Category Archives: Unknown

Categories: Not garage, Top-Notch, Unknown

The Highlights / Carroll & London on Top-Notch

September 23, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

This single on Top-Notch is an excellent 1966 release by two different soul groups.

One side has the Highlights doing a great up-tempo number with swirling organ, “Orbit”, featuring a lead vocal backed by harmonies. The flip is credited to Carroll & London with a different harmony style altogether.

I’m posting as it is currently almost unknown and has some intriguing credits.

Joann Longenberger wrote both songs, published by Knorr Music Pub. and Oasis Music. Released as Top-Notch IMK-2, it has a Columbia pressing code of ZTSP-12677/8.

Top-Notch had at least two other singles. The first may be Herb and His Cronies with “The Phantom” / “In the Middle of a Love”. It was released on Personality A-700 in July of 1966, with an IMK Productions credit that links it to the Top-Notch singles. 45cat lists this same single as being released on Top Notch 700, however I cannot find a scan of that to confirm – anyone have one?

The other two singles that definitely had release on Top-Notch were IMK-1, J. Salvemini’s “La Salles” doing “Why Oh Why” / “Wanarupu” (both have words by Ernest Barlbeault, and music by Joseph Salvemini); and IMK-3, an artist named Coye doing “Hop Scotch” / “Sweet I Know” (both by C. Boatner).

All were registered with the Library of Congress on August 29, 1966, with the Coye songs listed as words by Mary Boatner and music by Coye Boatner. The pressing code on the Cove is ZTSP 122680, which shows these were sent together to be mastered and pressed in one batch.

I presume a New York location for Top-Notch but I don’t have any definite proof of that. There was a Coye Boatner living in the Bronx in the early 1970s, but also indications Coye and Mary Boatner lived in Louisiana at some point.

Categories: Nashville, Not garage, Tennessee, Unknown, Zap

The Innocence “Quit Buggin’ Me” on Zap Records

August 18, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

I hadn’t heard the Innocence single “Quit Buggin’ Me” on Zap Records 2331, but I bought a copy because the titles were promising and it shares a label with a favorite garage 45, the Starlites‘ “Wait For Me”.

“Quit Buggin’ Me” turns out to be a fairly hilarious song-poem type vocal over a rock backing track (with flute, why not).

Quit buggin’ me,
I don’t want to be bothered,
Can’t you see,
You’re wasting your time.

Besides the singer’s off-time interjections of “Quit buggin’ me”, I like lyrics such as “keep fishin’ round, you got the bait”! plus the chorus chanting “You’ve had your way” and “I’m off the hook”.

“Jungle of Love” is more countrified and the lyrics a bit hackneyed.

Rozella Staples and Joan Hager wrote both songs, published through Top Talent Music BMI. They registered the songs with the Library of Congress in September 1970, but from the pressing code ZAFX-6805217, I believe this was actually recorded and released in 1968.

Zap Records was part of Belle Meade Records in Nashville, also known for song-poem releases.

Categories: Bridgeport, Centennial, Clarksburg, Unknown, West Virginia

The Magnums on Centennial of Bridgeport, West Virginia

July 31, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Magnums had one release of R&B sounds dense with echo, both originals by Charles Collins. “One of These Days” is the uptempo side, while “Two People Against the World” is the slow ballad. Can’t tell you anything more about the band at this time.

Released as Centennial 45-1863-2, the King pressing dates it to 1964. Panhandle Pub. Co. handled the publishing, as it did for the New Mason Dixons’ single “Back Up” / “Totaled” (both by Sam Follo) on Centennial 45-1863-1. Centennial’s address was 217 Blackwell St., Bridgeport, West Virginia.

There’s also a Centennial 45-1863-3, Pee Wee & the Prophets “Let’s Work” / “Tell Me”, with the address changed to Clarksburg.

Categories: Pennsylvania, Roxan, Unknown, Wilkes-Barre

Revolver “Caught In a Day” on Roxan

July 1, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Revolver made one single circa 1973, with the A-side being the Kinks-like “Roll-a-Coaster Man”, and the flip the Beatles-esque “Caught In a Day”. Both sides have harmonies and a sixties sensibility but the lead guitar especially is definitely ’70s in sound.

Ken Brophy wrote “Roll-a-Coaster Man”, and Brophy and Jim Rosler wrote “Caught In a Day”, which is the song I most like. Carl Siracuse and Revolver produced the single.

I don’t know where the band was from, but Roxan studios was located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and owned by Mike Stahl. A small batch of the 45s was found in New Jersey.

Roxan also released singles by the Innkeepers “Bittersweet” (written adn produced by John Paris) / “Someday”, Staneless Steele (“Down at the Y” / “Never Tell a Lie” (both written by Joe Scovish), B.B.K’s Expedition ‎”Change The American Dream” / “Sole Confusion” and TNT, plus an album by Frankie & The Corvettes.

Categories: Kennett Sound (Kinderhook NY), Kingston, New York, Ulster County, Unknown

Coming Generation from Kingston NY

May 20, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

I don’t have much info on the Coming Generation who released one single in 1969 on the King Town label. Jim Du Bois wrote “Tell Me Now”, and Ed Barnhart wrote “This Troubled Life”.

The band seems to have been a quintet or sextet, with organ and smooth harmony vocals. They were indeed from Kingston, New York, as noted on several ads for shows in the Kingston Daily Freeman beginning in 1967 and ending in 1970.
A sample of their shows include:

1967 – Sportsmen’s Park, Rosendale and the Viking Lounge on Glasco Turnpike, High Woods

The Coming Generation opening for Fire & Ice, March 27, 1970

1968 – The Tropical Inn, Port Ewen

1969 – 1970 – the Pleasure Yacht, Eddyville

December 31, 1969 – the Creamery at Wiltwyck Village, Esopus with Jay and the Techniques

1970 – Thunderbird Inn, Route 9W, Saugerties

March, 1970 – Thunderbird Inn with Fire and Ice (could this be Auggie Bucci’s group, with singles on Capitol and Crazy Horse?)

Runout vinyl has no markings other than 0024-A/B, but this numbering and the label design indicates it was recorded at Kennett Sound Studio in Kinderhook, NY.

Despite the labels saying copyright ’69, I haven’t found any registration for these songs.

Categories: California, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Target (Hollywood), Unknown

Brook Hall “I Had a Dream” on Target

April 1, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Here’s a relatively unknown single by female vocalist Brook Hall. The A-side has the solid hippie-psych of “I Had a Dream”, the flip “Coming of the Sun” is a ballad.

Brook Hall and P. Kasper wrote “I Had a Dream”, and Phil Kasper wrote “Coming of the Sun”, both show publishing Target Music (BMI).

Produced by Terry Munford, this was released on the one-off Target label of Hollywood as Target T-1010 in March of 1970.

I can’t find any leads on the people who made this record. I did find “I Had a Dream the Other Day” registered to Guy Ditmars and Brook Hall, Vail Pub. Corp, in November 1969.

Categories: Jackson, Nashville, Tennessee, Tri City Records, Unknown

The Wanderers on Tri-City Records in Nashville

March 31, 2019 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

The Wanderers cut this great version of Fats Domino’s 1958 hit, “Sick and Tired”, with catchy lead guitar throughout. The flip is a good version of “There Is Something on Your Mind”.

Tri City Records released this as Tri 5452. The code ZTSB 125453 refers to a custom pressing at Columbia’s Nashville plant, probably in early 1966.

I doubt I will discover who was in the Wanderers, as both sides are versions of r&b hits so there is no song writing credit to trace.

It does seem possible these Wanderers are the same group on a yellow-label 45 pressed by World Wide Records in Nashville, and produced by Tri-City Records, No. 3269. One side has Kenneth Castlemen’s great take on “Match Box”, the other James Stafford with the Wanderers doing “Changing My Mind “.

These artists are supposed to be from Jackson, Tennessee, about 2 hours drive west of Nashville.

World Wide Records is mentioned in Billboard as starting in 1966 and having Carlene Westcott Whaley as sales manager, prior to her starting Consolidated Record Enterprises. World Wide had a studio at 5819 Old Harding Rd in Nashville and seemed to specialize in white gospel records.

Categories: California, Calmis, Jackson, Mississippi, Unknown

Apperson Jackrabbit “That’s Why” and “Shadows Falling”

January 11, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Apperson Jackrabbit have remained a mystery despite the quality of their single on Calmis. One side is the brooding “That’s Why” which has long been a favorite of mine after hearing it on Tony the Tyger’s Fuzz, Flaykes, & Shakes Vol. 4: Experiment in Color. The flip is the intense “Shadows Falling”.

Both songs were written by Steve Curtis and Mike Simmons, and it was released on Calmis 45-001 in the first half of 1967. The record is most often found in California, but a contributor to 45cat, Deadwax, found an address for the song publisher, Sival Music at 335 N Southland Dr. in Jackson, Mississippi 38212 in the The Musician’s Guide: The Directory of the World of Music (1980). If this seems an unlikely connection, it makes much more sense when looking at the label name, Calmis (Cal-Mis, get it?). What that connection is, I have no idea at this time. Nothing else was released on Calmis that I know of.

The band was named after a stylish line of autos manufactured in Kokomo, Indiana in the early twentieth century.

There is another 45 by the Apperson Jackrabbit, “Candy Cane Sound” (John R. Bicknell) and “More Than Just Friends” (Stan Smith), on Steamer Records 001 with publishing by Club Miami. I don’t have this record, but I suspect it is a different group as the credits are completely different and the pressing was done at King instead of an RCA custom.

I did find one listing for a group called the Apperson Jack Rabbit with Smokey playing at the Sleeping Lady Cafe in Fairfax, CA in 1973, but that seems to be too many years out to be this group.

Categories: California, Chalon, Hollywood, Impression, Los Angeles, Unknown

The Grim Reepers “Two Souls” on Chalon

December 28, 2018 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

The Grim Reepers cut the excellent single “Two Souls”, but are still something of a mystery group. I haven’t been able to find any photos or gig listings for the Grim Reapers or Reepers, however they intended to spell the band name.

Two likely members are Greg Magie and Mark Paterson. Greg Magie’s name is in the song writing credits of the album “Stuntrock” by the late ’70s Los Angeles group Sorcery, (sound track to the movie Stunt Rock), and he is also, I believe, the vocalist in Sorcery as Greg McGee.

J. Sturgis is another name on the song writing credits, but in the BMI database, “Two Souls” shows only Mark Patterson, Richard Serrana and Joanne Funk.

“Two Souls” / “Joanne” was released on Chalon 1003 in January of 1967. Besides a few country singles by Roy Stevens, the Grim Reepers is the only other release on Chalon Records that I know of. Produced by Walker – J-P Productions (including B. Walker?).

Chalon Records shared an address of 5539 Sunset Boulevard with Impression Records. Ramhorn Pub. Co. published “Two Souls” and also published many of the songs released on the Impression label. J-P Productions shows up on the Dirty Shames’ Impression single. A. Jones who is credited with arranging the Grim Reepers single is almost certainly Al Jones. Al Jones and Joe Osborn’s names show up on many Impression singles, and on the writing credits to Roy Stevens “Over Again” on Chalon 001.

Greg Magie’s “Joanne” is published through Reklaw Music Co.

Categories: Bullet, Nashville, Tennessee, Unknown

The Breakaway Five “Jivin” on Bullet

July 16, 2018 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

The Breakaway Five cut the great instrumental “Jivin” for Red Wortham’s revived Bullet label, featuring pounding drums in the intro and great guitar work, including a quote from Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On”. The flip “I’m Gonna Walk” is a country song by F.L. Parrish, livened up by the echo on the guitar lines.

Members of the Breakaway Five included Norman Davis, Larry Davis, Larry Morgan, and possibly Ronnie Morgan. According to a comment on youtube, the band may have started as the Rivieras from Dickson, Tennessee, just west of Nashville.

Sur-Speed Music ASCAP is listed as publisher on both songs, though “Jivin” does not have any writing credit.

I’m not sure of the release date on this, but I would guess late ’50s or early ’60s. The label credits do not match the Villains 45s or any other Bullet 45 releases of the 1960s. The release number 241 is closer to Bullet’s early 78 rpm releases by Cecil Gant and Wynonie Harris. No other Bullet 45s have similar mastering codes (869-1165/6 in this case), a production credit to Wortham, or (in most cases) lack of an address.

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