Tags: garage

6 Feb 2011, Comments (0)

Roy Head – You’re Almost Tuff (Back Beat) 1966

Author: michael selman

As far as Texas recording artists stack up, Roy Head is right at the top famed for his hit “Treat Her Right,” along with his wild dance moves and microphone tricks during live performances. Born January 9th 1943 in Three Rivers, Texas, Head started his recording career with a group from San Marcos Texas, The Traits. Recording on the TNT and Renner labels they had a slew of hits ranging from rockabilly, R & B to blue eyed soul. The group was formed by Tommy Bolton along with Head. The group consisted of Roy Head on vocals, Tommy Bolton on rhythm guitar, Gerry Gibson on drums, Dan Buie on piano, Clyde Causey on lead guitar and Bill Pennington on bass. Just before their first recordings Causey joined the military and was replaced by George Frazer on lead.

The group first recorded in the late 50’s for the Tanner N Texas Recording Company (TNT) owned by Bob Tanner out of San Antonio. In 1961 the group added two saxophone players David McCumber and Danny Gomez to their lineup and started recording for Renner Records owned by Jessie Schneider also out of San Antonio. One single that stands out is the cover of Ray Sharpe’s “Linda Lu.” This cover is a bit more of a mover than the original and adds more of an almost chicano soul tone to its interpretation with honking horns from top to bottom. This tune was taped and mastered at Jeff Smith’s Texas Sound Studio in San Antonio in 1962.

In late 1963 the group met Charlie Booth at a gig in East Bernard. This meeting is what pushed The Traits to create the blue-eyed soul sound, which Head is known for so well. Booth a T.V. repairman turned Houston music promoter introduced the group to Huey Meaux. In early 1964 the Traits signed with Meaux who then took the group to Gold Star Studios in Houston, Texas. At this first recording session “Teenage Letter/Pain,” were laid down, however Booth and Meaux both knew there was more to offer from this group from San Marcos. Booth, showed a lot of interest in the band’s original tune “Talking ‘bout a Cow,” and suggested cleaning up the lyrics, which became “Treat Her Right,” and was recorded at the groups second trip to the Gold Star Studios. After many personnel changes the group now recorded as Roy Head and the Traits. One big change would come by way of a new bass player, Gene Kurtz who co-wrote “Treat Her Right.” Head was known for his wild dancing compared to James Brown’s shuffle and Elvis’s gyrations. Treat Her Right was released on Don Robey’s Back Beat label where it reached number two on the charts behind the Beatles “Yesterday.”

In 1966 Roy Head, David “Hawk” Koon, Gene Kurtz and Gerry Gibson under the recording name The Roy Head Trio recorded what I consider to be Head’s masterpiece “You’re Almost Tuff/Tush Hog”. This blazing recording was issued on Back Beat and featured Head’s vocals so far from his blue eyed soul sound that most listeners would reconsider if this were in fact Head on lead vocals. Head was in fact at the microphone and Gibson on drums, Kurtz on bass and Koon on lead guitar. This fuzz stomper was written by Gene Kurtz and happens to be my favorite recording Head was ever involved with; at times this single has a sound leaning towards the motorcycle movies of the mid sixties maybe giving reason for the title “Tush Hog”.

Last year I was able to catch Roy Head play at the Continental Club here in Austin. He shared the bill with Barbara Lynn and Archie Bell. Head didn’t play “You’re Almost Tuff” of course, but he did play “Treat Her Right”. He still has the dance moves and mic tricks up his sleeve.

LISTEN: The Traits – Linda Lou

LISTEN: Roy Head – You’re Almost Tuff

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Tags:
blue eyed soul, fuzz, garage, texas

1 Dec 2010, Comments (1)

Gaylan Ladd – Her Loving Way (MGM) 1965

Author: michael selman

Texas native Gaylan Latimer was a singer-songwriter who first recorded with a group called the Dawgs. The band consisted of four young gentlemen: Fred Arechiga on drums, Bobby Sharp on background vocals and acoustic guitar, Gaylan Latimer on lead vocals and 12 string acoustic, and a bass played by the name of Sammie, whose last name I was unable to unearth.

The Dawgs recorded one single on the Pic 1 label “Won’t You Cry for Me” written in early 1965. The B Side was “Shy,” a song Gaylan had written when he was in the 4th or 5th grade. This single was recorded at Gold Star Studio and produced by the famed Huey Meaux. Gaylan shortened his last name to Ladd, as a stage name, at Meaux’s request. After this record Meaux decided to refashion The Dawgs persona by billing them as Bob and Gaylon. Bob and Gaylon recorded for the Ventural label “Don’t Go in My Room Girl,” and “It Belongs To You.” The group had a very English, mop-top, beetle boot look. Using both compositions by Bobby Sharpe and Gaylan, Meaux promoted off a concept that Bob and Gaylon were a Texas/English band. Once executives at Epic records were convinced Bobby Sharpe was from Dover, England they signed the band.

Epic was falling in line to financially back Bob and Gaylon when Bobby Sharpe leaked to the Houston News he was not actually from England. This caused Epic to pull the plug on support for that band, who was hoping an authentic Texas/English group would compete with the British invasion. Meaux would later use this deceptive marketing strategy of creating a Texas/English persona when engineering and producing the Sir Douglas Quintet.

Now in Houston, Bob and Gaylon played all around town opening for many famed acts of the day like Jimmy Reed, Sir Douglas Quintet, Roy Head and B.J Thomas amongst many others. One night in the KILT (Houston radio station) waiting room, Gaylan, who was waiting for a ride home, became riddled with frustrations upon the thought of being forgotten. He wrote, “Think About Me”, a song that would turn out to be his biggest musical success. Freddie Fender covered the song and it soon became a hit on the MGM label.

The flip of the original version is a tough/garage song, which was written by Latimer as well. In this tune Gaylan screams out in dissatisfaction of a cheating female companion, “I can’t stand your loving ways.” In 1965 Latimer recorded a few songs in Meaux’s recording studio, Pasadena Sounds. At this session Latimer recorded “Smokey Places” and “The Painted Lady.” Meaux put both on his Ventural label. The single “Smokey Places,” turned some heads of MGM, which sparked “Her Loving Way” being released on a major label. Within that same year Meaux was arrested, leaving Gaylan in a tough spot.

Feeling disillusioned, and the fact that his engineer/producer/manager was in prison, he moved back to Waco. At this time he had no record deal and played with anyone he could. One group he played with was called The Silvertones, who recorded a few singles for the T.R.C. label in Chuck Harding’s recording studio. Gaylan, playing at various venues around town, summoned a few musicians in the Waco area and started playing as Gaylan and the Dawgs. Being that Gaylan had already played with other musicians prior to using the name; the band changed their name to Gaylan Ladd and the East Side Transfer.

Right around this time in late 1967 Meaux was released from prison. Meaux contacted Gaylan to lay down whatever he had. “Repulsive Situation” illustrated Gaylan’s frustration with his musical career. This tune contains a bit of Fuzz and slow repetitive melody, which summons a depressed sentiment that he was feeling at the time.

After this recording The East Side Transfer split and Gaylan joined members of The Silvertones to record under the name Heather Black. Heather Black recorded a few singles and a full length as well. After some personnel changes in Heather Black, the group took on a female vocalist who was Chuck Harding’s daughter, Glennis Harding. I was able to dig up a track, which Gaylan wrote and arranged called “You Better Find Your Way.” This single was recorded under Glennis Annette and the Confederates for the T.R.C. label. This single is chock full of reverb, laid over a layer of distant voices, conjoining to create an eerie pop number.

Gaylan later became a staff song writer for Meaux in the 70’s under the assumed name Emery Cambel, which he used to write tunes for Peggy Scott, Bobby Bland and Freddy Fender. He continued to record with Heather Black over the years.

I referenced Gaylan Latimer’s official website along with House of hits. I recommend any Texas enthusiast pick up this book. I now invite you to enjoy one of Waco’s finest, Gaylan Latimer.

LISTEN: Gaylan Ladd – Her Loving Way

LISTEN: Gaylan Ladd – Painted Lady

LISTEN: Gaylan Ladd and The East Side Transfer – Repulsive Situation

LISTEN: Glennis Anette and The Confederates – You Better Find Your Way

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Tags:
70s, garage, moody, pop, punker, texas

16 Nov 2010, Comments (3)

Sir David and His Knights (Pa-Go-Go 1966?)

Author: alex larotta

Sorry for the hiatus, folks, but life’s little nuisances were getting in the way of bloggin’ business. But, I’m back with something new and exciting from my collection of Texas soul treasures. Sir David and His Knights recorded their stunning garage/soul version of Jr. Walker’s signature r&b screamer, Shotgun, giving it a full-on teenage punker treatment with a distinctive Texas-born flair. With its mod drum beat, vicious snot-filled screams and hollers, and wild guitar solo at the near halfway mark, Sir David and His Knights answer Jr. Walker’s original with an unmatched early punk gusto.

Sir David and His Knights recorded their 7″ single for the small San Antonio-based Pa-Go-Go label, notably rare amongst collectors of its kind. Pa-Go-Go is perhaps most well known for originally releasing ? Mark and The Mysterians‘ “96 Tears”–now considered a 60s garage rock staple–that was later picked up and distributed by the larger Cameo record label in the fall of 1966. The original Pa-Go-Go issue of 96 Tears is known to be in the range of 750 pressings, fetching high dollars on auction sites and highly regarded amongst Texas and garage rock aficionados. According to rumor, Sir David and His Knights were from the same industrial Mexican-American community of Michigan (Saginaw County) as ? Mark and The Mysterians, and apparently came to Texas with them to record their single for the Pa-Go-Go label. If this story is based in any facet of legitimacy, this would put Sir David’s recording around mid 1966, which is very well likely and plausible, but by no means confirmed.

It’s also been said that one of the band members died shortly after the recording, which caused a hinderance of pressings and promotion of the record, now considered to be a rather short quantity. If I were to make an estimation based on these assumptions, I’d say definitely under 500 pressings, and likely considerably less. Regardless, it’s a certifiable Texas garage knockout!

LISTEN: Sir David and His Knights-Shotgun

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Tags:
chicano soul, garage, texas

20 Oct 2010, Comments (2)

The Raiders – Raisin’ Cane (Van) 1963

Author: michael selman

Our story starts in Lake Jackson, Texas, where the small record label Van was once based. Charles and Bobby Vanmeter, two brothers from Longview, TX, started the label out of the back of their music store in Lake Jackson. Both men ran the small studio where they used a Roberts 4 track recorder to recorded local acts from Angleton, Clute, West Colombia and Freeport. The two brothers took on an accountant to help with the business side of the label named Lonnie Roberts, who was also an accountant for Dow Chemical at the time. Lonnie’s address was used occasionally, which is why you see Angleton on the labels and not Lake Jackson. Lonnie once recorded a single for the label with The Raiders titled, “Rugged But Right/ Room Full of Roses.”

The two groups I would like to spot light on this specific label are the Raiders and The Originals. I have come across some evidence that Van did in fact record a few groups in the Garage, Rocker vein, but have not acquired them as of yet.

The Raiders were a three piece consisting of Jessie Castor on bass, Bill Pitcock on drums and Terry Simpson on guitar. I had the pleasure of speaking with Terry Simpson on the phone to get the down low on this mysterious label and his group along with some information on The Originals.

Terry told me that the group started in 1961, but did not actually record until 1962. The group’s first recording was the hit, “Stick Shift.” It was outside of a club in Angleton that Terry just started playing around on the guitar and ended up writing the guitar section of the song on spot. The group went to the Vanmeters with the song where Terry and Jessie Castor then wrote the rest of the song and recorded the tune. “Stick Shift” sold 10,000 copies in Houston alone after being picked up by the Vee Jay label, giving the record worldwide distribution.

When the group started playing Terry was a fifteen year old and a freshman in High School, Jesse Caster was twenty-two, and Bill Pitcock was twenty-six years old. Another single the group wrote, which was not a chart topper, was a track titled “Raisin’ Cane/Repetition.” This disc is my personal favorite and was recorded in about 1963 with two different members, Clyde Kirkpatrick on bass and Larry Cox on Drums. This tune features a slower bass line edging toward a tittyshaker.

It was around this time The Raiders went through multiple lineup changes and finally became the backing band for Walter Crane, who was a popular vocalist in the area.

The second group I would like to highlight is The Originals. Gary King on guitar, Ronnie Ellis on VOX, Gary’s brother Tommy King on bass, and George Shelton on drums made up the group. They started out with a sound similar to that of The Raiders, but later recorded a few slower ballads and a few moody garage numbers. The Originals went on to record Terry’s “Stick Shift,” with a slight title change, “Stick Shift 65.” Terry Simpson was a huge influence for Gary King and many other guitar players in Texas at the time. Billy Gibbons will even drop Terry Simpson’s name when asked of his early influences.

The Originals eventually recorded four singles for the Van Label. The first one, “Scatter Shot/Lucille,” was the topside written by Garry King and the flipside was a moody version of Little Richard’s “Lucille”.

The group then recorded “Honey Blonde/ One Little Raindrop,” both tunes written by Monte Angell. Their third single contains the Terry Simpson and Jessie Castor cover of “Stick Shift 65/Blast Off”, with the “Blast Off portion written by Gary King. Their fourth single contains my favorite of the four singles “How Much of Your Heart/Searching For Your Love.” The song features Ronnie Ellis belting out the vocals and was written by Monte Angell. For more information on The Originals please refer to Garage Hangover’s interview, which features some additional tunes as well.

I would like to thank Terry Simpson for giving me his time, and Doug Hanners for providing the photos of the band on stage and the publicity poster.