The Maltese came from northern Kentucky communities such as Covington, Park Hills and Erlanger, all part of the greater Cincinnati area.
An article in the Enquirer’s Teen-Ager section on Granny’s club in nearby Elsmere, KY shows a band called the Maltese. The article calls Granny’s teen club the “Home of the Dingos”, a band who played often in the area and who often appear in the local listings, unlike the Maltese.
Two members of the Maltese are identified in the article, John Hyland with the bass, and Mike Mahoney on guitar. Both songs on the single are credited to Akers.
There is some confusion about the early lineups of the group.
Dave Willis wrote to me:
Steve Marcum and I were learning to play chords and simple guitar riffs. We learned ‘Walk, Don’t Run’ and realized we needed a drummer. Steve Belew’s family had moved in a few doors from my family and somehow I learned he was a drummer and the three of us became the original Maltese. We tried out a couple of potential bassists but settled for another voice with a six-string and Tommy Angel joined the band.
It appears the Maltese from northern Kentucky never recorded. I had thought this was the same group who recorded on the Chetwyd label of Lexington, KY, which would have been about an hour’s drive to the south, but it turns out that group was from the Winchester area. I cover that group in a recent post.
What year did they play at Granies
Actually, “The Maltese” was a group whose members were, Steve Belew on drums, Dave Willis playing lead guitar, Tom Angel and Steve Jones on guitar. This band was very good and after breaking up (Steve joined the Demins and Dave Willis played with Me and Danny Wilson and became a “Grundie”. This was in 1965.
And Steve became adrian belew and the rest is history, Bowie, Zappa, King
Crimson. .. Steve ‘s band the Denims were a GREAT Beatles cover band.
Actually I am John Hyland on the bass in the picture. Mike Mahoney was on six string and Donna Hutcherson was singing with us. Dave Willis’brother Steve was on lead and I believe Danny Wilson was playing drums with us on stage that night. Adrian (Steve) Below not Dave Willis was ever part of that group The Maltese. Dave can verify this information. Everyone else in that group is deceased except me, but Dave can verify this information.
Steve Belew later took the stage name Adrian Belew and went on the play guitar with Frank Zappa, David Bowie, The Talking Heads, etc., before starting and still maintaining a very successful and active solo career.
It’s kind of interesting to see him listed as the drummer in this group.
The article related to the Maltese release are not the same musicians as on the Chetwyd single.
Hello Ed my name is Laney Akers and did play in the band. Would like to hear from you and correct some of the post on the band. We all did live in Lexington Ky. at the time we played and recorded the record.
the Maltese were indeed my first teen band but because we only played maybe 3 shows(?) I have always listed the Denims (later called the Denems) as my first band. The Denems we’re together for 4 years and we’re known as “Cincinnati’s Beatles” by the most popular radio station WSAI for our exacting covers of all the early Beatle songs which is mostly what we played. we not only sounded like them but were eventually successful enough to have Vox Beatle amps and military suits like the Beatles wore. by 1968 with the changes in the sound of the Beatles records (the addition of orchestral parts, indian instruments, studio gimmicry, etc.) we could no longer accurately imitate our idols and the band unfortunately stopped.
Actually I am John Hyland on the bass in the picture. Mike Mahoney was on six string and Donna Hutcherson was singing with us. Dave Willis’brother Steve was on lead and I believe Danny Wilson was playing drums with us on stage that night. Adrian (Steve) Below not Dave Willis was ever part of that group The Maltese. Dave can verify this information. Everyone else in that group is deceased except me, but Dave can verify this information.