Rose Iwanaga and the Avengers came from Kuching, capital of Sarawak in eastern Malaysia. Iwanaga is a Japanese name, but I don’t know anything of Rose’s background or how she came to be living in Sarawak.
Rose Iwanaga and the Avengers are credited as the first band from Malaysian Borneo to make an English-language recording. They are said to have made three EPs in total, but I have only ever seen this one, their debut, which I reckon was released in 1967. The Avengers were James Ong – rhythm guitar, Jimmy Ho – lead guitar, Peter Ho – bass, and Jalek Zula – drums.
James Ong (rhythm), Jimmy Ho (lead), Peter Ho (bass), Jalek Zula (drums), Rose Iwanaga
I love the liner notes description of Jalek Zula as a ‘violent’ drummer. This isn’t obvious from the recording, however, most of which is saccharine-sweet with huge doses of strings added into the mix. I wonder what the band might have sounded like when they played the small nightclubs of Kuching without all the accompaniment? Much better I am sure.
Too Young seems to be the song that most older Malaysians remember from this record, but my favourite is Please Tell Terry, which is a straight ahead pop song and the only one without the annoying strings or horns. This song and Say You’re Mine are credited to Adrian C. Tills. I have not been able to find out anything about Adrian and do not know whether these songs are cover versions or were written for the band. I have seen Adrian’s name on a record from a Singapore singer also, so perhaps he was a local.
What became of the Avengers is a mystery to me, but I have read that Rose was still performing in Kuching nightclubs until at least the late 1990s.
The Inferno 5 + 1 from left: Wayne Wallace, Lance Whitman, Les Maki, Dave Powers, John Bell and Randy LaRocque
About a hundred miles east of Sault Ste. Marie is Sudbury, Ontario, home of the great Inferno 5 Plus 1. Members of the band were Lance Whitman and Randy LaRocque on guitars, John Bell vocals, Wayne Wallace (or Wayne Wallice) bass, Leslie Maki on drums and Dave Powers on keyboards and vocals.
“I Can Take It” has insistent drumming, repetitive guitar riffs, and good harmonies. The lack of cymbals, distortion or echo makes for a very dry production but the band’s raw energy is apparent. Either this song or the flip “Fay’s Gig” (which I haven’t even heard yet – anyone have a transfer?) became part of the soundtrack to the movie “Attack of the Brain Demon”. That movie seems lost to time as a print has never surfaced, though I’ve read silent 8mm footage of the band practicing exists.
John Loweth produced for his own Villa label, and the songwriting credits are R. Larocque and D. Powers. The prefix below the Villa label number, ST-, indicates that this, like the two 45s on Algoma, is an custom press from the Arc company in Toronto.
After my initial post about the Inferno 5 Plus 1, I heard from guitarist Lance Whitman, who gave me background about the band and sent in over a hundred photos of the band (see below). Soon after, producer/manager John Loweth contacted me and filled in some of the details.
Lance Whitman
Lance Whitman:
The Inferno was a local club in a laneway behind Durham Street in Sudbury where we were the house band. That’s where the name Inferno 5 came from, when Randy joined we didn’t want to change it so we just added + 1.
The 45 “I Can Take It” was recorded at a local Radio Station, CHNO here in Sudbury one evening back in the 60’s where John Loweth was a DJ at the time.
I never got to see the movie, it aired at a local Drive-In here which had a large homemade screen on the side of a hill…… The 45 was released around the time that I left the the band. [Prior to this] Wayne Wallace left the group and Les Maki went from drummer to bass player and Rick Panas took over as the drummer.
“I Can Take It” was not used in the movie that I’m aware of … it may have been as it says on the 45. The flipside “Fay’s Gig” was used in the movie … Where the movie is, is anyone’s guess I would think that there maybe a copy of it somewhere though everyone involved has been out of touch for so long it’s hard to say….
The scene back that was like a lot a towns I guess a lot of local bands…and a lot of fun times The Kids, King Street, Marketville Riot, The Village Steps, The Beasties. Can’t recall all of them.
The Inferno Five + 1 like a lot of groups had differnces of opinions and parted ways. The remaining members went to form ‘The East African Fair’ and they released a 45 “Lovin’ Every Little Thing You Do” written again by Randy and Dave I believe.
The Inferno 5 Plus 1 at the Inferno Club in SudburyRick Panas
John Loweth:
I was a pretty popular DJ on CHNO in Sudbury at that time and also worked for the record company Arc Sound as sales and A&R promotional rep in N. Ontario. I used to do a lot of school dances on Friday nights taking portable DJ equipment to the dances, but around 1964 as groups like Beatles, Dave Clark 5, Stones became so popular, all the students were asking me if I could get a group to come and play at the dances as well.
So as the Inferno 5 +1 who had started to play at the Inferno Club in Sudbury were becoming popular, I had them come out and play basically during my break. Naturally it was a very short time before I was playing 45s during their break, as our roles quickly changed. I suggested we record some material, and as I had access to professional recording equipment, all it took was a little time how to figure out how to do it.
The recording “I Can Take It” received quite a bit of air play throught Northern Ontario. I know – I was the producer, and promotional guy, and band manager, and mother. We recorded it and a number of other tracks in the dead of night at the CHNO radio studios when the station was off the air on single track Ampex reel to reel recorders and did multiple dubs to get everything on tape.
Through my contacts in radio I was able to get all my buddies in other radio stations to play it and chart it, ie: Sault Ste Marie, North Bay, Kirkland Lake, Timmins etc. and then I started booking the band in some of those towns as well.
We sold over 4,000 45’s which was pretty good, but I had access to and knew all the other DJ’s from CJIC and CKCY in the Soo [Sault Ste. Marie], to all the other towns, plus in my day job as a record guy I had their 45’s front racked in all the Kresges, and Woolworths and even drug stores across the north. And also had special signs advertising the records.
Attack of the Brain Demon poster, “starring Harvey Ransom, Paul Quesnel, Doreen Wright, Meeka Littlejohn, Frank Carbone and Yolanda Zwygart”
Attack of the Brain Demon was produced by 19 year old local Sudbury High School student Larry Zazelenchuck at a cost of $3,500 in B&W 16 mm, in 1967. Starred local school kids Names included Harvey Ransom, Paul Quesnel, Doreen Wright and some others including me as the DJ announcing some sort of demon sightings.
Larry was a fan of mine and came to see me about this film he was doing, and could I arrange to record the sound track, I think we recorded the Inferno 5 with some instrumental pieces plus other stock music and used naturally “I Can Take It” as the title tune. Its premier was at the Sudbury High School Theatre about 400 seats and sold out several shows, It also played successfully at other high schools around Sudbury area, after that I don’t remember what happened to it, or to Larry.
Later we changed the name to East African Fair and did pretty well with our second record, “Lovin Every Little Thing You Do Girl” (after Lance left) which was a totally different style (more Hermans Hermits) than the Stones style of the first release. Then we moved to the big city of Toronto. We did lots of auditions and things and played in trendy Yorkville where you just had to be if you wanted to be anywhere in Canada at that time of 1967.
The national CTV show ‘After Four’ was interested in replacing the current group Robbie Lane and the Disciples and said they woud use us as the featured band next season, they suggested a name change and the remainder of the group now lead by Randy LaRocque became ‘York Lane’.
A major booking agent booked the group in southern Ontario and upper New York state, but unfortunately several band members became homesick and discouraged due to lack of money, and went home, leaving just Randy and myself. I think we were just inches away from stardom.
Randy went on to bigger things, as lead guitarist and arranger for many well known bands and singers and was based in Atlanta, GA for 25 plus years, and I have been lucky enough to make a lifelong living with my company Mayfair Music, due in part to everything learned in those early exciting years.
Update: I’m sorry to report that John Loweth passed away on April 4, 2009. John generously shared his recollections and memorabilia to help document the story of this band.
Srouces: Photos of the band from Lance Whitman, scan of the ad for Attack of the Brain Demon and some info on the band from an article by Alex Taylor and Ivan Amirault in Loose Leaf Review #2.
A history of the Inferno 5 Plus 1 in photos
From the collection of Lance Whitman (click on any photo below to see many more images):
The Illusions, l-r: Tim Touchton, Jim Williams, Skip Hewett and Rob Gardner
Originally released on the A.C.P. label out of Jacksonville, the Illusions’ “I Know” is a great upbeat song with syncopated shouts of “hey!”, swirling organ and good harmonies. I also dig the insistent bass drum pattern.
Picked up for release by Columbia, it reached #3 on the charts of Orlando radio station WLOF in August of 1966. It was written by by the band: Rob Gardner on organ, Jim Williams guitar, Skip Hewett bass, and Tim Touchton on drums.
The flip is “Take My Heart”, a lighter vocal number by Roosevelt Gardner, a more formal name for Rob Gardner.
According to Jeff Lemlich’s Savage Lost, the band was from Palatka, about an hour’s drive south of Jacksonville, and had their own TV program on local channel 12. The photo was originally posted on the Limestone Lounge, a great forum on Florida music of all eras and styles.
The Couriers, C.V. Recording Artists, Lancaster, PA
Updated July and August 2010The Couriers formed in 1965 and recorded this one fine record on a Lancaster, Pennsylvania label, C.V. Records.
“Stomping Time Again” is something out of a 50’s hop, but the snare drum slams the beat and the vocals are slurred a bit. This record was reissued years ago on red vinyl, primarily because doo wop collectors valued this side. The song was written by Harry Strother and Steve Kurtz.
The b-side was “Feelings”. The band takes their intro from the Kinks and goes into typical Louie Louie changes but manages to create an original and memorable song – mainly from the notable singing of Steve Kurtz. It’s one of my very favorite songs of this era. It was written by Steve Kurtz and Neil Schuck.
Other members were unknown to me until members and friends commented below, from which the updated info in this post is taken.
Members included:
Steve Kurtz – vocals Harry Strother – guitar Neil “Butch” Schuck Carl Beyer – bass Dave Johnson – keyboards Bob Bitts – drums Dick Dunkle – drums Larry Spece Tim Miller
Steve Kurtz wrote in his comment below:
We didn’t exactly disappear after “Stompin’ Time”. We were supposed to cut two more 45’s as per our informal contract with Chuck Raymond and Pancho, who awarded us the opportunity to make records after we won a Battle Of The Bands at Moose Hall in Lancaster. We never did cut those other two sides, but, for us as a band, the experience of recording and releasing “Stompin’ Time Again” was a wonderful thing. It even got to #8 on the WLAN Top 60. I still think it sounds great to hear it, and I’ve always thought it sounded less “local” than most of the records cut by Lancaster bands, with the exception of The Shaynes, who I thought cut two very cool records themselves, “You Tell Me Girl” and “From My Window”.
Those were heady days, and I wouldn’t trade the experience I had playing with Hoagie Strother, Butch Schuck, Dick Dunkle, Dave Johnson (deceased), Bob Bitts (deceased), and Carl Beyer for anything in the world.
The band played their last show at the 421 Club in February, 1968.
Harry Strother, aka Hoagie went on to play lead guitar for Jay and the Techniques from Allentown.
The band became Little Stevie & the Couriers.
Thank you to all who commented for the info on the group and to Carl Beyer for the photos and poster.
The Couriers at the 421 Club to promote the Atlas Sound Banshee PA speaker. From left: Carl Beyer, Harry Strother, Robert Bitts, Steve Kurtz and Dave Johnson.The Couriers promote the Atlas Sound Banshee PA speaker.
The Ambertones, from left: Jimmy Alvarez (on drums), Eddie Delgado (above on bass), Mike Sandoval (guitar), Frank Vasquez, Danny Medina, Tony Cardenas (sax), and Henry Hernandez (guitar).
The Ambertones were part of Los Angeles’ fabled East Side scene along with dozens of legendary bands like Thee Midniters, the Premiers, the Romancers and Cannibal and the Head Hunters. All these groupos could play in several styles, from garage to straight soul to r&b shouters and ballads.
The original lineup was:
Ray Arriola – sax Henry Hernandez – lead guitar Mike Sandoval – rhythm guitar Eddie Delgado – bass and vocals Danny Medina – keyboards Jimmy Alvarez – drums
Later members included:
Frank Vasquez (Frank Olvera?) – vocals Charlie Muñoz – vocals Tony Cardenas (or is it Tony Duran?) – saxophone Henry Sarnoff joined on piano and organ in 1966 Ruben Alvarez – drums
They began releasing records in 1963, with “Charlena” / “Bandido” on the GNP/Crescendo label. Next came two 45s on the Dottie label. I have never heard the first, “Chocolate Covered Ants” / “One Summer Night”.
Their second Dottie 45 is a ballad, “I Need Someone” backed with an excellent garage original “If I Do”, written by Eddie Delgado. The sound of the organ, vocals and guitar solo make “If I Do” my personal favorite of their records.
Originally released on a dark blue Dottie label in October of ’65, it was reissued with a pale blue label, pictured here, in 1969 or later, probably because of interest in the ballad, “I Need Someone”.
Their next two releases were on Rayjack. “Clap Your Hands” is a great party record, and “Cruise” is a riff on Thee Midniter’s “Whittier Blvd”. This 45 was also issued on the Newman label, pictured here, in 1966. Both of these were written by Leonard Mamola, who also produced all their records except their first.
“I Can Only Give You Everything” is another of their garage recordings, it too was issued on a second label, Treasure Chest.
In 1967 they signed with White Whale for two 45s in a soul style, giving them probably the best nationwide exposure of their career. “Ninety-Nine and a Half” is a fine cover of the Wilson Pickett hit, with a Sam and Dave song on the flip, “You Don’t Know Like I Know”.
top center: Henry Hernandez middle row, l-r: Jimmy Alvarez, Eddie Delgado, Ray Arriola, and Mike Sandoval bottom row l-r: Charlie Muñoz and Danny Medina
Source: Photos from collection of Victor B. and from Mark Guerrero’s excellent site markguerrero.net.
Leader of Mark & the Escorts of the classic “Get Your Baby,” Mr. Guerrero has also written extensively about Los Angeles music, including articles on the Romancers, The Premiers and the Blendells. I highly recommend setting aside a few hours to look through his site.
Thanks to Danny Medina for correcting the IDs on the photos.
Ambertones 45 releases:
Charlena / Bandido (GNP Crescendo 329) – 1963 Chocolate Covered Ants / One Summer Night (Dottie 1129) – 1965 I Need Someone / If I Do (Dottie 1130) – October, 1965, repressed on pale blue label in 1969. Clap Your Hand / Cruise (Rayjack 1001) – December 1965 Clap Your Hand / Cruise (Newman 601) – 1966 I Can Only Give You Everything / I Only Have Eyes for You (Rayjack 1002) – 1966 I Can Only Give You Everything / I Only Have Eyes for You (Treasure Chest 001) – 1966 Ninety-Nine and a Half / You Don’t Know Like I Know (White Whale 242) 1967 A Million Tears / Little Bit Of Lovin’ (White Whale 302) 1969
from left: Danny Medina, Mike Sandoval, Eddie Delgado, Henry Hernandez and Ruben Alvarez
The Shames aka the Cryin’ Shames of Ipswich, MA from left: James Amero, Gerard Trudel, Patty Germoni, Denis Trudel, and Joey Amerault.
The Shames crank out both songs on this single like it’s the only shot they’d ever get. There’s no weak playing here, just guitars overloading the studios inputs, a drummer slamming out the beat and a vocalist cutting loose. On “The Special Ones” he complains about getting grief for having long hair! “My World Is Upside Down” may be the most distinctive of the two, if one had to choose a top side.
This 45 was released twice with different RFT labels – someone forgot to put the band’s name on the first one! The second version is yellow with a different logo up top.
“My World Is Upside Down” was written by James Amero and Robert Beaulier. “The Special Ones” by Denis Trudel. In copyright listings, both songs are arranged by Jacques Trudel.
US Copyright Office publications list an unreleased song “One More Chance” written by James Amero and Robert Beaulier. All three songs have a copyright date of November 30, 1966, though release of the single may not have come until April, 1967.
As it turns out the band’s full name was the Cryin’ Shames. Alan Lowell sent in the photo business card, above, and writes, “They were a great local band from Ipswich MA and often played at the Sillouette Club in Beverly. They were a big user of Magnatone amps which had a great sound back then.”
Their manager was Charles Larrivee.
More information came from Denis Trudel, who commented below and listed the members at the time of the photo at top:
Denis Trudel – lead singer James “JB “ Amero – lead guitar Patty “Beetle” Germoni- keyboards Gerard Trudel – bass Joey Amerault – drums
Denis reports that his brother Gerard passed away in 2005.
Thanks to Alan for the photo and info on the band and to Denis for his comment below that filled in many gaps.
Update: I’m sorry to report that Denis Trudel passed away on May 27, 2021.
The Nocturnals started as an instrumental band called the Rousers in Haney, BC, east of Vancouver in the late 1950’s. They evolved into the Nocturnals, based in Vancouver, with members Bill McBeth drums and lead vocals, Ron Henschel on guitar, Chad Thorp organ, Wayne Evans on bass, and Roger Skinner and Carl Erickson on saxophone.
The band had regular bookings at the Grooveyard, located at 795 Carnarvon in New Westminster, a nightclub they part-owned. Les Vogt (member of another early Vancouver band the Prowlers) and Red Robinson opened the club in September, 1965. The Nocturnals kept their stake in the club a secret so competing bands wouldn’t refuse bookings there.
The Grooveyard succeeded in a Vancouver scene that attracted top r&b acts. The club’s primary competition was Danceland, a big hall on the other side of town which attracted U.S. servicemen from the Whidbey Island base.
Les Vogt produced a two LP set, Live From the Grooveyard, featuring bands who appeared regularly at the club: the Stags, Kentish Steele and the Shantelles, the Epics, Soul Unlimited and the Night Train Revue. The Nocturnals have four songs on the album: “Mustang Sally”, “Slow Down”, “You Make Me Feel So Good” and “Get On Back”. Far from being live, it was recorded at Robin Spurgin’s studio with crowd noise overdubbed, and released in 1966 on New Syndrome, run by Tom Northcott, who made a few records himself. The album accurately reflects the soul-oriented live shows typical of working bands of the time.
In late 1965 the Nocturnals traveled to Kearney Barton’s Audio Recording in Seattle, the same studio used by the Sonics and the Wailers. Their first single, “Because You’re Gone” chugs along steadily with a Peter Gunn-style riff, flashes of horns, fine drumming and chanting vocals. Their second featured two more originals, “This Ain’t Love” b/w “You Lied.” Both of their Regency 45s reached the top ten on CFUN.
For their first two singles the band had help in song writing from Kathy Dubin and Jeanne Fink, two sisters who were fans of the band. Kathy and Jeanne wrote “Because You’re Gone” with Billy McBeth and the flip “Can It Be True” with Henshel. Jeanne’s daughter Linda headed the Nocturnals fan club!
In 1967 they signed to Trans-World and released three more 45s. The second of these, “Detroit” b/w “Do What You Want” was picked up for U.S. release on Milton Berle’s Embassy Records in March, 1967. Although it didn’t chart, “Detroit” is a good track, with all the elements that would have made their live show exciting – fuzz guitar, soulful horn charts, and group vocals.
A highpoint for the Nocturnals was playing the huge Expo 67 in Montreal. Afterwards the band relocated to Ontario, but, uninterested in adapting to the new psychedelic styles, they returned home after a few months. The band broke up in 1968, with Billy McBeth going into The Fox and Wayne Evans and Carl Erickson both staying in music for some time.
In April and June, 2007 the Nocturnals reunited for two live performances. They also released a CD of all their 60’s recordings, and a DVD of clips of the band from CBC-TV’s Let’s Go show and at the PNE backing the Coasters.
Heart and Soul early photo, from left: John Grower, Don Rumble, Jimmy Roland, and Kevin Swift, with Ezzie Post in front
Heart and Soul formed in 1967, releasing this crude psych 45 with good harmonies and playing on the Strive label out of Poughkeepsie. Both songs have guitar breaks as well as more soloing on the outros. The band members came from Kingston and Saugerties in the Hudson Valley of New York, Members were:
Ezzie Post – lead vocals John Grower – guitar Don Rumble – organ Kevin Swift – bass Jimmy Rowland – drums
For garage heads like myself, “Afterthought” is the better of the two tunes, writing credits to D G. Rumble and E. Post. Don Rumble wrote “If”. Swift and Cagnone produced the single.
Thank you to John Grower, who sent in the photos seen here. Kevin Swift passed away in 2011.
The ZTSP prefix in the dead wax means this record was ordered out of Columbia’s New York custom press office. For more on Strive Records, see Ian’s comment below.
Heart and Soul at the Viking LoungeHeart and Soul 1967
The Swinging Machine at the South Norfolk Armory, from left: Wayne Richardson, Vince Screeney, Bobby Fisher, Lee Caraway, Dicky Bocock, Bobby Weaver and Gary Richardson
I’ve read many accounts that consider the Swinging Machine the best of all local bands in the Tidewater area back in its day.
In 1963 three friends from Oscar F. Smith High School in South Norfolk formed the Chevelles. The group included Evan Pierce, Jr. (lead guitar), Richard Bocock (drums) and Steven Curling (saxophone). At Old Dominion University they met Esdras ben Lubin who took over on lead guitar and vocals, and suggested the band change their name from the Chevelles to the Swingin’ Machine. The addition of fifteen-year-old Billy Gene Stallings on organ helped their musical acuity considerably.
Esdras left the band and the group found Gary Richardson and Lee Caraway from the Villagers (out of Churchland High School in Portsmouth). Steve Curling left for college and was replaced by Bob Fisher, though Steve would occasionally sit in with the group.
At the time of the release of their 45 the band consisted of:
Gary Richardson (vocals) Lee Caraway (guitar) Billy Stallings (organ) Bob Fisher (sax) Evan Pierce (bass) Dick Bocock (drums)
According to Evan Pierce, the band fought with their producer Frank Guida and was disappointed in the record. However, fans of the mid-60s band sound really love this 45, with “Do You Have to Ask” being especially tough and original. Frank Guida who was also owner of S.P.Q.R., is listed as one of the songwriters. “Do You Have to Ask” was recorded in the fall of 1965, “Comin’ On Back Home” five or six months later.
“Comin’ On Back Home” reached #39 on a Syracuse, NY AM radio station, WOLF 1490 in early June, 1966. How it reached the charts so far away from their base is a mystery.
Besides the 45 there is an early version of “Do You Have to Ask” and a simply amazing rocker, “Brother Look Out” that were unreleased at the time. They’re both now available on the Aliens, Psychos and Wild Things series.
There is also a tape of ten cover songs recorded in a studio, probably made as a demo to get live gigs. The songs include versions of “Tell Mama”, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”, “Fire”, “Spooky”, “Get Ready”, “Wrap It Up”, “Sunshine of Your Love”, “Rock and Roll Woman”, “To Love Somebody” and “Dear Eloise”.
I would love to hear a live recording of the band – if anyone has a tape, please get in touch.
In 1967 Wayne Richardson joined on trumpet. Bob Weaver was a later member as well. Vince Screeney from the Sting Rays replaced Evan Pierce while he was in the army. Rocky Cantrell filled in on occasion.
Gary Richardson died tragically from a drug accident in July of 1968. The Swinging Machine continued for a short time with William “Rocky” Smith on vocals, but soon disbanded. Dick Bocock and Bob Weaver formed a new group, the Machine.
Producer Frank Guida passed away on May 19, 2007.
I want to say thank you to Diane for sending in these rarely seen photos of the band. Diane and Lee Caraway were married until he passed away in 1979.
Diane had this to say about the photos:
Anyone who hung out with the band will know the panel truck. That was their equipment truck for many years.
The Lighthouse pics show them unloading the equipment and setting up for the dance that night. The pics of them on stage don’t do it justice because the camera won’t pick up all the colors and psychedelics flashing on the stage background, the lights in that place were hooked into the sound system.
One pic is Gary and Wayne Richardson standing in front of a cottage the band was staying in at Nags Head when they were playing at the Casino.
Steve Curling wrote to me with his recollections of the band:
I will give you a brief history of the band as I saw it.
The band originally was called “The Chevelles” which consisted of Evan Pierce on bass, Dickie Bocock on drums, Bobby Fisher and myself on sax (I doubled on trumpet) and several different lead guitar players but the one I remember most was Eris Ben Lubin [Esdras ben Lubin] who was older and taught us the ropes. We didn’t have an established keyboard player until Billy Stallings came along.
The band centered around Dickie’s home. Dickie’s father was a prominent doctor in South Norfolk and financed most of the equipment for the band. I loved hanging out at Dickey’s because he lived on the Elizabeth River on about 4 acres with a pool and a 85 foot yacht named the Blue Haven which we spent many days and nights, plus he had all the toys including speed boats and a 1967 Olds 442 which Dickie and I decided to total one night coming back from the old Ambassor’s club in Portsmouth.
I remember playing at several of the clubs on the Naval Base, the Ambassor’s Club which we called the AB Club, the lighthouse and the casino at Nags Head. We realized that we needed a steady lead guitarist and a lead singer. While interviewing Gary Richardson for lead guitar we discovered he was a much better singer than guitar player plus his friend Lee Caraway came with him and he turned out to be a great lead guitarist and Gary stuck with singing. So the band was formed as the Swinging Machine and it really took off.
There was a battle of the bands and several groups entered the competition. Most of the people voted for their own local favorites. Since Gary and Lee were from Portsmouth and the rest of us were from South Norfolk we had the inside track on the voting from both Portsmouth and South Norfolk.
After we won the battle of the bands, things really started to happen but I had to make a decision on whether to stay with the band on continue with school. I left the group and headed to Roanoke College where I played on the weekends with several bands including Ricky and the Romans, a local Roanoke band consisting of 8 members.
During this period Evan joined the Army and only played when he had leave. In his absence, Vince Screeny filled in and did a great job. After Evan’s Army service he returned to the group. I would occasionally play with the group but by this time they had become established with one sax and I mostly just filled in when needed on sax, bass and trumpet.
I don’t recall the band ever going to California but I do remember talking about it since I was dating a girl from Los Angeles at the time and she was looking into renting a house for us in the Santa Monica area but it never happened. Instead we rented an old 2 story house off Indian River road and most of us hung out there to party, sleep and practice.
It was in this house that Gary died. He actually died on his own vomit. Bobby Fisher tried CPR but was unsuccessful. The band was scheduled to play at the Peppermint Beach Club and canceled. The band continued on for a while but disbanded shortly afterwards.
Lee decided to go into the ministry and rented a house from my uncle, Herman Johnson in the Great Bridge area off Cedar Grove Road. I saw him a couple of times with his Church bus but he had changed. Later I found out that he had a brain tumor which he succumbed 4 years later.
Bobby Fisher went on to play with Bill Deal and the Rhondels but by far the most talented member of the group was Billy Stallings, who was trained at Juilliard School of Music in New York. Billy practiced 6 to 8 hours everyday for years. His father owned the Triangle Billiards in South Norfolk. Needless to say, Billy could play anything. As soon as a new song would come out, Billy had already learned all the parts including the lead guitar, bass and the brass parts.
Billy was never a healthy person and the life of a musician was a hard one. Later Billy moved to Baltimore and I saw him one time at Evan’s home years ago. I understand he passed away a couple of years ago.
After the band broke up Dickie lived alone in the home his father had built on the river. His father had a heart attack and died after the band was established. He has two brothers, Tom and Harry. I always thought is was funny that they was known as Tom, Dick and Harry Bocock. I would visit Dickie when I was in town and we would sit and reminisce the band.
I recently retired from USAirways and live on Lake Norman, North of Charlotte, NC. Evan Pierce owns an appraisal business in Norfolk. I hope this gives you an insight of the Swinging Machine as I lived it. It was a part of my life I will never forget.
Lee Caraway with the Swinging Machine van
Photos below from the Lighthouse, April 1968
Setting up at the LighthouseInterior of the LighthouseBobby Fisher and Vince ScreeneyLee Caraway and Wayne RichardsonLee CarawayLee Caraway and Gary RichardsonBobby Fisher on rightDickie BocockBilly Stallings at the LighthouseLee Caraway at the LighthouseGary and Wayne at Nags Head – July ’68Bob Spain and Lee Caraway – July ’68The Swinging Machine and Willie T. & the Impressions at The Other PlaceWayne Richardson, Sherry Cheston and the Proclaimers at the Upstairs, Virginia BeachThe Swinging Machine at Ohef Sholom TempleThe Swinging Machine at Sigota Dance, Temple IsraelOpening weekend at the Light House, July 1967! Other groups include the Prophets in Flight, the Chaparrals, Beachnuts and Sound Effects.The “Swingin’ Machines” opening a WNOR show for acts from Where the Action Is at Norfolk’s Foreman Field along with lesser known groups like the Wild Kingdom, the Triumphs, the Knights and Kon Tiki and the Rafters.At Boykins Fire House, December 30, 1967
All photos and poster scans courtesy of Diane except the Boykins Fire House poster (sent by Jay Jenkins of SouthernSoul.com), and the Ohef Sholom, Sigota Dance and Light House opening posters, which were sent in by Kelly Miltier. The Ohef Sholom, Sigota Dance and Foreman Field posters are from the collection of Billy ‘Hurricane’ Harrell.
Evan Pierce, Jr. has written a substantial history of the band that I recommend – look for Swinging Machine on Facebook.
The Friedles were the four Fried brothers from Penns Grove in southwestern New Jersey: Mike and Herman Fried on guitars, Simon Fried on bass and Milton Fried (just 14 years old at the time of their first record!) on drums.They went across the river to Ken-Del Studio in Wilmington, Delaware to make their first record “I Lost Her” / “I’m So Glad” with Milt singing lead vocals. Released as the Fried Brothers on Scope, it was mastered louder and issued again on the Hanna label. The sound may come off as somewhat crude, but there’s no denying the energy and spirit in the brothers’ delivery. “I Lost Her” was written by Mike and Milt, “I’m So Glad” by Herm and Milt.
The Fried Brothers (Friedles) Ken-Del demo 45 rpm I Do Love Her“I Lost Her” entered Wilmington, DE station WAMS Top 30 survey the week of September 11, 1965 at #30. In the following weeks it rose to #24, #17, #13 (this time listed with it’s flip side, “I’m So Glad”), #11 and finally reached #10, its highest point, on October 23.
Two other songs from their early sessions at Ken Del went unissued, “I Do Love Her”, with lead vocals by Si Fried, and “The Joke’s on You”, which I haven’t heard. Both of these were written by the Fried brothers, as were the two songs on their next record.
Issued in a cool bat-themed sleeve for some reason, “She Can Go” is kind of a cross between the Searchers’ “Needles and Pins” and the Zombies’ “Tell Her No”. “Don’t Tell Me What to Do” on the flip sounds more natural, with fine punk attitude and great harmonies. The song opens with a great bass line, and Mike and Herm Fried’s guitar playing is excellent throughout. This record credits Norris Austin on organ, and the drumming by Milt is excellent.
The Fried Brothers (Friedles) Ken-Del demo 45 rpm The Jokes On You
Fried Brothers (Friedles) South Jersey Recording Service demo 45 When Love
By 1968 their sound had become psychedelic, even as their image stayed fairly conservative. The band went to Jim Hanna’s South Jersey Recording Service in Woodstown, NJ to cut a couple songs that weren’t issued at the time. Bassist Si Fried sings “When Love”. One of the great unissued songs of the ’60s, it didn’t see the light of day until 1984, when it was released on the classic and long out-of-print Attack of the Jersey Teens compilation, which I also have to thank for the photo of the band.
The other song from this session is also excellent, “Love the Way You Love Me”, sung by Milt.
Charlie Bum South Jersey Recording Service demo 45 When Love
The band seems to have dissolved soon after. Milton Fried started referring to himself as Charlie, or Charlie Bumm. He and Mike Fried went back to South Jersey in 1971 to cut Mike’s song “Early in the Morning”. With the band credited as ‘Charlie Bum’, Mike plays guitar and takes the first lead vocal, Charlie played drums and sings the second lead (with the high-pitched wails), and Tom Fanty played bass. Two other songs recorded at South Jersey in ’71 feature Charlie playing all instruments and vocals: a slower version of their ’65 song “I Do Love Her” and a cover of the Marmalade’s “Reflections of My Life”. For some reason, these songs are in mono on the acetates.
Simon Fried passed away in 1999. Thank you to Charlie Fried for sending me additional songs, information about the sessions and photocopies of the acetate label scans.
Thanks also to Joe Mullin for the scan of his Scope 45.
Update: Mike Fried passed away on March 15, 2013.
Charlie Bum South Jersey Recording Service demo 45 I Do Love HerFried Brothers (Friedles) Ken-Del demo 45 rpm I’m So GladMilton Fried’s notes on the songs of the Friedles and Charlie Bum 1Milton Fried’s notes on the songs of the Friedles and Charlie Bum 2Milton Fried’s notes on the songs of the Friedles and Charlie Bum 3Milton Fried’s notes on the songs of the Friedles and Charlie Bum 4
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
The Shames crank out both songs on this single like it’s the only shot they’d ever get. There’s no weak playing here, just guitars overloading the studios inputs, a drummer slamming out the beat and a vocalist cutting loose. On “The Special Ones” he complains about getting grief for having long hair! “My World Is Upside Down” may be the most distinctive of the two, if one had to choose a top side.
Heart and Soul formed in 1967, releasing this crude psych 45 with good harmonies and playing on the Strive label out of Poughkeepsie. Both songs have guitar breaks as well as more soloing on the outros. The band members came from Kingston and Saugerties in the Hudson Valley of New York, Members were:
