The Maltese came from the Winchester, Kentucky area, about 20 miles east of downtown Lexington. They cut one single for Chetwyd Records of Lexington, “You Better Stop” / “I Want To Talk To You” both written by Akers for Chetwyd BMI, released on Chetwyd CW-45006 in 1967.
“You Better Stop” has sustained fuzz notes and sounds something like the Who’s “Out in the Street”. “I Want to Talk to You” is more like the Stones doing Solomon Burke. There’s nightclub noise running in the background but it’s not quite Got Live If You Want It.
Hear excerpts of both sides. I’m not sure where I found this clip, probably from a record auction.
A few months ago I posted about another group called the Maltese, based out of northern Kentucky communities like Covington, Elsmere and Erlanger, but that was an unrelated group.
Thank you to Ed Commons for sending in the photo of the band and clearing up my confusion of the two Maltese, and to Barry Wickham for the scan of the Maltese 45 label.
This band was composed after the breakup of the ‘King Beats’ out of Lexington, KY . From Left to Right are: Danny Akers, Harold Littrell, unknown, Laney Akers, and unknown. The King Beats were known for their appearance on the Nick Clooney TV show in 1964 with Laney Akers on Lead Guitar, Danny Akers lead singer, Ronny Stamper on Drums, Rodney Fain on Rythem Guitar, and John Surgener on Bass.
I left out the fact the names listed are the original KingBeats but later replaced the drummer with Gary Reynolds and Rodney Fain with David Adkins, who became the lead guitar.
Thank you for sharing this.
OMG! MALTESE! That’s my dad Laney Akers (leaning over the rail), my uncle Danny Akers (deceased) standing far left. The other guys are long -time high school friends of my dad, Laney. I’m thinking the guy beside my uncle is “the Back Street Boys” singer Brian Litteral dad; Harold Litteral. Beside Harold Litteral looks like David Adkins from Lexington but not 100% sure. Thank you, for sharing. From time to time they still jam but have remained friends still today and a huge part of my life going up.
John, thank you for sharing the article and information, this just proves the stories told are definitely true lol
I played keyboards with The Maltese very briefly. Not long enough to be on the record or in the pic!
Could you, by any chance, re-upload the audio files? I can’t seem to find them anywhere and your link is broken. Thanks for the post.
Would love to hear them play! Laney Akers is my grandfather, and I have heard stories! Would love to have audio to hear them rock out
Email me jacodiakers@outlook.com
I have the two sides of the record saved as mp3