The Beckett Quintet, featured in KRLA Beat, October 16, 1965. L-R: Steve Nagle, Tommy Muncrief, Norm Reccius, Tim Taylor and Barry Dunkeson
A great 45 by the Beckett Quintet; the producers must have had high expectations, as hundreds of copies exist on the original Gemcor label and this was also picked up by A&M for wider release.
“No Correspondence” has been featured on plenty of compilations since its original release, but there was very little information out there on the Beckett Quintet.
Freddy Fortune sent me these clips from the amazing KRLA Beat newspaper site – a full page article on the guys! Now we know, the band consisted of:
Tommy Muncrief, vocals Tim Taylor, guitar Barry Dunkeson, guitar Norm Reccius, bass guitar Steve Nagle, drums
They were actually students at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, by the Texas border. Over a hundred miles northwest of Lubbock, it’s even further from Amarillo, Albuquerque or Santa Fe, but only fifteen minutes away from Clovis, where Norman Petty ran his studio. I wonder if they ever stepped foot in there.
Most of the article is about how the band saved to move to Hollywood, but, having been ripped off by a manager, they made the journey on a shoestring and half-starved while looking for a break. The subtitle is Cinderella Story, but the band disappeared soon after. What happened to them? What about the stacks of original material that the article talks about – any demos out there?
“No Correspondence” was written by Tim Taylor. The flip is a decent version of “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”. Production was supervised by Nick Venet, a veteran producer with Capitol and Mira who worked with the Leaves, Lothar and the Hand People, and Mad River among others. This was the third and last release on Gemcor.
As a footnote, the article gives the band’s name spelled Becket 5 or Becket Quintet, but the record lists them as Beckett Quintet. It also spells the singer name as Tommy Munirief (I also had it as Tom Munifief) but I believe it should be Tommy Muncrief.
Steve Nagle wrote to me in November 2009:
I am Steve Nagle and played drums for the Becketts (formerly the Epics out of New Mexico).
The band originally came together as the Epics when we were all students at Eastern New Mexico University starting out playing fraternity and homecoming dances. Tim was a fantastic guitar player and we decided to start a band so I asked my Mom to send out my drums from Missouri – she sent the drum cases on the Santa Fe railroad and they arrived in Clovis, New Mexico at the start of my sophomore year. I had played professionally since I was 12 years old in my hometown of St. Joe with a rock and roll band called the Teen Kings and also worked in little jazz combos and Bill Geha’s Big Swing Band.
I read your remarks about Clovis and yes we got to be friends with the one and only Norman Petty and were in awe of his connections with Buddy Holly, the Fireballs and others. He took our band to lunch once after he had just returned from London and meeting the Beatles. We recorded in his studio and he helped us prepare some demos to take to California. Our other musical mentors were Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs. They told us we were the next big group out of the Southwest. That’s when we began to lag in our college work and took the band seriously and began getting calls to play all over New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle.
The most fun and spiritual times were playing the Indian proms and homecoming dances at various pueblos and little towns in New Mexico. We would drive around to band gigs in Barry’s Chevy Nova with a rickety trailer in tow. One night after playing the Zuni Indian Homecoming we stopped and got out of the Nova to admire the clear starry night and were enchanted by a very bright shooting star flashing a long trail cross the western sky. That moment was when we made a vow to go to California right after Spring semester and make our way in the music scene which as you know was at its zenith in those days.
Promotional card sent with some copies of their Gemcor single, very rare now
We were working on a major album with A&M Records with Herb Alpert and Tommy LiPuma (following our Gemcor contract with Nick Venet) when I got my draft notice. I have some old masters.
We worked all around Southern CA but mainly the Sunset Strip and even fronted once for Dylan at a place called The Trip. We did see Bobby Fuller in California, shortly before he was murdered. We were invited to a Halloween party and Frank Zappa’s house. We saw the Lovin’ Spoonful, we played for Dick Clark, saw Big Brother and the Holding Company, Sonny and Cher, the Grassroots, et. al.
We even had a groupie who we were proud of, he had just spent time in New Mexico and returned wearing knee high moccasins, silver and turquoise jewelry, he wore a concho belt and sported long grey hair – his name was John Barrymore Jr. and he would come to our manager’s house often to listen and a few of our gigs then one day just disappeared.
After my draft notice from the Army in the Spring of ’65 the band got nervous and basically began to disperse and ended up traveling down separate roads.
After several years in government after my discharge from the Army, I went back to Hollywood and worked in a few films and TV shows and ran into Norm who was a practicing clinical psychologist, but we lost contact.
I have an occasional day dream about rounding up Tim, Barry, Norm and Tommy for a reunion and recording but they have all left only faint trails and I have not been able to make contact. I now play a lot of folk music with my Martin guitars and trying to learn the fiddle. I produced an album just last year featuring some of my original tunes, River Voices and Songs – it was a fund raiser for a local conservation organization. My drums are being used by a PhD student from Ghana at a Methodist church here in St. Louis.
The reason I’ll never forget our good year in Southern California is because we were such a close brotherhood and with that mix of Texas and New Mexican guitar work and vocals – we were unique and when we played we got goose bumps and felt deeply we had something special – if only for a brief shining moment.
Oh yes, by the way we were truly a garage band – our manager’s two car garage in Encino was where we rehearsed almost everyday.
Thanks to Steve for the information.
After the Beckett Quintet split, Tommy Muncrief wrote and sang the title song for the feature movie “Didn’t You Hear”.
Unreleased songs
I have a CD with a number of unreleased songs by the group, some taken from acetates. I believe this CD was sent to me by Steve Nagle.
1. “Tomorrow Is Going to Be Another Day” – good punky garage with harmonies 2. “Little Flower” – gentle ballad 3. “(It’s All Over Now) Baby Blue” – dub from the 45 4. “No Correspondence” – dub from the 45 5. “For You” – medium tempo pop ballad 6. “Meant to Be” – excellent garage-folk 7. “Clovis 1” – early instrumental, presumably recorded at Petty’s studio 8. “Clovis 2” – surf instrumental, again probably cut at Petty’s studio 9. “Dancing Stream” – slack key guitar solo by Shiloh Orion (later recording)
Update: I’m very sorry to report that Steve Nagle passed away on March 23rd 2022, according to a comment from his daughter, below. Steve was very helpful in filling out the story of the Beckett Quintet, I’ll miss corresponding with him.
The Galaxies IV formed at Catholic school in Trenton in 1962. Members were T.J. Tindall on guitar, Chris Holmes on guitar and vocals, Charles Brodowicz keyboards, Len Demski bass, and Alan Fowler on drums. T.J. Tindall left the band early on when his family moved to Pennington; he eventually joined the Edison Electric Band.
The first Galaxies IV 45 was “Let Me Hear You Say Yeah” / “Till Then You’ll Cry” recorded at Regent Sound studios in New York City and released on the Veep label in June of 1965.
That summer of 1965 the Galaxies IV played forty shows during at the second session of the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, including eight shows at the New Jersey Pavilion.
The band received a notice in Billboard for winning the First Annual Rock ‘n Roll Olympics on Labor Day 1965 at St. John Terrell’s Music Circus in Lambertville, NJ. It was a huge battle-of-the-bands, judged by Phil Spector and Cousin Brucie Morrow. The notice lists Charles Brody instead of Brodowicz, and says Billboard had mistakenly reported the Rubytones were the winners in a previous issue.
The Galaxies IV at the 1965 Rock ‘n Roll Olympics l to r: Chris Holmes, Alan Fowler, Charles Brodowicz and Len Demski
The Billboard notice also mentions a 45 already released on the Mohawk label, “Don’t Let Love Look Back” but I haven’t been able to confirm this exists.
The win led to features in the NY Times and Reader’s Digest (anyone have scans of those notices?).
In August of ’66 they did release a 45 on the Mohawk label, “Piccadilly Circus” / “I’m Goin’ For Myself” in August of 1966.
“Piccadilly Circus” is a version of the Rolling Stones’ “2120 South Michigan Blvd”, often covered by 60’s bands and usually retitled (other versions include Sly Stone’s “Buttermilk” and Thee Midniters “Whittier Blvd”).
“Piccadilly Circus” was picked up by RCA for national release with the Chris Holmes’ wild original “Don’t Lose Your Mind” on the flip in June of 1967.
Adding a lead vocalist, Steve Shier they changed their name to Galaxie V and then Alexander Rabbit, releasing an lp on Mercury. Afterwards, Chris Holmes took the stage name Duke Williams and led his own band throughout the ’70s.
Alan Fowler of the Galaxies IV
Photo from the Cathedral High School 1969 YearbookInformation and photo sources included Trenton Makes Music (site now defunct) and Randy Now’s Sept. 5, 2007 show which features Duke Williams and T.J. Tindall. Thank you to Alan Fowler and Esther for additional photos for this article.
The Galaxies IV in 1969, from left: Charlie Brodowicz, Steve Shier, Alan Fowler and Chris Holmes (Len Demski out of frame)The Galaxies IV, from left: Charles Brody, Len Demski, Alan Fowler, & Chris Holmes aka Duke WilliamsL-R Alan Fowler, Len Demski, Charles Brody & Chris HolmesGalaxieIs IV at the Allentown Fairgrounds with Gene Kaye of WAEB L-R Chris Holmes, Len Demski, Gene Kaye, Alan Fowler & Charles Brody
(from left) Danny Mansolino, Dave Palmer, Rick Philp, Charlie Larkey, Myke Rosa
Rewritten July, 2011 and again November, 2022
Dave Palmer (vocals) Rick Philp (guitar) Danny Mansolino (organ) Charles Larkey (bass) Michael “Myke” Rosa (drums)
The Myddle Class had three poorly-distributed 45s and little chart action, but there’s a lot more to their story.
They started as the King Bees in suburban New Jersey, in the Passaic Valley towns that border I-78 southwest of Summit. Dave Palmer and Rick Philp came from Warren Township, Myke Rosa from Berkeley Heights, Charles Larkey from Mountainside and Danny Mansolino from North Plainfield.
One account I’ve read says some of the group first got together as the Four Classics, with Danny Mansolino on vocals, Rick Philp on guitar, Myke Rosa on drums and Kurt Gabrook on bass. The band had one job at Hobby Hall, a formal dance school in Summit, where they played for classes until being fired for playing too many Rolling Stones songs.
Danny told me he played with Rick for some time before Dave Palmer joined, playing a Conn organ and doing many of the lead vocals. In any case, the King Bees had started by late 1964.
Dave Palmer and Rick Philp were students at Watchung Hills Regional High School. Danny Mansolino attended North Plainfield High School. He had started out on accordion, but joined the group because Rick wanted someone to play organ. At first Chris Irby played bass (Curt Gabrook, according to “Tales of the Myddle Class” by Todd Abramson), but when he decided to quit, drummer Myke Rosa brought in Charles Larkey, a friend of his from Governor Livingston Regional High School. Charles was only just learning the bass when he joined, but he had good stage presence and sharp clothes from his father’s store Larkey’s in Newark, which kept up on London fashions.
The King Bees live shows became legendary – one concert at Governor Livingston High in Berkeley Heights included versions of “Shout”, “She’s Not There” and an original, “It’s the Season”.
An early photo of the band, taken in Carole & Gerry’s backyard, photographer unknown Front to back: Myke Rosa, Rick Philp, Danny Mansolino, Dave Palmer and Charles Larkey
After a concert at the Berkeley Heights CYO in December of 1964 the band met New York Post columnist Al Aronowitz, who had heard about the band through his babysitter. Danny however recalls meeting Aronowitz at swim club in the New Providence area, with Bruce DeForrest.
Al became their manager, even though he hadn’t done any artist management work before. His home in Berkeley Heights became a base for the group.
Dan Mansolino:
It was my custom to record most rehearsals which took place at my home in North Plainfield. This is where the heavy organ was, first a Conn model and later a Hammond B3. The Conn organ is what you hear on “Gates of Eden,” “I Happen to Love You,” “Free As The Wind” and “It’s The Season.” Very few rehearsals occurred at the Aronowitz residence.
Aronowitz introduced them to Carole King and Gerry Goffin, the husband-and-wife song writing team who were then living in West Orange, New Jersey. Goffin and King agreed to write songs and produce the group.
Danny Mansolino told me that Barbara Rubin did film some of the Myddle Class performances, possibly at Cafe Bizarre & Night Owl, as well as taking photos during rehearsals, in a New Jersey swamp, and at a Fire Island cottage. Barbara Rubin had already made Christmas on Earth and would soon be collaborating with Andy Warhol, Dylan and Allen Ginsberg at about this time. Al Aronowitz wrote the film with the Myddle Class was titled The Suburbs of Heaven. It may not have been completed. I can’t find any mention of The Suburbs of Heaven or her filming the Myddle Class in accounts of Rubin’s career. However, many of her works haven’t been cataloged or made public yet.
A rumor of the King Bees or Myddle Class recording an album titled Soul in White Suburbia seems to be unfounded.
In the fall of ’65 the King Bees changed their name to the Myddle Class to distinguish themselves from Danny Kortchmar’s King Bees who just had a release on RCA Victor. In October, Goffin and King signed a production deal for their new label, Tomorrow, with Atlantic-Atco, expressly to release their first single with the Myddle Class.
Billboard reviewed “Free as the Wind” in December 1965: “New label, new group and new Goffin-King material has smash hit possibilities. Folk rocker is a powerhouse!” Rick Philp and Dave Palmer share writing credit with Goffin and King. Despite the promising review, I can only find evidence of the single hitting the radio charts in Albany, New York in early ’66.
The flip is a moody garage version of Dylan’s “Gates of Eden” that I think is among the best covers of Dylan ever done.
Early on the Myddle Class used Talent Masters Studio in New York.
Flyer for the Summit High show, with pitchfork photo by John Lynch from left: Dave Palmer, Charles Larkey, Myke Rosa, Danny Mansolino and Rick Philp
On December 11, 1965, the Myddle Class headlined a legendary concert at the Summit High School Auditorium with opening acts the Forty Fingers and the Velvet Underground. Al Aronowitz produced the show and booked the Velvets. In fact, it was the first time Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison billed themselves as the Velvet Underground and was also their first live show with Maureen Tucker on drums!
I’ve seen it written that Aronowitz was helping the Velvets out after they had been fired from the Cafe Wha?, but they had played at that venue much earlier in ’65. After the Summit High concert, Aronowitz did acquire a residency for the Velvets at Cafe Bizarre. He would get the Myddle Class into the Cafe Bizarre in 1966, along with the Night Owl Cafe and the Cafe Au Go Go (but not the Cafe Wha? according to Danny). Aronowitz claimed he was taping the Summit show, but someone from the Velvet Underground stole his new Wollensack tape recorder. The live tape has never surfaced, which is a shame, though all accounts say the Velvets received a very mixed reaction from the audience.
Review of the Summit High concert by Rob Norris Excerpt from “I Was a Velvetten”, reproduced from Kicks #1 with permission
The Myddle Class’s second single, “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” was a #2 hit on WPTR in Albany during the summer of ’66. The success of the single led to a couple week-long gigs at Lake George that summer. They played shows with the All Night Walkers and the Barbarians and met Lloyd Baskin, who would later sing & play piano on some Myddle Class recordings in Boston. One of their set highlights was a version of the Jimmy Hughes single, “Neighbor, Neighbor”.
“I Happen to Love You” is a driving slice of cool teenage angst: in my opinion, their best recording. It may have been one of the songs Goffin and King intended for the Monkees, but the Monkees never recorded it. A revamped version of Them without Van Morrison did an effective cover of it in late 1967.
Despite the band receiving song writing credit on the label, “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” was likely taken from the Blues Project’s “Wake Me, Shake Me”, a staple of that group’s live sets throughout 1966. The song derives from traditional spirituals going back to the early 20th Century or earlier. The Blues Project may have adapted the song from the version by the Golden Chords on the Columbia LP Introducing The Sweet Chariot, released in 1963, or from earlier versions such as the Coasters. The Blues Project recorded a demo in January ’66 and then a finished version in August that was used for their album Projections, released in November 1966. The Myddle Class beat them to first release by rushing their 45 out in June, ’66!
West coast pressing of their second 45, probably rush-pressed when the song hit on KFXM in San Bernadino in October ’66
Al Kooper stated to Lyn Nuttal, “The Blues Project let The Myddle Class open for them as a favor and in return, they stole their closing song! Nobody really even heard The Myddle Class theft in the US outside of New York City. The Blues Project’s version of “Wake Me, Shake Me” was the big version in the US and influenced a lot of young bands.” True, but for many teenagers who heard the record that summer, the Myddle Class recording will always remain THE version of the song. When this Myddle Class 45 was reissued on the Buddah label, “Al Kooper and the Blues Project” were credited for the arrangement.
The deal Goffin and King had struck with Atco to distribute Tomorrow fell apart after only three releases (two by the Myddle Class and one by Carole King, “A Road to Nowhere” / “Some of Your Lovin'”).
Goffin and King moved their distribution deal for Tomorrow to Cameo-Parkway, and their first release on a redesigned Tomorrow label was by the Bach’s Lunch, a girl group (with singer Darlene McCrea of the Cookies and the Raelettes – I don’t know the other members), with some of the Myddle Class providing the instrumental backing (Dan Mansolino told me his is not playing on either song). The A-side was a remake of Goffin and King’s “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, but the real gem is an excellent Rick Philp and Dave Palmer song “You Go On”. Scott at Crud Crud wrote up a fine appreciation of the Bach’s Lunch record which I recommend reading.
The band had some regional successes, including good receptions in Montreal and Boston, a short residency at Ungano’s on the upper West Side of Manhattan, and a show in Smithtown, Long Island promoted by DJ Scott Ross that attracted over 3,000 people. However, a number of discouraging developments hurt the band around this time. They had a good audition with Tom Wilson, but supposedly Al Aronowitz didn’t allow the deal to go through. Dan recalls the audition as being for Columbia Records, not MGM. In February of ’67 they opened a show for the Animals, but their set was interrupted by problems with the microphones, and it seems the band worried this performance hurt their reputation with the press.
In April of 1967 the Myddle Class signed to Cameo-Parkway and released one last 45. The A-side “Don’t Look Back” was a cover of Temptations and, uniquely, produced solely by the group themselves. On the flip was the superb “Wind Chime Laughter”, with song writing listed by P. Palmer (actually Philp and Palmer) for Merlin Music, BMI, and production credited jointly to the Myddle Class and Goffin. Unfortunately Allen Klein took over Cameo-Parkway in August and ousted the band’s reps at the label, including Neil Bogart, leaving their new single without any promotion.
Some of the Myddle Class appeared anonymously as models in ads photographed by Richard Avedon. One of Avedon’s photos of Charles Larkey was used for the cover of Esquire in September ’67. Larkey joined the Fugs in late ’67 with rival King Bee Dan “Kootch” Kortchmar for a series of shows at the Players Theater.
With some members away at college and pursuing other musical opportunities, the band was rarely performing live by this time. They did some recording sessions, usually at Dick Charles Recording Service, including demos for Goffin and King songs which would be placed with other artists. I’ve read that they helped recorded and helped arrange demos of “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “Porpoise Song” for the Monkees but that may be only a rumor. Nor have I heard a version of “Snow Queen” that they may have cut.
Myddle Class demos of Goffin-King songs that do exist include “Goin’ Back” (a single for the Byrds in October ’67), “I Can’t Make It Alone” (which Dusty Springfield would record for Dusty in Memphis) and a couple others: “An Angel Walks Beside Me” and “Who Does He Love”. The 1967 Myddle Class demo of “Fun and Games” turned up on a Regent Sound Studio lacquer acetate, and is excellent.
Dan recalls the group (except Dave) recording music for a 45-minute Fred Mogubgub film, and Dave and Dan doing a version of “I Can’t Make it Alone” for a Jules Dassin project.
Dave Palmer and Rick Philp signed a publishing with Screen Gems-Columbia, the same publishers representing Goffin and King songs from this period. They received some income from this deal, but a promise from Don Kirshner to sign the group to Colgems never materialized, nor did he place any of their songs with artists. The band recorded demos of some of these Palmer & Philp songs, like “Man on the Bridge”.
A Bell Sound Studios 12″ lacquer includes five of their released songs, a version of “Visions of Johanna” that has never been released, a short snippet of Rick playing during a live show, and six other demos.
Lovin’ Season Visions of Johanna Goin’ Back Man on a Bridge Can’t Make it Alone
Don’t Look Back Gates of Eden Wind Chime Laughter Free as the Wind Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long I Shall Be Released Saint James Prelude
Dan wrote to me:
“Saint James Prelude” … was the intro Rick played for our cover of “Saint James Infirmary”, performed during a live set at the Bitter End Cafe.
I recorded this on my Wollensak stereo tape recorder. I lent the tape to Aronowitz and that was the last I heard of it.
Palmer and Philp’s original “I’ve Come Too Far” turned up on the b-side of a single by the Coven on SGC 15074 in 1968. This was produced by Gerry Goffin and engineered by Chris Hinshaw, indicating a west coast recording. Interestingly, the A-side, a cover of “I Shall Be Released” features a different female vocalist (and no David Palmer vocal) over the exact music track (pedal steel guitar and all) as it appears on the tape Al Aronowitz sold. It makes me wonder if “I’ve Come Too Far” also features members of the Myddle Class. This is not the same Coven from Indiana who recorded for Mercury, MGM, WB and Buddah.
I’ve seen two other titles but I don’t have confirmation that either was recorded or published: “There’s No Easy Way Down” and “Paper Walls of Innocence” (an early song the band stopped playing after their Ungano’s residency in the summer of ’66, according to Danny).
The Myddle Class circa late 1967: front and center is Dave Palmer behind him, from left to right: Myke Rosa, Rick Philp (wearing hat), Charles Larkey and Danny Mansolino In the background on the left side: Bruce DeForrest and his girlfriend Ronnie Photographer unknown (possibly John or Thom Lynch)
Goffin and King divorced and relocated (separately) to California in early 1968, by which time the Myddle Class were effectively on hiatus. Rick Philp and Charles Larkey spent the summer of ’68 in Los Angeles working up arrangements with Carole King for songs that would appear on Now That Everything’s Been Said, the album by King’s group the City. Danny Kortchmar replicated Rick’s guitar parts for the final album, released in 1969. Charles Larkey and Carole had been seeing each other since before she left the east coast, and they eventually married in September 1970.
In the fall of ’68 Philp was playing guitar with Van Morrison, including material that would become Astral Weeks. There is a photo of Rick playing guitar next to Morrison on the Boston Common, in a group that included bassist Tom Kielbania. Rick also joined Van Morrison for a live show on public TV channel WGBH with Charlie Mariano (see interview of Tom Kielbania by Richie Unterberger), and also possibly played shows with Van at the Ark.
Danny Mansolino and Dave Palmer were living in Boston at approximately the same time as Philp, and together they collaborated on songs with pianist and vocalist Lloyd Baskin. In March of 1969 they recorded a number of songs in a Boston studio:
“Mr. Charlie” (a new Goffin and King composition) “Keys to the Kingdom” (written by Palmer and Philp) “Redbeard” (another Palmer and Philp composition, Red Beard being their nickname for Al Aronowitz) “Emmaretta Marx” (named for the Blues Project vocalist) “No Easy Way Down”
and an untitled song with refrain: “let me hide my face within / the shelter of your hair / I traveled far, way down in sin / to find salvation there”
Dan tells me Emmaretta Marx” and “No Easy Way Down” have Lloyd Baskin on lead vocals on the Boston tape, and there is also a version of “Emmaretta Marx” recorded in New York without Lloyd.
Rick, Dave and Danny and Lloyd Baskin planned to have Myke Rosa and Charles Larkey meet them at Gerry Goffin’s new Larabee studio in Los Angeles for album sessions in the summer of 1969. Tragically, any future chances were lost when guitarist Rick Philp was murdered by his former roommate in Boston on May 24, 1969.
All the remaining members of the Myddle Class have had some involvement with music since. Danny Mansolino and Myke Rosa joined Jake and the Family Jewels for two albums on Polydor in 1969 and ’70. They added Dave Palmer as vocalist for a 1971 album on Elektra as the Quinames Band, including Ken Pine (who had played with Charlie Larkey in the Fugs) and Jerry Burnham. Dave Palmer may have had the biggest success as an early vocalist with Steely Dan and with his own group, Wha-Koo.
Neil Bogart , after leaving Cameo-Parkway and joining Buddah Records, reissued “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” / “I Happen to Love You” on 45 in mid-1969, with little impact. “Lovin’ Season”, an unreleased song from circa 1968, showed up on a sampler LP “Rock And Roll With Buddah” given away only at the N.E.C. (National Entertainment Conference) in Memphis in February, 1970. These releases were possibly a tribute to Rick Philp. “Lovin’ Season” is a great rocker with a repetitive organ riff and harmonica solo, and definitely sounds like it was cut at the beginning of the Myddle Class’s career.
Rare sampler LP with “Lovin’ Season”
Before Al Aronowitz passed away on August 1, 2005, he was offering a cassette copy of a collection or recordings by the Myddle Class called One Time Only through his website. The track list is below in the comments, below. It was not the Myddle Class’s rumored unreleased “album” as it includes recordings spanning their entire career, including their singles, the Bach’s Lunch songs and some of the demos mentioned here.
The version of “I Can’t Make it Alone” is excellent but marred by a glitch in the tape. Dan Mansolino told me Lloyd Baskin’s piano was overdubbed on this cut. Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers would release a single of “I Can’t Make it Alone” on MGM in 1968.
The only other track on it that I haven’t mentioned so far is one titled “Unknown Instrumental” that is a home or live recording of a minute of Rick playing guitar in a jazz style. Dan Mansolino told me Rick played this as the intro to “St. James Infirmary” at Myddle Class live shows.
Supposedly a legitimate release of their material is languishing because of legal troubles. It’s a shame, as I can’t think of another band that deserves a retrospective more than these guys.
I hear that Michael Rosa passed away on January 13, 2012.
Update: Be sure to check out the scans I’ve added to this site of business cards, two fan newsletters and other ephemera sent to me by Dan Mansolino.
Sources:
Kathy West’s A Song For You is a an excellent source of first hand information on the band and Kathy’s relationship with Rick Philp. See my review for more information.
Al Aronowitz wrote an extremely funny and interesting account of trying to break the band into the charts. I recommend it highly, but currently only an excerpt is available online.
Lyn Nuttal provides an exhaustive history of “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” / “Wake Me Shake Me” on his fascinating Pop Archives site.
“I Was a Velveteen” by Rob Norris in Kicks #1 (1979)
“Tales of the Myddle Class” by Todd Abramson in Breakthrough #1 (1984) was one of the first appreciations of the Myddle Class.
Info on the Velvet Underground’s early gigs here. A review of the concert used to be online but has since vanished.
Thank you to Susan Palmer De Leon, who sent in two photos of the Myddle Class that I had never seen before. Thanks also to Brian Kirschenbaum and Jeff Lemlich for excellent 45s scans, to Steve for the tip about the Coven single, and to Mike Dugo for alerting me to “Fun & Games” on youtube.
Bach’s Lunch – white label DJ copyBach’s Lunch – blue label promotional copy
Here are two fine garage tracks from a Kirkwood, Missouri group.
The cool label shows it couldn’t be any earlier than late-’66 (named after the TV show of course), but I was surprised to see it listed in a database as a May, 1968 release. If so, it’s behind the times but sounding great, however, a band member disputes the late release date (see below).
“Hey Girl” rushes through verses and the catchy chorus, with a break for the organ solo, which really has a fine sound, followed by a quick guitar break.
“Love Won’t Hurt You” is much slower but has a brooding sound with the repeated high-pitched note on the organ, clipped rhythm on the guitar and harmony vocals. There’s a neat section halfway through as the band moves through chord changes, and this is repeated at the end of the song after the fuzztone solo and last chorus. Lepore-Martines wrote both songs. The label for “Love Won’t Hurt You” lacks the artist listing.
Lead guitarist Robert Lepore wrote to me with the history of the group, hopefully we’ll have some photos at a later date:
The band started up in 1965. It consisted of Perry Cole (singer), Reggie Shaw (rhythm), Jack Pebbler (keyboard), Scott Lay (bass), Charlie Cablish (drums) and myself (lead). Scott, Charlie, and I were the core of the group. As time passed we brought in Colin Johnson (rhythm), Steve Starr (keyboard), and Doug Paone (keyboard). At the time of the recording Cole was gone and so was the rhythm position.
We all went to and graduated from Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Mo. A town about 30 miles from St Louis in St. Louis County. We played many school functions (dances, pep rallies etc.) as well as parties and some of the teen clubs that were so popular then such as Kirkwood Teen Town and the Rainy Daze teen club. We and another local group called the Extremes [who cut “Facts of Life” on Star Trek 1221 as the X-Treems] drew over 1,300 hundred kids one Saturday night. We also played frat parties as far as SE Mo. State in Rolla, Mo. and as far east as DePauw Univ. in Indiana.
At the time we recorded the songs the band consisted of Steve Starr, Scott Lay, Charlie Cablish and myself. Scott and I did the singing. I did the main part on “Love Won’t Hurt You”. We recorded the songs in the basement studio of a local late night DJ named Nick Charles from a top 40 station called KXOK. We recorded at 9 am on a saturday morning. I can remember our voices almost cracking because of the early morning after a late night of playing.
We put parts of the songs together in studio and had a good time doing it. I remember the DJ barking out some instructions to us from the other side of the glass and Steve saying “OK big daddy.” to which he replied “Bullshit.”
As far as the label we had nothing to do with that. My dad took care of that end of it. Cole and The Embers appeared on one [only] side because of a labeling error and we didn’t really pick an A or B side because we thought both sides were good. Martinez was never in the group. He just collaborated with me on the songs.
Q. So the band kept the name Cole and the Embers after Perry Cole was gone?
We kept the name because most people called us the Embers or just the “‘Bers”
I believe the the release date you have is not accurate. I was still playing an old Hagstrom 3 pick up guitar at the time. I replaced it with a Fender Telecaster which I bought long before your release date. We sold about 500 copies localy and both sides of the record were played on a local undergound station that was just starting up. KSHE 95.5 FM.
The band officially broke up in the summer of 1968. Charlie graduated in 1967 but went to a local university. Perry, Reggie, Doug and I graduated in 1968. We all went to college. Perry, Reggie and I all went into the Air Force. Steve, Scott and Collin graduated in 1969. I haven’t kept in touch with any of them.
I did stay in music. The ten years I was in the service I didn’t play much but I did write a bunch of songs that I put on tape just for myself. Then in 1985 I put a classic rock band together called Backtrack. It was very successful in St. Louis and the surrounding area. The band stayed together for nine years when in 1994 my bass player moved to Dallas and I to Florida. In Florida I put another classic rock band together called Goldrush. Everyone in this band could sing lead. We had such great harmonies. I moved to Texas about a year and a half ago. And you know once you’ve got the bug the music’s in your blood so here I am, putting a praise and worship band together at church and I’m also putting another classic rock band together as well.
“I’ve Said My Say” is a ringer for the Small Faces, but it’s great!
The Tony Hendrik Five were from Germany and mostly recorded typical pop of the day. The A-side, “Tavern in the Town”, is really awful. “I’ve Said My Say” shows they had some talent and should have pursued this tougher sound more often.
The band came from east of Astoria, Oregon, the small communities of Knappa and Svensen to be exact (the area had a large number of people of Swedish descent).
The members were:
Carl Salo Bill Tynkila Tom Kayser (Keyser?) – guitar Bill Maley Toivo Lahti – drums
The Zero End’s first 45 on Garland, “Blow your Mind” / “Fly Today” from late ’67 has a dark sound. Their next and last shows the influence of psychedelia, as “Lid to Go” has the lines “don’t you know he’s a flower child/ what a crime, being high.” The version of “Hey Joe” has a good fuzz solo. Dig the cool drum head in the photo above.
Both sides of the first 45 are by Tynkila/Salo. Songwriting on “Lid to Go” is by Bill Maley and Carl Salo. Dale Hansen produced both 45s. The Garland label was from Salem, OR, owned by Gary Neiland of Prince Charles & the Crusaders.
I didn’t much about the band until JP Coumans sent me the article from Hipfish, below. As the article states, the band started out as the Vanchees until Bill Tynkila suggested Zero End. They had a manager, Dale Hansen who booked them throughout the Northwest. At the club below the Portland youth center The Headless Horseman, they saw a band called Seattle Gazebo that was playing the new psychedelic free-form music. It was a revelation to the band, who returned to Knappa and remade their sound completely.
They played venues such as the Riviera Theater in Astoria and the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. The Hipfish article mentions a live recording from the Riviera, which I’d love to hear.
Hipfish – Arts & Culture Monthly, vol. 2, issue 19: Astoria & the North Coast, March 1999 – does anyone have the continuation or know the author?
Baby Huey and the Vets in Chicago, 1963. From left: Pete Foster, Dale Harper, James Ramey (Baby Huey), Melvyn Jones and Butch Whited.
Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters are a famous Chicago band, but their roots are in Richmond Indiana, where they formed in high school as Baby Huey and the Vets in 1962. The members were attending Richmond High School, most of them graduating in 1964.
Earliest gig notice I can find for Baby Huey and the Vets in Richmond, Indiana, November 23, 19621962
November 23 – National Guard Armory, Richmond December 8 – Richmond High School “Mistletoe Mash” at Civic Hall December 29 – teen holiday dance at the Conservation Park lodge December 31 – American Legion hall, 400 North Eighth St.
1963
May 17 – Hagerstown, IN prom, followed by “appearances on the Northwestern university campus at Chicago, Ill., immediately after playing for the prom at Hagerstown.” June 13 – Senior’s all-night party at the YWCA: “Beginning at 4 a.m. Baby Huey and the Vets, a high school instrumental combo, provided music for dancing in the TAC club.” August 4 – Clear Creek Park September 1 – Clear Creek park Musician Local 388 union concert December 27 – Leland Hotel, Richmond. Noon concert for Kiwanis December 27 – Forest Hills Country Club
First mention of playing in Chicago, Richmond Palladium-Item, May 16, 1963
A notice in the Richmond Palladium-Item & Sun-Telegram for a concert August 4, 1963 lists the first lineup of the group I can find:
Members of the group are Melvyn Jones, electric piano; Dale Harper, drums; Pete Poster [sic – should be Pete Foster], alto saxophone, Butch Whited, guitar, and J.T. Ramey, bongos and vocal.
Melvyn Jones is brother of jazz drummer Harold Jones.
1964
March 12 – YWCA for Women’s Federated club March 24 – Melody Skateland
Dale Harper, Curtis (Pete) Foster, and Harry Whited left the band to join the military. Curtis Foster left the group for the Marines in February 1964. He died on June 6, 1965, when two helicopters collided off the ship, the Iwo Jima.
Richmond Palladium-Item, April 1, 1964The Palladium-Item ran a very interesting notice on April 1, 1964:
“Bad Baboon,” a record featuring a group of local musicians, is being pressed by Richmond Record Pressings under a label which is an affiliate of Mercury Record corporation in Chicago. In the group are Danny Jarvis, drums; Dick Agee, bass guitar; Butch Whited, lead guitar; Melvin Jones, piano, who also wrote the lyrics, and Jimmy Ramey, vocal. They taped the number in Chicago. Formerly known as the “Sting Rays,” the local group has been renamed the “Madisons.” They have played at local dances and entertainments.
A short notice the next day adds “The “Madisons” … includes members of two earlier combos known as “Baby Huey and the Vets” and the “Sting Rays.”
Released on Limelight Y-3018, “Bad Baboon” / “Because I Got You” apparently is the first recording featuring Baby Huey and Melvyn Jones. Melvin Jones wrote “Bad Baboon”. A takeoff on “The Gorilla” by Ideals, it would also become the blueprint for Baby Huey and the Babysitters 1965 single “Monkey Man”. Cash Box reviewed the single favorably on June 18, and copyright was registered on April 27. Producer Jan Hutchins had co-produced Chicago vocalist Ral Donner’s “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Until You Lose It)” for Gone Records in 1961.
Did B.J. stand for Baby Jimmy? There is a notice for B.J. and the Sting Rays at the Springwood Pavilion in Conservation Park on June 15, 1963, but Baby Huey and the Vets were also active at that time. The news described them in February, 1964:
The Catholic Youth center will sponsor a dance at the Knights of Columbus hall Sunday, Feb. 9. Members of B.J. and the Sting Rays combo will provide the music. They are Dick Agee, Melvin Jones, Danny Jarvis, Butch White [sic: Butch Whited] and Jim Ramey.
However, Baby Huey and the Vets did shows through March, 1964. The Madisons name took over for that recording, but I can find no gig listings under that name, nor any listings for Baby Huey between April 1964 and early March 1965.
Certainly by February 1965 if not earlier, Jim Ramey and Melvyn Jones had relocated to Chicago where they added new members, found management in university student James Kargman, and started recording as Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters.
Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters as a five-piece, an early promo photo that ran in the Rockford Register Star, June 19, 1965 for the show that evening
1965
At some point in 1964 or 1965, Johnny Ross, also from Richmond, IN, joined on guitar. They were joined by Chicago musicians Dennis Moore on drums and Larry Sales on bass.
The history of Baby Huey’s 1965 recordings is confusing because they contain four songs released across five singles.
I believe the first two cut were “Just Being Careful” and “Messin’ with the Kid” as John Ross had copyright registered on “Just Being Careful” on February 12, 1965. Both sides feature horns, and a female chorus on “Just Being Careful”. “Messin’ with the Kid” is a great version of the Mel London song done originally by Junior Wells.
Shann 73924 – “Just Being Careful” / “Messin’ With the Kid” (February 1965) USA 801 – “Just Being Careful” / “Messin’ With the Kid” (April ’65)
The next two recordings are the influential “Monkey Man”, credited to John R. Ross, though Monkey Man is certainly an adaption of the Madisons “Bad Baboon”. James Kargman took arranging credit on “Monkey Man”. Copyright was registered on April 23, 1965.
Their version of “Beg Me”, originally recorded by Chuck Jackson, may be the weakest number on these early 45s but is a prized soul record today. Starting slow, it picks up steam. John Ross’s guitar work is outstanding on all of these. For some reason the label St. Lawrence substituted the earlier “Messin’ with the Kid” for “Beg Me” on some copies, and again when it was reissued on Satellite in ’66 or ’67.
St. Lawrence 1002 – Monkey Man / Beg Me (1965, issued on both blue and white labels) St. Lawrence 1002 – Monkey Man / Messin’ With the Kid (1965, white label only) Satellite 2013 – Monkey Man / Messin’ With the Kid (1967)
Jim Kargman produced all of their singles in 1965, along with those of Dalek/Ingam and the Blackstones. Thumbs Up in Chicago was the group’s base and some of their early bookings such as Rockford College were made through the club. An item in the Chicago Suburbanite Economist on February 23, 1966 noted “Tony Caithamer, one of the owners of the Thumbs Up club at 2848 N. Broadway, is donating the services of [Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters].”
First ad for a Chicago gig. It ran in the Tribune on March 3 and 5, 1965, with the Billy Williams Revue at the Celebrity Lounge, 900 North Rush.
Baby Huey at the College Fieldhouse in Rockford, June 19, 1965. The Morning Star devoted an article on the show to the Beau Brummels, but ran this photo of Baby Huey
South Bend Tribune, June 27 1965
March 3-6: at the Celebrity Lounge, 900 North Rush with the Billy Williams Revue June 19 – Thumbs Up presents the Beau Brummels, Baby Huey and the Babysitters and the Blackstones at Rockford College Fieldhouse June 28 – Stepan Center, Notre Dame, South Bend – WJVA show with Dalek-Engam and the Blackstones, the Teen Tones, the Tradewinds and the Phantoms November – Spain, Italy, Greece, Africa ?!
On December 1, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters played in Paris for the debut party of Nelly de Rothschiild, along with UK group Band of Angels.
late December – WVON Chicago Christmas Benefit with Little Stevie Wonder, Dee Clark, Jackie Ross, the Madlads, the Impressions, G.L. Crockett and Red Saunders
Baby Huey and the Vets featured in the Richmond Palladium Item, November 10, 1965
An article from the Richmond Palladium on November 10, 1965 listed the lineup that was flying to play in Europe and Africa, but refers to them by their old name, Baby Huey and the Vets:
Melvin Jones – trumpet and organ Johnny Ross – guitar Dennis Moore – drums Jim Ramey (Baby Huey) – vocals Larry Sales – bass Charles Lance – sax?
1966
This photo ran in the Rockford Register Star on February 18, 1966
January 29 – Rockford College with the Castaways and the Fabulous Intruders from Rockford, IL February 25 – Orr High School benefit February 25 – Harmony Hall, Chicago March 18 – U. of Illinois Urbana, George Huff Gymnasium March 19 – Rockford, with the New Colony Six, the Shadows of Knight, the Grim Reapers and the Komons, at Boylan High School gym. Also the Flock, according to some news listings. May 21 – Rock Island at the Monmouth College Scot Olympics The Daily News ran this photo of Baby Huey for their September 1966 shows at Trude HellersMay 29 – Richmond National Guard Armory July 24 at Palms Shore Club, Emmons Ave, Brooklyn with Satan Four late July – early August – at Trude Hellers, NYC September 5 – September 17 (?) – at Trude Hellers September 10 and 11 – Palisades Amusement Park’s “Heller-Baloo” with Benny Gordon, Bertha Colbert and Abercrombie & the Fitches October – at Trude Hellers, also an announcement that Capitol Booking has signed the group October 7 & 8 – Romano’s Steak House, Hartford, CT October 21 – Richmond High School Homecoming Dance November 1, 1966 – November 15 – Trude Heller’s (NY Daily News) November 19 – Bayone, NJ at Venice Tavern
Billboard, October 29, 1966In October 1966, the Babysitters went back to Richmond to play their high school’s Homecoming Dance.
Dennis Moore got drafted around 1966. Reno Smith became the drummer at some point.
I’m not sure when Melvyn Jones left the group. As Deacon Jones he wrote a memoir the includes his years with Baby Huey, 40 Years With the Blues Legends: the Life and Times of Melvyn Deacon Jones that I haven’t read yet.
Johnny Ross probably left in 1967, when he recorded two singles as Johnny Ross and the Soul Explosions, “I Can’t Help Myself” / “Sore Loser” on Chirrup 1523, and “Love-I-Tis” / “Chi’-Ca’-Go'” on La-Cindy 509.
The chronology of when later members joined is uncertain. Because James Ramey drew so much attention in the press as the group’s frontman, later articles never mention other members of the band.
Jet, January 19, 1967
1967
January – at Ungano’s club in New York February 15-28 – the Cheetah, with the Exceptions Feb. 15-18 March 22 – April 12 – the Cheetah with the Chambers Brothers and the Rovin’ Kind through March 26 April 26 – Tempo Dance City 8813 Foster Ave, Canarsie, Brooklyn
The Cheetah was open Wednesdays through Sundays.
Robert Baker wrote about the Cheetah club in the Chicago Tribune on April 16, 1967:
The sound is continuous, provided by two bands that alternate each hour. Current attractions are the Griffith-Harter Union and Baby Huey and the Babysitters … Baby Huey, a kind of Motown Mama Cass, has been the biggest regular draw of the Cheetah since it opened last fall. He takes center stage with him where he moves in his bright red double-breasted suit, usually abandoning his tie after a couple numbers. The group features upbeat rock numbers as well as some slower soul pieces, often blue in both connotations of the word.
Rotund Band Leader Faces Dope Charge
CHICAGO (UPI) – “Baby Huey,” a rotund rock ’n’ roller has been booked for a May 8 date in court.
A tinfoil package of what police believe is marijuana, a warm pipe, overheard talk of “smoking pot” – plus police insistence – helped the bushy-haired, 370-pound band leader get the unwanted engagement.
Possession of narcotics is the charge, police said.
Baby Huey, billed as “the biggest name in the business,” was arrested in his motel room Thursday with two friends. Police said they were tipped, possibly by a disgruntled fan, that there was a party going on.
Baby Huey, who said his real name was James T. Ramey, and Baby Karp and Ronald Wagner, both 21, Chicago, were freed on bond. Karp and Wagner are not members of “Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters.”
Police later ticketed Baby Huey’s brightly painted bus and towed it from the spot reserved for Mayor Richard. J. Daley’s limousine to the auto pound.
On July 6, 1967, the charges were dismissed:
Judge Kenneth R. Wendt ruled arresting officers did not have a warrant to make the raid on Ramey’s hotel room after receiving a tip.
Detectives said they arrested Baby Huey Apr. 13 after they found him lying on a bed with a package of a “crushed green plant” nearby.
This news item was picked up nationally in August, 1967. I can’t find further details.
June 7-11 – Ron’s Back Room, 1311 N. Wells in Old Town September 1 – the Cheetah with the Exception and the Rovin’ Kind. September 22-24 (dates uncertain) – the Cheetah: Billboard noted on September 30 that “Manager Buddy Fox reports that 15,000 turned out over the weekend to hear Baby Huey and Tommy James & the Shondells” October 20-21 – at the Cheetah with H.P. Lovecraft and the Litter October 22 – Benefit with the Litter at the Cheetah for the new Museum of Contemporary Art November 10-21 – at the Cheetah in Chicago December 30 – Bachelors Ball at the Frederick C. Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, Cleveland. The Plain Dealer ran a large photo of Baby Huey on stage at the event, but the microfilm is too dark. December 31 – at the Cheetah in Chicago with the Exception
By late ’67 or 1968, Baby Huey and the Babysitters were managed by Marv Stuart’s State and Madison Management (listed as Marv Heiman on wikipedia).
Ad for Baby Huey at Grandmother’s in Lansing August 3, 1968
1968
at the Jaguar with the Shadows of Knight! March 16, 1968
February 1 – Michigan Tech Sno Ball in Houghton February 25 – American Internatonal College Winter Carnival, Springfield, MA March 1 – Electricians Hall, 5247 W. Madison with the Disciples of Mayhem March 16 – at the Jaguar with the Shadows of Knight March 23 – Marine Room at St. Clair hotel April 5 – The Deep End, Park Ridge, Illinois
Tantalizing ‘what-if’ from Robb Baker’s May 1, 1968 column. Unfortunately nothing ever materialized.Robb Baker gave a bizarre report in the May 1 Tribune:
Baby Huey and The Baby Sitters have been signed by George Badonsky of Dunwich Productions … Huey, who’s Mama Cass’ soul brother in several senses, is managed by “Tough” Teddy Allen. His former producer was Earl “Big Daddy” Glicken of Chicago, but he hasn’t recorded for over five years, Badonsky said. Several record companies are being contracted about contracts by the new producer.
They had recorded about three years earlier, not five. And unfortunately nothing ever came of an association with Dunwich, which is a shame. Badonsky and Bill Traut of Dunwich would have been a great choice to produce the band. Unfortunately, there seem to be no recordings of Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters from the time of the four songs recorded in early 1965 until the release of”Mighty Mighty” in April, 1969.
Earl Glicken only has a couple record credits, as supervisor on the Ideals 1966 remake of their own song, “Go-Go-Gorilla” on Satellite 2011, and producer of their classic “Go Get a Wig” on St. Lawrence 1001 in 1965. He may have had something to do with the re-release of Baby Huey’s “Monkey Man” on Satellite 2013.
at Mother Duck with the Box Tops November 23, 1968May 31 – The Deep End June 14 – Cleveland, reported by the Plain Dealer: “The 400-pund favorite of the younger set and his rock ‘n’ rollers came in from New York from a deb party which lasted until 5 a.m. yesterday morning to play for a dance given last night by four Hathaway Brown graduates for their friends at the Chagrin Valley Hunt Club. Hostesses were Robin Coakley, Paula Frohring, Suzy Sayle and Jane Wierdsma.” June 28 – The Deep End June 24-29 – Hollyoke Club, 3901 E. Wash. St., Indianapolis July 9 – Hullabaloo Club, Genoa Road, Belvidere, Illinois July 10 – The Deep End July 12 – The New Place with Christopher Robin & Friends July 19 – The Green Gorilla July 20 – The Cellar, with the Byzantine Empire July 26 – The Deep End August 2 – The Aragon on 1106 W. Lawrence August 3 – Grandmothers in Lansing August 7 – The New Place with Fire and Ice August 9 – The Cellar with the One Eyed Jacks August 9 & 10 – The Aragon with the Fenders and the Weaker Sex August 17 – The Deep End August 27 – at the Jaguar with Boston Tea Party October 25 – Wild Goose in Waukegan at 8:30, The New Place at 10:30 November 23 – at Mother Duck with the Box Tops November 27 – The Deep End with the Lights of Darkness November 29 – The Green Gorilla, Des Plaines American Legion Hall with the Commonwealth December 30 – Bachelor’s Ball at the Auto-Aviation Museum, Cleveland (follow-up item noted the band canceled due to auto accident so the Imperial Wonders subbed)
Later members of the Babysitters included:
Plato Jones – percussion Rick Marcotte – trumpet Byron Watkins – tenor sax Danny O’Neil – guitar Charley Clark – tenor sax Bobby Baker – alto sax and flute Turk Littles [Alton Little] – trumpet Othello Anderson – ?
These are the ones I’ve found in a smattering of news clips and in the comments below. The album credits five others: David Cook, Dan Alfano, dJack Renee, Phillip Henry, and Moose that I have not seen listed in the comments or news clips. Some of them could have been brought in to overdub the unfinished tracks for the album.
1969 Baby Huey & the Babysitters appear on the Soul! TV show, with Dee Dee Warwick, Lord Superior, Shirley Chisholm and Jacob Lawrence – anyone have a clip of this? Jet, March 6, 1969
January 10 – The Aragon with the Illusions and the North Syde January 17 – The Aragon with Operation Soul (formerly the Fenders) January 18 – The Aragon with the Buckinghams and Operation Soul February 7 – The Aragon with the Motown Sound, the West Side Story and the Rush Hour February 14 – Valentines party at the Cheetah March 1 – The Wild Goose, Rt 120 & Lewis Ave, Waukegan with the Illusions March 15 – The Aragon with Sam the Sham and United Nations March 16 – Gordon Technical High School, 3633 N. California Ave with the Mauds and the Soul Machine, 6-9 PM March 21 – The Chances ‘R’, Champaign, IL March 22 – The Wild Goose in Waukegan with Ben Franklin’s Almanac April 1 – University of Illinois, Chicago Circle Campus, 750 S. Halsted, benefit for Biafran Relief, 1-4 PM April 1 – first mention of their Buddah signing in Billboard April 3 – The Basement, 310 Pearl, Grand Rapids April 4 & 5 – The Aragon with Doug Clark & the Hot Nuts and the Green Men April 12 – “Fernando’s Musical Enterprises recently hosted a party for Baby Huey and the Babysitters at Barnaby’s Balcony. The group’s latest single on the Curtdom label is ‘Mighty Mighty Children'” – Billboard April 21 – new run starts at the Cheetah
On April 24, 1969, the Herald Tribune reported:
A part time Evanston Township High school English teacher and a former rock ’n’ roll musician were arrested yesterday on charges of possession of $2,000 worth of heroin and marijuana … Jeffrey Sowers, 22 … who played with Baby Huey and the Babysitters, a Chicago rock band, also was arrested in the raid on [Noreen Tasley’s] apartment.
I haven’t seen Jeff Sowers cited as a part of the Babysitters beyond this news item.
Lake Geneva, WisconsinApril 26 – “Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters are scheduled to be in New York next month to cut their first album for Curtom.” – Billboard April 30 and May 1 – at the Scotch Mist in Chicago May 1 – Billboard reports the group scheduled to record their first LP for Curtom in New York. May 2 – Chicago Tribune mentions Inner-National Booking “best known for its management of Baby Huey and the Babysitters. May 6 – Soul! TV show, with Dee Dee Warwick, Lord Superior, Shirley Chisholm and Jacob Lawrence – anyone have a clip of this? May 21 – Merv Griffin Show in New York (announced in Billboard May 17) May 22 – The Chances ‘R’, Champaign, Illinois May 29 – The Pier (formerly the Riviera Ballroom) in Lake Geneva May 30 – The Aragon with the Impressions Broadcast of the Merv Griffin Show on June 11, 1969June (2nd week) – Merv Griffin Show broadcast on various dates depending on city June 14 – The New Place with Mead June 21 – The Aragon with the Buckinghams and Von Ryan Express June 27 – The Aragon with Five Stairsteps & Cubie, and Spot & the Blotters July 26 – benefit for Reese hospital The Chronicle reported that Baby Huey cancelledAugust 1-3 – The Fillmore West with the Everly Brothers and Sons of Champlin Cancelled, Frumious Bandersnatch took their place August 4-5 – Basin Street West Most likely cancelled
In August, a syndicated column The Living Arts by Charles Hobson & Shelia Smith mentioned the group as being one of many to appear on the Chicago TV show Our People.
August 14 – Jet announces that Baby Huey was “ailing a bit” in Chicago. September 5 – The Rectry, 4850 Menaul NE, Albequerque, NM September 15-21 – the Whisky a-Go-Go with Eric Burdon of War October 24 & 25 – Lally’s at State & Chestnut with Aorta
On November 2, the Chicago Tribune ran a profile by Clarence Page of a new group tentatively called Funky Skull including Jim Armstrong and Ken McDowell from Them, Curtis Bachman from the Buckinghams, and Reno Smith from the Babysitters. Reno is quoted: “I have played with a small instrumentation before. You are much more free this way, liberated from the limits of a single role in a large group.”
December 5 – The Aragon with Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders
The Tribune reported on December 11 “Wayne Cochran brought his blond bouffant hair-do to the Rush Over, where he did an impromptu bit with Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters.”
At Lou’s Quarry, Appleton, Wisconsin, August 1, 1970
1970
Lou’s Quarry, Appleton, Wisconsin, August 1, 1970April 24 – Sound Storm Festival, Poynette, Wisconsin (There are a number of excellent photos at (Wisconsin Historical Society – search for Baby Huey or Sound Storm under photos and images.) February 4-8 – Whisky a-Go-Go, Los Angeles April 29 – Marian Central Catholic High School (winners of the Pine Brothers Cough Drops contest), Woodstock, IL with Tommy James & the Shondells, the Litter and the Saints & Sinners May 1-4 – The Dells at Lake Lansing May 22 – Streator, Ottawa, IL, with the Second Coming (formerly Buddy & the Citations) May 28 – The Tribune reports: “Baby Huey … reportedly has split up with the Baby Sitters and is rumored to be joining a Madison group, the Brotherhood.” June 17-21 – The Dells at Lake Lansing August 1 – Lou’s Quarry, Appleton, WI October 25 – Val-Air Ballroom, Des Moines, IA October 31 – Drake University Homecoming Dance, Val-Air Ballroom (scheduled but cancelled due to Jim Ramey’s passing on the 28th, replaced by Just Us and the Batch)
Baby Huey died in the Roberts Motel, 6635 S. King Drive, Chicago on October 28, 1970, after a show in Madison, Wisconsin.
Jet, November 12, 1970Billboard, December 5, 1970Jet, October 7, 1971
The Babysitters continued on for some time after James Ramey’s death, apparently with members such as Chaka Khan and her husband Hassan Khan, Charlie Clark (“Chup”), Jon French, Gail, Tommy Thompson, Kenny [surname?] … (see comments below).
Billboard mentioned that after Huey’s death, the Babysitters changed their name to Boink for at least one live show. However Robert Baker, in a comment below states “The Babysitters never changed their name to Boink. This was another concurrent group that had at least two ex-Babysitters in the group.” A listing for a December 4-6, 1970 appearance at the Factree in Calumet City specifies “formerly the Baby Huey Baby Sitters”.
I wrote this article in 2005 as a discussion of the early singles by Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters before Huey signed to Curtom and recorded the songs issued on his great posthumous LP. In subsequent years I added some photos, news clips and gig notices, then did a complete reworking of the article in 2026.
Live dates from publications including The Daily Herald, the Tribune, the Des Moines Register, the Belvidere Daily Republican and others. Certainly this is a far from complete list of their gigs, and also a number of those listed were probably cancelled or postponed.
In 2005 an acetate came up on auction that was supposed to be an unreleased instrumental by Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters. I had a sound clip up here for over a year before Mark Namath identified it as “Zoobie” by the Noisemakers. The acetate was probably a DJ or collector’s cut misidentified as Baby Huey – there’s no connection between the groups.
Baby Huey profiled in the The Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minnesota), March 20, 1969
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
Freddy Fortune sent me these clips from the amazing KRLA Beat newspaper site – a full page article on the guys! Now we know, the band consisted of:
Steve Nagle wrote to me in November 2009:
After a concert at the Berkeley Heights CYO in December of 1964 the band met New York Post columnist Al Aronowitz, who had heard about the band through his babysitter. Danny however recalls meeting Aronowitz at swim club in the New Providence area, with Bruce DeForrest.
In the fall of ’65 the King Bees changed their name to the Myddle Class to distinguish themselves from Danny Kortchmar’s King Bees who just had a release on RCA Victor. In October, Goffin and King signed a production deal for their new label, Tomorrow, with Atlantic-Atco, expressly to release their first single with the Myddle Class.
The Myddle Class’s second single, “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” was a #2 hit on WPTR in Albany during the summer of ’66. The success of the single led to a couple week-long gigs at Lake George that summer. They played shows with the All Night Walkers and the Barbarians and met Lloyd Baskin, who would later sing & play piano on some Myddle Class recordings in Boston. One of their set highlights was a version of the Jimmy Hughes single, “Neighbor, Neighbor”.
Despite the band receiving song writing credit on the label, “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” was likely taken from the Blues Project’s “Wake Me, Shake Me”, a staple of that group’s live sets throughout 1966. The song derives from traditional spirituals going back to the early 20th Century or earlier. The Blues Project may have adapted the song from the version by the Golden Chords on the Columbia LP Introducing The Sweet Chariot, released in 1963, or from earlier versions such as the Coasters. The Blues Project recorded a demo in January ’66 and then a finished version in August that was used for their album Projections, released in November 1966. The Myddle Class beat them to first release by rushing their 45 out in June, ’66!
Goffin and King moved their distribution deal for Tomorrow to Cameo-Parkway, and their first release on a redesigned Tomorrow label was by the Bach’s Lunch, a girl group (with singer Darlene McCrea of the Cookies and the Raelettes – I don’t know the other members), with some of the Myddle Class providing the instrumental backing (Dan Mansolino told me his is not playing on either song). The A-side was a remake of Goffin and King’s “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, but the real gem is an excellent Rick Philp and Dave Palmer song “You Go On”. Scott at Crud Crud wrote up a fine appreciation of the Bach’s Lunch record which I recommend reading.
In the fall of ’68 Philp was playing guitar with Van Morrison, including material that would become Astral Weeks. There is a photo of Rick playing guitar next to Morrison on the Boston Common, in a group that included bassist Tom Kielbania. Rick also joined Van Morrison for a live show on public TV channel WGBH with Charlie Mariano (see interview of Tom Kielbania by Richie Unterberger), and also possibly played shows with Van at the Ark.
All the remaining members of the Myddle Class have had some involvement with music since. Danny Mansolino and Myke Rosa joined Jake and the Family Jewels for two albums on Polydor in 1969 and ’70. They added Dave Palmer as vocalist for a 1971 album on Elektra as the Quinames Band, including Ken Pine (who had played with Charlie Larkey in the Fugs) and Jerry Burnham. Dave Palmer may have had the biggest success as an early vocalist with Steely Dan and with his own group, Wha-Koo.
Neil Bogart , after leaving Cameo-Parkway and joining Buddah Records, reissued “Don’t Let Me Sleep Too Long” / “I Happen to Love You” on 45 in mid-1969, with little impact. “Lovin’ Season”, an unreleased song from circa 1968, showed up on a sampler LP “Rock And Roll With Buddah” given away only at the N.E.C. (National Entertainment Conference) in Memphis in February, 1970. These releases were possibly a tribute to Rick Philp. “Lovin’ Season” is a great rocker with a repetitive organ riff and harmonica solo, and definitely sounds like it was cut at the beginning of the Myddle Class’s career.
At some point in 1964 or 1965, Johnny Ross, also from Richmond, IN, joined on guitar. They were joined by Chicago musicians Dennis Moore on drums and Larry Sales on bass.
The next two recordings are the influential “Monkey Man”, credited to John R. Ross, though Monkey Man is certainly an adaption of the Madisons “Bad Baboon”. James Kargman took arranging credit on “Monkey Man”. Copyright was registered on April 23, 1965.
St. Lawrence 1002 – Monkey Man / Beg Me (1965, issued on both blue and white labels)
April 4 & 5 – The Aragon with Doug Clark & the Hot Nuts and the Green Men
