Categories: Briarcliff Manor, Bronx, Eastchester, New York, New York City, Ossining, Pelham, Pleasantville, Portchester, Ren-Vell, Valhalla, Westchester, White Plains, Yonkers

Ren-Vell Records Battle of the Bands

February 12, 2008 Chris Bishop 27 Comments

This is a classic garage LP, even though it’s a real mixed-bag of styles and quality. All the bands culled from Westchester County and the northern Bronx. Judging from the songs the bands cover it probably dates to sometime in 1967. A note on the back cover says the label auditioned over 100 groups. Jimmy Carpenito of the Mystics tells me Renvell’s studio was next to Gun Town on Central Ave in White Plains.

I thought it was likely Ren-Vell advertised for bands then asked them to put up some dollars to get their cut on the album. However, since first posting about this record, a sibling of one of the members of “The” wrote to me: “there definitely was a Battle of the Bands in Westchester County to compete for participation in the album. The guys didn’t pay to have their song on the album.”

The best original song on the record is undoubtedly the Traits’ “High on a Cloud”, an antisocial ode to chemical escape written by their singer, Mike Carroll.

I got a nickel bag, my eyes are drooping, they’re starting to sag
Since you left me girl, well I think that life is a drag
I’ll show you girl that you can’t keep on running around
Because I’m high on a cloud and I ain’t never coming down

Well you left me girl, with two feet down on the ground
I’ll show you girl that you can’t keep on running around
I’ll get me a bag and I’ll show you just what I can do
I’ll get so high I’ll wave goodbye to you

Cause I’m high on a cloud, high on a cloud,
High on a cloud, and I ain’t comin’ down no more

With lyrics like those, it would be no wonder that Ren Vell buried it at the end of the second side, but the band said they chose to be last on the album. I wonder how many listeners made it all the way through the LP! About the time this album was cut, the Traits appeared on Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour (taped at CBS studios on Broadway – sponsored by Geritol!) doing Paul Revere & the Raiders’ “Just Like Me”. Mack introduces them as “high school students and a machinist from Pelham, NY!” In 1969, they recorded “Nobody Loves the Hulk”, an interesting attempt to capitalize on the Marvel Comics hero that I’ll feature soon.

The other great original is the Henchmen’s “Say,” written by their guitarist and vocalist John Wallin. The drummer bashes away behind a leaden fuzz riff, segueing to a relatively complex bridge. Andy Porter lays down a good, crude solo, with nice tremolo at the end.

The Henchmen also cut a number of demos at Bruno-Dean Recording Studios in New Rochelle and at United Recording including “Strangers”, “Jack of All Trades”, “Walk With Me Baby”, “Sad Clown” and “Stepping Stone”. Hear some of these on the new comp “I’ve Had Enough!” on Norton.

Of the cover songs, my favorite is “Respect” by “The”, followed by the Gyration’s take on “Stepping Stone” and the Night Rider’s version of “Jenny Take a Ride”.

Raunch’s version of “Hungry” is good, but my copy has a skip in it. Their bassist Frank Taxiera told me, “Joe Renda asked us to submit a song from about fifteen that we recorded at his studio between ’66 and ’67.” I’ve since posted more on Raunch here.

As for the rest, there are a couple light pop numbers, like “Lolly Pop Train” by the Mystics and “The Glass Toy” by the Reptiles, but they’re not bad. The most out of touch with the times is “Angel Baby” by the Vectors of the Bronx, where Carol Pecchio’s fine vocal performance is buried in echo behind the drums and bass. Some of the covers are unremarkable, but the Orphans out-of-tune vocals on the Byrds’ “Feel a Whole Lot Better” dooms that cut despite good instrumental playing.

I spent far too much time typing out the credits in the interests of ah, history. What follows is a complete list of songs and band members on the album, and links to a few of the better songs.

A1. Hungry – Raunch, from Ossining and Briarcliff Manor

Sandy Katz – rhythm guitar & vocal
Jay Manning – lead guitar
Frank Taxiera – bass
Tom Walker – drums

A2. Jenny Take a Ride – The Night Riders, Portchester

Henry Lopez – lead guitar
Cheno Lopez – guitar
Dominick Gabrieli – rhythm guitar
Tony Ojeda – bass
Mike Lopez – drums

A3. Angel Baby – The Vectors, Bronx

Louie Glattino – drums
Ronnie Salotto – organ
Doug LoPresti guitar
Charlie Pecchio – guitar
Carol Pecchio – vocal

A4. Out of Sight – The Night Crawlers, White Plains

Geof. Greenburg – drums
Bob Bloomfield – guitar & vocal
Gary Kemp – guitar
Rodge Altman – bass
Otis Moore – vocals

A5. The Glass Toy – The Reptiles, Ossining

Mark Worthy – guitar & vocal
Ron Macera – drums
Paul Slavin – bass
Steve Worthy – guitar & vocal

A6. Say – The Henchmen, Pleasantville

Ray Greene – organ
Jimmy Porter – drums
Mark Zvonkovic – bass
Andy Porter – guitar
John Wallin – guitar, vocal

B1. (I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone – The Gyrations, Yonkers

John Soares, 3rd. – guitar, vocal
Ronnie Christmann – bass
John Karlsson – guitar
Nick Vitulli – organ
Robert Karlsson – drums

B2. Lolly Pop Train – Tne Mystics, Valhalla or White Plains

Jimmy Carpenito – vocal & guitar
Charlie Sinerate – guitar
Dan Liberati – bass
Mike Mruz – drums
Bob Fresta – organ

B3. Didn’t Want to Have to Do It – The Hangmen, Eastchester

Joe Montclare – vocals
Art Sammartino – Cordavox
Jim Miranti – drums, John Bruno – bass
Joe Manganiello – guitar

B4. Respect – “The”, Yonkers

Richard Kudelka – bass
Sal Del Bene – drums
Bill Connors – guitar
Bob Kolachik – vocal & guitar
Frank Longo – organ

B5. Feel a Whole Lot Better – The Orphans, White Plains

Vinny Leonardis – guitar & vocals
Joe Gangemi – bass & vocal
Mike Saland – guitar and vocal
Ricky Pelpzman – drums

B6. High On A Cloud – The Traits, Pelham

Don Chicherchia – guitar (I believe Dom Chicerchia is correct)
Bob Creaturo – guitar
Mike Carrol – vocal
Bobby Williams – drums
Jim Klieforth – organ

Recording engineer: Ernie Rivellino
A&R: Joe Renda
Supervision: Pete Iarussi
Renda-Rivell Studios 317 Central Ave, White Plains

There are also at least two singles on Ren-Vell, best of which may be the Mystics (covered here):

RV-318 The Sherwoods – Third Summer (That I Loved You) (by Joe Lanza) / Lonely for You, supervised by Ken Luttman.

RV-320 The Mystics – This Is What I Was Made For / Ride My Pony (Come) – not the Lee Dorsey song but an original by James Carpenito and B. Fresta

Updates:

Since writing this I’ve heard from Vinnie Leonardis of the Orphans:

I was the founder of the Orphans out of White Plains High School. We played school dances around 1965 tru 1967.
How did we get on the album? Joe Renda belonged to the same church. He had a band that played for one of the church dinner dances. They played for the older crowd. They let the Orphans get up a play a few songs for the teenagers. As I remember it about three seconds into the first song, the priest ran up to the stage waving his arms frantically to TURN THAT NOISE DOWN! Well, we got tru it. At the end of the night Joe told us about the album he was making and were we interested in being on it. Of course we gladly accepted. Thanks to father Julius for letting us finish the set.
Not sure how that song got picked for the album. We surely had better songs than that. And YES the vocals on our cut of the album were humorous.
There actually was a battle of the bands around the time that album was cut. I still have the third place plaque. I think Jimmie Carps Mystics took first place.
Unfortunately the other three members of the band have all passed on. I still have my 1964 Rickenbacker guitar that I use on gigs once in a while but nothing can replace the excitement of that era.

Doug LoPresti wrote to me with some info about the Vectors:

Although we were billed as being from the Bronx, I and three others were from Yonkers! And White Plains was part of the community of interest. I was guitar with Ron Salotto on keyboard for many years. We hooked up with Carol and Charlie and Louie later. We were a classic garage band … Louie’s basement! We called it the “Cellarino” Geez! I’m sorry we got such bad reviews for that recording! That version of “Angel Baby” was a huge hit wherever we played. It was Carol in person that made it so … without seeing her, it loses impact!
We continued through the 70’s as an active group, switched to the wedding scene as everyone did. By the 80s we all had kids and not enough time to continue. I reconnected with Carol about ten years ago, she’s in North Carolina now. I’m still friends with Ron (keyboard) but can’t find Louie. Actually there were many times when we couldn’t find him then either!

Thanks to Rockin’ Rex for info on the Ren-Vell 45s and Raunch single.

Joe Renda of Ren-Vell correction: Ernie Rivellino tells me this is not Joe Renda or Ren-Vell Studio

Categories: Louisiana, New Orleans, U-doe

The Better Half Dozen – “I Could Have Loved Her” / “I’m Gonna Leave You” on U-Doe

February 10, 2008 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

“Kaiser” Frank Maier – anyone have a photo of the entire group?

A young Ed McNamara learned to play guitar when his family moved to Holland for a time, having no American TV to distract him. After returning to New Orleans, in 1965 he and bassist John D’Antoni were playing a set of surf instrumentals at a sweet sixteen party when they met vocalist Steve Sklamba, lead guitarist Mike “Mange” Mangiapane and keyboard player Frank Maier. Together they formed the Avantis, soon finding Tommy Hartdegen to play drums.

Since Frank couldn’t play with the group full-time due to high school commitments, Ted Genter joined on Farfisa. The band started rehearsing at Ted’s house on Bonnabel Street. By December of ’65, Rickey Moore replaced Tommy Hartdegen on drums. Rickey had been with the Coachmen, who later became Yesterday’s Children.

Ed describes the Better Half dozen as “a horn band without the horns!” They played live shows all over the area, including frat parties and socials, but more usually at clubs, with regular gigs at the Beaconette and at Gerald’s Key Club on St. Charles. Known for playing at extremely loud volumes, they inspired a dedicated following.

The band would buy instruments on layaway from Tippett’s Music, which allowed the band to take the instruments for the weekend, but they had to return them the following Monday until their balance was paid off. Ed played a Gibson ES 335, with Fender Dual 12″ Twin Reverb and Dual Showman amps.

Required to join the musicians’ union, one rule was ten union members had to be employed when playing the ballrooms in the big hotels. For rock bands without horn sections this was an antiquated regulation dating back to a time before amplified music. To skirt the rule, any band without a gig on a particular night would have some of its members attend another group’s live show. If a union rep showed up there’d be ten guys there able to present union cards.

Another way to make up the union numbers was to hire a second band to play during the headliner’s breaks. The Basement Wall (who Steve Sklamba considered to be one of the best groups in Louisiana at the time) hired the Better Half Dozen to play the breaks at a formal; the Better Half took the opportunity to steal the show! Ed remembers Barrie Edgar of the Basement Wall coming up to congratulate them afterwards.

In August of 1966 they met Steve Montagnet, a law student who was promoting live shows under the name Splendor Enterprises. The band had changed their name to the Forces of Evil early on, but at this point were still called the Avantis, a name out of touch with the times. According to Ed, Steve came up with the name the Better Half Dozen.

The band recorded four songs at Cosimo Matassa’s Camp Street studio, two originals that were part of their live set, and two covers. Steve Montagnet financed the session, and the group produced it with Cosimo engineering.

“I’m Gonna Leave You,” written by Steve Sklamba and Mike Mangiapane is an unrelenting two minutes of garage. “I Could Have Loved Her”, an original by Steve and Eddie, starts out slow before revving up, with fine harmonies over the driving rhythm.

The other two songs recorded at the session were covers of “Mister, You’re a Better Man Than I” and, interestingly, the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band’s “Transparent Day”, featuring the group’s harmonies. These were never released, though an acetate of the songs may exist.

The 45 was released on the U-Doe label, run by Frank Uddo, who wasn’t much older than the band. Ed estimates they pressed up maybe 500 copies, and for the most part gave them away. Except for a little play on WNOE the single received almost no radio exposure, though I’m Gonna Leave You was a popular song at their live shows.

Ted Genter played organ on the session, but eventually left the band and Frank Maier became the full-time keyboardist. In January of 1967, Rickey Moore left to join the Zoofs, recording a 45 produced by Allen Toussaint, “Get to Know Yourself” / “Not So Near”, both originals by Mike Presti. The Better Half Dozen found a new drummer, Jay Guernsbacker, but when the Zoofs fell apart soon after the single was released, they took Rickey back into the band.

In 1968 Steve Sklamba left the band during a set break. The remaining five continued as the Better Half, but pressures of work, military service and college eventually finished off the band. Mike Mangiapane and Rickey Moore went on to record with Bobby Fonseca of the Palace Guard.

When the Better Half Dozen reunited in 1991, hundreds of people showed up. There was talk of them reuniting again for a gig at Ponderosa Stomp, but that hasn’t happened yet.

I recommend checking out the excellent interviews with Rickey Moore, Frank Maier and Steve Sklamba. Additional sources include my interview with Ed McNamara from July, 2007. Photo of Frank Maier from Brown Paper Sack.

Categories: Alabama, Monroeville, Morgan

The Seeds of Time

February 7, 2008 Chris Bishop 10 Comments

Mike Lewis and Craig Weidenheimer had been playing with a largely instrumental group at their high school in Monroeville, Alabama, a town about halfway between Mobile and Montgomery. Mike was lead guitarist and Craig played bass and sang. When the older members graduated, Mike and Craig brought in friends Lee Howington (keyboards), Jim Harper (rhythm guitar and sax), and Mike McMillon (drums) and started playing Beatles-influenced rock, first as Robin and His hoods and then as the Seeds of Time.

At shows they played alongside the Rubber Band, the K-Otics, the Phaetons and the Rockin’ Gibralters. Although they gigged regularly, without a manager or and ties to promoters, the band never had a footing in radio or large club bookings. In an interview with Mike Dugo, Craig Weidenheimer spoke about live shows: “We played fraternity parties, bars (even though we were under age), and school dances but mostly we went from town to town with our record and paid the local DJ’s to play our record. To get them to do it sometimes we would go in and play live to help promote the record. It was something to get on the radio and then everyone wanted to hear live bands. So we would rent an Armory or VFW hall and put up posters that we were coming to town (like the circus) and sometimes we could get large crowds. There was not much else to do. We were referred to as The Seeds by most people, so when the band called The Seeds came out with ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’ there was some confusion. We actually played the song, so as not to disappoint.”

In 1966 they went into a studio in Montgomery usually used for recording jingles. The band cut two original songs by Mike Lewis, recording live with two vocal mics and doing about three takes for each song. The sound is primitive but each instrument can be heard, if distantly and with some distortion on the vocals. “She’s Been Travelin’ ‘Round the World” is the standout due to Mike McMillon’s quick drum beats, thumping bass playing from Craig, Mike Lewis frantically bending the guitar strings into odd note combinations, and a queasy organ sound. Shouting the lyrics in unison, the vocals drive the needles into the red and make it hard to decipher the lyrics.

The flip, “Gina” has a melancholy quality from the organ and the distant vocals that has grown on me. The next year the band recorded a second 45 at a studio in New Orleans that I haven’t heard: “Twelfth’s Night Indication” / “Shadow In My Mind”, two more originals by Mike Lewis. Other demos cut at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals have been lost. By this time they had added Mike Tatum on trumpet.

With members going to college the Seeds of Time broke up. Craig Weidenheimer and Mike McMillon had a college band called Mfinger with Jere Ellis of the Rubber Band. Mike Lewis stayed in the music business for good. After college he moved to Atlanta and formed Brick Wall, with one 45 on Capitol, “Poor Mary Has Drowned,” then joined the Devil’s Brigade (one 45 on Mainstream) and moved to LA. Dick Dodd asked him to form a band to tour as the Standells opening for the Grassroots. When that ended, the band, without Dodd evolved into Joshua (an LP on AVI). He started subbing for Nicky Hopkins in Quicksilver Messenger Service, joining the band full time in 1972. Later on he produced successful disco records and soundtracks.

Sources include: Photos and info from Mike Dugo’s interview with Craig Weidenheimer, and John Barthel’s interview with Michael Lewis.

Categories: Burlington, Canada, Columbia, Ontario, Yorkville

The 5 Rising Sons

February 7, 2008 Chris Bishop 24 Comments

5 Rising Sons Photo Burlington Central H.S. circa 1965 — The 5 Rising Sons at Burlington Central H.S. circa 1965

The 5 Rising Sons came from Burlington, Ontario. Members were:

Ron Canning lead guitar
Mike Kotur guitar
Pete Davidson organ and vocals
Dave Best on bass
Robin McMillan on drums.

Bruce Ley later joined the group on organ and bass.

“Annie Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” is the catchy pop A-side. I like the flip even more, the fine downer ballad “She Just Likes Me” was written by John Sharpe. It’s the ultimate teen complaint – I love her but … she just likes me! This was released in 1966.

They have a second on Columbia (“Land of 1,000 Dances” / “Don’t Look Away”) that I haven’t heard and another as the Willapus Wallapus on Yorkville, the interesting psychedelic pop number “To Jone”.

They played the Toronto Sound Show at Maple Leaf Gardens sponsored by CHUM in ’66 and toured with Terry Black in ’67.

The 5 Rising Sons at Canada’s largest Ford dealership on Bay Street, 1965

Drummer Robin McMillan sent photos and wrote to me about the band:

We all went to different schools in Burlington and played the Hamilton and Burlington areas for approx. one year. My dad was the sales manager of Elgin Ford on Bay Street in Toronto and he had a three day extravaganza at the dealership in Toronto for the new Mustang, hot rods, dragsters and lots of other fast cars from Ford. He hired us to play all the music in the afternoons for the Friday, Saturday and special Sunday shows as well and bought a lot of commercial time on CHUM, CFRB and all the major newspapers and included us in all the ads.
5 Rising Sons at CHUM’s Toronto Sound Show, 1966
Before you knew it there were over 30,000 people at the shows and of course to see the cars and we didn’t look back. We got bookings from all over.
With all the hype we were invited to make a couple of records which helped up quickly up the ladder from a local Burlington group to huge jobs in Toronto … the Hawks Nest, Club 888 and many others, and one of the thirteen bands CHUM picked to play at Maple Leaf Gardens.
“Annie” was in the top ten in Winnipeg, the Maritimes and CFOX in Montreal as well as CKOC, CKPC and tons more stations in Canada and played although not charted on CHUM.
Bruce joined the group the day after the Toronto Sound Show in Sept 1966. Peter on organ left to go to college in London but still kept in touch with us.
We recorded under the name of Willapuss Wallapuss just for the fun of it. Yorkville’s idea because we were a very young group and they thought it was cute I guess but it got play. “To Jone” written by Bruce Lee, who actually has done quite well writing songs for kids TV shows. Actually her name is Joan but spelled Jone don’t ask me why.

Another 45 by the Five Rising Sons on Amy (“Talk to Me Baby” / “Try to Be a Man”) is a different band, being a Shel Talmy production. The US Columbia 45 of “Candy Man” / “The Devil’s Got My Woman” by the Rising Sons is no relation to this band.

Robin McMillan and Ron Canning of the 5 Rising Sons with Mick Jagger

Update: Robin McMillan writes in to say that on Friday, August 21, 2015 the 5 Rising Sons will have a reunion for one night only. For more information check out the Facebook page for the group.

Sources: Thank you to Ivan Amirault for the sleeve scan, promo sheet and photos of the band on the van and at the Toronto Sound Show, and also for correcting the mistakes in another source, The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia. Special thanks to Robin McMillan for the photos and info about the group, and the Willapus Wallapus 45 scan and transfer.

The 5 Rising Sons at Elgin Ford on Bay Street, 1965 in foreground with glasses: Brenda Gordon from Burlington who became the successful singer Brenda Russell

5 Rising Sons article — Part of a 3 page article written in a Canada-wide Ford Magazine

CHUM Toronto Sound Show, Billboard, Octobe 15, 1967

Categories: Astron, Greece

The Hippy’s

February 5, 2008 Chris Bishop 6 Comments

I can’t find much info on this Greek band. The Hippy’s had two 45s. “Perigiali”, their first on the Astron label, is supposed to be their best. They’re actually only on one side of this record, the other is a dire pop song by some other artist.

I presume their name is derived from “hip” and not “hippies.”

Categories: Continental Recordings, Framingham MA, Cori, Rhode Island

The Balladeers

February 5, 2008 Chris Bishop 24 Comments

The Balladeers were from Woonsockett, Rhode Island. In the summer of 1965 they traveled twenty miles north to Framingham, Massachusetts to record this 45 at Continental Recording Studios. It appears to have been the first record released on studio owner Tom Flynn’s Cori label.

“Words I Want to Hear” is an original by Robert Allen, who may have been in the group. The song starts with a subdued atmosphere of just acoustic guitar, percussion and solo voice. Bass and harmonies add momentum until the cathartic moment when the guitarist breaks into the chorded solo.

“High Flying Bird” is one of those songs that bridged the transition from folk to rock, like “House of the Rising Sun” and “Hey Joe”. Written by Billy Ed Wheeler and originally recorded by Judy Henske, it was covered by many groups, including We Five, the Jefferson Airplane and the Canadian band the Plague, who do a great psychedelicized version. The Balladeers take is as excellent as any of these.

Roland ‘Skip’ Boucher wrote to me about how he built Continental Recordings with Dan Flynn and his brother John Flynn. Skip also told me about a release I hadn’t known about – the Balladeers first 45 on the one-off E.P. Scroggs label, also recorded at Continental:

We built the studio in 1962. We were just out of high school and rented space on the second floor of a building in Framingham. We made the walls out of plywood and filled them with sand to soundproof them. In the picture you can see a door, which is also plywood and filled with sand and there is a small interlock and another plywood door leading to the control room.
The Balladeers first 45, also recorded at Continental
I met the Balladeers in the spring of 1964 and that’s when we recorded “Cape Cod Here We Come” and it was released in early summer of 1964.
They were a very good group. Really national level in their talent. “Cape Cod Here We Come” was not in their usual repertoire. They normally did pieces that were similar to the Kingston Trio. They were almost too polished for the ’60’s. If they had been a little rougher, I think they would have fit better with the times. Their style was more of a late ’50’s style.
They had a great sound though and it was great to work with them in the studio, because they were so good.
Dan, John and I worked at WBZ in the summer of 1963 and 1964. In the fall of 1964 I went to work full time for Channel 38 in Boston and that reduced the amount of time that I could spend at Continental. I signed up the Harvard Lampoon to do an album that parodied folk and rock groups. They arranged for musicians from the Berkley school of music and they funded the upgrade of an 8 track recorder for us [Continental].
I also worked on the electronics, building a power supply for the main mixer, because the original one had never worked properly and Dan had been running it from a pair of 12 volt batteries. I did a number of radio and television commercials at Continental with people I knew at Boston TV and radio stations.
I also designed and laid out several of the album covers, including the Rising Storm and others, but I was not involved in the recordings anymore and Dan brought in a new partner at some point in the late sixties. I think this partner’s focus was on bands, so he may have been involved with the groups you mentioned. Later, Dan became more involved with radio station jingle packages.
Dan still has what remains of Continental at his home. He has a small studio and recording equipment and has a large collection of old master tapes. However, I did go through them a couple of years ago and they didn’t seem to go back to the early days.

“Cape Cod Here We Come” was written by J. Martone. In March 1967, the Balladeers released one additional 45 on the Seven Seas label, “Used to Be” / “Goin’ Out of My Head”, which I haven’t heard, but is considered light vocal pop.

Thank you to Skip Boucher for his help.

Categories: Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Living Legend

Gary Stites and the Birdwatchers

February 5, 2008 Chris Bishop 10 Comments

Gary Stites was a pop idol in the ’50s but is best known as the first manager of the Birdwatchers. He started the Living Legend and Legend labels, the “Legend” refering to himself, naturally!

The Birdwatchers at this point were Dave Chiodo guitar, Bobby Puccetti keys, Jim Tolliver bass, and Eddie Martinez drums and were based near Ft. Lauderdale. They had already released three 45s on the Tara label, the second and third of which list Stites as producer.

For some reason Gary decided to try his hand at singing again, with the Birdwatchers backing him up. “Real Appeal” is good uptempo ’50s-ish rock, with an uncredited girl chorus. The flip, “While I’m Gone” is kind of a poor man’s Roy Orbison. This 45 did better than any of the early Birdwatchers records, peaking at #22 on WQAM in August ’65.

In early ’66 the Birdwatchers dramatically changed their lineup and relocated to Miami. Chiodo and Tolliver left, to be replaced by Joey Murcia on guitar and Jerry Schils (formerly of the Canadian Legends) on bass. Sammy Hall, vocalist with the Mor-Loks, who were also managed by Stites early on, completed this second phase of the Birdwatchers. This lineup went on to some national success with “Girl I’ve Got News For You” and “I’m Gonna Love You Anyway”.

A year later, Tommy Strand & the Upper Hand remade “Real Appeal” for their 45 on Living Legend. Stites also reused the flip, “While I’m Gone” for the b-side of a 45 by the Legendary Street Singers (actually the Gents Five).

Sources include: Jeff Lemlich’s history of the Birdwatchers.

Categories: Marquette, Michigan, Princeton

The French Church

February 4, 2008 Chris Bishop 25 Comments

The French Church were a band from Marquette, Michigan, a small town on Lake Superior about 180 miles north of Green Bay. Members were Mike Cleary singing lead vocals, John Spratto on guitar, Gordon MacDonald on bass, and his brother Warren MacDonald on drums.

I asked John Spratto how the band was named: “A good friend of the band, Floyd Maki, suggested we name it the French Church which is what St. John’s Catholic Church in Marquette was known as amongst the old timers. We were a little rebellious and figured that might get a rise out of certain people which would bring notoriety to the band. Some people, my mother actually, didn’t care for the name at first, but it was OK after a while, didn’t cause too much consternation.”

A sign for Slapneck inspired Gordon MacDonald and John to write a song imagining life in a small community in the woods. The band paid Princeton label owner Fred Krook to release the song, recorded in a studio located in the basement of a Marquette lumber company in early 1968.

Harry Walker, he’s the milkman there,
No bills are paid, ah, he’s not well
Slapneck, come on along with me yeah,
Come on along with me,
Yeah if you want to be free
Mrs. R.J. Green, she runs a restaurant there
The tables they’re clean and the manners they’re clear
Slapneck, come on along with me,
Come on along with me,
Yeah if you want to be free

The lyrics are quaint, but the playing is ferocious. From the sliding chords that open the song, John Spratto lays down some of the heaviest distortion ever put to vinyl.

The flip is a more conventional number, Without Crying, written by MacDonald and Mike Cleary.

John Spratto: “I am all grown up now and a Managing Partner in a CPA firm. Gordon recently retired as a music teacher and his brother Warren still owns MacDonald’s Music Store in Marquette.

“We got together about 5 years ago and recorded a dozen original songs that we wrote together and individually over the last 42 years. We got together again a couple of years ago with our boys who also play and recorded another 6 original songs. They are all very good songs. (My opinion anyway). One of the ones with our boys was a remake of Slapneck 1943.”

Sources: My correspondence with John Spratto, and Steve Seymour’s blog on Upper Peninsula music, Rock n Roll Graffiti.

Categories: South Norfolk, Virginia

The Vikings (VA)

February 3, 2008 Chris Bishop 5 Comments

The Vikings started at Oscar Smith High School in South Norfolk. Members were Vernon Michael and Donnie Stowe on vocals, Eddie Swindell lead guitar, Frank Jackson rhythm guitar, Wesley Harris organ, Huey Gates bass guitar, and Don Havice drums. Mike Ruggles and Tom Burlage were in the band about a year until they went to college.

They won a Battle of the Bands in Feb. 1967 at the Ponie Teen Club on Godwin Ave, then known as the Portlock Au Go Go. They also participated in WNOR’s Battle of the Bands on Sept. 22, 1967, at the Dome in Virginia Beach, competing against the Aliens, American Shags, Beechnuts, Denis & the Times, Regents with Mel Gaines, the Sound Effects, and the Stingrays.

Although an article in the Chesapeake Post on Aug. 23, ’67 states that the band will soon be recording their first song, “Why Did You Lie,” an original by Eddie Swindell and Donnie Stowe, the band never did record. Their set list included dozens of songs, both rock and soul.

Eddie Swindell says “Donnie and Vern sang both rock and soul and harmonized together like Sam & Dave. I knew members of the Swinging Machine, Barracudas, Bill Deal and the Rhondels most of the bands in the area. Some of us are still performing. I also played in a band in the 70’s with Dickey Harrell the drummer from Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps I see him around occasionally. I have a scrap book with articles and pictures of local bands listing dates and places they were gigging.”

The Vikings reunited in 1989, and again in 2007 for a benefit concert.

1st row sitting Eddie Swindell. 2nd row left to right: Hue Gates, Mike Ruggles, Tom Burlage, Frank Jackson, Donnie Stowe.
Back row: Marty Rogers, Vern Michaels, Wes Harris.

Categories: Arkansas, Little Rock, My Records

The Romans

January 30, 2008 Chris Bishop 8 Comments

Out of Little Rock, Arkansaas, the Romans were Gary Hall lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Phil Miller lead guitar, Rocky Hestes keyboards and vocals, Charles Wycott bass, and Greg Kempner on drums.

Earl Fox began the E&M Recording studios in 1959, and started the My label in early 1966. The Romans were one of the first bands featured on the label.

“You Do Something to Me” uses one of the earliest recorded examples of phasing to create a hypnotic effect. I wonder if the phasing was intentional or if it happened by accident and the group went with it. The flip is an excellent folky ballad, “I’ll Find a Way”. This was released in a sleeve with a photo of the band in Roman legionnaire costumes in May of 1966. As far as I know it was the only 45 on My issued with a picture sleeve.

Jerry Blacklaw wrote “You Do Something to Me”, “I’ll Find a Way” and the flip of their second 45, “I Just Had to Fall (in Love)”. Jerry was a student at Central High in Little Rock who was brought in specifically to write songs for the Romans. In later years he composed religious songs.

In October of ’65 they released their second 45, choosing to do a cover of Levon and the Hawks’ “He Don’t Love You”, written by Robbie Robertson. (Did the group know Levon Helm was from Marvell, Arkansas, east of Little Rock?)

The Romans, 1966: Rocky Hestes, Charles Wycott III, Phil Miller — The Romans, 1966

In 1967 the band was moving in a soul-oriented direction, adding a two man horn section of Bob Younts on sax and Bobby Lincoln on trumpet. Richard Shook replaced Charles Wycott on bass, and Jim Matthews took over on drums for Greg Kempner. These Romans cut a third record, “Think It Over” / “You Won Your Victory”, the latter song, written by new bassist Richard Shook, sounding very much like Wilson Pickett’s “Ninety Nine and a Half”.

They soon changed their name to Merging Traffic and released their last 45 on “My, Ain’t No Need (In Me Fooling Myself)” / “Something Special”. Decca signed the band for one 45, “Bit by Bit” / “Deep in Kentucky”, which had some local chart success, notably in Connecticut and Rochester, NY.

Some members reunited for a show of Little Rock bands in 1999.

Update: I recently spoke to Rick Harrington, who gave this history of his work as manager of the Romans and another act, the Groovin’ Kind:

I was working at Tommy’s clothing store in Little Rock and managing the college men’s area. Gary Hall and Richard Shook came in the store and I stopped them to tell them I had just heard them the day before playing at Lake Nixon I believe it was. The group’s name was the Playboys. I praised their harmonies and loved the tightness of the group. They did a lot of Beatle tunes that blew me away. Like Nowhere Man … sooooooo good.
They kind of blew me off and I said hey wait a minute, I know what I’m talking about. I’m a drummer and had the first rock and roll band in Rochester, New York. The group I started out with in Rochester was the Easy Rockers and then after a couple of years I ended up with the Crazy Crickets. This was back in the mid fifties. (By the way this is why we had the success we had in Rochester with the record. I promoted it there with some friends on the radio and record stores).
Well they were losing their drummer for some reason and asked me to audition. Long story short the group broke up at my audition. I may not have been what they were looking for as I see it now.
They came back a couple of weeks later and asked me to join the group. I was elated and then they told me they wanted me as their manager and not their drummer. I took the challenge and excelled at it. They were changing some of the members and the name to the Romans.
My involvement was 24/7 with those boys. I booked all of their gigs. Set their prices high enough where those high school boys were making excellent money at the time. I drove them to their gigs in my ’65 Pontiac Catalina pulling a horse trailer converted to look like a chariot for the Romans. I even had my mother-in-law at the time design and make their roman togas for their shows.
The record deal with My Records was on a handshake really. No contract. Earl Fox and John Hannon (I believe that was his last name) were partners in the studio. We all produced everything that was recorded there by the Romans. I’m not really sure who found who. Whether someone in the band like Gary Hall or myself got the studio involved. Then again maybe Earl Fox heard the band somewhere and sought us out.
I do know that I talked Earl and John into letting me use the studio for rehearsals every day after school for about 3 hours. No charge. They were really good to us. I had them rehearsing every single day after school at E&M studios to get the show presentable enough to demand the high prices I was able to demand for them.
My car logged over 100,000 miles in one year and never left the State of Arkansas. I was somewhat older so I acted as a chaperone when we had to spend the night out of town. They were just teenagers and I was about 25 or 26 years old.
I also took them to Nashville, got them hooked up with Bobby Goldsboro’s producer at the time (Tony Moon) who suggested changing the name to the Merging Traffic because every time people got on the Interstate we would get free advertising. We had their publicity photos done in front of one of those signs.
When the Romans asked me to be their personal manager (that’s when the Beatles had Brian Epstein and all bands wanted a manager), I ended up quitting my job at Tommy’s Clothing Store and went full time managing, booking, promoting and producing. I had a great run for many years doing that. Mostly small time but a wonderful life of great music and great friends.
At first it was an exclusive thing with me and the Romans but after a couple of years and other bands always asking me to book them or manage them, I was lured by becoming so much in need. And besides that, Gary Hall’s mother wanted to manage the Romans and was squeezing me out. That ended up getting them nowhere of course.
[Later there was] the first inter-racial group in Arkansas called The Groovin’ Kind. It wasn’t easy traveling with three black guys and four whites in Arkansas. We had a hell of a time in several truck stops and restaurants. But that group was exceptional also.
Joe Mike Hammond was the lead singer and was absolutely dynamite. Andy MacMahon played a mean Hammond B3 organ with that group. I remember begging his parents to let him play on the road weekends. They gave in. He later went on to play with Jimmy Buffet, Tracy Nelson and many others in the studio and on the road. A very talented guy.
The Groovin’ Kind had three black guys singing mostly backup. They had some choreography also. They were in the Air Force out at Little Rock Air Force Base and one of them was transferred so we ended up with just two. But they were great.
I asked Tommy Riggs (Rock Robbins) the night time DJ on KAAY radio a 100,000 [actually 50,000] watt station in Little Rock to allow us to do some intro promos for him and other DJs. So all day and all night long we had promos playing for all the DJs on that station. The lyrics went like this, “Groovin’ … oh we’re the Groovin’ Kind. Groovin’ … and now it’s Rock Robbins Tiiiiiiimmmme.”
This was to the tune of Groovin’ by the Young Rascals. It was hokey but very effective in getting us some name recognition in about three or four states. So booking was no problem.
Rick Harrington, August 2009
Past Manager of the Romans/Merging Traffic
Also Manager of “The Groovin’ Kind”, “House”, “Wildwood” and “Medicine Wheel”.
http://www.RickHarringtonsArt.ning.com

Sources include: The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History, and the Little Rock Sound reunion site. Merging Traffic chart position listed at ARSA. Special thanks to Rich for the scan of the Romans 45 sleeve.For more on Arkansas bands, I highly recommend the Lost Souls compilation CD, available from the Psych of the South site, where I found the photo clipping of the Romans.

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