This article originally appeared in Issue 5 of Crawdaddy in Sept. 1966.
According to the New York Times, Ulan Bator, the capital city of Mongolia, has been invaded by rock ‘n’ roll, in the form of two well-used jukeboxes. It’s not quite hard rock, however; popular numbers include “Michelle,” “Downtown,” and “As Tears Go By.” Next year: “Satisfaction” & “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”
John Sebastian has bought and will be playing a steel guitar; the next LOVlN’ SPOONFUL single may be “Rain on the Roof,” with John on Irish harp. And the soundtrack for WOODY ALLEN’s What’s New, Tiger Lily, written and played by the Spoonful, is now available on Kama Sutra Records.
The MAGICIANS’ new single is out on Columbia: “I’d Like to Know” backed with “And I’ll Tell the world.”
The YARDBIRDS’ current U.S. tour ends September 4 in Honolulu; they are scheduled as lead attraction in Dick Clark’s next package tour, Oct. 28-Nov. 27, with Sam the Sham and his new set of Pharaohs, Brian Hyland, and possibly Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. It is also reported that the Yardbirds will be touring the U.S., with the HOLLIES and CRISPIAN ST. PETERS, from Oct. 14 to Nov. 10; somebody goofed.
No matter what you hear, MICHELLE is still with the MAMAS AND PAPAS; she and JOHN PHILLIPS have patched up their marital difficulties. Michelle’s temporary replacement, Jill Gibson, has gone back to working solo. The new M’s & P’s album, Crashon Screamon All Fall Down, will be out very soon.
JESSE COLIN YOUNG & the YOUNGBLOODS have left Mercury Records for RCA Victor; they are presently recording an album that may be out by late September.
The TROGGS’ “Wild Thing” has sold over a million copies internationally; their follow-up, “With a Girl Like You,” also made #1 in England.
In a reverse of a longstanding trend, Negro artists are beginning to record songs originally made popular by whites. Recent Top 20 hits to follow this strange pattern: WILSON PlCKETT’s “Land of 1000 Dances,” DIONNE WARWICK’s “Trains & Boats & Planes,” BILLY STEWART’s “Summertime,” and, unbelievably, STEVIE WONDER doing “BIowin’ in the Wind.”
WOR-FM, New York’s stereo rock ‘n’ roll station, is a courageous venture; listen to it.
The BEATLES’ next film will be produced by Walter Shenson (who produced the first two) and based on an original story by Owen Halder, a British playwright. The soundtrack—eight new songs—wiIl be recorded this December; shooting of the movie (in color) will start in January. The BEATLES will not be playing themselves; and it is doubtful that Richard Lester will direct the movie. Meanwhile, JOHN LENNON has temporarily deserted the Beatles to appear in Lester’s How I Won the War, filming of which began August 22 near Hamburg. Yes, fans, he has had his hair cut for the part.
Clint Warwick, bass guitarist, has left the MOODY BLUES, to be replaced by Rod Clarke. There should be new albums available by the Moody Blues, the ZOMBIES, and possibly a third THEM album, within the next few weeks.
Coming to the CLUB 47, in Harvard Square, Cambridge: Robert Pete Williams, Sept. 7 & 8; JUNIOR WELLS and BUDDY GUY (miss this and kill yourself), Sept. 15, 16, and 17; and the STAPLE SINGERS, Oct. 13 through 16 (tentative). In addition, Club 47 will present a Jordan Hall (Boston) concert January 13 and 14 featuring OTIS RUSH and the PAUL BUTTERFIELD BAND. Rush, a great r&b guitarist/singer, almost unknown in the U.S. though highly respected in Great Britain, is currently at the CAFE AU GO GO in New York through Labor Day weekend, and will be at Club 47 itself the week of January 16.
The ROLLING STONES recorded tracks for their next album in Hollywood the first week of August. Their first movie, Only Lovers Left Alive, goes into production in mid-October.
Earle Pickens, on electric piano, is the new member of the CYRKLE. They appeared with Bobby Hebb, the REMAINS, and the Ronettes on the Beatles tour in August.
The KlNKS’ “Sunny Afternoon” has already made it to #1 in England, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Holland.
DONOVAN has two albums just out, A Summer’s Day Reflection on Epic, following his fantastically successful single “Sunshine Superman” (buy it for the flip side, “The Trip”); and The Real Donovan from his old label, Hickory. The latter only contains five songs not already available, all recorded last year. Beware!
PERCY SLEDGE’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” has been certified a million-seller by RIAA (Record Industry Association of America); likewise the YOUNG RASCALS’ “Good Lovin’” and the BEATLES’ “Paperback Writer.”
Bobby Fuller, of the Bobby Fuller Four, died July 18 on the West Coast.
MANFRED MANN have made several changes lately. First, they added Lyn Dobson on tenor sax and flute, Henry Lowther on trumpet, and Jack Bruce on bass. Then Paul Jones, lead singer for the group, decided to leave to work as a solo performer (he has since been signed to co-star with JEAN SHRIMPTON in a British film about a pop star/idol, Privilege). The Manfreds’ new vocalist is Michael d’Abo. Meanwhile, the group has switched from United Artists to Mercury. Their first release on Mercury is BOB DYLAN’s “Just Like a Woman,” also released as a single by Jonathan King and by Dylan himself. And the latest development is that Lowther and Dobson have been dropped from the group. Progress…
The SUPREMES, LOVIN’ SPOONFUL, Leslie Gore, YARDBIRDS, and DUSTY SPRINGFIELD appeared on a ninety-minute special on New York’s WABC-TV August 13.
New Musical Express lists the top ten chart artists in Britain for Jan.—June ‘G6 as 1) Beach Boys, 2) Cilia Black, 3) Spencer Davis Group, 4) Crispian St. Peters, 5) Walker Brothers, 6) Rolling Stones, 7) Kinks, 8) Small Faces, 9) Ken Dodd, 10) Dusty Springfield. Groups like the Hollies and the Beatles failed to make the list because they had few records out in England in that period.
There is a persistent rumor that BOB DYLAN has been signed by Mercury Records following the expiration of his Columbia contract.
Elektra Records is planning new albums in the fall by LOVE, PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND (East-West, out soon), and DAVID BLUE, plus an LP on “How to Play Electric Bass.”
“Yellow Submarine’”s last chorus features not only all the BEATLES, but also recording manager George Martin, two road managers, and assorted studio staff and technicians. The submarine sound effects were produced live in the studio; and most of the production was by John. “Eleanor Rigby” backup is a string octet: four violins, two violas and two cellos.
RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS to London in October.
The FUGS on Esp-Disk have made it into the nation’s Top 100 charts. When is Atco going to release an album by the great SPENCER DAVIS GROUP??
There seems to be some question as to which side is up on the BEACH BOYS’ new single: “God Only Knows” is a smash in England; “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” started big here but “God Only Knows” is catching up. Both are from Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys’ finest LP. Their next LP should be called Dumb Angel (and watch for a number called “Good Vibrations”!).
Mercury Records recently signed CHUCK BERRY, as well as Little Junior Parker and Jerry Butler.
JR. WALKER & THE ALL-STARS at Westview Park, Pittsburgh, Sept. 10; at Harlem’s Apollo Theater October 7.
The REMAINS’ new single is out: “Don’t Look Back.”
WEEI in Boston has “made the only decision we could in conscience make”—they’ve banned the Beatles. An interesting sidelight: WEEI is a talk-format radio station, and has never played a rock ‘n’ roll record. Aaargh!
The WHO will be in the U.S. in September. Their new single, “The Kids Are All Right,” seems to be catching on. Cross your fingers…
The ROGER MILLER Show premieres September 12 on NBC, as does—believe it or not—The Monkees, a half-hour situation comedy series about a rock ‘n’ roll group.
The FORTUNES have a new rhythm guitar player: Shel McRae. HERMAN’S HERMITS will begin filming their Mrs. Brown movie in early ‘67; after that, they’re starring in a remake of A Day at the Races!!
CRISPIAN ST. PETERS’s next single is PHIL OCHS’s song “Changes.”
Paul Samwell-Smith, bass guitar, has left the YARDBIRDS; his replacement is Jimmy Page. Samwell-Smith will continue to write and produce for the group.
Yet another bassist bowing out is Eric Haydock, of the HOLLIES; he has been replaced by Bern Calvert. Haydock, who founded the Hollies, is now thought of as a possible replacement for Kink Pete Quaife; Quaife is convalescing after a serious automobile accident, and it is not yet certain whether he will rejoin the KINKS.
DIONNE WARWICK and ANTHONY & the IMPERIALS will be at New York’s Philharmonic Hall Sept. 25.
BOB DYLAN will be in the hospital at least two months following a motorcycle crash in New York in early August.
Exactly a year after their first single became a hit, The LOVIN’ SPOONFUL are #1 in the country with “Summer in the City,” a record that should do for the Spoonful what “Satisfaction” did for the Stones.
The ALAN PRICE SET has made the American charts with SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKlNS’s “I Put a Spell on You.” Price (former organist for the Animals) is looking for a girl duo to sing with the group. Their new single is “Hi
Li-Li Hi-Lo,” already a hit in England.
AL KOOPER is recording a solo album, performing (on organ) songs he either wrote or had a part in recording (Dylan’s “Sooner or Later,” for example).
MITCH RYDER was called from the audience by the ANIMALS at their Central Park concert August 3; he sang “Jenny Take a Ride” with them, and the audience loved it. The two shows brought in 7,870 people.
JOHNNY RIVERS just started his own record label, Soultown. Imperial recently released an LP of his greatest hits.
Words to “Tomorrow Never Knows” on Revolver are from the Tibetan Book of the Dead. If you like that sort of thing.
The FOUR SEASONS (who have sold more than 80 million singles and albums around the world) are releasing a Cole Porter tune as their next single—”I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” Meanwhile, “See You in September’ and Gershwin’s “Summertime” are Top 10 songs. And the MAMAS & PAPAS will sing four Rodgers and Hart songs as part of a TV special honoring the gentlemen.
SUPREMES at the Flamingo in Las Vegas Sept. 29 to Oct. 19, then the University of Pennsylvania Nov. 5.
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD will tour the U.S. in September.
Charlie McCoy, writing in Hit Parader, tells who played what on DYLAN’s Blonde on Blonde: Al Kooper, organ; Kenneth Buttrey, drums; Henry Strzelecki, bass; Joe South, guitar; Wayne Moss, guitar; Mack Gayden, guitar; Hargus (“Pig”) Robbins, piano; Charlie McCoy, harmonica (on “Obviously 5 Believers”); Wayne Butler, slide trombone (“Rainy Day Women”); Jaime Robertson, guitar. The album was cut in Nashville, in two three-day sessions three weeks apart. The only exception is “(Sooner or Later) One of Us Must Know,” which was recorded in New York. The arrangements were done at the sessions, by Dylan and Kooper.
WOODY’S TRUCK STOP open at the Second Fret in Philadelphia in September—op, pop, and rock, says Variety.
PETER AND GORDON will tour America in late September.
BILL HALEY & THE COMETS (yeah, they still exist) begin a two-month European tour Sept 1.
The three new members of THEM are Ray Eliot, organ, Dave Turfey, drums, and Jim Armstrong, guitar.
The National Association of Radio Announcers (in the rhythm & blues field) has presented its Golden Mike Awards: JAMES BROWN, male vocalist of the year; DIONNE WARWICK, female ditto; best male group, the TEMPTATIONS; female, the SUPREMES; best single, “When a Man Loves a Woman”; best album, Lou Rawls Live; Ramsey Lewis’s “In Crowd” best jazz single; Jimmy Smith’s Mojo Working best jazz LP; most promising male singer, JOE TEX; most promising female, CARLA THOMAS; most prom female group, the Toys; most prom male, the Mad Lads. An award for everyone, how nice.
Name two records in the last two years that stayed at the very bottom of the charts for two weeks, suddenly picked up, moved up steadily and spent a lot of time in the Top 5 without ever making it to #1 nationally (on the Billboard chart); dropped slowly; and were finally each certified as having sold a million copies (actually more like 1,300,000) without ever touching #1? Answers: “Wooly Bully,” by Sam the Sham; and “Li’l Red Riding Hood,” by…Sam the
Sham. Interesting.
Cape Cod’s BARBARIANS have signed with Mercury Records; their next single maybe a song by Jeff Gutcheon.
Filming of ROY ORBlSON’s MGM film starts September 8.
Joe Gilbert, of Eddie & Joe, was killed in a car crash August 6, at the age of twenty-four.
Philadelphia’s CANDY MEN have changed their name, following the departure of lead singer Thumper; they are now the CAT’S CRADLE.
One Philippines newspaper called the Beatles “Paul, Ringo, George, and Joe.” Definitely out of it. CHRIS FARLOWE made it to #1 in England with a Jagger-Richards song called “Out of Time” (from the British Aftermath). The STONES will also write and produce Farlowe’s follow-up record.
DONOVAN will play six concerts in the U.S. at the end of September. He has produced a film of himself on tour in Sweden, and sold it to CBS here; he is now planning to make two half-hour films of the LOVlN’ SPOONFUL and the MAMAS & PAPAS.
Glen Dale has left the FORTUNES; his new single is “Good Day Sunshine” from Revolver.
Peter Noone of HERMAN’S HERMITS will star with Michael Redgrave and Margaret Schaeffer in Canterville Ghosts on ABC-TV November 2nd.
The RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS will be at the Latin Casino, Cherry Hill, N.J., Sept. 8-18.
GENE CHANDLER and JOE TEX currently at The Club in Chicago.
Watch for a half-hour BEATLES special on TV entitled “Big Night Out.”
The DAVE CLARK 5 are filming a movie about a big robbery. Yeah.
The HOLLIES, who finally have a Top 20 hit in the U.S. with “Bus Stop,” have been signed for a Hollywood film. Their next U.S. tour starts September 11.
YARDBlRDS’ next single may be “Rack My Mind”/”The Nazz Are Blue.” Los Angeles’s [sic!] JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, currently in
Chicago at the Mother Blues, are recording their first album for RCA Victor.
SONNY & CHER are in Europe, touring for the benefit of underprivileged children in the countries they’re visiting. They recently completed their first movie, Good Times.
The LOVIN’ SPOONFUL tour the world from Sept. 18 to late October.
PHIL SPECTOR is marrying Veronica (beautiful lead singer of the RONETTES).
TERRY KNIGHT & THE PACK are a fantastic group who may finally make it with their new single “A Change on the Way,” now on the charts.
The LOST have a new single out, “Violet Gown,” which will be available as soon as Capitol releases the right recording!
The PAUL BUTTERFIELD BAND will tour England in October. ## The TROGGS will be here in October, and maybe again for six weeks at the end of the year.
Top five r&b singles in sales for Jan.—July ‘66 are 1) “Hold On! I’m Comin’”—Sam & Dave, 2) “Baby Scratch My Back”—Slim Harpo, 3) “Cool Jerk”—the Capitols, 4) “634-5789”—Wilson Pickett, 5) “Uptight”—Stevie Wonder. Top five r&b LPs: 1) Tempting Temptations, 2) Crying Time—Ray Charles, 3) The Miracles Going to a Go-Go, 4) Got My Mojo Working—Jimmy Smith, 5) Lou Rawls Live!
The MAMAS & PAPAS will appear on the first Hollywood Palace of the fall season; they plan to visit Britain in November, possibly doing a tour with SIMON & GARFUNKEL.
“Dangling Conversation” features Peter Mantz’s strings (he backs up Barbra Streisand); SIMON & GARFUNKEL originally were trying to get LEONARD BERNSTEIN.
TRINI LOPEZ will do “Lady Jane” on his next LP. JIM DELEHANT reveals the underground significance of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in the November Hit Parader.
Number one in Sweden: “Bald-Headed Lena” by the LOVIN’ SPOONFUL.
Do you really believe all this stuff’?