Rewritten July, 2011 and again November, 2022
Dave Palmer (vocals)
Rick Philp (guitar)
Danny Mansolino (organ)
Charles Larkey (bass)
Michael “Myke” Rosa (drums)
The Myddle Class had three poorly-distributed 45s and little chart action, but there’s a lot more to their story.
They started as the King Bees in suburban New Jersey, in the Passaic Valley towns that border I-78 southwest of Summit. Dave Palmer and Rick Philp came from Warren Township, Myke Rosa from Berkeley Heights, Charles Larkey from Mountainside and Danny Mansolino from North Plainfield.
One account I’ve read says some of the group first got together as the Four Classics, with Danny Mansolino on vocals, Rick Philp on guitar, Myke Rosa on drums and Kurt Gabrook on bass. The band had one job at Hobby Hall, a formal dance school in Summit, where they played for classes until being fired for playing too many Rolling Stones songs.
Danny told me he played with Rick for some time before Dave Palmer joined, playing a Conn organ and doing many of the lead vocals. In any case, the King Bees had started by late 1964.
Dave Palmer and Rick Philp were students at Watchung Hills Regional High School. Danny Mansolino attended North Plainfield High School. He had started out on accordion, but joined the group because Rick wanted someone to play organ. At first Chris Irby played bass (Curt Gabrook, according to “Tales of the Myddle Class” by Todd Abramson), but when he decided to quit, drummer Myke Rosa brought in Charles Larkey, a friend of his from Governor Livingston Regional High School. Charles was only just learning the bass when he joined, but he had good stage presence and sharp clothes from his father’s store Larkey’s in Newark, which kept up on London fashions.
The King Bees live shows became legendary – one concert at Governor Livingston High in Berkeley Heights included versions of “Shout”, “She’s Not There” and an original, “It’s the Season”.
Front to back: Myke Rosa, Rick Philp, Danny Mansolino, Dave Palmer and Charles Larkey
After a concert at the Berkeley Heights CYO in December of 1964 the band met New York Post columnist Al Aronowitz, who had heard about the band through his babysitter. Danny however recalls meeting Aronowitz at swim club in the New Providence area, with Bruce DeForrest.
Al became their manager, even though he hadn’t done any artist management work before. His home in Berkeley Heights became a base for the group.
Dan Mansolino:
It was my custom to record most rehearsals which took place at my home in North Plainfield. This is where the heavy organ was, first a Conn model and later a Hammond B3. The Conn organ is what you hear on “Gates of Eden,” “I Happen to Love You,” “Free As The Wind” and “It’s The Season.” Very few rehearsals occurred at the Aronowitz residence.
Aronowitz introduced them to Carole King and Gerry Goffin, the husband-and-wife song writing team who were then living in West Orange, New Jersey. Goffin and King agreed to write songs and produce the group.
Danny Mansolino told me that Barbara Rubin did film some of the Myddle Class performances, possibly at Cafe Bizarre & Night Owl, as well as taking photos during rehearsals, in a New Jersey swamp, and at a Fire Island cottage. Barbara Rubin had already made Christmas on Earth and would soon be collaborating with Andy Warhol, Dylan and Allen Ginsberg at about this time. Al Aronowitz wrote the film with the Myddle Class was titled The Suburbs of Heaven. It may not have been completed. I can’t find any mention of The Suburbs of Heaven or her filming the Myddle Class in accounts of Rubin’s career. However, many of her works haven’t been cataloged or made public yet.
A rumor of the King Bees or Myddle Class recording an album titled Soul in White Suburbia seems to be unfounded.
In the fall of ’65 the King Bees changed their name to the Myddle Class to distinguish themselves from Danny Kortchmar’s King Bees who just had a release on RCA Victor. In October, Goffin and King signed a production deal for their new label, Tomorrow, with Atlantic-Atco, expressly to release their first single with the Myddle Class.
Billboard reviewed “Free as the Wind” in December 1965: “New label, new group and new Goffin-King material has smash hit possibilities. Folk rocker is a powerhouse!” Rick Philp and Dave Palmer share writing credit with Goffin and King. Despite the promising review, I can only find evidence of the single hitting the radio charts in Albany, New York in early ’66.
The flip is a moody garage version of Dylan’s “Gates of Eden” that I think is among the best covers of Dylan ever done.
Early on the Myddle Class used Talent Masters Studio in New York.
from left: Dave Palmer, Charles Larkey, Myke Rosa, Danny Mansolino and Rick Philp
On December 11, 1965, the Myddle Class headlined a legendary concert at the Summit High School Auditorium with opening acts the Forty Fingers and the Velvet Underground. Al Aronowitz produced the show and booked the Velvets. In fact, it was the first time Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison billed themselves as the Velvet Underground and was also their first live show with Maureen Tucker on drums!
I’ve seen it written that Aronowitz was helping the Velvets out after they had been fired from the Cafe Wha?, but they had played at that venue much earlier in ’65. After the Summit High concert, Aronowitz did acquire a residency for the Velvets at Cafe Bizarre. He would get the Myddle Class into the Cafe Bizarre in 1966, along with the Night Owl Cafe and the Cafe Au Go Go (but not the Cafe Wha? according to Danny). Aronowitz claimed he was taping the Summit show, but someone from the Velvet Underground stole his new Wollensack tape recorder. The live tape has never surfaced, which is a shame, though all accounts say the Velvets received a very mixed reaction from the audience.
Excerpt from “I Was a Velvetten”, reproduced from Kicks #1 with permission
The Myddle Class’s second single, “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” was a #2 hit on WPTR in Albany during the summer of ’66. The success of the single led to a couple week-long gigs at Lake George that summer. They played shows with the All Night Walkers and the Barbarians and met Lloyd Baskin, who would later sing & play piano on some Myddle Class recordings in Boston. One of their set highlights was a version of the Jimmy Hughes single, “Neighbor, Neighbor”.
“I Happen to Love You” is a driving slice of cool teenage angst: in my opinion, their best recording. It may have been one of the songs Goffin and King intended for the Monkees, but the Monkees never recorded it. A revamped version of Them without Van Morrison did an effective cover of it in late 1967.
Despite the band receiving song writing credit on the label, “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” was likely taken from the Blues Project’s “Wake Me, Shake Me”, a staple of that group’s live sets throughout 1966. The song derives from traditional spirituals going back to the early 20th Century or earlier. The Blues Project may have adapted the song from the version by the Golden Chords on the Columbia LP Introducing The Sweet Chariot, released in 1963, or from earlier versions such as the Coasters. The Blues Project recorded a demo in January ’66 and then a finished version in August that was used for their album Projections, released in November 1966. The Myddle Class beat them to first release by rushing their 45 out in June, ’66!
Al Kooper stated to Lyn Nuttal, “The Blues Project let The Myddle Class open for them as a favor and in return, they stole their closing song! Nobody really even heard The Myddle Class theft in the US outside of New York City. The Blues Project’s version of “Wake Me, Shake Me” was the big version in the US and influenced a lot of young bands.” True, but for many teenagers who heard the record that summer, the Myddle Class recording will always remain THE version of the song. When this Myddle Class 45 was reissued on the Buddah label, “Al Kooper and the Blues Project” were credited for the arrangement.
The deal Goffin and King had struck with Atco to distribute Tomorrow fell apart after only three releases (two by the Myddle Class and one by Carole King, “A Road to Nowhere” / “Some of Your Lovin'”).
Goffin and King moved their distribution deal for Tomorrow to Cameo-Parkway, and their first release on a redesigned Tomorrow label was by the Bach’s Lunch, a girl group (with singer Darlene McCrea of the Cookies and the Raelettes – I don’t know the other members), with some of the Myddle Class providing the instrumental backing (Dan Mansolino told me his is not playing on either song). The A-side was a remake of Goffin and King’s “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, but the real gem is an excellent Rick Philp and Dave Palmer song “You Go On”. Scott at Crud Crud wrote up a fine appreciation of the Bach’s Lunch record which I recommend reading.
The band had some regional successes, including good receptions in Montreal and Boston, a short residency at Ungano’s on the upper West Side of Manhattan, and a show in Smithtown, Long Island promoted by DJ Scott Ross that attracted over 3,000 people. However, a number of discouraging developments hurt the band around this time. They had a good audition with Tom Wilson, but supposedly Al Aronowitz didn’t allow the deal to go through. Dan recalls the audition as being for Columbia Records, not MGM. In February of ’67 they opened a show for the Animals, but their set was interrupted by problems with the microphones, and it seems the band worried this performance hurt their reputation with the press.
In April of 1967 the Myddle Class signed to Cameo-Parkway and released one last 45. The A-side “Don’t Look Back” was a cover of Temptations and, uniquely, produced solely by the group themselves. On the flip was the superb “Wind Chime Laughter”, with song writing listed by P. Palmer (actually Philp and Palmer) for Merlin Music, BMI, and production credited jointly to the Myddle Class and Goffin. Unfortunately Allen Klein took over Cameo-Parkway in August and ousted the band’s reps at the label, including Neil Bogart, leaving their new single without any promotion.
Some of the Myddle Class appeared anonymously as models in ads photographed by Richard Avedon. One of Avedon’s photos of Charles Larkey was used for the cover of Esquire in September ’67. Larkey joined the Fugs in late ’67 with rival King Bee Dan “Kootch” Kortchmar for a series of shows at the Players Theater.
With some members away at college and pursuing other musical opportunities, the band was rarely performing live by this time. They did some recording sessions, usually at Dick Charles Recording Service, including demos for Goffin and King songs which would be placed with other artists. I’ve read that they helped recorded and helped arrange demos of “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “Porpoise Song” for the Monkees but that may be only a rumor. Nor have I heard a version of “Snow Queen” that they may have cut.
Myddle Class demos of Goffin-King songs that do exist include “Goin’ Back” (a single for the Byrds in October ’67), “I Can’t Make It Alone” (which Dusty Springfield would record for Dusty in Memphis) and a couple others: “An Angel Walks Beside Me” and “Who Does He Love”. The 1967 Myddle Class demo of “Fun and Games” turned up on a Regent Sound Studio lacquer acetate, and is excellent.
Dan recalls the group (except Dave) recording music for a 45-minute Fred Mogubgub film, and Dave and Dan doing a version of “I Can’t Make it Alone” for a Jules Dassin project.
A Bell Sound Studios 12″ lacquer includes five of their released songs, a version of “Visions of Johanna” that has never been released, a short snippet of Rick playing during a live show, and six other demos.
Lovin’ Season
Visions of Johanna
Goin’ Back
Man on a Bridge
Can’t Make it Alone
Don’t Look Back
Gates of Eden
Wind Chime Laughter
Free as the Wind
Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long
I Shall Be Released
Saint James Prelude
Dan wrote to me:
“Saint James Prelude” … was the intro Rick played for our cover of “Saint James Infirmary”, performed during a live set at the Bitter End Cafe.
I recorded this on my Wollensak stereo tape recorder. I lent the tape to Aronowitz and that was the last I heard of it.
Palmer and Philp’s original “I’ve Come Too Far” turned up on the b-side of a single by the Coven on SGC 15074 in 1968. This was produced by Gerry Goffin and engineered by Chris Hinshaw, indicating a west coast recording. Interestingly, the A-side, a cover of “I Shall Be Released” features a different female vocalist (and no David Palmer vocal) over the exact music track (pedal steel guitar and all) as it appears on the tape Al Aronowitz sold. It makes me wonder if “I’ve Come Too Far” also features members of the Myddle Class. This is not the same Coven from Indiana who recorded for Mercury, MGM, WB and Buddah.
I’ve seen two other titles but I don’t have confirmation that either was recorded or published: “There’s No Easy Way Down” and “Paper Walls of Innocence” (an early song the band stopped playing after their Ungano’s residency in the summer of ’66, according to Danny).
behind him, from left to right: Myke Rosa, Rick Philp (wearing hat), Charles Larkey and Danny Mansolino
In the background on the left side: Bruce DeForrest and his girlfriend Ronnie
Photographer unknown (possibly John or Thom Lynch)
Goffin and King divorced and relocated (separately) to California in early 1968, by which time the Myddle Class were effectively on hiatus. Rick Philp and Charles Larkey spent the summer of ’68 in Los Angeles working up arrangements with Carole King for songs that would appear on Now That Everything’s Been Said, the album by King’s group the City. Danny Kortchmar replicated Rick’s guitar parts for the final album, released in 1969. Charles Larkey and Carole had been seeing each other since before she left the east coast, and they eventually married in September 1970.
In the fall of ’68 Philp was playing guitar with Van Morrison, including material that would become Astral Weeks. There is a photo of Rick playing guitar next to Morrison on the Boston Common, in a group that included bassist Tom Kielbania. Rick also joined Van Morrison for a live show on public TV channel WGBH with Charlie Mariano (see interview of Tom Kielbania by Richie Unterberger), and also possibly played shows with Van at the Ark.
Danny Mansolino and Dave Palmer were living in Boston at approximately the same time as Philp, and together they collaborated on songs with pianist and vocalist Lloyd Baskin. In March of 1969 they recorded a number of songs in a Boston studio:
“Mr. Charlie” (a new Goffin and King composition)
“Keys to the Kingdom” (written by Palmer and Philp)
“Redbeard” (another Palmer and Philp composition, Red Beard being their nickname for Al Aronowitz)
“Emmaretta Marx” (named for the Blues Project vocalist)
“No Easy Way Down”
and an untitled song with refrain: “let me hide my face within / the shelter of your hair / I traveled far, way down in sin / to find salvation there”
Dan tells me Emmaretta Marx” and “No Easy Way Down” have Lloyd Baskin on lead vocals on the Boston tape, and there is also a version of “Emmaretta Marx” recorded in New York without Lloyd.
Rick, Dave and Danny and Lloyd Baskin planned to have Myke Rosa and Charles Larkey meet them at Gerry Goffin’s new Larabee studio in Los Angeles for album sessions in the summer of 1969. Tragically, any future chances were lost when guitarist Rick Philp was murdered by his former roommate in Boston on May 24, 1969.
All the remaining members of the Myddle Class have had some involvement with music since. Danny Mansolino and Myke Rosa joined Jake and the Family Jewels for two albums on Polydor in 1969 and ’70. They added Dave Palmer as vocalist for a 1971 album on Elektra as the Quinames Band, including Ken Pine (who had played with Charlie Larkey in the Fugs) and Jerry Burnham. Dave Palmer may have had the biggest success as an early vocalist with Steely Dan and with his own group, Wha-Koo.
Neil Bogart , after leaving Cameo-Parkway and joining Buddah Records, reissued “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” / “I Happen to Love You” on 45 in mid-1969, with little impact. “Lovin’ Season”, an unreleased song from circa 1968, showed up on a sampler LP “Rock And Roll With Buddah” given away only at the N.E.C. (National Entertainment Conference) in Memphis in February, 1970. These releases were possibly a tribute to Rick Philp. “Lovin’ Season” is a great rocker with a repetitive organ riff and harmonica solo, and definitely sounds like it was cut at the beginning of the Myddle Class’s career.
Before Al Aronowitz passed away on August 1, 2005, he was offering a cassette copy of a collection or recordings by the Myddle Class called One Time Only through his website. The track list is below in the comments, below. It was not the Myddle Class’s rumored unreleased “album” as it includes recordings spanning their entire career, including their singles, the Bach’s Lunch songs and some of the demos mentioned here.
The version of “I Can’t Make it Alone” is excellent but marred by a glitch in the tape. Dan Mansolino told me Lloyd Baskin’s piano was overdubbed on this cut. Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers would release a single of “I Can’t Make it Alone” on MGM in 1968.
The only other track on it that I haven’t mentioned so far is one titled “Unknown Instrumental” that is a home or live recording of a minute of Rick playing guitar in a jazz style. Dan Mansolino told me Rick played this as the intro to “St. James Infirmary” at Myddle Class live shows.
Supposedly a legitimate release of their material is languishing because of legal troubles. It’s a shame, as I can’t think of another band that deserves a retrospective more than these guys.
I hear that Michael Rosa passed away on January 13, 2012.
Update: Be sure to check out the scans I’ve added to this site of business cards, two fan newsletters and other ephemera sent to me by Dan Mansolino.
Sources:
Kathy West’s A Song For You is a an excellent source of first hand information on the band and Kathy’s relationship with Rick Philp. See my review for more information.
Al Aronowitz wrote an extremely funny and interesting account of trying to break the band into the charts. I recommend it highly, but currently only an excerpt is available online.
Lyn Nuttal provides an exhaustive history of “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” / “Wake Me Shake Me” on his fascinating Pop Archives site.
“I Was a Velveteen” by Rob Norris in Kicks #1 (1979)
“Tales of the Myddle Class” by Todd Abramson in Breakthrough #1 (1984) was one of the first appreciations of the Myddle Class.
Info on the Velvet Underground’s early gigs here. A review of the concert used to be online but has since vanished.
Thank you to Susan Palmer De Leon, who sent in two photos of the Myddle Class that I had never seen before. Thanks also to Brian Kirschenbaum and Jeff Lemlich for excellent 45s scans, to Steve for the tip about the Coven single, and to Mike Dugo for alerting me to “Fun & Games” on youtube.
Does anybody know who wrote the tracks “Man On A/The Bridge” and “Lovin’ Season”. This information has been impossible to find.
Myddle Class ‘I Happen To Love You’
I fell deeply in love with this song the first time I EVER heard it,and nothings changed(lol)
Seriously,this is a KILLER vocal and the production of this track IMO is light years ahead of it’s contemporaries.
Anyone agree?
Jonno
On a whim I entered “myddle class” in a Yahoo search and up popped this incredible website. About 3 chords into Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long I found myself back in the basement of my Chatham, NJ home in the early morning hours of January 1, 1967, and this 45 was blaring from the speakers for probably the 30th time as 75 or so of my closest high school friends and complete strangers welcomed in the new year while completely wrecking my parent’s house (my mother still hasn’t forgiven me). For a change of pace we put on Free As The Wind a few dozen times. I still have those two 45s, though they became unplayable years ago, and I still find myself singing (well, I call it singing) those songs fairly often.
This old man thanks you from the bottom of his pickled liver for all the hard work you’ve done and for posting these songs – now my kids, who have suffered through my versions all these years, can hear how they’re supposed to sound!
Paul. I was there,too.Now in Mexico.Those were some of the best years. So much new music, and this band was our best!!! Charlie was flying upside down in a Pitts, last I saw him.
dave did sing on the first steely dan album dirty work and a couple others–any chance of getting a copy af that myddle class tape? sounds great-i knew these guys a little in the 60’s -my band opened for them once and saw them around–
I WENT TO THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL THAT CHARLIE LARKEY AND MIKE ROSA WENT, GLRHS. I CAN REMEMBER THEM PLAYING AND THEY USED TO NAIL MIKE ROSA’S DRUMS TO THE STAGE!!! I THOUGHT THAT WAS NEAT. HE BEAT THE DEVIL OUT OF HIS DRUMS. AT THE SAME TIME PERIOD WE FORMED A BAND AND PLAYED “DON’T LET ME SLEEP TO LONG” MORE THAN A THOUSAND TIMES, A GREAT SONG, WE ALSO PLAYED “FREE AS THE WIND” AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF TIMES. WITH THE TRASH THAT COMES OUT OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY NOW I WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK OUT AND KICK SOME ASS WITH THE SONGS THAT MOVED BACK IN THE DAY. AS WE KNOW EVERYTHING GETS RECYCLED !!! THANKS TO YOUR WEB SIGHT I GET TO PLAY ALONG WITH THESE GREAT SONGS SO ANYONE WHO STILL HAS SOME EQUIPMENT ( I STILL HAVE MY STUFF) GIVE ME A CALL OR SHOULD I SAY AN E-MAIL. PB
Paul, is that you? Paul Bodnar in the Caretakers?
In a twist of fate, Charlie Larkey, of the Myddle Class that was once known as The KingBees, ended up playing in bands with Danny Kortchmar, who had been in the KingBees on RCA that would lead to the changing of Larkey’s band’s name to the Myddle Class. Phew!
They were in The City, with Carol King, and in Jo Mama, Kortchmar’s band after the Flying Machine landed in pieces on the ground…
Paul I was there too! Our classmate was Robert Larkey, Charlie’s younger (by 2 yrs?) brother. What a riot finding your post on this website. I can’t remember why I was searching on Charlie Larkey (I think I was on YouTube and decided to do a little research) and came across this place, finding your post. I sent the link to Tim White (someone you must remember) for his enjoyment. Good to see you are still kicking whatever. Funny how we have to go back to get some good tunes. Grace and peace! David Yamarick
Paul,
How are you? You won’t believe how I found this web page and your post. It was from Dave Yamerick in PA and he said you hd a post. Also, out of the clear blue, Jimmy Dales called me up this past spring and we chatted for quite a while. I still play my aucustic (?) Yamaha FG-180 and now have a Giso Les Paul knock off with humbucker pick-ups and a Fender Pro reverb. Saw John Fogerty here in NH last summer and Joe Walsh several times. Please write back when you can. I, too, have many fond memories of our R&R days. My ears will never be the same, but it’s still in my blood.
Your friend,
Tim White
TIM WHITE…………I CAN’T BELIEVE IT WOW I THINK WITH ALL THE OLD GROUPS COMING BACK WE ARE DO !!!!!! YOU WERE VERY GOOD I HAVE A LOT OF STUFF TOO. INCLUDING A SUNN CONCERT LEAD AMP WITH 4 TWELVES AND 400 WHATS…..YOU KNOW MY SAYING ” THE LOUDER THE BETTER ” IT IS GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU. HOPE ALL IS WELL AND E-MAIL ME AT BODS123@AOL. IF YOU TALK TO JIMMY GIVE MY REGARDS. I HEARD FROM BRUCE IN LETTERS AROUND CHRISTMAS BUT NOT LATELY, AND NOTHING FROM BOBBY. I AM SORT OF RETIRED AND READY TO GO !!!!!
Say, Jay, The Myddle Class played at my high school Junior Prom on May 16, 1967.
In fact, I booked them for the gig
Your last name doesn’t start with a “W” does it?
Does anyone know what happened to the movie taken at the concert at Mt Carmel Field in Berkeley Hgts., NJ? I think it was during the summer of 1965. They were still know as the “Kingbees” at that time.
I started reminiscing to some friends down here in Tennessee about the concert the Myddle Class did at Watchung Hills Regional HS in about 1965. The opening act was this screechy, weirdly dressed, group that the audience boo’d off the stage. Turned out they were The Velvet Underground. We didn’t want to hear them, we wanted the Myddle Class! I’m so sorry I didn’t take pictures at the concert and have a more open mind at the time.
Rick Philp was a student at WHRHS, a couple of years ahead of me, and we were all shocked and saddened when we learned he had been killed. What would/could have been?
Thanks so much for this Web site!
Charlie’s brother, Bob, is a CPA here in Miami. Charlie is still playing music, in Austin TX I believe. I know Bob–he’s my accountant!
This isn’t Mick Tuttle by any chance is it? Because the Myddle Class played the Madison High Junior Prom in 1967…..great show!
Cheers, Bob Cuozzi
Hi Robert. My name is Brian Toscano.
In your message, you mention that you and drummer Mike Rosa remain good friends to this day.
Would it be possible to speak to Mike? Is there any way you can put me in contact with him? Does he have an e-mail address?
Lately, I have been researching the late bassist Doug Rauch (best known for playing in Santana during 1972/1973)
Doug and Mike played together on a 1969 album by a duo named Bunky And Jake called “L.A.M.F.” I was wondering what kind of memories Mike had of Doug.
I am not writing an article about Doug. I just became interested in researching him a while back.
If it would be possible to speak to Mike Rosa, please let me know. My e-mail address is btoscano85@hotmail.com
I hope to hear from you. Take care Robert.
Brian
I PRODUCED A RECORD OF MIKE DAVE AND DANNY FOR ELEKTRA RECORDS IN THE 1970’S AT ELECTRIC LADYLAND ON ST. MARK’S PLACE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE. MIKE AND I REMAIN GOOD FRIENDS TO THIS DAY–WE WERE THE THE FIRST STAGE CREW AT THE BOTTOM LINE.
Robert W. Zachary, Jr.
WOW! I can’t believe I stumbled on this site! I loved the Myddle Class! They were a large part of my teen years here on Long Island. I was an avid listener of the Scott Ross Show and he was a friend of theirs. He played their songs on his radio show and always promoted their concerts which I went to faithfully. I even invited them to my Sweet 16 party (they couldn’t come, but their road manager, Bruce DeForest called me and we talked forever- what a thrill!).
Saw your comment on the Myddle Class and that you are in Tennessee. I graduated WHRHS in 1967 and now live outside of Nashville. Ironically, I spoke with Dave Palmer just the other day.
I was at that show and still have the ticket stub, also have a copy of the poster from that show. I grew up in the area saw them a couple of times, also I use to buy my clothes at charlie’s father store in watchung,nj. It’s to bad there music has not been release on cd.
I was wondering if i could get a copy of that tape, Lone time fan of Myddle Class. saw them at summit high, still have the ticket stub. grew up in the westfield, nj. can’t beleive no retrospective, still have to play the old 45’s! hope you can help?
I remember hearing their songs up here in Albany,NY. They stuck in my head for years. Finally, picked up their two records at a collector’s show, in the late 1980’s. They are in very good condition. Also, they played in the Lake George area, if my memory is correct. Glad I came across this site.
I WAS ON NAPTER TODAY TRYING TO THINK OF THAT SONG I USE TO HEAR ON WTRY TROY NY DRIVING UP AND DOWN ROUTE 5 [ALBANY SCHENECTADY ROAD] LATE AT NIGHT IN MY 64 FULIE CORVETTE I COULDN’T EVEN THINK OF THE BANDS NAME UNTIL I HIT YOUR WEB SITE. YES THEY DID PLAY IN LAKE GEORGE THAT SUMMER I WAS IN TICONDEROGA NY AND FOUND OUT TO LATE THEY WAS AT THE “LAKE”. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!! I PLAYED IN A GROUP JUST US FIVE AROUND THE TICONDEROGA NY AREA.
Yes. Check out the book Girls Like Us, which tells the whole story.
Tell Bob that his old neighbor, Hank Gutman, says hi.
Bruce DeForest ?? Wow there’s a name I aint heard in ages. I met him once. He came to my house to pick me up for a gig or something. When I warned him of the busy traffic at the end of my driveway he just pulled out into traffic without looking and said, “Don’t worry, nobody wants an accident, they’ll stop”.
11/26/2008 It’s been a year since I have visted this page. It is great to see so many’comments’ on this GREAT 60’s N.J. band. I see the guitarist’s brother wrote in and some one who produced the Quinn Aimes record. I am in Florida and I think Danny’s mother is down here and maybe his younger brother. I am in contact with the DOUGHBOYS another great mid 60’s N.J. Band that re-formed in 2003 and are playing regularly in the N.Y. and N.Y. area. I have written to them about the MYDDLE CLASS but all they have are memories.
NOTE: The link is here so next chance you get please listen to the vocal and music crescendo at the end of DON’T LET ME SLEEP TOO LONG and GATES OF EDEN. The energy and emotion captured on the vinyl is why I think this band is one of the greats.
Robert:
I came across this blog site qutie by accident but it is very interesting.
My name is Steve Philp and my older brother was Rick Philp (lead guitarist of the Myddle Class)
I actually have the vinyl of Quinaimes Band.
I’ve contacted the other guys in the band becasue I wanted to see about getting the Myddle Class discography re-released on Sundazed Rcords (specializing in 60′ bands and vinyl. )
I’ve most recently got in touch with Mike Rosa and we had some great correspondence (and even a recent picture.)
I can also get you in touch with David Palmer (as he and I have been keeping in touch.)
Take care and feel free to contact me.
Steve
HEY STEVE LAST TIME I SAW YOU WAS AT AUNTIE MAMES WITH CATHY AND BOYFRIEND BAND NAME FORGOTEN GLENN MARKEL TOO WOW 1ST TIME I SMOKED POT WAS AT LARRY ESOLDI S HOUSE WITH CAROLE LINDA ESOLDI CHARLIE N OTHERS SUMMER DAY CAROLE ON PIANO LIFE WAS GROOVY DAVE PALMER SANG AT BLINKER INN WITH JOHNNY CIANNIELLO S BAND PHILL KITTRELL N ROBERT BOYD ON GUITAR DREAMS BY ALLMAN BROS COVER WAS UNREAL MISS THOSE DAYS PEACE
Sorry but I doubt this is accurate and j would know.
… I would know
yes it is.
i worked at the Night Owl Cafe in the mid 60’s. it was one of the most wonderful time of my life. hearing all those bands and all that music. i have some dodgy tapes of the myddle class and have searched to see if anything was ever put on cd, but no luck.
the last time i saw charlie larkey was in hollywood, early 1970’s. he either had just gotten married to carol king or was about to.
i went out with myke rosa for for a bit. but he had a girlfriend, marianne in n.j. spent many times up in Lake George where they often played.
anyone have a contact for myke?
Since found out from Dave Palmer, that sadly, Myke passed away some time ago leaving a wife and daughter in Florida
Brian,
I realize that its been close to a year since your post, but if you have anything that you’d like to ask feel free to email me at mikelsrosa@yahoo.com
I heard it the other way around…the myddle class were opening for the Blues Project and expropriated Wake Me Shake me before the Blues Project could record it…
Ken,
I think that gig was at Summit Junior High in 1966, because my recollection is that is was the same night as a concert at Summit High which my band at the time, The Gremlins, played with The Roadrunners and The Sorts, in the show headlined by The Critters. Some 14 years later members of The Gremlins, The Roadrunners and The Sorts were in a band called Juice that was the house band at a place called The Horn of Plenty in East Hanover for about 6 months.
Weren’t The Road Runners a Pingry band?
Okay now, Paul- where the heck are you- it is not 2009, but Bruce and I just exchanged emails and I spoke to tim- LET”S get the Caretakers BACK for a party!!!! Hi Tim, and All Caretaker Groupies (??) Jimmy Dales (Jim Dehls)
Paul- it’s jim(my) dacapostudio@yahoo.com
This brings back memories of Lake George NY in the summer of 1965 (or ’66) when the Myddle Class performed at a huge beer garden called The Towers located right in the center of the village on the grounds of the Ft William Henry Hotel Resort. The building is still there but it never rocked like it did that summer when “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” was on the top of the local charts and the band packed them in for every performance. The summer of our lives……thanks for preserving their work.
One of the early comments on this page has him at mikelsrosa@yahoo.com
I befriended Al Aronawitz during the last year of his life. I still remember when he called at work to say he had been diagnosed with cancer. He had sent me a copy of the tape. I tried to clean it up with some restoration software and it may have helped a bit. I sent him a CD copy and he was over-whelmed with gratitude. He asked for another copy to send Mr. Goffin in CA. I did. He then called to ask for another copy for Mr. Goffin. Mr Goffin had lost the first one. “Too much L*D in the 60’s” reported Al.
I can’t believe this site! OK 40 years ago my parents forced me to get e haircut. sitting in the crestview barber shop in berkeley heights. In walk Mike Rosa & Charlie Larkey. I would’nt get another haircut for 20 years.They were 5 years ahead of me in school and graduated with my brother.These guys were great should have been rich and famous , but left great songs anyway.I still hum Free as the wind.
In June of 1966 The Myddle Class closed a WTRY radio sponsored School Spirit Contest concert at McCloskey high school in Albany, NY. They had a hit already(Free as the Wind) also on the entertainment roster were the Lovin Spoonful and several other area artists.
Was in Paul’s band- where ARE YOU?
I remember The Myddle Class.
They also played at my junior High In Chatham ,N.J.
That must have been in the summer of 66 or 67.
I alway’s Thought those Guy’s were from Millburn.N.J.
If i had a nickel for everytime i played Free As The Wind In Junior High I’d be rich. They were really good & i’m surprised they never took off.I still Have a couple 45’s.
Also remember The Critter’s & The Cyrcle Playing At Chatham Junior High.. The Critter’s Would come in a Old White Ambulance With their name Handpainted on the sides.Great Band And Great Memories
Steve,
I stumbled across this page and saw your post from over a year ago. I met your brother Rick back in the early 60’s when the band performed at a club in Asbury Park. Think Rick was 21 at the time and I was a teenager with a mad crush. We wrote to each other several times that summer, and over 40 years later I still have those letters along with the program from his memorial service. It was such a tragedy. Just wanted you to know he made an impact on people…he was special…and my memories of him are as vivid now as they were then. I may not have known him for more than a few months but there has always been a piece of my heart reserved just for him.
Debbie
FREE AS THE WIND and DON’T LET ME SLEEP TOO LONG, plus GATES OF EDEN are fantastic 60’s garage bend representations. The Myddle Class deserve more gredit than this page. If you are on this page than you deserve equal credit. I knew Danny’s brother Dennis. I hope they are doing well and “LONG LIVE THIS PAGE!” Myddle Class forever … Jay 04/05/2010
I met Danny at his mother’s home introduced by a cousin of mine in northern NJ much later than the photo in the post above. Dylan had Blonde on Blonde in the record stores, and I discussed some of the music on it with Danny. My cousin Carol took me to see a coffeehouse gig of Danny’s in Grenwich Village, a sit-down affair with no dancing allowed, but the music was superb. Years later I played in a west coast band, and sometimes met a few of the famous musicians Danny had played with in those early years. Occasionally I wondered what his career was like, if it was in music or the professions. I really only spoke to him a few minutes in my entire life; but, the music that was growing then was interesting to both of us. Music still is interesting.
I talk to Michael (he pefers to be called Michael) Rosa frequently, Doug Rauch played in Santana with Coke Escovido, Michael Schrieve, Carlos Santana–Doug also played with Mike Rosa with Bunky & Jake, Michael Rosa started out with The Myddle Class, a group from New Jersey featuring, among others, David Palmer (the first lead singer for Fagan & Becker (Steely Dan)–David went on to write the lyrics for Carole King’s “Jazzman” LP–The Myddle Class was produced by Carole’s husband Gerry Goffin, and co-songwriter in the Brill Building days in NYC–we all spent a lot of time in NYC’s Greenwich Village. I speak with Michael Rosa requently on the telephone–he’s doing fine. David Palmer is now working as a photographer–his photo’s are stunning! Rick (the lead guitar player in The Myddle Class was murdered at Emerson College in Boston, sometime in the early to mid 60’s–he had a fabulous reputation.
Michael Rosa is keeping a rather low profile right now–if you have questions, I can forward them to him and give you his responce. Please feel free to contant me at rzac@msn.com.
Robert W. Zachary, Jr.
Fmr. Senior Staff Producer/Engineer at Elektra Records–I produced the Quinaimes Band (Palmer, Mansolino & Michael Rosa at Electric Ladyland with Edie Kramer as Engineer.
rzac@msn.com
http://www.robertzachary.com
Rick $ I both went to Emerson–I think a year aoart. I think you know the details. I’d be more than happy to facilitate a discography or a new rekease of the Myddle Class and the permutations of the members, as I know them well and stay in touch with David and Michael. Just email me at razc @ msn.com
Regards,
Robert Zachary
fmr Senior Staff Producer/Engineer Elektra Records
rzac@msn.com
Wrong–I was there–The Bluesc ex-apprpiated tha tune from the Myddle Class!
Ralph was in Jo Mama–he also is a great player–he plays piano and B-3 on Paul Siebel’s “Jack Knife Gypsy”, which I produced for Elektra. You can find Ralph’s playing on my websire http://www.robertzachary.com or email me at rzac@msn.com.
The Myddle Class performed at my high school back when they were the King Bees. I believe they played “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” then. In my humble opinion, *anything* Al Kooper says needs to be taken with a grain. Reference the many stories he’s (and others have) related over the years regarding how he became the organist on Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” session.
What became of Charlie Larkey?…Still in music?
Also had a great clothing store Blue Star Shopping Center in Watchung NJ
Hi Charley I remember the Nutcracker flying stab model you flew of Kirkland design,I might have been flying a Super Cuda from BBA. I returned to flying Pattern about seven years ago using electric power. I choose to fly a Gator RC version Gilles 202 of Ron Chidgey design after watching Don Wietz at Whittier Narrows.Still living in San Diego. Have been a sheet metal worker for 34 years now.My father and I still get out every saturday and fly.2011 season started for Pattern in our district in Pheonix,next is Yuma,then Riverside,Hemet,Lancaster and Bakersfield.Hope you still have the chance to get out and enjoy flying.
hi steve,
my dad- john (skip) walker grew up with your parents (rich and peg) in millburn. i think we visited your house when i was a little kid when you lived in gillette. i was fascinated that your big brother had built an electric guitar down in the basement. later i saw that concert in summit with the velvets…a seminal experience.
your brother was on his way to being a distinctive, own sound guitarist…that ethereal, lofting quality.
i think i went to your sister’s wedding party with my first wife and got amost too drunk to drive home- we lived in millburn at the time.
i have been in germany for the last twenty years…just looked up myddle class and found your name.
hope all is well…
mike
i’m on facebook now
Carole’s first husband & writing partner Gerry Goffin married Dave Palmer’s first wife Susan. Since Carole and Gerry weren’t on the best of terms after this, Dave wrote the lyrics to Carole’s Wrap Around Joy album. We were all pretty confused and confusing.
Susan, I remember you from Kirkwood Drive. What ever happened to your sister Barbara E. who I dated in college in NJ?
I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH RICK PHILP AND DAVE PALMER. WHEN WE WERE SENIORS (1965) RICK AND I SAT AT THE SAME TABLE IN THE FINE ARTS ROOM ALL YEAR. WE USUALLY TALKED MUSIC AS I WAS A DRUMMER. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT RICK’S FAVORITE GUITARIST WAS LONNIE MACK. ANOTHER TREMENDOUS TALENT THAT WENT UNDERRATED. A BIT OF TRIVIA…LONNIE MACK PLAYED BASS ON ” ROADHOUSE BLUES” BY THE DOORS.
Charles Larkey played bass on all of Carole King’s ’70s albums. He was the ONLY bass player on these. This included the entire Tapestry album. You could call it nepotism but it wouldn’t be fair — he seems to have taken some genius pills before every session. The bass on Carole’s stuff is no small part of the whole. It’s always creative, innovative, unexpected, melodic and stylish, and of course very well-played. I think the great song “Sweet Seasons” owes more to the sheer genius of Larkey’s bass line than it does to the melody. Listen to that song and hear the bass do things you never thought it could do.
Myddle Class played at my junior prom in 1967. This was at the Pingry School when it was still on North Ave. in Hillside. I thought they were great. I do remember them playing both Free As The Wind and Don’t Let Me Sleep to Long. And yes, The Blues Project did rip that song off and called it Wake Me Shake Me
Sad news
Yesterday,January 13,2012,Michael Rosa passed away.
Good friend and drummer for The Myddle Class,QuinAmes Band,Bunky & Jake,and Jake & The Family Jewels.
Michael passed,with great dignity, after a long illness.
Our heartfelt condolences to his wife,Laura and son Steven.
Steve, Rick was simply the best guitarist I’ve ever seen or worked with. More than that, he was the nicest guy. I met him when the Myddle Class played at The Station in Lake George, NY, in the mid 60s, can’t remember the exact year. They were the house band there for at least part of the summer, as I recall, and Rick, Dave, Charlie and I became friends. I was in the house band at The Airport Inn down the road for 4 summers, a group called Otis Smith and The All Night Workers, with the above mentioned Lloyd Baskin on keyboards as a featured singer. Lloyd and I grew up in NJ and I lived and worked as a Product Designer near the Myddle Class’s old stomping grounds there after our band broke up in early ’68. We kept in touch for quite a while after, until Rick’s tragic, untimely death.
Thanksgiving weekend of either ’68 or ’69 (can’t remember which), I played bass on a session with Lloyd, Dave, and Rick in (or near) NYC. We did “Mr. Charlie”, written by Lloyd, and the complete version of Carole King’s “Can’t Make It Alone”. (Dusty Springfield did an abbreviated version on her “Memphis” LP). Dave’s version is far superior, IMO, with Rick’s guitar licks helping to make it far more soulful and compelling. I still have a really rough tape of the session before the final mix, and it’s one of my all-time favorites.
Anyway, I’ve been wondering for the past few years what became of Dave (I see above that he’s become a great photographer) and how and where I might contact him. His vocal chops deserved far more recognition and use than he received. I’d appreciate any help you could give me, as those days represent a special nostalgia to me for the great music of that era that has all but disappeared and needs to be kept alive. You can contact me via my Facebook page.
Thanks, Bill Elmiger
Is this paul bodnar from Ashtabula, Ohio. Not sure how to see responses so could you reply via my e-mail address above.
Vikki
museekmanagement@aol.com
My band at the time, called The Nightwalkers, opened for the Myddle Class along with a Morristown band known as The Lords. What memories. Iwould love to hear Free as the Wind and Shake Me Wake Me again.
I went to high school with Mike and I had no idea he was so famous… I am sad to hear of his death… he was a wonderful person..
Marleen Kaechele Crockett
I did not know Mike but I know Marleen Kaechele Crockett
Good grief!!!
I just saw this post with much delight!
Would love to hear from you, Skip!
This post is about Rick who I met so briefly while at school, in Boston, Emerson College. Rick visited me one day in an apartment I shared with a friend. I’m not sure if he brought his guitar. That day remains hidden in my memory except for remembering him coming over. He was very shy and sweet. He did not stay long and other company arrived and he left. It was 1969. I heard what happened to him, but not many details, frankly, I could not believe it that someone I knew and the only person I ever knew was murdered. But the little I found out from the Coffee interview online, gave me some facts.
For whatever reason, this is the first time, during the anniversary of Woodstock that I was determined to find out more.
Rick was very special, I could see that but I never got the chance to spend time with him again. I’m so glad I found this site, and have found his recordings on youtube. What a wonderful band, I am so happy to have discovered it and had a chance to mourn Rick.
I met Danny through my husband who is Bruce Goodspeed. It was around 1969. We moved into Danny’s house and we lived upstairs. It was a really crazy time and every thing around me was moving too fast and I was in the middle. I was a quiet girl from Somerville. I always was a little afraid of Danny because he had a very bad temper. I always thought that he was angry because of his scar left on his face from a car accident. He was somewhat disfigured because of that. He drank a lot and everything he did was extreme. It doesn’t take away from his talent though. He used to sit every once in a while at the organ in the living room and I was marveled by his playing. I once talked to him on the phone. He had a piano and organ store in New York City. I wish that I had gotten to know him better because I sensed his deep sensitivity. I was trying my best to be a wife to the man I married. I know he did not like my husband because he witnessed the way he treated me.Danny asked me to leave him and I was not prepared to do that. I’m sorry to hear that he has passed away. We also knew Dave Palmer. We lived above the draft board in Plainfield. David lived with us for a month or two before he went to California. I remember he used to save his money and sleep in our place but actually I didn’t know what his plans were. The day that he left Bruce and I waved goodbye to David from our window. He chugged away in his old car. He had all of his belongings with him and was on his way to California. It seems to me that it was only about a year later that he did the album with”Steely Dan.” I still listen to “Dirty work.” He really has a angel voice. I recently talked to him on the phone and I’m not surprised that he is in a creative field.
When did Danny pass away. We both played the accordion and entertained several times. He and I dated ted for several years in our late teens
Chas – I have these Myddle Class songs, some obtained from Al before he passed away.
1. Lovin’ Season
2. I Happen To Love You
3. Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long
4. Free as the Wind
5. Gates of Eden
6. Don’t Look Back
7. Wind Chime Laughter
8. Will You Love Me Tomorrow (Bach’s Lunch)
9. You Go On (Bach’s Lunch)
10. Goin’ Back
11. I Shall Be Released
12. Don’t Look Back
13. I Can’t Make It Alone
14. Lovin’ Season
15. Man on the Bridge
16. Free As the Wind
17. Unknown Instrumental
I just sent download links for all the Myddle Class songs I have to you and others on this page. Hopefully you’ll receive an email shortly.
I’ll need your email address, Steve, and then I can share the folder with you.
Hello Mike,
My email address: reginasteve@hotmail.com
Thank You Very Much,
Steve
Mike,
Thank for your response
jmtohio@hotmail.com can wait to hear much appreciated
Mike, I would love to hear the 17 Myddle Class tracks via Dropbox; I can send you a copy of the CD I (and a friend) released by TRUTH comprised of 3 exThem members from N. Ireland and a bass/drum duo from Chicago, cut as ‘demos’ during the time the band was based in Chi-town before signing with Epic Records and flying over to London where they were supposed to cut a ‘real’ album — alas their ‘manager’ stole the advance money, the two Americans outstayed their visas and the LP was never recorded, leaving Curtis Bachman [ex-Buckinghams!] holding onto the ‘demos’ for another two decades until I tracked him down, wrote liner notes and created a label [“Epilogue Records: Bringing the Past Into the Future”] with one release only, the TRUTH disc. The music is similar to Traffic, i.e. more towards the ‘progressive’ end of the spectrum and features lead guitar by Jim Armstrong and vocals by Kenny McDowell, both of whom were in Them after Van went solo…
I should have mentioned the connection to the Myddle Class: vocalist Kenny McDowell and guitarist Jim Armstrong (plus keyboard/sax/flute specialist Ray Elliot) were the 3 Them members who were part of TRUTH, just as they were on the song “I Happen To Love You” recorded when they were still working under the “Them” name on Tower Records.
I’ll send you a link sometime on Tuesday, Joe. You’ll be able to download the songs directly from it.
Hi Mike! Been looking for ya to see if I could get the songs too. I was in HS with you and Charley…and played in a few bands (if you remember)…always wished I could play “as good” 🙂 as you! Would love the songs. Not sure why I did’t see this sooner. THANKS. Always was a gigantic fan.
Hi Mike,
I tried to comment here earlier but don’t see my comment now. I would love to get a download link for the Myddle Class songs you have. I have a dear friend who is a big fan and I’d like to get them for him. I’ve been searching for them for awhile and found you through discogs. My email is bunnyspace@earthlink.net. Thank you so much!
James
Charlie’s Dad owned “Larkey’s” a clothing store in Newark, NJ.
So right before xmas 2012, an old friend sends me a link to Wake Me Shake Me by the Blues Project. I replied that it wasn’t the version I remembered growing up as teens together in Albany NY but I had no idea who actually played the one I was familiar with. My buddy then took it upon himself to search and find Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long by the Myddle Class. Eureka! Great tune. It’s been periodically playing in the back of my mind for the last 45 years or so. Next step–I found the mp3 on Amazon and bought it straight away. Then I found Kathy West’s recently published book about the Myddle Class and bought that too! Just finished reading it. It’s a rather sad tale about the events leading to Rick’s untimely death, and seemingly Kathy’s inability to find another love as true as Rick’s was. It didn’t take too much googling to piece together some info from a retired Emerson College professor, a November 1992 Dateline NBC program, and the International Aphasia Movement to find a ten minute youtube video of the evil scumbag who killed Rick. Of all the horrible irony–talking about the power of music and how it relates to his aphasia. I can’t believe the jerk still walks free. There is no justice.
Don’t look up this site often but glad you read my “story”…
Hi Kathy, Yes I very much enjoyed reading your book and recommend it to anyone who is interested in the history of The Myddle Class. They were a GREAT band and I have no doubt they were destined for stardom if Rick’s life hadn’t been cut short. I never had the privilege of seeing them perform live but I heard their songs often on the radio as a teenager in Albany, NY. As an interesting aside– at that time I had no idea where The Myddle Class were from– but my mom grew up in Mt. Bethel, NJ which I gather is pretty close to where they got their start. My family spent many-a-holiday visiting my grandmother in Mt. Bethel.
The “Dog” died a few years ago …
Thx for the comments about my “story”
Glad to hear it, that’s good news. The world is a better place without him. May he rot in hell.
I was at the Myddle Class/Velvet Underground show at Summit High School. Most of the people there came to see the Myddle Class. They freaked out and were yelling when the Velvets were playing. They didn’t understand the music and frankly it sucked. I was on a date with my girlfriend. I thought she was going to dump me after she heard the Velvet Underground.
i was a good friend of dannys. i was 15 years old when i first met him. he was renting a room from a close friend of the familys and she was bragging how shes renting a room to someone in the king bees. i already knew of the band from the radio. we became good friends and i would go with him to carole kings house in west orange and sit in the dinning room while watching the band practice in the living room. my high school, oratory prep, was just down the street from summit high. my brother and i liked the velvet underground although 90% of the audiance cleared out. it only started off wierd. then the 40 fingers came on. whom i was also good friends with. billy devore was my room mate at admiral farragut in toms river for 1 year till he got thrown out for stealing the mayors beetle one night. i was there to but i didnt get caught.
danny gave me a stack of the myddle class summit show flyers and i hung one up on the school billboard. i got into an actual phisical attack from a young new priest on loan from seton hall. he grabed me by the collar and pushed me up against the wall. yelling at me to never hang this flyer up anywhere that these guys look like woman and they are the devil because they even show the pitchfork. lots of other great times with danny. sorry to just read he passed away. im 65 now and i would love to have any of there recordings. if anyone can steer me. gates of eden was genius.
I am a graduate of Watchung Hills class of ’64. Rick and Dave were class of 65. I became a big fan of the Myddle Class from the start and was fortunate enough to attend the great Summit H.S. Concert…great show!
I am on a reunion committe for the combined classes of 64 and 65. We had a reunion Oct. 2013. Both Dave Palmer and Kathy Esoldi (author of A Song For You) were there. Kathy had a great poster with Myddle Class photos and memorabilia. I enjoyed getting to know them better.
Our reunion went so well, we decided to do it again in Oct of 2015. I took over our website, and insalled a link to three Myddle Class songs. Hopefully Dave and Kathy will be there.
Check it out…whrhs64-65.com
Hey Fred… good to see you found this website. I need to send you and Chas the memorabilia collage I have as a photo… not great quality but it is full of good Myddle Class history. I will also send the (Steve H) pix of me and Dave Palmer at the reunion.. it was a good time….
for fans of the Myddle Class… send me an email to request a signed copy of my book… kklew99@ optonline.net
My corrected email is. kathywest@optonline.net
Hi!
I hope this is still your email!
I recently found your book, A Song For You,
and I am overjoyed to have found it!
Your writing skills are terrific, and I love reading along to find such clarity and well described thoughts and/or realistic detailing in your every sentence!
I graduated with Myke and Charlie from Governor Livingston High School in 1965.
They were in English class with me one year!
I enjoyed them, the little amount that I knew about them.
I went off to college after graduation ;
I did not know about The Myddle Class Band.
Years later, I was aware that Charlie had married Carole and that they had 2 children.
In 2018 or 2019 I went to NYC and saw the
Broadway production of “ Beautiful.”
When “Beautiful” came to Tampa, I saw it a second time!!
Anyway, I am so sorry that I did not know about this band. Regrettably, I sure missed
a lot!
Everyone’s loss of Rick, so horrifically, especially your loss, is clearly unspeakable.
I cannot even imagine the hell you went through, Kathy….Rick’s death seems unreal to even think about let alone experience…
I could not be sorrier or sadder to hear of something evil like this that changed so many people’s lives, especially yours.
All that to ask you if you would be willing to call me sometime? It would be such a privilege to talk with you about The Myddle Class and also how you are doing after such a mind-blowing life experience.
Respectfully,
Marleen Crockett
St Petersburg, FL
marleencrockett [at] yahoo [dot] com
Hi Kathy,
I left a message for you in another place on this web page asking for your email; I found your email here.
I graduated from GLHS with Mike and Charlie
Would love to talk w you…
great to read all the comments-i too saw the band in lake george-i’ve got most of the singles as well as the quinn ames album on vinyl as well as cd-also have lovin’season on a compilation album-would love to find that tape or anything else out there —
The Myddle Class played at dances at The Pingry School, which I attended in the ’60’s. We also had the Critters. Both were amazing local bands that never quite made it, but should have done. My band played “Free as the Wind” all the time – fantastic single.
Well it seams i’m in possession of the Fun & Games acetate The Myddle Class cut for screen gems, 10″ -45rpm one sided, and the Snow Queen (Goffin King acetate(ScreenGems) also. The Fun & Games cut is a wild frenzied Fuzzed Out extravaganza about acid visions on a beach and the end of the world. They even spelled their name wrong on the one sided typed out Regent Sound Studios label as The Middle Class.
The Snow Queen cut is a really nice dreamy affair on a one sided Dick Charles recording service 10″ slab 45rpm. These came to me by way of ex
Hung Jury. I will be posting a video of the tracks with photos of the labels on youtube so hold on you Myddle Class fans a new vinyl fix is coming or should i say sound and video cause i keep the good stuff for myself
To Mark Melendez:
I am very interested in the 10″ demo that you have. Have you posted this on youtube yet?
Mark, It sounds like a lot of us would love to hear the ‘Snowqueen’ cut by the Myddle Class — please do post it here when you are able to put it up on YouTube. Thanks, johntberg@msn.com [Van Morrison fan who once upon a time corresponded with Van and his then-wife ‘Janet Planet’ during the period they were living in Cambridge/Boston area and while Rick Philp was there as well — Janet used to send me poems written by Van, then they sent me a white label promo copy of Astral Weeks, and finally when they played at the Whiskey A-Go-Go in Hollywood I was able to go upstairs to the ‘band room’ and meet Van in person, quite a thrill since I had been a huge fan of Them and my own local garage band ‘The Far End’ played Gloria on a regular basis at pizza parlours etc. Van was painfully shy, and Janet sort of made up for that with her being very outgoing… By the way I also saw Them with Van at the Whiskey twice in 1966, with Captain Beefheart opening one week and the Doors the next… I wish there were live tapes from the 3 weeks Them were there but nothing has ever surfaced. Later in the early 2000s I released a CD by TRUTH, a band comprised of several former Them musicians that played the Chicago area for a couple years and recorded a bunch of ‘demos’ that remained in bass player Curtis Bachman’s closet for 20 years until I tracked him down and persuaded him to trust me with the tapes (he and the other band members of course got copies and some cash to boot!) Alas during the decade I was living overseas all those poems by Van disappeared — I had stored them with my parents and they tossed the lot one day while ‘cleaning house’…. Well, I would love to hear all 18+ Myddle Class songs – I’ve downloaded the ones that are up on YouTube and hope that Sundazed or another classy reissue label will make this a project very soon!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QHUEugtu4lQ
Thanks for the video posting, Mike, I never heard it before. I added it to the main article.
Hi Mike- my brother Rick was the guitarist in the MC- can you please email me at: sgphilp@comcast.net – very interested in this demo. Thanks,
Steve Philp
AFTER ALL THESE DECADES DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO WHERE THE MEMBERS OF “THE COVEN” 45 & WHO IS THE FEMALE VOCALIST ON “I SHALL BE RELEASED” ??
I’m glad I shed light to Chris on both Myddle Class & The Coven version of “I Shall Be Released” are the same version with a different mix & lead
vocals.
It’s 2017, time to ask band members, musicians & engineer, friends, etc about who are The Coven (Myddle Class and whomever else was involved on this 45)! Yeah, Mark Melendez would you know?)
Sorry, Steve. I don’t own the acetate…I only found it on YouTube due to Mark’s posting on this site. I’m really hoping he also eventually posts ‘Snow Queen’.
I heard Free As The Wind while attending college in Troy New York (Spring of 1967 or fall of 68). My memory is a little foggy but I think I heard the Myddle Class in person at a fraternity party. As much as I was looking forward to hearing them, I was distracted by a hot date – hence the memory fog. Would love to be able to get a CD or download of their music.
Ron,
I would love to get a copy, DVD is fine. Let me know what you need from me.
Thanks,
Paul
I would like a dvd of the myddle class.how much.let me know.
Still after 50 years, nobody knows whom the lead vocalist is on “I SHALL BE RELEASED” by THE COVEN ( MYDDLE CLASS related) ??
I tried contacting:
1) Louise Goffin (daughter of producer Gerry Goffin) no archive info
2) Charles Larkey by mail – no reply back
3) Jake from the Family Jewels for him to contact Danny Mansolino
– no info of his whereabouts
The instrumentation is The Mydlle Class recording but the vocals sound like a female vocalist ??
Can anyone who knew the surviving members ask this (to be) 50 year old question & shed some light whom is the lead vocalist on this SCG LABEL 45 single!
I don’t know about any version
Under name COVEN but the acetate I have of ISBR was,I believe, the Voice of Darlene McCrea
Thanks for this great article. I’m friends with Charlie Larkey and landed here following a rabbit hole related to some of his recorded work. Charlie lived here in Austin from about 1995 to 2018, when he moved to Hawaii. We played and recorded together for a few years, until he decided to pack away his bass and pursue other interests. He is a great, humble guy who rarely talked about any of his previous accomplishments or musical history, but playing with him was always a pleasure and an honor. I was unfamiliar with the Myddle Class until I read this piece. His work speaks for itself, which is how I imagine Charlie prefers it. But, for the rest of us it’s great to read the stories. What an amazing history!
Lived in Berkeley Heights by Mike Rosa. Many evenings sat outside listening to a hard working and dedicate group of musicians.
Still listen to their music today
Thank you Myddle Class for brightening up my teenage years
I’d been watching this website for a few years now, and it’s good to see that it’s still current. While I didn’t know him well, I had gone to high school with Rick Philp’s younger brother. I became a record collector about 45 years ago, then going after original releases rather than re-issues or compilations. My main interest in records now is for the sake of research.
Along that path, I had gotten hold of their second release on TOMORROW. But it was when I had the opportunity to pick up their first release a few short years ago that made me want to know more about them. What was special about that record I got was that it was signed by all 5 of them! The Seller was unsure about the authenticity of the signatures, but for the price he was asking, it was still worth it to me to make the purchase. I managed to contact Rick’s brother and he verified that the signatures were in fact genuine. And it was that purchase that put me in the direction to finding out more about them.
The more I learned, the more I had to find out. I started digging around for the “evidence”. Even going outside the record focus, I started looking for yearbooks. I managed to run across Senior yearbooks for Dave Palmer and Rick Philp (same yearbook), as well as for Mike Rosa and Charlie Larkey (same yeabook). The one that proved to be the real challenge was for Dan Mansolino, though I did find ones for his Sophomore and Junior years. So far the only source was via my account at ancestry(dot)com, where his Senior yearbook was available to see.
It was then I started digging around for more info on the OTHER King Bees, the New York band that shared the same name at the same time and were signed with RCA, and obligated the NJ King Bees to change their name before they recorded.
While both bands maintained the same basic timeline as far as recording, it was intriguing to find out that members from both bands would work together down the line professionally with other bands, in the forefront as well as the background after both bands broke up. Most notable were Charlie Larkey and a member of the New York band, Danny Kortchmar, would become 7th generation members of The Fugs. They’d also be significant members of The City, which was filled out with Carole King who had worked earlier with the Myddle Class. In the meantime, other members of the NJ band would work together and apart (Palmer, Rosa,and Mansolino) in other bands, which would also include Kortchmar and King and even Larkey somewhere assisting in the background of some. Another NY King Bee, Joel O’Brien, even had a common path with them.
Here’s a timeline I’d assembled along the way figuring common members to bands along the path, including none-King Bees who found a common path (focus here is on LP’s even though some singles were issued. names within parenthesis were as background work and not as official band members):
The Fugs – Tenderness Junction – Jan. 1968 – Larkey, Kortchmar, Ken Pine
The Fugs – It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest – Sep. 1968 – Larkey, Ken Pine
The City – Feb. 1969 – Larkey, Kortchmar, Carole King
Jake And The Family Jewels – Jul. 1970 – Rosa, Mansolino, Allan “Jake” Jacobs
The Fugs – Golden Filth – July 1970 (recorded live at the Fillmore East in 1968) – Larkey, Ken Pine
Jo Mama – Nov. 1970 – Larkey, Kortchmar, O’Brien
James Taylor And The Flying Machine – 1967 – Feb. 1971 – Kortchmar, O’Brien
Kate Taylor – Sister Kate – Mar. 1971 – (Larkey, Kortchmar, O’Brien, Carole King)
The Quinaimes Band – May 1971 – Palmer, Rosa, Mansolino, Ken Pine, – (Allan “Jake” Jacobs) (Dan Kortchmar)
Jo Mama – J Is For Jump – Aug. 1971 – Larkey, Kortchmar, O’Brien
Jake With The Family Jewels – The Big Moose Calls His Baby Sweet Lorraine – Apr. 1972 – Allan “Jake” Jacobs, Rosa, Mansolino – (Ken Pine)
Steely Dan – Can’t Buy A Thrill – Oct. 1972 – Palmer
Danny Kortchmar – Kootch – 1973
Big Wha-Koo – Jan. 1977 – Palmer
Wha-Koo – Berkshire – Feb. 1978 – Palmer
Wha-Koo – Fragile Line – Aug. 1979 – Palmer
Danny Kortchmar – Innuendo – Feb. 1980
Hello, I would like to contact Danny Mansolino. My name is Jay and I hung out with his brother Dennis in the late 1960’s. Thank You
I heard he passed away but I don’t know when
Hi Karole, What you heard is incorrect, I am alive and well living in southern Florida. Remember playing the “Mozart” duet at Wednessday night band practice? I hope you are well and happy.
Dan Mansolino
I guess the rumor of your death has been greatly exaggerated. I just heard the music of your band a couple of days ago. Great stuff! I wish you would have been able to accomplish more. Have a great day.