Tom Cleary, one of the owners of the Cody label in Chicago sent me these scans of the Tills 45. Tom writes about the Tills:

“A southwest side Chicago group Cody recorded in 1967 at Sound Studios. I met them at a performance and turned the recording element over to my partners. Stu Black, Chicago’s preeminent sound engineer of the day ran the session. They had limited play on radio station WCFL in Chicago. It exists as a DJ copy only.”

Both sides are fantastic upbeat pop. ”One Sided Love” has a siren-like guitar riff, good harmonies, and sharp drumming. “I Remember” is similar with fine vocal arrangements and a very Byrds-like guitar solo.

Either side could have been a hit with a little luck.

I knew nothing else about the group until Bob Kruse commented below. Then in 2021 Ray Jacobs sent in the promotional photo and holiday card seen here, with the band’s new name, the Yankee Clipper.

Members were:
Paul Strasser – vocals
Ray Jacobs – lead guitar
Bob Kruse – rhythm guitar
Bob Fawcett – bass
Nick Nizich – drums

Ray Jacobs wrote to me:

Started playing along with Bob Kruse in High School rehearsing in his basement 1963/64. A few months later added Bob Fawcett [and] a few drummers that didn’t work out. Paul Strasser then joined the band followed by Nick Nizich.

Bob Fawcett linked us to a manager to book the band and later named the band the Tills, which no-one really liked. We were previously known as The Chosen Few, and the Ragged Edge.

I wrote the songs (copyrighted) as we needed to start moving away from being a cover band. The manager linked us to the people in Cody. We met at a home in Riverside and eventually booked a session at sound studios and got some play on WCFL.

Tills played at various teen clubs i.e. InnMotion, Green Gorilla, The Deep End (Papa Joes) and various school dances, battle-of-the-bands and night clubs in the Chicagoland area and Michigan. [The] band changed its name to Yankee Clipper as advised by manager Michael Degaetano.

Later, personnel left and changed things to the point of breaking up.

I went on to playing Rush Street (thanks to Nick) and various clubs with bands known as Chicago Choir and Rooster. We played throughout Chicago, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan ending in 1987.

Paul went to Colorado. I heard Nick went to Arizona. I know Bob Fawcett was into flying planes as he attended Butler aviation.

Last time I saw Bob Kruse and Nick was in a club called Let It Be on 83rd and Wood, 1970, where they came to see us as the Chicago Choir.

Thanks to Tom for sharing his memories of the Tills and scans of their 45. Special thank you to Bob Kruse for his comments, and to Ray Jacobs for contacting me.