The Fabulous Thunderbolts started as a quartet at Kuemper Catholic High School in Carroll, Iowa. Carroll is situated about 90 miles drive NE of Omaha, Nebraska, or 90 miles NW of Des Moines.
The Thunderbolts traveled to Sears Recording Studios in Omaha to cut their only single, “My Girl Sue”/”I Want to See You Again” released in August 1965. Ted Kisgen wrote both sides and copyrighted both under his own name in April, 1965.
“My Girl Sue” is a sharp two-minute rocker. The entire band is solid, but one can’t help but notice the blazing lead guitar, the excellent lead vocals, and the sax solo.
Members included:
Jerry Hauser – lead vocals Rich Danner – lead guitar Ted Kisgen – drums, lead vocals on “My Girl Sue” Gene Wycoff – saxophone Mike Kisgen Ron Hauser Harold Powell
They seem to have been a quintet for much of their existence. On their single I hear lead guitar, bass guitar, saxophone, drums and lead vocal. The Iowa Rock n’ Roll Music Association Hall of Fame inducted the group in 2000 and has a tiny photo of the group as a quintet on their inductee page.
The band also recorded a couple of acetate demos at Sears that I haven’t heard, the uptempo “Say That You Love Me” and an instrumental, “The Explorer” that seem to predate the Poverty release.
I had a photo at the top of the page from an ebay auction of this demo, but a comment below correctly pointed out the photo was of a different group, the Thunderbolts from Plattsburgh, NY.
Ted Kisgen joined a later version of the Green Giants, originally from the southern Iowa towns of Shenandoah and Bedford. They had one single on Round & Round Records 4501, “Pity Me” / “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” in November 1966.
Many singles were cut at Sears Recording Studio, including the Last Chapter on Skip, the Shags “You’re a Loser” on Rocky (and Jo Jo), the Cellophane Spectacle on Spectacular, and probably everything released on Dad’s Records out of Omaha, including the Fabulous Impacts, the Sundae Funnies, the Rumbles, and the Great Imposters. I haven’t seen a comprehensive list. The Echos V from Des Moines recorded a five-song demo there that has not been released.
I haven’t seen any other releases on a Poverty Records from Omaha.
Photo on the back of a business card for the Beaus of Beethoven
The Beaus of Beethoven came from Patton, Pennsylvania and other towns of Cambria County, about 75 miles east of Pittsburgh. Their manager Jack Cessna’s base was Ebensburg.
Members were:
Ron McClinsey – lead vocal, guitar Nick Fagan – lead guitar Dave Holtz – keyboards Tom Stratton, replaced by Paul Lazendorfer – bass Danny Miller – drums
Ron McClinsey’s comment below is worth quoting in large part:
The Beaus of Beethoven had its beginning in September 1965 with three of us jamming, not knowing what was ahead. We had at that point Dave Holtz as keyboard player, Dan Miller as drummer, and me on guitar. We found Nick Fagan as lead guitar player and Tom Stratton as bass player. Our first gig was on December 18th. All the girls were screaming as if the Beatles were there … I was hooked! Local DJs from two radio stations took notice and promoted us. One, Jack Cessna, became our manager.
In the summer of 1966, the band recorded the 45 record pictured above, which I’m proud of. We have met and opened for a bunch of other groups like The Strangeloves, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, The Beau Brummels, The Shangri Las, The McCoys, The Chicago Loop, Freddie Canon, The Vogues.
One night we were the opener at the Jaffa Mosque in Altoona for the Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Dantes, the Outsiders. The headliner for that show was Bobby Goldsboro. A guitar player and bass player had been sent in to back up Bobby. The bass player was passed out in the hallway on who knows what. They came and asked our keyboard player and I to help. Their guitar player showed us the songs. That night I played bass for Bobby Goldsboro in front of 2000 people and I was still in high school!
The Beaus of Beethoven opened for many artists at the Jaffa Mosque in Altoona and appeared on WIIC TV Pittsburgh’s Saturday bandstand show.
In 1967 the band cut two originals at Sound-Pro Studio for release in September. I don’t know the location of that studio and haven’t seen it credited on other singles.
“It’s Too Late” (by Ronald McClinsey, Nicholas Fagan Jr. and David Holtz, B-W Music Inc. BMI) has a buzzing lead guitar while the singer tells how he’s “sing my time just hanging around town, drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, living my sins with no regrets” while his ex is “ridin’ uptown in a limousine, checking the nice balls, making the scene”. The entire performance is excellent with a great guitar solo.
A real treasure is the flip, “Goin’ Away” (written by Miller, Holtz and Lazendorfer, Weldee Music Co. BMI), a true picture of teen angst in lyrics like:
I’m comin’ down off the roof, gonna bring my baby back, I’ve been around too long, now I want to belong. So many people tell me I’m nothin’ but a nothin’, But I can get with my girl, girl by roughin’
Thank you to Ron for correcting the lyrics.
Publishing was through Weldee Music and B-W Music Inc, owned by the same company in Ohio.
The photo at top came from a video that has since disappeared from youtube.
If anyone has better quality photos please contact me.
“Slimy Sue” by the Sounds, Ltd. featuring Phil Jackson is the kind of odd, non-commercial record of the ’60s garage era that I love.
These lyrics are bizarre, with plenty of humor in the masochism of the second and third verses.
I got me a woman, buddy, she’s got purple hair Ain’t no other woman, buddy, that can compare, that can compare To my girl, true blue, back alley Sue Slimy Sue, yeah, well alright now
When I want some lovin,’ buddy, Sue knows what to do She can kiss so gently, buddy, turns me black and blue My girl, true blue, back alley Sue Slimy Sue, yeah, well alright now
Hit it [guitar break]
When I get in trouble, buddy, with someone tough like you Me, I never worry, buddy, I call on Sue, I call on Sue My girl, black belt, weight lifting, Sue Slimy Sue, yeah, well alright now
Philip W. Jackson wrote this song as well as the flip, “Fly Away”, for Cookie Crumb Music, BMI.
The Sounds, Ltd. recorded at Midwestern Recording Studios at 3140 The Paseo, Kansas City, Missouri. The studio’s own Peak label released the single on P-108 in October 1966. I’d like to know more about the band, who maintain a rough but great sound throughout “Slimy Sue”.
The band was from St. Joseph, Missouri, about 45 miles north of Kansas City. “Fly Away” was the ostensible A-side at the time, a kind of folky almost hippie-sounding song featuring lead vocalist Kathy Helmick.
Midwestern Recorders operated a studio since at least 1952 if not earlier, originally releasing records on the Central label. I assume other garage bands must have used Midwestern but haven’t found evidence of that yet.
North Carolina had many record labels in the 1960’s, but few were as prolific as Tornado Records. Based in Greensboro, the label had offices at 1712 Farrell Avenue, but also did business via PO Drawer 6787.
Tornado’s stock in trade was regional Country & Western music, although artists from as far away as Pennsylvania and Maine were released by the label. Tornado was owned by David Lee Perkins, whose name appears frequently with author credits on many releases.
The years of operation for the label seem to have been rather compact, roughly estimated to range from late 1964 to mid-1967, referencing Mike Markesich’s excellent tome, “Teenbeat Mayhem.”
Although typically beyond the scope of Garage Hangover, Tornado registers in the minds of garage fans as the home of the second single by The Nomads of Mt. Airy, North Carolina. As far as Tornado was concerned, The Nomads were a “Sensational New Discovery,” and said just that right on the record label. “Thoughts of a Madman” b/w “From Zero Down” was released in April of 1967, and ranks high among garage rock enthusiasts nationwide. It was the Nomads second single, the first being on the Stark label profiled on this site.
Also of note are the Caravans from Greensboro. Their single, “Twistin’ Rockin’ Baby” b/w “Rainbow of Love” from a couple of years earlier rocks pretty well, with an occasionally cool, John Lennon-esque vocal on the A-side.
Profile of Tornado Records artist Gail Day, Feb. 2, 1967
Tornado Records Discography (if anyone can help fill in the gaps, more power to them):
Tornado EP-100 – Roy & Jackie Baker & the South Mountain Boys – You’re Not the Girl I Used to Know, I’m Showing You the Way/Little Heart, What Life Could Have Been
Tornado T-101 – Glenn Thompson “My Mary” / “What A Line” Tornado T-102 – South Mountain Boys featuring Little Debbie Baker – “Twistin’ Rockin’ Baby” / “I’m Falling for You, You, You” Tornado T-103 – Dewey Ritter & the Panhandle Boys “I Walk A Lonely Road (Because of You)” / “Be My Sunshine Forever” Tornado T-104 – South Mountain Boys “Gonna Hand You A Ticket” / “Dial My Number” Tornado T-105 – Roy Baker & the South Mountain Boys “Jocassee Nona” / “Close As The Nearest Phone” Tornado T-106 – Caravans “Twistin’ Rockin’ Baby” / “Rainbow of Love” (Greensboro) Tornado T-107EP – Gloria Weston “Missing in Action (In Vietnam),” Kenny Craft “What A Fool Am I,” and Rod Rodgers “Hot Game of Dice” and “A Daughter Never Fools Her Mother” Tornado T-108 – Joyce Mills “You’re Not the Boy I Used To Know” / “Cry On My Shoulder” Tornado T-109 – Dewey Ritter – “Big Deal” / “Georgia Took My Name”
Harold Crosby
Tornado T-110 – Harold Crosby “Big Big Truck” / “I Will Mend Your Heartaches Tomorrow” (Maine) Tornado T-111 – Cloyd Sullivan “I Don’t Have the Heart” / “My Love is Guaranteed” Tornado T-112 – ? Tornado T-113 – Dick Mosely “Cry No More” / “Wagons-Ho” Tornado T-114 – Henry E. Noe & the Calvary Gospel Team – Tell Them When You Saw Me, Cry Aloud & Spare Not/Ananias, I’m Moving Up Tornado T-115 – Joyce Love “Judy Judy” / “Strawberry Sundae” Tornado T-116 – Gord Worrall – “Wagon’s Ho” / “Freedom Will Take Command” Tornado T-117 – Joyce Lynn “Touch of Heartache” / “Heaven Help Me (Another Lonely Day)” Tornado T-118 – Dick Mosely “Getting My Kicks in ’66” / “Nascar-Circuit” Tornado T-119 – Margie Lee “It’s Too Late” / “Let’s Fall In Love Together” Tornado T-120 – ? Tornado T-121 – Carl Pride “You Can’t Catch My Mustang” / “If I Don’t Miss You” (Greensboro) Tornado T-122 – Lorene Weaver & the Country Boys – “I’m Leaving You”/ “Mr. Blues Walks In” Tornado T-123 – Larry Campbell & the Country Playboys “Break-Through” / “Bluegrass Mountain Home” Tornado T-124 – Bobby Adkins & Allen Mills “Bluegrass in Kentucky” / “I’m So Sorry That I Threw Your Love Away” Tornado T-125 – George Dry & the Daydreamers “One Lung Charlie” / “Hard-Rock Sam” (PA) Tornado T-126 – Jimmy Hart – Symbol of Love/I Think I Know Tornado T-127 – Joe Stone & Bobby Atkins “Singing Love Songs (Bluegrass Style)” / “Tears and Roses” Tornado T-128 – Jimmy Osborne – “Though Not As Yet” / “Walk Away Memories” Tornado T-129 – Billy Beal “Rainy Day Blues” / “Cold, Dark And Deep” Tornado T-130 – Tommy Jones & the Hayriders “Ballad of Gamblin’ Lil” / “God – Dollar” Tornado T-131 – Glenn Eck “Bittersweet Love” / “Clock On the Wall” Tornado T-132 – Joni Day “I Wonder If” / “Again He Said to Me” (PA) Tornado T-133 – Johnny Jones “You’ve Turned Me Down” / “A Million Times” Tornado T-134 – Harold Crosby “Bright Lights (and Blond Haired Women)” / “Let’s Fall in Love Together” (Maine) Tornado T-135 – Rosie Lartigue – “Walking With My Baby”, “Million Heartaches” / “Little Echoes of Love”, “Take Me Back Again” Tornado T-136 – Joe Stone & Bobby Atkins “Stolen Kisses Are The Sweetest” / “Mister Bluegrass (Here’s To You)” Tornado T-137 – Gail Day “Santa Didn’t Come” / “Please, Mr. Santa” (8 year old daughter of George and Joni Day) (PA) Tornado T-138 – Bobby Adkins “Bluest Guy In Town” / “You Stopped Loving Me” Tornado T-139 – Ray Josey “Orchids & Diamonds” / “Silver Tears” Tornado T-140 – Joyce Lynn – “Stop That Knockin'” / “Though Not as Yet” (Clint Thompson, D.L. Perkins) Tornado TLP-141 – George & Joni Day EP “Tears In My Heart,” “Sorry,” “The One You Left Me For,” “Make Up Your Mind,” “Too Many – Too Few,” “We’ll Work It Out” (PA) Tornado T-142 – Tommy Jones – Country D.J./He Started With a Quarter Tornado T-143 – Glenn Thompson “Bad, Bad Dream” / “Thirteen Stripes in Old Glory” Tornado T-144 – Glenn Thompson “Walk Softly (You’re Walking On My Heart)” / “You Didn’t Want Me Yesterday (I Don’t Want You Today)” Tornado T-145 – Hank Brooks & the Midnite Rangers “Big, Big Heart” / “Pretty Picture On My Wall”
Lefty Hales
Tornado T-146 – Lefty Hales & the Carolina Partners “Stop Me” / “Anywhere, Anytime” (Goldsboro) Tornado T-147 – Mettie Lou “A Mother’s Heartache” / “A Soldier’s Prayer” Tornado T-148 – Bobby Adkins “Soldier’s Return” / “There’s Not Enough Words” Tornado T-149 – Tommy Jones & the Hayriders “The Commies Are Coming” / “Love Is A Mountain Of Gold” Tornado T-150 – Tommy Jones and the Hayriders “Tell Me Darling, Tell Me” / “See-Saw Love” Tornado T-151 – Wyona Lambeth – “Lost Below Heaven” / “I’ll Never Get Over You” Tornado T-152 – Garland Atkins & the Sunny Mountain Partners “I Miss You Most Of All” / “Singin’ The Blues” Tornado T-153 – Tommy Harrell & the Country Valients “One Drink Too Many” / You Sure Got The Best Of Me” (Eastern NC) Tornado T-154 – Evelyn Hooper “Now There’s An Ache In My Heart”/? Tornado T-155 – ? Tornado T-156 – ? Tornado T-157 – Cousin Lee & Little Hank EP “Lonely and Blue,” “Don’t Judge Another Person,” “Lifetime To Forget,” “Little Hank’s Shuffle” Tornado T-158 – Tommy Jones & the Hayriders “You Got Something Gal” / “Let Her Go” Tornado T-159 – The Nomads “Thoughts Of A Madman” / “From Zero Down” (Mt. Airy) Tornado T-160 – Glenn Thompson Sunshine Through The Rain” / “You’re Not The Girl I Used To Know” Tornado T-161 – Dick Mosely “Truck Stop Number Three” / “Under the Double Eagle” Tornado T-162 – Billy Beal “A Lifetime to Forget” / “Queen Without a Throne” Tornado T-163 – Bobby Adkins “Ballad of Gamblin’ Lil” / “What About My Blue Heart” Tornado T-164 – Bobby Adkins “Miss Thirteen, Teenage Queen” / “Day of God’s Wrath” Tornado T-165 – ? Tornado T-166 – Glenn Thompson “Where The Red River Flows” / “King of the Endless Highways”
One Tornado LP has been identified thus far:
Tornado LP-102 The Best of Glenn Thompson
Thanks to Chris Bishop for additions, Lightnin’ Wells, Bob Clere for jpegs and helpful comments, and to Mike Markesich for key dates.
D’Arcy Studios was started by Warren Miller, who had cut “Everybody’s Got a Baby But Me” / “Say You’ll Be True” for United Artists in 1958. In 1964 Miller had a label called D’Arcy with two country releases, one each by Charlie Wiggs and Jesse Travers.
In 1966 Miller started D’Arcy Sound Studios in Norfolk, and Sounds International seems to have been the house label for the studio.
About half the label’s releases were soul, of which the Sheepherders is most in demand. The Nite Liters and Del-Notes are good blue eyed soul.
The Rude Awakening is garage, the Outcasts single is heavy organ-based rock. The Common Wealth has been described as folky rock. The Holmes Brothers singles are country.
In 1968 Miller started using a new label, Nottingham Disc Co., which continued the last two digits of the numbering system (for example, changing from Sounds International 640, 641, 642 to 849, 850, 851 for Nottingham Disc Co). Nottingham 853 and 854 read “D’Arcy Studio Center” on the labels instead of “D’Arcy Sound Studios”.
The Journey Back’s single on Nottingham Disc is much sought after, and New Directions “Springtime Lady” is also very good. I haven’t heard the Russ Spooner or Mark III singles yet.
Around 1970 Miller changed the name of the studio to simply Studio Center and began a new five-digit numbering system beginning with “50”. He revived the Sounds International label for at least two releases in a 70s rural rock style.
Twenty Grand Music BMI published all original songs on Sounds International and Nottingham Disc Co. About two dozen songs were registered on April 3, 1968, including “Set Me Free”, “Only Love”, “Old McDonald”, “I Love You”, and “I Wish I Was Home”. Also registered that day was Danny O’Brien’s “Don’t Leave Me Girl” which the Del-Notes had released on Top Cat Records 968.
Sounds International and Nottingham Disc Co. discography: Any help with this discography would be appreciated.
Sounds International 630 – Dean & the Dominants – “‘Copter 23” / “Lost and Found” (both by Sgt. Oscar Capps) Sounds International 631 – Nite Liters – “Set Me Free” / “Harlem Shuffle” Sounds International 633 – Gentle-Men – “Only Love” (Wilson) / “Old McDonald” Sounds International 634 – Rude Awakening – “Certain Girl” / “Fortune Teller” Crane SI 635 – Chuck Mooney With The Arkansas Travelers – “I’m Going Home” / “Jail Bird” Sounds International SI-636 – The Del-Notes – “I Love You” / “I Wish I Was Home” Sounds International SI-637 – DeWayne Mack – “I’ll Never Be Your Only Love” / “The Kind Of Love” Sounds International SI-638 – The Sheepherders with Bubba Bailey – “If You Ever Need Me” (Jones, Lowder, O’Sullivan) / “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” Sounds International SI-639 – The Outcasts – “While I’m Here” / “Spell” (J.G. Heisler, Twenty Grand Music BMI) Sounds International SI 640 – Elsie Strong “This is the Last Time” (Gene Casey) / “Ask the Lonely” (William Stevenson, Jobete BMI) Sounds International SI 641 – Holmes Brothers – “September Love” / “Splendor of Love” Sounds International SI 642 – Pop Tops featuring Roy Hines – “I Want to Make It With You” (Hines, Weaver, Leibman, Esenberg, Barthlow) / “I Can Live” Sounds International SI 643 – ? Sounds International SI 644 – Holmes Brothers – “Searching Eyes” / “It’s a Big Big World” Sounds International SI 645 – Ronnie and the Progressive Society – “Chain of Fools” / “Twenty Five Miles” Sounds International SI 646 – Elsie Strong – “You Better Tale Time” / “Shades Of Green” Sounds International SI 647 – ? Nottingham Disc Co. 848 – Russ Spooner with the Sheep Herders – “We Got That” (Bobby Moore) / “The Truth” Nottingham Disc Co. 849 – The Journey Back – “Synthetic People” / “Run Away Baby” (L. Burnell, B. Sutton publ. Twenty Grand Music BMI) Nottingham Disc Co. 850 – New Directions – “Springtime Lady” (L.H. Jones, publ. Twenty Grand Music BMI) / “Swlabr” (arranged by Chip Golden III) Nottingham Disc Co. 851 – The Machine – “Hey Grandma” / “Roll With It” (S. Miller) Nottingham Disc Co. 852 – George and Judy – “That’s No Way to Ask You” / “Looking For Me” (1969) Nottingham Disc Co. 853 – Mark III “Gigolo” / “39-21-46” (Norman Johnson) Nottingham Disc Co. 854 – Plague – “Brighter Side” (T. Charauros, J. Burcham) / “Cherry Road” Nottingham Disc Co. 855 – George and Judy – “Pocketful of Promises” / “Love Is the Key”
The following releases have a different numbering system and credit “A Product of Sound Center, Norfolk, Va.” on the labels:
Nottingham Disc Co. 50104 – New Directions – “Lalena” / “Them Changes” (1970, Capitol custom matrix #s ZB-737/8) Aim Records 50108 – Windfall – “There Is a Shadow in Here” / “Workers” Fuo Records 50112 – Colonists (Richmond Virginia’s All Girl Band) – “Evil Ways” / “Aimless Lady” Sounds International 50116 – Common Wealth – “Circles” (Carl Brody) / “It’s Over” (Phil Liebman) Sounds International 50120 – Franklin Freight Train – “Full on the Hill” / “Loving What You Can” (Seale-Leighton-Mahl-Seale) Gent’s YGB Records 50124 – “WDJ – THF Prince Of Soul” – “Invitation To Love” / “Funky Loving”
Thank you to Matt Beck for his videos of the Plague 45 on Youtube. Also thanks to Max Waller, Marty Key and J.D. (Ologist) for their contributions to the discography.
The Del Notes (photo from the Peninsula Garage group)
The Del Notes came from Newport News, Virginia. Danny O’Brien attended Newport News High School and formed the group at school.
Early members included:
Danny O’Brien – vocals and keyboards Tom Clark – guitar Earl Howard – guitar and vocals Ronny Methany (also written as Ronnie Matheny) – bass guitar Dickey Moore – drums
Danny O’Brien of the Del NotesThe Del Notes recorded their singles at D’Arcy Studios across the James River in Norfolk, VA.
The first included two original songs, “Don’t Leave Me Girl” by Danny O’Brien b/w “I Been Thinking Lately” by Earl Howard, released on Top Cat 968. Twenty Grand Music registered copyright on “Don’t Leave Me Girl” in April of 1968 along with 20 other songs. The single likely was released earlier than that date.
Earl Howard of the Del NotesFor their second single on the Sounds International label, Danny O’Brien wrote a great blue-eyed soul song “I Love You” b/w another Earl Howard ballad “I Wish I Was Home” which a commentator said was written for Ronnie Matheny who had been sent to Vietnam.
Twenty Grand Music BMI published their original songs.
Danny O’Brien periodically revived the Del-Notes over the next few decades. Later members included bassist Garland Reece, guitarist Fred Ordonio and drummer Randy Jackson.
Earl Howard was killed in an auto accident on May 16, 1991. Dan O’Brien passed away on December 4, 2003.
The photos seen here Tom Hudgins submitted to the Peninsula Garage yahoo group some years back.
I don’t know of any other releases on this Top Cat label, but D’Arcy Sound Studios and Twenty Grande Music publishing show up on many releases on the Sounds International label.
An early photo shows Earl Howard and Ronny Methany jamming with members of the Nite Liters, including Steve Keith on rhythm guitar, Harrell Baker on lead guitar and sax and Donny Falk [Faulk] on bass guitar. The Nite Liters had their own single on Sounds International, “Set Me Free” / “Harlem Shuffle”.
Ronny Methany and Earl Howard of the Del Notes jam with Steve Keith, Harrell Baker and Donnie Falk of the Nite Liters.
Considering the names on the labels of this 45 and the quality of single, it’s amazing how obscure this group called the Buffaloes seems to be. I knew nothing about the group except for their last names and first initial until Mike Kuzmin contacted me with additional copyright information.
The A-side is the jangly blaster, “She Wants Me”, written by George Schwartzkopf, Jr of Old Bridge, New Jersey. It’s a catchy song and I could imagine it being a hit, but seems to have missed. The flip is a ballad written by Arthur V. Walker of Sea Cliff, NY, on Long Island, “You Told Me Lies”. The copyright name for correspondence or refund is listed as Joel E. Shenton of Glen Cove, NY. Both songs published by Impression Music, BMI.
The Buffaloes may have had the first release on the GMC label. Gene Moretti founded the label; he had been director of international sales for MGM-Verve in 1964 after starting in the mail room of ABC-Paramount (according to Billboard).
Joel Shenton contacted me in July 2021 and kindly provided info about the band, GMC and Mayfair Studio.
The band:
Arthur Walker – lead singer / rhythm guitar George Schwartzkopf – bass James (Jimmy) Wolf – drummer Joel Shenton – lead guitar, vocals, keyboard
I met Jimmy during high school years, late 50’s, through a mutual friend who got me interested in guitars. We fooled around as a 3-piece instrumental group until college interfered. I met George, a guitarist, at college. We formed a 4-piece group and played frat parties pretty much every weekend using various drummers including Jimmy, who was at school a few miles away. George decided to play bass, and we recruited a classmate to play rhythm and sing leads. That began our addition of vocals to our group.
After college and eventual return to Glen Cove, Jimmy introduced me to Arthur (“Artie”), and George, although living in New Jersey, joined up and we became the Buffaloes and played a few local clubs.
Gene Moretti lived near Jimmy, got interested, and that was the link to GMC. Gene had a few other musical groups as well, including the “Gumdrops 2”, a girl duet. We backed them up for a few gigs, and Jimmy eventually married one of the pair (Joan) who later became a vocalist for some Buffaloes numbers.
The link to Mayfair came from George. He got married while in college, and his wife was Clair Krepps’ daughter. Clair, at that time, had his own mixing studio (Knickerbocker Sound) on E47th Street in NYC, where he did subcontract mixing and overdubbing for several major NY studios. George and I had access to Knickerbocker and fooled around there on weekends during our summers off from college. Clair eventually formed the Mayfair organization in the theater building of the same name, adding multiple live recording and mixing rooms.
Mayfair was unique when it came to equipment. The control room was designed and built by Clair’s brother (I think) who had an electronics manufacturing company in Chicago. Nothing was conventional, and it became a testing ground for Ampex and Sennheiser. I recall Clair showing us one of the first 8 track and 16 track tape machines he used for recording, provided by Ampex for evaluation. The wall in the main control room was autographed by many well-known artists with comments like, “Fantastic sound,” “Wonderful experience”, etc. I think Sinatra, Streisand, the Stones, and even Hendrix were among the signers.
After the release of our first & only 45, and doing some club work, it became clear to us that our musical future was going to be more for fun than for a career path. We all had decent day jobs, and there was no economic security at our level of dedication and talent. We continued to play for fun, made several demo discs for posterity, but peddling them was rather futile even though we had contacts at UA and Decca.
We went our separate ways in the early 70’s. Jimmy and Artie wound up in Florida, George stayed in NJ working as a chemical engineer, and I moved to upstate western NY to run a plastics factory.
Although it has little to do with the Buffaloes, my interest in guitars and playing continues to this day, although my focus changed from R&R to country music…mostly due to the interests of the local population…and I currently enjoy playing lead guitar for several local bands.
[editor’s note: I’ve changed the spelling of Krepps’ name to Clair from Clare.]
Gene Moretti’s GMC Records announced in Billboard, April 2, 1966
Gene Moretti and GMC Records “a Division of Go-Go Music Corp”
The April 22, 1966 issue of Billboard noted how Gene Moretti would be managing and recording six acts for his new label: “Moretti’s approach is to rely exclusively on the copyrights owned by Impression and draw talent primarily from the three million population Long Island area. All six acts, in their teen and early 20’s, are local boys and girls.”
Billboard announced the Gumdrop 2 would have the first issue on GMC, “Getting Over You” / “So I Try”, numbered GM 10001, However, the Buffaloes single, dated to October ’66 in Teen Beat Mayham, is numbered GM 10000. GMC had about fifteen releases in total, featuring a dozen artists including Priscilla Price, Tony Kaye, Johnny D., Doreen Rose, the Miller Sisters, the Islanders, the Spoilers, Frankie ‘Slim’ Summerville, and Frankie Gracie & the Plastics.
Mayfair Studios
Another interesting connection is the studio, listed as Mayfair Studios (8 Track). Clair Krepps had been a recording engineer for Capitol, MGM and Atlantic Records and also did a lot of stereo percussion albums for Audio Fidelity. About the same time Moretti started GMC, Krepps began Mayfair Recording Studios at 701 Seventh Ave in Manhattan. Other clients would include the Velvet Underground, Al Caiola’s Caiola Combo All Strung Out LP on United Artists, Nico, the Chameleon Church, the Ultimate Spinach, the Beacon Street Union, Puff, Galt MacDermot, Ricardo Ray, Jimi Hendrix, the Mothers of Invention, etc.
Thank you to Joel Shenton and Mike Kuzmin for their help with this article.
If anyone has a photo of the Buffaloes, please contact me!
mistaken first label with studio owner Vincent Oddo’s name as artist
Bill DeFalco – lead guitar Frank DeFalco – rhythm guitar Jimmy DiGiacomo – bass Joey Erico – drums
Brothers Bill and Frank DeFalco had a previous group called the Rock Monacles with a different drummer, Henry Bauman and vocalist George Malin. In the summer of 1967 the Pebble Episode went to O.D.O. Sound Studio on West 54th Street in Manhattan to record two songs, “Tripsey” (by William DeFalco, Frank DeFalco) and “The Plum Song” (by William DeFalco, Frank DeFalco and James DiGiacomo). Publishing by Mozella Music BMI, and produced by S. & J.
Juggy Murray of Sue Records signed the group to J-2 Records, his new label as Sue was sliding into bankruptcy to be sold to United Artists around 1968.
Artist name corrected, song now spelled “Tripsy”
To compound the problems Murray had with Sue at the time, the first pressing of this 45 was mistakenly labelled with Vincent Oddo’s name, the engineer and owner of the ODO studio where the band recorded, but most definitely not the artist! New labels were printed up with the correct band name, though this time the A-side was spelled “Tripsy”.
“Tripsy” is an apt name for this wild instrumental loaded with echo and repeating riffs that wouldn’t be out of place on The Inner Mystique. By comparison, “The Plum Song” is much more conventional in sound, dominated by Bill DeFalco on organ and Joe Erico’s fine drum fills.
This was the first release on J-2 Records followed by Baby Washington doing “Like a Rolling Stone” (I’d like to hear that version!) b/w “The New Yorker” (J2-1301) and the Poets in-demand soul classic “Wrapped Around Your Finger” / “Can’t Wait Until Tomorrow” (J2-1302).
The Pebble Episode continued until 1972, with home recordings I haven’t heard but no further releases.
More info is in the comments to the Discogs page for the single.
Sorry for the atrocious condition of the labels for this post, but if you have a better high-resolution scan of Tripsy, please send it in.
Early lineup of the King Pins, 1962, showing piano and saxophone
94 Second Surf – first version with girl chorusThe King Pins came from Sandia High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Though they recorded in 1965, they were an instrumental group, not at all ‘garage’ but I dig this record.
Members were:
Steve Maase – lead guitar Gary Shouse – rhythm guitar Rob Cardin – bass Larry Kuck -drums
In August 1965 they released a 45 “Rod Hot Rod” / “94 Second Surf” on Larse 101, recorded at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, NM. The group’s manager Bill Sego, a DJ on KCLV in Clovis, wrote the top side “Rod Hot Rod”. This song has its fans but Steve Maase’s original “94 Second Surf” commands the most attention nowadays.
MGM picked up the single for a national release in November 1965. “94 Second Surf” is retitled “Door Banger” on the MGM 45, but there is a difference. The Larse single features a female vocal chorus on both sides, while the MGM leaves it off completely on “Door Banger” and cuts the vocal intro on “Rod Hot Rod” but keeps the rest of the vocals.
Larse was Bill Sego’s label but I don’t know of any other releases on it. Prior to managing he had his own single on the Nor-Va-Jak label “Down From The Clouds” / “Come Along Dolly”. When he ran for the New Mexico Senate he reissued “Doorbanger” on the flip side of a campaign message with the motto “We Go Sego” on the labels and sleeves.
Steve Maase joined Lindy Blaskey and the LaVells, playing the wicked lead on their Space single “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” (on the flip, “Would You Believe” Lindy shouts out “Hey Steve, would you believe …” after the guitar break), and on “You Ain’t Tuff” / “Let It Be”. In the early ’70s, Steve formed a band called Tala, and then played with Linda Cotton and Sparxx, among others, while composing his own music and becoming a well-respected music teacher. Steve Maase passed away on October 1, 2016.
Thank you to Lily Maase for sending in the photo of the King Pins and for informing me about her father’s career after the King Pins.
King Pins, January 1964Announcement of King Pins signing with MGM, November 23 1965
Eric & the Chessmen Kama picture sleeve L-R; Freddie Faccioli, Eric Thorngren, Dale Rider and Slivers Matrassi
Eric and the Chessmen were a well-known group from Utica, New York. They toured throughout upstate New York and into Vermont, and even had a stand at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. They released only one single: the original song “You Don’t Want My Loving” by the band’s leader, Eric Thorngren, backed with a rocked-up version of “Blue Skies”, on Kama Records 777.
The band’s membership changed many times, so I’ll list some of the lineups below to the best of what I can gather:
Eric and the Chessmen at the Evening Inn, Colliersville, June, 1965
As simply the Chessmen, the original lineup consisted of:
Eric Thorngren – guitar Tony Frontera – saxophone Jon Hynes – bass Butch DeAngelo – drums
By March 1965 the band consisted of:
Eric Thorngren – guitar & vocals Norm Knapp – guitar Dale Rider – bass Wayne Bohling – drums
Eric and the Chessmen Five Flys Club, Bennington, October 1966
When Norm Knapp took a leave of absence in 1965, Chuck Schoenley became the band’s first keyboardist:
Eric Thorngren – guitar & vocals Chuck Schoenley – organ Dale Rider – bass Wayne Bohling – drums
After Chuck Schoenley left the group to join the Rogues, Frankie Convertino became the keyboard player, then Fred Faccioli.
Slivers Matrassi replaced Wayne Bowling on drums by early or mid-1966.
The band featured on the picture sleeve to their 45 and probably on the recording is:
Freddie Faccioli – organ Eric Thorngren – guitar & vocals Dale Rider – bass Slivers Matrassi – drums
The sleeve at the top of this post seems to be very rare. The labels note “Recorded at Chadwicks Recording Studio, Chadwicks, NY”. For more on the Kama and related labels like Krishna and Sutra, see the final section of my post on the Roosters.
The band had other recordings that weren’t released at the time. An atmospheric instrumental featuring organ and a reserved guitar solo called “Too Much” appeared on The Best of Twist-a-Rama: Crude 1965 Garage Sounds from the Mohawk Valley. There are also demos of “Wooly Bully”, “New Orleans” and “Heat Wave”.
The Chessmen continued in different forms into the late 1960s, eventually without any original members. Sometime in 1967 or 1968 Ted Alexander replaced Freddie Faccioli. Dale Rider left to join the Rochester group the Oxford Watchband – a group by that name had a 45 in 1969 on the Hand label, “Diagnosis (One Way Empty and Down)” / “Welcome to the World”.
Eric Thorngren joined the Brass Buttons and went on to a long career as a recording and mixing engineer.
I found this info on the band at the forum After Bebop a Lula: Utica Bands 50s 60s. There are many photos of the band in that thread, see these pages for some of them:
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 Fabulous Thunderbolts started as a quartet at Kuemper Catholic High School in Carroll, Iowa. Carroll is situated about 90 miles drive NE of Omaha, Nebraska, or 90 miles NW of Des Moines.
Members included:
The band also recorded a couple of acetate demos at Sears that I haven’t heard, the uptempo “Say That You Love Me” and an instrumental, “The Explorer” that seem to predate the Poverty release.
