Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

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

THE LAST FIVE – ’Kicking You’/’Weatherman’ (Wand 1122) May 1966

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic: Here’s an interesting Brit Invasion style beat record by The Last Five, a combo from Hartford, Connecticut. As far as I know this was their one and only release.

Checking ARSA for details, it’s confirmed that the single was a top 40 hit in Hartford so I’m surprised that no other releases happened for them. Perhaps unreleased recorded material exists somewhere?

Both sides of this disc were written by Bill Matychak who went on to form a late 60s outfit called Buffalongo. They were the originators of the often covered song ’Dancing In The Moonlight.’

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The group was a high school aged combo from West Hartford, Connecticut. The single was released the first week of April, 1966.Members included Rick Smith, Bill Matychak, Ron Verosic and Bernie Kornowitz.

The group lasted through most of 1967, with a couple of replacement members. No other recordings.

THE FIELDS – ’Bide My Time’/’Take You Home’ (UNI 55106) February 1969

Heavy psychedelic rock by The Fields, a group based in Los Angeles.

’Bide My Time’ has the languid, bluesy late 60s guitar style of that tyme with a more laid back stoner on the flip.

The mono single version of ’Bide My Time’ is much shorter by at least a minute than the album version, clocking in at 3:16.

Prior to releasing records as The Fields they were called W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band, then simply ESB.

The Fields recordings were produced by Bill Rinehart of The Merry-Go-Round.

line-up:
Patrick Burke (bass)
Richard Fortunato (guitar)
Steve Lagana (drums) 

THE TIFFANY SHADE – ’Would You Take My Mind Out For A Walk’/’One Good Reason’ (Mainstream Records 677) December 1967

Psychedelic rock group from Cleveland, Ohio – who’ve recently had some exposure in Ugly Things #26 and four of their songs were compiled on ’All Kinds Of Highs’ CD, including the fabulous ’Would You Take My Mind Out For A Walk’.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE LONDON KNIGHTS – ’Go To Him’/’Dum Diddlee Dee’ (Mike Records MK-4200) 1966

A certain amount of mystery surrounds this disc with some on-line sources suggesting that The London Knights were a group from Los Angeles. The latter information was probably taken from the liners of the CD release ’Hot Generation’ that came out on Big Beat.

’Go To Him’ was co-written by American songwriter Artie Wayne who had arrived in Britain from the States sometime in 1965 to compose songs for various labels.

He was joined by Bess Coleman, who was working as a songwriter as well as being one of The Beatles’ press Officers.

It is believed that a beat group called The Foursights from Leicester recorded ’Go To Him’ for EMI but it was never released in Britain and somehow made it’s way to USA and was released on Mike Records under the name of The London Knights.

minor-key masterpiece

’Go To Him’ is an atmospheric minor-key masterpiece with chiming guitars and eerie background harmonies. Lyrically it’s about betrayal. It’s simply superb, and reminds me of the finer moments of The Searchers and early Poets.

It was first compiled back in the mid 80s on Cicadelic Volume 5 ”1966 Revisited”, then a few years ago on ’Fading Yellow Volume 11”

The song was also recorded by other groups back in ’66. From Australia, Ray Brown & the Whispers, who’s version can be found on the previously mentioned ’Hot Generation’ CD and The Tymes Children, a garage combo from Salem,OR.

The flip ’Dum Diddlee Dee’ is a huge let down and not really worth mentioning in the same breath as the classic jangle pop of ’Go To Him’.

THE STAINED GLASS – ’A Scene In Between’ (Big Beat) 2013

This CD collection of obscure cuts by The Stained Glass is out on Big Beat now!.. Got my copy earlier this week and it’s a winner.

There are plenty of previously unreleased songs by this San Francisco group including 6 tracks by The Trolls (pre Stained Glass).  The last live cut is excellent – ’2010 South Michigan Avenue’, the group get into a psychedelic rock groove.
 
If you’re into psych tinged baroque pop then this CD will be your bag! I’ve read that only 1500 copies were made so you’ll have to act quick.

THE ROGUES – ’Wanted: Dead Or Alive’/’One Day’ (Living Legend LL-723) December 1965

My mission in life is to collect as many mid 60s folk-janglers as possible because this particular genre of ’garage’ is without doubt my favourite and has been since first discovering The Byrds way back in the mysts of tyme circa 1982.

Here’s a 45 I picked up recently – The Rogues.

Both sides are great but the most famous is ’Wanted: Dead Or Alive’ which is heavily based on ’Hey Joe’…and is simply folk-rock heaven…this was before the formation of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band.

THE TROPICS – ’As Time’s Gone’ (Guerssen Records 120) November 2013

At Last!! a vinyl best of collection by Tampa Bay/St Petersburg teenbeat sensations THE TROPICS. I’ve been waiting decades for someone to do this and much praise goes to Spanish label Guerssen Records for making this happen.

Many thanks to Alex Carretero for sending me a copy – these guys at Guerssen work fast and put together quality re-issues. 

Choice thick card sleeve design, colours and fonts used. The REAL deal….black and white mono throughout = coolsville -.heavy vinyl, what more do you want? just BUY a copy and impress your square friends.

Fabulous cuts throughout with some fine previously unreleased tracks including folk janglers ’Laughing Again’ and ’The Prism’ these two are killer and very much in the same vein as ’For A Long Time’ and ’Black Jacket Woman.’

Congrats on a SPLENDID release.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

NEAL FORD & THE FANATICS – ’Good Men’ CD on Big Beat

This is a highly recommended CD release by Neal Ford & the Fanatics, a group from Houston, Texas. I’ve already got their singles and the studio album on Hickory Records but there’s even a load of unreleased recordings for me to dig.

There are seven previously unreleased cuts from the 1966/67 period when they were one of the hottest combo’s in their locale, including five number 1 records on the local Houston charts.

These long lost and previously unreleased recording are all KILLER and are easily on a par with the more familiar songs, including the brilliant ’The Seasons’ and a fuzz fuelled original version of ’Every Night A New Surprise’ (instro) written by original keyboardist Steve Ames.

Amazing that these two tracks remained in ’the can’.

’Every Night A New Surprise’ was later recorded and released by The Moving Sidewalks.

THE MAMA’S AND THE PAPA’S – ’If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears’ (Dunhill Records D50006) March 1966

To say that The Mama’s and the Papa’s defy vocal and visual description has to be the biggest understatement of the year – and, for that matter, of next year as well.

There are four of them, and they come in all shapes and sizes. They live in a nutty world of semi-existentialism, of cuckoo-clocks and antique lampshades, of beat-up old cars and Indian boots, of longish hair and longer hair of folk-singers and not-so-folk singers, of Lou Adler and Lovin’ Spoonful’s, and primarily of Mamas and Papas, which in point of fact they are not.

John is the acknowledged leader; a tall thin, gaunt person who takes everything very seriously and would probably perpetrate a rather bewildered executive image were it not for his mildly dignified, but perennially poverty-stricken appearance.

He has played and sung his way around Greenwich Village and other significant musical areas with and without his three partners.

He has an usually creative mind which has been evident on the many songs he has written, several of which are featured in this album.

philosophies

His fellow Papa is Denny, an insolently handsome young Canadian, who is nonconformist in that he originally entered our offices clean-shaven, but wearing black leather, and has since taken to wearing expensive sports clothes, only with a beard.

His philosophies conform to the standard folk dream in many ways, the main difference being that they are neither idealistic nor illogical.

If we were talking in terms of sex symbols and full page colour pin ups and potential Marlon Brondos and John Lennons, we would select Denny to play the role. But we’re not. So we won’t.

It would be hard to say which of the two Mamas is the more striking. Michelle is certainly the more mysterious of the two. She is a lissom, blonde, vision-with-a-voice who doesn’t say very much, but just looks at you waif-like, sylph-like or what-ever-adjective-you-care-to-dream-up-like.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

She was once a model, and in her own way is still a model. And you haven’t seen anything until you have seen her smile.

To end up with, there is Cass. You couldn’t really end up with anything else. She collects antiques, talks freely about art and Bob Dylan, loves Whispering Paul MacDowell, has travelled the land in satirical revues, wears cute little gold-rimmed glasses and, like the others, lives for today, buddy, ”Cos tomorrow may never happen.”

She is large and lovely, benevolent and broad minded, cynical and maybe sinful….who knows? Ask her.

The Mama’s and the Papa’s are all descendants of Traditional Authentic Folk Groups. One was in The Big Three, which for a long time ruled the folk scene in New York. Another was in the Halifax Three. A third – or perhaps it was a third and a fourth – were in a very big group called The Journeymen.

Virgin Islands

They have travelled all over the States in various capacities, and they recently returned from a trip to the Virgin Islands. Here they spent their time as one should spend one’s time if one is a Mama or a Papa.

Cass became a waitress for a short while, and finally joined the others who had set up camp in the foliage, and were passing the time lounging around on the beach enlightening the natives to American pop culture.

When the governor of the islands decided that they were not contributing too much to the everyday problems of running an island, he suggested that they move on to conquer fresh pastures – and this they are doing.

Their first record ’California Dreamin’, waxed prosperous on the bullet-riddled charts. Their highly unusual contrapuntal harmonies – which is flannel for different vocal lines sung on top of each other – plus John’s unique vocal arrangements, plus the unusual approach of the whole bunch, provided a healthy filling for a gap on the musical landscape which has remained void even in these enlightened days.

Monday, Monday

Some of the songs in this album are new; others will be familiar. All are good. They become great when performed by The Mama’s and the Papa’s.

Denny’s poignant lead vocal on ’Monday, Monday’ transforms a clever song of many intricacies into a work of beauty which becomes disarmingly simple.

The bawdy, vaudeville analysis which Cass inflicts upon ’I Call Your Name’ projects The Beatles song in an entirely new light, John and Paul, one feels, would approve.

To describe the gentle harmony obtained by Michelle and Casson the extraordinary ’Got A Feeling’ as ’soft and silky’ would not only be inadequate, but also slightly inaccurate. ’Feathery’ would be a better word.

And on the swinging, swaying ’You, Baby’ you have that old ’Good Time Music’ feel as it was born to be felt.

In short, The Mama’s and the Papa’s emerge as one of the more stimulating groups of the era. They experiment; they create; they construct; and most of all they communicate.  

A liner can only stand so many superlatives and hyperboles without becoming trite. This one has already utilized more than it’s fair share.

It only remains for you to extract the record carefully from the sleeve, play it, and then see if you believe what you have just read.

And if you believe your eyes and your ears, then you’re not only going to believe this album – you’re going to be saving your nickels for the next one.

(original liners by Andy Wickham)

Producer: Lou Adler

Engineer: Bones Howe

Musicians: P.F. Sloan, Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborn, Peter Pilafian, John Phillips.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

SONNY CURTIS – ’The Collector’/’Destiny’s Child’ (Viva V-607) January 1967

’The Collector’ is a haunting psychedelic ballad that simply allows your mind to drift away….however, the lyrics are very dark and possessive and somewhat creepy.

According to Allmusic, Don Everley handed Sonny Curtis a novel called ’The Collector’ and he wrote his version into a song. For some strange reason this song has never been compiled as far as I know.

The Everly Brothers and a group calling themselves #1 also recorded ’The Collector’ – sublime.

THE WORLD OF MILAN – ’One Track Mind’/’Shades Of Blue’ (Brunswick 55298) June 1966

Milan a.k.a. The Leather Boy released several records during the mid to late 60s, all of which sank into oblivion. Shame he didn’t get the success his unique songs deserved at the time.

This 45 is not one of Milan’s most readily accessible releases and is not that easy to find, although it does show up on lists occasionally.

’One Track Mind’ is the more garage side and has been featured on a Quagmire CD but the flip ’Shades Of Blue’ is uncompiled. I actually prefer this side. Melancholic sounds with, maracas and flute.

BOB RAY – ’Initiation Of A Mystic’ (Soul City SCS-92007) 1969

This rather splendid late sixties album has completely slipped me by for decades.

Bob Ray was one half of the duo calling themselves Bob & Kit releasing a 45 on HBR Records. He then was a member of the equally cool Thorinshield.

Bob Ray is clearly inspired by Donovan on his solo effort even down to the way he sometimes pronounces words. Backing is by Hollywood’s studio greats, Jim Gordon, Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborne, Jim Horn and Hal Blaine.

I’ve just YouTube uploaded the dreamy ’Live Today’.

Maybe one day this album will see a vinyl/CD re-issue.

liners inside the deluxe gatefold sleeve:

When the world has divided itself and each stands strongly upon it’s own way,
The word will come forth to recognise these divisions.

THE UNCALLED FOR – ’Masters Of War’ (Cicadelic CIC-980) 1986

This cut was included on the compilation ”The Cicadelic 60s Volume 5 – 1966 Revisited”, the compilers claimed that ’Masters Of War’ and ’Since You’ve Been Gone’ were previously unreleased demo takes by The Uncalled For.

However, according to ’Teenbeat Mayhem’ both sides were released as a 45 on Dynamic Sound by a group calling themselves The Un-Called For. It’s got to be the same outfit?

’Masters Of War’ is a folk-rock rendition of the Bob Dylan song about the Cold War. They keep it faithful to the original adding jangle and echo.

The Uncalled For hailed from the Manchester-Tullahoma area of TN and had a release on Laurie Records. Their ’Do Like Me’ was compiled on Pebbles Volume 8.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE SQUIRES – ’Going All The Way’/’Go Ahead’ (Atco 45-6442) September 1966

I found a copy of this all time great 60s garage 45 last year, for a reasonable price too. From memory, I think I paid about $125 for it, which is probably the going rate, although it can sale away on eBay (as usual).

I’m sure most people who visit my blog will know this record. Both sides featured on the early volumes of Pebbles from the late 1970s.

And as I mentioned in my previous entry ’Going All The Way’ was voted third best garage single of all time, behind ’It’s A Cry’n Shame’ by The Gentlemen and ’You’re Gonna Miss Me’ by The Thirteenth Floor Elevators.

THE SQUIRES – ’I Can’t Do It’ (Crypt Records LP-008) 1986

I’ve already featured The Squires before when highlighting ’Rink Bash’, another one of their demo recordings. Since then I’ve managed to find a copy of their all time great 45 ’Going All The Way’/’Go Ahead’ on Atco.

I’ll have to focus on that record another time. By the way, ’Going All The Way’ was voted the third best garage song of all time in ’Teenbeat Mayhem’.

The folk jangling ’I Can’t Do It’ was recorded at the same session as the Atco songs but never released in the 60s. This tune is very similar to ’Go Ahead’ and could easily have been selected as a single in it’s own right.

Maybe the band were hopeful of a follow up release, although the Crypt liners don’t mention this.

Mike Bouyea: ”We piled into the car on April 26th, 1966 early in the morning and drove off to the Big City from Bristol, CT. We walked into the Capitol studio in New York and set about re-recording ’It’s The Same All Over The World’ to see if we could improve on it.

We didn’t go in thinking about putting out a 45. What happened is we finished the one song so fast and we’d paid for a few hours of recording so we decided to make up some more to fill in the time.

We actually were pretty damn efficient , writing, practicing, and recording 7 more songs in the remaining time”.
(from the liners of the Crypt Records release)

THE SYSTEM – ’He’s In Love With Himself’ (Get Hip GHAS-5012) 1997

I’m really enjoying my focus on ’Flower Bomb Songs’ at this present time bringing previously unreleased and possibly unknown (to many) recordings from the mid to late 60s.

One of my all-time favourites is ’He’s In Love With Himself’ by The System.

When Get Hip Records released their stupendous double album set ”Free Flight” (Unreleased Dove Recordings) they did not know the name of the combo from an acetate marked ’I Just Don’t Know/’He’s In love With Himself’ and on the Get Hip label they were simply marked ?

Since the Dove Recordings were released the name of the band has been unmasked as The System, a five piece group from the Edina/Hopkins area of Minnesota.

Both sides of the acetate were recorded at the Dove Recording Studio in Bloomington.

The killer fuzztoned garage psych cut ’He’s In Love With Himself’ was slated as the B-Side but sadly for whatever reason, no commercial release occurred, and The System would remain relatively unknown and unheard in the 60s. 

THE BRIKS – ’Heart Full Of Soul’ (Cicadelic LP 978) 1986

If you’re a rock and roll fan, and man who isn’t? you are sure to be turned on to this swingin’ album on Cicadelic Records titled ”Texas Punk: Volume 8” featuring The Basement Wall and The Briks.

The Briks were the stars of ”Texas Punk: Volume 7” and are represented here by six songs recorded live at Northwood Country Club in 1967.

It’s clear from the material that The Briks had a British Invasion fixation covering hit songs by The Kinks, Cream and The Yardbirds.

’Heart Full Of Soul’ is particularly impressive with some killer lead guitar by Jamie Herndon.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE PASTELS – ’Yeah, I Wanna Know’ (Texas Archive Recordings TAR-2) 1982

In the midst of the skyscrapers, humidity and urban sprawl of Houston during the mid to late 1960s an intense music scene developed which produced many of the great ’60s era Texas rock groups – from The Moving Sidewalks to The Fever Tree.

The local clubs, recording studios and the sheer size of the city made for a quality music scene that contained dozens of talented bands.

’Houston Hallucinations’ is composed of unreleased material by some of the lesser known, though equally good groups.

The Pastels (or Charlie Romain and the Pastels as they were locally known) were not a well known combo but the previously unreleased rocker ’Yeah, I Wanna Know’ showcases their style. This song has that distinctive Texas sound.

They released one 45 on the Push label, ’Weird Sounds’/’I Can Tell’ in 1968.
’Weird Sounds’ is based around the riff of ’Oh Yeah’ and is included on ’Houston Hallucinations.

THE CHAPARRALS – ’One More Time’ (Cicadelic LP-979) 1986

In late 1964, four freshmen at North Texas State University formed The Chaparrals. They had known each other previously in High School. Wayne Rossee and Steve Karnavas attended Richardson High School, Jamie Bassett, Bryan Adams and Chuck McKay – Highland Park.

The band rehearsed for four months building a repertoire of 30 songs.

By June of 1965, they hit the road and headed for Florida, stone cold, with no connections for any clubs.

Miami was The Chaparrals first stop, where they played a few small clubs for a short while. After Miami, they headed up the east coast of Florida and landed a good job in Orlando.

The job was in the cocktail lounge of a bowling alley called ”Southland Lanes”.

Southland lanes

They became the house band for six months, playing six days a week with an extra matinee on Sunday. Monday was an off day. The Chaparrals played four hours a night doing all covers.

At ”Southland Lanes” The Chaparrals added a new member, Tommy Cashwell, who played keyboards. Tommy was instrumental in helping the band perfect their club act.

After their stint at the bowling alley, the boys decided to hit the road again.

Due to Tommy’s connections with the Sizemore booking agency, the band was able to get gigs in Augusta and Macon (Georgia), Lexington (Kentucky), Knoxville (Tennessee), Southbend (Indiana) and Niles (Michigan).

It was in Niles that Tommy tried to get the group to start playing military bases and plunge further north, reaching as far away as Maine.

The rest of the band wasn’t too keen on this idea and opted to return to Texas. It was here that Tommy parted with the group.

Disc A Go-Go

In the winter of 1966, The Chaparrals arrived in Dallas, they added a new keyboard player, Vernon Womack from Waco, to replace Tommy. Having perfected their act, they became very popular locally.

At various times they were the house band for places such as ”Disc A Go-Go” (Cedar Springs and Oak Lawn), ”The Pirates Nook” (Elm Street and Carroll) and ”The Three Thieves” (Lovers Lane and Inwood) where the band opened for The Music Machine and The 13th Floor Elevators on separate occasions.

During 1966, The Chaparrals recorded the songs included on ’Texas Punk 1966: Volume 7’. Unfortunately the band was unable to attract the attention of any local or national record labels.

The Chaparrals kept on playing in Dallas, throughout 1967, occasionally going on the road to Austin, Houston and Oklahoma. By 1968, though, they were hungry for a change of pace.

The band decided to try their luck out in California, which of course was where the music scene was booming.

Their first stop was Los Angeles, but they felt totally out of place with the psychedelic sounds in vogue at the time, besides they were unable to get any decent bookings at the major clubs such as ”The Trip”, ”Ciros” or ”Pandoras Box”.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

Next stop was San Francisco. It was here that the band finally split up, with Jamie, Chuck, Vernon and Wayne heading back to Texas.

Steve stayed on and formed a new band called The Snakes with Cecil Cotton (former lead singer with The Briks).

line-up:
Steve Karnavas (drums)
Wayne Rossee (lead guitar)
Vernon Womack (keyboards)
Jamie Bassett (bass, harmonica)
Chuck McKay (lead vocals, rhythm guitar)

******information taken from the liners of ’Texas Punk 1966: Volume 7’******

THE ARROWS – ’Apache ’65’ (Tower T 5002) 1965

They call themselves The Arrows and their exciting instrumental sound of ’Apache ’65’ started them on the path to hitsville. Here, in their first album, they prove that their first bull’s eye was not just one lucky shot.

funky guitar

The style that’s attracting all the admiration is built around the funky guitar of Davie Allan, a young but extremely successful Hollywood studio musician who decided he would rather make music with his own group.

The writing, pulsing rhythm of The Arrows is supplied by Steve Pugh on electric bass, Larry Brown on drums and Paul Johnson on rhythm guitar – an expert combination as you can hear for yourself.

Their musical approach is that The Arrows play their own arrangements in their own distinctive way, whether they are doing a new tune like ’Twine Time’ or an old favourite like ’Red Roses For A Blue Lady’.

And it sounds like their approach has turned out to be a sure formula for success!

THE PERILS – ’Hate’/’Baby, Do You Love Me?’ (Velva Records V-7484) October 1966

A recent purchase was this obscure 45 by The Perils, from Hart in Texas. At $100, the record wasn’t cheap, but it looked unplayed when I made the purchase and it sounds great. Not much information about The Perils exists online or within the reference books I’ve got so if anyone knows more about them get in touch!

’Hate’ is a sinister sounding garage punker which is quite basic in it’s construction. The singer ain’t a happy bunny and he fucking hates his girlfriend for some reason.

”Hate you girl,
I don’t want you girl
I don’t need you girl,
I hate you girl.”

’Hate’ was compiled back in the 80s on ’Texas Flashbacks Volume 4’ but as far as I know the flip, ’Baby, Do You Love Me?’ remains unknown.

This one is a fratty number with a fast tempo but sadly without any guitar break that would have made it much better, but it’s worth a listen.

THE CENTURYS – ’And I Cried’/’Catch Me Fast’ (BB Records B-4002) 1967

This record is quite sought after amongst 60s garage collectors and it was a recent purchase for me. I don’t know how many were pressed in 1967 but my copy looks like new, so was pleased to add it to my archives.

The Centurys were a mid 60s combo from Lebanon, PA and this was their last 45.

According to details online they broke up due to the draft and lack of success. Previous singles on Renco and Swan were equally good albeit with a primitive lo-fi production especially on the Renco releases.

Back in the mid 80s Bona Fide released a four song EP titled ”The Renco Demos” in a rather cool picture cover. The Centurys certainly look the part in their tight jeans and slicked back hair.

’And I Cried’ is a classy fuzz punker with organ which was compiled decades ago on ’Return Of The Young Pennsylvanians’. The flip ’Catch Me Fast’ is a pleasant Beatlesesque rocker with harmonies and remains uncompiled.

Obscure 1960s Garage and Psychedelic

THE NEWBEATS – ’Top Secret’/’So Fine’ (Hickory 1436) February 1967

The Newbeats were a three piece pop combo based in Nashville and were arguably Hickory’s most successful act. They released numerous 45s during the 60s but this is the only one I own.

I would never have known about it had the record not been highlighted in ’Teenbeat Mayhem’ as possessing the ’garage sound’.

top secret

’Top Secret’ is a memorable rocker with coolsville fuzz guitar and falsetto lead vocals. The back-up vocals sound great also.

The Newbeats probably had other tunes that would fit the bill on ’Flower Bomb Songs’ but until I suss out the the diamonds from the diamoniques the fuzztoned belter that is ’Top Secret’ will have to do for now!

THE EPICS – ’Louie Come Home’/’Give Me A Chance’ (Zen Records 202) April 1965

The Epics possibly came from the Bakersfield area of California, although that is my educated guess concluded because producer Leo Bowden had a recording studio in Bakersfield. This was their only release.

’Louie Come Home’ is a frat style version of Richard Berry’s ’Louie, Louie’ with a combination of gruff style vocals mixed with falsetto.

Highs In The Mid Sixties

At first I didn’t like this song that much but over time it’s grown on me. I first heard this one on the 80s compilation ’Highs In The Mid Sixties – Volume 1’.

I actually bought this 45 for the flip ’Give Me A Chance’ which as far as I know remains uncompiled. The song is a crude mersey beat influenced number. The label provides a credit of four surnames: Dumble, Ward, Concelez and Iger. Maybe they were the guys in The Epics?