The Cle-Shays made this one 7″ featuring the light psychedelia of “Annabelle Zodd” on the A-side, and the fine r&b “Spend All My Money” on the flip. Released as Monex 5232, I believe it is the only record on this label.

Members were:

Terry Larrison
Frank Berka
Wilson Kelso
Rodney Johnson
Paul Brause

The first mention I can find of the Cle-Shays is from the Cedar Rapids Gazette on July 2, 1965, noting the group is from Newton, Iowa, just east of Des Moines, and would be playing the 4th of July celebration at Lake Ponderosa.

In February 26, 1966, they played the Electric Park with the Pawns.

On April 10 they were one of sixteen bands at a big Easter show at the Starline Ballroom in Carroll, IA, with Billy Rat & the Finks, Thunderbolts, Charades, Surfinks, Lord Calvert & the Extras, Senders, Bushmen, Scavengers, Inn Mates, Dark Knights, Tumblers (or Fumblers?), Dale & the Devonaires, Bubblegummers (great band name!), Electrons and the Cavaliers.

The Des Moines Tribune reported the Cle-Shays would play “an Op Art Hop” at the annual Maytag picnic in Newton on August 14, 1966.

The band played the Starline Ballroom again on November 23, 1966 with the Upstairs Playground for a Thanksgiving KIOA Teen Hop.

The Courier ran a few ads in May of 1967 for the Cle-Shays at Electric Park in Waterloo, to the northeast of Newton, with Joe Arquette of KWWL as emcee.

The Times-Republican ran an ad for the group at Corydon Legion Hall on Friday, April 26, 1968.

The record seems to have been their last hurrah before breaking up, as I find no further mention of the band after its release. Both songs are originals, and the group registered copyright on August 13, 1968, with Monex Music as publisher.

“Annabelle Zodd” has words and music by the entire group, while “Spend All My Money” has words by Frank Berka and music by the rest of the group. Monarch Record Mfg in Los Angeles made the styrene records, with delta #72972 also dating to approximately August, 1968.

Anyone have a photo of the group?