Categories: California, Liberty, Linda, Los Angeles, MGM, Tower, Vee-Jay

The Standells

September 5, 2010 Nick Warburton 13 Comments

Standells photo early 1963 — Early 1963, clockwise from left: Tony Valentino, Gary Lane, Larry Tamblyn and Gary Leeds

Larry Tamblyn (keyboards, vocals)
Tony Valentino (lead guitar)
Gary Lane (bass)
Gary Leeds (drums)

1962

The group is formed in Los Angeles by Larry Tamblyn (b. February 5, 1943, Inglewood, California, US), (brother of actor Russ Tamblyn), and guitarist Tony Valentino (b. Emilio Tony Belilissimo, May 24, 1941, Longi, Italy), who arrived in the US in 1958. Tamblyn has previously recorded three singles for local label, Faro.

Tamblyn and Valentino form the original Standells with Jody Rich (bass) and Benny King (drums) and work in Hawaii at the Oasis club in Honolulu for several months. The group takes its name from the long hours spent hanging around record company offices awaiting an audition.

1963

January The Standells work at the Club Esquire in Eureka, California. Soon afterwards, former New York Aerospace Technology school student, Gary Leeds (b. September 3, 1944, Glendale, California, US) and bass player Gary Lane (b. Gary McMillan, September 18, 1940, St Paul, Minnesota, US) take over from King and Rich. The group’s first recording is the single, “The Shake”, which receives airplay on KFWB radio station.
May The group plays at the Royal Room in West Los Angeles.
August The Standells appear at Tykes in Pasadena, California.
September The band performs at the Trophy Room in Sacramento, California and then becomes the house band at the Peppermint West in Hollywood.
December The Standells’ debut single, “You’ll Be Mine Some Day” is released as Larry Tamblyn and The Standells on Faro’s subsidiary label, Linda Records.

1964

February (6) Tamblyn, Valentino, Lane and Leeds sign a record contract with Liberty Records.
March The group plays at the Thunderbird Lounge in Las Vegas billed as America’s answer to The Beatles.
May Gary Leeds leaves to join first Johnny Rivers and then P.J. Proby, before co-founding The Walker Brothers, and is replaced by Dick Dodd (b. October 27, 1943, Hermosa Beach, California, US) from surf band, Eddie & The Showmen. (Dodd has also been an original mouseketeer on the popular TV show, The Mickey Mouse Club).
June The Standells land a residency at Hollywood’s illustrious nightclub, PJ’s (where they record an album) and also play at the Haunted House on Hollywood Boulevard. Liberty releases the single, “Peppermint Beatle”, in an attempt to cash-in on The Beatles’ recent US success, but the single flops.
July A cover of James Brown’s “I’ll Go Crazy” is lifted from the forthcoming album and issued as a single but fails to chart. In The UK, b-side, “Help Yourself” is released as the single.

French EP taken from the Liberty album In Person at PJ's — French EP taken from the Liberty album In Person at PJ’s

September Liberty releases debut album, The Standells In Person At PJ’s, a blatant cash-in on The Kingsmen’s recent live album, Louie Louie: The Kingsmen In Person. The record is released in the UK the following year; the only Standells album to be issued there. The Standells travel to Nicaragua for 12 days.
October (17) A final Liberty single, a version of Johnny Otis’ “So Fine” is taken from the album but does not chart. The band signs a new deal with VJ Records.
December (5) The Standells perform at Sammy Lee’s Westlake in Chatworth, California.
(22) The band makes its third return to P J’s in Hollywood.

Get Yourself a College Girl lobby card with Standells — Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino, Dick Dodd and Gary Lane

(26) Having signed a new recording deal with Vee-Jay Records, the band’s debut single for the label, “The Boy Next Door”, produced by Sonny Bono and featuring Cher on backing vocals, is released and eventually peaks at US #102. The single’s release comes on the heels of MGM film, “Get Yourself A College Girl”, where the band performs covers of “Bony Moronie” and “The Swim”.
(31) The Standells appear on That Regis Philbin Show and perform a cover of The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and one other song.

Standells, late 1964: Tony Valentino, Gary Leeds, Larry Tamblyn and Gary Lane

1965

January (7) The Standells open New Tiger A-Go-Go Room in the Hilton Hotel, San Francisco.
(18) “Zebra In The Kitchen” is released as a single by MGM but is not a success.

March (18) The Standells appear in episode “Far Out Munsters” for the popular TV programme, The Munsters. After the initial success of “Help Yourself” as a single in Los Angeles, Dodd become the group’s principal lead singer.
(20) The band appears on American Bandstand with Brenda Holloway.
(25) The group appears on Shindig with Dick and Dee Dee, Shirley Ellis, Bobby Goldsboro, The Trade Winds and Glen Campbell.

The Standells on the Munsters, from left: Larry, Tony, Dick and Gary — On the Munsters, from left: Larry, Tony, Dick and Gary

Later Japanese release of "Dirty Water" — Later Japanese release of “Dirty Water”

April The Standells return to the Tiger-A-Go-Go at San Francisco Hilton Hotel where they are advertised as the “return of the Wild Standells”.
May (28) The band plays at the Gardon Grove’s Alamitos Intermediate School assembly.
July (12) The Standells appear on Hollywood Discotechque TV show.
August Final Vee-Jay single, “Don’t Say Goodbye”, backed by “Big Boss Man” is released but fails to chart.
October The band is introduced to Ed Cobb, a former member of fifties vocal group, The Four Preps, who is currently working as a freelance producer and songwriter. Cobb is looking for a group to record one of his recent compositions, “Dirty Water”; a song written about a recent experience he had fighting off muggers, while walking with his girlfriend along the River Charles in Boston. He is suitably impressed with The Standells to use them on the track and offers his services to the group as a manager/producer. Shortly after, Cobb is approached by Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol), who are eager to obtain a record he has produced for Ketty Lester. Cobb proposes a deal, whereby Tower agree to sign The Standells in return for the Lester single.
November “Dirty Water” is released as a single but is slow to sell. Dodd, who apparently hates the song, leaves the group and is replaced by former Sir Raleigh & The Cupons, drummer/vocalist, Dewey Martin (b. Dewayne Midkiff, September 30, 1940, Chesterville, Ontario, Canada; d. 31 January 2009). The group records a version of “Why Did You Hurt Me” with Martin on lead vocal but it is re-recorded when Dodd rejoins the band a few months later.
December (5) The Standells perform at the Tiger-A-Go-Go in San Mateo, California.

1966

February Dodd rejoins the band while they are working San Jose (and after Cobb arranges a summer tour supporting The Rolling Stones). Martin, meanwhile, leaves to join The Dillards, before gaining greater acclaim with The Buffalo Springfield.
May Bass player Gary Lane leaves the band during its first concert tour and is replaced in Florida by former member of the Tropics, Choir and Rush, Dave Burke.
(20) The Standells appear at Birmingham High School, Van Nuys with The Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, The Sunshine Company and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
(20) The Standells perform “Dirty Water”, “There’s a Storm Comin'” and “Hey Joe” on the Mike Douglas Show.
June (11) After a long climb “Dirty Water” breaks into the US charts at #31, the group’s biggest hit to date. Liberty Records, exploiting the success of “Dirty Water”, reissues The Standells’ debut album as Live And Out Of Sight, adding the “Peppermint Beatles” single to the track listing. A single, “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” is also issued, to tie in with the album’s release. Second Tower single, Cobb’s “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White”, reaches US #43, while debut Tower album, Dirty Water hits #52.
(24) The Standells supports The Rolling Stones at the Manning Bowl, Lynn, Massachusetts on the opening date of The Stones’ US tour. Also on the bill is The McCoys and The Tradewinds. The crowd is subdued with tear gas, and the concert (even though it goes ahead) will be the last to be held at the venue until 1985.
July “Dirty Water” is The Standells’ second and final single to be released in the UK, but doesn’t chart.
(9) “Dirty Water” peaks at US #11, the band’s biggest hit.
(22) The Standells open with The McCoys and other acts for The Rolling Stones at the Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California.
(25) The group supports The Rolling Stones at The Hollywood Bowl alongside The Buffalo Springfield, The McCoys and The Trade Winds.
August “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” is lifted from the earlier live album and released on Sunset but is not a chart success.
September Second album, Why Pick On Me – Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White is released but doesn’t chart.
November Third album in six months, Hot Ones which is entirely comprised of covers of recent hits like The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City” and The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” is released but is not a success. Burke leaves, later to join San Francisco band Indian Puddin’ and Pipe [note: it may have been a different Dave Burke who joined Indian Puddin’ & Pipe and West Coast Natural Gas] and is replaced by John Fleck (b. Johnny Fleckenstein, US), who had been an original member of Love, co-writing “Can’t Explain” on that band’s debut album.

(26) Cobb’s “Why Pick On Me?” stalls at US #54.

1967

February The first single to feature Fleck on bass is “Try It”, arguably The Standells’ finest record. However, despite becoming an immediate hit in L.A., the record is soon banned by radio stations at the direction of rightwing moral majority radio mogul Gordon McLendon who argues that “Try It” is a blatant request for teenage girls to lose their virginity.
(7-12) The band plays at the Ice House in Glendale, California.
March The group releases the novelty tune, “Don’t Tell Me What To Do” under the name The Sllednats (The Standells backwards), but the single flops.
(25) Valentino and Fleck’s “Riot On Sunset Strip” hits US #133.
April Cobb is commissioned by Tower to come up with a soundtrack for a teenage protest film revolving around the disturbances on Sunset Strip 1966/67. The band is featured in the film, alongside label mates, The Chocolate Watchband.

From left: Gordon McLendon, Art Linkletter, Larry Tamblyn, John Fleck, Dick Dodd and Tony Valentino

May (27) The Standellls appear on Art Linkletter’s TV show, Let’s Talk, debating radio mogul Gordon McLendon, who has been leading the campaign to ban music with “objectionable” lyrics. The Standells handily defeat him. However, after creative editing, it appears the debate was more evenly matched.
July (5) The Standells support The Doors and The Coasters at Lowell High School Auditorium, La Habra, California.
(23) The group appears on the Shebang TV show with Brenton Wood.
August (26) – September (4) The band performs at the ‘Fort Worth Teen Fair & Mardi Gras Festival’, the Will Rogers Exhibit Building, Fort Worth, Texas.
(5-12) The Standells play at the Ice House in Glendale.
October The Standells’ next release, the R&B/soul single, “Can’t Help But Love You” is a minor hit, peaking at US #78. Tower releases The Standells’ fourth and final album Try It, which doesn’t sell.
November (7) The group appears on the TV show Groovy with The Sunshine Company.
(9) The Standells make a TV appearance on Pat Boone in Hollywood.
December The group appears on the Joey Bishop Show.
(8-9) The Standells perform at the Cheetah, Venice, California with The Hour Glass.

Larry Tamblyn, American Recording Studios, 1967

Live, 1967: Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino, Dick Dodd and John Fleck

Late 1967, just before Dick Dodd left the band for a solo career

First Evolution of Dick Dodd Tower LP
1968

January (9-14) The Standells are billed to appear at the Ice House in Glendale, California but the shows are postponed until after playing at the Guitar Center in February.
February (10) The group plays at the Guitar Center in Hollywood, California.
April The band is eager to write and perform its own material and decides to split from Cobb, who continues to work with The Chocolate Watchband. Cobb is offered another film commission and decides to record Dodd as a solo artist without the rest of the group. Dodd records “Guilty” for the film, Square Root but problems arise over its distribution and the single flops.
(9-14) The Standells return to the Ice House in Glendale for further shows.
(19) The group plays at Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, California with The Illinois Speed Press.
May Dodd joins Green Grass Productions as a solo artist. His place is taken by drummer Bill Daffern.
June A final single, “Animal Girl” is released but is poorly received, despite being one of the group’s finest records. Featuring Tower producer Richie Podolor on sitar, and recorded before Dodd’s departure, the record is a radical departure in sound for the band and is lost in the media rush which follows.
July A Larry Tamblyn’s solo single, the instrumental “Summer Clothes (Parts 1 &2)”, is released on the small Sunburst label. The one-year old track was recorded around the same time as “Can’t Help But Love You”. Dodd’s first solo single “Little Sister’ is released but fails to chart.
August Fleck also drops out and moves into film work. He later becomes a top cinematographer with Jaws among his credits. The Standells recruit ex-Factory lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George (b. April 13, 1945, Hollywood, California, US), but no recordings are made.
September (3-15) The new line-up begins a series of dates at the Ice House, Glendale, California with Pipe Dream but they are never completed due to differences between Tamblyn and George.
October Tower releases Dodd’s solo album, The First Evolution Of Dick Dodd but it doesn’t chart.
(27) The Standells appear at the Artists and Models Ball at the Century Plaza with Taj Mahal and others.
November George leaves to join Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention (and later Little Feat).
December Dodd’s final single “Fanny” is another chart failure and he quits the music business for the next few years.
(7) A new version of The Standells supports Johnny Rivers at the College of Sante Fe with Blue Marble Faun in Sante Fe. Daffern and Tamblyn contribute material to The Electric Prunes’ final album, Just Good Old Rock and Roll.

Standells 1969, from left: Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino (in front), Bill Daffern (Willie Dee), Tim Smyser, Paul Downing

Standells Thai EP — Rare EP from Thailand that seems to include a version of “La Bamba” not heard anywhere else – anyone ever heard this version?

Standells Rhino LP Rarities

1969

Tamblyn and Daffern form Chakras with former Knack members Michael Kaplan and Larry Gould with Valentino acting as manager. Reprise releases the Charkras single, “City Buy” c/w “Agnes Vandalism”, both sides of which are written by Michael Kaplan. Daffern leaves and subsequently records with Hunger! and later records with Truk. Tamblyn and Valentino then reform The Standells with English guitarist Paul Downing.
November (14-16) Billed as The Standells, the group appears at Pier 7 in Van Nuys, California. A photo circa this time includes new members Bill Daffern (Willie Dee) and Tim Smyser.

1970

July (7-12) The Standells play at the Beach House, California.
September Dodd releases the single “Requim: 820 Latham”.

1975

Dodd emerges with Los Angeles group, Joshua, who release an album Willy And The Hand Jive (produced by Ed Cobb) for the independent AVI label.

1982

American indie label Rhino Records releases compilation album The Best Of The Standells. Around the same time Valentino cuts a number of solo demos (but is unable to attract a record deal), before joining Tamblyn and Dodd in a full-scale Standells reunion.

1983

August The Standells perform at the Club Lingerie in Hollywood, the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, a weeklong engagement at Harrah’s in Reno, Nevada, supported by The Fleshtones.

1984

Rhino Records issues second album, Rarities, a collection of rare Standells tracks, including Dodd’s solo releases and the band’s pre-Tower Vee-Jay singles.

1986

Third Rhino release The Best Of The Standells is issued.
July (19-20) The Standells appear at the Summerfest/Return to the Sixties at Glen Helen Regional Park, San Bernandino, California. Tamblyn, Valentino and Dodd reunite in 1999 for the Cavestomp Festival in New York. The group records a live CD, Ban THIS, a slam at Gordon McLendon.

2000

Gary Lane rejoins The Standells as they perform at the Las Vegas Grind, Las Vegas, Nevada.

2004

The Tamblyn/Valentino/Dodd/Lane line up play before the Game Two of the World Series.

2005

April (11) The Standells appear at Fenway Park. The band will return the following year for a show on September 8.

Many thanks to Larry Tamblyn for his personal contributions.

Sources:

Bronson, Harold. Sleeve notes to Rhino album, The Best Of The Standells.
Burgess, Chuck and Nowlin, Bill. Love That Dirty Water! The Standells and The Improbable Red Sox Victory Anthem, Rounder Books, 2007.
Doggett, Peter. ‘The Standells’. Record Collector, May 1991, #141.
Grushkin, Paul D. Art Of Rock – Posters From Presley To Punk, Artabras, Cross River Press, Ltd, 1987.
Hogg, Brian. ‘Little Feat’. Strange Things Are Happening, Vol 1, #3, July/August 1988.
Joynson, Vernon. Fuzz, Acid And Flowers, Borderline Productions, 1993.
Maclean, Hugh and Joynson, Vernon. An American Rock History – California The Golden State, Borderline Productions, 1985.
Rees, Dafydd and Crampton, Luke. Book Of Rock Stars, 2nd Edition, Guinness Publications, 1994
Robertson, John. Neil Young – The Visual Documentary, Omnibus Press, 1994.
Shaw, Greg. The Doors On The Road, Omnibus Press, 1997, pages 46 and 57.
Whitburn, Joel. Billboard – USA Top 40 Hits, 3rd Edition, Guinness Publications, 1987.
Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn’s Pop Annual 1955-1994, Billboard Record Research Inc, 1995.
Billboard, May 11, 1968, page 50.
Billboard, September 7, 1968, page 3.
Variety, September 2, 1970, page 60.

Another great resource is: www.newspaperarchive.com/

Some of the scans and photos seen here are on the Standells Facebook page. from the collections of Larry Tamblyn, Thomas Haaland and others.

Email: Warchive@aol.com

Categories: Akron, Buccaneer, Cleveland Recording, Faux Pas, Ohio, Rite Record Productions custom pressings, Suburban

Bobby Runnel’s Faux Pas “True Love – Heartaches”

September 3, 2010 Chris Bishop 39 Comments

Given Bobby Runnel’s career as a lounge act during the mid-late ’60s, you’d think it unlikely that one of his songs could become something of a classic of mid-60s rock. His original song “True Love – Heartaches” has been a favorite of mine since hearing it on Teenage Shutdown vol. 11. He certainly must have believed in the song, as he recorded it three times in as many years.

Bobby Runnel was born Robert Wilson, the son of a Southern Baptist preacher, and raised in eastern Arkansas, a rural area now part of Little Rock. Across the river was Memphis, where he picked up some of the early rock ‘n roll styles of the ’50s. He moved to Miami and started the Faux Pas trio, touring the east coast and mid-west.

In Nashville he recorded “True Love – Heartaches – False Love” as the b-side of his first single, released in September 1965 on the Buccaneer label from Jackson, Mississippi. The A-side is what I’ve heard is a soul ballad featuring flute, “If Your So Mart”. The artist is listed as Bob Runnel’s Faux Pas III with John Sherwood and Ivano Comelli (sp? – Ivann Comelli?). He had a second 45 on Buccaneer (509) “For My Baby” / “Where’s Willie Walker” that I haven’t heard.

I recently heard a clip of this first version of “True Love – Heartaches – False Love” and it’s pretty cool, slower with piano as prominent as the guitar and good drumming. If anyone has sound transfers or label scans please email me.

In 1966 the band found long-term work in northern Ohio, based mainly in Akron at Ninos’ restaurant and lounge. The clientele was older and Runnel’s repertoire ranged to all kinds of pop styles from folk to mainstream pop. The Faux Pas trio changed personnel from time to time, but always with Runnel playing lead guitar and singing. The two records I’ve heard also feature piano, so at least in the studio they were more than a trio.

Runnel cut “True Love – Heartaches – False Love” for a second time at Cleveland Recording (not in Little Rock as noted elsewhere) in 1966, released on Suburban Records CRC 2031 (white labels). On this release the band is listed as simply the Faux Pas III. It was the b-side of “Baby What You Gonna Do”, a good New Orleans-type r&b.

Songwriting credits on both sides are listed as Runnel, Comelli and Lott. Also on Suburban is another single featuring the Faux Pas backing a Janet Stewart, “What Can I Do” / “Brand New Love”.

In January 1968 he released the third and best version of “True Love – Heartaches”, recorded at Akron Recording and released on his own Faux Pas label (a Rite pressing: 21131/21132 with black labels). The A-side this time was a cover of “Black Cloud”, a hit for Me and Dem Guys on Palmer from late 1966. It’s a song I’m not very fond of but the Faux Pas do a great job, especially the drummer who lays down a beat like a locomotive. Whatever the limitations of their lounge act, this band could rock when it wanted to.

On this 45 the band is credited as Bobby Rúnnel’s Faux Pas, with an accent over the “u” in Rúnnel. Rúnnel is also listed as sole song writer on “True Love – Heartaches”, as well as producer.

In 1969 they released a pop 45 as the Faux Pas that I haven’t heard, and also during the late ’60s Runnel had two LPs featuring his typical lounge repertoire and probably sold as souvenirs of his club act. Bobby Runnel, A Winning Streak Of One on the Hawk label features a photo of Bobby with an acoustic guitar, and lists some of the songs: “Big Boss Man”, “A Place in the Sun” and “Malaguena” along with original jokes!

In the early ’70s he broke up the Faux Pas and did well as a songwriter in Nashville.

All info cribbed from Buckeye Beat, with some 45 release info from Mop Top Mike.

Categories: Aurora, Band Box, Colorado, Denver, Rite Record Productions custom pressings

The Lidos “Since I Last Saw You” on Band Box

August 31, 2010 Chris Bishop 7 Comments

The band’s names are on the song credits – G. Nole, G. Fick, D. Silvis and R. Saunar. I didn’t know anything about the group until J.C. commented below, which I’ll excerpt here:

The band was from Aurora, Colorado (suburb of Denver). All 4 original members attended Aurora Central High School and included bandleader Gary Nale on vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, Gary Fick on vocals and bass guitar, Dwight Silvis on vocals, keyboards, lead and rhythm guitar and Robert Sauner on drums.
The 2 songs were primarily written by Gary Nale.

I’ve read that the Lidos disc predates the British Invasion, but from the Rite pressing number, 13555, it dates to mid-late 1964. So the Invasion had started, but the Lidos weren’t really paying attention. “Since I Last Saw You” is repetitive and crude, with its cool opening bass line, pounding drums and a great shout before the guitar break, which comes earlier than usual. I think this would make a great instrumental. The ensemble vocals are a little bizarre. It ends with a fantastic drum break and repeat of that sliding bass line.

The chorus of serenaders on “Trudi” turns it into a parody of the doo-wop style. The band must have been disappointed in the absolutely crappy fidelity they got out of the Band Box studio, even though that cloudy sound is part of the charm of “Since I Last Saw You”. However, I do like the intense decay on the last chord of “Trudi” – so, you have one reason to take a listen to it.

Anyone have a photo of the Lidos?

Vicky Morosan started Columbine Records in Denver Colorado, changing the name to Band Box Records when Columbia objected. After starting on East Sixth, she moved locations to 220 S. Broadway. Releases started with drummer Ronnie Kae’s “Boom Boom” in the late ’50s and continued into the late ’60s, totaling almost 200 singles altogether.

For more info on Band Box check out this article from the Denver Post on the documentary Gears, Grease and Guitars, as well as Rockin’ Country Style, and this extended, though partly incorrect list of releases (the Lidos are not listed and #359 is attributed to “The Royals and The Shades”).

Categories: Aurora, Belfast, Columbia, Ireland

The Wheels (The Wheel-a-Ways)

August 27, 2010 Chris Bishop 16 Comments

The Wheels, l-r: Victor Catling, Rod Demick, Brian Rossi, Tito Tinsley and Herbie Armstrong all photos and clippings courtesy Victor Catling

Brian Rossi – organ, piano and vocals
Rod Demick – rhythm guitar and vocals
Herbie Armstrong – lead guitar
Tito Tinsley – bass
Victor Catling – drumsUpdated September 2013

Wheel-A-Ways Aurora 45 Don't You Know (US) — The Wheels’ first recording, “Don’t You Know” This label is the flip of the US release of “Bad Little Woman”, February 1966

The Wheels came out of the same Belfast band scene as Them, playing at the famous Maritime Hotel in College Square North.

They began as the Golden Eagles, fronted by the charismatic singer Brian Rossi (Brendan Rosebotham, as noted on the songwriting credits to “Bad Little Woman”) and house band for the Plaza, one of the circuit of dance halls owned by the Mecca company. Van Morrison briefly played saxophone with the Eagles – previously he and Herbie Armstrong had been in the Manhattan Showband together. Some time after changing their name to the Wheels they were fired from the Plaza and in September 1964 began a club residency in Blackpool in northern England (just above Liverpool), where they built a strong following while sharing a house with the Rockin’ Vicars. In 1965 the Wheels’ rhythm guitarist Kit Carson quit the band, to be replaced by Rod Demick of Tony and the Telstars with Tony G. Ford, Robert Green, Ernie Graham and Chris Stewart.

EMI Columbia signed them to a singles deal in 1965. All three of their releases would be produced by Tommy Scott (Thomas Kilpatrick), a young Glaswegian who had been working with Them since producing “All For Myself”, the flip to Them’s third single “Here Comes the Night”.

Rossi 'hopes to make his disc debut with a Van composition, 'Gloria'" — Rossi ‘hopes to make his disc debut with a Van composition, ‘Gloria'”

At their first session at Regent Sound Studios they chose a good cover of Them’s “Gloria” for their first single, backed with Tommy Scott’s “Don’t You Know” (a song Them would also release, on the flip to their ’66 single “Richard Cory”). The single came out in September ’65. Also from this first session was a fine version of “Mona (I Need You Baby)” with Rod Demick on harmonica and Brian Rossi on lead vocals. It would show up in 1997 on Belfast Beat Maritime Blues along with several other unreleased gems by the Wheels.

The Wheels went back to Regent Sound Studios to record five songs, two of which would appear on their second 45, from February 1966, the originals “Bad Little Woman” b/w “Road Block”. Three other songs from that session had release on Belfast Beat Maritime Blues, “Send Me Your Pillow”, “You Got Me Dizzy”, and “I’m Leaving”.

Notice for Aaron Shcroeder's Aurora Records in Billboard, Feb. 6, 1965 — Notice for Aaron Shcroeder’s Aurora Records in Billboard, Feb. 6, 1965

“Bad Little Woman” was released simultaneously in the U.S. on the Aurora label (it was predicted to reach Billboard’s Hot 100 chart on February 5, 1966), which included the b-side from their first Columbia single, “Don’t You Know” instead of “Road Block”. The Aurora release renamed the group the Wheel-a-Ways, possibly to prevent their being confused with Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, whose first chart single “Jenny Take a Ride” hit the charts in November of ’65.

What makes this single so fascinating is Columbia accidently sent Aurora a tape with a different take of “Bad Little Woman”. The Columbia version begins fast, with two guitars, organ and drums equal in intensity. The Aurora version starts at a much slower pace with room for intermittent guitar licks and harmonica bleats, and forgoes the organ.

With the line “and he don’t love you baby …” both versions accelerate for twenty seconds of rave-up, but the Aurora version achieves incredible velocity, with the guitars cranking out one of the best amp sounds I’ve ever heard recorded, while the vocals go completely into the red with distortion.

"The Wheels say most of the English groups just hate showbands." — “The Wheels say most of the English groups just hate showbands.”

The band comes together for a last chord on the Columbia version, while the Aurora version ends quietly – a slow slide down a high guitar string to the final sound of a guitarist taking his fingers off the frets.

Judging by the audio quality and the assured pace of the band on the Columbia single, I’d say the Aurora version was recorded first, possibly meant to be a demo rather than a finished single. The timing of 2:20 on the Aurora label doesn’t make any sense, the song is 2:44.

The Wheels went back to Regent Sound for a third session, this time producing two covers of recent singles by other bands. “Call My Name” was another Tommy Scott composition, originally the A-side of Them’s seventh single, from March of 1966. “Tell Me (I’m Gonna Love Again)” had been A-side to the Graham Bond Organisation’s third 45, from April of ’65.

The Wheels version of “Call My Name” would show up as the b-side to their third single “Kicks” in August of 1966. It would also appear on the b-side of most UK promo copies of “Bad Little Woman”, though mislabeled as “Road Block”. A 1992 Record Collector article on the band erroneously listed the mislabelled promo b-side as “Kicks” – impossible as the Feb. ’66 release date would have been a month prior to the Raiders’ release of “Kicks”!

Wheels photo 1966 from left: Tito Tinsley, Victor Catling, Rod Demick, Brian Rossi, Eric Wrixon and Herbie Armstrong — Six-member version of the Wheels from left: Tito Tinsley, Victor Catling, Rod Demick, Brian Rossi, Eric Wrixon and Herbie Armstrong

The Record Collector article and the notes to Belfast Beat Maritime Blues state that Brian Rossi left the band after the failure of the second single, and that Eric Wrixon from Them joined the group on keyboards. According to this chronology, Wrixon would be playing on the third Regent Sound session that produced “Call My Name”. However, since “Call My Name” was recorded in time to be on some promo copies of “Bad Little Woman”, then it’s likely Rossi was still with the band at the time of that session. If so, then it’s also probable that “Kicks” was the only session that included Eric Wrixon.

Curious as to who sang on the singles, I asked Rod Demick and he stated in an email that he sang lead vocals on the singles released by The Wheels. In an interview with Shindig magazine Rod specified that Brian Rossi sang lead on “Mona” and “You Got Me Dizzy”. Victor Catling wrote to me “Rod was the lead singer with that [hard r&b] style of music. Rod used one of those harmonica racks when playing. Brian Rossy sang ballads and rock numbers when we were on stage. Herbie and Tito also sang but mostly as backup singers. I never heard what happened to Tito.”

From their first Regent Sound Studios session, “Mona” has lead vocals simultaneous with the harmonica, and I don’t think either is dubbed, so that confirms Rossi on lead vocals and Demick on harp. It’s a step from that level of singing to what Rod accomplishes on “Gloria” (from the same session), “Bad Little Woman”, “Road Block” & “I’m Leaving” (these three from their next Regent Sound session).

Rossi was probably not with the band by the time they recorded their version of “Kicks”, so Demick is likely singing on that song, which is very different in style from their other recordings.

An article from the Belfast newspaper Cityweek in September 1, 1966 depicts a six-member lineup including both Wrixon and Rossi. This show is described as a short-lived reunion with Rossi before the band broke up in early ’67, but the article doesn’t mention anything about it being a reunion, nor does it suggest the band is about to break up. In any case, they did fall apart.I know of only one version of the Wheels’ “Bad Little Woman” from that era, a great one by the Shadows of Knight. An obscure group called the Right of Way copied the Shadows of Knight version, unreleased until Norton’s Northwest Killers Vol. 3. This can only be a testament to how obscure this single was at the time.

After the Wheels, Rod Demick and Herbie Armstrong recorded two singles as the James Brothers for Page One Records in 1967, “Does It Have To Be Me” / “You Don’t Really Love Me” and “I Forgot To Give You Love” / “The Truth About It”. I haven’t heard either. Rod Demick switched to bass and with Herbie they backed Screaming Lord Sutch for a time, and then recorded two LPs together in the early ’70s. Demick has since played with many bands. Armstrong joined Fox and also Van Morrison’s band for a time, and then had his own groups.

Brian Rossi passed away in 1984. There are some photos of the Wheels within a tribute video created by his daughter Tamara Rossi; if anyone has access to better quality versions of any photos, please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com.

Thanks to Bruce Welsh for pointing out the first James Brothers 45 to me.

Special thanks to Victor Catling for the news clips and photos seen here.

Wheels Sessionography

Regent Sound Studios, Summer 1965:
Don’t You Know (b-side to first single, Columbia DB 7682, September 1965)
Mona
Gloria (a-side to first single, Columbia DB 7682, September 1965)

Unknown studio and date:
Bad Little Woman (A-side to US release as the Wheel-a-Ways, Aurora 157, Feb. 1966)

Regent Sound Studios, late 1965:
Bad Little Woman (a-side to second single, Columbia DB 7827, February 1966)
Send Me Your Pillow
You Got Me Dizzy
I’m Leaving
Road Block (b-side to second single, Columbia DB 7827, February 1966)

Regent Sound Studios, late 1965 or January 1966:
Tell Me (I’m Gonna Love Again)
Call My Name (b-side to third single, Columbia DB 7981, also shows up on some promo copies of their second single mislabeled as “Road Block”)

unknown session, probably without Rossi, so assume Demick on lead vocal:
Kicks (a-side to third single, Columbia DB 7981)

The Wheels, l-r: Victor Catling, Rod Demick, Brian Rossi, Tito Tinsley and Herbie Armstrong

Categories: Columbia, South Carolina

Crossfire

August 27, 2010 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Jack Montgomery writes about his band Crossfire from Columbia, South Carolina, who unfortunately never recorded despite having some original songs.

Crossfire formed in January of 1968 when two high school friends, Jack Montgomery and Bobby Bond acquired some very basic musical instruments and began to practice playing tunes from the Beatles, the Turtles and Rolling Stones to name a few. Soon Jack acquired his new Mosrite guitar and Bobby got a set of Slingerland drums. They then found another classmate, Leonard Lehew who played guitar and also wanted to play bass.
The band rehearsed and began to perform small gigs at local church dances, restaurants and teen dances which were held at armories, as well as local swim and country clubs as “The Gross National Product.” After hearing people struggle with their name, they changed it to “Crossfire in 1970.
By early 1970, they were playing weekend gigs at local nite-clubs near the USC campus and travelling to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for weekend gigs at clubs and hotels and many private parties.
While most groups were playing an R&B covers format, there were a small cadre of Columbia bands that embraced the new rock sounds from the west coast and New York. In this musical vacuum there existed a non-competitive, friendly atmosphere between these bands and often one group would go to hear a certain band one night and then that band would reciprocate. The premier psychedelic bands in Columbia were bands with names like Medusa’s Head, Speed Limit 35, and Christopher who actually produced a LP called “Whatcha Gonna Do!”
The social atmosphere in Columbia, S.C. during the late 1960s was difficult at times due to the presence of Fort Jackson Army base, the civil unrest that followed the end of racial segregation, as well an anti-war movement on the USC campus which produced a negative reaction to anything alternative. At an audition in 1969, one local DJ told us in 1969 that “this hard rock stuff is just a flash in the pan; you guys should be playing beach music.” We ignored his advice and soldiered onward. During that time, you had to take care where you booked yourself or you could find yourself facing an angry mob as you left to go home. Crossfire was very lucky in this respect.
The guys in Crossfire soon realized that there was very little money in teen dances and began to focus on playing for private and corporate parties. They also learned what it meant to be economically exploited by bad management, so they went independent in 1970.
In 1971, there was a strike of union musicians and Crossfire, not being unionized, took full advantage of the situation. They played a lot of gigs at Columbia’s hotels for convention groups. With this audience change, they moved away from their original psychedelic format to doing pop and rock covers. On occasion, the sponsoring groups would give them money to purchase matching apparel which they thought was amusing.
In 1971, Crossfire appeared on WNOK, a CBS affiliate for a one hour concert special called “Rock Saturday” which featured our music and every visual effect the studio could muster. It was sponsored by the McDonald’s franchises in Columbia. Later that year, they did a similar 30 minute concert show on WOLO, an ABC affiliate that was sponsored by a local music studio. These events produced a local recognition for the band that we enjoyed. I do not know of another band that received so much local TV air-time during that period. I think Crossfire was not as socially threatening as some of the other “hippie” bands in that we were still high school students.
By June of 1971, Leonard and Jack graduated Irmo High School and Bobby followed in 1972. Their last formal gig was for a banker’s convention in the Sheraton Hotel ballroom in downtown Columbia in December of 1971. Leonard moved to Atlanta, Bobby went to work in corrections and Jack went to Newberry College. In 1973, Jack began to perform in lounges owned by the Best Western hotels in Columbia who shared a stable of performers between them. As “Jack Monty” Jack performed every week for the next three years and then retired from performing in 1976 until he reappeared musically in 2000.
Jack Montgomery
myspace.com/shadowdancerjack

Crossfire, 1971 from left: Leonard Lehew, Bobby Bond, and Jack Montgomery

Categories: Beaver Dam, Midgard, Wisconsin

The Suns of Mourning

August 24, 2010 Chris Bishop 26 Comments

The Suns of Mourning do a ripping version of one of Eddie Cochran’s signature songs on the A-side. It could be 1960 except for the organ bubbling away and that pounding style of drumming. The flip is a sappy vocal over a decent rhythm backing.”Come On Everybody” is incorrectly credited to [Gene] Vincent – it was written by Eddie Cochran and Jerry Capehart and is correctly titled “C’mon Everybody”.

“I’m Not Worth It” sounds like it’s an original but has no writing credit on the label and is listed with Beat Music BMI.

In On That Wisconsin Beat Gary E. Myers noted that the band was from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and wrote “Originally the Chaotics, this band began circa 1964 and worked mostly in Wisconsin, including a 1966 show at Madison’s Capitol Theater with the Association and the Left Banke. Label owner Chuck Regenberg produced their session at a Madison radio station.”

Members were Eric Goetz (vocals), Steve Hassemer (rhythm guitar), Tim Gunther (lead guitar), John Schmid (bass) and Ron Skalitszky (drums). Goetz and Skalitszky had been in an early version of Spectre, Inc. George DuFre’ (George Durfee) was the Suns of Mourning’s manager.

The RCA mastering number TK4M-6765/6 denotes this as a late ’66 custom pressing made at RCA’s Indianapolis plant. Midgard Records has fine print listing it as a “Div. of International Promotion Production and Recording Unlimited”.

Chuck Regenberg owned Midgard – the label’s first release was his own 45 under the name Joules Regan, “Hey Girl” / “The Night Winds Blow” from 1962. He seems to have revived the label in 1966 to release the Bacardis “This Time” / “Don’t Sell Yourself”, a real garage classic, and very rare. These are the only other releases on Midgard that are known at this time.

There was a Suns of Mourning from Boise Idaho, but one of the members of that group informed me that they never recorded.

Thank you to Gary E. Myers for sending the photo of the Suns of Mourning, and for all the info on the group and Midgard in his book On That Wisconsin Beat.

Categories: Deland, Florida, Ormond Beach, Tropical, Unknown

The Mixed Emotions (Florida)

August 21, 2010 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

The Mixed Emotions give us two beautiful downers on their only release. The songs are similar in style but each is a gem of moody garage, especially “I Lied” which is all regret and a plea for forgiveness.

“I Lied” was written by Mike Schneider and “Marie” by Mackey / Schneider. I don’t know anything else about the group, however.

Bob Quimby ran the National Songwriters Guild in Deland, Florida, pairing lyricists and arrangers and for a fee setting people’s lyrics to music and making a record for them. Tropical was one of his labels for the various song-poems he recorded (the earlier Carellen label being the other).

Local bands such as the 2/3rds used Quimby’s studio in Ormond Beach and sometimes would pay him for a vanity release, which is what the Mixed Emotions single seems to be, recorded January 19, 1967. The Mixed Emotions was released on Tropical, the 2/3rds on April, while the Offbeets had an acetate on April (“Double Trouble” / “I Wanna Do It”, as by the Nonchalants) and Tropical (“Double Trouble” / “She Lied” as by the oFfBeEtS). All of these releases share publishing – Alison Music.

Bob Quimby died in 1994, but some of his many studio tapes were released on a series of CDs called Drive-In a GoGo where you can hear these songs in better fidelity than my worn 45.

Sources include: the American Song-Poem Music Archives and Savage Lost.

Categories: Singapore

The Blue Crystals

August 19, 2010 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

From an LP of A Go Go instrumentals on the Fuji label. I don’t know any more about them. Singapore?

“Lovely Life” is a standout from their first record on Fuji, Vol. 1 (Fuji LP 902).

Thanks to nanyangpop for the scans of the LP cover to Vol. 1 and to Marie from Catch That Train and Testify for the scan of the Vol. 2 cover.

Blue Crystals Fuji LP reverse cover — reverse cover of their Fuji LP

Blue Crystals second Fuji LP Vol. 2, front cover — This is the cover to their second LP, Vol. 2 (Fuji LP 903).

Categories: Brazil, Odeon, RGE

Eduardo Araújo

August 16, 2010 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Erasmo Carlos' version of "Eu Estou Fervendo" RGE single — Erasmo Carlos’ version of “Eu Estou Fervendo”

Lulu's Columbia single adapted by Araújo as "Amor Amor Amor" — Lulu’s single adapted by Araújo as “Amor Amor Amor”

Eduardo Araújo had an early career in 1961 and 1962 as a rock ‘n roller, with three singles and an EP on Philips. Two of the singles were released on 78 rpm discs, as late as March 1962!

When the Philips contract ran out he returned to his home in Minas Gerais for a few years until signing with Odeon in time to hit with the Jovem Guarda pop movement. Eduardo topped the charts with his very first single on Odeon, the upbeat but trite “O Bom”, from March, 1966. It was written by Carlos Imperial, a producer and presenter of the TV show O Clube do Rock.

His band on that single, Os Fevers, also shows up on some of the records of another Imperial protégé, Erasmo Carlos, including “Deixa de Banca”, a version of Nino Ferrar’s “Les Cornichons” with Portuguese lyrics by Araújo. Carlos’ version was released as a single in June, 1966. Araújo’s the following month on an EP with “O Bom”.

Araújo and Imperial co-wrote over a dozen songs in the next year. His second single “Goiabão” is one of his very best, hooking you with a funky opening beat and Eduardo’s “unh”s, every tossed-off phrase answered by horns and a chorus that keeps the rhythm exciting.

Where did that vocal style come from? The emphasis on the gritty and guttural may derive from listening to American soul recordings, but there’s also a distinctly Brazilian lyrical agility and grace, not to mention a sense of humor that borders on camp or hysteria. I can’t think of any US singer that quite matches it.

“Vem Quente Que Eu Estou Fervendo” (this could be translated as “It’s So Hot I’m Boiling”) was one of the greatest Araújo and Imperial collaborations. The first released version was (as far as I can tell) by Erasmo Carlos and his band Os Tremandões, for their January, 1967 LP on RGE, O Tremandão, soon followed by Araújo’s version in March on his first LP, O Bom.

Both artists would release the song as the A-side of singles in April. I have to give the edge to Erasmo Carlos, as his version sounds so unhinged. I’ve also heard a shorter version credited to just Os Tremandões, though Erasmo is definitely singing on that one too. Apparently it comes from Os Tremandões own LP on the Palladium label. Carlos also sang a Spanish version of the song, “Estoy Hirviendo”.

(Does anyone have good scans of Araújo’s single versions of “Goiabão” and “Vem Quente Que Eu Estou Fervendo” – or the Palladium LP by Os Tremandões?)

By late 1967 Araújo had found a new collaborator, Chil Deberto, who I can’t find much info about. In November 1968 Araújo released an EP featuring a surprising cover – Lulu’s 1967 single “Love Loves to Love, Love” with new lyrics from Deberto, titled “Amor Amor Amor”. Araújo and Deberto give the song a completely different feel, keeping the tough funkiness of the verses without Lulu’s rasp, while giving the chorus a dreamy, hallucinogenic quality.

Of the other songs on the EP, “Ela Era O Meu Amor” has a hard-driving soul sound, while “Se Alguem Fez Voce Me Esquecer” begins with a heavy dose of distorted guitar and finds a good groove on the verses then sacrifices that to a conventional chorus. “Com Muito Amore Carinho” shows the smoother pop side of Araújo’s singing.

None of these four songs were picked for single release or used as album tracks. Araújo’s next project, the 1969 LP A Onda é Boogaloo took his r&b leanings further, notably with a version of Arthur Conley’s “Funky Street” titled “Rua Maluca”.

Note: my understanding of Jovem Guarda is limited. The sources for this article are mainly the excellent discographies listed on jovemguarda.com.br/, and credits on what labels I could find. Any further background or info would be appreciated. Some biographical info on Araújo from Túnel do Tempo.

Thanks to Bossy Boots for playing “Amor Amor Amor” at one of our Magnetic Field nights a few years back – it took me this long to track down a copy!

Special thanks to Borja for the scan of the Erasmo Carlos single.

Categories: Malaysia, Singapore

Lucky Sister

August 12, 2010 Steven Farram 5 Comments

A Shadows cover? I scoured my Shadows collection, but couldn’t pin it. The other tracks are another Shadows/Ventures sounding tune and instro versions of Orbison’s ‘Pretty Woman’ and ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’.

Presumably the record was made as a promo for the Ho Hua Company, sole distributor of Sony products in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang, whose ad appears on the back cover.

(Singapore or Malaysia)

Garage Hangover