Morgan Records had its base in Montgomery, Alabama. Some artists, like the Rockin’ Gibraltars recorded at Cloverland Studio in Montgomery. Publishing was often with Granny Music BMI.
Morgan discography (incomplete – any help with this would be appreciated)
Morgan 674H-3947 – Kavaliers – “Get Your Feet Off Me” / “If You Loved Her” (SK4M-3947/8) (November 1965) Morgan 5965 – Doug Hughes – “Reno Blues” (Mitchell Bush, Granny Music BMI) / “Two People I Know” (SK4M-5966) Morgan HR 9018 – Charlena & the Rockettes – “Ramrod” / “Last Night” Morgan HV-9026 – Joe & Harold – “Rag Mop” / “That’s What’s the Matter with Me” Morgan HV-9040 – Rockin’ Gibraltars – “Go With Me” (S. Grier, K. Brewer) / “Signed, Sealed and Delivered” (TK4M-2418/9) 1966 Morgan HV-9041 – The Mustangs – “Hitch Hike” / “Daddy’s Home” (T4KM-5005/6) 1966 Morgan HV-9044 – The Bankrupts, vocal Jimmy Wood – “Bankrupt” (J. Segrest) / “Why Can’t I Change” (T4KM-5107) Morgan HV-9049 – Fabulous Checkmates – “Safari ‘Jungle Trip'” (Bush, Jones, Helms, Windham, Dean) / “My Sin and My Pride” (TK4M-5243/4) Morgan HV-9059/9053 – Kavaliers – “Hot Cha” (Woods) / “Hey Baby” (TK4M-9707/8) (1966) Morgan HV-9060 – The Seeds of Time – “She’s Been Travelin’ ‘Round the World” / “Gina” (TK4M-9674/5)
The Kavaliers were Wayne Neuendorf, Jack Boutwell, Mike Morris, Larry Hughes, Tim Nix and Mike Walters.
Thanks to Gary Wise and Max Waller for help with the discography.
One of many groups called the Illusions, this group cut only one 45 featuring the great “Shadows of You” by D. Gillon, which was originally the B-side. The A-side is the more pop “Rain, Shine, or Snow” by J. Dougherty.
Members were Jim Posey – lead vocals, Robert Thames – lead guitar and vocals, David Gillon – rhythm guitar and vocals, Joe Dougherty – bass guitar and vocals and Paul Morrow – drums and vocals. The band had an earlier 45 under Jim Posey’s name, a version of “Double Shot (of My Baby’s Love)” b/w “That Boy” on Bahama Records out of Florence, Alabama.
United Recording and Production was incorporated in Birmingham, Alabama on May 20, 1968. The Chantain BMI credit doesn’t show up in BMI’s current database. Although it looks something like a Rite pressing, it is not, with etched deadwax simply “L-193-1/2”. Maybe someone can comment with the likely pressing plant for this record.
Chantain had at least three other releases, a soul 45 by Roy Smith “Don’t Go Away” (R. Smith, B. Walker) / “The Pain Lingers On” (Chantain CH-0014, reissued on Ascot AS 2239), the Regular Size doing a ballad called “Down In Texas” b/w “Richmond”, and a release by Jerry Woodward.
Thank you to Max Waller for information on the band.
The Beat Syndicate, circa 1965, from left: Tony (the drummer), Jim Newton, John Maskell, John (the bassist) and Mick George
John Maskell wrote to me about his group the Beat Syndicate and sent in the great promotional photo seen here. Has anyone come across their unreleased demo?
I was a vocalist for a group called The Beat Syndicate.
Attached is a photo of the group circa 1965. From the left, Tony the drummer, Jim Newton the rhythm guitarist, John Maskell, John the bassist and Mick George the lead guitarist. I am afraid I cannot recall two of the surnames of two that are mentioned.
On 25 September 1965 we appeared at the Cellar Club supporting The Nashville Teens. Arriving about 7 pm we started the show at 7.30 pm. We played on and then had a 15 minute break, when we were informed the Teens had been fog bound in Manchester where they were recording Top of the Pop’s. We were asked to play on to keep the show going as they were not sure what time the star act was going to arrive. Two guys who had left Screaming Lord Sutch’s group to form The Plebs, Danny McCulloch and Derek Sirmon gave our drummer and bassist a break. We eventually finished at just after midnight and the Teens went on at 12.30 am..
We won a beat competition at Coronation Gardens Leytonstone, where we were based, and were given a recording test at Pye studios. Alan A. Freeman was the producer. We recorded a song that the lead guitarist and I wrote with a standard on the B side. The record was never released and I lent my copy to an agent who said he would get me some work after I left the Beat Syndicate but I never saw him or my disc again.
There were two recording sessions one at Pye Studios, the single and one recorded at Leytonstone Library, early one Sunday morning. We recorded three tracks for the second recording, these were the numbers performed that won us the beat competition at Coronation Gardens, Leyton which was compiled on an L.P. with all the other entrants performances. This was pressed by a company called the Audiophonic Recording Co and discs were distributed by Leyton Electric Company. Unfortunately for me I was never told of the existence of the disc which I would have purchased had I known. I found most of this information contacting ex members of groups who were in the competitions around that time.
I left The Beat Syndicate rather acrimoniously, as at the time of the Pye test we were given a contract to tour professionally, however the rest of the band turned the opportunity down. I was a bit miffed as I thought that was what we were in the music business for, to progress to professionals. The band carried on for a couple of years and disbanded some time in 1968.
Disillusioned, I didn’t pursue my singing career any further, but I have sung with the odd band or two in recent years.
Previously in 1963, I had been with a group called Johnny & the Bobcats, we changed the name to Group 004 + 1 after a while.We were based in Tottenham, North London and had a residency at the White Swan for about a year or so. We had success supporting groups such as Georgie Fame, The Kinks, The Paramounts and Gene Vincent & the Shouts to name a few.
When this 45 by the Kaleidoscope Machine came up for auction this summer, I threw a bid out for about a third of its reputed value. To my surprise, and subsequent financial distress, I won it. The band had only 200 copies pressed in October, 1967, distributing them to local radio stations. Those copies are mostly lost and this is considered a very rare single now.
According to Buckeye Beat, Dennis Anthony was a student at Toledo University and wrote original songs. He formed a band with his wife’s younger brother and a couple other high school students from the small town of Petersburg, MI, about 30 miles from Toledo. The Kaleidoscope Machine did some shows in Petersburg and Toledo. The band stayed together only a short time, but it was enough to record two of Dennis Anthony’s songs at a radio studio.
The band rocks behind Dennis on “Why”, while “We Can’t Wait” is more subdued. The lyrics to both songs are simple and impassioned, but the performances have a confidence that elevates them above many other singles in this vein. The rarity of this 45 has kept these songs from being compiled and few people have heard either.
Anthony wrote both songs for Barthmare Music, BMI, though I can’t find any trace of them in BMI’s online database. The label is DAB Records, which I assume was short for Dennis Anthony Barthmare. Master #s are 20577/8. Anyone have a photo of the group?
Can’t find much about this group who did this one 45 in 1970. The Cross Tie Walkers included brothers Tony Goggans and Mike Goggans. From a signed copy I saw online, other members includes Patrick Stephens and Roger McDaniels (not sure I have Roger’s surname correct).
I’ve read Valley was an Alabama label, and apparently the Goggans came from Fort Payne, Alabama but Vance Pollack tells me they were often billed as “the Malabous Ron, aka Malibus / Malibous, etc. of Fayetteville” in North Carolina.
“Days I Recollect” is the standout, sounding much like Creedence, but with something original to it. Mike Goggans wrote both that and the flip, “Girl We Got a While Yet”, for Clay Music BMI.
Tony Goggans produced the 45, engineered by Jerry K. Black and arranged by Michael Goggans. The PRP 21841/PRP 21842 code indicates Precision Record Press in Nashville.
Any additional information about the group would be appreciated. Anyone have a photo of the group?
“Little By Little, Fallin’ Apart”Here’s an Audiodisc acetate (actually an aluminum disc coated with lacquer, not made of acetate) from an unknown group who may have been from the New York area. There’s no info on the disc at all, so I don’t think this group will ever be found. No one I know has ever heard these songs on any released 45, so this seems to be a one-of-a-kind demo that was never issued.
From the lyrics, the titles seem to be “Little By Little (Fallin’ Apart)” and “Have Faith”. Both songs are great mid-60s garage, I only wish the condition of “Have Faith” was a little better as it’s a quiet song so the wear is audible.
Karl Thaler plays acoustic guitar and sings doom-laden lyrics on his original composition “The Storm”, and plays guitar and harmonica on the instrumental “Phoebe”.
I had no info other than what’s on the label, which includes the deadwax stamp “45 202 385” / “45 202 386”. A comment, below, informs me that this single was included with the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania’s literary magazine Esprit in 1969, when Karl Thaler was a student there. Any further info on about Mr. Thaler or the University of Scranton music scene this came from would be appreciated.
The Sleepers, from left to right, top row: Kim Murray and Tom Zinser; bottom row: Bob First, Jim Krause and Chris Davis
The Sleepers were from Mansfield, Ohio, located in the northern part of the state about halfway between Columbus and Cleveland.
Tom Zinser lead the band so they were usually referred to as Tommy Z and the Sleepers, though not on the record label which simply says The Sleepers. The label lists the members by last name, but misspells more than half of them: Murry [sic], Crause [sic], Davis, and First. Tommy Zinser’s name is spelled Zinzer on the labels.
Tom Zinser wrote to me in 2016 with more info about the band:
Tommy Z and The Sleepers was the first band I was in that played out. We played some at a club in Ashland, Ohio called the Dugout. We also played fraternity parties at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In the picture, that’s me on the top right. Next to me is Kim Murray, our lead singer, who went on to become an attorney in Mansfield. To the right of Kim on the first row is Bob First, our drummer from Mansfield who at the time was recently out of the Navy. In the center is Jim Krause, misspelled on the record label, played guitar and did some backup vocals. He went on to become a recording engineer in Cincinnati. Next to Jim and below me is Chris Davis, who played bass. Chris, Jim and I went to Mansfield Senior High together and graduated in 1963.
“I Want a Love” combines a fuzz riff with a jangly guitar sound and unison vocals. There’s a short drum break and the fuzz repeats its riffs without trying for anything ambitious. “Time Will Tell” features hypnotic picked guitar and fine harmonies in backup and on the chorus.
Zinser and Davis wrote both songs. The single was recorded at Audio Recording in Cleveland, produced by E.R. Thomas and E.R. Garnes, and released on the Marvy label in 1966.
After the Sleepers broke up in 1967, Zinser went into the Wildlife with guitarist and vocalist Terry Van Auker. The Wildlife released one 45 on Columbia, 4-44369, “Time Will Tell” / “Hard, Hard, Year”.
Tom Zinser adds:
“Time Will Tell” and “I Want A Love” B-side, were my first efforts in songwriting and later on “Time Will Tell” was rerecorded in the Wildlife.
About 2011 we gave an interview to a guy in the United Kingdom who publishes a magazine called Fantastic Expedition. If you go to fantasticexpedition.com, we are in issue 5. That is the most complete story of the Wildlife and the subsequent band, Owen B.
Zinser and Van Auker went into Owen-B which had a self-produced LP recorded at Mus-i-col Studios in Columbus. Another member of Owen-B was Jim Krause on vocals and harmonica.
Confusingly there was another group with two earlier 45s on Columbia who are listed as the Wild Life (two words instead of Wildlife) which have similar credits, arranged by Chuck Sagle and produced by John Walsh:
“This Is What I Was Made For” / “Somes Times I’m Up (Sometimes I’m Down”) (Columbia 4-44213) “New Games to Play” / “Where Do You Go” (Columbia 4-44285)
The Sugar Beats formed in Tampa, Florida and had the first release on the Knight label, which is much better known for 45s by the Outsiders, the Tropics and the Mods. The band members were:
Roland Kent LaVoie – guitar Bill Ellington – guitar Bill Denman – bass Rick Emmert – drums
Both sides are upbeat pop cover songs, which may be why it was not included in Teen Beat Mayhem. Produced by Phil Gernhard and recorded at H & H Studios, though I’ve also read this was recorded at Charles Fuller’s studio – some overlap there? It dates from approximately 1964, with SoN #s 22541/2 in the matrix.
Roland LaVoie went into Me & the Other Guys who had two 45s, “Skinny Minnie” / “Crazy” on Hit Cat and “Runaround Girl” / “Everybody Knew But Me” on Boss.
The Citations at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, 1966 From left: John Grasso, Mike Messineo Bob Oreal, Gene DiMaio, John Fichera and Michael DiResta
There were several groups called the Citations recording in the ’60s including ones from Alabama, Maine, Ohio and, most famously, the band from Milwaukee who cut “Moon Race” / “Slippin’ and Slidin'”.
The Citations I’m featuring today were from Lawrence and Methuen, Massachusetts. Though obscure, their July, 1966 release on Pre-Sav Enterprises has two excellent original songs.
“Long Time Wanderin'” was the A-side, a good upbeat cut, but most garage fans prefer the flip, “The Day That She’ll Go”, a good example of the New England sound – moody and with a dense, almost murky production but plenty of atmosphere and emotion.
I had almost no info on the group until I heard from James DiResta, the brother of guitarist Mike DiResta. He sent in the photo seen at top and gave me the names of the band members.
Gino DiMaio – bass and lead vocals John Grasso – lead guitar Mike DiResta – rhythm guitar John Fichera – keyboards Bob Oreal, Mike Messineo – drums
James wrote to me, “My brother Mike is on the right playing the single cut-away Guild guitar, and wrote the songs on the record. The Vox amps were the original tube amps from England with adapters to play in USA. The club that they use to practice out of, and were the house band for, was the Raven on the Methuen – Haverhill line in Massachusetts. The record had its debut at Turn-Style in South Lawrence and later they showcased at the Hampton Casino.”
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
Morgan Records had its base in Montgomery, Alabama. Some artists, like the Rockin’ Gibraltars recorded at Cloverland Studio in Montgomery. Publishing was often with Granny Music BMI.
