Category Archives: Shoestring

Categories: Richmond, Shoestring, Virginia

The Panics “No More” / “I Pretend” on Shoestring

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Panics Shoestring 45 No MoreThe Panics started in 1963, formed at Huguenot High School in Richmond, Virginia.

The lineup was

Jimmy Sherwood – lead vocals and rhythm guitar
Bill LaRue – lead guitar and vocals
Bill Lyell – bass
John Herbig – drums

Dwyane Givens was their equipment manager.

Panics Shoestring 45 I PretendTheir only single contains two original songs by Bill Lyell and Bill Larue, the mid-tempo “I Pretend” shows some Beatles influence, and the fast-paced “No More” opens with a Lennonesque “Oh!”

It was released on Shoestring Records SHO 107 in 1965, a styrene record from the Columbia Records plant at Terre Haute, Indiana.

Clyde Atkinson of the Wild Ones and Mickey Russell of the Fugitives also went to Huguenot High. The Fugitives had a single on Shoestring.

After the Panics, Bill LaRue would form a three-piece blues band, Blue Alfred. He would have one more record that I know of as Snelson & LaRue “I’m Tired of Getting Put Down” / “Making Your Mind Up it’s Over” with David Snelson and Cynthia LaRue, recorded at Audio Communications in Richmond.

Anyone have a good photo of the group?

A couple of very small photos of the group are in the booklet to Aliens Psychos & Wild Things vol. 2.

Categories: Hampton, Shoestring, Virginia

The Wild Cherries (Hampton, VA)

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Wild Cherries Shoestring 45 I Cried OnceThese Wild Cherries were a Hampton, VA band known for their ability to cover Beatles songs.

Members were:

Harold Souders (vocals, lead guitar, electric piano)
Carl Moore (vocals, guitar)
David Jenkins (bass)
Wayne Dale (drums)

Hal Souders and Carl Moore were cousins, and composed both songs on this 45. In December of ’65 the band went to Richmond Sound Stages to cut their only recording, “I Cried Once” / “Baby Baby”.

“I Cried Once” begins with jarring guitar chords, and continues at an urgent pace through verse and chorus and a beautiful and very brief reverbed guitar solo until the ringing chords at the finish. Hal Souders’ syncopated piano overdub is a nice touch.

Wild Cherries Shoestring 45 Baby BabyThe tender “Baby, Baby” on the flip begins with nicely articulated notes cutting to a drum and bass break before the verse begins. The singer confesses “all the lies I told to you, not a one was true.”

To me this is one of the most successful of all teen 45s of the ’60s, sincere original songs flawlessly performed and superbly recorded. The upbeat “I Cried Once” balances the sedate “Baby, Baby”. The instruments and harmonies create an atmosphere akin to the Dovers great recordings.

The band released the songs on the Richmond based Shoestring label, which also had 45s by the Fugitives and Panics. Publishing was by Bargem Music.

The record had some play on WGH 1310 AM in Newport News, though it didn’t make any charts that I know of. The band broke up by the time Hal Souders started college in the fall of ’66.