The Fabulous Four – Next Exit – Pretty – Kansas City

The Fabulous Four band

Fabulous Four AGL EP Side 1

The Fab Four are a long-active group from Kansas City, Missouri. They evolved out of the Midknighters, formed in 1959 by Bob Theen and Alex Love. After a name change to the Fabulous Four Jacks, they shortened it to the Fabulous Four in 1961 and to the Fab Four by the time of their second record.

In 1963 Theen and Love added two new members to form a unit that would be together for fifteen years. Jeff Mann joined after original guitarist Dick Wilson was drafted and Mike Myers of Kansas City’s Silvertones replaced keyboardist Bill Bryant. Their first show with this lineup was at the Combo Club.

Fabulous Four AGL EP Side 2An EP from August, 1964 may be their earliest recordings. This was not given a full release; it seems AGL Enterprises pressed only a few copies for either booking or publishing promotion. The recordings are basic, and filled with reverb.

The songs included are “And Now You Cry”, a ballad; the mid-tempo “Dah Dah Dai” which has a stinging guitar solo buried in the mix; “All You Gotta Do” with strong doo-wop vocals; and a piano-driven rocker, “Miss Brown”. All four songs were originals by the group, written by Alex Love, Jeffrey Mann, Michael Meyers and Robert Theen, published by Happiness Music Corp.

I asked Bob Theen about this EP and he wrote:

Probably the the first thing we ever recorded. Some little studio that used to be at a place called the Blue Ridge Mall in Independence, MO. Don’t even remember the name of the studio, it wasn’t there very long. I remember we wrote all four of the songs. Didn’t know they were ever copyrighted. I still have one of those old 45’s.

I found four additional songs in the Library of Congress copyright registrations from January, 1965, but recordings of these have not yet turned up. Again, all are originals credited to the full band: “But You Don’t Love Me”, “She’ll Be Hurtin'”, “Sun Dog”, and “Who Could It Be”, and published by Happiness Music Corp.

The band wrote the melancholy “Now You Cry” for their first single, b/w the folky pop song “Got To Get Her Back”. George Hodes, owner of Prior Brass Co. recorded the group in his living room, and issued it on the Brass label in 1964. Coral soon picked it up for national distribution, but it missed the charts.

Guitarist Bob Theen wrote to me about the band:

This first 45 was released in 1966 on a local Kansas City label (Brass) and then picked up by Decca Records and re-released on the Coral label.

I’m sure you figured it out but we really were The Fabulous Four all those years, it was just the record companies that wanted to change our name on the records. I’m not really sure when everyone started calling the Beatles The Fab Four. That probably had something to do with it. But, we were the Fab Four long before the Beatles.

In our nightly performances we all sang lead and background vocals. That’s why our songs all sound so different.

I like their second 45 even more, “Happy”, with its shrill organ, harmonies, sharp guitar lines, also produced by George Hodes, and written by Theen and Mann.

Both sides of the third 45 are also good. “I’m Always Doing Something Wrong” was written by J. Coffin (a member of In Black and White with Hal Pierce, and later The Wizards From Kansas), and once again the harmonies really come through. The flip is a cover of “Youngblood” with distortion on the guitar. Don Price produced this one.

From left: Bob Theen, Mike Myers, Alex Love and Jeff Mann

In 1967 the group landed a great opportunity to travel New York to record “I’m the Only One” and “Break Away” as the Next Exit for Warner Bros, produced by the Tokens. “Break Away” was written by Stephen Friedland (aka Brute Force) and Paul Kahan, and is well-crafted psychedelic pop.

Bob Theen: This song was recorded in NY in 1967, produced by The Tokens. It was supposed to be the title song for a movie that was released that next year in 1968 called “Butterflies Are Free’ The movie did come out it ‘68 but for some reason unknown to us our recording was not chosen. The song “I’m The Only One” was in the movie but only one short verse was sung by one of the stars on an acoustic. Darn the luck!! The other side of this is “Breakaway”.

Our version of the song was released in the spring of 1968 and got some air play here in K.C. MO. Don’t know about anywhere else. But evidently it wasn’t a smash hit.

I still have a letter from Hank and Jay asking us to return to NY for some more recordings but for some reason at the time the trip was too far. I still wonder to this day why we didn’t go. I think it had something to do with our families, wives, babies and that sort of thing.

They recorded their last record as the Fabulous Four in 1969, “River Days” / “I Got A Feeling In My Body” on Pearce, cut at Cavern Studios in Independence.

The Fab Four as The Pretty: Mike Myers, Jeff Mann, Alex Love and Bob Theen

Pretty - Mustache in Your Face

Also at Cavern they cut two songs written and produced by Michael Weakley (“Quint” Weakley, drummer for the Electric Prunes) that got a rare release on Squeakly Records with the band listed as ‘Pretty’. Both songs show the band tackling heavy psychedelic sounds, a completely different style of music than they’d done on record before.

Bob Theen gave me the background on these recordings:

During the years 1969 to 1971 we did a lot of recording at a local studio by the name of Cavern Recording Studios located in Independence, MO on Truman Road. It was a very unique studio because it was actually located in a huge cave in the hillside, hence the name Cavern. Talk about quiet!

We recorded a lot of songs there. Some we wrote, some we co-wrote, some other people wrote. We also had some of our friends set in on some of the sessions. Two of the songs recorded there were titled “Mustache In Your Face” and “The Electric Hand” produced by a guy named Michael Quinton Weekly. Michael was also the drummer for The Electric Prunes. We wrote and recorded a lot of other songs there, most we thought were pretty good, just couldn’t get them off the ground on our own.

From top: Mike Myers (with sunglasses), Bob Theen, Alex Love and Jeff Mann

Q. Was that 45 all the members of the Fab Four? Why the change of name?

Bob: The “Pretty” record was all the members of the Fab Four band plus a couple of other friends that sat in with us. I think maybe Weekly [sic] even played the drums. It was completely different from what we had been recording, but not so different from what we were used to playing live at the clubs every night, we were pretty versatile. Weekly just sparked a different side of us.As far as the name change, it was Weekly again. He was a little far out on ideas during that time, I have some pictures of us to prove it. Don’t laugh! As for myself, I never was real sure about four macho guys trying to be Pretty!

Q. Was it difficult adapting to that heavier style? Were you playing those songs in your live sets?

Bob: As I mentioned before, the style change was not really a change for us because we played that kind of stuff every night at the clubs.

Q. How did Quint Weakley wind up producing records at Cavern?

Bob: A couple of us knew Weekly from way back in our kid days. As I remember he showed up at Cavern Studios one day, said he had some ideas for some songs and it just took off from there.

Q. That record seems to be very rare now, was it distributed at all?

Bob: To my knowledge the record was not distributed at all. After the sessions, Weekly took off for California to try and sell them to someone. Don’t think he had any luck, and we didn’t see much of him after that.

Q. Also, are there unreleased tracks from those sessions?

Bob: There are some other recordings from that time, but they only exist on tape.

At the Cavern studio: Bob Theen, Jeff Mann and Mike Myers
Kansas City, 1970, L-R: Jeff Mann – bass, Mike Myers – keyboards, Alex Love – drums and Bob Theen – guitar

When they recorded a 45 for Capitol in 1970 the band’s name was changed to Kansas City, but they continued as the Fab Four for live shows, including extended stays at the Attic. The band broke up in 1976 and have reunited since.

Bob Theen: The song “Linda Was A Lady” was recorded in Memphis in 1970 on the Trump label, a Subsidiary of Capitol. The back side was “Red Tower Road”. To our knowledge, and from the amount of the royalties, it did the best of the three we released. Our producer was Tommy Cogbill along with Chips Moman, a couple of very talented guys in Memphis. I think Tommy has since passed away, don’t know about Chips.

We continued playing professionally till about 1974 when we decided to hang it up. I think the disappointment of our last recording not going big time got us down.

Twenty three years later we got the itch to do it again, but soon it was evident that our original drummer was not physically able to play again. We had another drummer friend by the name of Mark Higbee that hooked up with us and would be our drummer for another ten year run. We played parties, clubs and all kinds of events around the Midwest and had a great time doing it.

We did our last Hoorah in the fall of 2007 for a Parkinson’s Fund Raiser called Rock Around The Block featuring us and several well know bands from our era in the K.C. area. The event was held at the new H&R Block headquarters in K.C. MO.

On March 22, 2008, The Fabulous Four Band (Bob Theen – Jeff Mann – Mike Myers – Mark Higbee & original drummer Alex Love) was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall Of Fame.

Jeff Mann passed away in 2012.

Sources include:Rockkansas.com (http://rockkansas.com/columns/billlee/021804-fabfour.shtml – link now defunct).

Special thanks to Keith Brawley, who found the AGL EP and sent me scans & recordings.

North Bridge Company

“Strange Land, Strange People” reminds me of some of the Strawberry Alarm Clock’s songs, and has a solo section with organ and piano in unison. Songwriting is by Dennis Stewart. The flip “Crying All Alone,” is similar in sound and was written by Greg Schuller.

Released on the Sand “G” label in 1968 it was also put out on the Golden Voice label with the band’s production address listed at 1118 Nowland, Peoria, Illinois.

I didn’t know anything about the band until Ed Mooberry left his comment (see below) and Deborah Shawgo contacted me.

Members of the band were:

Greg Schuller (lead vocals)
Mike Summerville (lead guitar) replaced by Gary Shawgo (lead guitar, backing vocals)
Ed Mooberry (rhythm guitar)
Dennis Stewart (keyboards)
Mike Creek (bass)
Frank Ballard (drums)

Gary Shawgo had been in the Furniture, who are likely the group out of Galesburg that released “Keep on Running” / “I Love It Baby” on Stature, though I don’t know if Gary was in the group when the record was released. Deborah Shawgo remembered the Furniture often playing “Keep on Running” live.

Other members of the Furniture were Ron Stockard on keyboards (he later joined Chaka Khan – though I’ve seen his name spelled Ron Stockert), and Jerry “Pork” Armstrong who had a lot of success with his own group Pork and the Havana Ducks and passed away in 2003. Randy Moody is another name I associate with the Furniture as he wrote “I Love It Baby”.

By the time he joined the North Bridge Company, Gary was attending the University of Missouri at Rolla, and commuting back on weekends for gigs and rehearsal. Gary and Deborah Shawgo had a group in the late ’80s called Sudden Impact in Springfield, IL. Gary passed away in 2007.

Opus 1

Opus 1 on the set of the Perry Mason Show
Opus 1 on the set of the Perry Mason Show

Opus 1 Mustang 45 Back Seat '38 DodgeEd Kienholz’ sculpture Back Seat Dodge ’38 shows two pairs of legs coupling in an old jalopy amidst empty beer bottles. Its exhibition at the Los Angeles County Art Museum in 1966 caused a scandal. Condemned as obscene by the County Board, it was censored in a way, shown for a time with the door closed, which a guard could open only in the presence of adults. This sculpture became the inspiration for the only release by Opus 1, on Mustang (a Del-Fi subsidiary) in April of ’66.

Despite the obscurity of the group, its members actually had long histories in the Los Angeles surf and rock scene. Opus 1 was a professional group playing at clubs such as the Cinnamon Cinder alongside competing bands The Emperors, The Cindermen, The Pyramids, The Vibrants and The Knights of Day.

Band members were:
Brian Decker: Lead Guitar (Mosrite) and vocals
Doug Decker: Fender P Bass (Big Red) and vocals
Pete Parker: Farfisa Organ and vocals
(John) Chris Christensen: Ludwig Drums and vocals

Christensen says “Bob Keane was peaked by the idea of something controversial, so we took another of our songs ‘Why Did I Lie,’ changed the lyric and did a little tweaking on the arrangement and ‘Back Seat ’38 Dodge’ (poetic license) was born. We paired that with the all ready completed ‘In My Mind’ and that became our only single. Somebody once described ‘Back Seat ’38 Dodge’ to me as the ‘last real surf record and the beginning of punk.’ It does sound like a huge hell bound train to me thanks to those great Del-Fi echo chambers.”

Not to be overlooked is the fine b-side “In My Mind”, early psychedelia with paranoid lyrics about being stared at and whispered about while “two prophets sitting in a tree” tell him he’s right. Many unreleased demos and studio out-takes exist, and hopefully will come to light someday.

For the full story on Opus 1 see Mike Dugo’s interview with John “Chris” Christensen. Below is Christensen’s detailed account of his early bands and the formation of Opus 1, in his own words:

The Sunsets and the Surfriders parallel each other as being the very first groups I played in.

I started to learn the drums in my freshman year at St. Anthony’s Boy’s High School in 1961 from W.H. “Jack” Plummer, a reed specialist who had traveled for years with Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus. Jack was not really a drummer, but an excellent teacher nonetheless, and a multi-instrumentalist.

I started putting together pieces of stuff to fashion a drum kit in early ’62 and began jamming a lot in the band room, with Bob Jones, a senior who played the clarinet, and had all the Benny Goodman stuff down cold, especially “Sing, Sing, Sing” which I LOVED to play. In the 90’s I would do many gigs with Graham Young and Ed Mihelich, who were Gene Krupa’s 1st trumpet and bassist in ’41-’42. Another person I jammed with was a sax player Jose Valazquez (aka Joey Val), who really had the Joe Houston thing down, and a trumpet player named Mike Squibb who was really great as well.

Outside of the band room I spent a lot of time hanging out with, and plotting ‘band strategies’ with, guitarist Bob Renfro, with whom I had a pretty long association. Bob Renfro would later write and record the classic “Ode To A Bad Dream” with another band I was in called “Time of Your Life.” Bob and I would get together and try to play various old R&R and R&B tunes, singing a lot of our favorite ‘black’ songs.

We would also try to figure out how to get our hands on some really good instruments. Finally we hit on a plan – we both wrote letters to relatives asking for a loan to buy instruments. I got a loan from my Great Grandfather, and purchased a used Ludwig set. Bob’s Uncle gave him a loan for a guitar, and we were off! That was December of ’62, and I played my first gig for money the week after I got the drums. The gig was with Jose Velazquez (sax), Don Wittsten (guitar), and I think a trombone player named Ed Price.

Bob and I continued jamming with a few groups and nothing really clicked, but while we were trying to put something together I started to jam with some friends of my first cousin, Marlene Addy.

The Sunsets

Friends of my cousin, and kids I had played ball and stuff with, Dickie Lambert and Clyde Brown were also interested in music. We made a pretty good noise together. Dickie had a guitar and was playing bass lines, Clyde played rhythm guitar. The problem was finding a lead guitarist! I’m not sure exactly why Bob Renfro was never auditioned, but Clyde, especially, was a hustler. He wanted to bypass all the B.S. and get a pro manager and financial backing right away, even though he was not yet a spectacular guitarist. While he was busy hustling, we kept trying out lead guitar players, settling on one guy who was adequate, and who’s name is lost to time.

On the financial side, some friends-of-friends tried to hook us up with TV star Broderick Crawford (Highway Patrol), but it was all missed phone calls and excuses. We spent one completely frustrating day waiting for The Star’s appearance while getting numerous “I’m coming” messages from the no-show. Clyde was not deterred.

Somehow, Clyde got the number of this guy Mr. Sheets. Sheets had cash and connections, and was trying to market a newly updated version of the old ‘film jukebox.’ Sheets also had visions of a Record Company with a full stable of young stars. I was under the impression that he was tone-deaf. We continued to rehearse and hang out, and finally I got bored with the endless waiting. This version of the band never played a gig!

By the time I had something else going on I found out that I had been replaced by Adrian Lloyd from The Rumblers, a very successful local group; and our ‘nameless’ guitarist was replaced by Ron Eglet, later to be a member of The Knights of Day, and most famously as Dick Dale’s bassist and occasional producer for a couple of decades. The group was renamed “Adrian Lloyd and The Sunsets,” and they recorded on Sheets’ (what else?) Sunset Records. They created a pretty big stir for a brief moment, and then sank! Their album “Breakthrough” and their singles (Ron Eglet told me a few years ago) are supposed to be big-time collectibles.

The Surfriders

Fed up with waiting for Mr. Sheets to do something and The Sunsets to actually play, Bob and I began to plot again. Jose Velazquez had a lead guitarist friend Bob Riddar. A jam was set up with:

Bob Riddar: Lead Guitar
Jose Valazquez: Sax
Don Wittsten: guitar
Bob Renfro: guitar
Chris Christensen: drums

Now this was more like it! We had a really good front line, guys that could really play. Even though Bob and I were singing, this was an instrumental “Surf” band. The lineup seemed to click and we started gigging around doing quite a few local dances and things. A couple of months later, Bob and I were unceremoniously ‘dumped.’ The band was doing well, and people LIKED us, but Bob Riddar liked another local drummer, Bob Meadows, and another ‘nameless’ guitarist took Bob Renfro’s place, playing bass lines on a guitar.

Later, Bob Riddar and Bob Meadows would replace Ron Eglet and Adrian Lloyd in a newly reconstituted “Sunsets.” Jose Velazquez would become “Joey Val” and play with The Reveres and Lloyd Terry and The Victors.

Chris Christensen in 1963
Chris Christensen in 1963

The Intruders

Bob Renfro and I, fairly pissed-off about being dumped, made a pact: we would form our own band, and do it ‘our way.’ We would continue doing the Surf Thing, but we would sing and do the required instrumental stuff. The band would go on to be ‘our vehicle,’ but it seems that it did so with a constantly revolving cast of characters. For a while The Intruders line-up was:

Bob Renfro: Lead guitar and vocals
Chris Christensen: Drums and vocals
Steve Pound: Rhythm guitar
Steve Soloman: Sax
Mike Squibb: Trumpet

Strange as it seems today, the common wisdom of the time was that the last instrument booked for the gig (depending on the budget) was a bass. The Intruders membership changed often, with Don Wittsten and Jose Velazquez frequently being in the band. There was also a succession of Rhythm guitarists, bassists, and piano players coming and going. The main thing that set us apart from the other “Surf Bands” was that Bob and I sang R&B – we really liked the black vocal groups, and The Righteous Brothers. Most surf bands didn’t sing, and if they did, it was usually bad.

Time of Your Life Ionic 45 Ode to a Bad DreamMy partnership with Bob Renfro lasted several years. The Intruders morphed into The Pleasure Seekers, The Blue Boys, and a couple of names I’ve forgotten, finally becoming The Town Criers and gaining real management in ’64/’65 with Barry Campbell, the man who started Ionic Records. The Town Criers would cut 6 sides, ‘live’ in the studio. Only one side has been released, a cover of The Zombies “You Make Me Feel So Good” – and it was credited to Time of Your Life, a band Bob and I started after The Town Criers final demise.

The Town Criers had a short but good run. We played on shows with Gary Lewis and The Playboys, The Sunrays, Mel Carter, Joey Page, Bobby Sherman, The Togas, and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. We played The Ice House, The Troubadour, the Marina Palace, The Fox West Coast Theater and many other venues. If certain members of the band been more appreciative of The Management, it might have lasted longer.

When I left Time Of Your Life, Bob Renfro recruited Vox Organist Jay Schlesenger, and even they don’t remember who played on their only single for Ionic. Bob and I continued to hang out, and I did help with the editing of “Ode” from it’s much longer version to the single that everyone knows. Some version of this band and The Town Criers played New Years Eve at Pandora’s Box in (I think) 1965. We also played the Teenage Fair, next to The Hollywood Paladium around the same time.

Being working players (very young, but feeling we were pros), even while we had a ‘main thing’ we were gigging with other bands. That’s how I met the Decker Brothers and worked with TJ Walker, and also The Reveres. The Decker brothers, Brian and Doug, had seen a succession of bands in which even though they were largely responsible for the groups sound and success, but they always ended up being subservient to their front men. Their method was to find a strong lead singer, and then build a group around that person. Eventually the front man would become overbearing, and then the band would break up. I believe that happened to them with Frank and the Conceptions, Lloyd Terry and the Victors, and, finally, The Togas, when Chris Morgan left taking the group name and putting his own in front.The Reveres

When I received the loan from my Great Grandfather, George Ainsworth, to purchase my drumset, my Mother, in her infinite wisdom, advised me to give the money to her. She would “make payments on the kit in my name;” her reasoning being that it would help me establish credit. Mother made some of the payments in good faith before finally defaulting. What she did with the money I’ll never know. Kenny Robinson from Campbell’s Music Store (no relation to Barry Campbell) called me and said my Mother was not meeting the obligation, and they were going to have to repossess my drums! I was now making darn good money (for a high school kid) playing gigs! I couldn’t lose my drums! Kenny said he’d give my name to people looking for a good drummer, and maybe I could make enough to make some payments.

The upshot of this was that I gigged for a little while with TJ Walker and The Jaywalkers. TJ was a black singer and guitarist, and a Front-Man Supreme. The only problem was that he played night clubs and strip joints, and I was a minor. Still, I did quite a few gigs with him, because he was in a bind, and so was I. The best part about working for TJ was playing for the strippers! The worst part was having to stay in the back room when not playing. Finally TJ got someone else (legal) and I was let go – but I had gone a long way towards paying for the drums. Later my Great Grandfather would give the family children their inheritance early. He deducted the original loan from my share – this was the drum set that I had to pay for ‘twice’ thanks to my Mother’s intervention.

Kenny Robinson, anxious to help me continue meet my payments after the TJ gigs ended, gave my number to some ‘older’ college-aged players. They had a working band called The Reveres. The core of the band was to be:

Jack Long: Lead Guitar
Louie DaVia: Rhythm guitar, Sax and vocals
Bob Covington: Bass
Joey Val (Jose Valazquez) Sax
Chris Christensen: Drums and vocals

There were occasional substitutions in personnel. Sometimes Bob Renfro or Brian Decker would sub for Louie DaVia. The constants of the band were myself, Jack, and Bob Covington. These guys (The Reveres) worked all over. They had some kind of ‘in’ with the military bases and I was often running down to Camp Pendelton for gigs. These guys were “pro” all the way. Jack Long was hands-down one of the best guitar players I’ve ever worked with. He was also the only guy I ever knew who had every single Freddy King song down note-for-note. He could then turn around and play Chet Atkins for you! This is a guy I’ve been trying to get in touch with for 30 years. The Reveres played all over, but as far as I know, no recordings of the group exist.

Opus 1

I had booked a casual on this particular day using a group I played with on and off called The Reveres. Bob Renfro was also going to play, and we set out from one of the band members house to caravan to the gig. Unfortunately, we became separated on the freeway, and I was the only one with the actual address of the party, which was in a house in Naples, just down the street from where the Decker’s lived. After many frantic calls to the other members houses, it soon became apparent that I wasn’t going to get in touch with any of the guys and I had an obligation to provide a band for this party. I walked down the street to the Deckers, and was fortunate enough to find Doug, Brian, and Pete Parker there. I told them about my jam and asked them to come and help me out. Well, we played our first gig together that day and it was amazing. Four part harmony was ad-libbed on the spot! The songs just flowed out of us effortlessly. They were sick of Chris Morgan, and I was tired of my situation.

The gig had been so easy that we decided to make it permanent. We called the band Opus 1. I believe that the suggestion for the name came from Brian Decker, and then we all listed the reasons why it fit, because it was a fresh start…a new beginning….a ‘first work.’

Our first ‘real’ recording sessions were at Western Recorders. We hired Bones Howe to handle the production. Our recordings that night consisted of a couple of Brian Decker songs “In My Mind” and “Birds of Passage” that the band had arranged. Bones was also a talent scout for White Whale Records at the time and expressed some interest in us, but nothing came of it.

KRLA Beat, May 14, 1966
KRLA Beat, May 14, 1966

With our acetates in hand we had a show biz attorney, Jay L. Cooper shop us around town. He was actually Bob Keane’s attorney, and played our recordings for the Ritchie Valens/Bobby Fuller discoverer. Keane liked the sound we made enough to invite us down to his studio on Selma in Hollywood for a audition/recording session that lasted most of a whole day and late into the evening. He and Barry White sat around in the control room and pretty much recorded our entire original repertoire “live” in the studio. During one of the breaks we began to discuss the then current controversy surrounding the art exhibit by Ed Keinholtz, and in particular “Back Seat Dodge, ’38.” Keane was peaked by the idea of something controversial, so we took another of our songs “Why Did I Lie,” also known as “Song,” changed the lyric and did a little tweaking on the arrangement and “Back Seat ’38 Dodge” (poetic license) was born. We paired that with the all ready completed “In My Mind” and that became our only single for Mustang Records.Opus I Mustang 45 In My MindThe band lasted about a year. It didn’t really break up. It just sort of dissolved. During this brief period everyone just sort of moved out into other directions. I had opened the door for all of us when I originally made contact with Barry Campbell who ran Ionic Records. Pete Parker quickly moved towards record production for Ionic, sort of leaving us in limbo. I think Opus 1 was done by the summer of ’66. That about wound up the history of Opus 1.

Doug, Brian and I hooked up again here and there, but that was the end of our involvement under that moniker.

It seems that something I’ve done in every decade since the sixties has seen renewed interest this past year. Domenic Priore’s book has a couple of paragraphs about Opus 1. SJ McParland has interviwed me extensively for his book on Mustang Records/Bob Keane/Bobby Fuller; it’s due out in ‘08. 1974 band Laser Pace’s album Granfalloon will most likely be reissued through Anthology Records in ‘08 due to an recent internet feeding frenzy. My ‘94 CD “Songs from The Xenozoic Age” by Christensen/Schultz is finally seeing wider release, and I am putting out a complete unreleased album by Hot Food To Go, recorded in ‘84; it’s called “Adrenaline Drum.”John “Chris” Christensen

Sources: Photo of Back Seat Dodge ’38 from the American Museum of Beat Art. All other photos and Opus 1 45 scan courtesy of John “Chris” Christensen, copyright protected and reproduced with permission, except. Time of Your Life 45 scan courtesy of Erik of Beat Behind the Dykes and Opus 1 newspaper ad from the great KRLA Beat site. Portions of John Christensen’s recollections previously appeared in an interview with Mike Dugo. <!-More information on John “Chris” Christensen available at his myspace page.->

In My Mind:

Always laugh, you laugh think I’m a clown, that doesn’t care, stop and stare
Claim to see a frown, that isn’t there, chew the fat,

Tell me where it’s at, then leave it at that, put a feather in your hat, but you’re wrong — count your numbers, think you’re strong, but you’re wrong.

While I crawl, down the dismal darkened hallway, I’m afraid, I may fall,
Never again to call, out my name, by myself,

Put me on a shelf while the servants count your wealth, and drink to your health, but you’re wrong — count your numbers, think you’re strong, but you’re wrong.

In my mind I can see,
Two prophets sitting in a tree,
Softly telling me,
They say I’m right, step up to fight, they know I’m right.

So just laugh, laugh think I’m a clown, I don’t care, stop and stare,
Bigotry won’t get you anywhere, chew the fat,

Tell me where it’s at, then leave it at that, put a feather in your hat, but you’re wrong — count your numbers, think you’re strong, but you’re wrong.

Emy Jackson

Emy Jackson CBS PS Crying in a Storm, Suddenly I'm Alone

Emy Jackson CBS 45 Crying in a StormEmy Jackson (エミー・ジャクソン) was born in Essex, England as Emy Eaton. As a teenager in Yokohama she still couldn’t read Japanese well, but her ability to speak both English and Japanese fluently landed her a job as a youth DJ for the Good Hit Parade on Radio Kanto.

Emy Jackson lyrics with inscriptionThe notes to the compilation Nippon Girls: Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-1970 say:

Her DJ career was cut short when her colleague Reiko Yukawa found Jackson singing “You Are My Sunshine” whilst strumming the guitar and sent word to A&R man Akira Izumi at Columbia Records. Akira insisted that Jackson break with the cover-pops tradition and tackle original songs written by Japanese songwriters in her native language of English.

Emy gives a strong vocal on “Crying in a Storm” (涙の太陽) backed by the aptly-named Smashmen. The heavy drumming and surf-styled guitar really help elevate this song.

This was her first 45, released in April 1965. Because she was singing in English, Columbia released Emy’s records on the CBS imprint, a label for foreign artists. As ‘imported’ music these cost more than 45s of Japanese-language pop, but the allure of a Japanese teen singing in English may have helped break her first single. “Crying in a Storm” reached #4 on the chart of foreign releases in Music Life in July ’65 (ミュージック・ライフ外国盤ランキング), and #6 on the Turn Table Top 50 on October 18.

Michi Aoyama (青山ミチ) covered the song with Japanese lyrics in May of ’65, leading to competition for sales. “Crying in a Storm” was also recorded by Singapore’s Rita Chao.

Most of her songs were composed by her vocal coach Yasutoshi Nakajima. “Crying in a Storm” was composed by Nakajima in collaboration with singer Reiko Yukawa. Sheila Burgel again: “Jackson claims to have helped Reiko write the English lyrics”.

Her initial recording career was very brief, consisting of eight singles released in 1965 and 1966, always with a ballad on one side and an uptempo pop song on the other.

“Don’t Break My Heart”, the B-side to her second single, has a similar surf guitar sound to “Crying in a Storm”, and was released in May of ’65, just a month after her first. Her third single had two Chirstmas songs including the awkwardly put “I Saw Mammy Kissing Santa Claus” (sic).

Emy Jackson CBS PS You Don't Know Baby, Heart Full of TearsHer next was a good return to form, with the uptempo “You Don’t Know Baby” from February of ’66 (and in mono for some reason instead of the more typical stereo). Because these songs were written and sung in English, CBS had to make up Japanese titles for the sleeves. They made some bizarre choices. One example is giving “You Don’t Know Baby” the Japanese title 涙のゴーゴー (Namida no Go Go) which translates to “Tears a Go Go” – which happens to be the name of the A-side of her fifth single.

Other highlights of her early releases include the excellent and odd pop number, “Angel Fish” and her only vocal in Japanese, “Love Is Crazy Sports Car” (天使のいたずら) from November of ’66, which was also her last release of the 60’s. This song is now one of the highlights of Big Beat’s Nippon Girls CD.

Emy retired from the music business by 1973. She sang on another 45 in 1984, “CRYヨコハマ” (Cry Yokohama) but didn’t return fully to music until the early 1990s. In 1994 her ’60s work was collected in an expanded 20 track version of her 1967 LP,The Emy Jackson Album. Emy is still performing in Japan, and released a new CD in 2009, Timeless.

I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Jackson in January 2010:

Q. Can you tell me about how you started in music?

Emy: The director of a radio program asked me if I could sing. I picked up my guitar and sang – that’s it. I had no intention of becoming a singer.

 "Crying in a Storm" at #6 in Turn Table's Top 50
“Crying in a Storm” at #6 in Turn Table’s Top 50

Q. Who were the Smashmen (the band on “Crying in a Storm”)? In particular, do you remember the guitarist’s name?

Emy: There was no band called “Smashmen” – it was a ghost band to make my songs. The players were pick up musicians chosen by Columbia records through testing procedures. The back end chorus were the MGM boys from the Philippines. Regarding the guitarist – there were so many musicians involved, I couldn’t tell you.

Q. Did singing in English limit your career at all? Why were your records were released as imports in Japan?

Emy: Singing in English did not limit my career. To get my start, English was a requirement to satisfy the foreign element of my contract. At the time there were no more openings for local contracts. Therefore, it was the idea of Columbia Records to introduce me as a foreign singer. In actuality my records were made in Japan but marketed as foreign records.

Q. Any memorable live shows or stories?

Emy: I had a performance with the Ventures in Kyoto before they became famous. I had a live performance in Kyoto Budokan that was very memorable for me.

Q. I believe you retired from music for 20 years, is that correct? How did you decide to return, and how has it been since then?

Emy: I owned a restaurant and live coffee shop, Lugano, over 35 years in the Yokohama area. I got started again, singing at Lugano after raising my children. There were many offers, because of my background – I am the first pop star in Japan that sang in English that sold a million records. It had been very tough to make a comeback due to the changes in the entertainment industry. Now I have a band, the Cadillacs – we have been performing for over 20 years now. My priority to sing was country music, but could not make a living in Japan with only country. You need to sing a variety of music to make it in Japan. I am still enjoying my singing career.

Emy’s website is www.emyjackson.com (in Japanese but there’s a recent video clip on there).

Thanks to Hiroshi for providing the good scan of the sleeve for “You Don’t Know Baby”.

Emy Jackson Article

The Restless Feelin’s

Eddie Reeves was writing songs, arranging and producing for United Artists in the mid-late ’60s. He wrote and produced the fantastic “A Million Things” for the Restless Feelins, layering distorted guitar throughout the track, even over the vocals and chorus.

The flip is a Byrds-like song by Bruce Murdoch, “Hey Mama You’ve Been on My Mind”. I knew nothing about the band behind this 45 until Eddie Reeves set the record straight with his comment (see below). I repeat it here in its entirety:

The Restless Feelin’s was me along with Ron Dante singing harmony. The “A” side of the record was actually “Hey Mama You Been On My Mind” but not the Dylan song. It was written by a fellow named Bruce Murdoch and it’s a clever song with Dylan-type lyrics. I did the recording as a demo for United Artists Music Company in New York while employed by them as a demo producer, song writer and song plugger from 1965 thru 1967 in New York and then from 1968 thru 1971 in Los Angeles.

The musicians are Hugh McCracken -guitar; Frank Owens -keyboards; Bobby Gregg -drums; and Joe Macho -bass. United Artists Records decided to release it as a single and asked me to record a “B” side and “A Million Things” was the result with the same musicians but without Ron Dante doing harmony which was done by me.”

A short time after this record by the Restless Feelins, Eddie Reeves produced another UA 45 by the Hysterical Society, a band from his hometown, Amarillo, Texas.

60sgaragebands.com has an interview with Eddie covering the early part of his career.


Billboard, August 13, 1966

The Family’s with F. Abdullah and Zainorin M. Don and Rosiah Chik

The Family’s with F. Abdullah and Zainorin M. Don and Rosiah Chik

This record is probably from late 1966. Apart from the Family’s being led by Ismail M. Taib, I don’t know that much about them. It seems they recorded with many vocalists in Malaysia in the mid sixties. They also used the name Orkes Family Combo (Family Combo Orchestra), or Okes Family Combo, as it is given on the back cover of this record.

F. Abdullah has three songs on this record. The best in my opinion is Hasrat Chinta (Longing for Love). The record also includes one song with Zainorin M. Don and Rosiah Chik, Kaseh dan Chinta (Love and Affection). This is a more traditional-sounding call and response song, but with a very up-tempo backing from the Family’s. I have heard one of Zainorin M. Don’s songs from the EP shown on the back cover and it has a slightly jazz feel.

Rosiah Chik is the best known of the artists on this record (at least to me). She died in 2006 at the age of 75 and had a career in music over six decades. While she recorded a lot of popular music she is remembered also for her efforts in keeping the public aware of traditional Malaysian music and singing-styles.

The Only Onz

The Only Onz were from Illinois – one member from Lincoln, the others from Chicago, so I’m not sure where they were based. This 45 was originally released on the R.I.P. label – anyone have a scan of that label?

“When Teardrops Fall” was written by Drezner, Gayle, & Reiss. The band takes about half a minute to get the song really going. On the other side is a decent version of the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “On the Road Again”.

Members were Bruce Drezner, Rick Gayle (organ) and Jack Reiss.

The Stormies

The Stormies formed in Athens in 1964, releasing three 45s, two of which have killer garage songs sung in English.

All their members played in other bands from the time: Alekos Glykas in the Charms; Cemos Petros in the Minis and the Forminx; Makis Saliaris in the We Five; Spyros Metaxas in the Sounds, We Five and maybe Cinquetti, and second drummer Loukas Sideris played with the Mini’s and later Aphrodite’s Child.

The group wails away on “Dilly-Dilly” in finest beat style. The flip is the poppier “Teenager’s Love”; both were written by Spryos Metaxas and Nick Mastorakis. Mastorakis wrote dozens of songs for the Charms, Forminx and others.

Spyros breaks out the fuzztone for their next record, the rare “Try Try Try,” and delivers an astounding solo. The instrumental on the flip, “Drums in the Storm” has a Bo Diddley beat and a good drum solo by Loukas Sideris.

Alekos Glykas: Guitar, Vocals
Spyros Metaxas: Guitar
Ce’mos Petros: Bass
Makis Saljaris and Loukas Sideris: Drums

Αλέκος Γλύκας: Κιθάρα, Τραγούδι
Σπύρος Μεταξάς: Κιθάρα
Θέμος Πέτρου: Μπάσο
Μάκης Σαλιάρης, Λουκάς Σιδεράς: Ντραμς

The third 45 features a singer named Zoe singing an English adaption of France Gall’s “Laissez Tombez Les Filles” and the somewhat silly “Girl of Ye Ye”.

There is an interview with Nikos Mastorakis on a Greek website that I tried running through an auto translation with only partial success. Info on these groups in English is very limited at this point.

The Gentlemen “It’s a Cry’n Shame”

The Gentlemen, l-r: Tommy Turner on keyboards, Tim Justice (kneeling) on drums, Mike Kelley on guitar and vocals on "Cry'n Shame", Bruce Bland on bass, and Seab Meador on lead guitar and vocals.
l-r: Tommy Turner on keyboards, Tim Justice (kneeling) on drums, Mike Kelley on guitar and vocals on “Cry’n Shame”, Bruce Bland on bass, and Seab Meador on lead guitar and vocals.

Seab with Vox Super Beatle amp
Seab with Vox Super Beatle amp
Tim Justice, drummer for the Gentlemen, gives the history of the band behind one of the most essential 45s of the 1960s, “It’s a Cry’n Shame”:”The Gentlemen played in and around Dallas, Texas from 1964 until 1968, always enjoying a booked in advance schedule and putting on energy packed shows. Originally started by guitarist Seab Meador and drummer Tim Justice, they were joined by bassist Lonnie Taylor and guitarist and singer Mike Kelley in early 1965. The band’s early musical direction was crafted by Meador whose guitar genius was recognized by all who came in contact with the group. Seab loved early Rolling Stones, Animals, Kinks and Yardbirds, concentrating heavily on the stylings of Jeff Beck.

Gentlemen Vandan 45 It's a Cry'n Shame“The band took on more of the rhythm and blues swagger of the Stones and Animals than the pop ballads of the Beatles and Dave Clark Five. Our original bass player was Lonnie Taylor, who lived in South Dallas and had a hard time making all the gigs. We found Jimmie Randall, or he found us, and slowly the transition took place. I do remember a few nights when he AND Lonnie showed up and we played with 2 bass players. Heavy.

“Jimmie also remembers something that I didn’t, that he played bass on our first and earliest recordings, ‘Beg Borrow and Steal’, and ‘Here I Cannot Stay’, both written by Seab Meador. Boy, were we young. Must have been 15 at the time. In the session, Seab was on guitar and singing, I was drumming, Jimmie Randall was on bass and Mike Kelly was on guitar. The later three sang backup. Seab penned both songs and as far as I know, there are only 2 copies of the acetate, one owned by me and the other by Jimmie Randall. Jimmie reminds me that these AND the later ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’ sessions were recorded at Summit [Sumet] Studio, and the master acetates where made upstairs at Boyd Recording Service. [This first session] cost $150 that we split 4 ways. We just wanted to see what we sounded like and never tried to find a label.

“This unit played through 1965 with the addition of fellow Oak Cliff musician Jimmy Vaughan, later of the ‘Fabulous Thunderbirds’, creating a powerful duet with Meador during a several month stint. Meador and Vaughan forged a solid friendship during this time.

Tim: "A business card with no phone number on it….Doesn’t make a great deal to sense, but I’m thinking we thought it was cool at the time!"
Tim: “A business card with no phone number on it….Doesn’t make a great deal to sense, but I’m thinking we thought it was cool at the time!”
“In early 1966, the nucleus that would come to represent the band formed, including Meador, Kelley, Justice and new members Bruce Bland on bass and Tommy Turner on keyboards. This incarnation solidified into a driving rock band that always brought down the house. They played venues such as Louann’s Club and the Studio Club in Dallas and Panther A’ Go-Go and The Box in Ft. Worth. During ’66, The Gentlemen opened for James Brown at the Dallas Convention Center, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and The Beau Brummels at Louann’s. They played along side Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison at Panther A’ Go-Go.

“Tom Brown, president of Vandan Records heard us play at LouAnn’s Club in Dallas, and wondered if we would do some writing with him and Gene Garretson, his arranger. After several weeks, we came up with a song called ‘You Can’t Be True’ and what was considered the B side, ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’. We liked ‘Cry’n Shame’ better, but Gene spent a lot of time arranging violins and multiple tracks for ‘You Can’t Be True’ so that was the track they pushed. It took us nearly two weeks to record ‘You Can’t Be True’, and as a complete after-thought, 2 takes and probably 1 hour to slam down ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’. Therein lies the genuine spontaneity that makes it pure straight ahead punk rock, I suppose.

“The result was what has now become a garage rock classic. ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’ has been referred to by the G45 LEGENDS listings as: ‘One of the top 10 tracks to play to anyone you need to convert to 60s garageism. Absolute perfection in every respect, including barnstorming drumming, scorching fuzz guitar complete with ripping break, bass alternately swooping and thumping. Add to this the distinctive vocals which combine the best pop sensibilities with the classic Texas punk sneer, and simple yet effective backing vocals. Everything’s just perfect.’

“Bruce Bland, our bass player, was playing a no brand bass guitar that he picked up at a thrift shop for $50. He had a Fender for gigs but this thing was so funky-butt ugly and had a fuzzy thumping sound, perfect for Cry’n Shame.

Seab Meador, 1965
Seab Meador, 1965

Gentlemen Boyd Recording Service demo 45 Beg, Borrow, and Steal“Seab Meador had a gaping hole in the center of his Vox Super Beatle so that he could stick his guitar neck inside to get the Fuzz tone that is prevalent on ‘Cry’n Shame’. He was a big Yardbirds follower.”Mike Kelley, our singer and guitarist, stuck his finger in the master tape spool by accident when it was rewinding, causing the strange modulation during the final cord at the end of the record. Since the mix had been finalized, it stayed in….

“Brown then pressed 1 or 2 thousand of the dreadfully flat Vandan copies and sent them to his DJ cronies in Detroit, Philly and Boston for airplay.

Gentlemen appearing at showing of Help!, Palace at Interstates Downtown“A few weeks later when we were having the photograph [above] made at the Studio Club in Dallas, a triumphant Brown walked in with a copy, (Jan. 1967) of Record World Magazine. In the 4 Star Rating column of hits to watch were 3 songs, ‘For What It’s Worth’, by the Buffalo Springfield, ‘Somebody to Love’, by the Jefferson Airplane, and ‘It’s a Cry’n Shame’ by the Gentlemen. We wondered how that could be at the time, whether Tom Brown paid someone for that privilege, but now I think maybe that song got there on it’s own merit. After all, it was suppose to be the B side. Ha.

“I remember when that 45 came out, it was sent to KLIF and KNOK radio stations is Dallas and they began to play it. We, of course, were completely beside ourselves. We had accepted a job playing at a large auditorium ‘go-go’ show in south Dallas with several other bands, but our new song established us as the band to beat. The promoters arranged to have 2 off duty Dallas police cars intercept us a few blocks from the gig. Girls were lined up several deep wanting autographs and such, so we had to run through them to get to our room back stage. Once there, a guard was stationed by our door and we could see girls jumping up to look in the little opera window, yelling and screaming.

“Bands were rotating equipment so that there were always 2 setups on stage. A band called Mike and the Midnighters played before us, and then it was our turn. We typically dressed in collarless jackets (Nehru Jackets they were called at the time) with gold ascots, stovepipe black slacks and Beatle boots, of course. What a crowd reaction! Several hundred wild kids whooping it up! When we finished and started off stage, several girls ran through the equipment to get to us, knocking over the Midnighter’s drum kit. The bass drum rolled over and fell off stage. They were very mad, but we were very happy, as this was about as close to ‘That 60’s British Rock Star Magic’ as a bunch of 16 year old kids from Dallas would ever get.

“It was 2 takes for Cry’n Shame because Tom Brown was out of money. Shortly after he showed up with the magazine, we showed up at his home to find a for sale sign and no furniture. We would find our later that he was down to his last cash and skipped town to avoid creditors. We never saw him again, but read that he moved to Los Angeles to start over. He died there not long after.

“In 1967, Seab Meador left the Gentlemen to pursue his quest for guitar immortality, including stints with Dallas bands The Bridge and The Werewolves. Guitarist Danny Sanchez who later played with the Roy Head band took over lead duties, but the magic that surrounded the core group was partially lost with Seab’s departure. The Gentlemen disbanded in early 1968 as other goals became important. Like so many bands of this era, we had an incredible time playing music that we loved during a time when 16 to 18 year old high school kids were able to live lives far more mature than their ages implied. It was a unique time that will never be repeated. Texas is known for braggin’ rights, and I realize that this bio contains some strong bragging, but I was and still am so proud to have played with such a great bunch of guys. You can’t buy that kind of friendship and strong ties. Seab and Mike have passed away, but I am still in touch with Tommy and Bruce and since we all still play our given instruments, a Gentlemen musical reunion is being discussed down in Dallas later this year. We may be a lot older, but at heart, we’re still kids from Oak Cliff and we can still rock.”

Tim Justice
Drummer, The Gentlemen

Bruce Bland and Mike Kelley
Bruce Bland and Mike Kelley

I asked Tim a few questions regarding the band:

Q. Didn’t the band start in Ft. Worth?

Tim: The Gentlemen were always from Dallas. Yes, we did play gigs in Ft. Worth, which as you know, had a thriving music scene of it’s own in the 60’s, but the guys from Norton Records who put the “Ft. Worth Teen Scene” compilations together either assumed or were told that we lived there. Not so.

Q. A band from Florida, the Invaders also performed at a movie theatre showing the Beatles movie Help! Strange coincidence, or maybe it wasn’t uncommon to have bands at movie theaters then?

Gentlemen Boyd Recording Service demo 45 Here I Cannot StayTim: I noticed that the Invaders had a similar newspaper clipping regarding HELP! That is a coincidence. I know that they must have had as much fun as we did. We played in the foyer of the theater and got paid PLUS great seats to watch the show. Big stuff for 16 year old kids.

Q. That set list is incredible, I can’t believe a band could play that many songs in one evening.

Tim: The playlist was pretty normal for a 4 hour gig back in those days. We would start around 7:30 and end up around 11:30 with 15 minute breaks in between sets. Each set was tweaked as we learned new songs. There were always a few requests, too.

Gentlemen live set list

Jimmie Randall on the Gentlemen:

“My connection was my friendship with Seab Meador. He introduced me to Tim and the other guitar player was Mike Kelley. They all went to Kimball High School in Dallas, I was at Sunset til we moved to Duncanville. They seemed to like my playing and let me be a sort of honorary member.

“I played with Lonnie on guitar in The Squires maybe that’s how I met Seab who knows? Not me. Everybody was changing bands so often then. I think because we were all learning to play and searching for a style and sound. It was like you sort of ‘outgrew’ one band and went on to the next size up. I do always say that the Gentlemen was the first ‘real’ band I was in. They had a real song list and could actually play.

“My time with the Gentlemen was really never as the ‘official’ bass player. I filled in some and played on a recording and on the Panther Hall TV show on Channel 11 from Ft.Worth. We even played a gig at Oak Cliff Country Club with two bass players …with predictable results. But we were 15 and 16 years old what did we know besides it was fun.

“Anyway as far as the Gentlemen recording I don’t really remember what was up with that. I know we did it at Summit Studios [Sumet Sound Studio]. I have the original acetate. These 2 songs [‘Beg, Borrow and Steal’ & ‘Here I Cannot Stay’] really showed off Seab’s early guitar licks and writing capabilities.

“It was recorded for our appearance on the Ft. Worth TV show that was on Friday nights on channel 11 from Panther Hall … a club on Camp Bowie. My first TV appearance was there with The Gentlemen. Seab and I got my mom to drive us over in her old Ford station wagon. First ‘out of town gig.’ Lots of local bands were on that show. I remember the night we were there a group called the Warlocks played I think Dusty and Rocky Hill were in that band they had a girl singer and all dressed in black. Also Johnny Green and the Green Men a show band with horns. Sort of a Wayne Cochran deal except with Giant green pompadour hair, instead of giant white pompadours.

“That was the first time I played with Seab. Later we tried to form a couple of bands, one of which was called the Hurricanes in Houston with Brian Papageorge and Ron Barnett. That became the Werewolves when Ron and I left to rejoin Gary Myrick in his band Slip of the Wrist. Seab was a great friend I was at the hospital the night before he died. He taught me a lot. I miss him still.”

After the Gentlemen, Jimmie Randall went on to play with Dallas groups The Styks and Stonz and The Beefeaters before joining Jo Jo Gunne.

As an interesting sidenote, Seab Meador did a short tour as a member (along with two future members of ZZ Top) of a fake version of the Zombies, a story told with great candor and excellent photos by fellow guitarist Mark Ramsey (Ramseur) at I Was a Teenage Fake Zombie.

The early acetate:

The Gentlemen – Beg Borrow or Steal
The Gentlemen – Here I Cannot Stay

Incredible rehearsal tape of It’s a Cry’n Shame:

The Gentlemen – It’s a Cry’n Shame (rehearsal)

The Vandan 45:
The Gentlemen – It’s a Cry’n Shame
The Gentlemen – You Can’t Be True

Gentlemen test pressing 45 It's a Crying Shame alternate rehearsal versionI detect a similarity between the riff of “It’s a Cry’n Shame” and Hilton Valentine’s opening to the Animals’ “Baby Let Me Take You Home”. Not to take anything away from Seab Meador, his playing is incredible. The Briks also did a version of this song not long before the Gentlemen cut “It’s a Cry’n Shame”.

The mastering of the Vandan 45 gives it a somewhat distorted, flat sound. Interestingly, a test pressing surfaced with both songs in better sound quality. It was labeled “Crimson Records”, but no one seems to know the definite origin of this copy. The master stampers are different from the Vandan release, and the markings in the dead wax are also unique.

According to Mark Taylor, the Crimson test pressing has in small handwriting “CRIMSON 1006A” and “B”, then “3 ∆ I”. The Vandan has a handwritten “TK4M 8303 1.” Mop Top Mike adds, “Dead wax details allow me to relay that the Crimson pressing is definitely 60s. The triangle and the “I” signify a Capitol custom pressing from the Scranton, Pennsylvania plant. The likely scenario – a better sounding copy was remastered for a subsequent pressing – perhaps the major label, Capitol records showed some interest, and the go ahead was made to upgrade from the original lacquer / stamper done by RCA. A second scenario – I believe the Gentlemen 45 was the last if not the second to last issued by the Caprice / Vandan label. The operators packing in the label might have had something to do with the new pressing.”

The liner notes to Ft Worth Teen Scene vol. 3 state that the band recorded the song for release on their own label (hence the Crimson Records test press), and then gave it to Vandan when they struck a deal. Tim Justice states, “There is no Crimson Record label per se. The now legendary Crimson copy is just that, a single copy which we believe to be the original master to disc recorded after the Vandan studio sessions and before the several thousand Vandan pressings were made.”

Credits: Photo of Seab in 1965 from the BigD60s yahoo group. Transfers of the Gentlemen test press 45 courtesy of Mark Taylor. Some of Tim’s recollections first appeared on the G45 Central site and are reproduced with permission. Quotes from Jimmie Randall from my correspondence with him as well as the BigD60’s group.

Gentlemen Misty Lane Records EP
Gentlemen Misty Lane Records EP

Jack and the Rippers

Mikael Nilsson sent in the cover and tracks by Jack and the Rippers. Of the band he says “they started as a instrumental band. In 1965 they came second in a radio competition the prize for that was to make a record.”

“Cathy’s Clown” is not one of my favorite Everly Brothers songs, but the group does a good job of it. I”‘m the Richest” is a solid beat song, with lyrics sung in English, though they’re hard to make out clearly. It was written by Kjell Wadstedt, Jörgen Sjöstedt and Lars E. Carlsson.

Songwriter and producer Lars Carlsson’s website gives the history of the Dollar label, an excerpt is below:

Together with Åke Söhr I started Dollar Records in 1965. At that time I worked as a producer at Cupol Grammofon AB in Stockholm. Åke (dead since 1995) was then a well known singer and musician mostly working in Stockholm. He recorded for Cupol and was a friend of Helge Roundqvist, the owner of the company. This friendship made it possible for us to distribute the Dollar label through Cupol and as I was working there, I could keep an eye on the distribution.

The first Dollar records were cut at Borgarskolan (a secondary school) in Stockholm, where a small studio was located. The owner was an engineer, Erik Lundberg. The control room was situated on the third floor and there was no lift. The artists and the groups stood on a small stage on the first floor. The producer kept in touch with them by a local phone and was actually looking down on the musicians through a small window. In the control room there was a two-track tape recorder, a reverb effect and a mixer. The background music was recorded on one track and the vocals on the other. To listen to the recorded tracks the singer had to go to the control room. When the singer had climbed the stairs three or four times, he/she was so exhausted he/she couldn’t sing any more. That’s one of the reasons cutting a record was so fast at Borgarskolan. Two or three vocal takes on one song were very common.

Among the first Dollar recordings made at this studio were The Madmen, The Teddy Bears and Jack And The Rippers. The first pressing of each record was around two hundred copies. The group bought some records to sell and Cupol distributed the rest. In 1969 the last Dollar record was released. We had made sixty-eight singles, seventeen EP’s and one LP.

The site for '60s garage bands since 2004