sent in the cover and tracks by Jack and the Rippers. Of the band he says “they started as a instrumental band. In 1965 they came second in a radio competition the prize for that was to make a record.”
“Cathy’s Clown” is not one of my favorite Everly Brothers songs, but the group does a good job of it. I”‘m the Richest” is a solid beat song, with lyrics sung in English, though they’re hard to make out clearly. It was written by Kjell Wadstedt, Jörgen Sjöstedt and Lars E. Carlsson.
Songwriter and producer Lars Carlsson’s website gives the history of the Dollar label, an excerpt is below:
Together with Åke Söhr I started Dollar Records in 1965. At that time I worked as a producer at Cupol Grammofon AB in Stockholm. Åke (dead since 1995) was then a well known singer and musician mostly working in Stockholm. He recorded for Cupol and was a friend of Helge Roundqvist, the owner of the company. This friendship made it possible for us to distribute the Dollar label through Cupol and as I was working there, I could keep an eye on the distribution.
The first Dollar records were cut at Borgarskolan (a secondary school) in Stockholm, where a small studio was located. The owner was an engineer, Erik Lundberg. The control room was situated on the third floor and there was no lift. The artists and the groups stood on a small stage on the first floor. The producer kept in touch with them by a local phone and was actually looking down on the musicians through a small window. In the control room there was a two-track tape recorder, a reverb effect and a mixer. The background music was recorded on one track and the vocals on the other. To listen to the recorded tracks the singer had to go to the control room. When the singer had climbed the stairs three or four times, he/she was so exhausted he/she couldn’t sing any more. That’s one of the reasons cutting a record was so fast at Borgarskolan. Two or three vocal takes on one song were very common.
Among the first Dollar recordings made at this studio were The Madmen, The Teddy Bears and Jack And The Rippers. The first pressing of each record was around two hundred copies. The group bought some records to sell and Cupol distributed the rest. In 1969 the last Dollar record was released. We had made sixty-eight singles, seventeen EP’s and one LP.
The Noblemen 4, from left: Dave Henry, Lou Penzera, Roy Albert and Rich Yusko
Pennsylvania’s Noblemen 4 came from the towns of Greensburg and Irwin, southeast of Pittsburgh.
Members were:
Dave Henry – lead guitar, vocals Rich Yusko – organ Lou Penzera – bass Roy Albert – drums
Andy Anderson, a friend of the band, wrote to me about their early days:
I’m originally from Greensburg, and know three of the members of the Noblemen 4. Actually I should say “knew” as I’ve been gone for about 38 years. The three guys that I know/knew are Dave Henry (lead guitar/vocals), Roy Albert (drums), and Joe Smartnik (bass guitar).
There was a mail-in contest to vote for your favorite band, and they had a form letter to vote. I recall Dave ripping the phone book into sections so everyone had their own part of the book to copy names from. I was one of the guys who was signing any name I could think up, and stuffing the letter into the envelope. Dave’s wife, Carol, and her sister Barbara were sealing the envelopes and putting on the stamps.
Needless to say, they won the contest and “Get Outta My Life Woman” / “What’s Your Name” was the record they cut for winning the contest. Both of the songs are covers.
My involvement with the band ended right around the release of the first record, and I moved out of state and lost touch with them. Sure would have liked to see them hit the big time.
“What’s Your Name” was a cover of the Don and Juan doo-wop hit from 1962. I prefer the flip, an uptempo version of Lee Dorsey’s “Get Out of My Life Woman”.
Though the band may have won the contest by rigging the vote, they must have done a good enough job on the first record, as Recap had them cut a second. The Recap label was owned by Norman and Tony Candelore. Tony would also be manager of the Noblemen 4.
Their second 45, the bittersweet ballad “I Can Hear Raindrops” was written by Ty Lemley and Philip Rowe, and the rowdy and non-sensical “Hang It In Your Ear” by keyboardist Richard Yusko. Both songs were produced by Tyler-Perell for Georden Productions, and published by Triver Music BMI.
The Noblemen 4 reach the finals of the WIIC Channel 11 Battle of the Bands, January 15, 1968
In 1968, the band won Come Alive’s Battle of the Bands on WIIC-TV, beating out the Pilgryms of Follansbee, West Virginia. The prize was a recording contract with Mercury Records, which led to a single I haven’t heard yet, “Beach Umbrella World” / “Lady Flora” on Mercury 72828.
One article also mentions Mad Mike presenting local group Light with a record contract from Cleo Records in Cleveland.
Thanks to Andy for the label scans and mp3s of their first record. Special thanks to Rich Yusko for the photo and news clippings seen here.
A fraudulent 1980s “acetate” of “I Can Hear Raindrops” made by a Michigan dealer. Credited to the Aces, this is actually the Noblemen 4’s version lifted off their record.
As an interesting side note, in the 1980s, the Noblemen 4’s record of “I Can Hear Raindrops” was used by a Michigan dealer to make a fraudulent acetate credited to the Aces, with “Punch Record Company” listed to give the false impression this was one of Punch Andrews’ productions. The dealer sold this at an expensive price to a collector who hadn’t known the Noblemen 4’s record, and it was also used in a compilation called Thee Unheard Of which had other misattributed songs, some of which have not been identified to this day. For more info see the Ugly Things compilation site. If anyone has more info on these acetates, please let me know. Thank you to Gregor Kessler for the scan of the “Aces” acetate.
Here’s a 45 on the Impression label that I didn’t know about until finding it last week. It also happens to be the label’s first release on their revamped, yellow Impression label. I’m not sure who the Dillons were, but this 45 was written and produced by Dorsey Burnette.
Along with his younger brother Johnny Burnette and Paul Burlison, Dorsey was one of the Rock and Roll Trio, whose songs include the fuzzed-up version of “Train Kept a Rollin'” that the Yardbirds would cover.
“Simple Way of Living” is a truly fantastic garage tune, contemporary to the times musically, if not lyrically. The flip, “Night Winds”, is out of an earlier era, and was written by Burnette and Joe Osborn, bass player for Ricky Nelson.
I’d love to know the story behind this single! Freddy pointed out the clip from Shivaree, which shows the band as a duo backed by (according to a comment on the video) the Challengers:
From left: David Moore, Don Willin, Carl Erwin and Joe Boyland
Here’s a record I don’t own myself, but after writing about the Marke 5, I heard from a member of another band from Fayetteville, the Symbols.
The Symbols released this one 45. The A-side is the Beatlesesque “Can I See You Tonight?” with an unusual guitar solo. Less restrained is the excellent flip “Give Me Time,” full of energy and originality, and written by David Moore and Joe Boyland.
Jerry Miller put me in touch with his brother George, who was the second lead singer of the group, joining right after the 45 was recorded. Prior to the Symbols, George was in the Taxmen, a rival band to the Marke 5 at Seventy First High School in Fayetteville.
George Miller wrote to me about the Symbols:
David Moore played lead, Don Willin bass, Joe Boyland (he was a preacher) rhythm, Carl Erwin drums.
Don Willin was a McCartney freak at the time and copied his style. Willin played a big red Gibson hollow body Bass, like Peter Tork of the Monkees. Moore and Boyland wrote their songs.
Johnny Betz did the original vocals of “Can I See You Tonight.” I have no idea why, but after the record was cut and got dist. going, Betts and the drummer quit. Carl Irwin, from Pine Forest H.S. and myself from 71st, moved into those to places and the Symbols really clicked. I sounded exactly like him doing that song so we did it all the time and I got the credit for making it a hit.
We did “Words” by the Bee Gees then; and the crowd always went crazy. We played all over N.C. The Symbols were the first to use strobe and stage lighting. Very limited at the time, but effective. We had that stage magic. I won’t ever forget the fun and work it took to be on the road in H.S.
Jimmy Capps Productions was in Raleigh, N.C. Capps produced “Can I See You Tonight” 600 copies (at total $625.00). We had a recording offer from ‘Colgems’ (Columbia/Gem) in California, four songs all original, and I was too young to go on tour without an adult chaperone. So I got in trouble and headed off to Viet Nam with Mike and Jim, who were the other getter-in-troubles …..and we got to be War Heroes n’stuff and be cool around Fayyette-Nam….
By the way it is Bradley Moffet, lead guitar – Marke 5, that was working at Edwards Music not Donnie Wofford. Wofford is retired from the Army as an E-7, and runs some convenience stores in Hope Mills.
The Taxmen: Bobby Williams – Lead, Jay Shepherd – Rhythm, Bob Holmes – Bass, George Miller – Vocals, Bill Palmer – Drummer # 1, ? – Drummer #2. Anyone know where Bob Holmes and John Holmes might be? Old Jr. High School band “The Barons” the best song we did was “Shapes” by ‘The Yardbirds’… Barons was ahead of their time.
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Emy Jackson (エミー・ジャクソン) was born in Essex, England as Emy Eaton. As a teenager in Yokohama she still couldn’t read Japanese well, but her ability to speak both English and Japanese fluently landed her a job as a youth DJ for the Good Hit Parade on Radio Kanto.
The notes to the compilation Nippon Girls: Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-1970 say:
Most of her songs were composed by her vocal coach Yasutoshi Nakajima. “Crying in a Storm” was composed by Nakajima in collaboration with singer Reiko Yukawa. Sheila Burgel again: “Jackson claims to have helped Reiko write the English lyrics”.
Her next was a good return to form, with the uptempo “You Don’t Know Baby” from February of ’66 (and in mono for some reason instead of the more typical stereo). Because these songs were written and sung in English, CBS had to make up Japanese titles for the sleeves. They made some bizarre choices. One example is giving “You Don’t Know Baby” the Japanese title 涙のゴーゴー (Namida no Go Go) which translates to “Tears a Go Go” – which happens to be the name of the A-side of her fifth single.
The Only Onz were from Illinois – one member from Lincoln, the others from Chicago, so I’m not sure where they were based. This 45 was originally released on the R.I.P. label – anyone have a scan of that label?
Pennsylvania’s Noblemen 4 came from the towns of Greensburg and Irwin, southeast of Pittsburgh.
In 1968, the band won Come Alive’s Battle of the Bands on WIIC-TV, beating out the Pilgryms of Follansbee, West Virginia. The prize was a recording contract with Mercury Records, which led to a single I haven’t heard yet, “Beach Umbrella World” / “Lady Flora” on Mercury 72828.
