Here’s a mystery outfit, possibly a studio creation, from the Los Angeles area. With folk and pop strains, neither of their two singles is garage or rock, but each has some interesting moments.
I’m not sure of the order of release, but I have The Sounds of Phase III doing “Special Citation” and “La Bamba” on KarMil Records 631. Δ65687 in the runout dates it to February or March, 1967. The flip is “La Bamba”, arranged by Karlton, Miller and del Carmen, which interestingly has a Kavelin publishing credit.
I prefer “His Song” on their other single, Karmil Records presents The Sounds of PHASE THREE. Karl Karlton wrote “His Song”, backed with one I haven’t heard, “Lissy” (by Gooding-Nutting) produced by Gerry Nutting, on Karmil 2500. Publishing by Aim Co.
There is also a one-sided acetate I haven’t heard, The Sounds of Phase III from HR Recording Studios in Hollywood, with three songs, “Jamestown”, “Bill Bailey”, “So Fine”.
Splendid tune. Bit of a dancer.
Thanks for posting.
The band performed regularly at Choppo Escobar’s “Casa Escobar” on Wilshire blvd in Los Angeles in the mid 1960s. The band first included Karl Karlton (leader), Randy Miller (lead guitar) and Marty Nathan (drums). They became “Phase III” in Nov 1966 when Elaine Roberts took up the lead as lead vocalist plus flute and piano (the article implies she recorded before. Not entirely sure but it could be the Elayne Roberts Trio in 1960). They came up with the idea of recording one of Karlton’s original called “Banana Boat Song” to be backed with “La Bamba” or “Watermelon Man”, first with the idea to record the single ‘live’ right at Choppo’s restaurant. For their first single, they ended up recording another composition by Karl and Randy, “Special Citation”, backed with “La Bamba”. Despite what is printed on the labels, it seems the band was just called “Phase III”. In Jan 1967, they became regulars at the Golden Arm in Torrance, with a vocalist called Herlinda (maybe an alias for Elaine Roberts). No news after 1967 but a band by the same name came back with a six month booking at the Saddleback Lounge in June-Dec 1973