Nancy Sit

September 16, 2007 Steven Farram 8 Comments

Nancy Sit (aka Nancy Sit Ka Yin) was born in Hong Kong in 1950 and is today well-known in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore as an actress who has starred in many popular films and television serials since the mid 1990s. She also hosts a popular radio show in Hong Kong. Older fans may remember that Nancy begun her career as a child actress at the age of nine and appeared in many films until the 1980s, when she retired from the entertainment industry. She returned to the screen after divorcing her businessman husband, who apparently left her and their three children to go with another woman.

Others may know Nancy from her mid to late 1960s career as a singer of A Go Go music (aka Hala Hala). Four of Nancy’s songs appeared on the Girls In The Garage Oriental Special compilation album: Love Potion No. 9, Hanky Panky (both in Chinese, but presented here in English-language versions), Come Back When You Grow Up and Fever. The liner notes to that album made much of the spelling mistakes that appeared on the covers of the original records and the fact that many of the female singers did cover versions of songs originally sung by men, but did not change the lyrics to reflect the change in gender of the singer. Both of these things can be found on the records presented here, but even more so. In the printed lyrics for Love Potion No. 9 the cop Nancy kisses on Thirty-Fourth and Vine has also been made a woman! On the other hand, the printed lyrics for Hanky Panky are the original ones, with ‘a pretty little girl standing all alone’ and a boy asking can he take her home, but Nancy sings about seeing a boy and asking him to take her home, ands adds ‘I didn’t have to tell him what to do’.

Nancy covered some great songs in the 1960s and her records are a lot of fun. Her backing bands seem pretty competent for this type of music as well. On her Hala Hala A’ Go Go EP on Squirrel Records she sings Wooly Bully, Hang On Sloopy (with a great little scream near the end), Love Potion No. 9 and Shakin’ All Over. The same songs appear on a Silver Horse EP, but with a different cover. The Squirrel record is from Singapore, and I am not certain, but think the other one is from Hong Kong. On her I’m A Believer EP Nancy tackles the title track, and Hanky Panky, Hippy Hippy Shake and Pretty Flamingo. All good stuff. I also include here a song from one of Nancy’s Chinese-language EPs. The songs on this record are not A Go Go, but popular Chinese songs, although judging from the photos of Nancy on the cover they were also meant for dancing. I can’t understand what Nancy is singing about here, but I get the impression that as great as her English-language A Go Go songs are, her voice may well have been better suited to singing in Chinese.

Steve Farram

For more scans of Nancy Sit sleeves check here



	This EP (sleeve at left) contains the Chinese versions of Hanky Panky and Love Potion No. 9

	A more recent photo of Nancy

Categories: England, Germany, Vogue

John Smith and the New Sound

September 13, 2007 Chris Bishop 14 Comments

John Smith and the New Sound were a band from the UK originally, but their releases did much better in Germany and France than back home.

“Just A Loser” shows that soulful and heavy sound UK bands were getting at the time. It was written by F. Sheen. The version of “Birthday” is no improvement over the original. “Girl’s in Love” is an excellent uptempo track with horns. They have several other 45s, including “Don’t Back the Loser” and versions of “Winchester Cathedral” and “See See Rider”.

Recently John Smith himself wrote to me in 2008:

I would like to point out that the band pictured on the [sleeve above] is NOT the original “John Smith & the New Sound.” The original band frequently flew to Germany in 1966/67 where we had a hit record with “Winchester Cathedral.” We followed that up with “Snoopy vs the Red Baron”. The ‘B’ side of ‘Snoopy’ was “Send Her Home”…which was penned by John Smith. We appeared on “Beat Club” in Germany (TV Bremen), also in Hamburg, Munich & Frankfurt. My records were produced by his manager Bill Wellings. I hope this information is of some use … the reason it is so accurate is that I am the original John Smith (my real name incidently)!
I have a video of me performing “Winchester Cathedral” on ‘Beat Club’ in November 1966. Also appearing were Dave Dee & Co., David & Jonathan & a couple of others. I originally recorded “Winchester” with The New Vaudeville Band. Then Bill Wellings (my manager) created the John Smith line-up. The other [versions of] the band were formed after I went to Australia.
I did stay in music, and I started up a cabaret act on my own, sometimes using a guitarist as musical director. In 1969, I was offered a trip to Australia, as a cabaret act, so I went. I worked in Australia for many years, supporting some of the ‘greats’ such as: Guy Mitchell, Frankie Laine, Blood Sweat & Tears, Cilla Black, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Al Martino etc. I’m now 68 years of age and I live a quiet life in Devon.

Thanks to Borja for turning me on to ‘Girl’s In Love’, to John Smith for his recollections of the band, and to Bernd for the scans of the Winchester Cathedral and Don’t Back the Loser sleeves.

Categories: Planet, Planet Studios (Providence), Providence, Rhode Island, Unknown

Shawkey Se’au and the Muffins

September 13, 2007 Chris Bishop 5 Comments

Shawkey Se'au and the Muffins Planet 45 Just One More Time Shawkey Se’au and the Muffins are thought to be from Rhode Island.

They wail away on the crude and repetitive “Just One More Time”, released on the Planet label. The flip is a dense weeper by John Broughton and the Muffins called “Walk Alone”.

Publishing by Planet Studios’ company Ranford Music.

Categories: Des Moines, IGL, IGL (Iowa Great Lakes Recording), Iowa

The Second Half “Forever in Your World” on IGL

September 13, 2007 Chris Bishop 16 Comments

The Second Half were long rumored to have come from southwestern Minnesota, Jasper to be exact – if a rumor could be exact. Actually they were from Des Moines, Iowa, as I learned from Steve Acheson, who put me in touch with his brother David, the bassist for the group.

The IGL label was based out of Milford, Iowa, about two hundred miles from Des Moines. “Forever In Your World” is a really fine uptempo song, written by the band’s vocalist Deni Bell, published by Okoboji Music – Okoboji being a lakeside town in Iowa near Milford.

The flip, “Knight in Armour” is a contrived kind of pop, but the band gives a good performance. It was written by Wes McGlothlen, who turns out to be the group’s friend and manager.

Steve Acheson first gave me some info on the band:

The band was based out of Des Moines, Iowa, not Minnesota. My brother played bass in the band, and they often used to practice in our living room. I’m not sure exactly how long they were together, but it was long enough to get pretty good, and play some local venues. I am several years younger than my brother, and was extremely interested in playing drums at the time, and used to watch them practice for hours.
Their drummer had a set of Ludwig drums, with that classic “60s” color, sort of like the drums Ringo used during the Beatles’ early years. Occasionally, he’d let me play them. (Thanks Bob.) I recently talked with my brother, and between the two of us we remembered some of the details below:
The lineup at the time the record was made was:
Bob Spooner – Drums
David Acheson – Bass Guitar
Deni Bell – Lead Vocals
Dean Arnold – Rhythm Guitar
Fred Shaffer – Lead Guitar
Wes McGlothlen – Manager
When they made the record, I remember there was a lot of “buzz” around our house. They loaded all their equipment into a trailer, and hitched it behind our Mom’s ’63 Ford Falcon, and towed it off to somewhere, which I now find was IGL studios in Milford.
My recollection of the “B” side of the record is that it wasn’t that good a song. Certainly not on a par with Forever In Your World.
When I played this for my brother, he, at first, didn’t recognize it, having not heard it for 40 years. But then, the memories all started coming back.
After the band broke up, and after my brother graduated high school, he joined the Army, and ultimately ended up in Denver, CO. He doesn’t play an instrument any more. The funny thing is, I remember more about the band, and the song than my brother. Even before I found the song again, I knew the opening bass line, the basic melody and the first verse and chorus. For some reason, that stuck with me for all these years. We have no idea of the whereabouts of any of the other members.

David Acheson added:

I don’t remember many specifics about the band. Don’t even remember how I got involved with it. I do remember that I played a red Guliettin bass guitar.
Bob Spooner (drummer) and Dean Arnold (rhythm and keyboards) were out of school. Bob was married. Deni and Fred went to North High School, Fred Scheafer (lead) was a junior, Deni Bell (lead vocals) was a senior, I believe. I went to Roosevelt HS, I was a senior. Wes McGlothlen (manager) was out of school.
Our name came about because Wes and Deni wanted us to be “the second half” of the music revolution that The Beatles began. My mother was very involved … we practiced a lot in the living room of our home, and she drove us to some of our gigs. Two that I remember the best were at Fort Des Moines Roller Rink for a battle of the bands, and at a frat house on the University of Iowa campus for their homecoming. I remember many students at U of I telling us they thought we were the best band on campus that weekend. We also received a very enthusiastic reception at the battle of the bands.
Wes, and especially Deni and Dean, wrote a lot of songs, many of which were incorporated into our playlists. For the most part, the original music was very well received.
I don’t remember much about the studio work, except that the day was very long. The weeks prior to the recording date were spent in constant rehearsal on “Forever in Your World”.
I am not inclined toward music. It was hard work for me to play any instrument, so I didn’t continue my “career” after I graduated (1967). Shortly after I graduated I joined the Army and left everything with my mother. While I was in Germany I learned that she traded or sold it for a sewing machine. I was glad she did as she got much more use out of that than I ever would have with the guitar. It was quite an experience for me at the time. I wish my mother were alive …. she remembered everything, and I am sure she could have provided us with details that have been long forgotten by everyone else. I remembered a few things just talking with my brother the other night … things that I hadn’t thought of in years. When I left Des Moines I didn’t stay in touch with anyone.

Categories: California, San Rafael, Titan, York

The Front Line “I Don’t Care” and “Got Love” on York Records

September 11, 2007 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Front Line were based in San Rafael, in Marin County, California. Members included Gary Philippet on keyboards, Bill Bowen on drums, Rex Larsen, Jim Brewer and Dennis Lanigan. Philippet had been in a few earlier bands, including the Mystics and the Pullice. Bowen and Philippet were both part of Electric Train, who recorded two songs found on an acetate but not released at the time.

Front Line Cash Box, October 23, 1965 — Front Line receive notice in Cash Box, October 23, 1965

The Front Line’s first record was “I Don’t Care” backed with the explosive “Got Love”, with strong psychedelic guitar work. Both sides were written by Philippet and Lanigan. Cash Box and Billboard reviewed the single favorably on October 30, 1965.

The York label was part of Charles Greene and Brian Stone’s York/Pala production company. Greene and Stone produced Sonny and Cher, and also worked with the Daily Flash and with the Buffalo Springfield on their early sessions at Gold Star. With a distribution deal with Atco, it’s no surprise that the Front Line 45 was released in the UK on Atlantic. Green and Stone’s connections also landed the Front Line opening slots on a Sonny and Cher tour.

Front Line reviewed in Billboard Oct. 30, 1965

Front Line reviewed in Cash Box Oct. 30, 1965

Their second 45 was “Saigon Girl” / “Three Day Pass” on the Titan label, which I haven’t heard yet.

Rex Larsen wrote to me with information from the beginnings of the group:

The Front Line formally The Mystics were formed in 1961 in my freshman year of high school. We, the group were all serious about making a great band. Aside from a drummer change we played all through high school every weekend all over the san Francisco bay area. We were from San Anselmo in Marin County.
I was, at that time also working at Sherman Clay Music store in San Francisco during the summers. The store decided to open one in San Rafael right near where I lived. I managed the musical instrument department. Then the store decided to start a music school in a house they leased nearby. I was in charge of the school also giving guitar lessons. One of my students was the son of the manager of Coast Recorders in San Francisco. His father asked me if I wanted to exchange studio time for guitar lessons and of course I said yes. The Mystics recorded 3 or 4 songs there.
Then Gary Phillips and I went to Los Angeles to see if we could get a record deal. Very brave at the ripe age of 16. We decided on two places to go. Phil Specter and Green and Stone Productions. To make a long story short both wanted to sign us but we went with G&S. Several weeks after, I think, the 2nd trip down to L.A they called us and asked us if we wanted to back up Sonny and Cher and do our own set. His name was The rest is history.
I never knew about the single being a hit in England until many years later. Jim Brewer quit the group during the Sonny and Cher tour. There is more to the story for me but maybe for another time.

Late in ’66, Bowen went into an early lineup of the Sons of Champlin. Philippet, later known as Gary Phillips, joined Freedom Highway, Copperhead and Earthquake. He passed away on January 17, 2007.

Sources include the Gary Phillips tribute site www.garyphilippet.com/ – now defunct. Thank you to Rex Larsen for info on the early days of the group.

Categories: Barry, Canada, Ontario, Ottawa, Quality, Sir John A, Solfege

Don Norman and the Other Four

September 10, 2007 Chris Bishop 25 Comments

RPM, January 3, 1966 The Esquires: original members Ric Patterson and Brian Lewis out, new members include Ted Gerow, John Cassidy and Doug Orr — RPM, January 3, 1966
The Esquires: original members Ric Patterson and Brian Lewis out, new members include Ted Gerow, John Cassidy and Doug Orr

Don Norman had been playing guitar and singing in Ottawa bands since 1961, with the Continentals, the Jades and the Esquires, who cut his song “Cry Is All I Do”.

Don described his early work:

I began playing guitar in 1958 and was composing songs by late 1959. Early influences were Elvis, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. The first time I was in a professional recording studio was September 1961 and I still have the master tape. The session was for two songs that I had composed and the band was known as the Continentals.
By the year 1963 I had joined a band by the name of the Esquires, which had already released two singles in Canada for Capitol Records. I became the vocalist for this group and some months later, in the early spring of 1964, we recorded an LP for Capitol. This was followed by three more single releases including “Cry Is All I Do”. I wrote the song in 1964 and it was recorded in early 1965 and released that spring.

Don had an acrimonious break with the Esquires in the summer of ’65, leading to a lawsuit when he named his new band Don Norman and the Esquires. He gave up the Esquires name, but his departure from the band cost the original Esquires their contract with Capitol. The band he formed became Don Norman and the Other Four: Gary Comeau (who had also been in the Esquires) on lead guitar, Bill Hellman bass, Ron Greene organ and Brian Dewherst on drums. With the addition of John Matthews on sax, the Other Four were five!

Don Norman and the Other Four Barry 45 The Bounce / All of My Life

At their first session at RCA’s Hallmark Studios in Toronto, they recorded two different singles. They backed Bob Harrington on “Changes” / “Country Boy” on REO 8947X, the A-side being a Heinz cut, the flip a Phil Ochs composition. It was released as “Bob Harrington with Don Norman & the Other Four”. Bob Harrington was the original lead vocalist of the Esquires who Don had replaced in the band.

Les Demi-Douzaines - actually Don Norman & the Other Four — Les Demi-Douzaines – actually Don Norman & the Other Four

The other single without Harrington was their upbeat cover of the Olympics’ hit “The Bounce”, with Don’s original “All of My Life” on the flip. It was released on the Barry label (a subsidiary of Quality) in the summer of ’66. Despite being picked up by MGM for distribution in the U.S., Quality failed to get behind the release and let it fade.

There is also a French version on the Solfege label, “Le Bounce” / “Je T’ai Cherche”. The band listed, Les Demi-Douzaines (“The Half-Dozen”) was actually Don Norman & the Other Four under a pseudonym. Ivan Amirault wrote to me: “I have a copy of it. Funny thing with mine is it doesn’t have the same Quality number as the one shown in your site. Mine has a one hundred series number which is what the label used for their Quebec French titles.”

Dissatisfied with Quality’s promotion of the band, their manager, DJ and CJOH-TV’s Saturday Date host John Pozer started the Sir John A label with Ron Greene to back Don’s songwriting and vocal talents. Gary Comeau left after “The Bounce” to join the Townsmen.

Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A PS Low Man

Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A 45 Low Man

The band’s first 45 on Sir John A was the amazing “Low Man”, definitely one of the great moments in Canadian rock. Don recalls recording it at Stereo Sound in Montreal while the studio was still under construction! Don used a Gibson fuzz box on the bass to get that distinctive sound. “Low Man” was released in November of ’66, backed by a cover of “Mustang Sally”, and featured their new guitarist Art Kirkby.

The picture sleeve that accompanied the 45 was printed with the opening for the record on the bottom, so most copies were cut up and pasted onto plain white sleeves.

Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A 45 Your Place in My Heart

Next up was another Norman original, the fine “Your Place in My Heart”, featuring John Matthews on vocals, backed with “Trae Hymn 1”.

Their third and last 45 on Sir John A was just a pairing of the last two a-sides: the label scans I’m featuring here. Both songs were produced by Norman Greene.

Several factors have been mentioned as reasons for why this talented group didn’t make a bigger mark at the time: a disinclination of the band to tour, a lack of enthusiasm from Ottawa audiences, John Pozer’s departure to work for Variety Artists in Toronto, and the low distribution of Sir John A records.

In early 1967 the band went through a drastic line-up change, keeping Ron Greene on keyboards, but with Don moving to bass, and three members of the Bittersweet joining: John Winskell on lead guitar, Rick Paradis on vocals and Skip Layton on drums.

With a new pop sound, they recorded what was to be the band’s next single, “Nothing To Do, No Place To Go”. The band broke up without even recording a b-side, so it remained unreleased until the 1997 release of ‘Ottawa Rocks! The Sir John A Years’ compilation. Disillusioned and not seeing a future in music, Don retired from performing at the age of 23!

Sources include Erin Truscott’s interview with Don Norman in Misty Lane #15; the Sir John A site (link); Don’s own description of his career (link); and Glynis Ward and Alex Taylor’s history of the band.Special thanks to Ivan for his scans of record sleeves and promotional materials.

Don Norman and the Other Four, RPM, July 25, 1966 — RPM, July 25, 1966

"All of My Life" promoted in RPM, October 24, 1966 — “All of My Life” promoted in RPM, October 24, 1966

Categories: New York, New York City, Philips, Unknown

Quadrangle

September 9, 2007 Chris Bishop 15 Comments

The Quadrangle were a New York group, and this is their only 45, released in October of 1966.

“She’s Too Familiar” now is a classic garage song. Every element is striking: the keyboard intro, the bass line and drums, the sharp guitar parts and the fantastic vocal, with a tambourine-led chorus that brings it all together.

The b-side, “No More Time” combines a New Orleans type beat with a bit of Donovan’s Mellow Yellow vocal delivery.

I had thought they were only a studio group until I found a mention in the April 30, 1966 issue of Billboard that states “Ray West’s group the Quadrangle closed at Arthur last week and will now record under the supervision of Artie Kornfeld.” Artie Kornfeld did produce them, using the songwriting team of Michael Konstan and Jay Fishman.

Kornfeld had a lot of experience writing classic songs as half of the Changin’ Times with Steve Duboff. Their original versions of “Pied Piper” and “How Is the Air Up There” were covered with more success by other bands. Kornfeld went on to work with many other acts as producer. Michael Konstan released a solo lp on RCA in ’73. I’d like to know more about the other members of Quadrangle, though.

Categories: Alabama, Birmingham, Capitol, Casino, Dover, Ed Boutwell Studios, Malcolm Z. Dirge, Sea, Smash

The Distortions

September 9, 2007 Chris Bishop 54 Comments

From the Ensley Highlands section of Birmingham, Robert Alexander (bass), Ned Bibb (vocals and guitar), and Bobby Marlin (drums) started playing in high school in 1962, rehearsing in Robert Alexander’s basement.

In 1965-66 they backed Travis Wammack, then took the name The Distortions from his record “Distortion pt. 1”. They added Zack Zackery on keyboards, and recorded their first three 45s on Sea Records. These included an interesting Ned Bibb original, “Can You Tell”, which was backed by a slow, loopy take on “Hound Dog”; and a raging version of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Smokestack Lightning”.

The band added Eddie Rice on guitar in 1966 and switched to the Malcolm Z. Dirge label for their next release, “Thank You John”, which reached the charts on WSGN in town. On the flip they recorded a fine version of the Rascals’ oft-covered “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore”.

When their next 45, “Behind My Wall” was picked up for national distribution by Smash, they had their biggest hit, selling 10-15,000 copies according to their producer Ed Boutwell. Their penultimate 45 was a good Bill Haney original, “I Found a Girl”, with a version of “I Don’t Really Like You”, originally done by Baton-Rouge’s Canebreak Singers on Montel and written by Mike Crespo. It was produced by Haney and Richie Becker and released on Casino, a subsidiary of the Dover Records company of New Orleans.

In ’67 the Distortions added Roy Alexander on saxophone.

Distortions, Capitol promo shot, 1968: Roy Alexander, Roy Zachary, Bobby Marlin, Steve Salord, Dale Aston and George Landman — Capitol promo shot, 1968, from left: Roy Alexander, Roy Zachary, Bobby Marlin, Steve Salord, Dale Aston and George Landman

Dale Aston of the Torquays sent in the photo above and writes about his time with the band:

I played guitar with the band. Steve Salord and I had just left The Torquays and joined with The Distortions for a brief period. We recorded “Let’s Spend Some Time Together” at Boutwell Studios in Mountain Brook, AL.
As I recall Ed Boutwell had a hand in getting Capital Records to pick up “Let’s Spend Some Time Together”. The other labels were homegrown and produced by the band for local distribution only.

Their last release was a cleaned-up version of the Stone’s “Let’s Spend the Night Together”, retitled “Let’s Spend Some Time Together”. This was picked up by Capitol but didn’t sell particularly well.

Henry Lavoy took over on drums during the late 1960’s.

The band split up in 1969, but Zack Zachery and Roy Alexander played college and club shows as the Distortions into the ’70s, with Clif Payne on drums and Ed Finn.

Clif Payne sent in the photo of the group from the 1970’s as well as four unreleased songs from 1975 in a polished, commercial sound the band developed later on, something akin to the Average White Band. See Clif’s comment below for more information about that band at this time.

Roy Alexander and Bobby Marlin are now deceased.

45 releases:

Hound Dog / Can You Tell – Sea 100
Take This Ring / You Know I’m On My Way – Sea 101
Smokestack Lightning / Hot Cha – Sea 102
I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore / Thank You John – Malcolm Z. Dirge 45000
Smokestack Lightning / Behind My Wall – Malcolm Z. Dirge 45002
A Love That Loves You / Behind My Wall – Smash S-2068
I Don’t Really Like You / I Found A Girl – Casino 501
Let’s Spend Some Time Together / Gimme Some Lovin’ – Malcolm Z. Dirge 45008 and Capitol 2223

Sources: Reunion of the Sons and Daughters of the Sixties program, May 8th, 1987; Birmingham News. April 30, 1987, Birmingham Weekly, vol. 10.

Thank you to Mike Pair for loaning me the Birmingham News article, “Hair” Rally notice and Reunion program.

Categories: Alley, Arkansas, Jonesboro

The Esquires (Arkansas)

September 8, 2007 Chris Bishop 6 Comments

The Esquires formed in 1964 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, a town closer to Memphis than Little Rock. Members were Jim Grimes vocals, Rick Metzler rhythm guitar, Stanley Knight lead guitar, Rick Murray sax, Scott Snellgrove bass and Roger Barnhill drums.

As a live act they were popular at local clubs like the Cave, the Place Next Door, and the Hotel Noble as well as in Memphis, where they appeared on the Talent Party television show. They competed at battles of the bands with acts like Knowbody Else, Tommy Jay and The Escorts, the Gentrys, the Devilles, and the Guilloteens.

They recorded “Sadie’s Ways” at Alley Records’ studios in Jonesboro. It’s possible that four additional songs were cut to acetate. Alley Records also released a great 45 that I’ll feature very soon, the Newcastle Blues’s “Cotton’s Mama”/ “Walkin’ the Dog”.

The Esquires broke up in 1966. when Grimes and Rick Metzler went into the Marines.

Sources include: Mike Dugo’s interview with Scott Snellgrove. Great photo there too.

Categories: Goldust, Las Cruces, New Mexico, University Park

The Grass on Goldust Records

September 8, 2007 Chris Bishop 11 Comments

Stanley and the Grass at Las Cruces High School 1965, Lynn McIntyre, Dennis Finn, Stanley Stenner, James (Timmy) Schaefer, and JT Archer — Stanley and the Grass at Las Cruces High School cafeteria dance, Fall, 1965.
Left to right: Lynn McIntyre, Dennis Finn, Stanley Stenner, James (Timmy) Schaefer, and JT Archer.

The Grass came out of the Las Cruces, New Mexico scene that included bands like the Keymen, the Four Dimensions, the Morfomen and the Outer Limits.

In August 1966 they released their only 45. recorded at Emmit Brooks’ Goldust Recording Studio, “I’m Getting Tired” (written by Dennis Finn and Lynn McIntyre) backed with “Y’Love”.

In the lyrics of “I’m Getting Tired” the singer is having trouble finding a girl worthy of his continued attention:

There’s just one reason why the girls never hit me with a put down,
I’m cool enough to know just when to put my foot down.
They offer me their love – what can I do then but take it?
Offer me their heart – what can I do then but break it?

JT (Tim) Archer sent in the photo at top, adding “here is a pic of Stanley and the Grass before the Goldust recordings with The Grass w/ Larry Lucero. Notice two of the guys are wearing ‘belt-straps’ instead of regular guitar straps. Except me, I left mine at home.”

JT wrote more about the band in comments below:

I was the lead guitar player for The Grass. The band included myself and Lynn McIntyre (formerly of the Checkmates and The Hustlers), Dennis Finn, and Tim (James) Schaefer. We first formed with Stanley Stenner as our lead singer and thus Stanley and The Grass was born circa 1965-1966. When Stanley left, we added Larry Lucero and he was the lead singer on our Gold Dust sessions.
I played a Fender Jazzmaster; Tim Schaefer played a Strat; Lynn played a Precision Bass. We refinished them all white and used belt straps instead of regular guitar straps… How cool is that?
I grew up on the Ventures and even during The Grass days we played a few instrumentals including “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue”. The band broke up and I went to Hollywood and tried to make it with Stanley, Lynn, Dennis and other friends from LC. Great experience -tough business! After Hollywood, I still pursued music and toured in lounge bands and even worked with Link Wray in Tucson.
I recorded two solo albums: Canyon (Gold Dust 1974) and Who’s Watching (my label – see CD Baby). I am now into Jazz and R&B. I hope to someday release another album under my jazz persona – Joey Primo. I have quite a guitar collection including a Mosrite which Semi Mosely custom made for me. It’s a keeper!
I have a picture of Stanley and The Grass at a Las Cruces High Dance. I also have a few pictures of me in the Shandels at Skylanes Bowing alley in El Paso when I filled in for Bob Allinder when he was on vacation one summer. I also have a picture of The Hustlers that pre-dates the Grass.

Stanley Stenner had a 45 on the Dynasty label from the early ’60s, “Teri” b/w “Angel of Mine”, written by Stenner, Charles and Richards for Borgelin-Melissa Music, BMI, orchestra conducted by Gene Garf. It’s a pop vocal style record.

Dennis Finn added:

Stan was one of the elves [Curly, one of the Lost Boys] in Peter Pan. He was from Hollywood. His dad was the great grampa on the Munsters. He also performed in Vegas with Sammy Davis, Jr., a great singer. He went back to Hollywood, and we got Larry Lucero to be the lead singer. I wrote “Y’Love”, and Lynn and I wrote “I’m Getting Tired”. We recorded them at Emmit Smith’s Gold Dust records.
Later, Pete Hecker and John Leduc (from the Outer Limits) and Dennis Lucero (from the Shandells) and Tim Archer and me (Dennis) went to Hollywood, and played at Ciro’s for 16 weeks in the summer of ’69. It was wild and crazy, and we had long hair, but were mainly hicks from New Mexico. In 1970 we came back to New Mexico, either to go back to college, or whatever.

Goldust is still in business: for more information see their website www.goldustudios.com

If anyone has photos of other Las Cruces groups of the time, please contact me.

Garage Hangover