The Canadian Beadles

Canadian Beadles Tide LP Three Faces North

Canadian Beadles Tide 45 Think I'm Gonna Cry

Vic, Paul and Bruce Tide 45 I'm Coming Home

In early 1963 our Milwaukee band, the Damells, was appearing in Ishpeming, MI and we became good friends with the Blue Echoes from Sarnia, Ontario. There were two places with live music in Ishpeming, the Venice and the Roosevelt, and although both bands played the same nights, we managed to get over to hear a couple of songs on our breaks once or twice (the two clubs were very close together), and we got together a few times in the afternoons. In May the Darnells headed for Southern California and, on the referral of a former band mate, we connected with Tide Records in Los Angeles.

We eventually returned to Milwaukee and the band broke up. Denny King, guitarist and leader of the Darnells, went back out to L.A. in early 1964, and invited Vic Blunt (aka Vic Miller), guitarist and leader of the Blue Echoes, to join him as bassist. Blunt and King recorded for Tide as the Mojo Men. (This record has no connection with any other Mojo Men; it was just Tide’s way of trying to get more mileage out of that name, since Larry Bright’s “Mojo Workout” was their only national chart record). Both sides are instrumental, except for Blunt’s Jackie Gleason impression of “And away we go” to kick off the A-side. Blunt then left a tape of his Blue Echoes with Tide owner Ruth Christy (aka Ruth Stratchborneo) and returned to Sarnia. A few months later Christy sent for the group and they came to Los Angeles with Blunt on guitar and vocals, Paul Case on drums and vocals and Bruce Pollard on bass and vocals.

Blunt (b: 12/18/43; Vancouver, B.C.) credited the Ventures and Fireballs among his early influences, as well as his father, who was a CBC studio guitarist. Blunt had previously recorded with Edmonton DJ Barry Boyd for the Quality label. Drummer Case had a strong Roy Orbison flavor to his vocal style and the group’s entire LP (probably the only LP ever released on Tide) was recorded in only 10 hours of studio time, according to Blunt.

Vic, Paul & Bruce Quality 45 Love Walk AwayIt was early 1965 and Tide booked the group into a show at the L.A. Coliseum titled KFWB’s Beatle Alley. Requirements were that the groups had to be from outside the U .S. and had to have some sort of Beatle tie-in, hence the name change to the Canadian Beadles. (Perhaps the spelling was in order to avoid any claim of name infringement). Christy and Rena Fulmer (a partner in the Tide label), acting as an agent/manager team, booked the band, and Blunt said that both of the group’s singles got airplay. I saw Blunt’s band (I don’t recall if they were still using the Canadian Beadles name) at a bowling alley lounge in the South Bay area of Los Angeles around 1966.

One of Blunt’s songs, “Questions I Can’t Answer”, was covered by Don Atello (Tide 2002), and by German singer Heinz, whose version had some success in his home country. Los Angeles country artist Tony Treece, who was a later member of the Canadian Beadles, cut another of Blunt’s tunes, “Before I Lose My Mind”. Blunt later formed a show group called Center Stage and did additional unreleased recordings. As late as 1985 he was still playing full-time and living in Sequim, WA.

List of releases:
Tide 2000: Surfin’ Fat Man/Paula (as the Mojo Men) /64
Tide 2003: I Think I’m Gonna Cry/I’ll Show You The Way /65
Tide LP 2005: Three Faces North /65
Tide 2006: I’m Coming Home/Love Walk Away (as Vic, Paul & Bruce) /65

© Gary E. Myers & MusicGem, 2009

Canadian Beadles Tide LP back cover

Vic - Paul - Bruce Tide LP side A
Vic - Paul - Bruce Tide LP side B

10 thoughts on “The Canadian Beadles”

  1. Congratulations on your superb website!

    Nice to see this story on the Canadian Beadles (Hi Gary!).

    A small correction and complement of information, if I may.

    Vic Miller (né Ralph Blunt) was a member of The Frantiks when he lived in Edmonton, Alberta.

    They made two singles backing CJCA DJ Barry Boyd on vocals:

    “Goin’ Home To Memphis” / “Walk With Me” (Barry 3075X; also released in the US on Dart 155, in a slightly different version with a longer ending); and
    “The Price Of Love” / “You’re For Me” (Barry 3092X).

    The Canadian Barry label was a subsidiary of the Canadian Quality label.

    Thanks and keep up the good work!

    Marc Coulavin

  2. I saw the Canadian Beadles play on a flatbed truck opening for Johnny Cash in a parking lot in Norh Hollywood,CA. I think it was 1964.

  3. I have been looking for Vic for a long time. He gave me away at my wedding. He, Paul and Tony have special place in my heart and my childhood. Sadly both Paul and Tony are gone now. But would love to make contact with Vic again. Would like to tell him we are fine, living in Texas. My Mom has stage 4 lung cancer but is doing well, she’s always been a strong one. All these guys had such great… yet each different voices. their music is timeless. I spent many teenage hours listening to them practice. Paul would give the 45 records after they were done learning them. gosh such great memories!

  4. paul is my great uncle i learned hoe to play drums jamming to his records, my dad was alwaya surprised how much similarities there are between how my self and great uncle paul wrote and played music. i play mostly hard rock now but my roots are for ever jamming to pauls records.

  5. Does anyone no of one of these in existence? I happen to know Bruce, he said that he couldn’t find his record after coming back from Vietnam,and I’m sure it would please him to have some memories back!!!

  6. Behind the composer TRIUNE is a trio with members:

    Paula dePores (= Paula Sapp)
    Rena Wright (= Orena D. Fulmer)
    Ruth Christie (= Ruth Etta Stratchborneo)

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