Dayton, Ohio’s Sonny Flaharty had been recording since the late 50s. In 1965 he helped a local band called the Rich Kids produce a demo. He ran into them again calling themselves the Mark V “direct from Toronto, Canada”! They asked Sonny to join the band but according to Sonny, “the only problem we had was with my past. I was very well known in Dayton. The band didn’t want to be associated with ‘Old Time Rock and Roll'”!
They changed their names and tried to pass themselves off as English or at least Canadian. They didn’t fool anyone for long, but there was nothing ‘old time’ about their music. Shad O’Shea of Cincinnati’s Counterpart Records asked them to record Sonny’s original, “Hey Conductor”.
There was a nine-month delay between the recording and the release of “Hey Conductor”. In the meantime Mike Losecamp (aka Haywood Lovelace), who played the distinctive organ on the record left to join the Cyrkle.
Once released Hey Conductor was a sizeable hit, selling in the thousands and immediately picked up by Phillips for national distribution. The good times didn’t last long, as its lyrics hinting at drug experiences got it banned on radio before it could break nationally. The song’s frantic pace, strange fuzz guitar and syncopated organ make it an often-heard record at dj nights even today.
Sources include: a detailed interview with the Mark V’s drummer Doug Porter here, and the liner notes to Sonny’s retrospective LP on Dionysius.
MAN THIS A GREAT SONG!!!!!!
In 1967 I was new at W.I.N.G. RADIO in DAYTON and I well remember this RECORD. It’s too bad it got a BAD RAP. It has stuck in my mind ALL THESE YEARS. I worked at a lot of stations up until the early 80’s when I gort sick of the REVOLVING DOOR OF ROCK RADIO. You can see my webpage at THEMOJOMAN.COM or you can read my little BIO on 440 Satisfaction ( it’s a DISC JOCKEY SITE )Look under “M” for MOJOMAN and read on when it says more from SID. THANKS I sure would like to find a 45rpm copy for my collection.
Hey Sonny
Happy for you, Sis Cannons from Dayton Ohio days
I have an extra copy of “Hey Conductor”. Let me know if you need it.
you’re the mojoman? i listened to you from a transistor under my pillow. you used to play dayton’s most hated song; it was usually by gary and the hornets. are you the one who asked: what starts with f and ends with k? (firetruck). WING AND WONE were it in the 60″s. glad to know you’re still alive.
greetings, phil
Yep,, Still Stompin’ the Floors,,Beatin’ the Walls and Hangin’ from the Chandeliers with all the Gear Jammers,,Double Clutchers,,Curb Jumpers and Cookie Crunchers.
Webpage TheMojoMan.com
I’m looking for info on the Shags. They played at the Psychdelic Grapeas I recall.
Thanks for your work.
I think I have a Pictorian Skiffulls (sp?) 45 and a Shags 45 — somewhere maybe?
Michael Malone
I was a founding member of the mark v. Played bass and sang on hey conductor. Would like to have a phillips copy. Do you still have one if you do you can contact me at 480-390-9911
For some strange reason the song was also covered by an English MOD-beat group in 1967 called The Image and beside England also released in Germany!. The Image probably covered it because the Sonny Flaharty and Mark V was a tiny non-selling English! release and the recordcompany must have thought a UK band could do better sales!!! The original version however is much much better!!!
I would L-O-V-E to own an actual vinyl copy of this AMAZING song!!!
If there’s any availability of this gem, please email me. thegardenofmymind@gmail.com
thank you!
-J
There’s also a version by The League from 1966 on on the comp Sometimes I Wonder – The Psychedelic Pop Sound Of President.(President PT 167)
after having owned 5 bars and had the 45 of “hey! conductor” on 5 jukeboxes (being one of the most played selections; especially at closing time) i lost it. if i look in all the places it could be i would probably come across it. i remember quite well when i first heard it. bernies records on second street in dayton stocked it. being “banned” probably increased sales in the dayton area. if i find it i’ll will it to you. are you still in florida? we’ve emailed before. hope this finds you well.
Jim,
How have you been? It has been a long time. I’m still alive and have contact with Sonny, Jason and Mike (Sonny’s brother). I live in NC now and still have all of our old recordings. It was my copies that they made the CD from several years ago. Hope you are well! For those of you reading this I was the Drummer on Hey Conductor.
Anybody remember the Dayton Scene record album which included 12 songs from Dayton area bands? I played lead guitar for The Vondells, who recorded one of the songs on that album.
Sonny Flaharty rules, this should have been a single back then. What a shame! I love his song My Baby’s Casual, but my favorite song by him is Hey Conductor. It really takes me to another world and I fly. Oh my, oh my! 😛
I’ve still got my Phillips 45 bought when it was released, fuzz and all stored in my jukebox. I remember the MOJO MAN on WING…he’s pretty fuzzy, too. The WING disc jockeys (along with The Beatles) inspired me to become a disc jockey until I tired of corporate rock in the 80s.
I found the SF&MV LP in a vinyl record store in a Denver suburb, but picked up the CD from
http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Conductor-Sonny-Flaharty-Mark/dp/B00004Y6T4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352493704&sr=8-1&keywords=sonny+flaharty
I think the price went up after I bought it. Great liner notes (if you can read the small print).
TheMojoMan NOT mojoman. Trademarked with the “THE”. Thanks
see webpage TheMojoMan.com
Hang Loose !!
Good hearing from Joe Mattis
I played keyboards for The Playboys, 1962- 1964, then came back to Dayton, where I hooked up with John Spitler, Denny , Bill and Fuzz in the Fabulous Twiliters, playing at the Triangle in Greenville, my all time favorite Gig, except maybe the Purity in Oxford.
Hey Man, Did you ever jam with the McCoys or the Chosen Few at the Triangle? I’m a good friend of Rick Derringer’s and he says he saw Dickie Betts at the Triangle in a band called the Jokers in the early ’60’s. Hence, “…a band called the Jokers was layin it down.”, from “Rock-n-Roll Hoochie Coo”!
I jammed with Rick a couple of times in Dayton, when he played in Rick N The Raiders.
Anyone ever here of a guy named Greg Holzapfel? Looking for a band name and/ or a record name.
Hate to use fake e-mail but I am certain no one here would reply. Gottah say the club on Stanley booked a few bands in this topic. Meadowdales Fourth Dimension did not get far but I hope everyone had fun after the recut of Sonny’s. Mike L’s days with GLS had him show up in the 1900 Main block when Jesus lived there in the 70’s. Playing with Chuck Lowe, cousin of Mark off Basswood did not last long either but I guess the joke was on me for charting out the music Lowe and Bruggeman fenced to the Buckingham’s they claimed. What Brown School and North Dayton achieved was OK by anyones standard. Lennon is said to have Named the Cyrkle when they toured the US in 65. Say hello to Chad and Rob and if Rob wants to play some Hockey let us poor folks in Ohio know. Nothing but good memories folks.