The New Group, from left: José Company (Pancho), Ramón Morán and Santiago “Santi” Villaseñor
Santiago Villaseñor had been in Los Buitres, a fine Madrid group with one EP on Columbia.
According to the liner notes to a 1985 Spanish LP Historia de la musica pop española no. 32 on Alligator Records, Santiago reformed Los Buitres with the drummer Pancho from Los Comperos, but soon they dropped the name “Los Buitres” and had a working name of the “New Group”. The LP lists the band’s members as Santiago Villaseñor (lead guitar, harmonica and lead vocals), Rafael Rios (rhythm guitar), Dani Portilla (piano and vocals), Pancho (drums), plus an unknown bassist who was a friend of Dani.
They recorded two songs at Publivox studio (Estudio Publivox), both originals by Santiago and both sung in English. “Ella se come mi mente” (“She’s Eating My Mind”) has great freakbeat-style lead guitar, and you can’t beat that title.
“Aqui, ahora, entonces” (“Here, Now, Then” would be a literal translation) has a breezier sound, but a cool guitar figure and good harmonies. The excellent lyrics fit in with the time and point to a more appropriate title for the song: “Nothing ever matters much, no one has a care, all that you could ever want, is love right then and there”.
These songs went unreleased until 1985 when Historia de la musica pop española no. 32 included the New Group tracks along with the Los Buitres Columbia EP and two EPs released by Cefe y Los Gigantes.
The sound quality on the Alligator LP is OK for the time, but not as good as these songs deserve. For example, one channel drops out for a few seconds during “Aqui, ahora, entonces”. I see there are mp3 downloads that can be purchased on the ‘net. Maybe these have better sound quality, I haven’t checked.
The New Group at Publivox Studios: José Company (Pancho) at the drums, Santi on guitar and Ramón Morán on bass
The information the ’85 LP gives about the New Group is very different from what I heard from one of the members, Ramón Morán, who provided the following correction and the photos seen here:
I would like to make some comments to The New Group, because the information regarding the story of this band is not completely correct. Los Buitres were not related to The New Group, the only relationship was that Santi had been part of that band in the past. Some people who were not part of The New Group are mentioned and some others, who were part of it, are not.
I do not know the source of the information of the Historia de la Música Pop Española LP, but I do not know either Rafael Ríos or Dani Portilla and I can confirm that neither of them were part of New Group at that time. I [was part of the] New Group from its foundation until its disappearance. The only possibility that I can imagine is that some years later some former member refounded New Group and included these two people in the band. But it’s sure that none of them were part of the band during the recording of those two tracks.
Let me you explain the story. The band started in Madrid during the beginning of 1967, the founders being:
Santiago Martínez-Villaseñor (Santi), who was the main singer and the guitarist. He came from Los Buitres. José R. Company (Pancho), drummer. He came from Los Camperos. Ramón Morán, bass player. I came from Los Pinchos.
The band was only made up by the three of us but occasionally, some other musicians played with us and we also played with other singers in their shows.
July 1968 we recorded in the Publivox studios the songs “She´s Eating My Mind” and “Here, Now, Then”. This was made under the production and supervision of the American Christian York (“Gipsy”) and the British Paul Murphy.
Publivox was an independent studio that was hired by the producers for our recording. At that time, music companies in Spain only put their money in top artists and none of these companies was concerned about our group.
Apart from the three of us, a fourth member took part in this recording, as a guitarist and secondary singer. His name was Jorge Salvador, and he was from Cuba, but he left the band not too long after that.
The New Group with new drummer Jorge Matey (left), Ramón and Santi
In September 1968 Pancho left our band to take part in The Silver, whose drummer has left to join Los Pekenines, a star band in the Spanish pop music. Furthermore, the drummer who was leaving Los Pekenikes, named Jorge Matey, came to The New Group and took the vacancy Pancho has left in our band. So the three bands were still the same but with this rotation in the drummers.As of that moment, the music style of the band changed, when new musicians such as Eduardo Vecino, who was a brilliant guitarist and Pedro, a saxophonist, joined us. The band broke up in the spring of 1969, and Santi and me continued playing as base musicians with singers in their performances.
Ramón Morán
Special thanks to Borja for turning me on to these songs by giving me a copy of the Cefe y Los Gigantes / Los Buitres split LP.
Second stage of the New Group, from left: Jorge Matey, Ramón and Santi
The Ducaines, circa 1967, from left: Tommy Mariani, Jerry Silber, Freddy Baroni, Art Lent and Marc Laflotte
The Ducaines came from the same Bronx music scene as the Elegant Four. They recorded two songs at Variety Recording on 46th Street in Manhattan which deserved a release, but have remained unheard until this year. Founder and lead guitarist Art Lent wrote to me about his group and sent the photos seen here:
I formed the The DuCaines in 1964 and they lasted until 1969. The original members when I formed The DuCaines were Jerry Silber (bass), Charley Vicari (rhythm guitar), Joe Barbato (drums) and myself, Artie Lent, on lead guitar. I replaced Joe when I was introduced to Freddy Baroni and he played the drums at his house for us. What a great drummer!
We played many of the Catholic high school dances in the upper Bronx. We also performed at the Worlds Fair held in Queens, New York. The singer was Tony Lavell (a stage name) and the rhythm guitar was Charlie in this early group pictured at the Fair. We played on the New York State Pavillion stage.
Early version of the DuCaines at the New York State Pavilion, World’s Fair, 1964 From left Freddy Baroni, Art Lent, Charlie Vicari, Tony Lavell (Bavaro), and Jerry Silber
Our very first recording, “How Do I Love Thee” was also done at Variety Recording studios in New York. I believe I was about 14 years old. The DuCaines was brand new with Joey on drums, Jerry on bass and myself on lead. I don’t believe we had a rhythm guitar yet. We were asked by a local singing group called “The Provincials” to back them up since they didn’t play instruments. They had a great lead singer. The DuCaines did a few shows with them around the high school dances. This recording [is] from my demo record so it’s a little scratchy.
Freddy Baroni and bass player Jerry Silber stayed with me as I changed members during the years. I later replaced Charley and Tony with Marc Laflotte as lead singer/rhythm and Tommy Mariani on keyboard. We needed them because we wanted to do songs by the Rascals, Vanilla Fudge, Vagrants and other similar bands. We later bought a Hammond B3 like many other top bands back then like the Rascals. We were the house band for many of the WMCA Good Guy radio shows at the high schools. We played in concert at Cardinal Spellman High School as the opening band for The Vagrants.
We later lost Marc for some reason and Joey (?) came in as lead singer and rhythm guitar. These are the members that recorded two songs I wrote and copyrighted at Variety Recording studios in 1966 or 1967, “Little Angel” and “I’m New”.
We only had demo records made at Variety, we never had the record pressed into a 45 for release. We were waiting to get some more songs together. I took the original Scotch 8 track tape to a studio in Tampa Florida just a few weeks ago and after much work was able to get it to play. He moved the two recordings after 45 years plus to a digital software and him and I sat in his studio and remixed each track for 2 1/2 hours.
A few months after the recording our bass player left for the Army. Joey filled in on bass and sang lead. He left for school soon after Jerry returned from Army reserve training. Then I left to join the US Marines and went to Vietnam. The band broke up a few months later. The DuCaines merged with The Elegant Four after I left to join the Marine Corps. I believe the Elegant Four were calling themselves Windigo at the time.
Art Lent
Update, January 2011:
Fred Baroni’s stepdaughter wrote to say Fred passed away of esophageal cancer in April of 1995 at the young age of 45.
From left: Tommy Mariani, Jerry Silber, Art Lent, Marc Laflotte and Freddy BaroniThe DuCaines at Variety Recording, circa 1967 Clockwise from bottom left: Art Lent, Jerry Silber, Joey Barbato, Tommy Mariani and (center), Freddy BaroniThe Ducaines first high school dance, 1964: Joe Barbato on drums. Jimmy Skau, founder and manager of The DuCaines, is standing off stage on far left. Tony is next to him off stage sitting waiting to come out and sing. Front stage left to right Jerry, Art and Charley on guitars.
Artie Lent sent in these photos of him and his son on stage with the Bronx Wanderers. Artie writes, “these are the pictures of when my son played on stage with me this past February 2020. He’s playing the Fender Jazzmaster that I played in the 1960’s with The DuCaines.” Read Jason’s blog post on the Ducaines & the ’60s Bronx music scene.
The Kool, late 1967, from left: Jet Hodges, Dave Carol, Ray Brown, Pete Burt and Jeff Curtis (aka David Myers), photo courtesy Ray Brown
The Kool #1 (August-December 1967)
Jeff Curtis – vocals Dave Carol – lead guitar, vocals Jet Hodges (aka Richard Hodgins) – keyboards, vocals Ray Brown – bass, vocals Pete Burt – drums
Originally known as Jeff Curtis & The Flames, their manager, rock promoter Mervyn Conn changed their name to The Kool around August 1967.
Signing the band to CBS Records, Conn used The Ivy League and session musicians, including drummer Clem Cattini, to record Tony Macauley and John MacLeod’s poppy “Look at Me, Look at Me”, which was backed by the soulful “Room at the Top” (credited to Curtis’s real name: David Myers but actually a co-write with Ray Brown and originally cut as a demo by Jeff Curtis & The Flames around May 1966).
The A-side only features Ray Brown from the band who provides the lead vocal and is surrounded by the massed vocals of The Ivy League. The B-side is notable for its use of horns and cello and has a soulful feel with Jeff Curtis’s gravelly voice to the fore.
Produced by Mervyn Conn and arranged by Keith Mansfield, the single was released on 12 October 1967 but did not chart despite being plugged by DJ Tony Blackburn on Radio 1.
During the same session, Conn used The Ivy League as singers on an excellent version of “Step Out of Your Mind”, previously recorded and released in the United States by The American Breed, and a cover of Ralph Murphy’s “Funny What a Fool Can Be”. Like the previous B-side, Jeff Curtis sang lead vocals on this track and the band members are featured on the recording.
The two tracks were coupled for a second single, issued, and then mysteriously withdrawn, in limited edition, around December 1967.
That same month, the band played at Coronation Hall in Kingston with PP Arnold, after which Ray Brown departed to reunite with Steve Reading and Mickey Baker from his 1950s band, The Sky Blue Skiffle Group, in a new outfit called Champagne. During 1968, Champagne shared the bill with The Kool at Kew Boathouse. In 1969, Brown joined The Magic Roundabout.
With Ray Brown out of the picture, The Kool carried on, bringing in new bass player Brian Hosking.
Notable gigs:
Photo: Wakefield Express
9 September 1967 – Boogaloo, Castleford, West Yorkshire Billed as The Cool so may be another band
Photo: Ampthill News & Flintwick Record
15 September 1967 – Cesar’s Club, Bedford with The 100w Carnation
1 December 1967 – Coronation Hall, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey with PP Arnold (may have been later this month or first week in January)
The Kool, late 1967, from left: Ray Brown, Jeff Curtis (aka David Myers), Pete Burt, Dave Carol and Jet Hodges
The Kool #2 (January-August 1968)
Jeff Curtis – vocals Dave Carol – lead guitar, vocals Jet Hodges (aka Richard Hodgins) – keyboards, vocals Brian Hosking – bass Pete Burt – drums
Originally from Twickenham, Middlesex, Brian Hosking (b. 7 July 1947, Twickenham, Middlesex) was no stranger to the band having known Dave Carol from The Smokestacks in 1964. Hosking had first played bass with The Diplomats while at school and then joined The Feeet with guitarist Doug Ayris. During 1963, Hosking and Ayris formed The Legend with singer Nigel Kingswell and drummer John Sergeant.
In 1964, Hosking left to join The Smokestacks. Two years later, he helped form Twickenham band, The All Night Workers. However, after a few months, he departed to run a bar full-time in Heston and only returned to the live scene in October 1967 with a short-lived band called Deep Purple (no relation to their more famous namesake). When he joined The Kool, Hosking had given up the bar to sell car batteries in Slough and was living in Hounslow.
Kingston & Malden Borough News, 30 August 1968
In early 1968, The Kool appeared at London’s top nightclubs, the Cromwellian and the Pickwick. During the second part 1968, the band increasingly found work in the Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey area.
Notable gigs:
Photo: Swindon Advertiser
27 January 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire with James Stuart Inspiration
Photo: Surrey Advertiser
15 June 1968 – West Clandon Youth Club, West Clandon, Surrey
22 June 1968 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
6 July 1968 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
19 July 1968 – Apple Tree Club, Kingston Hotel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
The Kool #3 (August 1968-January 1969)
Jeff Curtis – vocals Dave Carol – lead guitar, vocals Jet Hodges (aka Richard Hodgins) – keyboards, vocals Brian Hosking – bass Steve Allen – drums
During late summer Pete Burt departed and joined up with keyboard player Bob Brittain for a tour of Germany. In 1969, Brittain offered Burt the drum position in his new band, Pickettywitch but the drummer declined the offer. The following year, he reunited with his old school friend from Roxeth Manor School – Rod Wharton and they formed the trio, Hogsnort Rupert. Burt subsequently retired from the music business and passed away on 20 March 2013.
Steve Allen, who was originally from Cornwall and had played in several West Country bands for five years before moving to Esher, Surrey, took over from Burt while working for the Inland Revenue in Richmond, Surrey during the day.
According to the Kingston and Malden Borough News, the new line up returned to the studios in early September 1968 to record three more sides, including two band originals, and two of the tracks recorded would be chosen for the band’s next single, due out around Christmas. The promised single never appeared.
The new Kool line-up, however, was short-lived because Allen did not like the band’s music and departed early on to join The Factory, led by singer Jack Brand.
Notable gigs:
16 August 1968 – Apple Tree Club, Kingston Hotel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
24 August 1968 –Staines Town Hall, Staines, Middlesex
25 August 1968 – Apple Tree Club, White Lion, Putney, Southwest London
18 November 1968 – Orange Grove, Grove Tavern, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
6 December 1968 – Apple Tree Club, Kingston Hotel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
Photo: Melody Maker
The Kool #4 (January-May 1969)
Jeff Curtis – vocals Dave Carol – lead guitar, vocals Jet Hodges (aka Richard Hodgins) – keyboards, vocals Brian Hosking – bass Geoff Coxon – drums
Dave Carol enlisted his old friend from early 1960s band, The Drovers, Geoff Coxon, to replace the outgoing Steve Allen. Since splitting from Carol in 1964, Coxon had joined Hampton, Middlesex band, The Others, just in time to promote their lone single on Fontana, a raucous version of Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah”, coupled with the band original “I’m Taking Her Home”.
After The Others fell apart in October of that year, Coxon moved on to work with Colin Shane & The Shannons alongside guitarist Dave Mumford and bass player Dick Merritt. When this group split up in late 1965, the trio formed The Sugar Band with organist Malcolm Wainman, tenor sax player Pete Browning and baritone sax player Les Batt and worked the soul club circuit until late 1967.
The band’s agent then linked the musicians with Jamaican singer Delroy Williams and they became The Delroy Williams Show with The Sugar Band. By late 1968, the group had split from Williams and Coxon gigged around before joining The Kool.
Program for show in Caen, France in Feb. 1969. The photo shows the ’67 lineup before Brian Hosking and Geoff Coxon had joined. Program scan courtesy of Brian Hosking
The new line up travelled to France to play the Grand Ball at Caen University in early February. During that weekend, the new band members did a signing at a record shop for their forthcoming CBS single, which featured a photo of the original line up.
On 18 April 1969, CBS belatedly released The Kool’s second single, “Step Out of Your Mind” c/w “Funny What A Fool Can Be”, over a year after it was originally recorded. Despite a strong performance, the band’s moment had passed and the single failed to chart.
The single was reviewed in the Kingston and Malden Borough News’s 25 April 1969 edition, together with a photo of the original line up.
The current line up, however, signed to MCA and recorded a final single, issued in June 1969, coupling the poppy “Lovin’”, written by the song-writing team Capitanelli and O’Connor, backed by Dave Myers’ original, “Baby’s Out of Reach”. Produced by Phil Swern, arranged by Tom Parker, and with backing vocals by Sue and Sonny, the single had great potential but was another chart failure.
Before it was released both Jet Hodges and newcomer Geoff Coxon departed. Coxon joined Calum Bryce, reuniting with Dave Mumford. Coxon currently performs with a reformed The Others.
Calum Bryce, late 1969. Geoff Coxon at far left Photo courtesy of Geoff Coxon
Notable gigs:
15 January 1969 – Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey
Photo: Woking Herald
8 February 1969 – Grand Ball, Caen University, France
Photo: Woking Herald
2 May 1969 – Addlestone Community Centre, Addlestone, Surrey
The Kool #5 (May-August 1969)
Jeff Curtis – vocals Dave Carol – lead guitar, vocals Ronnie Clayden – keyboards, vocals Brian Hosking – bass Jim Park – drums
Jim Park (b. 21 March 1947, Staines, Middlesex) was recruited via an advert that Hosking put in Melody Maker. The band received over 60 applications for the drum vacancy but Park knew Clive Burrows, who was singing in the latest version of Hosking’s former group The All Night Workers, which still contained Hosking’s former band mate from The Legend, Doug Ayris. Burrows also worked as a store man at a shop Hosking’s girlfriend managed.
August 1969
Barely 20 years old, Clayden (b. 2 April 1949, Lewisham, Kent) was living in Ascot, Berkshire at the time and had previously worked with Maidenhead band, The John Thomas Blues Band, which included lead guitarist Graham Marshall and drummer Chris Stevens.
The John Thomas Blues Band landed loads of support gigs opening for the likes of The Pretty Things, The Gun and Aynsley Dunbar’s Retaliation and had even spent a brief period backing American blues singer/pianist Champion Jack Dupree. The John Thomas Blues Band appeared at the Crown pub in Twickenham on 11 January 1969. Clayden finds out about the position in The Kool through Jim Park whose parents worked with his.
Sir Robert Peel, photo taken September 2011
The Kool, however, were nearing their end and during a run of shows at the Sir Robert Peel in Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, longstanding front man Jeff Curtis quit the band and was replaced by singer Roger Semon, who’d previously fronted The In-Sekt Ltd and Coconut Ice.
Not long after newcomer Jim Park also departed and subsequently re-joined The All Night Workers. Alan Cottrell took his place on the drum stool.
After leaving the band he had led for nearly a decade, Jeff Curtis reverted to his real name, David Myers, and set up his own restaurant business. He died in tragic circumstances in the late 1990s.
Notable gigs:
19-20 July 1969 – Sir Robert Peel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
7 August 1969 – Sir Robert Peel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
9 August 1969 – Hog’s Back Hotel, Seale, near Farnham, Surrey
12 August 1969 – Sir Robert Peel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
The Kool, December 1970, from left: Brian Hosking, Alan Cottrell, Roger Semon, Dave Carol and (not pictured) Ronnie Clayden Photo courtesy of Brian Hosking
The Kool #6 (September 1969-December 1970)
Roger Semon – vocals Dave Carol – lead guitar, vocals Ronnie Clayden – keyboards, vocals Brian Hosking – bass Alan Cottrell – drums
Despite losing their longstanding frontman, The Kool continued into 1970 but did not record any more material. In early 1971, Hosking and Clayden both left.
Hosking later moved to the Guildford area where he worked with the band Bloodhound. Based on Bournemouth, he is currently working with a reformed version of The All Night Workers. Clayden, meanwhile, subsequently moved to the Camberley/Ascot area on the Surrey/Berkshire border and worked with the band, Snow Leopard. He later moved to the United States where he currently resides.
After bringing back Hosking’s predecessor Ray Brown from Magic Roundabout and carrying on without a keyboard player, the final line up continued as Easy Virtue throughout 1971. During that year, John Frost took over the drum stool from Alan Cottrell.
In 1972, Carol left and was replaced by lead guitarist Frank Torpey, who’d been in the original Sweet. The band then changed name to Crackers. However, in 1973, John Frost left to re-join Carol in a new version of Easy Virtue, which lasted into the mid-1970s. Carol subsequently left the music business and currently runs his own restaurant business in Southwest London.
Ray Brown meanwhile stayed in the music business until the mid-1980s. Crackers were studio winners on Opportunity Knocks in 1976 and recorded material at Abbey Road and Surrey Sound Studios. Three tracks featuring Roger Semon, Ray Brown and Frank Torpey were released under the name Horrorcomic on Lighting Records in 1977 and reached #28 in Melody Maker’s punk charts.
Two further singles were released in 1978 and 1979 with Roger Willis from Capability Brown on drums. All of the single releases, plus six previously unreleased recordings were issued in 2006 by Sanctuary Records on the CD England 77’. Brown later worked with comedy show group The Wallies and The Beasty Grandads before retiring from the music business in September 1988. He currently lives in Surrey.
Notable gigs:
10 September 1969 – Sir Robert Peel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
17 September 1969 – Sir Robert Peel, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
27 September 1969 – Kingston College of Technology, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey with Bobby Kerr Whoopee Band and The Webb
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
5 December 1969 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
22 December 1969 – Chessington Youth Club, Chessington, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
27 December 1969 – Kingston Rowing Club, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
20 February 1970 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
7 March 1970 – Kingston Rowing Club, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
21 March 1970 – Hook Youth Club, Hook, Surrey
4 April 1970 – Claygate Village Hall, Claygate, Surrey
17 April 1970 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
24 April 1970 – Hook Youth Club, Hook, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
22 May 1970 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
17 July 1970 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
4 September 1970 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
Photo: Kingston & Malden Borough News
23 October 1970 – Excel Bowl, Tolworth, Surrey
A huge thanks goes to Dave Carol, Pete Burt, Brian Hosking, Geoff Coxon, Ronnie Clayden, Ray Brown, Rod Wharton and John Frost. The Kingston and Malden Borough News also proved useful. Many thanks to Brian Hosking, Ray Brown and Ronnie Clayden for providing some of the images. This is dedicated to Pete Burt.
45 releases:
Look at Me, Look at Me/Room at the Top (CBS 203003) 1967 Step Out of Your Mind/Funny (What a Fool a Can Be) (CBS 2865) April 18, 1969 Lovin’/Baby’s Out of Reach (MCA MU 1085) 1969
I have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who can provide any additions or corrections. Email: Warchive@aol.com
The Nite RidersBeep Beep & the Road Runners with the Night-Riders (sic), November 25, 1966, Millbury Town HallNite Riders at the Firefighter Dance, Nov. 25, 1966 from left: Dave Daniels, Chucky Franczak and Bob Dube “Our bass player didn’t show up that night” – Bob DubeBeep Beep & the Road Runners with the Night Riders (sic), December 10, 1966, Webster Memorial AuditoriumBeep Beep & the Road Runners with the Nightriders (sic), St. Bernard’s Parish Hallat St. Peter’s with WAAB DJ Steve Kane
The Nite Riders were one of many very young bands of the ’60s who cut great records, releasing “She’s Mine / “Tornado” in 1967. “She’s Mine” opens with Chuck Franczak’s solid drum beat. Dave Daniels’ guitar has a fine natural distortion on the low notes and good reverb on the higher strings, which he makes use of for some fast runs and licks between chorus and verse.
“Tornado” shows this band had a handle on the tough instrumental style of a few years earlier, like “Shifting Gears” by fellow Worcester group Beep Beep and the Roadrunners. Through some error the label credits this song simply to “Dave”, probably for his lead playing, though the bass runs and drums are excellent here too.
David Daniels wrote to me about the group and included all the photos and clippings seen here:
Dave Daniels – guitar & vocals Bob Dube – rhythm guitar Bernie Thebado – rhythm guitar on the 45 Dean Johnson – rhythm guitar Bill [surname ?] – bass Tony Agby (Tony Agbay?) – drums until late ’66 Charles “Chucky” Franczak – drums
I started the Nite Riders when I was going to school at Chandler Jr. High, Worcester, Massachusetts. We were “The Nite Riders” (not “Night Riders”).
My dad played guitar and he showed me the basic chords. My family has always been around music, my sister “Snooky” (she worked at WORC late 50’s) was in charge most times of making contact and setting up gigs for the stars in and around Worcester. She became real good friends with Bobby Darin, he had been to the house many times. My mom would be making dinners for who ever was in town. So I grew up knowing a lot of famous folks.
The very first Nite Rider gig was a bar on Main St., Worcester, called the New Yorker. We made a $10 bill each and free cokes and chips. My dad who drove for the band in the beginning also got free drinks and $25 go figure. We found out real soon after the first set that this was a gay bar – remember we were 13 to 15 years old, we said “a what bar?”
We met Beep Beep and the Roadrunners when we had Tony Agby as drummer. He showed up with the “Roadrunners” (they were older than us) and boy we thought they were so cool with their full length double breasted dark blue “P” coats. They came to volunteer their time and help us learn how to improve our sound, and WOW! they were already professionals. Tony’s dad was our first manager.
After that is seemed we were always playing the same gigs together, I really had a great time back then. We were all age range 13 to 15 and the Road Runners were our idols. It was so cool that they had two drummers. We played most every place they played, Tony Agbie (spelling?) was our drummer and his dad Tony Sr was manager for the Road Runners.
The band really kicked off after winning a battle of the bands contest sponsored by WORC radio station and winning a chance to record a single, “She’s Mine” / “Tornado”. WORC paid for the session. It was recorded at Hill’s Sound Studio on Chandler St. in Worcester. Hill’s Studio was an old house made into a recording studio, they mostly recorded gospel groups. “Tornado” came about from a combination of the Ventures, Buck Owens, Chuck Barry, and maybe a little bit of “Shifting Gears” from the Beeps, but I think mostly from Danny & the Juniors, good friends of my sister Snooky especially Frankie.
Bernie [Thibodeau?] never played anywhere with us, he really wasn’t a guitar player. I showed him the chords so he could be on the record. You will also see “Hassett” as one of the writers (not). They were my friends and wanted to be involved with band, so I put there names on the record.
We got lots of airplay and loads of offers to play even in New Hampshire. “She’s Mine was #11 on the WORC request charts, July 1, 1967 (I think we had help). We sold our first 500 copies pretty quick mostly at Woolworths and another record store on Pleasant St. in Worcester. We also sold them at the concerts. We ordered another 500 on our dime this time but sales slowed down and we had like maybe 300 left but don’t know what ever happened to them.
The Nite Riders – three notches above Beep Beep & the Road Runners’ second single, WORC, August 25, 1967
The Nite Riders had two drummers Tony Agby and then 13 year old Chuckie Franczack, but Tony’s dad still stayed on as our manager.
Later on after the record in ’67 the drummer’s Mom bought a 1959 black hearse and 1960 black limo. Chuck’s mom would drive us to concerts and other gigs in a full chauffeur outfit and we all had black pants with white shirts and gold vests boy we thought we had made the big time.
Chuckie died at age 18 … drugs, he was a great drummer. Dean died in a motor cycle crash I heard. I would love to know if any folks from Worcester have any pictures or stories of The Nite Riders.
Nite Riders with Davey Daniels, November 9, 1967 Lucia’s Restaurant’s Peacock LoungeAt Elm Park, clockwise from bottom left: David, Bill, Dean and ChuckyCharles W. Franczak, 14-year old drummer …
The band broke up 1968 and I started a country-rock band “Dave Daniels and US.” When I was 19 years old, the band was playing a bar called Longo’s lounge and there was a big write up about me. Well some goodie goodie complained about an under age kid playing in a bar. I’d been playing bars since I was 13, even the police knew it, but always looked the other way. Well they couldn’t look away this time and I was banned from playing in bars.We fought it and even the Mayor was on my side. There was a town hall meeting and a council chamber meeting and up to 600 people showed up on my behalf. I won and there was an age ruling change for musicians as long as they did not drink and were accompanied by an adult. Until then many groups with minors could not work certain gigs. There was an article with the Cowsills and their trouble with playing certain clubs and in it they mention my case in the article paving the way for other young musicians.
Dave Daniels and US stayed together till 1971. We were to play Le Club International in Fort Lauderdale Florida, and while on the road some how the three cars got separated and the organ player and me wound up in Jacksonville where my car broke down. The organ player Rich went back to Worcester and I stayed and worked with a country band in Jacksonville.
One night some musicians came in and asked if I wanted to go on the road with a well known country singer Claude King (“Wolverton Mountain”) so I moved to Shreveport La. in 1973 and have been here since. We were called the Nashville Knights and then changed to “The Cotton Dan Band”. Our latest CD Claude King Live! can be found almost anywhere on the net.
The best thing I did (not the biggest) was my parents always wished I would be famous enough to play The Wheeling Jamboree WWVA, Wheeling West Virginia. Mom and Dad used to listen to that show every Sat. night and when I was a kid I told them I would be on that show one day. Claude King made it happen. He booked it February 1983 and it was recorded live. On the second half, not recorded but aired, he had me do two songs on his time and dedicated that section of the show to my parents in Worcester MA. Claude King is the best!
Tell Ronnie and the guys of the Beep’s David remembers them and hopes they are all well!
The Other Half at Chadwick’s Recording Studio in Utica
Brian Kirschenbaum submitted this article on the Other Half a band from Oneonta, New York. The band cut one folk-inspired 45 at Bell Sound, “It’s Been a Good Day” written by Glenn Schenenga and the excellent “I Won’t Be Back” by Glenn and Jeff Lyman.
Bassist Pete Lipsio wrote this history of the group and gathered the photos seen here.
The Other Half was organized in 1965 at Hartwick College, Oneonta New York; the members being Jeff Lyman (vocals), Steve Harrigan (lead guitar and keyboard), Peter Lipsio (bass), Glenn Schenenga (rhythm guitar) with Ed Welsh, Bob Kirsch and later Bill Pegler (drums). In the beginning there were but two individuals, (Harrigan and Lipsio), living in the same dormitory, who would get together to play their guitars. This duo soon found a local drummer in Ed Welsh with an existing band and a weekly venue at Molinari’s, a local bar and restaurant. While practicing together they attracted the talents of rhythm guitarist Glenn Schenenga and vocalist Jeff Lyman.
The group thus formed soon replaced that which was performing at Molinari’s and began to attract large crowds of college students from both Hartwick College and the nearby Oneonta State University. As their litany and variety of songs increased and matured, Steve further improved the groups sound with the addition of a Farfisa organ; alternating between same and lead guitar as a particular song required. While Steve played the keyboard, Glenn would assume the role of lead guitar and Peter that of Rhythm while Jeff carried on with vocals and an occasional guitar performance. It soon became obvious that their music needed more depth and thus Peter began playing a Fender Jazz Bass through a Fender Dual Showman amp. Jeff added a new Bogen sound system and Binson Echorec reverb while both Steve and Glenn increased their respective sound with a succession of larger and more powerful amplifiers and additional instruments.
The Other Half at Chadwick’s Recording in Utica
Shortly thereafter, the band recorded their first two hits at Bell Sound (later Bell Records) in New York City. Sales of the record proved to be a local phenomenon and the group acquired an ever increasing and widespread popularity with a television performance on Hank Brown’s “Twist- A-Rama in Utica.A new drummer and fellow college student, Bob Kirsch, soon replaced Ed and the band began an ever increasing spiral of popularity. Their music eventually attracted the attention of Gene Kipper, a well known agent and promoter based in Utica, New York who signed them for various performances throughout New York State.
The band continued to perform together throughout the Southern Tier of the North East; opening for The Rascals during the spring of 1967 while playing at numerous locations such as the Evening Inn and the College Inn at Saratoga New York, where they were booked for that entire summer. The band’s drummer, Bob Kirsch, a pre-med student, transferred to Wake Forest College and a new drummer and fellow Hartwick student, Bill Pegler, was obtained to be the group’s percussionist.
The band continued to play together with numerous performances throughout the school year of 1968, at the end of which, most of the members graduated and went about their individual lives. For the most part, the members of the band are now retired professionals who long ago left their musical roots to pursue different careers. In August of 2008, following a forty year hiatus, the assiduous efforts of Glenn Schenenga, reunited the members of The Other Half in communication with one another. Though now living in different states, the members are planning a reunion for the near future.
While unaware of this at the time, current research has demonstrated that there were two other contemporaneous groups with the same name. One being in Chicago and the other a West Coast band, each of some regional renown.
The years spent together, while in The Other Half and at college, hold a particular significance for each of the members, who consider this time in their lives to be among the most memorable of events wherein were formed the bonds of personal commitment to their music and a lasting friendship.
Pete Lipsio
Other Half vocalist Jeff Lyman at the Evening InnAt the Evening Inn
Rhythm guitarist Glenn SchenengaPete Lipsio at the College Inn
At the Evening InnIn the 60s this became the College Inn at Saratoga Lake
How many groups have a plug from a Filipino dictator on the back cover of their album?
“‘Your theme and vision are identical with mine. The future of Asia is in your hands. Go out and give it to the continent.’ – Fernand [sic] Marcos, President of the Phillipines”.
Up With People’s “Sing-Out 65” tour of Asia inspired the creation of Sing-Out Asia. The Sing-Out Asia group seems to be primarily Japanese with a number of Filipinos.
This album is credited to the United Sound, though only musical director Takao Nanri is named. In 1966 Nanri had a light pop group called the Village Singers. The liner notes say he resigned from the group to direct Sing-Out Asia.
Not surprisingly, this record repeats the Up With People formula of cheery, vacant songs sung in chorus, though the stiff accented English provides a twist. It would be forgettable, even offensive to people with any musical sense, except for one track, “Isn’t There Something”, which throws a good rock backing behind the chipper harmonies.
Sing-Out Asia actually made a lengthy tour of the U.S. in 1968, probably in conjunction with the release of this record, which is almost certainly a U.S. pressing [deadwax: stamped “H”, stamped “1001” etched “(stereo)”]. Some photos and recollections of the tour were at soa1968.multiply.com (website defunct as of 2013).
As an organization it seems to be still active, with recent tours of Indonesia and Japan.
The only mention I could find of Takao’s later career is production work with Kitaro on his LP “Ten Kai / Astral Trip” and the Manhunter soundtrack, though that name is sometimes listed as Taka Nanri – so is it the same person?
I haven’t been able to afford an original Decca pressing of the soundtrack LP to Gonk’s Go Beat, so I’m making do with this weird Taiwan (I think) issue instead. Condition isn’t the best, so you’ll have to put up with one couple skip and some surface noise. It’s worth any trouble to hear the Graham Bond Organisation’s “Harmonica”. If you watch the film you’ll see Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and even John McLaughlin in that scene besides Bond.
The album is only half good. The first side is almost solid, but the second side is weak, and I’m not going to put all the tracks up here, they’re just not worth your time. There are too many light pop songs by Alan David, Barbara Brown, Perry Ford and Dougie Robinson. The ‘Titan Studio Orchestra’ under Robert Richards transcends ordinary big-band material only on the excellent “Burn Up”.
Lulu and the Luvers have a couple good songs, especially “Choc Ice”.
The Long and the Short’s “Take This Train” is also excellent – that was a band I wanted to know more about and Michael Lynch filled me in:
Bob McKinlay: vocals, guitar Bob Taylor: bass Les Saint Stuart: guitar Gerry Watt: piano Alan Grindley: drums…and one of the drummers in the big drumming scene.
They were from Ashton and had two minor UK hits (like the 30s or 40s) in 1964: “The Letter” (obviously not the Box Tops song) and “Choc Ice” (the song Lulu does in the film). But they’re probably best know for having Bob McKinlay who later made a name for himself as a British country singer.
The “Drum Battle” is crucial. In the movie there are nine players, (eight of which shown on the cover here), but for some reason this studio recording only seems to credit Alan Grinley, Ronnie Verrell (later drummed as Animal in the Muppets), Andy White (session drummer on “Love Me Do”), and Ronnie Stephenson (pop and jazz drummer). The others were Ginger Baker, Bobby Graham (top UK session drummer), John Kearns (“drummer of the Vaqueros of Lancaster – they had an instrumental single called ‘Echo’ in I think 1964” – Michael Lynch), and Bobby Richards plus one other I don’t have a name for yet. Besides the two groups of four drummers that are facing each other, there’s a ninth in the background in some of the shots in the clip from the film.
I mistakenly thought Arthur Mullard was the ninth drummer, but reader Geoff S. pointed out to me that “he was a comic actor renowned for playing dumb heavies and he is the guy wearing the uniform and white headphones who is giving the orders in this scene”.
Drum Battle Musical Director for the soundtrack is Mike Leander. I kind of like the country-folk song “Broken Pieces” by Elaine and Derek (written by the film’s director, Robert Hartford-Davis). This duo were twins, Elaine and Derek Thompson.
Overall I liked the movie despite the inane plot. The musical finale at the end was visually cool but sonically disappointing except for the Nashville Teens doing “Poor Boy”.
Photo from Greek Garage Bands of the 60sIlias Asvestopoulos – vocals Yannis (John) Spathas – lead guitar Antonis Tourkogiortis – rhythm guitar (and bass after 1966) Antonis Pitsolantis – bass (only for the first single?) Ilias Boukouvalas – drums
The Persons formed in Piraeus, a port city by Athens in 1966. They released three singles, but I’ve only ever heard this, their first, from 1966.
“Drive My Mustang” is a kind of incoherent take on Wilson Pickett. Some listeners consider “Drive My Mustang” to be the best or among the best of all Greek garage singles. I don’t disagree with that assessment, but I prefer the flip side even more.
“All the World Is Mine” would make my top ten of all garage songs from any country, any year. From the moment the chiming distorted guitar begins this song is perfect to me. The jumping bass line and fleet drum work, falsetto background vocals and nasal lead vocal are all great, but most of all I love the dissonance of the slightly out of tune lead guitar against the bass and rhythm guitars. The high mark comes during the excellent guitar break after singer Ilias Asvestopoulos shouts “all the world is mine” a couple times when the band really hits a groove.
“Drive My Mustang” was written by Ilias Asvestopoulous and rhythm guitarist Antonis Tourkogiortis (rendered on the label as E. Asvestopoulos and A. Tourkogeorgis). “All the World Is Mine” was written by bassist Antonis Pitsolantis and lead guitarist John Spathas.
Last 45, a cover of “Time of the Season”Their second release, in 1968, has “John’s Flight” / “Young Girl” (Olympic OE74 004), while their last record covered two Zombies’ songs: “Time of the Season” (titled “Eisai to koritsi p’agapo”) and “Friends of Mine” titled (“Mono mia fora”) (PAN VOX 6146), released in 1969. Anyone have good scans of these 45s?
After their third single, the Persons evolved into Socrates Drank the Conium, one of the major Greek progressive bands of the ’70s.
Sources include: Greek listing of members from Music Heaven.
Was there an original pressing with a center piece, or is this a reissue?
Optikler announced as winners of the 1967 Milliyet pop music contest, March 12, 1967 From left: Gökhan Cansen, Jan Kurban, Kemal Ebcioğlu, Rüçhan Çamay (one of the judges), Bülent Terem, and Osman Kermen Click to see full article
Optikler with Selcuk Alagoz and Vasfi Ucaroglu Milliyet, April 5, 1967Kemal Ebcioğlu – lead guitar Jan Kurban – rhythm guitar Osman Kermen – organ Bülent Terem – bass guitar Gökhan Cansen – drums
The band is Optikler. Although the 45 labels list the artist as Robert Kolej, that was their school, not the band name. “Robert Kolej” refers to the Robert Academy in Istanbul, more of a high school than a college. Lead guitarist Kemal Ebcioğlu was 16 while the rest of the group was 19 years old. Optikler translates as The Optics, a reference to the glasses all the band wore.
Optikler won the Milliyet newspaper’s second annual contest of high school pop bands in March, 1967, an event that was televised to an audience of over 20,000. and announced in the paper under the headline “future stars are born”. Their set list at the finals consisted of “I’m a Believer” and two originals, “Köylü Kizi” and “Show Me A Way”.
Picture sleeve for their only single From left: Jan Kurban, Osman Kermen, Bülent Terem, Gökhan Cansen and Kemal Ebcioğlu
One of the prizes for winning was this recording, released on the Sayan label. The A-side was Kemal’s composition “Köylü Kizi” (translates to “Country Girl” or “Farmer’s Daughter”), a great instrumental with baroque influences to the hypnotic introduction.The flip is a cover of Peter Paul & Mary’s “Very Last Day” (though possibly known through the Hollies version), and for the most part it’s instrumental and also pretty good.
Hafta Sonu Ilavesi, April 16, 1967
October 20, 1967After the contest the band played occasional live shows and did some radio and TV work, with the last mention I can find announcing their performance during the 1968 contest festivities. After Optikler, Kemal Ebcioğlu started composing classical music, then worked in computer science in the U.S.
Mr. Ebcioğlu wrote to me about his career in Turkish pop music:
Thanks for noticing the fugal introduction to “Köylü Kizi”. I had just started studying counterpoint and harmony books at the time. The instrumental version of “Very Last Day” on the B side was adapted from the Peter-Paul-Mary version, if I remember correctly.
Speaking of Turkish popular music in the 60’s and 70’s, FYI, in 1974, I composed the song “Seninle Bir Dakika” (“A Minute With You”) that represented Turkey in the 1975 Eurovision Contest.
My late father Hikmet Munir Ebcioglu wrote the lyrics. Turkey came last in that contest! It was a difficult year for Turkey politically, right after the Cyprus events in 1974; and in hindsight, our song was slow and not sufficiently catchy for Eurovision (the Netherlands song won the Eurovision competition that year). However, “Seninle Bir Dakika” has remained popular in Turkey and is considered a classic nostalgic song now.
The fans go wild… Milliyet, February 22, 1967Optikler on Radyolar at 11:55 Milliyet, June 6, 1967Cem Karaca, Apaslar and Optikler in Milliyet, October 23, 1967Article in Milliyet, November 3, 1967Flip of the record sleeve
Love’s Alchemy, clockwise from lower left: Damon Hyde, Rick Dannely, Nelson Bogart, Myron Grant, Ray Love and Rob Martens
Love’s Alchemy had this one release on Ultra-City out of Saginaw, Michigan in 1970. The band named themselves after the poem by John Donne – the label spelling “Love’s Alchmey” is a simple typo.
“I Never Said Forever” is a Doors-influenced song written by Ray Love and Damon Hyde. The lyrics include “Jesus” at least twice.
I’m not as much a fan of “Ophelia” written by Nelson Bogart, though the guitar solo has a fine, sludgy distortion to it. My copy is very scratchy. Both were published through Luzar Publications, BMI. Song writing credits list Ray Love, Damon Hyde, and Nelson Bogart.
I couldn’t find much specific on the band until Charlie, a friend of the band wrote to me:
I went to high school with a couple of the guys in the band. They went to the University of Michigan and ended up as fraternity brothers and formed the band in the late ’60s in Ann Arbor. The members were Nelson Bogart on guitar and occasional trumpet, Myron Grant doing lead vocals, Damon Hyde on keyboards, mostly Hammond B3, Rob Martens on bass and Ray Love on drums.
I was at the recording sessions in Saginaw for the record. When we met Choker Chapbell, he had to tell us that he was the guy on Stevie Wonder’s “Fingertips Part 2” that shouts out “What key, what key?” about 3/4 of the way through the tune when Stevie starts ad-libbing and changes the key!
They are all still playing music, to the best of my knowledge.
Damon Hyde’s wife Pamela sent in the photos seen here and wrote:
Damon passed away in 1999 from a high fever after 9 days in the hospital. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1971 with a B.A. in Literature.
Damon was a honey-voiced singr who travelled extensively before settling down with his wife Pamela in 1978. He turned his musical talent into a lifelong career as a pop/rock singer and published songwriter. His band backed up Lou Rawls, The Drifters in Puerto Rico, Tiny Tim in Miami, Chief James Billie of the Seminole tribe of Florida and many others.
Damon’s unique ability to sing and play a wide spectrum of music made him a sought after musician for many of South Florida’s most popular bands. A double CD was released in his honor by his wife, Pamela called Unfinished Business.
Pamela added these notes from Myron:
The studio that did that recording was Tri City Recording, which I think was in Saginaw, although it might have been Midland. The marketing guy was “Bill McCune, Man from the Moon,” and one of the owners was a previous member of the Motown horn section.
Actually, all three of us [Damon, Nelson & Myron] played trumpet (I played coronet), depending on the tune and arrangement. Nelson and Damon played solos, I played as part of the horn section in tunes such as “Hold on I’m Comin'”. I don’t recall ever having all three horns on the same tune.
[The photos] were taken shortly after Rick joined the group. We later changed the name to Ramblecrow. There was another band in A2 at the same time who’s name came from literature, Leaves of Grass.
Walter “Choker” Campbell owned or worked with a number of labels in Saginaw including Tri-City, Moonville USA, Gospel Train and Ultra-City, with releases around 1970-’71. Almost all of these were soul sides, making this 45 by Love’s Alchmey a big exception. Choker was a tenor saxophonist who started recording in 1950 for the Lucky-7, Fortune and Atlantic labels, among others. He hired on at Motown in 1960 to form the live band for their revue shows and had a 1964 album on Motown with his band playing the label’s hits. He produced records by Carla Whitney and Albert Jones in Toronto, Canada during the 1970s, and passed away in 1993.
Background on Choker Campbell from the Soulful Detroit forum. Thank you to Pamela Hyde for the photos and quote from Myron Grant.
from left: Myron Grant, Damon Hyde, Rick Dannely, Nelson Bogart, Ray Love and Rob Martens
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 information the ’85 LP gives about the New Group is very different from what I heard from one of the members, Ramón Morán, who provided the following correction and the photos seen here:
