Malcolm & The Countdowns

August 27, 2022 Nick Warburton 2 Comments

At St Bernadettes school in Hillingdon. Steve Priest is far left

Malcolm Sargeant – lead vocals

Richard Herring – lead guitar

Steve Priest – bass

Gez Lee – rhythm guitar (replaced by Raymond Thompson on keyboards)

Eddie Richards – drums

Malcolm Sargeant very kindly provided the following information and photos about the group, which included future Sweet member, Steve Priest.

At the Martin Baker club in Denham, Buckinghamshire

I started singing with the school band at Mellow Lane, Hayes, west London and when I left I joined The Countdowns around 1962/63. I was always known as “Sadge”.

Their singer Bernard Powell was leaving. I auditioned at Eddie Richards’ (the leader of the band) house in Hayes and got the job. I joined Eddie who played drums, Richard Herring on lead guitar, Steve Priest on base and Gez Lee on rhythm (later replaced by Raymond Thompson on keyboards) who all sang backing vocals. Raymond Thompson was with us until the group disbanded around mid-1966.

Steve went on to join The Army and later Sweet with Brian Connolly (Mac) and Eddie went with First Class and then later Edison Lighthouse.

Gez Lee had left to continue his studies and Richard went on to work with many different bands (including reuniting with Priest in The Army) and the last I heard he was still gigging.

Ray Thompson emigrated to Canada with his parents and had a brilliant career in writing and broadcasting. He now lives in New Zealand and owns the Tirohana vineyards. His autobiography is called Keeping The Dream Alive.

I joined The Carltones (made up of members of the RAF central band) on the dinner and dance circuit; this fitted in with my career at British Gas.

The Countdowns played all the local venues, including cinemas, Burton’s club in Uxbridge, Botwell and Wistowe House run by the Fripps in Hayes, the A Train, various community centres, the Attic club in Hounslow, the Martin Baker Club in Denham, Buckinghamshire, and St. Bernadettes in Long Lane, Hillingdon where one of the promo photographs was taken.

Our band was friendly rivals of The Javelins (Ian “Jez” Gillan’s group) and Paul & The Alpines on the local circuit. We supported Steve Marriott’s band, The Pretty Things, The Rolling Stones, Wayne Fontana, The Outlaws (Ritchie Blackmore) and many more.

A gig under the temporary name of Malcolm James & The Callars

Richard and Eddie’s dads used to transport us and our gear all over the place: Margate Dreamland was a regular gig, The Kursaal in Southend too as well as a venue in Clacton and Crayford Town Hall in Kent among others.

I don’t recall where the temporary change of band name to Malcolm James & The Callers came from, maybe when we were recording with Joe Meek?

We got picked up by Phil Jay (ex-pirate DJ and local management agent in Hounslow). He got us the opportunity to record several covers with the legendary Joe Meek at his studio in Holloway Road. One of which recently made it onto a CD of undiscovered recordings found in the “tea chests” that Joe had stored in a lock up garage.

Categories: Detroit, Enterprise Records, Michigan

The Lazy Eggs “I’m a Clown” / “Poor Boys Always Weep” on Enterprise

August 22, 2022 R.D. Francis 8 Comments

Today a new contributor, R.D Francis, profiles the Lazy Eggs in the first in a series of articles on Michigan bands.

The Lazy Eggs; image courtesy of Mike Dugo’s ’60s Garage Bands.com

Fronted by Tom Carson, the Lazy Eggs began in 1959 as TC and the Good Guys, with Gary Praeg, Sam Moceri, Clem Riccobono, Tom Pointe, and Bob Krause. Impressed with their writing and live performances, Carson’s band signed a management contract with Bob Swartz. While they never shared a stage, Swartz also managed the earliest beginnings of Bob Seger’s career with his band, the Last Heard. The Lazy Eggs’ first big bar gig was working as the houseband at the Red Carpet Lounge on Warren and Outer Drive in Detroit; they replaced Bob Seger and the Last Heard who moved onto the Roostertail. After the folding of Seger’s old label, Cameo-Parkway, he signed with Capitol Records in 1968; the Last Heard became known as the Bob Seger System.

As the Beatlesque the Lazy Eggs, the band released their first single, “I’m Gonna Love You b/w As Long as I Have You” (E-5060; both composed by Riccobono) for Detroit’s Enterprise Records in 1967 (not in 1965 as mistakenly web-cataloged).

Their second single, “I’m a Clown b/w Poor Boys Always Weep,” (E-5085; Praeg composed the A-Side; Moceri the B-Side) appeared shortly after. After the release of their singles, and the departure of guitarist Tom Pointe, Ron Koss—noted for touring and recording with Wilson Pickett, Merv Johnson, and Hank Ballard, as well as his Motown session work—joined, remaining with the band until their early 1969 demise (other sources place the end, later, at 1972).

“I’m a Clown b/w Poor Boys Always Weep” debuted on Ontario’s CKLW-AM “The Big 8” on March 6, 1967. Achieving a minor placing on Detroit’s “Keener 13” WKNR-AM’s Top 40 chart, the single peaked at #28 on CKLW-AM, and at # 15 and #11 on Flint, Michigan’s smaller WTAC 600 AM and Ann Arbor’s WPAG 1050 AM, respectively. The chart success led to WKHM/WKNR’s Robin Seymour (later of CKLW-AM) hosting the band’s performances of both sides during a March 11, 1967, episode of Swingin’ Time airing on CKLW-TV’s Channel 9.

Tom Carson continued to work on stage with Bob “Catfish” Hodge in the Catfish Blues Band. Carson wrote the lyrics for “Catfish” on Get Down, the band’s 1970 debut on Epic.

Gary Praeg also gigged on Detroit’s local stages as a member of the R&B flavored the Pacesetters (not to be confused with the West Coast soul group that cut “I’m Gonna Make It b/w What About Me, Baby” in 1968 on New Orleans’ Minit). Also featuring Ron Koss on lead guitar, along with drummer Vin Scalabrino, and future the Rockets’ bassist John Fraga, the Pacesetters—inspired by Major Lance’s chart-topping dance-craze hit, “The Monkey Time”—cut the one-off 45-rpm/7” “The Monkey Whip b/w Around the World” (CT-3476), released on the Detroit-based Correc-Tone on September 14, 1963. (Both sides were written by Motown writer-arranger, William Witherspoon.)

By 1970, Gary Praeg formed Katzenjammer with ex-Lazy Eggs’ bassist Angelo Palazzolo and drummer Chris Birg; they soon took over the houseband gig at Detroit’s Roostertail. Katzenjammer recorded no singles.

Tom Carson, along with former Lazy Eggs’ Clem Riccobono and Sam Moceri, founded Detroit’s Fiddlers Music in 1970. Dealing in instrument sales and rentals, as well as recording and releasing private press singles and albums, Fiddlers closed its doors in 1980. Gary Praeg founded Cloudborn Studios in the mid-’70s and recorded light-rock and jazz-influenced albums as Shivers and Dove Grey.

Clem Riccobono passed away in 2014; Sam Moceri and Tom Pointe in 2018.

TC and the Good Guys:
Tom Carson — lead guitar, vocals
Tom Pointe — rhythm guitar, vocals
Clem Riccobono — bass, vocals
Sam Moceri — drums

The Pacesetters:
Ron Koss — lead guitar
Gary Praeg — rhythm guitar
John Fraga — bass guitar
Vin Scalabrino — drums

The Lazy Eggs:
Tom Carson — lead guitar, vocals
Tom Pointe — rhythm guitar
Sam Moceri — keyboards, vocals (rejoined in 1963)
Clem Riccobono — bass, vocals
Bob Krause — drums

Other Lazy Eggs members:
Ron Koss — lead guitar (joined around 1963)
Gary Praeg — rhythm guitar, vocals (joined around 1963)
Angelo Palazzolo — bass
Chris Birg — drums

Note: The single, “My Baby Don’t Care b/w The Hammer Song,” released in 1968 on the Sunspot label—that is oft-compilation and web-cataloged with the Detroit Eggs—is a different Lazy Eggs: one led by Sid Herring; he later formed Watchpocket, a Southern Rock concern with Steve Cropper. While not directly relevant to the Detroit Lazy Eggs-subject of this article: 45-rpm aficionados take note that the Sunspot-45 in question is actually a cover of the Gants’ “My Baby Don’t Care,” which was Sid Herring’s previous group. Another band covered at Garage Hangover, the Wanted & Co., also covered “My Baby Don’t Care” with a 1968 single. Terry Montgomery, the brother of the Gants’ bassist Vince Montgomery, was a member of the Sceptres.

You can enjoy all four sides — and two TV appearances — of the Lazy Eggs with this convenient, catch-all playlist on You Tube.

Article written by R.D Francis.

Courtesy of Mike Dugo’s ’60s Garage Bands.com, by way of late drummer Sam Morceri

Categories: Arcadia, California, DeVille, Los Angeles

Fenwyck with Jerry Raye / Cal Raye on DeVille Records

August 17, 2022 Chris Bishop 6 Comments

I found these promo sheets for Jerry Raye with Fenwyck on DeVille Records. Jerry Raye has a long and complex story. He started his career as Cal Raye, with about half a dozen singles on various labels. The fabulous “I Cry” on Runay RY-101/111 from 1966 would be reissued as Jerry Raye on DeVille.

The band Fenwyck came from Arcadia, California, just east of Pasadena. Members at one point included:

Pat Robinson – vocals and guitar
Pat Maroshek – bass
Keith Knighter – drums

The Monrovia CA Daily News-Post mentioned “Fenwyck”, “the Fenwyck Combo” and “Fenwyck’s Band” three times between August and December, 1965, including at the Citrus College Homecoming in November 1965.

The Los Angeles Times mentions Fenwyck playing a month-long battle of the bands at Pacific Ocean Park (POP), against the Grope, the Ives of Redwing, the Debris, the Tyfoo Five, Me and the Rest, the Quool “and hundreds of others”.

Fenwyck backed Jerry Raye on six songs released over four singles on DeVille, Challenge, and Progressive Sounds of America. Fenwyck are pictured on the album The Many Sides of Jerry Raye.

The back cover credits other musicians, including Jerry Cole, Ernie Freeman, and “the all-time personal friend from his hometown, Bristol, Rhode Island, Kenny Marshall”.

Considering “Mindrocker” is one of the iconic songs from this time period, I surprised I can’t find any detailed information on these sessions or Fenwyck.

In the 1970s, Pat Robinson formed Back Pocket with Patrick Maroshek, who also played with Hardchoir.

Patrick Robinson cut some solo 45s and worked with Gene Clark on Under The Silvery Moon and So Rebellious a Lover.

Besides Fenwyck, Raye also cut a couple DeVille singles with another band called the New Trend. Pete Apodeca wrote “Pray for Me” and also helped write “Children” / “Comin’ Back” for Pete Martin and the Features, also on DeVille. Tom Quilty wrote “I’ll Wait”.

A TV clip from circa 2011 has Cal crooning a couple numbers, mentioning he lived in Hollywood seven years, and that he appeared in a couple movies including Monte Walsh with Lee Marvin and Jack Palance.

Cal Raye advertising in the Tennessean, March 27, 1978

After leaving Los Angeles, Jerry Raye cut a few additional singles based in Nashville. He returned to the Cal Raye name with other records, “Sensuous Woman” on Laurie maybe his biggest seller.

Hit Talents letter from Charles W. Cabot accompanying Jerry Raye and Fenwyck promo sheets to Joe Dimaggio’s Restaurant in Houston

Cal had one LP You Tell Such Lovely Lies that has the DeVille Records name on the front cover, but may not have been connected to the Hollywood company.

He seems to have ended up in Florida in the 2000s. The Cal Raye Connection Trio played at the Top O’ Mast in Fort Myers, and Cal Raye ran karaoke nights in Orlando.

The Hit Talents letter of August, 1969 to Sam Dimaggio in Houston seems to be looking for investment in return for pressing, distribution and/or promotion. This Joe Dimaggio’s Restaurant was not connected to the baseball player, by the way.

Charles W. Cabot is Chuck Cabot, whose true last name may have been Charles Cascoles. Chuck was a band leader and vocalist, owner of Hit Talents and either owner or A&R man of DeVille Records.

Categories: Scotland

The Haze

August 15, 2022 Nick Warburton 1 Comment

Forbes Walker got in touch with some photos of Scottish group The Haze, who opened for a number of visiting English bands, notably The Foundations in 1968.

The first photo above (circa 1968) was taken at the Star Bingo Hall, Bo’ness. Left to right: Neil Allan (bass), Alex Fisher (keyboards), Iain Walker (drums), Brian Ure (vocals) and Tom Ritchie ( guitar).

According to Forbes, Neil Allan, Tom Ritchie and Alex Fisher had all previously played together in a local band called The Jokers in the early 1960s. His brother Iain had played drums since he was about 12 years old and had been in The Sapphires, Finders Keepers and Five By Five before teaming up with the band. The Haze had been previously known and gigged as The Amazing Grace.

The second picture above shows a later line-up from around 1969. Left to right (back row): Brian Johnston with saxophone (he was 14 when he first played in the band), Iain Walker (drums), Billy Erskine (vocals). Front row, left to right: Alex Fisher (keyboards), Tom Ritchie (guitar), Gregor Risk (bass).

Thanks to Forbes Walker for providing the images and text.

Categories: New York, Schenectady, Vibra, Vibra-Sound, Vibra-Sound Recording Studio

Heathens – “The Other Way Around” / “Problems” on Vibra

August 11, 2022 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Heathens came from Schenectady, NY and cut one of the greatest singles of the area “The Other Way Around” / “Problems” on Vibra L-104. The Heathens recorded at Vibra Sound Recording Studio, but the cavernous sound does not diminish the energy of the group.

Michael Dellario wrote both songs and sang lead vocals. The labels credit Hooker, Stahl, Petticrew, Sheer & Marquez for arrangement.

I had to look back to Steve Rosen’s article in Kicks #2 for a full listing of the band, as there was none on the internet. In the article, the members are listed as

Michael Dellerio – lead vocals
Laddie Stahl – guitar
Steve Pedicrue – guitar
Larry Hooker – keyboards
Paul Marques – bass
Mike Sherer – drums

The article lists different last names for four members of the band than the record labels. I suspect the article has a number of typos. Going by the labels the lineup would be:

Michael Dellario – lead vocals
Laddie Stahl – guitar
Steve Petticrew – guitar
Larry Hooker – keyboards
Paul Marquez – bass
Mike Sheer – drums

The article gives some interesting information about Vibra Sound studio:

The Heathens were the first to record at Schenectday’s first studio, Vibra Sound, which at the time was located in the home of proprietor Nate Schwartz. As Mike Dellario remembers it, conditions were primitive: “At the time, the studio was his garage and the engineering booth was his basement. I remember there was no eye contact at all. All the talking was through the microphone. Everything was done basically in just one shot, no concept of tracking.”
The Heathens broke up when the members graduated high school in June, 1967. The article states that Dellerio stuck it out with several subsequent bands and eventually cut some demos for Warner Brothers … He hopes to work with local bands on a producer/arranger level.

Mike Dellario changed his name to Michael Dellaira and became an orchestral composer.

The Sensations, including Larry Hooker with the tambourine, and George Supreneault in the white shirt at right.

Walter Phelps (who was lead guitarist for the Ravens, also managed by Marty Wade) sent in this photo of the Sensations, which had some members who would go into the Heathens.

Categories: Ohio, Rite Record Productions custom pressings, Springfield, Urbana

The Tremors – “Wondering Why” on Catalina

August 8, 2022 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

Updated July, 2023

The Tremors “Wondering Why” on Catalina is one of the greatest garage records, but almost nothing was known about the band until recently, when Matt Aquiline found an article from the Urbana Daily Citizen on December 12, 1966, detailing their first recording session, which would produce the 45.

Members were:

Bill Cromwell – lead vocals and rhythm guitar
Derry Cox – lead guitar
Gene Monroe – bass
Herald Barker – drums and organ
Jim Cummins – organ and drums

Buckeye Beat has a photo and mentions that four members were from Urbana, Ohio and one from Springfield OH. They cut their single at the O’Brien Studio in Springfield, produced by musician and race car driver Ron Knull, released in December 1966 or January 1967 on Catalina 03/04.

The 45 was pressed by Rite Record Productions, 19469/70, account # 1801, both songs published by Ronnie K Music.

The writer credit on “Wondering Why” is Cummins – Barker. For some reason, many scans of this side on the internet have erased their names. I need to see a good scan of the B-side, the fine ballad “What Have I Done” to see if there are similar credits.

Paul Lunnon suggests Harold Barker was known as Hal Barker, he and Jim Cummins were long-time friends and musicians. Hal Barker mainly played drums, James Cummins organ and keyboards.

“The Tremors” dance band in the Daily-Times, New Philadelphia OH, March 31, 1967

The only other notice I can find is a mention of “The Tremors” Dance Band at the Quarter Miler Rod & Custom Show on April 1 & 2, 1967, at the National Guard Armory in New Philadelphia, Ohio, almost three hours’ drive east of Urbana.

Other singles on Catalina:

Catalina 1 – The Shacklefords – “The Wonderer” / “The Unloved” (1966, written by D. Shackleford, published by Lunk Music, Rite pressing 17743/4, account # 1801)

Catalina 335 – Ron Frasier and Consolidations – “Summer with You” / “Another Girl” (I need a scan of this single, it is a Rite pressing 18803/4, account # 297)

Categories: Fredericksburg, Virginia, Washington DC

December’s Children “Signed D.C.” on Domestic Sound Records

August 7, 2022 Chris Bishop 7 Comments

December’s Children at the Alexandria Roller Rink, November 22, 1967, Jerry Burke holding the mic, photo courtesy of Bud Becker

December’s Children came from Fredericksburg, Virginia, but were part of the same Washington, D.C. music scene as the Telstars. Bud Becker managed both bands, and the photos here come from his collection.

I don’t have the lineups down exactly but I believe members included:

Jerry Burke – lead vocals
Clay Staples (J.C. Staples) – lead guitar
Pete Kahn – rhythm guitar
Steve Gilles
Matt ”Red” Kilmer – organ
Mike Martino – drums
Mick Coiner (Mic Coiner) – lead vocals (replaced Jerry Burke)

Dick Alfers was a roadie for the band.

December’s Children at the Alexandria Roller Rink, Jerry Burke with tambourine, November 22, 1967

Ad for the December’s Children supporting the Turtles at the Alexandria Roller Rink, November 22, 1967

December’s Children biggest show may have been supporting the Turtles on November 22, 1967 at the Alexandria Roller Rink with Bobby Howard and the Sweet, the Plum Beach Incident, the Hounds of Baskerville, the Fantastic Plastic, the Seeds of Life, the Rokz, the Kings Row, the Gnu Generation, and the Yorkshires. WPGC “Good Guy” DJ Jack Alix presented the show.

December's Children, Ltd. Domestic Sound 45 Signed D.C.

Also in 1967, the group made their only single, featuring a cover of Love’s “Signed D.C.” backed with an original “So Long Ago” by Burke, Gilles, and Staples.

On the record the group is listed as December’s Children, Ltd., released on Domestic Sound Records DS-123, with an address at 133 South Washington Street, Falls Church, VA. M.A. Becker and December’s Children and DSP Music published “So Long Ago”.

After Jerry Burke left for Vietnam in 1968, Mic Coiner took over on lead vocals.

I don’t know if the band’s members continued in music. Jerry Burke passed away in 2007.

Bud Becker’s silent footage of December’s Children at a VFW hall with Jerry Burke on lead vocals, followed by Jerry Burke’s haircut shortly before going into the Marines, ending with a short clip at a Hullabaloo with Mic Coiner on vocals.

Thank you to Bud Becker and Paul Burke for their help with this article.

December’s Children at the Alexandria Roller Rink, November 22, 1967

Categories: Hertz Recording Studios (Newark), Morristown, New Jersey

The Fabulous Strings from Morristown, NJ

August 7, 2022 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

notice in the Courier-News, Thu, Sep 24, 1964

Frank Jones was born in Plainfield, New Jersey and joined the Fabulous Strings at age 15. Frank wrote to me:

My band the Fabulous Strings won a talent show in Newark NJ and recorded two demos at Hertz Studio 38 Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey. The tunes were “How High the Moon”, “Slow Hold It”, “Movin’ Up” and “Vibrating”. I would like to listen to them again.
Charlie Morton – lead guitar
C.B. Hill – rhythm guitar
R.D. Cunningham – bass guitar
Frank Jones – drums

The Bridgewater Courier-News announced a benefit concert at Plainfield High School on Saturday, September 26, 1964 with 20 acts including Sammy and the Del Larks, the Conchords, Jimmy Gator, Mersey Johnson, the Plazas, Paradons, Jo Jo and the Admirers, the Tri Dells, Harry Ring and the Fabulous Strings, Parliaments and Parlets.

If anyone comes across any Hertz Recording Studio lacquer demos of the Fabulous Strings, please contact me.

Frank Jones has kept active in music, and can be found on facebook.

Categories: Kennett Sound (Kinderhook NY), Kingston, New Paltz, New York, Orange County, Ulster County, Walden, Wallkill

Morning After “I Don’t Need You Today” / “Dream” on Third Wave

August 5, 2022 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Morning After released one record in 1970, “I Don’t Need You Today” / “Dream” on Third Wave 0027.

Members were:

Joe Kearney – lead guitar and vocals
Bruce Talbott – bass guitar and vocals
Jim Tate – drums and vocals

Although all three have song writing credit on the labels, copyright registration from March, 1970 shows Bruce E. Talbott wrote words and music to “I Don’t Need You Today”, and Talbott and Joseph Kearney co-wrote “Dream”. Dyad Music published the songs, but I don’t see them in BMI’s database.

According to an article in the Kingston Daily Freeman from March 7, 1970, the group met in New Paltz but were based in Kingston, NY. The group were in their early 20s, so they may have had previous band experience.

For Them, Rock’s the Mother Tongue
Morning After is not much interested in talking up a revolution. Its three clean-cut, suede-jacketed-and-vested members prefer to sing songs that are rhythmic with vocal harmony rather than rife with social movement … forsaking screaming lyrics and fire-eating antics for music with a straight-ahead sound.
Relying on the powerful, bluesy, lean sounds of Wallkill drummer Jim Tate, Kingston lead guitarist Joe Kearney, and bass guitarist Bruce Talbott of Walden … Their impeccable instrumental style and express-track delivery has brought them bookings at The Creamery in West Park, the Thunderbird in Saugerties, the Blue Eagle in New Paltz, and the Trade Wind and Coral Reef in Newburgh …
Talbott … tied in with the other two members of the group during a jam session while he was a student at New Paltz State University College.
The new disc, produced by Lance Naylor for Third Wave Records, was recorded at Kennett Sound Studios in Kinderhook: is currently available at Caldor’s Abrams and Britts.
(T.G.)

I don’t know if Talbott, Kearney or Tate continued in music after Morning After. Their record is one of the few singles from Kennett Sound studio that I don’t have in my collection.

Lance Naylor had a previous mention in the Daily Freeman, from March 25, 1969:

Theft of musical instruments valued at $1,000 from the Pleasure Yacht Tavern here, was under investigation …
Lance Naylor … manager of The Spurs, a musical group, reported the theft on Monday to authorities. He said the missing articles included three amplifiers and other musical equipment.

Categories: Black Cat, Florida, Orchid, Tallahassee

The Mystics “Snoopy” and the Many Others “(Tell Me Why) I’m Alone”

July 31, 2022 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

The Mystics, from left: Dan Searcy, Ben Willis, Donnie Fields, John Schuessler and Johnny Teague at an “infamous gig” at the Woman’s Club, 1965

The Mystics came from Tallahassee, Florida, and in late 1964 recorded “Snoopy”, a crude version of the Vibrations “My Girl Sloopy”.

Members of the band were:

Johnny Teague – guitar and vocals
John Schuessler – guitar and vocals
Ben Willis – guitar and vocals
Dan Searcy – bass and vocals
Donnie Fields – drums

Mark Hinson wrote a profile of the group’s upcoming reunion in the Tallahassee Democrat on April 3, 1998, featuring the photo at top, and mentioning that the Mystics cut “Snoopy” at a small studio on Adams Street.

Teen Beat Mayhem states “consensus opinion deems the McCoys patterned the arrangement of “Snoopy” for their own remake of ‘Hang On Sloopy.'”

The article quotes John Schuessler about the McCoys version:

It was the same producer and he used our exact same arrangement. But he left town with our contract, which was written on the back of an FSU speeding ticket, and there wasn’t much we could do.

Released on Black Cat 501, “Sloopy” is credited to C. Jim, aka Curley Jim (real name James Morrison), who did not write the song, but was associated with Marve-N-Harve Music Pub. out of Miami. The flip was a version of “Oo Poo Pah Doo”.

Somehow the single also saw release in February 1965 on Future Talent 13893/4, “A Rose-Givens-Mason Production” from tiny Waverly, Virginia, and also with Marve-N-Harve Publishing.

I don’t know who the Mystics producer was, but “My Girl Sloopy” / “Hang On Sloopy” was written by Bert Berns (aka Bert Russell) and Wesley Farrell, and produced by Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer (the trio behind the Strangeloves singles), so the connection is unclear.

In December 1965, the group released another single as the Many Others on Orchid BC-504. “(Tell Me Why) I’m Alone” is a great original by Johnny Teague. The flip is a version of “Can I Get a Witness”, which according to the article was “a fluke No. 1 hit in Japan”. However, I can find no release of this single in Japan.

Orchid and Black Orchid Publishing were based in Miami, like Black Cat and Marve’n’Harve Pub. Orchid singles from two other west Florida bands. From Marianna there was the Bangs “Then I’ll Cry” / “Tab Top” in 1965. In 1966 Orchid released the Pagans “Your Going To Lose That Girl” / “Strawman” (written by Frank Chandler), recorded live at Rutherford High School in Panama City.

Donnie Fields died in a car crash circa 1988, so when the Mystics reunited in 1998, Richard Bevis played drums. Another reunion in 2000 included David Cox on keyboards and vocals, and has been released on CD as “Live and Kickin'”, but I haven’t heard it.

The site for '60s garage bands since 2004