Monocled Alchemist

Here are some of my random thoughts and words about obscure and in-demand 1960s garage and psychedelic singles over the years. 

THE VEJTABLES – ’Shadows’/’Feel The Music’ (Uptown 741) January 1967

1960s Garage and Psychedelic: The Vejtables from the Bay Area of California enjoyed some success with folk rock hits ’I Still Love You’ and ’The Last Thing On My Mind’ from 1965 but by the Spring of  ’66 only veterans Bob Bailey and Frank Smith were left from the original group.

Three former members of The Preachers were recruited, Richard Fortunato, Zeke Camarillo and Steve Lagana who in my opinion made The Vejtables more dynamic and exiting on record.

The new line-up recorded several new songs at Leo Kulka’s Golden State Recorders during April and May 1966 but had to wait until January 1967 (it gained a mention as a new release during that month in Billboard magazine) for any sounds to emerge on vinyl.

This two sided gem on the small Uptown label seems to have been ignored at the time though.

’Shadows’ has got a very strange and unique sounding bass line. As unnerving as the beat is, I find myself unable to resist. Raga guitar weaves around the pumping bass – ”Shadows follow us stalking mistrust” 

The flip ’Feel The Music’ is a fabulous acid punker that is based heavily on The Who tune ’Out In The Street’ but The Vejtables colour the scene with more raga rock guitar. Both sides are essential.

STU MITCHELL with Wes Dakus’ Rebels – ’Acid’/’Casting My Spell’ (Kapp K-829) 1967

The Wes Dakus Rebels were an Edmonton group who had been around since the early 60s as a recording outfit. Stu Mitchell was their drummer but on this Kapp Records release from 1967 he assumed frontman status and sang/wrote his own composition ’Acid’. His spoken delivery sounds uncannily like Jim Morrison’s don’t you think?

’Acid’ was recorded at the famous Norman Petty studio in Clovis, New Mexico sometime in mid 1966. It’s a weird, doom laden sound with a sparse production.

The constant church bells and haunting sound effects give it a somewhat mysterious eeriness. The star on the label indicates that this was the A-Side but I very much doubt it would have got past the radio controllers because of the songs subject matter.

The flip ’Casting My Spell’ is a jaunty pop number with some subtle fuzz and remains uncompiled.

1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE BEAUTIFUL DAZE – ’City Jungle Part 1’/’City Jungle Part 2’ (RPR Records R-101) 1967

Hold onto your crystalized mind until the eggman collects it for The Beautiful Daze are about to take you on a lysergic trip with their ’beautiful production’ to the City jungle wherever that is.

My guess is that it’s Los Angeles circa 1967, as this amazing acid fuelled 45 was recorded in Hollywood.

I first discovered ’City Jungle Part 1’ way back in the 80s on a garage psych comp called ’Acid Dreams’ and it completely blew my mind. Who were these guys? How did they get that sound? What planet did they come from? I had all of these questions back then but had no answers. Fast forward almost 30 years and I still have no answers.

’City Jungle Parts 1 & 2’ is psychedelic mayhem or sonic dementia depending on your state of mind at the time of listening. It sounds like The Beautiful Daze incorporate twin acid leads, joyful psych noises that is probably an echoplex, mind altering feedback and maximum fuzz action.

They even have time for a mid song Association type sunshine pop interlude but that peace quickly fades away as more fuzztone guitars burn away the sunshine.

It seems that the single was a Los Angeles underground hit as I’ve seen numerous copies on RPR Records for sale over the years. It was also released on Spread City Records and Alpha Records.

THE X-TREEMS – ’Substitute’/’Facts Of Life’ (Star Trek Records 1221) 1969

The X-Treems hailed from St Louis, Missouri and were a popular group in their home town but like most local outfits remained largely unknown everywhere else.

That was until the 80s when this 45 was ripe for the compilation market, especially the flip ’Facts Of Life’ which is regarded as a garage psych classic, probably due to the over the top use of fuzz guitar.

’Substitute’ is an energetic take of The Who original but it seems that The X-Treems had a fraction of the former’s studio budget as the production is muddy and amateurish but still enjoyable.

The record label name of Star Trek is great though, no doubt influenced by the TV Show.

Line-up:
Gary Wood (bass/vocals)
Alan Shelby (guitar/vocals)
Phil Markley (organ)
Rick Tello (drums)

MTM: This 45 was a massive quantity find in the late 70’s early ’80s. A good $5-10 pick up in those days, even thru the early part of the ’90s!The 45 was released in the spring of 1969.

THE RAINY DAZE – ’Blood Of Oblivion’ / ’Stop Sign’ (Polydor 56737) October 1967

The Rainy Daze were from Denver, Colorado and they had a fair sized hit with something of a novelty song called ’That Acapulco Gold’ supposedly about weed.

The main songwriter in The Rainy Daze was Tim Gilbert who collaborated with John Carter (who was not part of the band) This song writing duo wrote most of the original material recorded by The Rainy Daze. They also had several songs recorded by other artists.

For instance, Hardwater and The Yankee Dollar covered their songs ’City Sidewalks’, ’Good Old Friends’ and ’Sanctuary’.

Perhaps their most famous song writing credit is ’Incense And Peppermints’ recorded by The Strawberry Alarm Clock although bass player George Bunnell from SAC suggests that the melody and body of the music to ’Incense And Peppermints’ was already written but no one from the band could come up with any lyrics.

Enter Rainy Daze, Yankee Dollar and Strawberry Alarm Clock producer Frank Slay. He suggested that Tim Gilbert and John Carter could finish the song. This they did along with taking ALL song writing credits.

Getting back to this record then. ’Blood Of Oblivion’ is cool pop psych with some magical organ interplay. ’Stop Sign’ is also interesting and has the inclusion of brass. Both songs are not on The Rainy Daze album released to cash in on the hit ’That Acapulco Gold’.

line-up:
Tim Gilbert (lead singer/rhythm guitar)
Sam Fuller (bass)
Bob Heckendorf (organ)
Kip Gilbert (drums)
Mac Ferris (lead guitar)

1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE BENTLEYS – ’Now It’s Gone’/’Night Time In The City’ (Devlet 443/4) 1966

Mike Kuzmin’s book ’Sounds From The Woods’ has proved invaluable to pinpoint The Bentleys as a Stroudsburg area group of Pennsylvania. According to Mike, some members were active in another Stroudsburg group called The Devils. They had a Devlet single release in 1964 ’Devil Dance’/’Just Like That’

’Now It’s Gone’ is a classy fuzz and tambourine shakin’ garage rocker with some good vocal harmonies. The 45 proved to be a hit in Lehigh Valley although outside their home area The Bentleys probably remained unknown. The flip ’Night Time In The City’ is a squaresville ballad.

THE BARE FACTS – ’Instant Happiness’/’There Won’t Be A Next Time’ (Harvest H-727) April 1966

Earlier this month I was checking the internet for any possible unknown information on The Bare Facts from Ohio who released ’Bad Part Of Town’/’Georgiana’ on Jubilee Records. By chance, I happened upon a one entry blog simply called ’Bare Facts’. The article was written by Steve Kirkman who was a member of teen group The Bare Facts from LaPorte, Indiana.

Steve also uploaded a couple of promo photographs of The Bare Facts taken sometime in 1966 which I’ve posted here.

The Indiana Bare Facts released two 45s, the first on Harvest Records which has a crude garage sound. ’Instant Happiness’ can be found on Teenage Shutdown ”No Tease” comp. I don’t have the original 45 so I’ve used a transfer of the song from TS but have increased the volume somewhat because it was mastered really low on that LP. Mind you, ’Instant Happiness’ sounds very crude anyway!

The Bare Facts line-up on ’Instant Happiness’/’There Won’t Be A Next Time’ was:

Steve Kirkman (lead vocals/bass)
Dan Topolski (guitar)
Bob Corsby (drums)
Kevin Shuter (keyboards)

Some line-up changes took place in mid ’66. Jim Sipe replaced Bob Corsby on drums and they added Ron Shaw and Dave Curtis, both played trumpet and some other instruments.

The Bare Facts also started playing the ’Chicago sound’ and were greatly influenced by The Buckinghams, The American Breed and The Four Tops among others.

A second 45 followed, which I’ve not heard, probably has that horn rock influence. No garage guide I’ve got lists ’Does She Love Me’/’I Think I’m Falling In Love’.

Reader comment:
I played trombone in the BARE FACTS (I think in 1971 – 1973?) after meeting those guys @ the Purdue extension. Anyone have contact data for Dave Curtis or Ron Shaw? Thanks Clarence Novakcnovak@hughes.net

1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE E-TYPES – ’She Moves Me’/’The Love Of The Loved’ (Sunburst SBM 45-001) October 1966

Perfect double sided English Invasion sounds from The E-Types, a teenage beat group from Salinas, near San Jose. After building up a loyal local following, supporting big name groups and winning a Battle Of The Bands contest, The E-Types secured a deal with Sunburst Records and travelled to Los Angeles to record some songs under the tutelage of Ed Cobb and Richie Podolor (two names that have cropped up on ’Flower Bomb Songs’ several times).

The summer sounding garage pop of ’She Moves Me’, written by Cobb, deserved to have been a big hit but it didn’t break out on a national level, however, it was a decent sized seller in their home territory and Orlando!

The flip ’The Love Of The Loved’ is a Lennon-McCartney penned pop song, unreleased by the Liverpool mop-tops, and ideal material for The Beatles obsessed E-Types.

’She Moves Me’ featured on Dick Clark’s TV Show ’Where The Action Is’ where The E-Types lip-synched their song at Echo Beach, Los Angeles.

NOBODY’S CHILDREN – ’Jungo Partner (A Worthless Cajun)’/’Let Her Go’ (United Artists UA 50090) Dec 1966

If you like your fuzz action (which I’m sure you do) cop some of this ’Satisfaction’ inspired raucous garage rock from Maryland’s Nobody’s Children. There’s more than a hint of The Rolling Stones about ’Jungo Partner’ to keep me happy and the singer appears to have mastered Mick’s vocal delivery and by the sounds of it Nobody’s Children have also got the Stones’ swagger.

I’ve listened to ’Jungo Partner’ many times over the years and still have no idea what the song is about. Why a ’worthless cajun?’ eh? Were these the same Nobody’s Children who released ’I Can’t Let Go’ on Bullet Records?

The flip ’Let Her Go’ is a commercial Brit Invasion jangly pop tune which reminds me of early Searchers B-Sides. Pretty good side. 

Readers comments:
A great classic rocker, it starts off as the old blues standard ”Junco Partner” which was covered by quite a few artists including the Holy Modal Rounders and the Family of Apostolic, but the fuzz knocks into a whole other song.

The Clash did this one too…reggae style! the first time I came across this weird name, it was in the mid-80s when I bought Pebbles 6, ‘the roots of Mod’, and there was a band called Junco Partners…I think they were from Newcastle…this one is a GREAT version!

THE OFF-BEATS – ’Mary’/’You Tell Me’ (Tower 205) January 1966

’Mary’ is one of the shortest songs to ever feature on ’Flower Bomb Songs’ and at just under 1:30 minutes it must surely rank as one of the shortest from the 60s. To my ears it sounds like a mersey beat ’La Bamba’.

Clearly, The Off-Beats are influenced by the so called Brit Invasion and that is even more evident on the flip ’You Tell Me’ where these Californian teenagers perform a David Allen penned acoustic beat ballad.

The Off-Beats changed their name to The Children (’This Sporting Life’) then to Somebody’s Chyldren (’I’m Going Back To New York City’)…check out the links (labels) below for information on these releases.

update from Michael Dennis Trerotola

Hi Colin!

I recorded that at the famous GOLD STAR STUDIOS in LA. This is the studio where Righteous Brothers recorded You’ve lost that loving feeling. Richie Valens recorded La Bamba and Donna, Ike and Tina Turner and of course Phil Spector. It was located on Vine and Santa Monica. 

Thank you!!

Dennis

Reader comments:

Dennis Trerotola passed away today at 9:04 AM PACIFIC time. He was 67 years old.

When I was in grade school, our nun was pushing this band on us. Apparently someone in the group was a relative. A few kids purchased a copy and someone played it in our classroom. That’s probably all the copies that were sold. ? Ed Kaz (24/10/11)

1960s Garage and Psychedelic

YESTERDAY’S CHILDREN – ’To Be Or Not To Be’/’Baby I Want You’ (Parrot 45-PAR-314) January 1967

Yesterday’s Children from Connecticut, unleash a powerful fuzz blast with a guitar tinged with the sitar sound. The singer spits out his sadness cos his girl has really hurt him bad since she left him, now his life lies in ruins. 

”Seven days of tear and pain
Since you left me all alone.
The world is empty now
It will never be the same…no”

The single was their first and only record release in this garage style. The group recorded an album for Map City Records which I’ve not heard but it’s supposedly late 60s heavy rock.

’To Be Or Not To Be’ was a small hit on the WPOP Radio Charts, Hartford, CT and entered the top forty during February 1967. Yesterday’s Children also had a four track EP released in France resplendent in a picture sleeve. I’ve not got this but found an image on popsike.

The flip ’Baby, I Want You’ has no fuzz but is still a pretty good tune with just a hint of the British Invasion sound that they left behind on their fuzz swinger.

DICK CURTIS – ’Funny Girl’/’It’s Not The Same’ (CRI 5202) 196?

Here’s an obscure 45 by Dick Curtis who I know nothing about. The label offers some clues though, Colortronics Recording Industries, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Could this be where Mr Curtis was from?

The most interesting side is the flip ’It’s Not The Same’, an urgent 60s punker that was compiled some years ago on the CD only release ’Grains Of Time’.

Readers comments:
An excellent track, with a great song and guitar, however it is the care lavished on the vocals that does it for me and makes me think that Dick was a MOR singer on his day off.

This 45 pairs two songs recorded at vastly different times. The A side is ”Funny Girl”. This Colortronics label 45 was released in the fall of 1972. ”It’s Not the Same” was recorded in mono (A side is stereo, I think, I’d have to play my 45 and check).

”It’s Not The Same” was written and applied for copyright registration in December, 1964. Richard Curtis was living in West Los Angeles, California at that time he filed for registration.

LIMEY & THE YANKS – ’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’/’Gather My Things And Go’ (Loma 2059) October 1966

Limey & The Yanks formed in mid 1965 in Garden Grove, Orange Country and soon after became regulars at various Sunset Strip venues. Their first 45, ’Guaranteed Love’ on the collectable Star burst Records label established them as an act with the potential to break out of Los Angeles.

They enjoyed plenty of publicity and appearances on prime time music shows which should have seen their potential reap deserved rewards but the follow up single ’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’ on Loma didn’t take Limey & The Yanks to the next level.

This is a shame because several unreleased Limey recordings have recently emerged suggesting that an album could have followed any sizeable hit.

’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’ was also released as a 45 by The Bit A Sweet and The Marauders.

I found a discussion about ’Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind’ on the old G45 Forum. It appears that The Marauders released their version of the song first as the B-side to ’Jug Band Blues’ (July/August 1966), followed by Limey & The Yanks (October 1966). The Bit A Sweet version was released sometime in 1967 as a B-side.

Readers comments:
I’ve actually heard 5 different versions of ‘Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind”. There is a debate whether The Marauders or Limey & The Yanks performed it first. The Bit A’ Sweet performed it a year later.

The other two versions were performed in the past couple of years. Both terrible in my opinion. I do prefer Limey & The Yanks version of the song.

There is another ”garage” version of the song, by the Emotionals from Wisconsin, but that 45 wasn’t issued until January, 1967. I think there is a soul version, but I don’t have the 45.

1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE BEAVER PATROL – ’E.S.P.’/’Just Like A Lady’ (Columbia 4-44139) May 1967

If you think that you’ve heard ’E.S.P.’ before you’re probably thinking The Pretty Things and the song in question will be ’£.S.D’ written by Dick Taylor & Phil May.

It’s basically the same song but The Beaver Patrol, from Hollywood, Florida, have changed the title, some other words and given themselves a writing credit as per shown on the label.

Either way, it’s a powerful fuzz drenched punker that drives hard and I mean hard. Production is by The Strangeloves member Richard Gottehrer. ’E.S.P.’ was probably a little too ’out there’ for the average radio listener back in mid ’67.

The other side ’Love Like A Lady’ appears to have been the plug side as it was selected as a predicted chart spotlight in Billboard during May 1967.  

possible line-up:
Gary Vandy (guitar)*
Jim Bledsoe (bass)
Mike Cooper (guitar)
Floyd Humphreys (guitar)
Jim Becker (drums)

* line-up is speculative, all names gathered from a thread on the forum Limestone Lounge*

* I have been contacted by Gary Vandy who confirmed that he was not on this recording*

Other combos who recorded ’E.S.P.’ were The Rain, Giant Crab and Big Brother.

THE PRIMATES – ’Knock On My Door’/’She’ (Marko M 923) September 1965

This record is a true item of beauty, just take a look at the gorgeous label. Dark red on gold with black simply goes graphic designers of the world. Those cats at Marko Records certainly knew that colours, fonts and simplicity can make or break an artistic label. One of the BEST!

Right, now I’ve got that outta the way, what about the music? Let’s just say both sides are 60s garage wonderments. The flip ’She’ is a moody masterpiece and will stay floating around your mind for ever. Once heard, never forgotten.

The thundering bass guitar that introduces ‘Knock On Your Door’ sounds like a steam train coming off it’s tracks, then right away we’re into the teenbeat mayhem who’s theme is a common one among teenage groups.

The singer’s been burned by his girl but she decides she wants him back – Glad that the singer, John Demetrious kind of told her to fuck right off out of his life for good, cos he’s not gonna open his door to her ever again.

The Primates hailed from Astoria, New York and were all in their mid teens. But as you know age makes no difference, in fact they were probably at the perfect age to create their garage double sider.

A follow up single on Marko ’Don’t Press Your Luck’/’Cathy’ is also a classy affair. One side rocker the other side beat ballad.

Line-up:
Joe Ferdinando (drums)
James Hartofius (bass)
Gus Kaselis (organ)
Barry Bozzone (lead guitar)
John Demetrious (rhythm guitar/lead vocals)

THE BARE FACTS – ”Bad Part Of Town” / Georgiana” (Jubilee 45-5544) October 1966

This outstanding double sided garage rocker was recorded by a group of teenagers from the Portsmouth area of Scioto County, Ohio.

Back in the mid 80s I must have played ’Bad Part Of Town’ hundreds of times having discovered the song via my favourite ever garage psych comp ’Mayhem & Psychosis #2’.

It was only natural to want to own an original copy of ’Bad Part Of Town’ when I decided to seriously collect 60s garage singles in the late 90s.

Both sides were recorded at Jay Gee / Jublee Records studios in Broadway, NYC sometime in 1966. The record didn’t break out on a national level but sold thousands back home in Scioto County, Ohio where The Bare Facts were considered rock’n’roll royalty and mainly a blue eyed soul group.

A second Bare Facts 45 followed but the punk attitude had been replaced by a commercial pop sound.

Line-up:
Ron Pruitt (rhythm guitar)
Bill Williams (lead guitar/vocals)
Dave Craycraft (organ)
Rusty Pruitt (drums)
Randy Boldman (bass)

1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE ADVANTES – ’I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better’/’Done It Again’ (Tripper 60611) 1966

Here’s a crudely recorded and produced record by a group of teenagers from Pennsylvania (according to Barry Wickham’s Price Guide). Both sides have that basement sound and to be honest the lo-fi couldn’t get much lower.

The labels were even put on the wrong side of the disc, hence the reason for the song title stickers. This record couldn’t get anymore amateurish. The boys from The Advantes must have been really pissed off.

’I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better’ is a solid version of Gene Clark’s classic folk rocker but for me the jewel is on the B-Side. ’Done It Again’ is probably an Advantes original and the group really begin to smoke on their folk garage anthem.

The lead guitarist sets my pulse racing with his mid song guitar break and that drummer with his basic skin pounding gets top marks for creating a rather special and unassuming backbeat. a REAL treat.

Some copies of this 45 have the labels reversed. Copies have been found with stickers correcting the titles, others do not. There are also pressings with the sides labelled correctly,

I have one, and have sold copies of the correct label pressings. The group was from Sunbury, PA. Several of the guys soon after formed a group called Sundae Train – they had two singles ”I Wanna Be” / “Wake Up (Sleepy Girl)” for the 20th Century-Fox label (#6693) in ’67, and then a deal for a 45 (”Sing Sweet Barbara” / Love Affair Of The Happy People” and an LP (The Sundae Train) on the BT Puppy label in ’68.

THE SAGES – “In The Beginning’/’I’m Not Going To Cry’ (RCA Victor 47-8760) January 1966

Jim W, a regular contributor to my site, suggested that I take a look at an obscure record he had by The Sages. I have this record in my collection and always assumed that because it was on an American label that The Sages were from USA. The music on both sides of the disc certainly sounded American to me.

I started researching the group and discovered that their lead singer was Trevor Brice who had enormous worldwide fame with late 60s English band Vanity Fare. Indeed three members of The Sages were also present in Vanity Fare.

Trevor Brice has his own website and much of the information and group pics were uploaded from his site.

It transpires that The Sages started life as a beat combo in 1962 calling themselves The Avengers. Group members all hailed from the Medway Towns of Kent, England and were regulars on the circuit.

Sometime in 1965 they became The 4 Avengers, eventually getting a record deal to release a single in USA. However, due to contractual reasons they had to change their name from The 4 Avengers to The Sages.

In the beginning

’In The Beginning’ was released in USA (only) during January 1966 and the record got a write-up in music industry magazine Cash Box at that time. The A-Side is a strange song with religious overtones based on the Book of Genesis.

The real deal is on the flip though. ’I’m Not Going To Cry’ is a medium paced folk rocker with some haunting vocals from Trevor Brice and jangle guitar. The drum action from Bob Pluck is also impressive.

Both songs were written by local Medway songwriters Johnny Keith and Derek Webb who wrote several songs for Joe Brown.

The producer, Lionel Segal was very active during the 60s and eventually became co-owner of hip indie label Strike Records.

line-up:
Trevor Brice (vocals)
Tony Goulden (lead guitar)
Tony Jarret (bass)
Bob Pluck (drums)

Lee Fairbrother:
As much as a good drummer Bob Pluck was it was actually me, Lee (Willum) Fairbrother who was the fourth Member of the Sages. Pleased to put record straight. Trevor and myself are still in contact.

THE PLASTIC PEOPLE – ’It’s Not Right’/’This Life Of Mine’ (Kapp K-789) Nov 1966

I do not know much about The Plastic People, an obscure folk rock group from San Francisco (according to the Barry Wickham Garage Reference Guide).

They released two 45s on Kapp Records that went nowhere, the second, ’Hide’ coming housed in a limited edition picture sleeve showing the boys dressed in the same kind of gear as The Beau Brummels.

The debut 45 is quite a gem with magical harmonies; one glance at the label shows legendary Los Angeles pop psych producer Curt Boettcher’s involvement along with Jim Bell. A partnership that produced countless sweet aural delights during the mid to late 60s.

Discography:
’It’s Not Right’/’This Life Of Mine’ (Kapp K-789)
’Hide’/’Glad With What I’ve Got’ (Kapp K-823)

THE TIKIS – ’If I’ve Been Dreaming’/’Pay Attention To Me’ (Autumn Records 18) June 1965

The Tikis were a popular surf group from Santa Cruz but had not released any records until they signed to Autumn Records and changed their music style in keeping with the so called British Invasion sound.

’If I’ve Been Dreaming’ was a decent but safe stab at beat music and surprisingly was not compiled on those Big Beat Autumn CD releases from the 90s. Perhaps the master tapes were missing?

The flip ’Pay Attention To Me’ is a merseybeat inspired mover where the singer is trying hard to keep up with the backbeat. His vocals are not that convincing but the rhythm section is, particular the swingin’ guitar break.

More Tikis singles would be released in 65/66 with no success but with the addition of ex Beau Brummels drummer John Peterson some time in early 1967 and a change of name to The Harpers Bizarre their time had come with a hit version of Paul Simon’s ’59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)’.

line-up:
Ted Templeman (drums)
Dickie Scoppettone (rhythm guitar)
Dick Yount (bass)
Ed James (lead guitar)

Hey COLIN—Ted Templeman became a big ”producer” for Warner Brotherz Recordz in the 70z.Best alwayz—”mad” louie