Category Archives: Indiana

The Checkmates “Do It” on Flic Records

Checkmates Flic 45 Do ItI don’t know anything about The Checkmates, who put out one 45 on Flic Records 786 in the early or mid 1960s. Tim Garbocz wrote “Do It” with vocal by Mickey Stillson. There’s no publishing info listed.

Crypt Records put “Do It” on the 2015 compilation Ho-Dad Hootenanny Too!, which I recommend buying if you like this crude, rockin’ garage sound. The instrumental flip is only a minute and a half long and has not been reissued before.

The initals MW on the label (MW 544/5) indicate Midwest Record Pressing in Chicago pressed this single. Could be they were an Illinois group.

One source shows this band connected to the Checkmates from Johnson City, Tennessee who recorded “Talk to Me” / “Cindy” on Champ Records 2009 in August 1967. That may be possible, but I doubt it – the band would have had to add an organ player and the vocalist sounds different. The Checkmates who recorded “Do It” were a pre-British Invasion group in their style. It would have been a leap for them to get to the sound on “Talk to Me”.

Checkmates Flic 45 Checkmate

The Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars, Randolph 45 I Love Her AnywayStill an obscure band, the Shooting Stars had two very good 45s in 1967 and 1968 then disappeared. Their location is sometimes given as Winchester, Indiana, a small town north of I-70, about halfway between Indianapolis and Dayton, Ohio.

Their first single is the very catchy “I Love Her Anyway”, written by Robbins and published by Bo-Ann Publishing, BMI. The flip is a blues workout, “After 3 A.M.”, credited to Huff, Perry and Sipe, those names likely members of the band. Teen Beat Mayhem dates the 45 to 1967.

It was released by Randolph Records of Winchester, which may be the reason the band is usually cited as from that town. Randolph had at least a couple other releases, notably “Cherrie – 42553” / “Come Back Baby” by the Ferris Wheel (formerly the Ecstatics) of Union City, Indiana. Members of the Ferris wheel included Danny Percolosi, Tim Skiver, Dick Gaddis, Roger Graham, Bob Lykins, and Nick McNutt. Producer on that 45 was Ed Roehling, Captain Bob Jinkins was engineer, and Jim Dempsey did A&R.

The Shooting Stars 45 on Randolph lacks all these credits, but like the Ferris Wheel, the labels read “Distributed by Sims Recordings.” Randolph also released a country gospel single by Harold Hawley.

I’m not sure I’ve heard the Shooting Stars’ second release, “I Watch the Clock”, an original by the group published by Club Miami, BMI. The flip is a version of Ritchie Valens’ “Donna”.Shooting Stars, Airtown Custom 45 I Watch the Clock

Airtown Custom Records started in Dayton, Ohio, but had moved to Richmond, Indiana by the time of the Shooting Stars 45. According to Buckeye Beat, here were about a dozen other releases on the label. The Shooting Stars may date to about 1968.

Information on Randolph label from Indiana45s.com

Amway Discography

Amway was the label of Alpo Music Productions of Sellersburg, Indiana, across the Ohio River and north of Louisville, Kentucky.

I haven’t heard the Torments or the Profiles yet, but the others are all excellent, if primitively recorded.

The Torments came from northern Kentucky. The Classics came from Paintsville, Kentucky – for more on them see the separate post. The recordings were likely made in a backroom of a radio station or very basic studio in Louisville, KY or Jeffersonville, IN, and the tapes were sent to RCA’s custom service for pressing.

This discography may be incomplete – any help with info and scans would be appreciated!

The Octives – “Love” (Bob Burton, Bruno Music BMI) / Laughing At Me” SK4M-6174/5 (second half of 1965)

The Classics – “Trisha” / “I’m Hurtin'” (Garland, Titlow,& Donahue, Playridge Music BMI) (825M-4956, T4KM-4956, first half of 1966)

The Emotions – “Every Man” (John S. Hodge, Playridge, BMI) / “I Just Do It” (825M-4957, T4KM-4957/8, first half of 1966)

The Profiles – “If You Need Me” (Golden & Bateman) / “Please Come Back” (Marion Howard and Mike Howard, Playridge, BMI) 825M-5840, T4KM-5840/1, first half of 1966, Mel-O-Dee Entertainment, Inc.)

The Torments – “Lying to Me” (Buddy Perryman – Tim Feldman, Playridge Music, BMI) / “I Love You More Each Day” (824P-3715, TK4M-3715/6)

If anyone has photos or info on any of these bands please get in contact with me at chas_kit [at] hotmail.com

Sources include www.45rpmrecords.com/KY/Amway.php

The Tradewinds

This unknown group recorded one of the strangest versions of Jessie Hill’s “Ooh Poh Pah Doo” I’ve ever heard, titled “Oop-Oop-a-Doo”. Unfortunately there is no name listed under the song writing credits for “Floatin'”, a cool instrumental with sax, piano and some sharp guitar.

Jim Gordon of USA Records started the Destination label to cover bands from the area around his Chicago base, though this group may be from Indiana.

The was a group called the Trade Winds that eventually morphed into Styx, but I think it’s likely a different group. Nor were they the Tradewinds from New York who recorded for Kama Sutra. Anyone know for sure?

Thanks to Geoff Brittingham for the scans and transfers of this 45.

The Sigma Five “Comin’ Down” / “Pop Top” on Riviera

Sigma Five Riviera 45 Comin' DownThe Riviera label was created for the Riveras, who scored with their first single, “California Sun”, released in October ’63 and hitting the national top ten in early ’64. Bill Dobslaw owned the label and also managed the Rivieras, occasionally singing with them as well.

Besides the Rivieras, the label released one 45 each by the Kastaways and the Sigma Five, one and the same group according to Otto Nuss of the Rivieras, who recalled in an interview with Kicks magazine that the original name of the group was the Sigma 5. This group was from La Porte, Indiana, a few miles west of South Bend. The Sigma Five’s keyboardist uses the electric piano instead of the organ sound that the Rivieras made popular.

“Comin’ Down” is a cool adaption of “Money”, credited to their producer Bill Dobslaw. The neat instrumental “Pop Top” was written by Banicki, who also wrote the Kastaways b-side “You Never Say”, which I haven’t heard yet.

Sanz, Incorporated on Skoop

Sanz, Incorporated
Left to right: Dave Adams (16), Larry Adams (14) (brothers), Steve Ficklin (16), Ron Hale (17) and Bob Ficklin (14). Not pictured; Steve and Bob Ficklin’s younger brother, Brent (13) who joined the group shortly after.

Sanz, Inc released two 45s on the Skoop label, “My Baby’s Eyes” / “I’m Gonna Leave You” in December of 1966 and “I Just Want You” / “I’ll Never Forget” in May of 1967.

“I’m Gonna Leave You” starts with a catchy bass and drum rhythm, then the vocals and organ combine for a haunting effect. A fast organ sequence and a howling guitar riff open “I Just Want You”, which features a busy, popping rhythm. “I’ll Never Forget” is a slow ballad, very much an early ’60s doo wop vocal style.

Members were:

Steve Ficklin, vocals
Bob Ficklin, keyboards
Brent Ficklin, vocals
Dave Adams, guitar
Larry Adams, bass guitar
Ron Hale, drums

Keyboard player Bob Ficklin wrote to me about the band and sent in the great photos you see here:

I was part of a band called Sanz, Inc. from Petersburg, Indiana. Sanz, Inc. was a popular group that performed in the tri-state area (IN, KY & IL).

We all attended the same high school (Petersburg High). The name Sanz was derived as a word play on the Sands Hotel in Vegas. The “Inc.” was added later.

We played many local street dances and teen centers in the area. Some other venues were a prom at the Sheraton Hotel in French Lick, IN; area county fairs; a political rally in Princeton, IN; Chieftain Restaurant, Lawrenceville, IL; several gigs at Lake Lawrence, also in Lawrenceville, IL; Teen Center in Morganfield, KY; among others. We usually played top 40 hits of the day and original material. Although there were a few other area groups, we were not acquainted with them and were never in competition.

“My Baby’s Eyes”/”I’m Gonna Leave You” was recorded in Santa Claus, IN, home of the first theme park in the U.S. (Santa Claus Land, now known as “Holiday World”) in 1966. Santa Claus, being about one hour away was the best opportunity for recording. “I Just Want You”/”I’ll Never Forget” was recorded on the same label in 1967.

On the way to record “I Just Want You”, we didn’t have “I’ll Never Forget” completed. So, we finished it in the car and recorded it on the flip side. All four songs were written by Bob and Steve Ficklin.

When recording “I Just Want You” and “I’ll Never Forget”, after the music and vocals (Bob and Steve Ficklin) were completed on the first track, Bob and Steve also added background vocal parts. We paid for the session times and the records that were pressed. Both projects were completed in a very short period of time (a matter of a few hours).

The records were played on several area stations in surrounding counties. “My Baby’s Eyes” received air play on WLS/Chicago. We did sell records at performances, at school and at a local retailer.

As older members of the band graduated the band dissolved. Larry Adams played bass with another area group for a time. Steve Ficklin sang with various gospel groups through the years and continues today. While in the Air Force, I sang with a couple of bands. In recent years I have sung with a local group and continue singing with a duet partner. Thanks for keeping the memories alive; it was a great era.

Bob Ficklin

Thank you to Bob Ficklin for sharing his photos and history of Sanz, Inc.

Dave Adams (left, playing guitar), brother Larry Adams (center, playing bass guitar), Ron Hale on drums
Left-right: Steve Ficklin and Bob Ficklin
Left-right: Dave Adams, Larry Adams, Ron Hale
Ron Hale (drummer in background), Brent Ficklin singing, Bob Ficklin playing keyboard
Left-right: Dave Adams and Larry Adams
Steve Ficklin

The Fewdle Lords

The Fewdle Lords at Swinney Park, Ft. Wayne, 1968, just back with new threads.
From left: George Christie, Dennis Geiger, John Gall, George Danusis

The Fewdle Lords were an accomplished band from Fort Wayne, Indiana. On their only record, the band lays down two excellent originals with confidence, great vocals and energetic playing.

The languid “Farewell to Today and Tomorrow” was given the A-side, while the flip is the uptempo and catchy “I Know.” The sound is certainly right for 1968, certainly a lot of English influence here, maybe a bit of Bee Gees on “Farewell.” There’s even a return fade at the end of that song.

All the instrumentalists stand out: the drummer rolling through the chorus on “I Know”, the organ alternating between sustained notes and percussive chords, tasteful rhythm guitar, and the bass player strumming the strings on one song and running scales on the other.

The mastering code indicates that this is a RCA custom press from 1968 (the 1965 date on the label refers to the copyright for the Tiara label and does not have anything to do with the release date of the Fewdle Lords). The ‘I’ in the deadwax indicates it was pressed at RCA’s Indianapolis plant.

The record was released twice on Tiara 900, first on a blue label in April, 1968, and on a red label shortly after when the first pressing sold out.

The Fewdle Lords photo
First lineup of the Fewdle Lords, from left: George Christie, Denny Geiger, George Danusis and Rich Jackson

Members of the band were:

George Christie – lead guitar & vocals
George Danusis – organ & vocals
Rich Jackson – bass & vocals, replaced by John Gall
Denny Geiger – drums & vocals

The Fewdle Lords Business Card

Bass player Rich Jackson sent in some of the photos and news clippings seen here. He wrote to me:

I was the bass player back in ’67-’68. Prior to this band, we were called the “Exiles” (Mike Kruse, Don LaFever, Rich Jackson, and George Danusis) and broke up to form the Fewdle Lords with a couple different members.

The Fewdle Lords, Franke Park ClippingWe were from Fort Wayne, Indiana and were fairly popular around our area. For personal reasons I was forced to leave the band just before the record “I Know” and “Farewell to Today and Tomorrow” was cut.

I never played in a group again after that, but I went from the bass guitar to a six string guitar, which I still play. Also I’ve always wanted to play the piano so I bought one about 3 years ago and am doing fairly well with that.

We had a great time and they are all still in my heart.

Rich Jackson

Fewdle Lords Franke Park Battle of the Bands, July 28, 1967
Fewdle Lords winners of the Franke Park Battle of the Bands, July 28, 1967
At the Scottish Rite Auditorium, Ft. Wayne, prior to opening for Jay and the Americans.
Clockwise from bottom left: George Christie, George Danusi, Dennis Geiger and John Gall

John Gall replaced Rich Jackson on bass and sang lead on the record. John Gall wrote to me in 2021:

I was the bass player, a songwriter and one of the lead vocalists for the Fewdle Lords from late 1967 to late 1969, the period during which the four-person band released a surprisingly popular single in northern Indiana that rose to #4 on local charts.

Each of the members had been a lead singer in other bands, so the Fewdle Lords focused on vocals and tight harmonies to complement a solid, straight-ahead dance beat. Ironically, the record — a relaxed-tempo song with baroque-style vocals — was actually a departure from the usual style of live sets the band played.

John Gall of the Fewdle Lords

I was recruited in November of 1967. By early ’68 the band had attracted the interest of our future producer at Tiara Records (based in Hollywood, Florida) and, on March 16, 1968, we went to RCA Studios in Chicago to cut the single. The A-side — “Farewell to Today and Tomorrow” — was a song I had written earlier; the B-side (“I Know”) I finished shortly after joining the band. Our hope was to be more than a cover band, so we were excited about having an original song down on tape.

The chance to be signed up with Tiara Records to record in 1968 came about in an almost random way. A childhood buddy of mine, who lived just down the street, had a father who was a private commercial pilot for an industrialist, as well as being an accomplished singer himself. Because he performed, the father had some connections to the music publishing business and, further, he piloted in Florida as well as the Midwest. My friend told his father about the band and, on one of the rare days his father was in Indiana and not flying, the father came to rehearsal, liked the songs (at least enough to take a chance) and said, “Let’s make a record”. His father acted as producer at the session and the single was issued by a small independent label in Hollywood, Florida (Tiara), owned by one of his colleagues in the industry.

A local radio personality in Fort Wayne, Indiana was impressed with the energy of our live sets so, when the record was released in early summer of ’68, he pushed for airplay. It happened, to our great delight, but the response was more than we had expected. Things moved exceedingly fast, bigger crowds were coming to the venues we were playing, the record went to a second pressing and, by July of ’68, the Fewdle Lords were opening for some of the iconic pop groups of the sixties (Herman’s Hermits, The Buckinghams, Jay and the Americans) as those groups toured their way through the midwest.

Fewdle Lords WANE-TV adBy then, the Fewdle Lords usually took the stage resplendent in costumes, commissioned from a Canadian opera supply firm, that matched the specious medieval nature of their name. Somewhere in this swirl, before the end of summer, we were tapped for a local “back-to-school” TV special (really an early half-hour pre-teen infomercial, a low-budget, sorta-like-the-Monkees-but-not-nearly-so-nice show) that was probably painful to watch but great fun to make. George Danusis, the thin but plucky organist, was pulled behind a British taxi in a baby carriage on a rope, but then rolled into a lake when the taxi turned! The outdoor scenes, involving primarily a lake and a beach in Kendallville, Indiana, were shot on film. The remaining parts, a fashion show and the band lip-synching to the record, were done in the WANE-TV studio in Ft. Wayne and were tracked on early videotape. Then, along with the commercials (all about back-to-school shopping at the sponsor’s store, of course) the parts were compiled onto videotape for broadcast. Alas, the TV show does not survive.

While all that was going on, we embarked — with much greater seriousness — on a constant, night-after-night schedule of shows in clubs and resorts, criss-crossing the midwest in our very own Greyhound bus. The pace slackened some, but continued into 1969 and, in July of that year, we were back in the studio with improved musical skills, recording what was intended to be a pair of new singles. However, I was booted from the band in late 1969 and, shortly thereafter, George Christie, our outstanding lead guitarist, was killed in a driving accident, putting an end to the Fewdle Lords. The new songs we had recorded were never released.

I have no idea where the original tape from the Cleveland recording session in 1969 is today. My dim recollection is that it was multi-tracked and mixed on two-inch magnetic tape (basically, videotape). I do have a small reel of quarter-inch magnetic tape with copies of the songs, but the tape has not been played in years.

I don’t remember everything about those days — it happened fast and details, of course, fade with time. But I still remember vividly how much fun it was, just absolute, unbridled fun. At the same time, however, if you look closely at the faces in the pictures, beneath the smiles I think you can glimpse four young kids who, despite tender years, were absolutely committed and deadly earnest in the pursuit of being really accomplished musicians — the best we could be, even if just a garage band from Indiana. It was a privilege to sing and play with musicians as talented as my other bandmates in the Fewdle Lords. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat!

After the Fewdle Lords, I spent several years working in broadcasting, both on-air and also behind the glass as an engineer and producer. After moving to Maine, I picked up some classical training for voice, then became very involved in choral music. I’ve been privileged to sing in Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, as well as in Bath Abbey and other cathedrals in England.

— John Gall, Rockland, Maine 2021

The Fewdle Lords Tiara 45 I KnowRed

2nd pressing on red label

A notice in the Waterloo Press from February 15, 1968 mentions the Fewdle Lords playing a homecoming at DeKalb High with another Fort Wayne group, the Children.

The Rushville Republican from February 12, 1970 reported the death of George Christie from injuries suffered a traffic accident in Toledo four days previous.

Dan Karns replaced John Gall on bass around 1970, during the final months of the band. The band continued after Christie’s death, with John Escosa on guitar. The band went through other changes and ended up as Airfield Wright. Other members from that time include Jerry Reff and Rick Armstrong.

Denny Geiger continued in music, usually as a vocalist, notably with Mark Urgent Labov & Beyond.

Tiara Records & Mana Productions

Old sources listing the Fewdle Lords as a Florida band are mistaken. The confusion came because the same Tiara label had releases from Florida bands, including the Belles (“Melvin”) and the Vandals (“I Saw Her in a Mustang”).

Fewdle Lords ad for show at the Hullabaloo Club
Ad for show at the Hullabaloo Club

Deborah Teaver Moore of the Belles wrote in a comment below, “Mana Productions, Ft Wayne was the parent company of Tiara Records based in Miami. The 1966 label for The Belles “Melvin”/”Come Back” was a different color and design from the one featured for The Fewdle Lords – but you probably knew that already.:-) The woman representing Tiara in Miami was named Ruth Sadler.”

Jeff Lemlich commented: “It looks like Mana moved around. The Billboard Record Talent directory, dated December 24, 1966, lists Mana’s address as 2632 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Fla 33020. Then it’s tied to Indiana, and on Tiara CW100, by Ray Yeager, it has a Baton Rouge address! Yeager (who’s Bunny Yeager’s brother) died recently. He seemed to have close connections to the label.”

Thank you to Rich Jackson and John Gall for sharing their clippings, photos and recollections. Thank you to Janice for information on the later members of the band. Thanks to Deborah Moore, Jeff Lemlich and Mike Markesich for info on the Tiara label.

The Exiles of Fort Wayne, Indiana photo
The Exiles, before the Fewdle Lords. From left: Mike Kruse, Don LaFever, Rich Jackson, and George Danusis

Fewdle Lords Article and Photo

The Chosen Few

Hadji in front, Jack on bass, Rich on guitar
Hadji in front, Jack on bass, Rich on guitar
Carl Storie and Hadji
Carl Storie and Hadji
Steve "Hadji" Baba
Steve “Hadji” Baba
Carl Storie and Rich Burman
Carl Storie and Rich Burman

There were many bands named the Chosen Few but this one was from Muncie, Indiana. Some of them were students at Ball State, and were originally known as the Invincibles.

According to comments people have left below, original members of the group were:

Jack Hamilton – bass
Rich Burmann – guitar
Steve Baba (also known as Hodgie or Hadji Baba) – vocals
Steve Nephew – drums

John Cascella joined on keyboards in 1966, and the band changed their name to the Chosen Few in early ’67. Baba was their original lead singer, but Steve Nephew and Jack Hamilton also took turns on vocals. Carl Storie joined in late summer or fall of ’67, giving the band two lead vocalists and a boost to their stage presence. This combination was together for almost a year. At times Jack switched to piano or harpsichord while Hadji played bass.

Chosen Few Denim 45 It Just Don't Rhyme“It Just Don’t Rhyme”, released in May of ’67 is the first of four 45s they released on the Denim label, and the most rockin’. The guitarist’s snappy rhythm on the intro provides the hook as the singer tells the girl to get her head out of the clouds. Jack Hamilton handled the lead vocals on this song. The band liked it enough to record it a second time with fuller vocal tracks and heavier organ as the a-side of their third single, this time backed with a cover of “Lucille”.

“Don’t Say It” has a different kind of sound, rooted in 50’s r&b, featuring good horn arrangements and a nice bass line. “Don’t Say It” was written by Jack Hamilton, “It Just Don’t Rhyme” had music by Hamilton and words by Steve Nephew.

Chosen Few Denim 45 We Walk TogetherTheir second 45 has the folk-rock sounds of “We Walk Together” (a Jack Hamilton composition) backed with the solid pop number “Foolin’ Around with Me” (co-written by Hamilton and Nephew). Production was by Bill Michael.

Sometime around late 1967 or 1968, Rich Burman and Steve Nephew left the band, and Dave Bennett (guitar) and Dave Barnes (drums) took their place. Hadji Baba left and joined the Ritual as their vocalist. The band’s later work is more pop based, as evidenced by their fourth and last Denim 45, “Pink Clouds and Lemonade”, backed by a cover of the Supremes hit, “Stop! In the Name of Love”.

Chosen Few Denim 45 Foolin' Around With MeAfter leaving Denim, The Chosen Few released a 45 on the Talun label “Maybe the Rain Will Fall” / “Deeper In” which was picked up by RCA. The band signed to RCA for an album deal in 1969. Their self-titled LP continues the pop sound of their later 45s, adding horns to the mix, though some of the band was disappointed in how it turned out.

The Chosen Few evolved into the Faith Band, who released five LPs in the 70’s. By this time Jack Hamilton had left and was replaced on bass by Mark Cawley, leaving John Cascella as the only member who had been with the original Chosen Few in ’67. John Cascella went on to join John Mellencamp’s group until he passed away in 1992. Carl Storie is still active in music with his own group.

Thanks to Ann Likes and Gary for sending in the great photos of the group.

“Don’t Say It” written by Steve Nephew b/w “Melissa” by Jack Hamilton
The original entry I wrote has been corrected thanks to information from Jack and Cindy Hamilton and from comments below. Thanks to Jean-Pierre Coumans for the scans of “We Walk Together” and “Foolin’ Around with Me”. The Denim label also released the Jades “Come Back” / “Change My Ways”.

Updates: I am very sorry to report that Jack Hamilton passed away on September 26, 2021, after a brief illness. His obituary is online at Legacy.

Timothy Cox of 60’s Indiana Band Szene sent me this label scan of an early single from the Limit on Denim Records DS-1076, that predates the Chosen Few 45s. Did the group play live as The Limit, and are there any photos of this lineup?

Jack Hamilton (with polka dots), Rich Burman on guitar, John Cascella's legs and boots
Jack Hamilton (with polka dots), Rich Burman on guitar, John Cascella’s legs and boots
from left: Hadji, Jack, Rich and John
from left: Hadji, Jack, Rich and John
Rich Burman on guitar and Steve Nephew on drums
Rich Burman on guitar and Steve Nephew on drums
from left: Steve, Rich, John
from left: Steve, Rich, John
Carl singing, Steve Nephew on drums
Carl singing, Steve Nephew on drums
Carl and Steve
Carl and Steve
Rich Burman
Rich Burman
Steve, drummer of the Chosen Few
Steve
Carl, Rich and John
Carl, Rich and John
from left: Steve Nephew on drums, Rich Burman guitar, Hadji
from left: Steve Nephew on drums, Rich Burman guitar, Hadji
Steve 'Hadji' Baba (aka Captain Schoolbus)
Steve ‘Hadji’ Baba (aka Captain Schoolbus)
1969 promo photos (thanks to J. for this scan and the LP cover below)
1969 promo photos (thanks to J. for this scan and the LP cover below)

The Villains (aka The Villians on Bullet)


left to right Steve Hacker (bass), Larry Mattingly (rhythm guitar, vocals), Alan Hoover (lead guitar, backup vocals), Roger Walker (drums, vocals), Bob Ledbetter (lead vocalist)
 

The Villains first 45, “Don’t Ever Leave Me” is a classic, featuring some of the most savage screams in garage music.

The Villains were long thought to be from Tennessee because their records were on the Bullet label from Nashville, but after hearing from lead guitarist and co-founder Alan Hoover, I can confirm they were from Evansville, Indiana, just 150 miles north of Nashville. Their records were produced by Leon Beaver (a country singer himself) and Jack Bulleit (the son of Jim Bulleit).

Here’s their story as told to me by Alan:

Actually, we spelled Villains correctly (after looking it up!), but many people put the a/i in the wrong order, including the guys at Bullet Records. Jim Bulleit (“pronounced Bullet”) of Nashville was the producer/owner of Bullet. He attempted to revive the label with our record, but I don’t know if he ever did get it going.

Anyway, the folk classic “Shortenin’ Bread” was the “A” side of our first record, not “Don’t Ever Leave Me”. Shortenin’ Bread acheived number one in Evansville, IN, for a good run, and also other towns in the area. We had to play it 2 or 3 times a gig or they wouldn’t let us leave. Really! Don’t Ever Leave Me was also locally popular, but much less so than Shortenin’ Bread. Also, Shortenin’ Bread was a 4-star pick hit in Cashbox Magazine, and (we were told by Bulleit) “broke” in the Tallahassee, Florida market and some other markets. I have also been told by several people over the years that the Bullwinkle cartoon show featured it in an episode, but I have never personally verified that. We actually heard it on an Astronauts (Boulder CO) record as a rock song in ’63, and thought we could improve on it.

Here is some history of the band:

Bob Ledbetter (Led) and I started the Villains in our hometown of Evansville, Indiana, in summer of 1963 (after we graduated from high school), with Roger Walker, a local drummer (we had no bass yet). I was lead guitar, taught Led some rhythm. Led was also our lead singer. We started playing beer parties, dances, etc. I went to college that fall, and Bob met Larry Mattingly (Midget), a local E’ville guitar player who sang good backup. They continued the band during the ’63/’64 school year, adding Bob’s girlfriend Julia Hadad for backup harmony and sex appeal. Still no bass guitar. Then, I quit college, came back in the summer of ’64.

We practiced all day all summer and fall in Bob’s basement, improving our chops. In the fall of ’64, we picked up Steve Hacker, a local bass player. We played loud, solid rock, and crowds were attracted to the atmosphere that we created. Our reputation kept increasing, and we became the top local band. We had lots of fans/friends around the area. We were known for inciting rowdy behavior with our music, particularly if beer was running freely. The “Villains” name fit, although we chose it largly because we were from “the ‘ville”. We were definitely one of the party bands of all time, I’m not exaggerating either. Larry and Led had a natural comedic talent, which added to the showy aspects of the band. (They formed a “Led and Larry” duo for about 10 years after the Villains broke up, also known for inciting rowdiness.)

In ’65, we got a new drummer, Pat Ziemer, from another local band (The Aragons). Also, we picked up Bruce Blythe, a local keyboard player, from the same band. Bruce and my brother Mike Hoover (now a doctor in Evansville) wrote “Don’t Ever Leave Me”. We actually recorded Shortnin’ Bread/Don’t Ever Leave me in late summer of ’65 in Nashville, after Jim Bulleit saw us and liked what we were doing. He personally auditioned us in Evansville, and had us to his house for a cookout immediately after we recorded Shortenin’ Bread etc. He mentioned that he was reviving the label after being out of the business for some years.

It quickly became #1 in E’ville. A local DJ started managing our bookings, and we were playing all over the southern Indiana/Illinois, northern Kentucky area, with Shortenin’ Bread boosting our visibility in the area. We also regularly played fraternity parties in Evansville, IU (Bloomington IN) and Vanderbilt (Nashville), as well as numerous Louisville and Indinapolis gigs. Fraternities always asked us back, for obvious reasons.

Bruce Blythe had other ambitions, and left later in ’65. We picked up Danny Brown, another local keyboard player, to replace Bruce. In ’66, we recorded a Gary Bugg song called “Love is the Treasure”, our second record, and we put “Midnight Hour” on there too (actually the “A” side). Danny and Garry Bugg both came from another Evansville band, The Circles. We recorded that in the basement of a funeral home in Evansville!


The Passions (l-r): Althea Mitchell, Sandy King, Cynthia Bennet

In 1967, a local Supremes tribute group called “The Passions” joined us, as we started playing more and more soul. They were Cynthia Bennett (lead singer), Althea Mitchell, and Sandy King. These girls danced, sang, looked great in short dresses, and the crowds loved them. They liked our white soul, and sat in on a couple gigs. They were sweethearts. Everybody liked them, so we made them part of the band. About that time, we joined Triangle Talent of Louisville, KY, who put us into many venues that we didn’t previously have access to.We pretty much split up in ’67 or ’68, with Larry and me quitting. Led, Dan, a new drummer (Tommy Thompson), and Steve Hacker teamed up with super guitar player Denny Browder (who is said to have refused a membership with Chicago because of fear of flying), along with Cynthia of the Passions and formed a touring band. They might have called themselves The Villains, but no one can recall.

In 1984, we decided to do a 20-year reunion in Evansville, with Led, me, Larry, Pat, Danny, and Steve (our serious party lineup). It went over big, with all the original members showing up to jam. We continued this every year until 1997 with good crowds. The rowdiness would always recur, even though many of the audience were entirely too old to be behaving in such a manner. But, they couldn’t help themselves! Then, Led had a stroke Christmas Eve of 1997 at the young age of 52. The stroke damaged Led’s speech, and he can no longer sing. So, that sadly ended the Villains. He can still make me fall over laughing though, he is such a natural comic.

Everybody went on to have families, etc., some in professional fields. I became an engineer, designed, patented, and now make and sell a guitar invention called the Sustainiac, that produces infinite sustain for guitar. (Sustainiac.com) Larry Mattingly and Pat Ziemer are in sales, Danny Brown a counselor, Roger Walker a hairdresser, Steve Hacker still playing bass I think, Bruce is doing well as a nationally recognized consultant with business on dealing with catastrophic events. Cynthia Bennet became a nurse, but I don’t know about Althea Mitchell or Sandy King. I hope I got all the facts right.

Thank you Alan for your input and the great photos.


“Photo taken at the Surf Club (a regular Friday gig for us for a couple of years): Danny Brown (right, keyboards) and Pat Ziemer (our main drummer for most of our run) are shown in this picture.
We would pack the place with 400-500 people, and it got loud and rowdy without fail. Most of our old fans recall the Surf Club as some of the most fun of their youth years. By the way, Pat would usually stand on his drums during Shortnin’ Bread, and never fell off that I can remember!” – Alan Hoover

The Omens “Searching” on Cody

The Omens, Searching on CodyThe Omens are famous for one of the hottest garage 45s of all time, “Searching,” which was recorded on the Cody label in July 1966 backed with the fine “Girl Get Away”.

I’ll never forget the insistent fuzz riff and opening lines “Searching… searching for love. I’ve been searching… searching for love” blasting from the old Highs in the Mid 60’s Chicago comp. After just 40 seconds the band has pounded through the opening and the first verse. Frantic screams and it’s right to a tight bubbling organ solo. Then the second verse, even wilder screams and a searing, un-overdubbed guitar solo. If you were looking for an archetypical garage song, you would have a hard time coming up with a better one than “Searching”.

Though long presumed to be a Chicago band, as I heard from one of the Omens’ organ players, Duane O’Donnell, the band more properly came from Hammond, Indiana. As it turns out, Duane played on a now-lost demo recording of “Searchin'”. In June of ’66 he was replaced by Al Patka who plays on the single released on the Cody label.

The lineup on the record was:

Don Revercomb – lead vocal
Gene Cooper – lead guitar
Larry Allen – bass
Al Patka – organ
Tim Jones – drums

Carol Buehler – lead vocals on “September” / “As Tears Go By” by Carol and the Omens

Earlier members of the Omens included Duane O’Donnell and Dan Royal. Later members included Buddy Phillips, Bob McDonald, and Jamie Pascarella.

The Omens’ story in Duane’s own words follows:

The Omens were based in Hammond, Indiana – which borders the South side of Chicago. Tim, the drummer, was from Merriville and Larry, the bass player, was from Gary.

Don Revercomb – main vocal and guitar – age 16 (at time of recording)
Gene Cooper – lead guitar – age 18
Larry Allen – bass guitar – age 19
Tim Jones – drums – age 19
Duane O’Donnell – organ – age 15

I was with the Omens during 1965 and 1966, and had to leave when I contracted mono. In retrospect, it was a great experience. Don’s father was totally set on making his son a rock star, and gave 101% of his time and probably money to make it happen. He had all of us join the American Federation of Musicians (Local 203) to make it legit. I really don’t know if we ever made any money, as Don paid me $15 a gig, and the rest went to the band fund (times haven’t changed).

We recorded ‘Searching’ in the living room of a second floor apartment in East Chicago where some guy had an Ampex reel to reel. That recording is mono, one track, one take, no overdubs. Don played a Fender Mustang into an Ampeg Rocket amp. Gene had a Fender Jazzmaster with a Gibson Maestro Fuzztone into a Fender amp. Larry used an Ampeg bass amp, the kind that stored the head upside down into the speaker cabinet. At the gigs I played a Wurlitzer electric piano into a Kalamazoo amp with two 10″s.

The guy at the ‘studio’ told me to play his Farfisa because the Wurlie was too noisy. It was like going from a Yugo to a Mercedes, since I had paid $100 for my beat up piano, and a Farfisa in 1965 was about $900. My ‘style’ back then was mainly gleaned from listening to an album by the Ventures that had some organ solos.

We performed in Chicago, Blue Island, Calumet City, Hammond, Gary, Portage, Glen Park and Cedar Lake. Since some of us were still in high school, we mainly played on the weekends, and practiced during the week at the Musicians Hall, because it had a stage. Venues were places like American Legions, VFW, Shindig and Hullabaloo teen clubs, and high school sock hops. After the record came out, all of our money went to local DJ Ron Borden, who played Searching nightly on WLTH radio and Gary, promoted our gigs, and appeared at them. One of my most memorable gigs was at the Purple Poodle Teen Club in Hobart, Indiana. We opened for the Troggs and Don made us wear long hair Beatle wigs (I’m chuckling as I write this), announcing to the audience that we were from England! I didn’t lke the wig at all, as it was too hot and really itchy. But old man Revercomb was a real promoter.

Carol, young Don’s lady friend, was 14 or 15, and usually sang a Marianne Faithfull song at our gigs. ‘As Tears Go By’ is the other B side. I missed getting a copy of that last year by a few days. I gave my only remaining copy of the 45 to Al Parka for his 40th birthday in about 1988. He was the original organist with the Omens and played a Lowrey portable. After I got sick, Al rejoined the group, but it broke up shortly thereafter. Tim worked swing shifts at the steel mill and had to make the choice of not calling off anymore or being fired. Gene’s girlfriend got pregnant and he had to get a fulltime job. Then Carol got pregnant and that was the last I heard (in 1968)!

In any case I was lucky to be part of the Omens for a short time. Larry Allen was an accomplished guitar, keyboard, bass and harmonica player and expanded my musical horizons. Being associated with a rock and roll band with a song on the radio had profound influence on the high school girls, putting me on a par with the sport jocks! And it made it possible to dump the Wurlitzer and buy an Imperial Capri (Korg Panther) organ.

Since hearing from Duane, I have not been able to find any photos of the group or business cards for the band. If anyone has a photo of the group, please get contact me!

A second 45 had a more limited promo release featuring a cover of “As Tears Go By” with an original, “September”. “Searchin'” was written by Larry Allen and Donald Revercomb. “Girl Get Away” is credited to Donald Kenneth Revercomb and Carmen Provenzano, as is “September”.

Gene Cooper wrote to me:

I played in two bands before I started the Omens. I loved playing in the Omens. We had a pretty tight group and all the guys were great. One thing I must say though, the organ player in the group was my best friend by the name of Al Patka, and he is the one who played on the record. We did cut one other 45 at the studio at the same time with the wife of the lead singer singing the songs. One we wrote by the name of “September” and a Mick Jagger tune “As Tears Go By”. Where to find a copy of that one? We had pictures of the band, but I never really had one myself.

Gene added in a comment, below:

Duane O’Donnell was never an official member of this group. I went to Al Patka’s house, my best friend, and asked him if he wanted to be in a band I wanted to get going. He agreed and he was the only organ player in the band until we broke up. He was the organ player on all the 45′s we did in Chicago. Al passed away in August, 2008

Tom Cleary wrote:

We recorded the Omens in Ron Henningsen’s basement, yes, on an reel to reel Ampex. The professional recording was done however at “Onederful Records near 18th Street and Michigan Avenue. Onederful’s claim to fame was they had done “Shake a Tail Feather” by the Five Dutones. My friends, Fred and Ron handled the studio recording. They handed me the tapes of the session, to see what I could do with them.

Later, Duane cleared up this confusion:

I only kept the record as a memento of my time as the organ player for the Omens, from July 1965 to June 1966. While I performed on the demo tape that got the band the contract for the 45, I became ill, had to leave the group, and did not perform on the July 1966 recording.

Organist Al Patka passed on in 2008, and singer Don Revercomb passed in 1994.

Later photo of the Omens, after the records: unidentified at top left, Jamie Pascarella with snare drum, and Bob McDonald holding the bass guitar. Bottom row is Buddy Phillips at left, and Don Revercomb in white shirt at right.

Jamie Pascarella wrote to me and sent in the photo at top:

I did not record with the Omens. I joined the band because they needed a bass player and drummer. I was told the drummer and the guitar players got drafted by the army? My buddy is a bass player, asked me if I wanted to join a band with a top 10 single hit. I auditioned and I was in the band.

Duane O’Donnell added: “The Omens had several Ampeg amps when I was with them. The big Kustom amps came to Chicago area around 1967.”

Carol wrote to me in 2021:

I wish I knew whatever happened to the group pictures we had taken by a professional photographer. The guys all had black corduroy pullover shirts with satin sleeves & collar; each had a different color (light blue, yellow, green, etc). Don’s had white satin sleeves & collar & my (mini) dress was the same with white satin as well.

Thanks to Tom Cleary for scans and transfers of Carol’s 45. Thank you to Duane and Carol for their updates in 2021.