“Tears, Tears” is a great pop number, one of better Beatles-inspired songs of the mid-’60s. If you want to hear it dig out Highs in the Mid Sixties, Michigan volume 3! The flip is “Don’t You Know It’s Love?” for fans of moody ballads.

The band was from Kalamazoo, Michigan, 140 miles distant from Detroit where the single was recorded. Alan Birdsall wrote both sides of the single, published by Pavilion Music, BMI. It was released on the Topper label in March, 1966.

Someone who know the band wrote to me:

The band members were students at Kalamazoo Central High School:

Alan Birdsall, Junior, Rhythm Guitar
Greg Mauchmar, Junior, Lead Guitar
Terry De Moor, Senior, Bass
Robert Moffitt, Junior, Drums

All Gibson guitars… I think it would be illegal to live in Kalamazoo and not play one! The record was made in Spring 1966 in Detroit. Earlier that year, they had won a “Battle of the Bands” contest in Kalamazoo, and appeared in the Kalamazoo Gazette. They recorded (I think) 4 songs that day, but only one record was made, so the best two songs were used. One of them was named “Don’t You Know It’s Love”, but that song did not appear on the record. The recorded B-side song was really called “Because I Love You” (makes sense, since that’s the lyric), but someone screwed up the label. Greg Mauchmar wrote that song, but for whatever reason, Birdsall was given credit (probably because it was Birdsall’s band, or it was another screw up).

Topper had about a half-dozen releases of soul artists such as Priscilla Page, Dottie & Millie, and Tobi Lark, all in demand on by collectors. The Decisions was the only garage or rock type single on the label that I know of. Like most of those singles, the producer on the Decisions is the legendary Dave Hamilton.