Categories: Custom, International Artists, Texas, Tyler

Billy McKnight & The Plus 4

May 22, 2007 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

Out of Tyler, Texas come Billy McKnight & The Plus 4 on the Custom label. “You’re Doin’ Me Wrong” is a fine Yardbirds-influenced punker, the drumming is especially fluid. An odd feature is the way the song fades out twice, each time coming back with a shrill keyboard note.

“Time Wasted” is almost country in its sound. I don’t know who else was in the band; Larry Graham did the arranging.

Both songs were written by McKnight and Curtis Kirk, who ran Custom and also owned Tyler Publishing. It seems he was the type of publisher who had his name added onto every song released on his label. Kirk had been a country singer in the ’50s (info on his first session here), most notably cutting “I Can’t Take It With Me”.

“Unlike Robin [Hood Brians], who began in the living room and moved to the back yard, Curtis started in his garage and stayed there!” – from a feature on Tyler studios in Billboard’s Sept. 8, 1973 issue.

This was the first garage 45 released on Kirk’s own Custom Records, which usually released country or gospel 45s. After the Billy McKnight 45, Custom released a killer by the Reddlemen , “I’m Gonna Get in that Girl’s Mind” and a very good one by the Brym-Stonz Ltd.

Billy released a 45 on International Artists the following year as Billy Wade McKnight, “Trouble’s Comin’ On” / “I Need Your Lovin'”, both McKnight originals. These are lighter pop sides, verging on country music, and were produced by Curtis Kirk and Steve Wright, and arranged by Larry Graham.

In 1970 he cut another single as Billy Wade McKnight on Congress, “Stacey” / “Mary Anne”, produced by Tommy Cogbill, but I haven’t heard this yet.

Categories: Dynamic Sound, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Ethics and the Invasion

May 22, 2007 Chris Bishop 14 Comments

The Ethics took part in the Milwaukee Sentinel Rock’n’Roll Revue on December 30, 1965, their version of “Down the Road Apiece” preserved on a lo-fi LP of the event that I haven’t heard.

In 1966 they released “(A Whole Lot Of) Confusion”, featuring a tough rhythm with guitar and vocals to match. The flip, “Out Of My Mind” is a folky-pop number written by the band.

This was their only 45 as the Ethics before changing their name to the Invasion in 1967. “The Invasion Is Coming” was a catchy start. This song was also done as “The Invaders Are Coming” by the Young Savages on the same label (Dynamic Sound 2006), but I prefer the vocals on the Invasion’s version.

The lineup at this point included Don Gruender guitar, Mark Miller bass, Gene Peranich keyboards and Mike Jablonski drums. Later on members would include Bob McKenna and Tony Menotti on guitar, P.T. Pedersen and Gary Frey on bass, Rick Cier keyboards and Bruce Cole on drums.

Wailing farfisa, fuzz guitar: their last 45 “Do You Like What You See?” gets all the elements right. It’s also the rarest of these three by far! Gene Peranich and Mike Jablonski wrote this song, unlike much of their other material.

Lennie LaCour (aka Lenny LaCour) was their producer, publisher and principal songwriter. LaCour was born in Louisiana and had a half dozen rockabilly releases on Academy and his own Lucky Four label before going into production. Besides Dynamic Sound, he was also running Magic Touch, known more for soul music.

The Ethics – (A Whole Lot Of) Confusion / Out Of My Mind (Dynamic Sound 2001)
The Invasion – The Invasion Is Coming / I Want To Thank You (Dynamic Sound 2004)
The Invasion – Do You Like What You See? /The Wind Keeps On Blowing (Dynamic Sound 2009)

Categories: England, Liberty, Liverpool

Tommy Quickly

May 20, 2007 Chris Bishop 11 Comments

This is a US promo copy of a 1964 British 45 by Tommy Quickly, real name Thomas Quigley, a Liverpool pop singer managed by Brian Epstein.

“You Might As Well Forget Him” is a very pretty ballad writtten by Tommy Roe for the soul group the Tams, whose original version did well in the UK. The b-side is a lesser pop number called “It’s As Simple As That”.

One reason I’m posting this is because this song was covered by one of my favorite Australian groups, M.P.D. Ltd. as the b-side to their last 45. They learned it from Quickly when they toured Australia together opening for the Dave Clark Five.

Quickly was apparently a naive youngster who preferred singing rock ‘n roll to pop. His early 45s missed the charts even when he was singing a Lennon-McCartney castoff, and his career was over by the end of 1965.

A remembrance by one of his managers is archived here.

Article from KRLA Beat magazine, November 21, 1964

Categories: Houston, Pasadena, Shane, Texas, Unknown

The Actioneers “It’s You” on Shane

May 17, 2007 Chris Bishop 4 Comments

The Actioneers recorded these two songs in just two hours on November 15, 1965 at Huey Meaux’s Recording Service Studios in Pasadena, Texas. You can tell they went straight from the garage or rec room into the studio, this 45 is about as unpolished as garage gets.

“It’s You” is a great fast rocker, with a repetitive guitar line. I think it’s amazing that there’s no bridge or break, or change of chords for the chorus! The band gets the riff down and stays with it to the finish. The drum kit might be nothing more than a tom tom and a snare!

“No One Wants Me” is also simple, but has a tom tom and tambourine break. I’ll bet they didn’t do many takes of this one!

Both sides were written by Ray Gilburn. The band was probably from Houston, but they were pretty much unknown until boxes of unplayed copies of their 45 were found in Huey Meaux’s studio.

I did find a couple mentions of them in the Baytown Sun from 1965, but no lists of band members.

The only other 45 I know about on the Shane label was by the Eccentrics – “Baby I Need You” / “She’s Ugly” on Shane 60, both songs written by L.J. Swift.

Categories: April, Daytona Beach, Florida

The 2/3rds

May 15, 2007 Chris Bishop 20 Comments

From Daytona Beach, the 2/3rds recorded this one 45 at Quimby’s studio in nearby Ormond Beach, and released it on the April label in early 1967. At the time of this recording, the band included Gene McCormick on vocals and tenor sax and organ, Phil (PJ) Jones on drums, Ralph Citrullo bass and Allen Dresser lead guitar.

“2/3 Baby” is a moody complaint with a fine chorus, written by McCormick. It was backed with a bluesy ballad, “All Cried Out” written by Pete Carr. Members of the band eventually became the Third Condition, releasing two 45s on the Sundi label in 1970, one of which got some airplay, “Monday in May” about the Kent State tragedy. (The song was bounced off the airwaves by CSN&Y’s “Ohio”).

After Gene left the band to join Jam Factory in New York, the band moved to Tallahassee to attend FSU. Later members included several who had been in another Daytona group, the Hungri I’s: Neil Haney vocals, as well as Max Eason on drums from Tallahassee. The band was named Rock Garden for a brief time (Neil Haney, Allen Dresser, Ralph Citrullo, Max Easom and Chris Drake) then became Duck (Chris Drake, Allen Dresser, Rick Levy and Max Easom – later Benny Jones replaced Rick Levy and Don Langston replaced Max Easom).

(Text corrected according to Allen Dresser’s comment below).

Categories: Manhattan, New York, New York City, Sanders Recording Studios, Unknown

Mystery Jazz Acetate from Sanders Recording Studio on W. 48th St.

May 11, 2007 Chris Bishop 5 Comments

This is an unidentified 12″ Sanders Recording Studios acetate featuring a somewhat free jazz ensemble whose sound and instrumentation remind me of Sun Ra or Mingus. I’m hoping some listener will be able to help me identify the artist. If you have any friends who are into this kind of jazz, please have them give these samples a listen.

Neither side has any information on it other than the printed label with the studio’s address and phone number, at 167 West 48th St., off Times Square in New York City. I would guess this dates to about 1961 or 1962.

It’s a very low fidelity recording, but I think the music is interesting enough to make a listen worthwhile. It’s noir, well-composed but not totally straight either. Track 13 may be the most polished composition on the acetate, so you may want to start with that first.

Someone commented the trombone sounded like Bob Brookmeyer, though I didn’t hear it.

Track 4
Track 5
Track 9
Track 12
Track 13

Categories: MTA Records, New York, Unknown

The Forsaken

May 11, 2007 Chris Bishop 4 Comments

Forsaken MTA 45 She's Alright For the most part, the MTA label (Music – Talent – Artistry!) signed California bands, but there were a few east coast groups on MTA as well. The Forsaken put out two singles on MTA in the second half of 1966. I have no idea where the Forsaken came from or who was in the band, but I suspect they were from the New York area. Ted Varnick is listed as songwriter and producer on all their sides; he also produced and wrote songs for the the Descendants.

“She’s Alright” is an uptempo pop number, where the singer is defending his painted-up, long-haired girlfriend from slander. The flip, “Babe”, is pretty good despite a dirge-like tempo.

I haven’t heard the Forsaken’s second single on MTA 111, “Frantic” / “Gotta Get Movin'”. It also has Varnick’s name in the credits and Varona Music, BMI as publisher.

Categories: Memphis, Nat, Tennessee

Tommy Burk and the Counts

May 11, 2007 Chris Bishop 30 Comments

Tommy Burk and the Counts were a big local act in Memphis, every kid in the city would have seen them live or have known about them.

They had a career that spanned early ’60s vocal pop to garage. Members included Tommy Burk on vocals, Wayne Thompson guitar, Mike Stoker bass, Thomas Boggs on drums, John Greer, Steve O’Keefe and Dan Morelock.

They had about ten 45s on various labels, including a local hit with a garage-styled version of “Stormy Weather” and “Without Me” backed with a version of “Maggie’s Farm” on Southern Artists 2026. They are also supposed to be the group behind A. Jacks & The Cleansers “Stronger Than Dirt” on Clean 110. I hope to feature more of these eventually, but right now here’s “Counted Out”, a rocking instrumental from ’62, and the b-side to their very first 45, the doo-wop styled “You’ll Feel It Too”.

Categories: Renay, Tennessee, Union City

The Jades

May 10, 2007 Chris Bishop 6 Comments

From Union City, Tennessee, close to the Kentucky border, this band recorded an early 45 as the Viscounts with Sherrill Parks Sr. handling vocals on ’50s rockers, while his son Sherrill Jr. played sax.

They reformed without Sherrill Sr. as the Jades: Sherrill Parks Jr. on vocals, Jim Hutchcraft guitar, Terry Hailey keyboards, Horace Phoebus bass and Ray Dement on drums. The Jades recorded two 45s for the Memphis label Renay. The first is a rockin’ cover of “I Ain’t Got You” with saxophone but no fuzz guitar backed with an instumental called “Rough House”. I hope to track this one down soon.

The second is a fine original, “When Shadows Fall”, as up-to-date a sound as you could wish for in 1966. Jim Hutchcraft’s great tremolo fuzz sound and Terry Hailey’s organ lay the basis while the drums and vocals syncopate, and the band takes off nicely during the chorus. Very different is the flip, a much older-styled instrumental, “Blue Nocturne”, probably something they had to play at local dances.

Anyone have a photo of the group?

Categories: Beaumont, Big Beat, Texas

The Kidds

May 9, 2007 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

I know little about this group. Their one 45 was produced by Tommy Bee, who had been based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, while the Big Beat label shows a Greenville, Mississippi address at 617 Nelson St.

The band actually came from Beaumont, Texas, Kelly High School to be exact. Their guitarist Joey Patrizi commented below. John Schmidt played bass, to be replaced by Glen Moyer.

A good rocker, “Straighten Up And Fly Right” was written by Bryan and Brown. On the flip there’s a ballad, “See What My Love Means”. This 45 is not rare and can be picked up cheaply.

Garage Hangover