The Luv Bandits’ “Mizzer-Bahd” is a great bit of psychedelia, laden with exotic-sounding guitar lines and gloomy coming-down vocals, released on Parrot 45-PAR-316 in January, 1967.
The flip is “Blues #2” which has the by-the-numbers sound you’d expect from the title, though the most prominent instrument is harmonica and the guitarist mostly hits some odd chords here and there.
Sam Allen and James Hannah wrote both songs. Hugo & Luigi produced.
As it turns out, the Luv Bandits were actually known as the Monkey Men (a different group than the Young Monkeymen from Trenton).
Members included:
Jimmy Hannah – lead vocals
Bobby Hartnagle – lead guitar
Harry Wallace – rhythm guitar
Sam Allen – bass, vocals
Ricky Riccitiello – drums, replaced by Freddy Morris who played on the Luv Bandits single
Other members included Joe Seddon and Harry Wallace, and possibly Roy Buchanan as well!
Fans remember them playing in a cage at the Satellite, getting in fights with soldiers over their long hair, and riding motorcycles on stage!
Harry Wallace wrote on the Tony Mart site:
I was with the Monkeymen during their 2 summer reign at Bay Shores, I think 67 and 68. Sam, James, Ricky, Bobby and and myself Harry then in 68 Fred Morris on drums. Great times stayed the Anchorage one year and some motel the next. Played at the Dunes with the The Insects I think and Johnny Caswell to start then moved up to Bay Shores. Played with Malcolm and the Bonnevilles one of those years. Sam and Bobby have passed. Fred, James and I are still here…..have no idea why! They were the fastest times of our lives and will never forget. After the Dunes we would drink beer and played pool at O’Burns which was on the way to the Dunes. The Monkeymen had one record under the name The Luv Bandits. We had to use that name because The Monkees were hot then and the label was afraid of being sued. James and I also did a few albums later Google CDbaby and look for The Monkeymen Then and Now or Google The Monkeymen or Itunes.
Joe Seddon wrote:
Joe Seddon here, lead singer and guitarist for Plymouth Rock which consisted of Frank Appice on drums (Carmine Appice`s cousin), Ron Lovett on bass, Allen Weber on sax. I played Somers Point during the 60`s and shared the stages with such good buddies as Johnny Caswell and The Crystal Mansion, Ray Sharp and The Soul Set and many more … At one point I left The Sterling Brothers, my earlier group, featuring myself and Mark Hutchinson, and joined Sam Allen and The Monkey Men. Sam and the guys worked opposite The Sterling Brothers Band at the Satellite Lounge in Wrightstown, N. J. many times. It was fun stuff building that cage, and hard work. My friend Roy Buchanan took my place with the Monkey Men when I left for Hollywood. Roy was my inspiration.
Bobby Hartnagle would co-write “Chinese Chicken” with two former members of the Galaxies IV, Duke Williams (aka Chris Holmes) and T.J. Tindall, and play guitar on both albums by Duke Williams and the Extremes on Capricorn. Bobby Hartnagle died in December, 1994, according to an announcement in the Home News of a concert in his memory at the Trenton City Gardens nightclub on Sunday, March 12, 1995.
Ricky Riccitiello passed away in 1996.
I’d like to know more about the early days of the group, how they formed and where were they based originally.
Anyone have a photo of the group?
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Hugo & Luigi at Parrot Records
Parrot was a division of London Records and mainly released UK artists such as Them, the Zombies and Lulu, but also put out over a dozen singles recorded in the US, including this one. The release as Parrot 316 in January 1967 follows the Yesterday’s Children’s great “To Be or Not To Be” / “Baby I Want You”, released as Parrot 314 in December, 1966. Both singles share H. & L. Music Corp. BMI as publisher, and a similar quality of production. Hugo & Luigi were cutting some interesting music in late ’66!
Edward Pivirotto is listed as composer of the Yesterday’s Children songs. The only other act on Parrot that has Hugo & Luigi credits (that I know of) was Flip Cartridge with three singles on Parrot.
Parrot’s US artists usually came from either the upper Midwest or the West Coast, but Yesterday’s Children were from the towns of Cheshire and Prospect, Connecticut.
Both bands also had four-song EPs released in France that included two extra songs not released in the U.S.
The Luv Bandits EP came out on Disc AZ EP 1100 with both sides of the single, plus another original by Allen and Hannah, “The Land Of Ecstasy”, which sounds similar to “Mizzer Bahd”, and “Why Tell The World” (written by N.P. Tassone & Robert Mellin) which could be a different band altogether.
The Yesterday’s Children EP followed as Disc AZ EP 1101 and included “Love and Things” and “Dance All Night”. Unfortunately the Luv Bandits EP didn’t feature a cool band photo like the Yesterday’s Children. Yesterday’s Children were Denis Croce, Richard Croce, Reggie Wright, Chuck Maher and Ralph Muscatelli.
My name is Joe Seddon, a longtime musician in the Jersey area and… a former member of the Monkey Men who played The Satellite Lounge, and i remember Sam Allen as the leader while i replaced “bobby” on guitar, this due to some oddball disagreement as i recall. I left to return to my own band The Sterling Brothers who played the Satellite 16 weeks per year, opposite the Monkey Men again. We, the “older Monkey Men”, set off black powder pots onstage, rode cycles as a gimmick at Bay Shores and The Dunes.
I had no idea that you replaced Bobby. Probably when he went off to do his girlfriend Sharon’s country band. You will remember me as Rachael.
We, the Jetsetters sang with the Monkey Men many times at the Satellite Lounge and Bay Shores. We knew from 1965 to 1967. I remember Sam and Bobby very well. They actually played the music for a song I wrote and recorded in New York. I left the band right after and broke contract. Had my reasons. Sam called later and asked if he and the guys would could record my song. I don’t know if they ever did or not. They were great musicians.
Hey, How cool. I hung out w/,The Monkey Men.
My brother used to do sound for them. Ron Pazdro.
Yes Joe, I was a part-time, special effects “roadie” with the Monkey Men back in the day at the Satallite Lounge, Bay Shores & the Dunes ’til Dawn. (66-67). I did all of those “flash pans” strobe lights, Scrim Screens, flashing colored lights, and much of the other psychedelic visuals that were popular at the time. It was Bobbie Hartenagle, on Lead, Harry Wallace on Rhythm, Sam Allen on Bass, Freddy Morris on Drums, James (Jimmy) ??? on Lead Vocals. After Bobbie left, several Lead players stood-in, one guy was from a local band, the “InSex” with his Les Paul Gibson. The most memorable was Roy Buchanan with his 4 digit SN Fender Telecaster. YES, THAT Roy Buchanan!
I often wondered what ever happened to these people after all these years. Thanx for bringing back some very old reminiscences.
Slim,
I worked with the Monkey Men from 65 to 67. I’m a commercial artist. I was a good friend of Sam Allen and helped him paint the Satellite Lounge black and designed and decorated the Bat Cave. I also designed the band’s trademark monkey and produced the sweat shirts and T-shirts for Sam. I also painted the monkey on the trunk of Sam’s Cadillac. Sadly, Sam died in Leavenworth prison several years ago serving a 40 year sentence for drug racketeering. Bobby Hartenagle and Jimmy have also passed. Their original drummer, Ricky Riccetello, and Harry Wallace were still around as of 2000. I also worked with Johnny Caswell and the Secrets and Dave Sandy and the Dalton Boys who were appearing at the Dunes and Bayshore the same time as the Monkey Men. You may remember my brother, Larry Mault, who took part in some of the ‘Happenings” that you helped stage. Do you remember when Sam tried to run for mayor of Somers Point? Those were the days.
Hi! I’m the niece of Ricky Riccitiello. His brother Joseph was my father. Ricky actually passed away in 1996 from cancer, my father in 2008 from heart failure. I was born long after the days of my uncle being in the Monkey Men. Their sister’s Carol (Chell) and Vicky Riccitiello are still living. Carol still resides in Trenton, Vicky now lives in Florida.
I remember Ricky well. Our group, the Jetsetters sang with them at the Satellite and Bay Shores many times. So sorry to hear about his passing.
I’m so sorry to hear about Sam, Bobbie and Jimmy. When the group sort of broke up, Freddie and Jimmy from the MonkeyMen formed another band. They played at my father-in-law’s club in Burlington, New Jersey, called “The Anchorage”. I did most of the band hiring. I knew them from the days we sang with the Monkey Men in the mid to late sixties. Ricki was the drummer back then and in 67 Freddie, who was a friend and brother to our group replaced him. We were called the Jetsetters. So many years ago. It is nice to know that someone out there remembers. We are all getting old and many dying who lived those crazy days.
Paul,
I miss Larry. He was great help to me when my brother Ron was sick.
Andrea
I played drums with sam allen and the monkey men and he changed the bands name to MUD !
Can anyone help me out? I have been looking for a long time for the Bobby Hartenagle pictured in the above photo. One of the previous comments mentioned that he has passed, but I can’t find any verification online. If anyone out there knows anything for sure, I would very much appreciate a response. Thanks to all!
I’m a few years late here, hopefully someone with knowledge still drops in here occasionally 🙂 I’m a South Jersey native with a hobby of researching bands and music associated with NJ & Philly. I already learned more about the Monkeymen here than I have been able to find in years of searching elsewhere. Thanks! There was a band called “The Children of the Night” who played the Mug (formerly O’Byrne’s ) in EHT on Longport-Somers Point Blvd in 1968, possibly 1967 & 1969 also (I was under-age, but looked older, and it wasn’t very difficult to get served then.) CotN was a very good Beatles cover band, doing mostly psychedelic numbers from Sgt Pepper & Magical Mystery Tour, along with a few decent originals. I have never been able to discover *anything* about this band, not even a mention of the name. Anyone here know anything? Thanks!