Category Archives: University Park

The Imposters

Writing about Danny and the Counts has brought in a lot of information about the Coronado and Frogdeathlabels, so I’ll feature some more artists from these companies, starting with the Imposters.

The A-side is “Wipe In”, their take on the surf standard “Wipe Out” of course, with plenty of reverb and a deranged introduction. It was written by E. Teleheny, published by Conte Music. The flip is a standard blues, “Tulsa”, written by L. Miller.

I can’t find any info or photos of the band, if anyone has one, please let me know.

Although a DJ in El Paso, Steve Crosno’s Frogdeath label was based in University Park, New Mexico. At least some records were cut at his house. He usually put a witty quip on the label, this one has “Produced by Shteve [sic] Crosno”.

Thanks to Sam Stephenson for the scans and transfers of this 45.

Frogdeath Discography – Steve Crosno

Any help with this discography would be appreciated.

Frogdeath (sometimes listed as Frog Death) was run by Steve Crosno, a DJ on El Paso’s Top 40 radio, KELP. He also had a TV dance show Crosno’s Hop on the local Channel 7 that ran from summer of 1961 into 1970. He obviously had a sense of humor, from the logo to the messages on the labels like “Do Not Write in This Space”, or “for best results use riaa curve (whatever that means)”. Crosno passed away in September 2006.

Early releases like the Imposters have a University Park address, by Las Cruces, New Mexico, the same location as the Goldust label.

Froth 1 – The Imposters – “Wipe In” / “Tulsa”
Froth 2 – Cain & Able – “Creí” / “La Bamba” (arranged by Rick Young) / A Moment of Soft Headedness
Froth 2 – Four Frogs* – “Think I’m Losing You” / “Mr. Big” (both by Colin Flannigan) (some copies with picture sleeve)
Froth 4 – Danny & the Counts – “It’s All All Over” / “For Your Love”

Froth 66/1 – The Night-Dreamers – “Mr. Pitiful” (vocal Sunny Powell) / “I Can’t Help It (I Just Do)” (James Brown)
Froth 66/2 – El Paso Premiers** – “This Is the Beginning” (Bobby Rosales) / “Let Me Call You Darling” (vocal by James Patterson)
Froth 66/3 – Mike Reynolds and the Infants of Soul – “When Will I Find Her” / “It’s Judy” (both written by Mike Rosen)
Froth 66-4 – The Astros – “Amarga Navidad” (Jose Alfredo Jimenez) / “I Love You Dear” (Hector Luna)

Froth 67-1 – The Night-Dreamers – “I Take What I Want” (featuring “the amazing ‘Sonny & Sam'” / “Wisdom of a Fool” (vocals by Al ‘Mr. Tears’ Sanchez)

There are two releases labeled Froth 2, but I haven’t found a Froth 3 yet.

* According to Doug Neal, the Four Frogs were Bert Peters, Claude Perilli, Colin Flannigan, Billy Withers with one other member.

** aka Bobby & the Premiers, who also recorded for C.L. Milburn’s Souled-Out of Texas label.

An earlier version of “When Will I Find Her” was released on a Las Cruces label.

I’ve heard there’s also an LP on Frogdeath by Mike Reynolds, but I haven’t seen it.

More info on Steve Crosno can be found at Lone Star Stomp (which also discusses the Four Frogs release) and Borderlands.

There was also a very rare LP titled Steve Crosno Day, July 9, 1967, Recorded Live at the El Paso Coliseum, but I’m not sure if that was released on Frogdeath or some other label. Anyone have photos, scans or a transfer of it? A CD release may have additional songs but the track list seems to be:

The (Las Cruces) Starliners
01. Instrumental
02. The One That’s Hurtin’ Is You
03. It’s Not Unusual
04. Tramp

The El Paso Drifters
07 – 09 Featuring Martha Sifuentes
05. Intro / Sweet Soul Music
06. Groovin’
07. Respect
08. Close Your Eyes
09. All In My Mind

The Las Cruces Majestics
10. Band Intro
11. Instrumental
12. Intro / Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
13. Goin’ Back To Miami
14. More

The Impressions
15. Let’s Go Steady / You Are My First Love
16. I’ve Been Lonely Too Long

The Gene Willis Aggregation
17. Instrumental
18. Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag / Instrumental
19. James Brown Jam

The El Paso Premiers (Bobby And The Premiers)
20. I’m A Practical Guy
21. I Dig Girls
22. Hello Stranger
23. Put Me In Jail

Sonny Powell And The Night-Dreamers
24. Kind Of A Drag
25. Mr. Pitiful

Bernard Tanchester
26. Steve Crosno Tribute Presentation

Thanks to Ken Prichard for the Cain & Able scan and to Sam Stephenson for the Mike Renolds scans.

The Grass on Goldust Records

Stanley and the Grass at Las Cruces High School 1965, Lynn McIntyre, Dennis Finn, Stanley Stenner, James (Timmy) Schaefer, and JT Archer
Stanley and the Grass at Las Cruces High School cafeteria dance, Fall, 1965.
Left to right: Lynn McIntyre, Dennis Finn, Stanley Stenner, James (Timmy) Schaefer, and JT Archer.

The Grass came out of the Las Cruces, New Mexico scene that included bands like the Keymen, the Four Dimensions, the Morfomen and the Outer Limits.

In August 1966 they released their only 45. recorded at Emmit Brooks’ Goldust Recording Studio, “I’m Getting Tired” (written by Dennis Finn and Lynn McIntyre) backed with “Y’Love”.

In the lyrics of “I’m Getting Tired” the singer is having trouble finding a girl worthy of his continued attention:

There’s just one reason why the girls never hit me with a put down,
I’m cool enough to know just when to put my foot down.
They offer me their love – what can I do then but take it?
Offer me their heart – what can I do then but break it?

JT (Tim) Archer sent in the photo at top, adding “here is a pic of Stanley and the Grass before the Goldust recordings with The Grass w/ Larry Lucero. Notice two of the guys are wearing ‘belt-straps’ instead of regular guitar straps. Except me, I left mine at home.”

JT wrote more about the band in comments below:

I was the lead guitar player for The Grass. The band included myself and Lynn McIntyre (formerly of the Checkmates and The Hustlers), Dennis Finn, and Tim (James) Schaefer. We first formed with Stanley Stenner as our lead singer and thus Stanley and The Grass was born circa 1965-1966. When Stanley left, we added Larry Lucero and he was the lead singer on our Gold Dust sessions.

I played a Fender Jazzmaster; Tim Schaefer played a Strat; Lynn played a Precision Bass. We refinished them all white and used belt straps instead of regular guitar straps… How cool is that?

I grew up on the Ventures and even during The Grass days we played a few instrumentals including “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue”. The band broke up and I went to Hollywood and tried to make it with Stanley, Lynn, Dennis and other friends from LC. Great experience -tough business! After Hollywood, I still pursued music and toured in lounge bands and even worked with Link Wray in Tucson.

I recorded two solo albums: Canyon (Gold Dust 1974) and Who’s Watching (my label – see CD Baby). I am now into Jazz and R&B. I hope to someday release another album under my jazz persona – Joey Primo. I have quite a guitar collection including a Mosrite which Semi Mosely custom made for me. It’s a keeper!

I have a picture of Stanley and The Grass at a Las Cruces High Dance. I also have a few pictures of me in the Shandels at Skylanes Bowing alley in El Paso when I filled in for Bob Allinder when he was on vacation one summer. I also have a picture of The Hustlers that pre-dates the Grass.

Stanley Stenner had a 45 on the Dynasty label from the early ’60s, “Teri” b/w “Angel of Mine”, written by Stenner, Charles and Richards for Borgelin-Melissa Music, BMI, orchestra conducted by Gene Garf. It’s a pop vocal style record.

Dennis Finn added:

Stan was one of the elves [Curly, one of the Lost Boys] in Peter Pan. He was from Hollywood. His dad was the great grampa on the Munsters. He also performed in Vegas with Sammy Davis, Jr., a great singer. He went back to Hollywood, and we got Larry Lucero to be the lead singer. I wrote “Y’Love”, and Lynn and I wrote “I’m Getting Tired”. We recorded them at Emmit Smith’s Gold Dust records.

Later, Pete Hecker and John Leduc (from the Outer Limits) and Dennis Lucero (from the Shandells) and Tim Archer and me (Dennis) went to Hollywood, and played at Ciro’s for 16 weeks in the summer of ’69. It was wild and crazy, and we had long hair, but were mainly hicks from New Mexico. In 1970 we came back to New Mexico, either to go back to college, or whatever.

Goldust is still in business: for more information see their website www.goldustudios.com

If anyone has photos of other Las Cruces groups of the time, please contact me.