Category Archives: San Jose

Pat ‘n’ Al – “I’m Still in Love” / “Meant to Love” on Pleasure Records

Pat 'n Al Pleasure 45 Meant to LovePat ‘n’ Al were Pat Bowers and Al Hittle, with Steve Marley on drums and Jim Gonzales on guitar. Al Hittie and Pat Bowers wrote both songs on their single, “I’m Still in Love” / “Meant to Love” released on Pleasure Records 45-1050, with Sunnyvale, Calif on the label.

Bowers Music published the songs, with copyright registered by Patrick D. Bowers and Alvin R. Hittle on October 4, 1965.

There is some incorrect information on the internet that this is a stereo record from 1968. It is a mono record, and the date was probably late 1965 to match the publishing.

The Las Gatos Times-Saratoga Observer on March 5, 1965:

Young performers from area high schools will have their turn to appear in the Villa Montalvo Carriage House Theatre March 12 and 13. The cultural center’s drama committee will present “A Folk Festival”, featuring local folk singers and instrumentalists … Pat Bowers and Al Hittle, Buchser High School, will sing many of their own songs.

Steve Marley commented on youtube:

This was recorded in 1965 at Pacific Recorders in San Francisco. The instrumentals were put down live and just the vocals were overdubbed. Pat Bowers, Jim Gonzales and Steve Marley (me) attended Santa Clara High School together. Pat, Al and Jim were seniors, while I was a kid freshman. Pat n’ Al played regularly at Ricardo’s Pizza in Willow Glen in the summer of 1966.

After Pat n’ Al, I joined a couple of other bands, before landing the Teddy and his Patches gig in 1967 – the year we recorded “Suzy Creamcheese” at Tiki Studios in San Jose.

One note though – Pacific Recording Studios in San Mateo did not open until 1968. The runout code CR-2711/2-RE suggests the group went to Coast Recorders at 960 Bush St. That code could also mean the single was recorded elsewhere but mastered at Coast.

Commercial Recorders at 149 Natoma St. is another possibility. Engineer Dan Healy recorded his friends’ bands after hours by invitation. During the day the studio was busy producing radio ads, but did record and master some garage singles like the Ethix “Bad Trip” / “Skins” on Mary Jane.

In November 1965, Patrick David Bowers and Alvin Robert Hittle registered three additional songs, “Why, Oh Why?”, “Yes I Do” and “You Say”. Alec Palao tells me there is another, folkier, Pat ‘n’ Al single, which I have not seen yet.

After leaving Teddy and His Patches, Steve Marley and David Conway would record another single as The Change: “The Time Traveler” / “Things Aren’t What They Seem to Be” on Chance 670.

I am not sure if Pat Bowers, Al Hittle or Jim Gonzales continued in music.

Thank you to Alec Palao for help with this post.

The Front Office “Wow” on Mijji

Front Office Mijji 45 WowThe Front Office single on Mijji seems to be a combination of two different recording groups. The A-side “Girl” is polished, Motown-type soul, written by Steve Cook and arranged by Val Garay (who would go on to engineer and produce many high-profile acts in the 1970s and ’80s) and Mark Holly.

The instrumental flip side is something else altogether. “Wow” is first-rate psychedelia done by a band who knows what they’re doing and don’t hold back. The song writing credit goes to Gilbert Day, who is also credited as producer with G. Zacharisen (possibly George Zacharisen). Satori Music, BMI published both songs, released on Mijji M3007 in 1968.

Beyond those names, the identity of the musicians on “Wow” is a mystery. This was the last release on Mijji, which had a handful of other singles. Sound 70 had two singles on Mijji:

Mijji M-3002 – Sound 70 – “There Is No Reason” / “Seven Day Fool”
Mijji M-3004 – Sound 70 – “One Too Many Mournings” / “Chicago Blues”

Day-Gardner-Brown produced both singles, and other than song writing and publishing credits for the cover songs, “Seven Day Fool” and “One Too Many Mournings” (sic), there are no other names on the labels. Sound 70 played live around San Mateo, Belmont and San Carlos, California, adjacent towns on the peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose. Sound 70 seems to have come out of the Bundles, whose songs “Mark My Words” and “Watch Me Girl” went unreleased at the time but now appear on the Big Beat CD Dance With Me: The Autumn Teen Sound.

Judging by “There Is No Reason” and the heavy drums on “One Too Many Mournings”, Sound 70 had the ability to cut a track like “Wow”, but that’s only speculation.

The only other single on Mijji that I can find is by the Venus Flytrap:

Mijji M-3005 – Venus Flytrap – “The Note” / “Have You Ever” (both by Donald Danielli – Daniel Sanchez, prod. by Gilbert Day, published by Guard Music, BMI)

The original release came on Jaguar Records J-103, owned by Barry Wineroth. It was a hit in the Santa Barbara area, but the Redwood City band also had a following in the South Bay, which may be why Mijji repressed it.

If anyone has more info or photos on the bands, please contact me.

Front Office Mijji 45 Girl

The 4th Street Exit

I don’t own this 45 by the 4th Street Exit, but I like their song “Strange One” so much I have to cover it.

After the crashing opening chords, the organ carries the melody while the guitar switches to a dry sound repeating licks and bending notes like crazy. No faulting the rhythm section either, with the fluid bass runs and great drum breaks.

The song was written by M. Fichera and published by Janell Music, a subsidiary of Tiki Recording Service in San Jose, California, released in May of ’67. I believe the studio is still in existence, run by one of the original owners, Gradie O’Neal. I don’t know anything about the group and I haven’t even heard the flip yet, “A Love Like This”.

Rowena also released the Rock Shop’s great “State of Your Mind” / “Is That Your Halo”, produced by Norm Flint.

Scan from Brent’s old auction of the 45.