The Deltrons recorded in Sebewaing, Michigan a town about halfway between Bad Axe, the town of the A-side title, and Bay City, the location of the Deltron label and Delta Promotions.
Members were:
Dan Richards – vocals and lead guitar Bob Power – guitar Craig Young – bass Greg Young – drums
When I covered the Jayhawkers and Deltron Records, I didn’t believe this single was related to the Bay City Deltron label. The label design is different, and this one is a Chicago pressing by Stereo Sound from April of 1966. But Max Waller found this comment that Daniel Richards wrote on youtube:
It was Craig Young (bass), Bob Power (guitar), Dan Richards, and Greg Young (drums) recorded in Sebewaing, MI in January of 1966 at a cold warehouse. Dan (me) did the singing and lead guitar. Chet Hey wanted it recorded again after Arthur Godfrey sang it on his TV show in the 50s. He wanted a more modern version and we were just 16 to 18 years old at the time and still in high school.
Chet Hay and Ted Shunk wrote “I Found My Baby in Bad Axe” in 1949. “Bad Axe sounds like a funny name, it’s a durn good city just the same” go the lyrics. I wonder what he thought of the Deltrons version of his song!
The B-side “Tonya”, written by Dan Richards and Greg Young is wild, and has this for a chorus: “her name is Tonya, she’s really cool / the day I win her, I’ll blow up the school”!
The Cincinnati Enquirer profiled many local bands, including The De’ Blu or De Blus, as they appeared in ads for the Mod Room at the Cabana restaurant in Erlanger, Kentucky.
De’ Blu was comprised of three students of Covington Catholic High in Park Hills, plus one member each from St. Xavier and the University of Kentucky.
Members were: Mike White – organ Greg Barker – lead guitar Tom Bertke – rhythm guitar Jim Nordmeyer – harmonica Mark Gehring – drums.
“One of the most popular local bands appearing regularly at “Granny’s” these days is “The De’ Blu.” All of the boys live in Northern Kentucky and just recently they were offered a recording contract with Capitol Records.”
I have to wonder if anything ever became of the recording contract.
The Marc IV of Fort Thomas, Kentucky got a profile in the Enquirer on January 28, 1967. Members were:
Mike Reilly – lead singer and bass Rick Schmidt – organ Ken Steggeman – drums Steve Schiller – lead guitar
The news clipping says the group “banded together six months ago … have appeared at Granny’s, WSAI hops, school dances and every Sunday afternoon at the Avenue Club in Bellevue, Kentucky.”
I’ve also found an ad for the group from June of ’67 for an appearance at Capt. Al’s Ballroom in the Trolley Tavern at Anderson Fery Road with the Rambunctions.
Although the article continues “the boys have copyrighted several songs and plan to record them this spring in Lexington”, so far I haven’t found any record or copyrights by the group.
The Jay Hawkers came out of Bay City, Michigan and were led by Jay Walker, who was later a DJ on WKNX (1210 AM) in Saginaw, Michigan and WGRD, eventually changing his name as Sonny Fox.
Discographies tend to list the Jayhawkers as the backing band for a single by Dwight Douglas and the Jayhawkers on Astra 3008 – “Interstate ’45′” (L. Drake, J. Stokes) / “Mr. Big” (Lenny Drake). This is a pseudonym for Lenny & the Thundertones, who were based out of Detroit. Certainly the songs were cut several years prior to the Deltron records, so I have to believe this is a different band.
I’ve sometimes seen them listed as a Grand Rapids band, but the promo photo above comes from Delta Promotions in Bay City, which also (I believe) ran Deltron records label. Bill Kehoe and Jim Atherton owned Delta Promotions, which managed Question Mark and the Mysterians, and was the company that created several fraudulent bands to tour the US, including a bogus Zombies featuring two future members of ZZ Top and a made-up Archies group that led to a devastating lawsuit from Don Kirshner.
Deltron 21 (1227) – The Jayhawkers – “Dawn Of Instruction” (Trusdale Music, BMI) / “Searchin'”
As I wrote in an article about certain topical songs of the mid-60s, the Jayhawkers’ “Dawn of Instruction” is a straightforward inversion of P.F. Sloan’s “Eve of Destruction”. With over-the-top lyrics like “even the Jordan River has bodies floatin’ … my blood’s so mad feels like coagulatin”, “Eve of Destruction” was an easy target. The Jayhawkers made the most of the hyperbole in their answer song, singing lines like “step aside, Mister Doom Peddler” and “[we’re] not old enough to vote, but ain’t young enough for runnin”.
The Jayhawkers version came out in October 1965, just a month after Barry McGuire’s recording hit #1 in Billboard. Interestingly there’s no song writing credit for this side, only Trusdale Music publishing, which, as Max Waller pointed out, is probably a dig at “Eve of Destruction” publisher Trousdale.
The Jayhawkers opened for Simon and Garfunkel on Wednesday, December 29, 1965 at the Saginaw YMCA.
Deltron 1228 – The Jay Hawkers – “To Have A Love (As Sweet As You)” (T. Saputo, B. Kirener) / “Send Her Back” (Walker, Huntleigh)
Their second single came out in April, 1966, this time Jay Hawkers listed as two separate words. Both sides show a very different side to the band, and for me this is the best of their singles. “To Have A Love (As Sweet As You)” is catchy and very commercial. The song seems to be original to the band, though I don’t think the writers were members of the group.
“Send Her Back” is a slow and very affecting ballad. It may be the only song they recorded that was written by people in the band, namely Walker and Huntleigh.
The Jay Hawkers continued with two more singles, all cover songs in different styles:
Lucky Eleven 232 – “Come On (Children)” / “A Certain Girl” (produced by “Terry Nnight” aka Terry Knight, October 1966)
Lyke Til 4147 – “Love Have Mercy” / “Baby Blue” (Produced by Jay Walker, June, 1967)
The Deltron label
I can find three, maybe four, additional releases on this Deltron label out of Bay City:
Deltron 812 – The One Way Pedestrians – “I’d Like to Say (I Love You)” (Rod Clowthier) / “Hey Miss Sally” (I haven’t heard either side yet) Deltron 813 – The Bed of Roses – “Hate” / “I Don’t Believe You” (August 1967)
Deltron AR895 – Dick Rabbit “Take Me to L.A.” / “You Come on Like a Train” (both by The Thayber Brothers, produced by James Atherton, Package Music BMI)
Dick Rabbit also had “Love” (Phil Gordon, Rich Thayer) / “Trip” (Donavan) on Great Lakes GL-103, both published by Rabbit Music Co.
Deltron SS-6518 – The Deltrons (Craig, Bob, Dan, Greg) – “I Found My Baby in Bad Axe” / “Tonya” (Dan Richards, Greg Young) from April 1966
The Deltrons single is crude and great garage single on “Tonya”. I doubted it was related to the Deltron label from Bay City but the group recorded in nearby Sebewaing, so it likely is. I cover the Deltrons in more depth here.
The Cavaliers, in front: Ted Lovelace (with drumsticks) and Jim Brandon; in back from left: Jim Wenzel, Roger McIntosh and Walter Johnson
The Cavaliers, often listed as from Tennessee, were actually from Middletown, Ohio, a town roughly halfway between Dayton and Cincinnati.
Members were:
Roger McIntosh – lead guitar Jim Wenzel – rhythm guitar Jim Brandon – organ Walter Johnson – bass Ted Lovelace – drums
Two of the band were students at Middletown High, one was a freshman at Miami University, while the Cavaliers’ drummer and rhythm guitarist were in Junior High!
The group won a battle of the bands at Fantasy Farm, a kids amusement park next to the larger Americana Amusement Park in Middletown, that led to their recording their single on Style.
The Cincinnati Enquirer profiled the band on the same day they were in a Memphis studio, Saturday, September 16, 1967:
“The boys are in Memphis, Tenn. today to cut their first record for Style Productions.”
“Turn Your Leaf” is excellent pop, I’ve only heard it on a youtube video which has since been taken down. If anyone has a good quality recording, please contact me.
I haven’t heard the flip, “W.F. 67” described by Teenbeat Mayhem as a “military tempo instro”. Roger McIntosh wrote both songs.
Style Record Productions was one of Style Wooten’s many labels, and Pretty Girl Music BMI was one of his publishing companies. Mellow’s Log Cabin has an interesting biography of Style Wooten, along with extensive discographies for his record labels.
The Cavaliers from Middletown do not sound quite like the group of that name from Washington Court House, Ohio, who cut “You Are My Sunshine” b/w “Unchained Melody” for the Sound label.
The Enquirer article mentioned a few groups also competing at Fantasy Farm:
“Other bands reaching the finals of the contest were The Endeavors of Forest Park, The Crickets from Hamilton, The Guardian Angels of Urbana, The Mice and the English Gentlemen, both from Dayton.”
I’m not aware of any recordings by those groups, though given the Memphis connection, it’s possible the Mice are the same group that recorded “Think It Over” / “Norweigan Wood” for Bootheel Records, part of Fernwood.
This is the second of Pete Kowalski’s articles on ’60s rock groups from Poland. In February, he wrote about Romuald i Roman:
Chochoły (The Straw Men) were one of the most noteworthy Polish amateur rock groups, founded in Warsaw in 1962. The initial lineup featured: Jan Goethel (guitar), Bogusław Poniatowski (guitar), Mieczysław Salecki (guitar) and Tomasz Butowtt (drums).
The early period of the band’s activity was packed with frequent lineup changes. Notably, Jan Goethel left Chochoły in late 1963 to form another beat group that merits a listen: Dzikusy.
Initially the band performed cover versions of popular instrumental rock and roll tunes including the works of The Shadows and The Ventures who were rather well known by the Polish teenage audience thanks to the omnipresent waves of Radio Luxembourg.
Having gained some recognition and applause, the band participated in the second National Song Contest held in Opole ever since 1963, representing the Veriton record plant (owned by the Polish Catholic Association “PAX”) and backing a group of young pop singers, none of whom had much success. This, however, allowed Chochoły to release their first 7” EP (the most common pop record format in 1960s Poland) with songs from the festival.
1965 would see the band working as session musicians on several pop, easy listening, gypsy records that are simply uninteresting with the music being often compromised by artless vocals, doltish lyrics and unconvincing arrangements. Apart from their studio work, the band still played numerous dance gigs filled with energetic yet primitive guitar music.
Chochoły’s live nature, so different from what was heard on their past recordings, was captured in the 1965 movie “Sam pośród miasta” (“Alone in the City”) starring Zbigniew Cybulski (often called the Polish James Dean). The film’s entire dance club scene, backed with a simple, repeating guitar riff played by the group on their cheaply made (by western standards) and hard-earned instruments is available on YouTube and worth watching as it gives an idea of how would a typical youngster rock and roll dance party look like in mid-1960s communist Poland.
The breakthrough came in 1966, as far as Polish garage rock history is concerned. Polskie Nagrania (the biggest and in fact the only record company in Poland in the 1960s) decided to issue a series of 7” EPs with uncensored recordings of several most important amateur rock bands including Chochoły, Kawalerowie and Pięć Linii. Until then, Polskie Nagrania relegated groups who were possibly deemed unprofessional, or their music not serious enough for the major Muza label, to the Veriton label. Veriton records were low quality pressings, made in small numbers from contaminated vinyl with old machinery.
Chochoły issued their two best and most notable extended-plays in May 1966:
Pronit N-0410: “Kocham ją” (“I Love Her”)/ “Zaimki” (“Pronouns”) / “Nowa gra” (“New Game”)/ “Uwierz mi” (“Believe Me”) – issued in a generic company sleeve
Muza N-0411: “Naście lat” (“Teenage”) / “Szpilki” (“High Heels”) / “Amor a kysz” (“Get Lost, Cupid”)/ “Nadążyć chcę” (“I Want to Keep Up”) – issued in a semi-dedicated sleeve bearing the name of the group and a song list
The recordings were probably taped during a single session and are among the best examples of Polish garage rock. Packed with rocking organ riffs, stomping rhythm and exuberant solos, those 7-inchers are a must-have or at least a must-listen for anybody interested in teenage garage rock from behind the Iron Curtain.
The lyrics of two of these songs (“Szpilki” and “Amor a kysz”) contain what would probably be unthinkable in most of the Western world of the era: the word “sex” which in Polish has only one meaning and it’s not “gender”. Add to that the “frivolous” music and you have material whose 1966 release seems improbable to a Polish listener 50 years later. There’s not a single weak number on these records though “Nadążyć chcę” definitely steps out with its guitar riff borrowed from The Kinks’ “I Need You” and “Naście lat” features great organ licks and a vigorous rave-up solo.
Several months after releasing the two extended-plays, Chochoły broke up and their last lineup: Tomasz Jaśkiewicz (guitar), Marian Zimiński (organ), Paweł Brodowski (bass) and Tomasz Butowtt (drums) went on to found Akwarele – Czesław Niemen’s backing band active between 1966 and 1969.
Most of Chochoły recordings are available on a CD compilation “Gwiazdy polskiego big beatu: Chochoły” released on Polskie Nagrania Muza, catalogue number PNCD 1467. Two of songs that originally appeared on Muza N-0411 EP are available on a highly recommendable vinyl compilation “Warszawski rock and roll lat 60.” released on Polskie Nagrania Muza, catalogue number SX 4009. There’s also a CD version (PNCD 1262) that contains four bonus tracks.
Like other groups on Dearborn Records or with Chetkay Music publishing, I can’t find much info on the Jammers. Jack Groendal and Gerry Snyder wrote both sides and were likely members of the group.
The keyboard and lead guitar blend to make a good hook for the peppy “You’re Gonna Love Me Too”. “I Didn’t Mean To Make You Cry” works well as a ballad.
The songs were released on Dearborn D-519, published by Chetkay Music BMI in July, 1965.
I wonder if Jack Groendal is any relation to Zocko Groendal who played with the Lansing, MI band the Woolies, famous for their version of “Who Do You Love” on Dunhill.
Star-Bright 3051 – The Wilde Knights – “Beaver Patrol” (Dey – Brown) / “Tossin’ and Turnin'” Rich Brown, vocal on both songs. S-1-866/7
Star-Bright 3052 – The Wilde Knights – “Just Like Me” (Dey for Tinadele Pub. Co. BMI) / “I Don’t Care” (Dey-Brown) Rick Dey vocals on both songs, S-1-864/5
Star-Bright 3053 – Bruce (pseudonym for The Niteriders) – “I Got My Mojo Workin'” / “La-La-La”
Star-Bright 3055 – The Niteriders – “With Friends Like You Who Needs Friends” (Doak) S-1-871 / “Just Call on Me”
Star-Bright 3056 – ??
Star-Bright 3057- Thornbush Ripple IV – “Room With a Crew” Part I / “Room With a Crew” Part II (Anonymous – McCoy for Tinadele Pub) S-1-874/5
Paul Johnson produced all the Star-Bright singles.
The Wilde Knights formed when the draft took Ray Kennedy, lead singer of the Furys, who had two fine r&b records on the Lavender label. Furys member Rich Brown ( lead vocals, guitar) and Roger Huycke (drums) added Rich Dey from the Vejtables as a second lead vocalist and Dean Adair and changed the band’s name to the Wilde Knights.
The Furys had originally been based out of Longview, Washington, but the band’s live circuit brought them up and down the west coast, so perhaps it’s not surprising the Wilde Knights cut their two singles in a studio in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles for release by a brand-new label based in a small coastal town in southern Oregon.
“Beaver Patrol” is an instant classic, featuring lead vocals by Rich Brown. Their second single on Star-Bright, also from 1965, features the original version of “Just Like Me” written and sung by Rich Dey. The story goes that Paul Revere heard the song and bought it from Dey for maybe $5,000. It became a monster hit for the Raiders in December 1965, while Dey seems to have died young, circa 1970. The full story of the Furys/Wilde Knights and their later incarnations is best told in Greg Shaw’s liner notes to the 1984 Voxx LP compiling their recordings.
The third release on Star-Bright is one I haven’t heard, an artist called Bruce doing “I Got My Mojo Workin'” / “La-La-La”. Bruce is supposed to be a pseudonym for members of the Niteriders, who would have the next two singles on Star-Bright in 1966. I know very little about the Niteriders but their two singles are fantastic. The group may have come from Portland, Oregon. “Satisfaction Guaranteed” b/w “Whatever’s Right” came out in early 1966 followed quickly by their second release “With Friends Like You Who Needs Friends” b/w “Just Call on Me”.
I can’t find any copyright registrations to Niteriders member Doak, whose name appears on the Niteriders song writing credits, but I have found a copyright registration from June of ’66 for “Satisfaction Guaranteed” by Donald Richard Keefer. Rick Keefer would produce singles by Genesis, the King Biscuit Entertainers, and American Cheese, all bands with roots in the Furys or Wilde Knights. He had a few early copyrights in 1965: ‘Hurt So Good”, “I Saw Sloopy” and “Soul Searchin'”. It’s conceivable he was a part of the Niteriders.
The Los Angeles label Modern Records released “With Friends Like You Who Needs Friends” under a pseudonym, the Composers, and also put out the Wilde Knights “Beaver Patrol”, supposedly without the band’s knowledge. The Modern releases, along with publishing by Tinadele Pub. BMI suggest a strong Los Angeles connecton for Star-Bright Records.
I haven’t found out what Star-Bright 3056 is, but Star-Bright 3057 (on a purple label) is the Thornbush Ripple IV “Room With a Crew” Part I / “Room With a Crew” Part II, a novelty release featuring a not very funny recitation of what’s supposed to be an asylum inmate, spoken over a bluesy guitar, piano and drums backing.
Star-Bright Records: six or seven releases, four of which are essential garage. Not a bad average!
Bob Lackman had only one release, an EP on the French label Riviera in 1966. “Laughing Boy” is the standout track but all four songs are worthwhile.
No one seems to know exactly where Bob came from or what happened to him. I’ve read he was an English singer who happened to get a release in France. But to my ears he sounds more American than English.
The singer shows familiarity with Los Angeles in the final song, “Sad Day for Doc Shades”:
The poor people of Clark Street, Have trouble finding things to eat, Back in Watts, they have one friend Who never asked to be fed, … (?) he’s afraid.
Doc Shades, bad days, Sad days for Doc Shades.
The story is one, sad but good, Practice on 5th Avenue and Hollywood, Until that day that young girl passed away. Because her folks, they were rich, there was trouble in store, Doc Shades could work no more.
The agent grew thin, Bad times had set in, for him.
Doc Shades, bad days, Sad days for Doc Shades.
They no longer said his hands shook, and his reflection in the bottle was a look, Of paranoid indecision, conscience, better known as fear.
The time had come, sad days for Doc Shades had begun. I said now baby let’s do it, I know it, Poor Dark Shades though.
Doc Shades, bad days, Sad days for Doc Shades.
Well I have no more license for any decrepit body, The soul is good, he drinks wood alcohol.
Now he still treats the people on that street, Clark Street, I lived there, No Jaguars, no Japanese gardeners, Lots of trash, it’s ain’t easy here babe, No Frenchy food, or no Frency nothin’.
“Bad Day for Doc Shades” is the only song from the EP not audible on youtube, I’m sorry to say. “Town of Sorrow” seems to cover a similar emotional state but with abstract lyrics. “I Cry for You” has a tuneful pop sound.
“Laughing Boy” has more passion and vitriol, with the singer sucking in his breath between verses, turning from a gentle voice in one line to a harsh accusing tone in the next.
On the beaches far below, I see the waves crashing on the rocky shore, And I also see the sky with its clouds of pink and white, and it makes me wonder why I shouldn’t fight.
See the laughing boy over there. See the laughing boy.
I hear crowds of laughter, and of joy, I see before me, a little boy, He looks so happy, smiling boy, But it is you that I dread.
See the laughing boy over there, See the laughing boy.
This little boy, comes up to me, He’s filled with joy, he’s so carefree, But if he’d been through the same as me, Then I don’t think he’d be ashamed, To tell me what is wrong.
On the beaches far below, I see the waves crashing, crashing on the rocky shore, And I also see the sky with its clouds of pink and white, Do you see them there?
See the laughing boy over there, See the laughing boy.
Bob Lackman wrote “Laughing Boy” and collaborated with a writer named Pasternak on the other three songs. A commentator “Boursin” wrote below, “Pasternak is almost certainly the DJ Emperor Rosko (real name Mike Pasternak). In 1966 his French-language show, Minimax, was on Radio Luxembourg every weekday night, and was hugely popular in France.”
I contacted Emperor Rosko and he wrote back:
I found him singing in the [London] Underground. He came from a wealthy family. I produced those tracks. Everything disappeared, masters, label, and Bobby. Bobby disappeared back into New York. If you track him down give me a shout!
I asked Rosko about his co-writing credit as Pasternak and he replied, “I messed with it a bit.”
The cover lacks any credits except for song writing and photography by Drew Bond. I find the color/b&w art jarring because the sunburst on the guitar is blacked out on the right side and because his hand is turned into a lifeless gray color.
My friend Derek Taylor sent in this cool promotional photo of a group called Outrage, with a logo that could come from some ’80s hardcore poster.
The group had one single as Allen Fierro and the Outrage: “Show Me” b/w “Light My Fire” on Music City 45-870. The label misspells Allen’s name, it should have been Alan Fierro. Pamela Fierro wrote to me that the group was known as simply The Outrage, but for some reason the single added Alan’s name in front of the group’s.
Alan and Pamela Fierro were from Oakland; two other members came from Fremont.
Joey D wrote me that “the logo was drawn by Don Ryder who did a lot of flyers/posters for Bill Quarry’s Teen ‘n Twenties.” These shows took place in Hayward and San Leandro at the Rollarena and other venues. More info on Bill Quarry’s promotions and many examples of Don Ryder’s poster art can be seen at Bill Quarry’s Teens N’ Twenties site.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
The Deltrons recorded in Sebewaing, Michigan a town about halfway between Bad Axe, the town of the A-side title, and Bay City, the location of the Deltron label and Delta Promotions.
When I covered the Jayhawkers and Deltron Records, I didn’t believe this single was related to the Bay City Deltron label. The label design is different, and this one is a Chicago pressing by Stereo Sound from April of 1966. But Max Waller found this comment that Daniel Richards wrote on youtube:
Deltron 21 (1227) – The Jayhawkers – “Dawn Of Instruction” (Trusdale Music, BMI) / “Searchin'”
