Great 45 with two originals by the Satisfactions on the Lee label from Lansing, Michigan. Production is a little murky and heavy on the echo but the performances are fantastic.
Don’t know much about the band except a Midland, Michigan origin, northwest of Saginaw. The RCA custom pressing code on the label TK4M-3735/6 indicates this was a 1966 release.
“Only Once” was written by Lashier and has a drum intro that picks up speed, a cool sounding nasal vocal and good rough guitar solo. “Never Be Happy” is the other side of the coin, a steady folk-rock ballad written by Weers and Hunter. Interesting how the rhythm changes up for the solo.
This is the same Lee label out of Don Lee Studios that the Marauders from Saginaw used for their June ’65 single, “Lovin” / “Nightmare”. That group paid $245 for one hour of session time and 1,000 45s, it’s likely the Satisfactions worked a similar deal.
Sources include: Article on the Marauders in Kicks #5.
I could be wrong (yes, it’s unlikely but possible) but I think The Marauders did Bo Diddley’s “I Can Tell” and then they became The Satisfactions. So when you talk about The Marauders you might be talking about the same set of guys or at least most of them. Please correct me if I’m wrong, somebody.
The 1960’s rock band, The Marauders from La Crosse, WI did record “I Can Tell”. The Marauders later became known as “The Satisfactions” then “The V-Toops” when they became the house band at The Varsity Club in La Crosse. Members of the band included lead guitarist Rick Miller, rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rick Pryjowski (Pervisky), bass guitarist and vocalist Jim Young, and drummer and vocalist Terry Gardner. All members of the band are still living except for Terry Gardner who passed away in 1990.
NamelessOne, sorry but you are wrong! There is no connection between the Satisfactions band (from Midland, MI) and the Marauders mentioned. I know, because I was the original business manager for the Satisfactions (in 1965 & 66) I was present when the Satisfactions recorded at Lee records, and also traveled with them as Road Mgr through most of their travels.
The Marauders group on the Lee label are not the same Marauders group who recorded a blistering remake of “I Can Tell” on the Coulee label.
The Satisfactions were from Midland, Michigan, the record came out in July 1966.
I just picked up a Marauders 45 with lovin and nightmare on it….same label…
Here is a little more info that I dug up, not much….says somethin bout the different marauders and that they changed there name at one point.
http://cousinsvinyl.com/2008/the-marauders-of-michigan-lovinnightmare-45/
This band is included in my book, “Do You Hear That Beat”. From La Crosse, WI, the Marauders on Coulee (12/64) became the Satisfactions on Twin Town (/65); no connections with any other bands by either name.
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777
Hey Gary,
Jay from Sundazed here adding a log to the fire. We purchased an archived of masters from Kay Bank Studios and as an odd twist on the rumor mill, the masters for The Satisfactions (the WI band) are in a tape box labeled The Marauders! Dated 8/11/65, seven months after the Marauders did Caliente there (have those masters too).
The Marauders were a group from Marshall and Russell, MN according to the copyright certificate filed for “She Threw My Love Away” and “Caliente”. The songs were issued on the Studio City label in May,1965. There is no connection to any other recording group called the Satisfactions.
Or the Marauders!
The Satisfactions are not the same group as the Marauders. I was the original manager of the Satisfactions in 1965. I was with them at Lee Records in 1966, when they recorded their songs. The members of the Satisfactions were Steve Weers on lead guitar, Bob Lashier on Rythem guitar & keyboards, Mike Hunter on bass, and Jeff McDonald on drums. Bob wrote “Only Once” and Steve and Mike wrote “Never Be Happy”.
I seem to have a vague memory of the name “Marauders”, but am very sure none of our guys were ever involved with that band. Steve & Mike were both members of a earlier band called the “GTO’s”, who performed all instrumentals, mostly Venture stuff.
I still have a couple of the original Satisfaction 45’s.
Mr. Beehr,
I am Jeff McDonalds daughter and I would love to speak without about that time. Also, if you know of Mr. lashiers whereabouts.
Thank you.
Heather, l think of you often. Husband, Bob, passed in 2013. He thought a lot of “his boys” and was very proud of the way they conducted themselves. Thanks for asking.
Thank you so much for reaching out. I am sorry for Bobs passing. I would love to get in touch with you. My email is heather@whiteman.net.
I am Steve Weers’ daughter. They definitely were not the same band as the Marauders.
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777
This is basically a repeat of my post from a couple yrs ago, but it appears that there is still confusion about the different bands with the same name. The Marauders that I covered in “Do You Hear That Beat” became the Satisfactions on Twin Town. They were from LaCrosse and most of my info came from guitarist Rick Pervisky. No connection with any other bands by either of those names.
Just catching up to this after my last comment. I’d love to chat with you more about them if you’ve got some time. jay@sundazed.com
The Satisfactions who recorded “Only Once” & “I’ll Never Be Happy” at Lee Records of Lansing in 1966 were from Midland Michigan. They have absolutely no connection with any group named the Marauders or any other group using the Satisfactions name. Must have been another group from LaCrosse. I am 100% sure of this because I was their first manager and later the road mananger. I am still in contact with most of the band members.
It is very interesting that a second Satisfactions group exhisted at the same time!
Back in the 60’s, I was the drummer in an American / British rock band and we happend to be down in Puerto Rico playing at one the major hotels in the Condado Beach area and I saw an American rock band by the name of The Satisfactions playing at the Condado Beach Hotel and I was wondering if it was the same band and if so, what ever happend to them? I never head from them again.
Well Steve Weers is one of my best friends My oldest son is named after him. He currently lives in Arizona where he has been for decades. I can get the low down on this.
I was the drummer for the marauders that recorded the songs lovin and nightmare at the Don Lee Studios in Lansing Michigan in June 1965 . We paid $245 for the recording time and had 1000 copies of that 45 made . Three of us were students at that time at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant Michigan . The bass player was working as a DJ in Saginaw Michigan and I guess that’s why everything says we were from Saginaw which is not exactly correct . It’s ironic that another band named the marauders recorded songs at the Don Lee studios the following year in 1966 . I had never heard of that until recently when I read the comments on this website. Lots of great memories from so many years ago .