Category Archives: Ontario

The Secrets / The Quiet Jungle

Promotional card for the Secrets – click here to see back

Updated March 27, 2008, to include comments by Doug Rankine.

Click here to see promotional sleeve.

The Quiet Jungle, one of the best bands to come out of Toronto in the ’60s. They only had two 45s, “Ship of Dreams” / “Everything”, and “Make Up Your Mind” / “Too Much In Love”.

I couldn’t find out much about them until Ivan Amirault set the record straight:

“Quiet Jungle started life as The Secrets. Same band as ‘Cryin’ Over Her’ fame on ARC Records. First they recorded a novelty pop tune called ‘Clear The Track Here Comes Shack’. A tune about a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey player from right here in Sudbury, Ontario! The tune made it to number one on CHUM radio in Toronto for two weeks starting February 28, 1966. It charted for nine weeks.”

The Secrets were Doug Rankine on vocals and guitar, Bob Mark lead guitar, Henry S. on electric piano, Mike Woodruff on bass and Rick Felstead on drums.

“Clear the Track Here Comes Shack” and the flip, “Warming the Bench” are pure novelty songs. Eddie Shack spoke fondly of the song in an interview on www.riredsdvd.com (site now defunct). While successful, it hardly demonstrates the talents of the band.

RPM, May 23, 1966

Much better is their release on Arc Records, “Cryin’ Over Her”, featuring a solid beat, fluid guitar work and good contrast between the taut verse and melodic chorus. Bob Mark wrote “Cryin’ Over Her”, and would go on to write or co-write all four of the Quiet Jungle’s released sides.

In the interim, though, their association with Arc would lead to their recording a whole album of Monkees songs for the label, released anonymously with the title A Little Bit Me, I’m a Believer, She Hangs Out plus 9 other ‘Tail-Hanger’ Favorites. Their version of “Mary Mary” is as good as any track from the Monkees record.

Monkees covers LP cut anonymously by the Secrets
Anyone have a better scan of this cover, or the back?
Licensed Snoopy LP, label credits Quiet Jungle
Anyone have a better scan of this cover, or the back?

There’s also the The Story of Snoopy’s Christmas LP that credits them by name, now changed to Quiet Jungle. The credits for this record list Doug Rankine, Bob Mark and Rick Felstead, as well as Henry Taylor on percussion, while Henry S. and the bassist Mike Woodruff aren’t named. Henry Taylor was also known as Henry Thaler. According to a comment below, his full name was Henry Schwartzenthaler.

A Rolling Stones cover lp called Let’s Spend The Night Together was long rumored to be the Quiet Jungle playing anonymously, but Doug Rankine says the band wasn’t involved (see below).

“Ship of Dreams”, their first 45 as Quiet Jungle is a particular kind of 60’s song about bringing the girl who thinks she’s so hip back down to earth. There were more of these type of songs than you’d imagine!

The May, ’67 issue of Canadian Teen magazine gave “Ship of Dreams” the following review: “Good material with some weird sound effects but it lacks the professional touches and sound to make it a hit.” Take this with a grain of salt, the record the reviewer raves about on the same page is by Gordon Lightfoot!

Typically, it’s the b-side where a monster of a track hides, “Everything”, written by Bob Mark and Henry Taylor. The bass lays down the melody, a ferocious fuzz guitar dupes the riff, and the organ plays the changes in perfect textbook garage style. A minute and a half in, they repeat the break with the drums slamming away, the singer reaching his peak, and for a short while it’s as intense as this music gets.

Released in early 1967, “Ship of Dreams” reached as high as #31 in February, charting for five weeks on CHUM. The song was also featured on a compilation of Yorkville singles with a great cover called Yorkville Evolution

Their second 45, “Too Much In Love” / “Make Up Your Mind” is also first-rate work, and again the b-side is tougher. Ivan writes: “The ‘Too Much In Love’ single didn’t chart, and is much harder to find than the ‘Ship Of Dreams’ 45.”

There are possibly more tapes in the vaults at Arc, but who knows when those will come to light.

Compilation LP featuring the Quiet Jungle doing “Ship of Dreams”
Click to see back cover
RPM, June 6, 1966

Vocalist Doug Rankine has been in touch, and kindly gave these detailed answers to my questions:

As the Secrets, we had recorded a couple of singles, “Cryin Over Her” the most notable. While playing at the Toronto Pressmen’s club, Brian MacFarland introduced himself to us and asked if we would record a song he had written for his friend Eddie Shack. At that time, we were under the impression he wanted it just for Shack. We didn’t know it was going to be released as a single and played across the entire country. Once it was released, we thought (or hoped) it would just disappear into the night and nobody would care about it. As fate would have it, it didn’t disappear. For some reason people loved it.

We were very young and like 100’s of bands playing the local scene at the time, we had our sights set on “Stardom”. Clearly, we needed a way to distance ourselves from a “novelty song” such as Shack. The most logical solution in the eyes of the execs at Yorkville records was to change the name and get a couple of singles into the marketplace under our new name “The Quiet Jungle” as soon as possible. We released our first single “Ship Of Dreams” on the Yorkville label and things seemed to have turned the corner.

Our bookings increased and we were playing right across Canada. Everyone booking us however, wanted the “Secrets” to play “Clear The Track Here Comes Shack” and not the group that just released “Ship Of Dreams”. I was 17 at the time and the money being offered was pretty good, so we decided to take the bookings and pocket the money!

The major influences for the Quiet Jungle were the Rascals, Animals and believe it or not the Mamas & Papas. I want to clarify one point. While we did cover a “Monkees Album” and “Snoopy’s Christmas Album” for Arc Records, we did not cover any songs listed in the “Let’s Spend the Night Together” album. I was only used for the picture of the album cover.

Q. Did the Quiet Jungle have anything to do with the Flower Power album released on Arc by ‘The Okey Pokey Band and Singers’?

No we had nothing to do with the “Flower Power” album. There were a couple of TV shows at that time called After Four and High Time that were on CTV. We were on those shows varily often. There was an album produced at the time called “After Four”. There are some great tracks on that album from the Ugly Duckings, Big Town Boys and Stitch In Tyme to name a few. At the time of the album we recorded a song entitled “Four In the Morning”. Without going into a lot of detail, we recorded it under the name of the Scarlet Ribbon.

There were a few reasons the band broke up. After four years (having the time of my life), I came to the realization that “I personally” was not a good enough singer to hit the big time. While traveling the country, I got to hear bands and singers that were 10 times better than I was and realized that even they would not make it. We were playing the “Red River Exhibition” in Winnipeg one summer when I got to hear a young guy by the name of Burton Cummings sing. As soon as he opened his mouth, I knew I was in the wrong business. There was no mistaking, he had a voice from the Gods and was truly destined for stardom.

Bob Mark and Henry Taylor were the true talent of our band. Both were extremely accomplished, Bob on the creative side (writing original material) and Henry as the musical side (arranging). Both Rick and Mike were very solid on drums and bass but it was Bob and Henry who carried the band.

Mike left the band and we continued for about a year as a four member group. I left after a year. If I remember correctly, Bob, Henry and Rick got a new singer (I’m sorry I forget his name) and added Ron Canning from the Rising Sons and continued to play for another year or so.

Bob retired some years ago and lives somewhere up North. Rick lives in the Durham area. I believe Mike is somewhere in Toronto. Henry is in Toronto and is still active in the music business playing part time with a Doors tribute band.

Thank you to Ivan for the info, scans of promotion material on the Secrets, and most of the mp3s featured here, and special thanks to Doug Rankine for his detailed story about the band. Thanks to David for the tip about the Eddie Shack interview.

If anyone has goods scan or photo of the various LPs mentioned in this article, esp. the Flower Power, CTV After Four or Let’s Spend the Night Together LPs please contact me.

East African Fair

East African Fair photo
Either a late version of the Inferno 5 Plus 1 or an early one of East African Fair
from left: Dave Powers (front), Rick Panas, John Bell, Domenic Fragomeni and Randy Larocque.

East African Fair Caravan 45 I Won't Stare

East African Fair included some of the Inferno 5 Plus 1. Members were Randy Larocque (guitar and vocals), Dave Powers (keyboards and vocals), Dominic Fragomini (bass) and Rick Panas (drums and vocals). It seems John Bell was also a member for a time, as I think he appears in the photo above.

Their manager John Loweth sent me the 45 and scans of the neat poster and card of the band. He considers East African Fair to be a continuation of the Inferno 5 Plus 1, though their sound is quite different:
Sudbury's East African Fair

We changed the name to East African Fair and did pretty well with our second record, “Lovin’ Every Little Thing You Do Girl” which was a totally different style (more Hermans Hermits) than the Stones style of the first [Inferno 5 Plus 1] release.

Then we moved to the big city of Toronto. We did lots of auditions and things and played in trendy Yorkville where you just had to be if you wanted to be anywhere in Canada at that time of 1967.

The national CTV show ‘After Four’ was interested in replacing the current group Robbie Lane and Deciples and said they woud use us as the featured band next season, they suggested a name change and the remainder of the group now lead by Randy LaRocque became ‘York Lane’.

East African Fair RPM Weekly, February 17, 1968
RPM Weekly, February 17, 1968
A major booking agent booked the group in southern Ontario and upper New York state, but unfortunately several band members became homesick and discouraged due to lack of money, and went home, leaving just Randy and myself. I think we were just inches away from stardom.

As John states, “Lovin’ Every Little Thing You Do” is a pop single like the Herman’s Hermits, though the eerie organ gives it a darker, carnival-like quality. “I Won’t Stare” is a truly original side, slow, with a nice blend of organ and guitars and obsessive lyrics. Randy LaRocque wrote both songs on this record.

After the single was released in 1968, Bill Battersby replaced Dominic Fragomini and an unknown drummer replaced Rick Panas, and the band’s name changed to York Lane. Some recordings by this lineup done at Sound Canada in late 1968 are now lost.

Update: I’m sorry to report that John Loweth passed away on April 4, 2009. John produced the Inferno 5 + 1 and continued managing the group when they changed to East African Fair. He generously shared his recollections and memorabilia to help document the story of this band.

In February 2011 I added the photo at top, the news clips from the Sudbury Star and RPM Weekly and better scans of the promotional card, all courtesy of Ivan Amirault. Thank you to Lauraine Friskey for providing IDs for the top photo.

East African Fair the Sudbury Star, Feb. 16, 1968
East African Fair reaches #21 on CHNO’s Top 45 The Sudbury Star, Feb. 16, 1968

East African Fair

East African Fair card

The Village Steps

The Village Steps photo

Updated May, 2010 with new photos at bottom of page

After leaving the Inferno 5 Plus 1, Lance Whitman joined the Village Steps. They never recorded, but here are a few photos of the group that Lance sent to me. The original members were:

Mike Duhaime (singer)
Lloyd Duhaime (bass)
Dwight Snell (rhythm guitar)
Wayne Carriere (Drums)
Lance Whitman (lead guitar)

The Village Steps on stage photoThe Village Steps on stage photoThe Village Steps on stage photoThe Village Steps on stage photo

Below are two later photos of the group and a photo of Slowpoke sent to me by Jenny DuHaime:

The Village Steps, circa 1967, left to right: Dwight Snell, Lloyd Duhaime, Billy Irwin, Ray Servant, Danny Dube, Mike Duhaime
The Village Steps, circa 1967, left to right: Dwight Snell, Lloyd Duhaime, Billy Irwin, Ray Servant, Danny Dube, Mike Duhaime
Later promo for the Village Steps, left to right: Dany Dubé, Billy Irwin, Ray Servant, Mike Duhaime, Lloyd Duhaime
Later promo for the Village Steps, left to right: Dany Dubé, Billy Irwin, Ray Servant, Mike Duhaime, Lloyd Duhaime

The promo photo below is for an early ’70s Sudbury group, Slowpoke, with members from the Squares, Stepping Stones, Associated Press, the Riots and the Village Steps. Besides Dave Mathe and Rick Pitts, other members could have included Rick Tannis (spelling?), Ryan O`Neal (spelling?), and Jim Dunn.

Slowpoke, from left: Dave Mathe (drums), Jim Dunn (gutarist/vocalist), Bryan O'Neil (bass) and Rick Pitts (guitarist/vocalist)
Slowpoke, from left: Dave Mathe (drums), Jim Dunn (gutarist/vocalist), Bryan O’Neil (bass) and Rick Pitts (guitarist/vocalist)

Thanks to Lance Whitman and Dan Dubé for help with identifying the members in these photos.

The Inferno 5 Plus 1

 The Inferno 5 + 1 from left: Wayne Wallace, Lance Whitman, Les Maki, Dave Powers, John Bell and Randy LaRocque
The Inferno 5 + 1 from left: Wayne Wallace, Lance Whitman, Les Maki, Dave Powers, John Bell and Randy LaRocque

About a hundred miles east of Sault Ste. Marie is Sudbury, Ontario, home of the great Inferno 5 Plus 1. Members of the band were Lance Whitman and Randy LaRocque on guitars, John Bell vocals, Wayne Wallace (or Wayne Wallice) bass, Leslie Maki on drums and Dave Powers on keyboards and vocals.

 The Inferno 5 + 1 Villa 45 I Can Take It“I Can Take It” has insistent drumming, repetitive guitar riffs, and good harmonies. The lack of cymbals, distortion or echo makes for a very dry production but the band’s raw energy is apparent. Either this song or the flip “Fay’s Gig” (which I haven’t even heard yet – anyone have a transfer?) became part of the soundtrack to the movie “Attack of the Brain Demon”. That movie seems lost to time as a print has never surfaced, though I’ve read silent 8mm footage of the band practicing exists.

John Loweth produced for his own Villa label, and the songwriting credits are R. Larocque and D. Powers. The prefix below the Villa label number, ST-, indicates that this, like the two 45s on Algoma, is an custom press from the Arc company in Toronto.

After my initial post about the Inferno 5 Plus 1, I heard from guitarist Lance Whitman, who gave me background about the band and sent in over a hundred photos of the band (see below). Soon after, producer/manager John Loweth contacted me and filled in some of the details.

 Lance Whitman of the Inferno 5 + 1
Lance Whitman

Lance Whitman:

The Inferno was a local club in a laneway behind Durham Street in Sudbury where we were the house band. That’s where the name Inferno 5 came from, when Randy joined we didn’t want to change it so we just added + 1.

The 45 “I Can Take It” was recorded at a local Radio Station, CHNO here in Sudbury one evening back in the 60’s where John Loweth was a DJ at the time.

I never got to see the movie, it aired at a local Drive-In here which had a large homemade screen on the side of a hill…… The 45 was released around the time that I left the the band. [Prior to this] Wayne Wallace left the group and Les Maki went from drummer to bass player and Rick Panas took over as the drummer.

The Inferno 5 Plus 1“I Can Take It” was not used in the movie that I’m aware of … it may have been as it says on the 45. The flipside “Fay’s Gig” was used in the movie … Where the movie is, is anyone’s guess I would think that there maybe a copy of it somewhere though everyone involved has been out of touch for so long it’s hard to say….

The scene back that was like a lot a towns I guess a lot of local bands…and a lot of fun times The Kids, King Street, Marketville Riot, The Village Steps, The Beasties. Can’t recall all of them.

The Inferno Five + 1 like a lot of groups had differnces of opinions and parted ways. The remaining members went to form ‘The East African Fair’ and they released a 45 “Lovin’ Every Little Thing You Do” written again by Randy and Dave I believe.

The Inferno 5 Plus 1 at the Inferno Club in Sudbury
The Inferno 5 Plus 1 at the Inferno Club in Sudbury
Rick Panas
Rick Panas

John Loweth:

I was a pretty popular DJ on CHNO in Sudbury at that time and also worked for the record company Arc Sound as sales and A&R promotional rep in N. Ontario. I used to do a lot of school dances on Friday nights taking portable DJ equipment to the dances, but around 1964 as groups like Beatles, Dave Clark 5, Stones became so popular, all the students were asking me if I could get a group to come and play at the dances as well.

So as the Inferno 5 +1 who had started to play at the Inferno Club in Sudbury were becoming popular, I had them come out and play basically during my break. Naturally it was a very short time before I was playing 45s during their break, as our roles quickly changed. I suggested we record some material, and as I had access to professional recording equipment, all it took was a little time how to figure out how to do it.

The recording “I Can Take It” received quite a bit of air play throught Northern Ontario. I know – I was the producer, and promotional guy, and band manager, and mother. We recorded it and a number of other tracks in the dead of night at the CHNO radio studios when the station was off the air on single track Ampex reel to reel recorders and did multiple dubs to get everything on tape.

Through my contacts in radio I was able to get all my buddies in other radio stations to play it and chart it, ie: Sault Ste Marie, North Bay, Kirkland Lake, Timmins etc. and then I started booking the band in some of those towns as well.

We sold over 4,000 45’s which was pretty good, but I had access to and knew all the other DJ’s from CJIC and CKCY in the Soo [Sault Ste. Marie], to all the other towns, plus in my day job as a record guy I had their 45’s front racked in all the Kresges, and Woolworths and even drug stores across the north. And also had special signs advertising the records.

Attack of the Brain Demon poster
Attack of the Brain Demon poster, “starring Harvey Ransom, Paul Quesnel, Doreen Wright, Meeka Littlejohn, Frank Carbone and Yolanda Zwygart”

Attack of the Brain Demon was produced by 19 year old local Sudbury High School student Larry Zazelenchuck at a cost of $3,500 in B&W 16 mm, in 1967. Starred local school kids Names included Harvey Ransom, Paul Quesnel, Doreen Wright and some others including me as the DJ announcing some sort of demon sightings.

Larry was a fan of mine and came to see me about this film he was doing, and could I arrange to record the sound track, I think we recorded the Inferno 5 with some instrumental pieces plus other stock music and used naturally “I Can Take It” as the title tune. Its premier was at the Sudbury High School Theatre about 400 seats and sold out several shows, It also played successfully at other high schools around Sudbury area, after that I don’t remember what happened to it, or to Larry.

Later we changed the name to East African Fair and did pretty well with our second record, “Lovin Every Little Thing You Do Girl” (after Lance left) which was a totally different style (more Hermans Hermits) than the Stones style of the first release. Then we moved to the big city of Toronto. We did lots of auditions and things and played in trendy Yorkville where you just had to be if you wanted to be anywhere in Canada at that time of 1967.

The national CTV show ‘After Four’ was interested in replacing the current group Robbie Lane and the Disciples and said they woud use us as the featured band next season, they suggested a name change and the remainder of the group now lead by Randy LaRocque became ‘York Lane’.

The Inferno 5 Plus 1 "I Can Take It" painted posterA major booking agent booked the group in southern Ontario and upper New York state, but unfortunately several band members became homesick and discouraged due to lack of money, and went home, leaving just Randy and myself. I think we were just inches away from stardom.

Randy went on to bigger things, as lead guitarist and arranger for many well known bands and singers and was based in Atlanta, GA for 25 plus years, and I have been lucky enough to make a lifelong living with my company Mayfair Music, due in part to everything learned in those early exciting years.

Update: I’m sorry to report that John Loweth passed away on April 4, 2009. John generously shared his recollections and memorabilia to help document the story of this band.

Srouces: Photos of the band from Lance Whitman, scan of the ad for Attack of the Brain Demon and some info on the band from an article by Alex Taylor and Ivan Amirault in Loose Leaf Review #2.

A history of the Inferno 5 Plus 1 in photos

From the collection of Lance Whitman (click on any photo below to see many more images):

 At the Sudbury Arena - the Queen looks on from above!
At the Sudbury Arena – the Queen looks on from above!
Rehearsal at Les Maki's house in Lively
Rehearsal at Les Maki’s house in Lively

 At the Sault Ste. Marie Boathouse
At the Sault Ste. Marie Boathouse
 At the Inferno Club

At the Inferno Club

Photos pt. 5
Photos pt. 5
Photos pt. 6
Photos pt. 6

Two documents of a later version of the band, from the collection of Ivan Amirault:

After Lance Whitman had left the band, RPM Weekly, March 18, 1967
After Lance Whitman had left the band, RPM Weekly, March 18, 1967

New Directions in Sound with the Inferno Five, Villa Recording Artists

The Fireflies

The Fireflies at the Palm Gardens, 1960
The Fireflies at the Palm Gardens, 1960

The Fireflies were a major live act in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario throughout the 1960’s. They never recorded, but were a big influence on bands that came after them in the region, such as (Those) Rogues, whose guitarist Rick Rogers would eventually join the Fireflies. Howard Hall, founder and bass player for the Fireflies gives us their history, with many great photos of the band from the time.

Howard Hull at the Palm, 1960
Howard Hull at the Palm, 1960

Howard Hall and Eddie Pelletier met while attending Sir James Dunn Collegiate and Vocational School and formed a band in 1958-59 named the Voces (latin for voices). The band consisted of Howard on bass, Eddie on guitar, Bill Kelly on drums and vocalists Frank Tracy and Pat McAlpine.

The group was put together to play at school assemblies etc. Repertoire was mostly folk based songs of the time – Harry Belafonte, Kingston Trio etc. The only other claim to fame for this group was that they won an amateur contest in Brimley Michigan in June of 1959, and then broke up.

Howard and Eddie realized that they were a team and should keep a good thing going and so recruited Keith Stephen (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Chuck White (drummer) and began to practice rock and roll songs during the winter of 1959/60. They named the new group the Fireflies and it all began.

At the Palm, 1960
At the Palm, 1960
1960 Palm - Eddie Pelletier
1960 Palm – Eddie Pelletier

In the spring of 1960 their first break came when the Sault YMCA (which ran teen dances) asked them to audition. It would be some time before their first gig at the “Y” so, in order to perform they rented Laird Community Hall in the spring of 1960 and ran their own dances. The gross for the first production was around $15, but some other revenue was generated by selling pop and chips. Realizing that the band was not quite complete, 15 year old Val Suriano (a bit of a phenom on sax at the time) was added to the group for the Laird performances.

The Fireflies also auditioned for the CBC TV show “Talent Caravan” but lost to Bobby “D” (Drebitt) and the Bobcats – Bobby, the late Bert Leclair, and Raymond Greco and Lou Oliverio. Raymond and Lou later joined the Fireflies. Bobby D and the Bobcats went on to win it all in the Cross Canada talent contest with their unique rock arrangement of the standard Dark Eyes featuring Raymond on sax. Unfortunately, the group broke up soon after their huge success as on their return to Sault Ste. Marie they didn’t have a home base like the Palm Gardens to play at as it had been taken over by the Fireflies.

Howard left in June to work for the Summer of 1960 in Thunder Bay, and Val also was away for the summer when a break that would shape the next nine years came along. The Down Unders, a hugely popular band made up of three Australians – Johnny Macareth (later famous as a TV personality in Australia much like Tommy Hunter on CBC Canada), Eddie Rowe, John Williams, Peter Smith, Ken Poole and Byron Taylor gave up their 5 year gig at the Palm Gardens. The Fireflies took over during the summer of 1960. Of interest is that Ken Poole (from the Down Unders) filled in with the Fireflies on sax during that summer.

When Howard returned from Thunder Bay in August 1960 Eddie was leading the group and had partnered with Ron Cameron to rent the Palm Gardens and the Fireflies ran the dances there for the next several years.

Ad for the Fireflies at the Peppermint Lounge

1961
1961

1961 Community Night Parade
1961 Community Night Parade
The Palm Gardens (known to many as “the Palm”) was a large dance hall located above the Columbia Bowling Alley on Queen Street near East Street in Sault Ste. Marie, next door to the then City Hall. It was capable of holding up to 500 (and sometimes more) for dancing. No alcohol was served. When Chubby Checker’s Twist came along and Joey D and the Starliters came out with the Peppermint Twist the “Palm” became the Peppermint Lounge.

The Fireflies played dances at the Palm Gardens and the Peppermint Lounge on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights for several years but would occasionally play other places like the St. Mary’s River Boat Club, the Memorial Gardens, the Lock City Hotel and even went on the road to Wawa, Elliot Lake, and Espanola.

The band evolved through the Twist, the Beatles, the Beach Boys and many other groups’ styles. They were to many, unbelievable in their great covers of many current hits. They even opened for the Dave Clark Five when that group came to the Memorial Gardens. The group would jam at the Mid-City Hotel with musicians who were on the road, including Gordon Lightfoot in his early years, Terry and Susan Jacks and the Poppy Family, and numerous others. There were numerous offers to the Fireflies from booking agents and producers but the group personnel were mostly married and had good day jobs they didn’t want to leave.

The Fireflies at Memorial Gardens 1962
Memorial Gardens 1962

Personnel in the Fireflies evolved over the years too. Chuck White was first to leave to go to Brigham Young University in Utah. He later had a very successful business career during which he continued to play in a retro rock band in California, but then decided to pursue his first love – painting. He is now famous as an artist (Charles H. White). Chuck was replaced on drums by Lou Oliverio from Bobby D and the Bobcats.

1961 Sault Star feature - Keith Stephen & Val Suriano
1961 Sault Star feature – Keith Stephen & Val Suriano
Eddie Pelletier with his Jazzmaster
Eddie Pelletier with his Jazzmaster
1962 l-r Eddie Pelletier, Don Ford, Howard Hall, Lou Oliverio, Val Suriano
1962 l-r Eddie Pelletier, Don Ford, Howard Hall, Lou Oliverio, Val Suriano
1964: Howard Hall, Ray Greco and Don Ford with Beatle wigs
1964: Howard Hall, Ray Greco and Don Ford with Beatle wigs
Sault Collegiate Prom 1965
Sault Collegiate Prom 1965

News ad for the Fireflies at the Black Knight Room

At the Black Knight, 1969, l-r Rick Rogers, Howard Hall, John Bumbacco, Raymond Greco, Eddie Pelletier
At the Black Knight, 1969, l-r Rick Rogers, Howard Hall, John Bumbacco, Raymond Greco, Eddie Pelletier
Val Suriano was next to leave to attend Berkley School of Music in Boston and was replaced by Raymond Greco also from Bobby D’s band. Keith Stephen left the group in 1962 and was replaced by Don Ford on rhythm guitar and vocals.

Don and Lou Oliverio left the group in 1965. Danny Elkas (vocals) and John Bumbacco on drums replaced Don and Lou. Danny left the group and was replaced in 1968 by Rick Rogers from (Those) Rogues. Danny died in 1995. Howard left the group in 1967 briefly to work in management at a bank in Hamilton ON but returned in early 1968 to rejoin the group.

Of note during the heyday of the Palm Gardens/Peppermint Lounge was that many of those supporting the dances were US servicemen from the NORAD Airbase at Kincheloe (just south of Sault Michigan). There were some really great guys who became close friends of members of the band, and some of these servicemen eventually married Canadian girls.

This was not all fun and games though as there were occasional ruckuses between the servicemen and some of the Canadian boys who were somewhat ticked at seeing the foreigners dancing and chatting up the girls. John Dorrance was a leader in this regard. The band could always humour him though, with his fave – Little Richard’s classic Boney Maroney.

On a hot night in August 1965 disaster struck! the Columbia Hall (Palm Gardens/Peppermint Lounge) and Royaltons Furniture Store which had succeeded the Columbia Bowling Alley on the first floor of the building, burned to the ground. The Fireflies lost all of their equipment including several of what would now be priceless Fender guitars. This ended an era for both the band and the community. The hall had been holding dances since just after WWII.

This left the Fireflies without a base and turned the group into everybody’s favourite wedding, bowling banquet or other social function band. It was probably about time anyway, although there was still some glory to follow in 1968/69.

During the years following the Beatles arrival on the scene, a number of groups of younger musicians began to emerge on the Sault Ste. Marie music scene. Many of these young musicians had idolized the Fireflies, and in fact were into doing something that the Fireflies didn’t for some reason do – original material. These groups included the Vendettas, the A-Men, (Those) Rogues and others. Each of these groups produced records (which by the way, were very good for the time).

Unfortunately, the groups for whatever reasons, didn’t last long with the exception of the Vendettas who evolved into Kensington Market a very successful late 60’s group on the Canadian scene, and whose albums were top sellers in Canada. Keith McKie (still a very successful Canadian musician/vocalist), Bob Yeomans, Bob Yukich, and the late Alex Darou were part of that group as well as Canadian music icons Skip Prokop and Luke Gibson.

When Howard returned to the group in 1968 Rick Rogers from (Those) Rogues had joined the group as rhythm guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire and the group began playing lounges and clubs. Raymond Greco had taken over leadership and booked the group at the Black Knight Supper Club. The Fireflies amazed with covers of the Four Seasons in tight four part harmony, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, the Buckinghams, and many others with the the vocal harmonies being the feature attraction.

Because they were playing virtually every night every week the band became very tight. This lead to gigs at Pat’s Northview in Sault Michigan where only the best of the Detroit-based traveling bar bands were usually booked including Pete Debueuil and the Wanderers (Pete was actually from Sudbury ON) and Lafayette and the LeSabres and many others. Pat’s Northview actually later suffered a similar fate as the Palm Gardens – it too burned to the ground. It was directly across from the Soo Locks.

Alas, the group who was suffering from burn out to quite a degree from playing virtually every night in 1969 (including some Sundays since the Northview was open as it was in Michigan). The Fireflies played their last on New Year’s Eve 1970 after 10 years as probably the most successful band ever from Sault Ste. Marie.

Howard later started a new group Solid Gold before moving to Toronto in 1972. Eddie Pelletier and Rick Rogers became members of country groups in the Sault. Rick still plays regularly but Eddie had some health problems and retired in 1997. Raymond retired. John Bumbacco formed his own group and still plays functions in Sault Ste. Marie including the Royal Canadian Legion on a regular basis.

Howard Hall, after moving to Toronto in 1972 played bass and did vocals for the Frank Evans Orchestra at the Palais Royale in Toronto for 10 years. He later played for the Toronto Harbour Band and in 1998 began to play as a keyboardist/vocalist (one man band) in the Toronto area, which he continues to do.

A rock revival show ’18 Forever’ will take place on December 8, 2007 at the Steelback Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. There will be 8 bands performing including The A-Men and (Those) Rogues and my band The Fireflies.

More info on the concert is available at www.18forever.ca. The concert is a fundraiser for Sault Area Hospital and Algoma Residential Community Hospice. An article on the show is on the Sault Star website.

Thank you Howard, keep us up to date on the upcoming revival show, sounds fantastic!

For more info on Sault Ste. Marie bands, see the entries for the Amen and (Those) Rogues.

The Fireflies, early 1962
Early 1962

Don Norman and the Other Four

Don Norman and the Other Four, Leonard Alexander Agency promo
Don Norman and the Other Four, Leonard Alexander Agency promo

RPM, January 3, 1966 The Esquires: original members Ric Patterson and Brian Lewis out, new members include Ted Gerow, John Cassidy and Doug Orr
RPM, January 3, 1966
The Esquires: original members Ric Patterson and Brian Lewis out, new members include Ted Gerow, John Cassidy and Doug Orr
Don Norman had been playing guitar and singing in Ottawa bands since 1961, with the Continentals, the Jades and the Esquires, who cut his song “Cry Is All I Do”.

Don described his early work:

I began playing guitar in 1958 and was composing songs by late 1959. Early influences were Elvis, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. The first time I was in a professional recording studio was September 1961 and I still have the master tape. The session was for two songs that I had composed and the band was known as the Continentals.

By the year 1963 I had joined a band by the name of the Esquires, which had already released two singles in Canada for Capitol Records. I became the vocalist for this group and some months later, in the early spring of 1964, we recorded an LP for Capitol. This was followed by three more single releases including “Cry Is All I Do”. I wrote the song in 1964 and it was recorded in early 1965 and released that spring.

Don Norman and the Other Four photoDon had an acrimonious break with the Esquires in the summer of ’65, leading to a lawsuit when he named his new band Don Norman and the Esquires. He gave up the Esquires name, but his departure from the band cost the original Esquires their contract with Capitol. The band he formed became Don Norman and the Other Four: Gary Comeau (who had also been in the Esquires) on lead guitar, Bill Hellman bass, Ron Greene organ and Brian Dewherst on drums. With the addition of John Matthews on sax, the Other Four were five!

Don Norman and the Other Four Barry 45 The Bounce / All of My Life
Don Norman and the Other Four Barry 45 The Bounce / All of My Life

At their first session at RCA’s Hallmark Studios in Toronto, they recorded two different singles. They backed Bob Harrington on “Changes” / “Country Boy” on REO 8947X, the A-side being a Heinz cut, the flip a Phil Ochs composition. It was released as “Bob Harrington with Don Norman & the Other Four”. Bob Harrington was the original lead vocalist of the Esquires who Don had replaced in the band.

 Les Demi-Douzaines - actually Don Norman & the Other Four
Les Demi-Douzaines – actually Don Norman & the Other Four
The other single without Harrington was their upbeat cover of the Olympics’ hit “The Bounce”, with Don’s original “All of My Life” on the flip. It was released on the Barry label (a subsidiary of Quality) in the summer of ’66. Despite being picked up by MGM for distribution in the U.S., Quality failed to get behind the release and let it fade.

There is also a French version on the Solfege label, “Le Bounce” / “Je T’ai Cherche”. The band listed, Les Demi-Douzaines (“The Half-Dozen”) was actually Don Norman & the Other Four under a pseudonym. Ivan Amirault wrote to me: “I have a copy of it. Funny thing with mine is it doesn’t have the same Quality number as the one shown in your site. Mine has a one hundred series number which is what the label used for their Quebec French titles.”

Dissatisfied with Quality’s promotion of the band, their manager, DJ and CJOH-TV’s Saturday Date host John Pozer started the Sir John A label with Ron Greene to back Don’s songwriting and vocal talents. Gary Comeau left after “The Bounce” to join the Townsmen.

Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A PS Low Man
Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A PS Low Man
Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A 45 Low Man
Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A 45 Low Man

The band’s first 45 on Sir John A was the amazing “Low Man”, definitely one of the great moments in Canadian rock. Don recalls recording it at Stereo Sound in Montreal while the studio was still under construction! Don used a Gibson fuzz box on the bass to get that distinctive sound. “Low Man” was released in November of ’66, backed by a cover of “Mustang Sally”, and featured their new guitarist Art Kirkby.

The picture sleeve that accompanied the 45 was printed with the opening for the record on the bottom, so most copies were cut up and pasted onto plain white sleeves.

Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A 45 Your Place in My Heart
Don Norman and the Other Four Sir John A 45 Your Place in My Heart
Next up was another Norman original, the fine “Your Place in My Heart”, featuring John Matthews on vocals, backed with “Trae Hymn 1”.

Their third and last 45 on Sir John A was just a pairing of the last two a-sides: the label scans I’m featuring here. Both songs were produced by Norman Greene.

Several factors have been mentioned as reasons for why this talented group didn’t make a bigger mark at the time: a disinclination of the band to tour, a lack of enthusiasm from Ottawa audiences, John Pozer’s departure to work for Variety Artists in Toronto, and the low distribution of Sir John A records.

In early 1967 the band went through a drastic line-up change, keeping Ron Greene on keyboards, but with Don moving to bass, and three members of the Bittersweet joining: John Winskell on lead guitar, Rick Paradis on vocals and Skip Layton on drums.

With a new pop sound, they recorded what was to be the band’s next single, “Nothing To Do, No Place To Go”. The band broke up without even recording a b-side, so it remained unreleased until the 1997 release of ‘Ottawa Rocks! The Sir John A Years’ compilation. Disillusioned and not seeing a future in music, Don retired from performing at the age of 23!

Sources include Erin Truscott’s interview with Don Norman in Misty Lane #15; the Sir John A site (link); Don’s own description of his career (link); and Glynis Ward and Alex Taylor’s history of the band.Special thanks to Ivan for his scans of record sleeves and promotional materials.

Don Norman and the Other Four, RPM, July 25, 1966
RPM, July 25, 1966
 RPM, June 27, 1966
RPM, June 27, 1966
Don Norman & the Other Four promo photo
Don Norman & the Other Four promo photo
 "All of My Life" promoted in RPM, October 24, 1966
“All of My Life” promoted in RPM, October 24, 1966

The Canadian Squires / Levon and the Hawks

The Canadian Squires evolved from Ronnie Hawkins’ backing band the Hawks. Hawkins and his drummer Levon Helm were from Arkansas, but finding huge success in Ontario, they started recruiting local musicians as original members of the Hawks returned to the U.S.

After leaving Hawkins in 1964, the group toured on their own, usually billed as Levon and the Hawks. Personnel changed periodically, but by the time of this recording, all the members of the group that would go on to become the Band was in place, four of the five from southern Ontario.

Hawkins’ producer at Roulette, the legendary Henry Glover brought them into Bell Studios in New York to record two fine Robbie Robertson originals, “Leave Me Alone” and “Uh Uh Uh”, in the spring of 1965. Glover released these on the Ware label in the U.S., and on Apex in Canada.

In September they recorded two further Robertson originals, the soulful “He Don’t Love You” and “The Stones I Throw” that made it to the Atco label, but all this was overshadowed by their meeting Dylan in late summer of ’65. In late 1968, Atco dug up one further song, “Go Go Liza Jane”, recycling “He Don’t Love You” for the flip.

Thanks to Ivan for the scan of the Apex 45.

45 releases:

Ware 6002: Canadian Squires – Leave Me Alone / Uh Uh Uh (1965)
Apex 76964: Canadian Squires – Leave Me Alone / Uh Uh Uh (1965)
Atco 6383: Levon and the Hawks – He Don’t Love You / The Stones I Throw (1965)
Atco 6625: Levon and the Hawks – He Don’t Love You / Go Go Liza Jane (1968)

The Amen

The Amen (left to right: Dave Wilson, Nick Scali, Bob Clarke, Tim Ryan and Ed Schryer)
The Amen (left to right: Dave Wilson, Nick Scali, Bob Clarke, Tim Ryan and Ed Schryer)

The Amen Algoma 45 Peter ZeusThe Amen (or A Men) originated in Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario, Canada. Band members in 1966 were Tim Ryan on vocals, Ed Schryer lead guitar, Nick Scali rhythm guitar, Dave Wilson bass and Bob Clarke drums. At this point they were known for their original songs and also for the 15 minute drum solos of Bob Clarke. A later clipping lists Bob Yukich and Bob Yeomans as well, and omits Ed Schryer.
After eight months together, playing at the local Teen Centre, they traveled to Toronto in late 1966 to record their only 45, a fine 60’s pop 45 released on the local Algoma label early in ’67. No songwriting credits are listed on the label, but an article from the Sault Daily Star mentions Tim Ryan as the composer of the a-side, “Carnivals and Cotton Candy”, with the slightly psychedelic “Peter Zeus” being a collaboration between Tim and Bob Clarke. Production was by John Holt.

Boris's Coffee House and Red Gas Room bands, the Amen, the Tripp, The Rabble
Amen at the Red Gas Room
The Amen apparently moved to Toronto at some point in 1967, returning on July 21 to Sault Ste. Marie for a homecoming concert at the Memorial Gardens. (The Memorial Gardens were demolished in May of 2006.) They stayed active until at least late 1967, sharing billing with the Guess Who at the Princess Theatre in September. They certainly had ambition and talent, but for some reason never cut another record.

A Men live on CJIC-TV with the Odds and Ends and the Rogues RPM, October 17, 1966
A Men live on CJIC-TV with the Odds and Ends and the Rogues RPM, October 17, 1966
Thank you Jim Witty for letting me know about this group, and special thanks to Bård Hodneland for the cool photo and memorabilia of the Amen, and Ronald T. Robinson, former DJ at Sault Ste. Marie radio CKCY, who sent in the fabulous article “Amen Cut Peter Zeus” from the Sault Daily Star which his wife had saved since high school. Thanks also to Ivan Amirault for the scan from RPM.

Amen are back clipping

The Amen cut Peter Zeus

Amen Sault Memorial Grounds ticketAmen and Guess Who ticket

Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Above, the Vandettas (Vendettas?): Bob Yukich, John Derbyshire, Keith McKie, Bob Yeomans, Alex Darou.
Bob Yukich and Bob Yeomans would join a later version of the Amen, and Keith McKie went on to Kensington Market.

(Those) Rogues

Those Rogues with Debbie Lori Kaye photo
The Rogues with Debbie Lori Kaye. Photo from the collection of Joe Spina.

(Those) Rogues Algoma 45 Wish I Could See You AgainAnother band from Sault Ste Marie are (Those) Rogues, who have a fine and rare double-sider on Algoma, “Wish I Could See You Again” / “Girl”.

Members were Bryan Primeau organ and vocals, Rick Rogers guitar, Terry Davey on saxophone, Harvey Bell on bass and Mike Jargan on drums. Terry Davey left the group sometime before they recorded their 45.

In 1963 or ’64, the group recorded a whole LP worth of songs in John Holt’s basement. John Holt had about 10 acetate copies without covers made from the tape, some of which were used for promotion. Any copies John Holt had of this were lost in a house fire, and both Bryan and Terry have lost their copies. Does anyone have this lost artifact of Soo rock n’ roll?

(Those) Rogues photo: Mike Jargan, Rick Rogers, Bryan Primeau, Harvey Bell
(Those) Rogues – left to right: Mike Jargan, Rick Rogers, Bryan Primeau, Harvey Bell
CJIC-TV Telethon notice with local Soo groups the Odds and Ends, the A Men and The Rogues.
CJIC-TV Telethon notice with local Soo groups the Odds and Ends, the A Men and The Rogues.
Those Rogues Photo
Photo as the Rogues, with Debbie Lori Kaye on vocals and Terry Davey on saxophone at right. Photo courtesy of Rose Davey.

(Those) Rogues photoIvan Amirault explained to me: “The Rogues changed their name to (Those) Rogues, because at the time Mandala used to call themselves the Five Rogues.”

The single was recorded at Arc Studios in Toronto on February 26, 1967 (I’m not positive on the year), with Marshall Shapiro engineering the session. The label lists the address as Case Road. As with the Amen’s 45 the producer is John Holt, but no songwriting credits are listed. As Bryan’s son Joel mentions in the comment below, his father was the songwriter for the group for the 45.

Those Rogues on stage photo

At this point the band was regularly playing at the Sundown Room, though I’m not sure if that was in Sault Ste Marie or elsewhere in Ontario.

Notable in the article below is when Bryan describes the feeling of playing in front of an audience: “It’s like going to an LSD party, without the LSD”!

Joe Spina, program director at Cambrian College in 1966 and 1967 sent me a number of cool photos of the Rogues, some with Debbie Lori Kaye.

Thanks to Ed Nadorozy who sent in scans of the newspaper clipping and the smaller photos, and to Ivan Amirault who interviewed the late John Holt and provided me with info on their acetate and about their name change. Thank you to Joe Spina for photos of the Rogues on stage and with Debbie Lori Kaye.

Rogues are off to Toronto to cut their first disc

 An early photo of (Those) Rogues
An early photo of the group

Terry Davey spoke to me about the early days of the group:

The Rogues started their career playing in the Moose Hall in Thessalon in the very early 60’s. The Fireflies gave us a break to fill their spot at the Peppermint Hall in the Soo as they were taking a trip. We played there and then moved across Queen Street to play at the former Knights of Columbus Hall. As I remember we were the last group to play at the Peppermint Hall. The Fireflies had just moved their equipment into the hall when it burned down.

When I was with the Rogues we made an LP with the help of John Holt. John Holt managed the entire thing. I believe it got a little air time at CKCY radio and possibly CJIC, but hey, that was the early 60’s. I had one copy and all the other band members had a copy.

When the Rogues decided to go to Toronto I decided to stick with my job at Algoma Steel. It was a good choice!

That is me on the sax in the photo. I am not that tall. I was standing on the rails of the barstools.

Some years later I also started a group called the Bishops Court Trio with Ed Shire and Jerry Pennet. We played at the Algonquin Hotel and also the Black Knight and other places.

Is Harvey Bell still alive? He was Chief of the Ojibwa tribe for some time.

My son Kevin Davey, formally of the Soo, is making a real name for himself in Canadian music. I had taught him guitar and bass many years ago and now he really makes me proud. He now lives in Vancouver, B.C.

I am currently playing sax, sometimes bass and guitar, in our church’s Prase and Worship group.

Update May 2019: Terrence J. “Terry” Davey passed away on April 5, 2019 in Florida. See comment below for more information on Terry’s life. Thank you to Rose Davey for writing to me with this information and for sending some of the photos seen here. Thanks also to Al McGrath for help with identifying some of the musicians in the photo of the Dimensions.

The Dimensions, from left: John Legacy, Terry Davey, Jerry Pennett, the next two are unidentified. Any help identifying the musicians would be appreciated
Terry Davey's group in the '70s
Terry Davey’s group in the ’70s, any help identifying the musicians would be appreciated

Inferno 5 Plus 1 Photos pt. Six


At the Mine Mill Hall in Lively

Wayne Wallace

John Bell and Dave Powers
Click on any photo above to see a larger-size version of it.

Main page for Inferno 5 Plus 1

Photos:
Part 1: At the Sudbury Arena
Part 2: Rehearsal at Les Maki’s parents house in Lively
Part 3: At the Sault Ste. Marie Boathouse
Part 4: At the Inferno Club
Part 5: Outside John Bell’s parents house; Club 23 in Cornwall