Category Archives: Pasadena

Categories: Pasadena, Pic 1, Texas, Unknown

Gene Ricky and the Swingers

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Gene Ricky and the Swingers cut “What You Wanted Most” for Huey Meaux’s Pic 1 label of Pasadena, just SE of Houston. Gene sounds to me like a rockabilly singer adapting to the new style, but if so he does it well. I’d like to know who the Swingers were, they have that spare Texas sound down.

The plug side “If All Goes Well” (both sides written by Lynn Boudreaux) is milder music.

Gene Ricky had an earlier single with The Ravens that I haven’t heard yet, “There’s More for You” / “Without True Love” on Shane Records in 1964.

Another Texas band on Pic 1 is the Argyles with “Farmer John” / “White Lightnin'” released shortly after the Gene Ricky record.

Categories: Houston, Pasadena, Shane, Texas, Unknown

The Actioneers “It’s You” on Shane

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The Actioneers recorded these two songs in just two hours on November 15, 1965 at Huey Meaux’s Recording Service Studios in Pasadena, Texas. You can tell they went straight from the garage or rec room into the studio, this 45 is about as unpolished as garage gets.

“It’s You” is a great fast rocker, with a repetitive guitar line. I think it’s amazing that there’s no bridge or break, or change of chords for the chorus! The band gets the riff down and stays with it to the finish. The drum kit might be nothing more than a tom tom and a snare!

“No One Wants Me” is also simple, but has a tom tom and tambourine break. I’ll bet they didn’t do many takes of this one!

Both sides were written by Ray Gilburn. The band was probably from Houston, but they were pretty much unknown until boxes of unplayed copies of their 45 were found in Huey Meaux’s studio.

I did find a couple mentions of them in the Baytown Sun from 1965, but no lists of band members.

The only other 45 I know about on the Shane label was by the Eccentrics – “Baby I Need You” / “She’s Ugly” on Shane 60, both songs written by L.J. Swift.