Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation

Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement photo
Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement, clockwise from front: Ron Thomas, Mick Fletcher, Gary Hamilton, Tony Sinclair, Mel Wayne, Dave Mahoney and (sitting down) Phil Wainman. All except Gary Hamilton (and John Droy, not in photo) were in The New Generation (version 2) backing Jimmy Cliff.

Jamaican reggae singer Jimmy Cliff is best known to international audiences for the songs “Sitting in Limbo”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and “Many Rivers to Cross”, taken from the 1972 soundtrack album The Harder They Come. One of the first artists to introduce reggae to a wider audience, Cliff started performing in his native Jamaica during the early 1960s where he was spotted by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, who brought him to England in October/November 1965.

Over the next four years, Cliff worked the UK club scene with a series of backing groups – The New Generation, The Sound System, Dave Anthony’s Moods, The Soul System (aka The Attack), The Shakedown Sound (December 1966-February 1968) and The Wynder K Frog Band, playing a mixture of soul and R&B.

Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation

(November 1965-February 1966)

Jimmy Cliff – lead vocals
Dave Pegg – lead guitar
Graham Gallery – bass
Dave Brown – organ
Frank Devine – drums
Ayshea Brough – vocals
Pete Hodge(s) – vocals

Cliff’s first band, The New Generation, was a Birmingham group known as Roy Everett’s Blueshounds, whose most notable member was future Fairport Convention bass player Dave Pegg.

Photo: Blueshounds

The Blueshounds were good mates of The Spencer Davis Group, who put in a good word for the band when Chris Blackwell was looking for musicians to support Cliff on the road. In November 1965, Blackwell released The Spencer Davis Group’s “Keep on Running”, the band’s first number one single.

Photo: Melody Maker, April 1966

Around the same time, Blackwell signed The Blueshounds to the agency he co-ran, West End Promotions Ltd, which also represented The Steampacket, Hedgehoppers Anonymous, The Alex Harvey Go Soul Show, Millie Small, Ayshea Brough and the newly arrived Jimmy Cliff.

With Pete Hodge(s) taking over from Roy Everett, The Blueshounds attended an “audition” recording session at Cecil Sharpe House in London on 23 November 1965 with promoter George Webb (The Spencer Davis Group’s agent) and DJ Alan Freeman.

Also in attendance that day were Jimmy Cliff and Ayshea Brough, a young singer that George Webb was trying to launch on the scene, who’d been working with future Hedgehoppers Anonymous drummer Glenn Martin.

Passing the audition, The Blueshounds were renamed The New Generation and Cliff travelled up to Birmingham to stay with Dave Pegg’s family for about two weeks while rehearsals took place to ready the band for the road. Singers Ayshea Brough and Pete Hodge(s) were also added to the touring band and had their own vocal spots in the show.

The (incomplete) gig listing below, which is taken from Dave Pegg’s scrap book unless otherwise noted), shows that the band’s debut took place at the Ritz Ballroom in King’s Heath, West Midlands in mid-December.

For most of these gigs, the band was billed as The New Generation, although the Marquee gigs list them as The Jimmy Cliff Big Sound. The only exception is a show at the Cue Club in Paddington, central London on 28 January where the band was billed as The Sound System, which may originally have been assigned for Cliff’s second support group (see below), although Dave Pegg’s version did honour this gig.

Notable gigs (from Dave Pegg’s diary unless noted)

15 December 1965 – The Ritz Ballroom, King’s Heath, West Midlands

17 December 1965 – The Carlton Ballroom, Erdington, West Midlands with Steampacket and Graham Bond

17 December 1965 – Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham with Steampacket and Graham Bond

23 December 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Steampacket (billed as Jimmy Cliff Big Sound)

24 December 1965 – Jigsaw, Manchester with Jimmy Powell 5 Dimensions (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) (Billed as Explosive Jimmy Cliff, The New Generation, Ayshea and Pete Hodges)

26 December 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Tribe (Evening Sentinel) (billed as Jimmy  Cliffe, Ayshea, Peter Hodges and The New Generation). This is missing from Dave Pegg’s list

31 December 1965 – Dungeon, Nottingham with Ayshea and Pete Hodges (Nottingham Evening Post)

 

3 January 1966 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Tottenham Weekly Herald)

6 January 1966 – The Village, Cleethorpes with Ayshea and Pete Hodges (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

8 January 1966 – The Village, Cleethorpes with Ayshea and Pete Hodges (Grimsby Evening Telegraph) Says back by demand

14 January 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

15 January 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester (Manchester Evening News) (billed as Jimmy Cliff plus New Generations Plus Ashea Plus Pete Hodges)

16 January 1966 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, south east London (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation with Ayshea and Pete Hodges)

22 January 1966 – Mr McCoys, Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation)

23 January 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester (Manchester Evening News) (billed as the Explosive Jimmy Cliff with New Generation, Pete Hodges and Ayshea) Replaced Manfred Mann

27 January 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Steampacket

28 January 1966 – The Cue Club, central Paddington (billed as Jimmy Cliff, Owen Gray, Ayshea and The Sound System)

29 January 1966 – The Ricky Tick, Clewer Mead, Windsor, Berkshire

30 January 1966 – The Village, Cleethorpes with Ayshea and Pete Hodges (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

 

4 February 1966 – Bluesville R&B Club, Manor House, Finsbury Park, north London (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation featuring Ayesha and Pete Hodge)

5 February 1966 – Chelsea College, south west London with The Spencer Davis Group

It’s not entirely clear why Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation went their separate ways in early February 1966. Dave Pegg’s diary shows that a gig planned for 6 February was cancelled and on 13 February he was back in Birmingham working with a new band – The Uglys.

Aldershot News does list Jimmy Cliff playing at Farnborough Town Hall on 9 February but this may not have happened.

The decision to find a second band to back Cliff on the road was probably made in mid-late January and Chris Blackwell already knew who he wanted for the job.

Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System/New Generation

(February-July 1966)

Jimmy Cliff – lead vocals
Tony Sinclair – lead guitar
Ron Thomas – bass
Mick Fletcher – organ
John Droy – trumpet
Mel Wayne – sax
Dave Mahoney – sax
Pete Hodges – vocals
Ayshea Brough – vocals
Phil Wainman – drums

The next group to back Jimmy Cliff on the road was also, somewhat confusingly, initially billed as The New Generation, although they also used the name The Sound System. Promoters added to the confusion by sometimes billing the band as The Jimmy Cliff Big Sound and The Jimmy Cliff Sound.

The Sound System, as they became around early January, had originally been called The Phil Wainman Band/Set. Phil Wainman, who years later found fame as a noted producer among other things, had first started out as a drummer in the early 1960s, working with The Hi Grades in Sweden and The Paramounts before linking up with the remnants of west London band, The All-Nite Workers around October 1965.

Ron Thomas, Mel Wayne and Dave Mahoney had all been members of this group, which had morphed out of Mike Dee & The Prophets in early-mid 1965. Mick Fletcher joined from The Epitaph Soul Band when it became The Phil Wainman Band/Set around October 1965 after briefly playing in The Herd while Tony Sinclair and John Droy came in soon after, the former from Johnny Halliday’s band in France.

According to David Katz’s excellent book, Jimmy Cliff – An Unauthorised Biography, The Phil Wainman Band/Set secured a residency at Dolly’s Club in Jermyn Street in central London around November of that year. One night Chris Blackwell dropped in and introduced himself.

After be-friending Wainman, he kept the musicians in mind as a support band for the Jamaican acts on Island Records’ roster, including Jackie Edwards, Millie Small and Owen Gray.

Changing name to The Sound System, Wainman’s band started rehearsing with these acts in late January and one early gig, backing Owen Gray, took place at the New All Star Club in Artillery Passage near Liverpool Street station, London on 5 February 1966.

Around this time, it became clear that Cliff and the original New Generation would be separating so Wainman’s band started rehearsing with the singer when he wasn’t gigging with Dave Pegg’s group. After a few weeks’ rehearsals, Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System/New Generation debuted at the Marquee on 10 February, billed as The Jimmy Cliff Big Sound.

Over the next four and half months, Wainman’s band backed Cliff on the road, which included a package tour with The Who and The Spencer Davis Group in April 1966. It was during this time that Keith Moon spotted Wainman’s Red Sparkle Premier drum kit with two bass drums and decided to switch to the same set up two months later.

According to Wainman, Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System/New Generation were particularly popular in Grimsby and played there at least once a month. They also played four nights at the Penthouse.

However, some time in late July 1966, Jimmy Cliff and The Sound System/New Generation went their separate ways.

It’s not clear who backed Jimmy Cliff for a series of gigs that took place at London’s Whisky A Go Go on 9, 16 and 23 August as no support band is listed in Melody Maker, but he was joined by Dave Anthony’s Moods and The Soul System (aka The Attack) at some point during this period.

In December 1966, Jimmy Cliff hooked up with his next group, The Shakedown Sound with whom he worked with until February 1968. He then joined forces with Wynder K Frog.

As for The Sound System, the musicians joined forces with singer Gary Hamilton who was putting together a new version of Hamilton & The Movement (see future entry).

Notable gigs:

10 February 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Steampacket (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff Big Sound)

13 February 1966 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation)

15 February 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) (billed as Explosive Jimmy Cliff, The New Generation, Pete Hodges and Ayshea)

19 February 1966 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation, with Ayshea and Pete Hodge)

20 February 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation)

21 February 1966 – Wall City Jazz Club, Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with Lee, Eddie Showgroup, The Wall City Jazzmen and The Style (Cheshire Observer) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation with Ayshea and Pete Hodges)

24 February 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Steampacket (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff Big Sound)

25 February 1966 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London (Hayes Gazette)

 

3 March 1966 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

4 March 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich, West Midlands with The Ugly and The Craig (Birmingham Evening Mail) Dave Pegg from the first New Generation was on bass with The Uglys

8 March 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Spencer Davis Group (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation)

11 March 1966 – Rialto, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

12 March 1966 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Newcastle Evening Chronicle) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation with Ayshea)

20 March 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star) (billed as Jimmy Cliff, Aysha and The New Generation)

25 March 1966 – Mr McCoys, Middlesbrough with The Warriors (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation)

26 March 1966 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation and Pete Hodge)

27 March 1966 – Shakespeare Hotel, Woolwich, south east London (South East London Mercury) (billed as Jimmy Cliff)

3 April 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

4 April 1966 – The Village, Cleethorpes with Ayshea and Pete Hodges (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

8 April 1966 – El Partido, Lewisham, south east London with The Raisons (South East London Mercury)

10 April 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London (Pete Watt’s research) (billed as The Jimmy Cliff Show)

11 April 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle) Billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System

14 April 1966 –  Gaumont Theatre, Southampton, Hants with The Who, The Spencer Davis Group, The Band of Angels and Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

15 April 1966 – Fairfield Hall, Croydon, south London with The Who, The Spencer Davis Group, The Band of Angels and Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

16 April 1966 – Odeon, Watford, Herts with The Who, The Spencer Davis Group, The Band of Angels and Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

17 April 1966 – Regal Theatre, Edmonton, north London with The Who, The Spencer Davis Group, The Band of Angels and Hamilton & The Hamilton Movement (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

18 April 1966 – Galaxy, Basingstoke, Hants (Hants & Berkshire Gazette)

20 April 1966 – Orford Jazz Cellar, Norwich, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

30 April 1966 – Mansfield Club, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire (Nottingham Evening Post)

 

1 May 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Soul site) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

6 May 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle) (billed as The Explosive Jimmy Cuff)

9 May 1966 – Galaxy, Basingstoke, Hants (Hants & Berkshire Gazette)

10 May 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Spencer Davis Group (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff Sound)

13 May 1966 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)

15 May 1966 – The Village, Cleethorpes (Grimsby Evening Telegraph) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & Package Show)

16 May 1966 – The Beachcomber, Preston, Lancashire (Lancashire Evening Post) Billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound Systems

20 May 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

21 May 1966 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire (Cambridgeshire Times) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generation and straight from the Flamingo, central London)

22 May 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London (Pete Watt’s research) (billed as The Jimmy Cliff Show)

 

2 June 1966 – Black Horse, Northfield, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) (Billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

4 June 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle) (billed as Jimmy Cliff Show)

6 June 1966 – Wall City Jazz Club, Quaintways, Chester, Cheshire with The Max Colley Jazzband, The Wall City Jazzmen and The Connoisseurs (Cheshire Observer) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & Group)

8-11 June 1966 – Penthouse, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail) (billed as Jimmy Cliff ShowSays direct from Tiles

12 June 1966 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry (Coventry Evening Telegraph) (billed as the Explosive Jimmy Cliff)

14 June 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Spencer Davis Group (Melody Maker) (billed as Jimmy Cliff Sound)

18 June 1966 – Stamford Hotel, Stamford, Lincolnshire (Stamford Mercury) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

19 June 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London (Pete Watt’s research) (billed as The Jimmy Cliff Show)

25 June 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generations)

26 June 1966 – Le Metro Club, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System with Pete Hodges)

 

1 July 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Him & The Others (website: https://www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/) (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

2 July 1966 – The Village, Cleethorpes with Pete Hodges (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

8 July 1966 – Hull College of Technology Students’ Union, Skyline Ballroom, Hull with The Small Faces, The Mike Cotton Sound, Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers, The Mode and Eddie Gray & His Band (Hull Daily Mail) (Billed as Jimmy Cliff & The Sound System)

16 July 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Soul site)

17 July 1966 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (billed as Jimmy Cliff & The New Generations)

22 July 1966 – Royal Oak, Hockley Heath, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

23 July 1966 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Says with New Generation

23 July 1966 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker)

30 July 1966 – The Beachcomber, Preston, Lancashire (Lancashire Evening Post) Possibly the band’s final gig before split with Cliff and teaming up with Gary Hamilton

Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

To contact the author, email: Warchive@aol.com

I’d like to thank the following for their help in piecing this story together: Dave Pegg, David Katz, Laurie Hornsby, Andy Neill, Ron Thomas, Phil Wainman, Mel Wayne and Brian Hosking.

 

The Tortians and the De’Vells

The De’Vells from Irving, Texas, from left: Joel Reiner, Rick Surratt, Dicky McDonald, John Tincher, Carl Lowe and Little David.

To the long list of great 45s out of Dallas, add The Tortians’ “Red Cadillac”. The band lays down a chunky groove that never sounds rushed, as John Tincher shouts out the lyrics and plays some fantastic harmonica.

The band was actually from Oak Cliff, but this rare single was released on Karry Way Records, with an address of 4339 Jaffee, Dallas, 75216. The RCA custom pressing code, T4KM-9629/30 indicates it was mastered in the first half of 1966. Woodrow Pearson Baker wrote both “Red Cadillac” and the flip “Vibrations” (which I haven’t heard yet), published by Rightway Pub., BMI.

Guitarist Richard McDonald sent me a photo of his next group, the De’Vells, based in Irving but with some of the same members as the Tortians. Richard has a full bio on the bands at his site SpiritSteelGuitar.com, but I asked him some specifics about the Tortians and he kindly answered my questions.

My name is Richard (Dicky) McDonald. I was born and raised in a little suburb in Dallas, Texas called Oak Cliff. A lot of fine musicians and bands came from that area of Dallas like the Mystics, Kempy and the Guardians, the Jokers, Ray Wylie Hubbard, B.W. Stevenson, Jimmy and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Micheal Martin Murphey and others.

The band formed in Adamson High School in Oak Cliff around 1965, our freshman year. I played lead guitar. The Tortians were James King (rhythm guitar), Johnny Congleton (drums), Carl Lowe (bass), Dick McDonald (lead guitar), Gary McDonald (backup vocals) and John Tincher (lead vocals and sax).

We all played what ever was being played on the radio and some older stuff that we grew up with: Ventures, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Fats Domino. Duane Eddy. Most bands in Oak Cliff played pretty much the same stuff. That’s all we had besides country, big band, classical. Whatever band listened to the radio and figured out the songs first was the top band. It was Robert Farris of The Mystics who could figure stuff out fast.

How the record came to be. We were playing a gig at a roller rink I think the Shamrock in Lancastor, TX. Woody P. Baker was out listening to bands and asked if we would record some of his songs and we said yes. Woody set up and paid for the studio time. The Tortians were not signed by Kerry Way Records. I don’t remember the name of the studio but, it was the same studio where “Wine Wine Wine” was recorded by the Night Caps. Woody P. Baker wrote both “Red Cadillac” and “Vibrations”.

There are no pictures of the Tortians and I hope someone sees your website and has some.

I also played in a very hot band called the De’vells and I do have a picture of them. Most of the De’Vells played in the Tortians. The De’vells were Joel Reiner (drums), Rick Surratt (lead guitar), Dicky McDonald (lead guitar), John Tincher (lead vocals/sax), Carl Lowe (bass/vocals), and Little David (keyboards/vocals). This band won 2nd place in the 1967 Battle of the Bands at the State Fair of Texas, and got a trophy which We still have. I am surprised that we were not listed in the newspaper clipping on the website [see this page]. We were booked by an booking agency called Showco in Dallas.

Most of the original members still live very close to Oak Cliff. I have a pedal steel guitar shop in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Richard McDonald
Spirit Steel Guitar
Broken Arrow, OK

The DeVells to play at the Olney High School Homecoming, October 25, 1968

The Wanderers (Montana)

The Wanderers with Chan Romero and Kostas
The Wanderers “with Chan Romero and Kostas right after the recording session for ‘Don’t Pity Me'” – David Day

Collin PruitWanderers Warrior 45 Don't Pity Me sent in scans and transfers of a very obscure 45 on Chan Romero’s Warrior label, Warrior L-140, The Wanderers “Don’t Pity Me” / “Give Me All You Got”. It sounds like 1965 or 1966. Collin and I agree that “Don’t Pity Me” is fine, low-key garage. The pressing is noisy even though the record Collin found was near mint.

“Don’t Pity Me” was written by D. Day, and the flip by Day and J. Newstrom.

In June 2013, drummer Jan Cahill wrote to me:

The Wanderers got together in the early fall of 1965.  All of us were high school students (seniors) and I was contacted by David Day (he attended Billings West with me although I did not know him) as he heard I was a drummer and he wanted to put together a rock band. I cannot remember how he knew Danny Barnhart (Danny was our bass player and he lived in Laurel and attended high school in Laurel). Jerry Newstrom was a guitar player that I had heard of but really did not know all that well until we started practicing in … you guessed it … Danny’s garage.

We practiced for about two, maybe three months, and then began playing various weekends in and around Billings. We almost always had two nights a week which included the following places in Billings:  What’s Happening, Lake Hills Golf (teen center in basement of club house), Shrine Auditorium, the Pub … and quite a few teen dances in Red Lodge, Laurel, Bozeman, Roundup, Lewistown, Deer Lodge, Butte, Great Falls, Plentywood (once 30 below zero when we played there), Columbia Falls, Powell, Wyoming, Thermompolis, Wyoming, Casper, Wyoming, Miles City, Montana. For the most part we barely made enough money to pay the rent on the halls, security, and gas for travel. A “good” night would provide each of us $20-$30 each after all expenses. A “bad” night and we had to chip in a few dollars to cover costs. BUT WE HAD A BLAST PLAYING!!

We were one Billings’ top teenage rock bands along with other bands such as the Frantics, Peter & the Wolves, Sound Establishment, Imperials.  I am sure there other bands but I cannot remember their names.

Wanderers Photo Teen Town 66
“This one is at Teen Town “66” with Kip Sherman (Kim’s Brother) in the line up.” – David Day

Our major claim to “fame” as a teenage rock band was the fact the we won the “State Battle of the Bands” at the Yellowstone County Fair in the summer of 1966.  I believe we beat out fifteen other bands from all over the state to be #1. I still have the plaque presented to the band from Governor Tim Babcock that evening.  Each band played two songs and if my memory serves me correctly we played “Paint it Black” and “Ticket to Ride”. After we won we were then able to play one more song and I think it was “Walk Away Renee”. The grand finale was for all bands to perform “Gloria” which was the loudest (up to that time) I had ever heard bands play. There were several thousand spectators who watched all of the bands play throughout the early afternoon until the final performances in the early evening.  It was one of the most exciting times (probably the MOST exciting) of the Wanderers.

The Wanderers Warrior 45 Give Me All You Gotrecord was recorded in a local studio which explains the rather tin quality. I think we had 500 copies pressed. We recorded the songs in the thought that the Wanderers would be the next “Beatles or Rolling Stones”. Obviously that did not happen.

I have recorded several other 45’s with two different bands and those recordings were done in professional studios in Vancouver, Washington and Lubbock, Texas. I still have one of the records (Bobby Dann & the Generation Gap) but the other record has long ago disappeared (Gary Mundon Band). Unfortunately I do not have any pictures or posters from the Wanderers. Those that I had have long ago disappeared and the only reason I still have the plaque is that I somehow was smart enough to give it to my parents after the Battle of the Bands and my mother kept it all these years. I found it when I was going though her stuff after she passed away three years ago.   

Eventually I left the Wanderers in early 1967 to join a road band that was on the Nevada circuit and make more money … a whopping $110.00 per week plus motel room. David Day moved to California and  he eventually split up with Rick Mars and stayed with Whitehorse while several other band members formed Motley Crue. You can see their history by going to the Motley Crue website and you will see pictures of David Day.  

Jerry got married and I think stopped playing and I have no clue what happened to Danny and Dennis Devlin.  I talked with David Day about a half dozen years and he was still playing and was also a producer.

I played music professionally for another fifteen years on a steady basis in the area of country-rock and continue to play about two – four times a month.  I had the pleasure/honor of playing with Wynn Stewart, Rex Allen Jr., and one night with Ray Price (his drummer was sick and Ray needed a drummer to play a concert in Great Falls, Montana, in the summer of 1975). 

Bobby Dann and the Generation Gap performed at the J Bar T (Great Falls, Montana) between 1970-1976 and we always took three months off to perform in Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Canada.  We played the Calgary Stampede, Edmonton Klondike Days, Carson City, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Fallon, Ely, Winnimucca, Gardenerville, (all in Nevada) but never in Las Vegas.  We (Bobby Dann) also had our own nationally syndicated television show (1972) that ran for eighteen weeks.

It was a great time for all of us and one that I will always remember with great affection. 

Jan Cahill, 2013

See the Warrior page for more info on the label.

The Wanderers – Don’t Pity Me
The Wanderers – Give Me All You Got

Thank you to David Day for the photos seen here, which Dave Martens forwarded to me in October, 2014.

Wanderers Photo Final Lineup 1967
Final lineup of the Wanderers, 1967
“The final lineup with me doing what I still do, guitar and keyboards. Dennis Devlin and I are just weeks from joining up with the Frantics.” – David Day

The Cords “Ghost Power” and “Cords Inc.” on Cuca

The Cords in the Pulaski monastery dining room
The Cords in the Pulaski monastery dining room From left: Matthew Gawlik, Ignatius Kacprowicz, James Kendzierski, Jim Bertler and Bertin Bedia

The Cords Cuca 45 Cords, Inc
The Cords Cuca 45 TrinkThe Cords were a group of Franciscan monks based in Pulaski, Wisconsin, northwest of Green Bay. Most of the group came from Wisconsin, but a couple members were from Buffalo and one from North Chicago. Jim Bertler and James Brojek started the group in 1961, and the band’s lineup and styles evolved over the next decade. They played their first public show at the Pulaski Polish Sausage Day Festival in 1964.

The band didn’t record until 1969, when they traveled to Sauk City to record an album The Franciscan Cords – Spiritual Troubadours and two 45s for release on the Cuca label.

Members on the album and 45s are:

Jim (Bonaventure) Bertler – Vox Jaguar organ, also saxophone, bass and occasional vocal
Kevin Schroder – rhythm guitar
Bertin Bieda – electric accordion and vocals
James Francis Kendzierski – tambourine, vocals, screams, turkey calls
Matthew Gawlik – bass and 12-string guitar
Sebastian Nocinski – drums (polka numbers only) and maracas
Earl Hylok – drums (for rock numbers) and percussion
Kenneth Mach – vocals

The Cords, photo from the back cover of their LP
The Cords, photo from the back cover of their LP From left: Jim Bertler, Matthew Gawlik, Earl Hylok, James Kendzierski, Kevin Schroder and Bertin Bedia

The Cords Cuca 45 Ghost Power
The Cords Cuca 45 Waiting Here for YouThe Cords had two different drummers, Sebastian Nocinski for the polka numbers, and for the rock numbers first Tim Ryan and then Earl Hylok, who was not a Franciscan Brother but played with a local Pulaski rock band.

The Franciscan Cords - Spiritual Troubadours LP on Cuca

The LP was released first, in 1969, followed by the singles the following year. The album demonstrates they were mainly a polka and pop band, and includes a gentle version of “The Letter”. Jim Bertler produced the recordings, taking a more experimental approach with the singles to include sound effects, percussion and distortion. “Ghost Power” was chosen for the first volume of Back from the Grave for this wild instrumental sound.

The version of “Cords, Inc” on the album has the same backing track as the 45, but the album version doesn’t have the heavy fuzz guitar that distinguishes the single. The album version also has many more shouts and calls from Jim Kendzierski, especially on the drum break at a minute in. I like hearing the accordion upfront too.

Excerpts from the Cords singles:

The Cords – Cords, Inc
The Cords – Ghost Power
The Cords – Waiting Here For You

Excerpts from the Franciscan Cords album Spiritual Troubadours:

The Franciscan Cords – Cords, Inc (Theme – excerpt)
The Franciscan Cords – The Letter (excerpt)

Cords 45s label scans courtesy of Jim Bertler. Thank you to Oktay Gürbüz for providing the scans, transfers and information he received from Jim Bertler and and Jim Kirchstein.

Franciscan Cords LP back cover
Back cover of LP
Pulaski News, January 23, 1969

Angelus Records discography

The Moore Evangelistic Party on Angelus
The Moore Evangelistic Party on Angelus

The Lacys Angelus LP HallelujahWhen Jim Lewallen sent me scans of a 45 by his group the Goldenaires on Angelus Records, I started looking into the label’s discography. I really didn’t know what I was getting into!

Angelus Records was the in-house label for Whitney Recording Studio in Glendale, California. Lorin Whitney owned and operated the studio and played organ or piano on many of Angelus albums. Les Roberts described the studio to me, “the main studio was almost 50’ x 50’. Great acoustics!”

The label was either named for, or connected to the Angelus Temple of the Foursquare Church, the Pentecostal sect founded by Aimee Semple McPherson. the studio and label were in Glendale, five miles north of the temple.

The Faith Tones Angelus LP Jesus Use MeAll kinds of artists used Whitney for recording, but Angelus Records tended towards Christian inspirational music, but not African-American gospel music. It was a big operation, putting out hundreds of LPs from the early ’60s into the ’70s. Most Angelus releases were custom pressings: the artists paid for the recording and pressing of their records. However, Lorin Whitney had at least one release of his own, so Angelus may have marketed some of these albums. The acts came from all over the west, from Montana and Colorado all the way to Alaska, with many from Seattle and the state of Washington.

Within the Angelus catalog there are a handful of interesting releases in genres other than Christian spiritual music, but even the few heavy rock exceptions such as Stone Garden and Faction have religious overtones. The only truly secular recordings may be the Goldenaires and the Xanadus singles.

Acid Test Angelus Records 45 What Do I LoveLike the Word label, it had some of the best album covers ever.

7″ singles on Angelus:

There seem to be relatively few 45s on Angelus, but the single by the Stone Garden “Stop My Thinking” / “Oceans Inside Me” stands out.

There’s also a 45 I’ve never heard by a group called The Acid Test, supposedly recorded at Sound Recording in Spokane. Anyone have a transfer of that one? Craig (MojoCools) sent in the scans seen here and wrote:
Acid Test Angelus 45 Make Her Mine

I believe [one copy] was unearthed in the Spokane area, while I found mine in NW Montana and always thought they were from Spokane/Couer d’Alene area. No SRC info on the trail off as it is only etched with WR-4803-A/ WR-4803-B and the “(copyright pending)” statement on the label doesn’t shed much light.

These guys sound like high school kids and can’t manage to pull of a lead break on the A side, and only barely at the end of the flip. A-side “What Do I Love” is almost heavy as Stone Garden but very inept and instead of a break they just modulate. Flip “Make Her Mine” is actually the Rascals “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long” and has a simple crude break towards the end.

Foundation Angelus PS

Craig also sent the scan of the Foundation sleeve (above) and wrote:

Picture sleeve is a slick glued to a 7″ inner. It sounds pretty much like the sleeve looks. Acoustic guitar and electric bass. “The Man” = folky original that borrows from “All Along the Watchtower” a bit but adds some female scat vocals / harmony vocals giving it a sunshine pop sound. Flip is more soft folk sunshine which is a weird/happy way to sing about dying on the cross! This is not typical acoustic Christian folk.

First names are listed (Jim, Lou Ann, Jeanette and Mike), and a quote from Corinthians (“I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it”) but no other info on who group was.

Angelus LPs:

Fraction Angelus 45 Moon BloodOf the albums, the most famous by far is Jim Beach’s group Fraction, with their very desirable psych LP Moon Blood. Even this record, it should be said, has Christian theology behind it.

Other interesting releases that I haven’t heard yet are two jazz LPs by Ron Pittner recorded in France, another by Bill Maldonado, a country or folk rock album by an act known as Sierra, and the intriguing Joe Jim Paul’s Sings Song from Alaska with song titles like “The Midget Wildwood Little Girl” and “Pop the Magic Dragon”

I’ve included what I could find from the usual record selling sources, so please write if you have good scans or can help with the discography. This is obviously very incomplete – only about 100 records out of what could be as many as 1,000 Angelus releases.

Engineers on the albums include Doug Smith, Paul Elmore and Frank Kejmar.

Angelus Records discography:

Jack Moore - the only Angelus record I've seen with a different label design45 rpm / 7″ records:
Angelus 45-1012 – Jack Moore – Goodby, World, Goodby (Mosie Lister, with Frances Moore organ and Cathy Bragg piano) / How Great Thou Art (with the Calvary Temple Teen Chorale)
Angelus WR-4342 – The Goldenaires – “What He Said” / “The Mad Hatter”
Angelus WR-4346 – The Music of Dick Charles and the Boys (no song titles, small center hole so probably 33 1/3 rpm)
Angelus WR-4442 – Xanadus – “Before the Dawn” (Boyd & Adams) / “Little Girl” (Wray) (reissued on Encore 4442)
Angelus WR 4446-45 – Elsie & Gene Jaggers – Train Song / Hilo March
Angelus WR-4749 – Rick and Dennis – “Redeemed” / “The Love Come a Tricklin’ Down” / “Where Will You Be When That First Trumpet Sounds” / “Let Me Fly”
Angelus WR-4803 – Acid Test – “What Do I Love” / “Make Her Mine”
Angelus WR-4819 – The Stone Garden – “Stop My Thinking” / “Oceans Inside Me” (Gary Speer)
Angelus WR-4942 – Foundation – “The Man” / “Can You Live” (with picture sheet glued on plain sleeve)
Angelus WR-5015 – Redwood Chapel Community Church – Sunday Night Sing! (33 1/3 7″ LP)
Angelus WR-5047 – Tom Keene and the Contemporaries – “What a Song” / “May I Introduce You to a Friend”
Angelus WR 5075 – Mr. Lucky and the Good Vibes ‎– “Streak Around In Your Bones” (Tom Thorne) / “Barefoot in the Rain”
Angelus WR-5095 – Blue James – “Fairytales, Fishermen, and Fools” / “Sweet And True”
Angelus KO-794881 – Brian Michaels – “Twenty Nine Miles from Boston” / ?

Xanadus Angelus 45 Before the Dawn

Xanadus Encore 45 Before the Dawn
The Xanadus Angelus single WR-4442 reissued on the Encore label

Albums:
Angelus WR-4105 – Kaufman Family Radio Missionaries (cover reads Angelus, labels have Whitney Records)
Angelus WR-4193 – Bud Garmo ‎– Songs Of Comfort
Angelus WR-4216 – Ray Kaady – Amazing Grace
Angelus WR-4227 – Moore Evangelistic Party (Marrles Moore, Frances Moore, Jack Moore & Merv Moore, piano by Loren Whitney)
Angelus WR-4332 – Vincent and Virginia Gizzi ~ Missionaries To Japan
Angelus WR-4342 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4346 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4362 – Don & Norma Tanner – The Tanner Team
Angelus WR-4365 – Lex Ellesin – Yugoslav Songs and Dances
Angelus WR-4368 – Bill Notehelfer – Forward to Christ, with Charles Magnuson & Lorin Whitney
Angelus WR-4371 – Jimmie McDonald – Sings From His Heart to You
Angelus WR-4379 – Bill White – Gentle Hands, with Sue Magnuson and Pattie Stiles, prod. by Wesley Tuttle
Angelus WR-4381 – Malcolm Fry ‎– Overshadowed
Angelus WR-4393 – Woodlandaires – Spring Concert
Angelus WR-4394 – Polly Prieto, Lorene Null, Elizabeth Null & Hilarion S. Raymundo ‎– Melodies From The Mission Field (Philippine Islands)
Angelus WR-4396 – Calvary Temple, Seattle, Bud Tutmarc dir. – My Heart Is Glad
Angelus WR-4409 – Ronald Drye – Balm in Gilead
Angelus WR-4419 – Dale Crowley – From My Heart to Your Heart
Angelus WR-4422 – Marian Estep – The News in Revelation
Angelus WR-4425 – Ron Schloss – Memorial Album
Angelus WR-4437 – Wilbur and Norman Nelson – Sing Praises

Angelus WR-4441 – Lorene Booth Koltovich ‎– Sacred Requests
Angelus WR-4442 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4443 – Bud Garmo – Songs of Challenge

Angelus WR 4446 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4447 – Bud Garmo ‎– I Never Walk Alone

Angelus WR-4458 – Roger Crymes – God Understands
Angelus WR-4479 – Marriage, Divorce and Sex (Message by Dr. Joseph Murphy)
Angelus WR-4497 – Marian Estep – Songs of Heaven
Angelus WR-4503 – Cass Schreib My Wonderful Lord
Angelus WR-4520 – First Baptist Church, Crescenta, Calif. ‎– Organ-Music Dedication
Angelus WR-4529 – Donna Reed – Fill My Cup Lord

Angelus WR 4538 – Northwest College Concert Choir ‎– “How Big Is God” Also “It Took A Miracle” (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR 4539 – Tom Keene and the Contemporaries – The New Sound In Motion

Angelus WR 4542 – Northwest District Youth Choir of the Assemblies of God, Seattle – I Have Christ
Angelus WR-4551 – Nelson & Jester – Good News Favorites, with Helen Nelson and Mary Jester
Angelus WR-4557 – Korean Blind Quartet – Songs of Another World
Angelus WR-4557 – Fairview Heights (Inglewood Ca) Baptist Church
Angelus WR-4559 – Gilbert Hynes ‎– Heart Songs Of The Spirit (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4569 – Berl Thomas – Hymns of Hope
Angelus WR-4561 – Fairview Heights (Inglewood, CA) Baptist Church Choir – In His Glory (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4572 – Harbor-Lites – Girls Trio
Angelus WR-4573 – Witnesses Trio – Nearer My God
Angelus WR-4591 – Don Calhoun – Sacred Songs
Angelus WR-4592 – David F. Webber – Mark of the Beast
Angelus WR-4597 – R. Norheim & Lutheran Gospel Hour Singers ‎– Lamplighter Songs
Angelus WR-4600 – Roy & Arlene Brewer – He Is Everything to Me
Angelus WR-4602 – Marian Estep – Old Favorites of the Church
Angelus WR-4616 – The Singing Servants, directed by Dean Schield
Angelus WR-4619 – Harold Holt – It’s In My Heart
Angelus WR-4638 – Judy Koenig – No Other Song
Angelus WR-4654 – Dr. Joseph Murphy – The Secret Of I Am That I Am
Angelus WR-4659 – Treble Heirs – No Other Song (Jane Fowler, Cherie Miller, Linda Morse)
Angelus WR-4663 – Brandts – No Other Name
Angelus WR-4677 – Wilbur and Norman Nelson – New Life in Christ
Angelus WR-4684 – The Proclaimers
Angelus WR-4701 – Elmer and Lee Bruno – Sonata Sagrada
Angelus WR-4705 – Alma Louise Shurte – Songs from the Heart
Angelus WR-4722 – The Singing Servants ‎– Day By Day
Angelus WR-4732 – Jane Nellis – Songs from the Heart
Angelus WR-4742 – The Lacys – Hallelujah! Unique Gospel Songs & Spirituals
Angelus WR-4749 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4771 – Bethany Park Presents ’68 Camp Meeting – Melodies of Praise
Angelus WR-4778 – Marian Estep – Sing Unto the Lord
Angelus WR-4779 – Linda Baker – Paul Speaks to You
Angelus WR-4781 – Antanas Pavasaris – Dainu Ir Ariju Recitalis
Angelus WR-4789 – Taiwan Men’s Choir – Free China Sings
Angelus WR-4793 – The Hart Family – Paul, Connie & David Hart – Hart To Heart
Angelus WR-4802 – The Faith Tones – Jesus Use Me
Angelus WR-4803 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4811 – Marian Rieth – Moments of Meditation

Angelus WR-4817 – Wilbur and Norman Nelson – More Gospel Favorites
Angelus WR-4818 – Bill Maldonado – … This Dream
Angelus WR-4819 – see 45 / 7″ list above

Angelus AR-4823 – Temple-Tones ‎– For His Glory
Angelus WR-4827 – Marian Estep with Lorene Kealy, Paul Kealy & Lorin Whitney – Songs of the Holy Land
Angelus WR-4833 – Ben Lippen School, Ralph Parker, Director – Music
Angelus WR-4842 – Jim Bergthold – Personal Peace
Angelus WR-4847 – Rodger Hall – Where Do I Go From Here
Angelus WR-4849 – Roy & Arlene Brewer – This Is the Life
Angelus WR-4853 – King’s Choralons & Northwest College Ladies’s Ensemble, Kirkland WA – God Is Alive
Angelus WR-4858 – Ray Kaady – Volume 2, Tell It Again
Angelus WR-4867 – Cymanfa Ganu & Welsh Church, Los Angeles – I Will Sing Hosanna
Angelus WR-4869 – Donald Rick with Dick Bolks and Lorin Whitney – In Sacred Concert
Angelus WR-4870 – Marian Rieth – Hallowed Moments
Angelus WR-4877 – Rise Up O Church – Sanctuary Choir, First Church Of The Nazarene, Whittier CA
Angelus WR-4885 – Marian Estep – Songs You Love
Angelus WR-4891 – Barbara Lowman, Soprano with Morris Mosby – I Asked the Lord
Angelus WR-4893 – Doris Beaulieu – Doris Sings Out in Sacred Concert, acc. by Coral Baerg
Angelus WR-4894 – Malcolm Fry ‎– Grace So Amazing
Angelus WR-4898 – Harbor Masters – The Harbor Masters Sing
Angelus WR-4916 – United Community Church Glendale – 10th Anniversary 1961 to 1971
Angelus WR-4926 – Bibleaires Trio ‎– I Shall Be At Home
Angelus WR-4933 – Ada Mouw Groen – Lord Is My Light
Angelus WR-4936 – Mizpah Singers (Barruel Bros) – The Living Rock
Angelus WR-4937 – Church of the Open Door – His People
Angelus WR-4942 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-4944 – artist? – What Color is Love (blank cover? I need a scan or confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4951 – Tom and Rachel Thorne – “Golden Kona” / “Magic in the Air” (R.T. Thompson Music Co., ASCAP – need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-4954 – Wilbur Nelson – Sings “These Are a Few of My Favorite Songs”
Angelus WR-4957 – Lutheran Gospel Hour – Anchored in Jesus / Anniversary Album
Angelus WR-4964 – Arnie Hartman – In Concert
Angelus WR-4982 – Kathryn Kuhlman presents Jimmie McDonald
Angelus WR-4990 – Neal Higgins – Fill My Cup, Lord
Angelus WR-4984 – The Sound Impressions – Presents … a Reason for Being (Otis Skillings, orch; Al Reis, photography; Chuck Hernandez, art design; Frank Kejmar, engineer; Jerry Lindsay, director)
Angelus WR-4989 – John and Linnie Olson – Radio Favorites
Angelus WR-4994 – Paul and Louise Greisen – I’m His to Command
Angelus WR-4996 – New Life ‎– Giver Of Joy

Jimmie McDonald Angelus LPMark Greer Angelus LP Searching

Angelus WR-5003 – The King’s Envoys – For Him
Angelus WR-5005 – Fraction – Moon Blood
Angelus WR-5009 – Dick Zeller – He Loves Us More
Angelus WR-5015 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-5024 – Vere Raley with John Lundberg Singers ‎– Baritone Soloist
Angelus WR-5031 – Marian Estep – God Is Our Refuge
Angelus WR-5032 – Chuck Kisner & Rose Parenti – Don’t Let a Day Go By
Angelus WR-5041 – The Brotherhood III and The New Life – A Reason to Sing
Angelus WR-5042 – Tact Singers (Teen Action for Christ Today) – Jesus Is (dir. Roger Clay, First Church of the Nazarene, Denver, Colorado)
Angelus WR-5047 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-5051 – Sierra
Angelus WR-5057 – F.X. McDonald, Jr. – Peace My Friends
Angelus WR-5059 – Robert Bowman – Songs of Enduring Faith
Angelus WR-5060 – Westmont College Choir
Angelus WR-5067 – Ken Hyde – If God
Angelus WR-5068 – Modesto Christian School Choir And The Children Of Modesto Christian School ‎– Good News! (need confirmation of this one)
Angelus WR-5069 – Master Design – Get All Excited with Master Design
Angelus WR-5074 – Mark Greer – Searching
Angelus WR-5082 – Pastor R. Norheim & Lutheran Gospel Singers – Gospel in Song
Angelus WR-5083 – Joyce Okert – Something Worth Living For
Angelus WR-5086 – The Jesters – Messages In Music
Angelus WR-5087 – Tom & Shelly (1974)
Angelus WR-5088 – Mark Greer – Resolutions
Angelus WR-5091 – Bill White – Reaching Out
Angelus WR-5095 – see 45 / 7″ list above
Angelus WR-5099 – The Dick Anthony Family – More Out of Life
Angelus WR-5102 – The Inspirationals and Lawrence Foley – Sacred Songs from the Crystal Fountain
Angelus WR-5108 – Jamie Burghardt ‎– Jamie Sings For God And Country
Angelus WR-5111 – Chuck Kisner – In His Name
Angelus WR-5113 – George Sanchez – Songs of the Shepherd
Angelus WR-5115 – Barruel Brothers – Born to Be King
Angelus WR-5117 – Tim & Roger – At the Twin Pianos
Angelus WR-5120 – F.X. McDonald – F.X. & the Boys
Angelus WR-5121 – Ken Finley – God Is Much Fairer
Angelus WR-5123 – Westmont College Choir
Angelus WR-5126 – John Steele – Closing Night
Angelus WR-5127 – Linnie J. Olson – Linnie (Rufus Harvey Jr. conducting)
Angelus WR-5128 – Clara Shannon – Singing Missionary
Angelus WR-5130 – Daybreak with Dick Anthony & the Orchestra
Angelus WR-5142 – Ron Pittner – Out from the Edge: Recorded in Concert, Paris, France, with Kent Carter (cello), Mototeru Takagi (saxophone), Takashi Kako (electric piano), recorded March 1974
Angelus WR-5143 (?) – Covenant Gospelaires present It’s A True Story
Angelus WR-5152 – Jim Bergthold First Tenor With The Haven Of Rest Quartet ‎– The King Is Coming
Angelus WR-5154 – The Ascensions – Playing Around with Jazz
Angelus WR-5156 – Neal Higgins ‎– To God Be The Glory
Angelus WR-5158 – Pierce Family ‎– A Song About Life
Angelus WR-5165 – F.X. McDonald, Jr. Soloist – Jesus Thou Art Coming w. Laurindo Almeida and Louise de Tullio
Angelus WR-5169 – Larry Vannucci – Anything Goes
Angelus WR-5174 – Freedom Ringers II (handbell music recorded during 1978 European tour)
Angelus WR-5183 – Joe Jim Paul – Sing “Song From Alaska” (with Son Gary Paul and John Angaiak)
Angelus WR-8081 – Jaggers Family – Across the Sea
Angelus WR-1943 – Ron Pittner – The Indigo Mirror and the Ivory Dot, Recorded in Concert, Orly, France,
Angelus WRLW-1981 – Lorin Whitney – Gospel Organ Favorites vol. 1

Master Design Angelus LP Get All Excited WithJoe Jim Paul Sings Song From Alaska Angelus LP

? – Christmas Time with Linnie
? – Riverside Professional Jazz Workshop

Master Design cover from Observatory. Thanks to Max Waller for the titles to the Blue James 45, to Dan Peterson for the Xanadus scans and to Jack for the Jack Moore 45 scans, to Gee K. for scans of 4877, and to John for the Elsie & Gene Jaggers info.

 T.A.C.T. (Teen Action for Christ Today!) Singers - Jesus Is! Angelus LP
T.A.C.T. (Teen Action for Christ Today!) Singers – Jesus Is!

The Others

The Others, circa 1964, from left to right Pete Hammerton, Geoff Coxon, Bob Freeman (Rob Tolchard), Paul Stewart and Ian McLintock.
The Others, circa 1964, from left to right Pete Hammerton, Geoff Coxon, Bob Freeman (Rob Tolchard), Paul Stewart and Ian McLintock.

Others Fontana 45 I'm Taking Her HomeThe Others, 1963-64

By Rob Tolchard

Formed in the summer of 1963 in the rural riverside south-west London suburb of Hampton, The Others were originally a bunch of rebellious schoolmates. Fired up by the Richmond Sound, spearheaded by the likes of the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds – the south’s answer to the Liverpool Sound – The Others picked up the baton and ran with it, swiftly building a devoted fan-base of their own and a circuit of regular gigs, hot on the heels of the slightly more senior bands who had inspired them before leaving town for international acclaim.

The look was long-haired bohemian, the music was Chicago rhythm’n’blues and the interest from local and national media secured them a London management/agency contract, a record deal and teen-magazine features by the fistfull as they tore up and down the length of Britain in a van covered in adoring messages written in lipstick. They were still not even old enough to drive legally.

In the summer of 1964, they recorded their one and only record, Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah”, on Polydor (TF 501) but by the time of its release, parental pressure had forced two of their number, John Standley (lead guitar) and Nigel Baldwin (drums) to quit the band and return to school to study for their “A”-level exams. They were replaced by Peter Hammerton on guitar and Geoff Coxon on drums, who feature in the promotional shots for the record. The band attained a new excellence, “very much in the same class as the Yardbirds” according to Brian May of Queen, a former schoolmate and the record was a turntable hit on the rock radio programmes of the day and was highly praised by Jimmy Saville in his national press pop column.

But it wasn’t to last. Paul Stewart, their charismatic lead singer and mouth-harp player was also under extreme parental pressure to return to academic endeavours and, tired of living in a car in a rented garage, he gave in, cut his hair, was allowed back home and returned to Hampton Grammar School in late October 1964.

That was effectively the end of The Others, who should have achieved so much more. Their record has become a collectors’ item and Brian May’s early band, “1984” (later “Smile”) used to include The Others’ self-penned “B”-side, “I’m Taking Her Home” in their own repertoire. The other two original members of The Others, Bob Freeman (rhythm guitar/harp) and Ian McLintock (bass) remained in the industry and continued to make music, but never again came as close to stardom as did their first band.

Pete Hammerton, Geoff Coxon, Bob Freeman (now re-named Rob Tolchard to avoid confusion with the Beatles’ photographer) and Paul Stewart remained in touch and have reformed The Others, in order to perform heavily re-arranged revisitations of the old classic repertoire. What a vintage.

1964 gig (see comments below)
1965 gig (see comments below)

Miramar Records discography

See Miramar 127 for a repeat of this song

Miramar Records of Hollywood, famous for its releases by the Road Runners and the Dovers.

Tony Cary produced all the Dovers 45s as well as the Road Runners, Jimmy Burton, Nick Hoffman and Fellowship records. He went on to produce the Alexander’s Timeless Bloozband LP on UNI, released 1968 and Charles Lamont’s solo LP from 1969, A Legend In His Own Time. Mike Markesich tells me Tony’s real name was Tony Luton, whose family was involved in radio or TV in Santa Barbara.

Tony Cary had two singles on Miramar. The first, “Dream World” / “One of These Days” was from August, 1965 (Monarch delta # 55804). Both songs are by Jones-Osborn and published by Alborn Music. The label reads “Produced by Miramar Prod.”

Tony Cary Miramar 45 She Belongs to MeAs far as Tony’s vocal talents go, I think he eventually took his own song’s advice to “stop living in a dream world”! Still, one can’t help but admire the impressive series of singles he produced on this label. His second is a countrified version of “She Belongs to Me” that was only released as a one-sided white label promo.

Alborn is the other producer name on many of these 45s. Alborn seems to be a mix of Alton Leo Jones (Al Jones) and Joe Osborn. They wrote a number of songs together, the most notable of which may be “Johnny Come Lately” for Billie Jean Horton. Joe Osborn also wrote with Dorsey Burnette and Dale Hawkins.

Other Miramar records have “a C/A production” on the label. The publishing info is usually on of these three: Alborn Music BMI, Carjone Music BMI, Fabyan Music ASCAP. Labels read “Miramar Records of Hollywood” up through the Dovers’ “The Third Eye”.

Jimmy Burton is of course James Burton, and Jimmy’s Blues” is an excellent piece of fuzzy riffing. It’s possible that’s him playing the lead guitar on Tony Cary’s “One of These Days”.

The Spellbinders version of “Casting My Spell” features a rough lead vocal with clipped lead guitar lines. I haven’t heard “To Take a Heart” yet. That 45 was produced by Joe Osborn, and this is not the same Spellbinders who recorded for Columbia (“Chain Reaction”).

Incomplete discography
(any help would be appreciated!)

45s:

Note that releases 101 and 103 come from the end of Miramar’s run, in 1967 or later.

Miramar 107 – Tony Cary – “Dream World” / “One of These Days” (August 1965)
Miramar 108 – Jimmy Burton – “Jimmy’s Blues” (J. Burton, M. Jones, J. Osborn) / “Love Lost” (James Burton) (a Cary-Alborn Production)
Miramar 109 – Memphis Men – “Act Naturally” / “Oh What A Night” (Jones-Osborn) (Produced by AFC Enterprises Inc.)
Miramar 110 – Glenn and the Good Guys – “Party a Go Go” (Burton, Jones, Osborn) / “Only In My Heart” (J. Seals, G. Adams)

Miramar 112 – Tony Cary – “She Belongs To Me” (one-sided promo)

Miramar 115 – The Spellbinders – “Casting My Spell” / “To Take a Heart” (produced by Joe Osborn)

The Road Runners’ first single

The following have the guitar label design:

Miramar 116 – Road Runners – “I’ll Make It Up To You” / “Take Me” (released in Aug. ’65, also released on Reprise 0418, Sept. ’65)
Miramar 117 – ?
Miramar 118 – Dovers – “She’s Gone” / “What Am I Going To Do?” (Sept. 1965)
Miramar 119 – Nick Hoffman – “King of The Moon” / “Blind and Leaving Blues” (Nov. 1965)
Miramar 120 – ?
Miramar 121 – Dovers – “I Could Be Happy” / “People Ask Me Why” (Nov, 1965, also released on Reprise 0439)
Miramar 122 – ?
Miramar 123 – Dovers – “The Third Eye” / “Your Love” (April 1966)

Another great song by Timmy Granada

Miramar 124 – Dovers – “She’s Not Just Anybody” / “About Me” (May 1966) (plain label without guitar logo)
I’ve seen an acetate demo of this 45 from Western Recorders, 6000 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood 28

The following have the winged angel type logo:

Miramar 125 – Fellowship – “Just Like A Woman” / “Palace of the King” (Sept. 1966), also released in stock copy with older guitar logo
Miramar 126 – ?
Miramar 127 – Miramar Soul Band – “Mr. Tambourine Man” / Friends of the Miramar Soul Band – “Party a Go Go” (this side has master #111-B)
Miramar 128 – Sonny Firmature – “Love Lost” / “Mr. Tambourine Man” (could this be the same version of Mr. Tambourine Man as above by the Miramar Soul Band?)
Miramar 129 – ?
Miramar 130 – Zebra – “Helter-Skelter” / “Wasted” (produced by Fabyan Enterprises, 1969 or later)

Miramar 101 – Alexander’s Timeless Bloozband – “Horn Song” / “Love So Strong (Guitar Song)” (Charles Lamont, A&R by Tony Cary & Fritz Ashauer) 1967
Max Waller writes, “This is the same pairing that would appear on their 1st 45 for UNI (in December 1967) so, despite the number, came after the other Miramar 45s.”

Miramar 103 – Charles Lamont – “Poems of Carole Ann” / “Maybe Baby” (soul, also a later release)

LPs:

Miramar 1002 – Sonny Firmature – Love Lost (blue winged logo)

Sonny Firmature was a tenor saxophonist from Omaha, NE, who played with Harry James.

Ron Roman and The Livin' End Shidigogo Records 45 Won't Have A Merry Little XmasNick Hoffman had another 45 produced by Tony Cary, “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” / “Christmas Party” on Roman Records 101, issued on half-green half-red vinyl. There also seems to be a connection to a 45 on Shindigogo Records 777 by Ron Roman and the Livin’ End with a song written by Steve Hoffman (any relation to Nick Hoffman?) “Won’t Have a Merry Little Xmas” b/w “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”. The address on this one is 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. I don’t know of any other releases on Shindigogo. I’d like to know more about Ron Roman, he had a 1963 release on Daani “Tell Me” (Kenny Williams) / “Love of My Life” (Dave Aerni and Frank Zappa).

See the page on the Fellowship and the one on Zebra for more info on those bands.

“Party a Go Go” by Glenn & the Good Guys shows up again (or a part B, I’m not sure yet) on the Friends of the Miramar Soul Band on Miramar 127. More on that release including sound clips can be found on this page of my site.

I still need good scans and transfers of the 45s by the Memphis Men, Tony Cary’s “She Belongs to Me”, Nick Hoffman’s “Blind and Leaving Blues” and Glenn & the Good Guys “Only In My Heart”. I also need scans of the Sonny Firmature and Alexander’s Timeless Bloozband 45s. If you can help with any of these, please contact me.

I notice as of September 2012 the Spellbinders has been bootlegged in a nearly identical reproduction.

Thank you to Jason Sweitzer for help with the discography and Tony Cary info. Thanks to Todd, Dudley, Mike Markesich and Max Waller for additions to the discography. Thanks to John Hagelston and Mikael for transfers of the Tony Cary and Jimmy Burton 45s, respectively.

Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers

The original Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers, 1961 Left to right: Brian Mansell, Brian Sell, Terry Mabey, Mick Wheeler and Dave Tippler (photo from Brian Mansell).
The original Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers, 1961 Left to right: Brian Mansell, Brian Sell, Terry Mabey, Mick Wheeler and Dave Tippler (photo from Brian Mansell).

Mike Dee – lead vocals
Brian Sell – lead guitar
Brian Mansell – rhythm guitar
Dave Tippler –bass
Terry Mabey – drums

Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers was formed in February 1961 but had been active for several years before Dee (real name Mick Wheeler) was invited to join as lead singer. Wheeler had known Brian Sell from his childhood in Twickenham, Middlesex. Around 1957, while in their early teens, they had played skiffle together at Kneller School in Twickenham. Brian Mansell and Terry Mabey had also attended Kneller School and like Brian Sell were in the year below Wheeler. When Kneller shut, all of the musicians went to Whitton Secondary in Whitton, Middlesex.

Brian Sell had come up with the band name after seeing a sign for jaywalking while on the bus in Twickenham. The original band, comprising Brian Sell, Brian Mansell and Terry Mabey, was formed in 1959 and initially also included future Animals guitarist Vic Briggs. The Jaywalkers debuted at Zeeta’s in Putney but soon after Briggs left and the band took on lead singer Denny De Banks, who was two years older than the rest of the group.

According to Brian Mansell’s diary from this period, two of Denny & The Jaywalkers’ earliest gigs were a show at Whitton Secondary School on 16 December 1960 and a wedding at the Railway Tavern in Feltham, Middlesex on 31 December 1960. On 4 February 1961, Denny & The Jaywalkers came second at the Borough of Twickenham Rhythm Group contest, held at St Mary’s Hall, Twickenham. However, well-known DJ Phil Jay, one of the judges on the panel, was impressed and offered to be their manager.

Not long after Dave Tippler from Feltham, Middlesex joined on bass and may have been present when the group played at the Fountain Public House in Twickenham on 8 February 1961. Around this time Denny De Banks, who had a well-paid job and could not commit to going professional, departed leaving a vacant spot for a new lead singer. It was at this point that Brian Mansell ran into Mick Wheeler in Whitton and invited him to audition. Previous to joining Wheeler had played rhythm guitar in Twickenham band The Paragons, who also included singer Jeff Rolfe, lead guitarist Jimmy Johnson and drummer John Seddon.

According to Brian Mansell’s diary, the band attended an audition at the Carlton Ballroom in Slough on the morning of 19 February 1961 before playing a show at the Southall Community Centre in Southall, Middlesex that evening. Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers passed the audition and got a weekly gig at the Carlton, kicking off with a show on 26 February.

Confirmed gigs:

26 February 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
5 March 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
12 March 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
19 March 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
20 March 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
22 March 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
25 March 1961 – Isleworth Polytechnic, Isleworth, Middlesex
3 April 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
5 April 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire with The Dreamers
15 April 1961 – Essoldo, Slough, Berkshire with Sean Dudley & The Wildcats
17 April 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire with The Fleereckers
23 April 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
24 April 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
26 April 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
30 April 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire

Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers underwent a significant personnel change with future Deep Purple axe man Ritchie Blackmore replacing Brian Sell around May 1961. Sell had met Blackmore at Dawe Instruments electronics factory in Brentford, Middlesex around 1959 where the latter worked as a trainee electronic wireman. The pair briefly rehearsed together in a trio with drummer Mick Underwood before Sell formed The Jaywalkers and Blackmore and (later) Underwood joined Bobbie & The Dominators. Sell introduced Blackmore to The Jaywalkers but it cost him his place in the band.

Brian Mansell’s diary notes that Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers were due to record for EMI on 14 April 1961 but the session was postponed. A record test for EMI did take place on 21 April, nearly a week after the show at the Essoldo in Slough with Sean Dudley & The Wildcats. It’s quite possible that the recording session did not go well and the band started to look for a replacement for Brian Sell. According to Jerry Bloom in his excellent book “Ritchie Blackmore – Black Knight”, Phil Jay wanted the band to sign with the George Cooper Agency. The band’s manager compered a lot of the Larry Parnes tours and many of the artists that appeared were booked through the agency, which wanted to sign The Jaywalkers up but not with Brian Sell as the guitarist. As a result, Blackmore was recruited as his replacement.

After leaving The Jaywalkers, Sell joined The Bandits. He then played and recorded with Rey Anton & The Peppermint Men before reuniting with Mick Wheeler in The All Night Workers in 1966. Jerry Bloom’s book on Ritchie Blackmore also notes that the new line up got the opportunity to record two tracks for Decca Records for a proposed single – “Stolen Hours” c/w “My Blue Heaven” at the label’s West Hampstead studios but they were subsequently shelved. Brian Mansell’s diary notes that the band recorded in the morning on 27 September 1961 before playing a show at the Carlton Ballroom in Slough in that evening.

Left to right: Terry Mabey, Billy Fury, Brian Mansell, Mick Wheeler, Ritchie Blackmore and Dave Tippler at Portsmouth Guild Hall, 21 November 1961
Left to right: Terry Mabey, Billy Fury, Brian Mansell, Mick Wheeler, Ritchie Blackmore and Dave Tippler at Portsmouth Guild Hall, 21 November 1961

Shortly after a gig in Hemel Hempstead on 18 November 1961, Phil Jay got Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers on to a package tour headlined by Billy Fury and also including Eden Kane, Karl Denver and Shirley Douglas. When Douglas fell ill, Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers got the opportunity to fill in until she got better. However, there was some confusion because Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers, who were backing Eden Kane, were also on the tour. Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers’ involvement was cut short after playing two gigs – the first at the Granada in Dartford on 20 November and the second at the Guild Hall in Portsmouth on 21 November (where a photo was taken of the band with Billy Fury) when Douglas returned to the bill. The next day, Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers played in Doncaster supporting Johnny Gentle.

In early 1962, the band dispensed with Phil Jay and signed with the Rudy Stanton Agency. According to Mansell, The Jaywalkers rehearsed with Gene Vincent in a recording studio in London around this time in anticipation for a UK tour. However, the tour was cancelled at the last minute and Vincent returned to the US. During this period, Derek Sirmon, another former Kneller pupil, subbed for Terry Mabey on several occasions when he wasn’t well enough to perform. However, the band’s career was about to come to a halt.

While playing at Southall Community Centre (the most plausible date according to Mansell’s diary is 1 April 1962), Screaming Lord Sutch dropped in and offered Blackmore £40 a week to play with his backing band The Savages. Blackmore jumped at the chance but with a short tour lined up, he asked his friend Dave Wendels to fill in until he could join in mid-May.

A package tour headlined by Gary U.S. Bonds, Johnny Burnette and Gene McDaniel had been booked for April-May 1962. Johnny Milton & The Condors were also lined up to appear with The Condors backing support acts, Rolly Daniels, Danny Rivers and Mark Wynter. However, with all the publicity already made up, Johnny Milton & The Condors split up. With the confusion over the two Jaywalkers, Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers were asked to change name to The Condors and took their place. Mick Wheeler was not invited to participate so he sat out while the others backed the support acts on the 21-date package tour. With the tour winding up on 13 May 1962, Ritchie Blackmore departed for Screaming Lord Sutch’s band and The Jaywalkers disbanded.

In the months that followed, Mick Wheeler abandoned a music career and joined the parachute regiment in the Territorial Army. The singer did his training and gained his wings before returning to the live scene in late 1963 with Mike Dee & The Prophets. In 1966, however, Dee reverted to his real name, Mick Wheeler and formed The All Night Workers before later recording with the UK version of Jo Jo Gunne and fronting a latter day version of The Love Affair.

Brian Mansell and Terry Mabey both worked with Frankie Reid & The Casuals after The Jaywalkers broke up. While Mabey subsequently joined James Royal & The Hawks, Mansell later played with The Missing Links before reuniting with Mick Wheeler in The All Night Workers during spring 1968.

The All Night Workers in late 1966 with Mick Wheeler (aka Mike Dee) centre and Brian Sell (second right). Photo thanks to Mick Wheeler
The All Night Workers in late 1966 with Mick Wheeler (aka Mike Dee) centre and Brian Sell (second right). Photo thanks to Mick Wheeler

The following is a list of selected gigs from Mansell’s diary when Ritchie Blackmore was a member:

6 May 1961 – Essoldo, Slough, Berkshire
10 May 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
13 May 1961 – White Hart, Southall, Middlesex
17 May 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
21 May 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
27 May 1961 – Essoldo, Slough, Berkshire
31 May 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
3 June 1961 – Staines Town Hall, Staines, Middlesex
4 June 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
7 June 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
12 June 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
17 June 1961 – Essoldo, Slough, Berkshire
18 June 1961 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex
21 June 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
24 June 1961 – Rugby Football Ground, Twickenham (open air concert)
26 June 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
28 June 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
2 July 1961 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex
5 July 1961 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
8 July 1961 – Gaumont Pier, Southampton, Hampshire
19 July 1961 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
29 July 1961 – Essoldo, Slough, Berkshire
30 July 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
1 August 1961 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
2 August 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
5 August 1961 – Southampton Pier, Southampton, Hampshire
7 August 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
13 August 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
16 August 1961 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
19 August 1961 – Southampton Gaumont, Southampton, Hampshire (morning)
19 August 1961 – Southampton Pier, Southampton, Hampshire (evening)
2 September 1961 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey
3 September 1961 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex
9 September 1961 – Mental hospital in Basingstoke with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages
13 September 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
23 September 1961 – Essoldo, Slough, Berkshire
27 September 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
30 September 1961 – Staines Town Hall, Staines, Middlesex
1 October 1961 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex
4 October 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
5 October 1961 – Crown Ballroom, Banbury, Oxfordshire
14 October 1961 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey
15 October 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
21 October 1961 – Essoldo, Slough, Berkshire
24 October 1961 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
28 October 1961 – Southampton Gaumont, Southampton, Hampshire (morning)
28 October 1961 – Southampton Pier, Southampton, Hampshire (evening)
1 November 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire
4 November 1961 – Park Ballroom, Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire
7 November 1961 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
8 November 1961 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey
17 November 1961 – USAF, Bushy Park, Middlesex
24 November 1961 – Essoldo, Paddington
25 November 1961 – Crawley (possibly Starlight Ballroom), West Sussex
29 November 1961 – Adelphi, Slough, Berkshire
30 November 1961 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey
10 December 1961 – Carlton Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (last gig of the year)

For The Condors gigs, see Jerry Bloom’s excellent site.

I’d especially like to thank Brian Mansell for sharing his diaries with me and for his hospitality. Thanks also to Mick Wheeler, Brian Sell and Jerry Bloom.

Copyright © Nick Warburton, 2012. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

I have tried to ensure the accuracy of this article but I appreciate that there are likely to be errors and omissions. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who can provide any additions or corrections. Email:Warchive@aol.com

Visit: www.nickwarburton.com

Jo Jo Gunne, 1969, Mick Wheeler bottom right. Photo from Alan Barratt
Jo Jo Gunne, 1969, Mick Wheeler bottom right. Photo from Alan Barratt

Soulbody “I See You Crying” on Vintage

Here’s a 45 by a group called Soulbody that I’m curious about. I don’t own a copy, but was alerted to this by Mike Hadenfeldt who found one with an address label from a suburb of Los Angeles. Mike reports the following info on the labels:

Vintage Records (A Chess Recording) WJZ 51147
“I See You Crying” / “Then Came The Winter”
Both songs written by Bill Zurowski
Both sides have a date of 1966 under “BMI”

Deadwax info:

“I See You Crying”: F1191 WJZ 51147-2 (no dashes [just spaces] between groups of digits except the last one)

“Then Came The Winter”: F1190-WJZ-51477-1 (dashes between all groups of digits)

Band member Bill Zurowski put the video on Youtube (listing the band name as two words, “Soul Body”) and gave me some background on the band:

We were a band made up of Milwaukee and Chicago musicians in the mid 60’s. We recorded 2 songs at Chess Records in Nov 1966. We recorded in the historic studio where all the hits of the Chess artist were recorded, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Muddy Water, Howlin Wolf, Little Walter and Willie Dixon etc. Doug Brand was the engineer. Doug was Chess’s main engineer. We used Fender black faced amps and a Gibson fuzz tone (that’s what Richards used on Satisfaction); my guitar was an ES 335.

I asked Bill if the band ever had their original tape or demo pressed to 7″ 45 vinyl, but have not heard from him yet.

The song sounds like a ’60s recording, but I’m almost certain this is not a ’60s pressing. The fonts on the label point to a graphic style from a later period, and the label name “Vintage” also suggests a later issue. Not to mention a stereo pressing for a private 45 would be extreme unlikely in 1966. Mike Markesich suggested the five digit number code could be a 70s Universal pressing.

Also, despite the labels saying “BMI” and “1966”, Mike Markesich could not find a copyright listing for the writer or song titles from 1964-1972.

Baron Thomas and the Blue Crystals

The Blue Crystals with Baron Thomas
The second version of the Blue Crystals, with vocalist Baron Thomas from left: Douglas Maas, George Anderson, Baron Thomas (front center), Don Harris and Don Hite

Baron Thomas and the Blue Crystals Courier 45 TensionBaron Thomas & the Blue Crystal’s “Tension” is a song that I never get tired of. The bass gives the song a great propulsion, the drumming sounds fantastic with all the reverb on it, and Baron Thomas’ vocals cut through the hiss of the ride cymbal and the compression of the recording. The two guitars have distinct sounds and roles in the song, and everything comes together so nicely on the chorus, as the finger-picked rhythm switches to slashing chords.

I started looking into the story of the band and found band leader George Anderson’s website, which features a history of the group written by George Gell, which I’ll summarize here.

The Blue Crystals came from Bowling Green, Ohio. They had been the Citations until a new manager, James Farringer had the idea to spray their hair blue and change their name to the Blue Crystals in 1964. The blue hair didn’t last, but the name stuck and they would remain the Blue Crystals for the next four years.

The band at this time were Joe Dill (lead vocals), George Anderson (lead guitar), Don Hite (rhythm guitar), Roger Rauch (bass) and Don Harris (drums). They cut their first record in 1965, “Be Bop a Lula” / ” Hey Baby” at Courier Studios in Fremont, owned by Bob Brown.

By 1966 Joe Dill and Roger Rauch had left, to be replaced by Doug Mass on bass and Byron Thomas, from Toledo, as new lead vocalist.

They went back to Courier in late ’66, recording two originals by George Anderson, a ballad “We’ll Be Thru For Ever” b/w “Tension,” “inspired by a certain girl friend from that time” says George. The band pressed 1,000 copies in January, 1967, selling most of them.

Later that year Don Hite switched to bass after Doug Mass left the band and Dave Brown came in on keyboards and sax. The group continued until the draft broke them up in 1968.

George Anderson continued in music, playing part-time in bands, giving lessons on guitar and performing solo with MIDI backing.

Thank you to Mark Taylor for the great transfer and scan of his autographed copy of the 45. Special thanks to George Anderson for the scans of the clippings and photo.

Blue Crystals at the Metropole
The original lineup of the Blue Crystals at the Metropole, with vocalist Joe Dill and bassist Roger Rauch
Blue Crystals band: Don Harris, Roger Rauch, Joe Dill, Don Hite and George Anderson
left to right, top: Don Harris, Roger Rauch and Joe Dill; bottom: Don Hite and George Anderson

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