The Sonset were a major group in Puerto Rico during the mid-60’s. Their ’67 LP Discoteca has some real surprises. At the time of the LP, members were:
William Soto, aka Billy de Soto, Billy Sonset: lead guitar and vocals Félix Guy Casiano, aka Dino Sonset: bassist and vocals Rafael Ojeda, aka “El Indio” Sonset: organ and vocals on “Tema Sonset ’67” José González, aka Cuco Sonset: drums.
Billy Soto and Dino both helped compose and arrange the original songs on the LP. I believe Billy sings the rougher r&b parts on “Oh! Look What You’ve Done” and “Turn on Your Lovelight”, while Dino handles the pop numbers like “Dulce Ayer” and “Mad de Amor”.
The liner notes state the band’s name is specifically the ‘Sonset’, singular, after having originally been the Sunsets. The band had been together three years when this LP was released, though Billy had just joined the year before.
The first side is sung in Spanish, the second in English. Recorded at Trans-Recording Studios, the sound quality is very good overall, with deep echo on many cuts.
The Spanish side starts out with some light pop, “Dulce Ayer” and “Mal de Amor” which is a decent cover of “Good Lovin'”. “Flamenco” is interesting, and sounds like it could be a parody. “El Indio” Sonset really cuts loose on “Tema Sonset ’67”, surely the highlight of the first side. It starts out as an instrumental akin to Thee Midniter’s “Whittier Boulevard” with slamming drums, a bass hook and tremelo guitar while the band makes various ‘jungle’ sounds. Nearly three minutes in the band segues into Everybody Needs Somebody for a verse and chorus before returning to the theme and fading out.
Dulce Ayer Mal de Amor Guantanamera Cual Tempestad (Thunderball) Flamenco Tema Sonset ’67
In my opinion, the band chose better songs to cover for the English side, and they do a fantastic version of “Turn On Your Lovelight”. The final cut “Oh! Look What You’ve Done” is the standout original on the LP.
Hold On! I’m Coming Turn on Your Lovelight Get Out of My Life, Woman A Change Is Gonna Come 99 1/2 (Ninety Nine and a Half) Oh! Look What You’ve Done
The name of the LP derives from a television show “Discoteca Pepsi” where the Sonset were regular guests. They were also in a film, the title of which i’ve seen listed as “Una mujer sin precio” and “Millionaire a Go Go”. Orlando (Orly) Vuez gave yet another title for the movie in the comments section on another band from Puerto Rico on this site, the Challenger’s:
The movie was called “Virgenes De La Nueva Ola”… I joined the band after Billy Soto left, when they were at the top of their game in 1967-68… lucky me. I saw it for the 1st time in LA television many years later… I got paid $60 for being in it, even though I was in quite a few scenes, yet I loved the chums. After me, they had one more lead guitar…
The LP was produced by Alfred D. Herger, who seems to have been something of an impresario in Puerto Rico at the time. Manny Pagán was road manager of the group. The first and last songs on the LP also were released on 45, though I believe the single version of “Oh! Look What You’ve Done” lacks the second fadeout of the LP.
The band also had an earlier 45 “The Sunsets Theme” b/w “Please Come Back” that I haven’t heard. It was released on the Teenagers Dance Show label, and produced by Ruben Perez at San Juan’s Soni-Lab Corp. studio.
Early photo of the Staunchmen with Silvertone Bobkat guitars, from left: Paul Nagle, Don Cox, George Harvey (drums), Paul Beecher (with tambourine), Barry McLean, and Doug Smith (sax)
P.B. & the Staunchmen cut this rare 45 on Lee, the same label as the Ascendors “I Won’t Be Home” in 1966. The label was located out of Hornell, New York, 40 miles south of Rochester but the band was from Dansville, another 20 miles south/southeast.
P.B. is Paul Beecher, credited along with the Staunchmen for writing both sides of the 45. Members were:
Paul Beecher – lead vocals Doug Smith – sax Paul Nagle – lead guitar Barry McLean – rhythm guitar Eric Young – organ Don Cox – rhythm and bass guitar George Harvey – drums
“Mean Willy” is a driving track with some wild guitar breaks and screams between repetitive lyrics and droning saxophone.
All the girls they can’t sympathize, They know that he goes around telling ’em lies, When he looks into their big brown eyes.
The flip, “Lost Generation”, sounds like it has roots in “Eve of Destruction” (though it actually came out earlier – see Don Cox’s comment below). The lyrics are defeatist and downright depressing, if I am reading them right:
This poor war is here to say, There’s nothing you can do to keep it away, My brother’s dead, there’s no denying, This lost generation has me cryin’. ‘Cause it’s lost, this generation, it’s gone away, It’s lost no matter what you say.
The kids are turnin’, their cards are burnin’, Trying to escape this war, The game they’ve lost and now they’ve found, It doesn’t matter anymore.
Left to right: Barry McLean, Paul Nagle, Paul Beecher, Eric Young, Don Cox, and George Harvey. Not pictured: Doug Smith. Photo courtesy of George Harvey.
Thanks to Don Cox for the lyric correction. Band photos courtesy of George Harvey, and Don Cox (top photo).
If anyone has more photos of the group, please contact me.
from left: Paul Beecher, Paul Nagle, George Harvey, Barry McLean, Don Cox, and Doug Smith. Eric Young absent.
Neil Sheppard (Producer) line up AB Michael Ship (Keyboards, Vocals) line up AB Marty Simon (Drums, Keyboards, Vocals) line up AB Danny Zimmerman (Bass) line up AB Jean Pierre Lauzon (Guitar) line up AB Barry Albert (Guitar) line up AB
Clockwise from top: Danny Zimmerman, Marty Simon, Mike Ship and Barry Albert
Neil Sheppard (real name Neil Ship) was a Brill Building songwriter who was trying to get his songs promoted with a group. Sheppard wrote all of the songs and produced Life’s lone album, released in spring 1970.In the early 1960s, Simon and Zimmerman had worked together in Montreal group, Marty Simon and The Capris and The Humdingers before forming The Scene.
Formed from the ashes of The Scene, the original line up was completed with Sheppard’s brother Michael Ship on keyboards and lead vocals, guitarist J P Lauzon (ex-Carnival Connection) and former Bartholomew Plus Three guitarist Barry Albert. Lauzon and Albert alternated lead guitar and rhythm on the band’s recordings.
The group’s debut single, a cover of The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever”, with an arrangement by Marty Simon, was a fascinating record with jazzy feel and featured Lauzon’s exquisite flamenco guitar solo. However, it did not do much chart wise (entered RPM on May 9, 1970, reached number 83 and charted for 5 weeks). Its follow up, “Hands of The Clock”, featuring Albert’s lead guitar intro, was the band’s only hit, reaching #19 on the RPM chart in August 1969, and charted for 12 weeks.
Life played at the First Montreal Bi-Cultural Pop Festival in June 1969, which was held at the Montreal Forum and featured Triangle, Robert Charlebois and headliner Steppenwolf.
The group’s lone album, which features contributions from Englishman Malcolm Tomlinson on flute from Milkwood, was recorded on four-track and then transferred to the first eight track in Canada by Andre Perry.
Towards the end of 1969, Simon left Life and moved to Los Angeles to work with a new group. The rest of the band carried on as After Life but split up in early 1970.
Simon and Lauzon reunited in Mylon Le Fevre. Simon later moved to the UK and formed Sharks with former Free bass player Andy Fraser.
Recordings 45 Strawberry Fields Forever/Come Into My Life (Polydor 540-005) 1969 45 Hands of The Clock/Ain’t I Told You Before (Polydor 540-009) 1969 45 Sweet Lovin’/Desire (Polydor 540-013) 1970 45 Needing You/Loving Time (Polydor 540-017) 1970 LP Life (Polydor 2424-001) 1970
RPM, April 14, 1969RPM, April 21, 1969RPM, May 5, 1969CFCF, April 25, 1969CFCF, May 9, 1969CFCF, July 4, 1969CFCF, July 11, 1969Life on the cover of RPM, July 14, 1969CFCF, August 8, 1969CFCF, November 7, 1969RPM, November 29, 1969
The Halfways with Michael Hadder on drums and Sharon Stacy dancingAllan Johnson & Linda Hixson on vocalsDennis Bailey on TromboneLinda Hixson on keys, Gene Thompson on guitar & vocalsGene Thompson
Michael Hadder, drums and our then sax player Ric — on maracasMichael Hadder was drummer for both the Halfways and that band’s later incarnation as the Turning Image. Together the two bands history spans nearly ten years from 1967-1976 in Manassas, Virginia. Michael sent in this history of the bands and the photos. I’d love to hear what their music sounded like, but so far no tapes have turned up.
Our beginnings were pretty humble. First day of High School in 1967, I became reacquainted with Larry Hixson who I knew from the 5th grade. He had moved out of the Manassas area for a while and had asked me to bring my drums over to his house that Friday night to jam. It was there I met Gene Thompson who was from Leesburg, Va. The next thing I knew , Larry’s step Dad and some other older gentlemen joined us and we began playing a lot of old Hank Williams songs. I thought that night was just a one shot deal, but they kept inviting me back.
I was told that on Halloween night , we would play our first gig at a Virginia radio station and then later at a night club. As it turned out, we played in front of this little old AM station on the back of a flat bed truck. It was so cold it cracked the finish on Gene’s Gibson S-G guitar. When we got to the so-called night club, it turned out to be a beer joint which was probably against the law since the 3 of us were way under 18 years old. I think I took home around $8.00 that night but it was good experience and was technically our first paying gig.
That was pretty much the end of our “Country Music” phase, as the 3 of us broke away and just started playing rock on the weekends. For the next year and a half, we would pile up our then meager equipment into Gene’s 57’ Chevy and spend our weekends playing for friends & family and all the girls that Gene and Larry had stashed away all over Virginia and it was probably the most fun time of our young lives. We bought a small PA system and actually got pretty good for just the 3 of us.
Ric on sax with Dennis Bailey on bass in backgroundIt might have ended there but then by a twist of fate, Tommy Griffith who was a well known singer in the Northern Virginia area agreed to join forces with us, and we went on to get a manager and in the summer of 1969, placed second in a Battle of the Bands, played some dances and make a local TV appearance. By this time we had added Dennis Bailey on bass, (Larry’s cousin) and Linda Hixson (Larry’s sister) and Sharon Stacy as dancers and singers. In addition, Gene was quite the electronics whiz and hooked a switch to the bass drum pedal to make colored lights go on and off in time with the music and the whole experience became quite a show. At the end of that summer Tommy informed us he was leaving and by this time we had had a taste of success, so our manager (Mr. Kay) hooked us up with Allan Johnson as our new lead singer.
After Allan joined, we went thru some personnel changes as Clay Johnson became our keyboard player, and Dennis (who also played trombone) suggested we add other horn players as well and it became quite a large group. We worked a lot. You name it: dances, high schools, talent contests, military bases, beauty contests, teen clubs, weddings, car dealerships, private parties, homecomings, proms, Lions clubs, Rotary clubs, Knights of Columbus dances, county fairs, community centers, etc. all over Virginia, Maryland & DC.
Thru another twist of fate, Allan informed us he was getting married and moving to North Carolina and Tommy Griffith rejoined as lead singer & keyboard player. By this time we were making pretty good money and had a van with our name on it and 2 roadies and continued working almost every weekend. We continued to upgrade our equipment and band uniforms which by now were tuxedos.
By spring of 1976, we played our last gig at Fauquier High School. Circumstances were such that we pursued different interests in life, and thru the rest of the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2000 & beyond, we kept in touch in various ways.
One of our gigs at the Manassas National Guard Armory was hosted by local Washington D.C. DJ legend Jack Alix(known as J.A the D.J.) The same Jack Alix who emceed the first appearances of The Beatles in Washington at the old D.C. Coliseum & D.C. (now known as RFK) Stadium. (Click here to see article)
Personnel:
Gene Thompson : lead guitar, occasional drums & vocals Larry Hixson : guitar & vocals Michael Hadder : drums, occasional guitar & vocals Tommy Griffith : lead vocals , keyboards & occasional bass Allan Johnson : lead vocals & guitar, percussion Linda Hixson : vocals, keyboards, percussion & dancer Sharon Stacy : vocals, percussion & dancer Mark Krebs : trumpet Dennis Bailey : bass, trombone, occaisonal guitar & vocals Clay Johnson : keyboards & vocals Bob Newell : trumpet Tom Tierney : sax, flute & clarinet , guitar, percussion & vocals Billy Bowden : trumpet & percussion Larry Goodman : roadie & drum tech Tommy Dever : roadie & van driver
Gene resides in Maryland, Dennis, Tommy, & Larry and myself, still reside in Virginia (although Larry & wife Kay are teaching in Indonesia till mid-2009), Linda is in Kansas City, Sharon is in Florida, Allan & Bob in North Carolina, Clay is in New York and had lived in Japan. Various members still stay in contact over 40 years later. Dennis went on to tour the U.S. with various acts which included another T.V. appearance while doing a date in Nashville and is now a full-time music teacher. Tommy and Allan also continue to make music and I still play drums on occasion.
In November, 2008, Tommy, Gene, Dennis and myself reunited to jam for the first time in 32 years. We vowed to make this an annual event & bring back other members & people we were around at the time as well.
These were special years that produced golden moments. What began as a way to meet girls on the weekends turned into a second full-time job for all of us and became extremely lucrative. For someone like me who never had a music lesson in my life to have the experience of playing drums for so long a time with such a talented group of players & musicians was incredible. When the venues we played at were packed & we fed off of the energy of the crowd, it was absolute magic I will never forget. Normally bands & band members come & go & break up, but I have been so blessed & fortunate to still stay in contact with Gene, Dennis, Larry, Tommy, Allan, Linda, Sharon & Larry Goodman after all these many years.
More information was available from Michael Hadder’s interview on 60sgaragebands.com, but that is now gone from the web.
L to R: Gene Thompson, Tommy Griffith & Michael HadderL to R, bottom row: Dennis Bailey & Billy Bowden, top row: Tommy Griffith, Michael Hadder, Tom Tierney & Gene ThompsonTommy Griffith on keys & vocals
JP Coumans of the Netherlands sent me the scans and transfers of this 45, writing: “These guys from the United States Airforce Academy cut this great garage rocker ‘Fun Girl’ with ‘girl messin’ with other guys’ and so we get ‘put the girl down’ lyrics single in 1966! Other side is more moody. On the back you can see they were ALL coming from different states! I wonder if they made more records!? Pressing done by Columbia Records!”
The band included Tom Mravak of Ossining, NY; Jerry Becker of Palmerton, PA; Dan Eikleberry of Lincoln, NE; Bill Berry of Port Aransas, TX; and Garry Meuller of Bensenville, IL. Their bass players included Mason Botts, Bill Todd of Shelby NC, and Dan Lavrich. They were students at the U.S. Airforce Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Guitarist Dan Eikleberry wrote these comments about the group:
The group was The Flameouts, a 1966 rock n roll band from the USAF Academy. Three of the band members were in the Class of ’66, one was in ’67 and two in ’68. We flew to Hollywood in a very classy VIP T-29 the Academy kept hidden at Pete Field, and made the record at Columbia Studios in Hollywood.
I played lead guitar on “I Won’t Cry”, and wrote the background vocals and harmony, also wrote the intro, the lead guitar break in the middle and figured out how we’d end this thing. I don’t recall we had an ending until we arrived in the studio and looked at each other ‘how do we end this thing? We don’t want a fade-out!’.
This side took all day in the studio. As was the common technique of the day, we did the instrumental work first, (over and over again), then put the instruments down, listened to the track (they had only 8 tracks in those days)on headphones, and did the vocals last.
Old Fender tube amps caused some buzzing problems, and they had the drummer concealed in sound-walls in the back of the room. Recording was interesting in those days. Terry Melcher (Doris Day’s son) did the mixing and producing for us.
“Fun Girl” we laid down in just the last 20 minutes or so in the studio — much easier song. Lead singer Tom Mravak wrote the song, we recorded it something less than 3 or 4 takes. Gerry Becker wrote all the harmony and background vocals on this one. He and Tom lead the band and were our lead singers for all songs. Bill Berry wrote the musical lead and guitar break in the middle and played lead guitar on “Fun Girl”, I just played rhythm guitar.
Listen for “no flies on that, Bubba!” after the lead guitar break. Gerry Becker telling Bill Berry his guitar lead was terrific! It came from a joke we heard that day — you had to be there.
“I Won’t Cry” was supposed to be the “A” (hit) side. I guess it was just too complicated, and in a minor key. The other side was much more popular. “Fun Girl” was basic simple 3-chord R n R.
The record came out June week, 1966, and sold out immediately in Colorado. The Academy then changed their mind and decided not to press any more records, lest the public complain tax payers $$ were being wasted. Cadets should be marching and studying and learning to be officers, not playing Rock ‘n’ Roll.
I wasn’t involved in the ‘business end’ of it all. I was a bit surprised when the record came out that it did NOT have “Columbia” label on it, but that “Flameouts” label instead.
Bill Todd was not really a Flameout — he was a quick replacement for the Hollywood trip in April 1966, because the usual bass player, Mason Botts, was on ‘academic probation’ and could not leave the Academy. The bass player in the photo is Dan Lavrich, who was a freshman (‘doolie’) and couldn’t get off base for much of anything, but did play bass for us now and then and was available for the photo shoot.
Mravak was killed in Feb 1971, when his F-4 Phantom crashed just short of the runway at Udorn Air Base, Thailand. Gary Mueller, drummer, was also flying F-4 aircraft at the base at the time, and I arrived in September 1971 at Udorn, to fly the RF-4C, photo recon version of the F-4 until 1973. Bill Berry last known to live in Ft. Worth, haven’t seen him since 1966 when he graduated from ‘the zoo’. Gerry Becker was last known to be flying ‘aggressor’ aircraft in air combat tactics at Hollomon Air Force Base, New Mexico, but that was 30 years ago. No idea where he is now. I just retired as a Boeing 747-400 Captain from United Airlines. Starting up a new airline in Las Vegas www.familyairlines.com.
I still play guitar now and then, but not often enough! I still have the Fender Jazzmaster I used on both these recordings (the guitar in the photo was borrowed that day because the Jazzmstr was back at Fullerton, CA Fender factory for a repaint job into candy apple red). It sounds better today than it did 46 years ago when I bought it!
Q. Were you in bands before or after the Flameouts?
Dan Eikleberry: Many. You’ll find my name a few times in the Nebraska rock bands web sites of the early 60’s, and on the Mark Dalton page (he played bass on the song 2525 by Zager & Evans many years later). I was in a band called the Chandels of Lincoln NE that became the Coachmen after I left to go to the USAF Academy.
I played in several other bands during the Academy years, as I got a job as a studio musician at Columbia Records in Hollywood, and they would send me out to fill-in as a guitar player for several notable performers of the day. Some of my recordings later became hits, but I never got any royalties from them! The music was recorded at Columbia,then the tracks were sold elsewhere or they added voices in house, we didn’t care — we were gone!
Q. Was the band part of the music scene in Colorado Springs, or just playing on base?
Dan Eikleberry: We were quite busy. We played for various Cadet parties, and public shows and night clubs around Colorado, and traveled to various places in the US to perform, mostly at USAF bases. We flew to Wash DC and recorded in a studio in the basement of the Pentagon that not many know is there. Those were for radio ads for the military. Promotional stuff. And we recorded in Colorado Springs a nice long tape of many of our songs — I had that tape until about 20 years ago when it finally disapeared in a move.
Q. Were you involved in music at Udorn?
Dan Eikleberry: They had mostly Phillipino bands come to play there.. occasionally I would hop up on the stage and whip out a tune with a borrowed guitar if they let me. That’s about all! We were too busy flying in the war!
Check out Dan’s videos featuring the songs and photos of the Flameouts on YouTube.
The Chantells came from Richmond, Virginia, where they attended Manchester High School. I love records like this but I didn’t know a thing about these guys until some comments came in below.
Their first single was the instrumental, “I Thought You Would” backed with a cool vocal original, “Who Meant The World To Me”, released in January 1965 on Century Custom 20135.
Their second single came later that year on Century Custom 20445. “I’m Leavin’ Here Today” was the slow top-side, written by Tommy Woodcock. More to my taste is the flip, “Break-Down”, a cool bluesy rocker with sax, organ and a fine guitar solo. The singer’s got the right voice for this kind of song, and the drummer really stands out. This side was written by Deets, Tom Woodcock and Long.
Rex Hawley managed the Century Custom Recording Service franchise in Richmond.
Here’s a contribution from JP Coumans, who writes:
Here’s an over-the-top-as-garage-music-should-be record: Jim Curran with the Lonely Ones – “Aren’t You Happy” – on the super obscure D-Rea records!
Probably dating from ’65 – ’66 and besides the incredible crude production it’s got great kinda “girl put me down” or is it “put the girl down” lyrics! And they definitely listened very well to “Twist and Shout”… since they took it over and changed it into their own song … with an incredible cool loud break!!!!!
This Jim Curran probably was a rich man’s son who invited the Lonely Ones to release a record together with him. While looking at Jim he’s probably some university dude who really wanted to make a record.
The B-side is something completely different … instead of “Let there be drums” it’s “Drums Send Me” … with only Jim Curran credits. Is this drum instro music? Definitely Jim hasn’t drummed before because that’s how it sounds … completely off rhythm and it sounds more like a space filler!
I’ll repeat Edward Scalzo’s comment about this release, as it gives the most information about it:
This record was recorded in 1966 in the basment of Jim Curran’s home is Rice Lake, Wisconsin. It is correct that he was a rich man’s son that wanted to make a record and asked the band to take part.
The Lonely Ones were a very popular band from Spooner, WI that played gigs all around northern Wisconsin 1965-66 and a little bit in ’67. Originally known as The Epitaphs the band loved doing Rolling Stones and the like. This song is not typical of the band. I played bass with the band ’65-66. The guys had a bit of a bad boy image, but not me. I am the young gentlemen wearing glasses upper right.
I do not have a copy but would like to have one. The flip side is Jim trying to learn to drum, it was just filler.
Original lineup of the Mike Jones Group circa 1965, from left: Earl Kimble, Bob Panetta, Mike Jones, Roger Rodier and Richard Dupuis. Photo courtesy of Louise D.
The Mike Jones Group’s “Funny Feeling” on Jet Recordsne of the very top Canadian records of the 60’s. Its origins were somewhat obscure until I heard from Bob Panetta and George Legrady in 2010 and 2011.
The A-side is a good cover of “Each and Every Day”, recorded by Manfred Mann and written by Mike Hugg. The flip, “Funny Feeling”, is something else altogether, blending a heavy fuzz riff, pounding drums, swirling organ and a first-rate vocal, with a ripping guitar solo to top it all off. It was written by the group’s bassist, Joey Campelone.
Mike Jones was an alias for Michael LaChance, a recording engineer from Montreal. I’d read that he put a studio band together with musicians from other groups for this 45, but the band was actually a working group. Roger Rodier described recording an acetate with the Mike Jones Group and traveling to New York to try for a record deal which didn’t materialize.
The original group, who recorded demos in New York that have yet to be released:
Mike Jones – lead vocals Bob Panetta – lead guitar Richard Dupuis – rhythm guitar Roger Rodier – bass Earl Kimble – drums
Later lineup:
Mike Jones – lead vocals Bob Panetta – lead guitar (replaced by Richard Lasnier) Billy Smith – rhythm guitar George Legrady – keyboards Joe Campelone – bass Earl Kimble – drums
Jet Records was run by Don Wayne Patterson and distributed by London Records. Rumor had it there is a whole LP’s worth of material in the Jet vaults, but that seems to be an exaggeration.
The Mike Jones Group, from left: Bob Panetta, George Legrady, Billy Smith, Joe Campelone, Earl Kimble and Mike Jones
Recently founding member Bob Panetta contacted me with the photos and some early history of the band:
I unearthed this rare photo of a later version of the Mike Jones Group. An old friend of the band, Louise D. had kept it in an old shoebox. From left to right: Bob Panetta lead guitar, George Legrady keyboards, Billy Smith rhythm guitar, Joe Camplone bass and vocals, Earl Kimble drums and Mike lead vocals.
When I met Mike at the St-Germain high school in Ville St-Laurent, I was already playing guitar for a few years. He was a great pop music aficionado. He had all the recent albums by Manfred Mann, The Animals, Stones, Beatles and the rest. We’d get together and learn all of the more obscure songs of these groups. We didn’t want people to tag us as a cover band.
We formed our first group The Forgotten, but it was just a garage band. I don’t think we ever played anywhere. Then we auditioned for Mel Younger who was to be our manager (he was also The Rabbles’ manager). We reformed the band with different musicians and changed our name to The Mike Jones Group with Earl Kimble on drums and Roger Rodier on bass. There was also a guy called Richard Dupuis on rhythm guitar. That’s the original band who went to New York to record a few demos.
We started at the Jail, a pretty hip little joint in the north-end of Montreal. We started getting a pretty good following of fans. As time went on we were playing bigger and bigger dance halls around Montreal. In those days there were literally hundreds of places you could play.
One of the more memorable places was the Bonaventure Curling Club in Dorval. That hall could contain thousands of people. If you were booked there, it meant that you had made it big in Montreal. There was also a place called the Hullabaloo but it’s kind of vague in my mind.
I was in the band for most of the journey and when I quit Richard Lasnier replaced me. They went on to record a single but the band broke up not long after that. I used to have a copy of the demos we recorded in New York but I lent them to some friends and never got them back.
I’ve been a musician all my life and still play to this day. In the ’60’s I played with a group called The Oven with Gary Marcus, a great guitarist and friend. We were the opening act for The Young Rascals at the Paul Sauvé arena if I recall. Then went on to backup French artists like Nicole Martin, Steve Fiset and Claire Lepage. Today I’m more into jazz & blues.
Bob Panetta
St-Germain high school in Ville St-Laurent, circa 1962. Mike Lachance (Jones) is in the second row, third from the right. Bob Panetta in the last row, fifth from the right.
Keyboardist George Legrady wrote to me with some information about the band and also his later experience with the Haunted:
The Mike Jones group in Montreal consisted of Mike Jones (Michel Lachance) on vocals, Earl Kimble on drums, Joey Campelone on bass, Ricky on lead guitar, I think Bill Smith on rhythm guitar, (he and I later played in the Haunted with Bob Bosak, Johnny Monk, Gary Marcus) and I on keyboards. I was the last to join the band in January 1966. We rehearsed in the basement of a suburban house out in north Montreal – I think Pierre Dumouchel was the name of the roadie and it was his parents’ house.
We were together for about 1.5 years and played all the time. There was a lot of youthful “lets conquer the world” energy. I was the youngest at 16 as most of the others were between 18-19 which at that time seemed to make a big difference. We played week-ends mostly french Canadian dance halls. I remember competition were “The Sinners” but then we crossed paths with the Rabble, and did see and admire the Haunted. We began with Animals songs, and moved on to Kinks, and other top music of the time. It was a great experience to be part of this group as for me, I was still in high school and it definitely gave me a boost in the “getting out into the world” scheme of things.
The group was very eager to get Don Wayne as manager.
“Funny Felling” was recorded in a Montreal studio near Cotes-des-Neiges Blvd. The song was written right near the end of the band’s existence, in fact. I played a Hammond B3 with Leslie speaker, but on gigs I normally used a Hohner keyboard and Fender amplifier. I don’t have any photos, nor have kept in touch with anyone, but I do have a tape with three other songs. We used to play at a club called the “Jail” in east end Montreal and one of the songs begins with an intro by Don Wayne…I have to find it…
Mike Jones Group stayed together from 1966 to about 1968. The band broke up because Mike got the offer to become a recording engineer at the studio where we recorded “Funny Feeling” [and] reverted back to Michel Lachance. I knew Roger Rodier but don’t remember when he was with the band. I think before I was in it. I don’t know what happened to the players.
Q. I asked Jurgen Peter of the Haunted if any members were involved in the Mike Jones Group, and he said no, but maybe he just didn’t know about it?
Jurgen does not list me at his website: http://www.thehaunted.com/ and he may have a block about keyboard players as there were others who are not listed either. I was part of the last group consisting of Johnny Monk, Joey Toplay, Gary Marcus, Bill Smith. The original mythic power of the early “1-2-5” rock band Haunted was gone. Jurgen continued to rebuild the band, and I was in the last one which was more Doors/Hendrix/LCD/hippie direction. Our lead guitarist wore a long Japanese robe and sword and went barefoot on Trois-Rivieres TV.
Jurgen did not play anymore but was the manager. He would travel with Hank Squires in front of the truck. I was also the youngest in this band. Jurgen and I had some email exchanges a few years ago about the fact I am not listed, and he was not that receptive to my request to list me as keyboard player. In fact, the exchange could have been a bit more constructive.
Q. How long did you play with the Haunted?
I think it may have been about 8-9 months. My father was pressuring me to go to college, and I had to drop around May 1969. I remember this as I chose to stop playing the night when the Haunted opened for the Who at the Forum who were on their highly successful “Tommy” tour.
Q. I’m curious as to how separate the French and English music scenes were in Montreal, and if it changed between the mid and late 60s. Did the Mike Jones Group sing only in English?
Mike Jones and also the Haunted played at a lot of French gigs. The odd thing was that the French were crazy about R & B. With the Mike Jones group at the Jail, I remember the minute we would break in-between sets Wilson Picket’s “Midnight Hour” would be received with total joy by everyone. We would make jokes about it.
Q. The flip of the Haunted’s 45 “Vapeur Mauve” was a cover of Talk Talk in French called ‘Porquoi’. I’ve read this was a different group and the Haunted were not pleased about it showing up on the b-side of their record. Any idea who the band was and why this was done?
I am playing the keyboards on “Vapeur Mauve” but there was a previous keyboardist I met who played on “Out of Time” the Rolling Stones song and some other recordings…I forget his name…nice person. Jurgen Peter was the business manager and so he was the one negotiating all of this. We were all surprised about the fact that someone else was put on the back.
George Legrady
The Mike Jones Group in Rag Pot vol. 1 no. 1, (Montreal’ s Latest Teenage Journal) Feb. 24, 1967 (click to see full cover)
Don Wayne Patterson sent to me the photo above from the cover of Rag Pot no. 1 and wrote to me:
Managed and recorded Mike Jones Group – have an album in the vault and a 45 RPM one-sided French version of “Each and Every Day”. Also put out a lot of other Garage bands on my Jet Label. Have a full album in the can from King Beezz (Edmonton). And have several master tapes of Louis McKelvey bought at a garage sale in Montreal.
Published seven issues of RagPot promoting Canadian groups … missing vol. 1 no. 3 and hope to reprint all issues (book form) along with several columns I wrote for Hollywood’s Teen Screen magazine and a small Rosemere newspaper.
Sources include: Roger Rodier’s notes in the reissue of his 1972 LP Upon Velveatur (thanks to Ivan for pointing that out). Thank you to George Legrady and Bob Panetta for their help.
The Darnells circa 1962, clockwise from top L: Tom Hahn, Mike Blattner, Bruce Wells, unknown (sax), center: Denny King (photo courtesy Bruce Wells).
These Darnells (unrelated to the ones on Gordy) began in Milwaukee as Denny & the Darnells circa 1959, with various musicians (including future Legends drummer Jim Sessody) passing through the band. The line-up that went into the Cuca studios to record the first single consisted of lead guitarist Denny King, tenor saxophonist Tom Fabre, singer Gary Lane, Bruce Wells on piano, Norm Sherian on rhythm guitar, and Jerry Sworske on drums. The A-side is their remake of Gene Vincent’s “Little Sheila”, while the instrumental flip is a Latin standard, featuring the jazz oriented sax-man Fabre.
Mike Blattner eventually replaced Sworske on drums, and singer Kim Marie was a member when they played off-night gigs at the Spa on 5th & Wisconsin in September 1962. Our Florida band, the Nightbeats, was touring through Milwaukee’s ACA agency, and they had booked us into the Spa for two weeks. We were looking for a different guitar man and King was looking for steady work, so he joined our band, putting a temporary end to the Darnells. However, five months later King and I left the Nightbeats to reform the Darnells as a trio, with bassist Tom Hahn. Hahn had already been out to Southern California with the Bonnevilles and he wanted to make another trip in order to obtain a Mexican divorce from his estranged wife. A SoCal trip sounded great to Denny and me, so in May 1963 we headed west and landed a gig for the summer at the Firehouse, a beer bar on 17th Street in Costa Mesa.
On the referral of the Nightbeats’ bass player, we connected with the Tide label in L.A. and recorded eight sides – two instrumentals and a pair of vocals by each of us. “Spooner”, the first instrumental, is an up-tempo, surfy, 12-bar blues guitar rocker. The flip is another 12-bar blues, this time a slightly jazzy mid-tempo swing. Denny King’s “She’s My Girlfriend” is teenish, while the flip has the flavor of Troy Shondell’s “This Time”. My own release is teen pop with added strings and voices. To my knowledge, Hahn’s vocals were the only cuts not released from those sessions.
We returned to Milwaukee that fall and, in January 1964, Hahn and I left to join the Cashmeres, bringing a final end to the Darnells. The Cashmeres metamorphosized into the Mojo Men (who later evolved into the Portraits with releases on Sidewalk). Hahn left the Mojo Men and did some work in Memphis with Ace Cannon (“Tuff,” 1962) before leaving the music business and settling in Michigan. After doing some club work with country singer Johnny Carver, Denny King returned to California and teamed up with the Canadian Beadles (sic), whom we had previously met in Ishpeming, Michigan. That combination recorded one single for Tide as the Mojo Men, but they had no connection with the Milwaukee Mojo Men. (It seems that Tide Records, having had their only national chart appearance with Larry Bright’s “Mojo Workout” in 1960, tried to capitalize on the “Mojo” name in every possible way).
After his solo recording for Specialty in 1972, King moved to the Sacramento area and formed a booking agency. He later imported medical supplies from Korea and had other business involvements before he died in 2000; Mike Blattner died in 2004. Gary Lane had gone on to work with the Mad Lads and the Saints Five, and later owned a club in Milwaukee. Besides the Darnells, Jerry Sworske had drummed with several other Milwaukee bands, including the Noblemen and Junior & the Classics. He later became a police officer. Tom Fabre moved to Los Angeles and continued in music until his death in 2007. Kim Marie has organized frequent oldies shows in Milwaukee since 2000. This writer has lived in the greater L.A. area since 1965, played full-time until 1982, and part-time since then.
Darnells releases:
Sara 1055: Little Sheila/Besame Mucho, 11/61 Tide 1090: Spooner/Sleepy, 9/63
Related:
Tide 1091: She’s My Girlfriend/Long Lonely Night (Denny King), /63 Edit 2005: Poor Little Baby/If (You’d Only Be Mine) (Gary Myers), 11/63 Tide 2000: Surfin’ Fat Man/Paula (Mojo Men), 2/64 Tide 2001: Mojo Workout/I Got A Woman (Tommy Hahn & the Mojo Men), 5/64 Specialty 726: Bessie Mae/Go Down Moses (Denny King), /72 Specialty LP 5003: Evil Wind Is Blowing (Denny King), /72
Gary E. Myers is author of two histories of Wisconsin music of the 50’s & 60’s, “Do You Hear That Beat” and “On That Wisconsin Beat”, as well as two instructional books, “Understanding and Using Chords and Chord Progressions” and “Understanding and Using Scales and Modes”. Check Gary’s website for more information.
Darnells in Appleton: Tom Hahn, Gary Myers, Denny KingDarnells 1963: Tom Hahn, Gary Myers, Denny King
The Yorkshire Puddin, from left: R. Ponce de Leon, Danny Jolin, Bob Heinich, and Bob Cotherin
The Yorkshire Puddin cut two 45s on Dellwood Records in ’67 and ’68. Their first 45 is the fine “Good Night Day” backed with “Ain’t Gonna Love Ya No More”. They updated their sound for the second release, “Keep Me In Mind”.
“Keep Me in Mind”, like both sides of their first 45 were written by Cotharin – De Leon and produced by Woody Gardella. “Black Jacket Woman”, the flip of “Keep Me in Mind”, is the same moody pop number also done by the Zone V and the Tropics (the original?). I hear a female voice on the harmonies on this song only.
Dellwood was based in first Hackensack then nearby Saddle Brook, New Jersey.
Rhythm guitarist and vocalist Frank DePauw left a detailed comment about the band below, that I’ll repeat here:
Bob Cotharin, left hand Hofner bass player, and head singer and spokesman of the group. Reynold Ponce De Leon, keyboards, (harpsichord), rhythm guitar, and harmonies. Robert Heinick, lead guitar, and vocalist. Gail Koennemann did some backup singing, and wed Bob Cotharin in ’69 or ’70. No longer together. Daniel Jollen, drummer, drafted into the Army in the summer of ’68 Frank DePauw, second guitar, harmonies, backup keyboards, and in spare time, light show producer.
The group was the “house band” for the “Castaway” in Hampton Bay, Long Island, N.Y. in the summer of “68, when the drummer was drafted. A mad search went out, but no one could fill Dan’s job, and the group, after trying to get the “sound” back, broke up.
The photo of the group gives Danny Jollen’s name as Danny Jolin, I’m not sure which is correct. Also it’s hard to read the hand writing, but is it Bob Heinick or Bob Heinich? The photo also has what may be a manager’s name, George Appleyard, as well as a second address for Dellwood at 10 Banta Place in Hackensack.
Can anyone fill in more history on how they came to record for Dellwood and play at the Castaway?
Thanks once again to JP Coumans for the scan of “Keep Me in Mind” and transfer of “Black Jacket Woman”.
Special thank you to Harvey Kornbluth for sending the photo of the group.
Back of 8 x 12 glossy photo of the band with Dellwood Music info
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 Sonset were a major group in Puerto Rico during the mid-60’s. Their ’67 LP Discoteca has some real surprises. At the time of the LP, members were:
P.B. & the Staunchmen cut this rare 45 on Lee, the same label as the Ascendors “I Won’t Be Home” in 1966. The label was located out of Hornell, New York, 40 miles south of Rochester but the band was from Dansville, another 20 miles south/southeast.
JP Coumans of the Netherlands sent me the scans and transfers of this 45, writing: “These guys from the United States Airforce Academy cut this great garage rocker ‘Fun Girl’ with ‘girl messin’ with other guys’ and so we get ‘put the girl down’ lyrics single in 1966! Other side is more moody. On the back you can see they were ALL coming from different states! I wonder if they made more records!? Pressing done by Columbia Records!”
The Chantells came from Richmond, Virginia, where they attended Manchester High School. I love records like this but I didn’t know a thing about these guys until some comments came in below.
Here’s a contribution from JP Coumans, who writes:
The Mike Jones Group’s “Funny Feeling” on Jet Recordsne of the very top Canadian records of the 60’s. Its origins were somewhat obscure until I heard from Bob Panetta and George Legrady in 2010 and 2011.
The Yorkshire Puddin cut two 45s on Dellwood Records in ’67 and ’68. Their first 45 is the fine “Good Night Day” backed with “Ain’t Gonna Love Ya No More”. They updated their sound for the second release, “Keep Me In Mind”.
