Category Archives: Unknown

Dave and the Squires “The Girl of My Dreams” on Radex

Dave and the Squires Radex 45 The Girl of My DreamsDave and the Squires cut this moody original song “The Girl of My Dreams” in late 1965, released on Radex R65121. The flip is a slow version of “Ferry Cross the Merscy” [sic].

I know nothing about the group except one member’s name, Dave Lamoreux who wrote the A-side and sang lead on both sides.

Radex Recording Studio was in business in Freeport, Illinois into the 1980s. Its most notable production may be the Nomadds who cut an album there, Nomads Originals Plus. Owner Dexter Witt passed away in January 2023.

The Varments with Bill Truett “Love Is a One Time Thing” on Varment

Varments Bill Truett Varment 45 Love Is a One Time Thing

The Varments cut two good original songs “Love Is a One Time Thing” / “I Want to Salute You Girl” for their only 45 on Varment JW 101/102. Bill Truett was the song writer and, given the prominent credit on the label, probably the lead vocalist. The other members are only listed by first names: John, Dave and Dennis.

There’s no identifying info on the label as to location. The dead wax simply repeats the JW 101/JW 102 code, with no other marks. I’m not sure what the JW refers to.

The B-side title is misprinted with Saulte instead of Salute.

Any further info on the Varments would be appreciated.

Varments Bill Truett Varment 45 I Want to Salute You Girl

Caravan of Sound “Walking High” on Victory Productions

Caravan of Sound Victory Productions 45 Walking HighThe Caravan of Sound made this cool instrumental 45 in 1969. “Walking High” starts out with the “Dirty Water” riff then turns into something the Bobby Fuller Four could have cut. It’s backed with the milder “Happy Caravan”. Both tracks are credited to R. Hudson, probably the very skilled lead guitarist on both sides.

Released on Victory Productions K 2179 in 1969, I have no idea where the group came from. There was a Caravan of Sound playing in New Hampshire and Maine in 1969-1970s, but they played country music. From the sound of the record, I expect this Caravan of Sound was a California group.

The RCA pressing codes X4KM-1074/X4KM-1074 date the pressing to 1969. Usually RCA pressings have a plant code in the dead wax: R, H or I, but this one lacks that, or it is so faint I cannot make it out. I do see a faint C etched after the stamped matrix, but no indication of regional pressing plant.

Sportin’ Life “I Can Feel It (Servant to the Sky)” on Riba Records

Sportin' Life Riba 45 I Can Feel It (Servant to the Sky)Sportin’ Life cut a great psychedelic 45 in the summer of 1968, “I Can Feel It (Servant to the Sky)” released on Riba Records R-1004/R-1003. I don’t know if Sportin’ Life was an actual group or a studio gathering. From writing credits on “I Can Feel It” members included Ronald Weissman, Michael Swerdlow, John Homenick, and possibly Richard Babeuf, who produced the record.

Babeuf also wrote the ostensible A-side, “I Can’t Wait Till Tomorrow)” and registered both songs with Kenyon Publications.

Babeuf owned Riba Records, with an address of 65 W. Merrick, Valley Stream, NY. Riba only had one other 45 I know of, the Renés “Shy Guy” / “You’re Wrong” on 45-10012 from 1965, also using Kenyon Pub.

I can’t find more info on Weissman, Swerdlow or Homenick, but Rick Babeuf had plenty of other credits in the music business.

One of the most notable is Gaslite Village “I Am Afraid” (written by Babeuf and Herbert Hilton) b/w “Up from the Underground” (Babeuf) on Murbo M-1029. Babeuf produced the record, which received a mention in the February 22, 1969 issue of Record World. Gaslite Village was probably a name made up for the record, the songs produced at different sessions, with copyright registered at different times (October ’68 and January ’69 respectively).

Babeuf was arranger on Jim Jackson “Welcome Me Home” / “Some Love with Soul” on Sandbag Records S102, produced by Mike Szymansky, who owned Sandbag and operated Omega Sound Studios in Rockville Center. Babeuf does not have any other credits on other Szymansky or Sandbag productions, but Sandbag released another good rock 45, the Epitome of Sound “You Don’t Love Me” / “Where Were You” on Sandbag S 101.

Babeuf and Frank Szelwach produced the Mauroks “Susan” / “Story of My Journey South” on De-Lite Records 517.

Babeuf produced and co-wrote (with Szelwach) the A-side of Frank Dean “My Son (This I Say To You)” / “If I Could Fly” on R & R Records R-102, also in 1969. I suppose Frank Dean was an alias of Frank Szelwach.

Cash Box August 9, 1969:

R&R Records Formed

R&R Records has been formed here at 1650 Broadway and 663 Fifth Ave. Heading up the operation, which also includes two publishing firms, Ren-Maur Music (BMI) and R.R. Music (ASCAP) are: Rena Romano, president, Steve Levy, business manager; and Richard Babeuf, general professional manager of the publishing units; Ric Drew, public relations director …

Billboard, August 8, 1970:

Riba Music Co. has just completed original music for 30″ and 60″ radio spots for Modern Sash and Aluminum Co., Inc. and Electro-Way of N.Y., Inc. Music was composed and arranged by Richard Babeuf.

Riba also did radio ads for Bick’s Family Restaurants and Hathaway’s Furniture Galleries.

Billboard September 12, 1970:

Richard Babeuf is also finishing up original material and charts for a new group called Labyrinth which will debut this fall with a new electro-visual presentation concept.

Billboard, October 17, 1970

Riba Music Co. will supervise all facets of the musical activity on the upcoming off Broadway play, “Iphegenia.” Richard Babeuf, general manager of Riba, will act as music director and conductor, and will supply all arrangements.

This may have referred to Wedding of Iphigenia and Iphigenia in Concert which ran at the Public Theater for a few months starting in December, 1971. However that production had music by Peter Link, performed by a group called Goatleg!

That’s as far as I got on Mr. Babeuf.

Sportin' Life Riba 45 I Can't Wait Till Tomorrow

The Socialites “Phooey Phooey on You” and “Looking Out My Window”

The Socialites at the Unicorn Lansing, MI
The Socialites were four women who made two 45s in 1968. I don’t know the names of the band members, or where they came from, except for a show listing in Lansing, Michigan.

I believe the Socialites first single was a version of “Bye Bye Love” b/w the neat bubblegum rocker “Phooey Phooey on You”, released on Scott Records FM-324. Artyfacts in Wax has a short write-up and good scans of the labels.

Scott Records had 45s by the Merrie Motor Company who were from Olivet, MI; and the Jay Walker Effort who seem to have come from Grand Rapids.

Socialites National Electric Signalling and Commercial Company 45 Looking Out My WindowThe Socialites recorded (and/or mastered) “Looking Out My Window” at Tera Shirma Sound Studio in Detroit, with a cover of “Boat that I Row” on the flip. Garry Holton, credited for writing “Looking Out My Window” seems to have lived in Jackson, Michigan.

Released as National Electric Signalling And Commercial Company 6483142, the label has finely drawn illustration, and the obscure sub-text “A Michigan Corporation Division of Audio Records”.

“Looking Out My Window” reached #31 on WILS 1320 AM Sound Survey 33 on December 18, 1968.

R.D. Francis sent me the flyer at top, one of a half-dozen ads for the short-lived Unicorn club made by Mike Delbusso of Splatt Gallery in Walled Lake.

The Unicorn opened at 4122 N. East, in Lansing on May 18, 1970, and featured the Socialites for its first two weekends.

If anyone knows the names of members of the Socialites please contact me!

Socialites Unicorn Lansing State Journal May 23, 1970

The Midnight Raiders – from Connecticut or Osceola, Iowa?

Midnight Raiders slide 1

I found four slides of a group with the Midnight Raiders on their drum head. The guitarist is playing a Harmony Rocket with a Gibson amp. Given the map of Connecticut visible in two of the photos, I would bet that’s where they are from. If so, I have no way to trace this band without names.

There was a group called the Midnight Raiders from Osceola, Iowa that released one 45, “Pretty Baby” / “Steppin’ Stone” on Raider Records 7-75477/8 from March, 1967.

Names on the labels were:

Janet Oliver
Ron Hart
John Jones
Butch Black (Orval Black III?)

Perhaps I will be able to get confirmation that the trio in the photos was not the group from Iowa. In any case, I’d like to hear from any members of the “Pretty Baby” / “Steppin’ Stone” band.

Midnight Raiders slide 3

Unfortunately the Epson V600 scanner I use puts vertical lines into the image that are not in the original slides.

Midnight Raiders slide 2

Midnight Raiders slide 4

The Aztecs “Just to Satisfy You” on Valkyrie

Aztecs Valkyrie 45 Just to Satisfy You
I have no info on the Aztecs who released the song “Just to Satisfy You” b/w a good version of “Midnight Hour” on Valkyrie 959C-6114 in 1967. C. Johnson is listed as the writer of the A-side, but I can find no publishing registration – because (as Mike points out in the comment below) it’s not their original song!

45cat has one lead – the RCA account connects to the Claremont label out of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Whether the band was from Wisconsin or Illinois is impossible to say at this point. This was pressed at RCA’s plant in Indianapolis.

Thee Society “That Girl” / “Determined Mind” on Revolvo

Thee Society Revolvo 45 Determined MindI don’t know if Thee Society were a working band or a studio group. They released only one single, “That Girl” / “Determined Mind” on Revolvo RV-45-217, probably in 1968 or 1969, out of Hollywood, CA.

The A-side is pop, the flip a stomping dance number. E. Nagatoshi wrote both sides, published by Earthquake Music, like other later Revolvo releases.

Not much to go on, but I found a copyright registration to Edward Nagatoshi for a song “We’ll Live On” from February 1966. I’m not sure if this was recorded or if Ed Nagatoshi had any other involvement in music.

Revolvo released a good psychedelic 45 by the Glass Managerie [sic] “End of the Line” / “Troubled Mind” that I’d like to know more about. Dennis Hardy wrote both songs.

Grayson Izumi of Beaudry Express, who commented below, added in a message to me that Thee Society had three vocalists including John Hubbard, and David Akiyama on keyboards. He also recommends the book Chronicles of a Sansei Rocker by Harry Manaka.

The Truths “Pending” / “Why” on Circle Records

Truths Circle 45 PendingThe Truths made this one fine Byrds-influenced 45, “Pending” / “Why” on Circle Records 45-953, in August 1965.

Roy Harris wrote “Pending”, and co-wrote “Why” with James Pettey, with publishing by Chu-Fin Music, Inc.

I can find almost no info on the group online. I’ve read the band came from Riverside, California. However, the Playground Recording Studio site notes:

Playground Studios originally built and completed in 1969 by Finley Duncan is located in the heart of old downtown Valparaiso, Florida.

It was the home of Minaret Records, Turrett Records, Choctaw and Circle Records.

Playground also administers Chu-Fin Music.

“Pending” charted on WNVY in Pensacola, Florida.

The Grand Jury on Musicor’s New Talent Series

Grand Jury Musicor 45 Rollin'The Grand Jury made one single, “Lovely Lady” / “Rollin” on Musicor Records’s New Talent Series NTS 417. The New Talent Series is an interesting set of records, including some experimental singles that I haven’t covered before, like the Lemon and Lime.

The Grand Jury single is not as adventurous, but both are original songs by Moore and Spitrini. Of the two, I prefer the B-side, “Rollin'”. Like others in the series, it is a styrene 45 that is easily worn.

I can’t find any information on where the group is from or who the members were. I am guessing Rhode Island only because Spitrini is an unusual surname, but is found in Rhode Island.

Joe Saia owned AAA Recording Studio and Parsay Pub. Co. Parsay appears on many New Talent Series 45s like the Lemon and Lime, the Lost Souls, and LSD, as well as other AAA productions like the Collage’s “Best Friend” / “Girl Don’t Tell Me”.

However, most of these songs do not appear in BMI’s database, or in the Library of Congress list of registrations.

I’d appreciate any further info on the Grand Jury or other acts that recorded at AAA.