I recently recovered boxes of memorabilia and rare recordings from my storage unit and I will be sharing these in the coming months. Today, I am sharing a rare promo package that came with early copies of Caroline Peyton’s great Indiana album Intuition. Enjoy!
Stoned Mace was a great rock and roll band from Attica, Indiana that featured John Mullins on base. He recently provided Indiana45s with this photo taken in June 1972-73 at a place called”The Pot Holes” in Warren County, Indiana shortly after the band cut their solitary release “C-147″/ “Tasmania” (Stoned Mace Records 1001/1002). Additional recordings were made around this time but none of them ever made it to vinyl.
As many of you already know, Oscar and the Majestics cut some of the wildest, toughest, and most fuzzed-out garage 45s to come out of Indiana. Well, more than 45 years after some of his earliest singles, Oscar Hamod is finally getting his due in a fully licensed reissue by Sundazed. The lp features some of my personal favorite Indiana tracks, “Soulfinger” and “Got to Have Your Lovin” two great garage numbers loaded with attitude and fuzzed out guitars! The package features unreleased tracks. A 7-inch recording of “No Chance Baby” is also available
If you haven’t picked this up yet, do so today!
Hi,
As you may know Sundazed Music is releasing an authentic recorded in the 1960′s garage era Oscar and the Majestics album titled “No Chance Baby” on July 26, 2011. We thought you might like to use and post the following updated and accurate descriptive information about our upcoming Oscar and the Majestics “No Chance Baby” album. Please let me know if this information is useful and satisforctory.
Thanks and best regards,
Oscar
Oscar and the Majestics
In the 1960′s Oscar and his brother, Bud, formed the band “Oscar and the Majestics”. Soon Oscar’s other brother, Sam, joined the band. It wasn’t long under Oscar’s leadership that their hard rocking sound catapulted them from growing popularity in NW Indiana to the entire Midwest. Eventually Bob joined Oscar and Sam in the band. Uniquely these three original and core members still comprise “Oscar and the Majestics”. Starting in the early 60′s the band began to record Oscar’s original material. Eventually Oscar also chose to put the hard rocking “OTM” driving rock style on a few songs such as “House of the Rising Sun” and “I Can’t Explain”. Even though their style has been called “garage rock” all the recordings were done at the famous and prestigious Chess Studios, RCA Universal Studios, and Sound Studios in Chicago. These original recordings are sought after and embraced throughout the world. Until now fans had to settle for searching for vintage recordings or purchasing compilation albums for OTM recordings. The good news is that Sundazed Music is releasing (July 26, 2011) an all “Oscar and the Majestics” authentic 60′s recordings album (CD/vinyl) titled “No Chance Baby” and a two-sided 7″ vinyl. The album and single include well known “Oscar and the Majestics” recordings and some never before released original recordings. Every one of the recordings is special to the band because they had to write, arrange, play, sing, record, and pay for it all in the 60′s garage rock era. Here is a list and short description of each song included on the Sundazed Music “Oscar and the Majestics” album.
House of the Rising Sun (1966): Our hard rocking arrangement showcases and demonstrates why we are called one of the original early hard rockers of the 60′s garage era. We were looking to the future (futuristic) so we used 1969.
My Girl is Waiting (1964): Oscar wrote this melodic song describing someone who is missing his loved one through no fault of his own. It could be a mistake or injustice that he is in prison or a soldier across the sea far from home.
No Chance Baby (1965): In this song Oscar describes in a relationship one partner may be done and finished. The other person realizes that in life there is “no chance” to get this loved one back. Also in life many times there is just “no chance baby” to get many things back. It is one of our favorite songs and recordings. It is the title of our album.
Soul Finger (1966): A hard rocking blue-eyed soul arrangement with lyrics by Oscar. It stole the show on the 2131 album.
Got to Have Your Lovin (1966): This lover’s lament is led by a fuzz guitar and hard rocking bass.
Baby Under My Skin (1965): This original is loaded with trash talking and singing lyrics.
I Can’t Explain (1966): Our hard rocking version of a great 60′s song.
Why-O/Jungle Beat (1964): Acappella singing and a drum beat lead the hands on conga line!
Jackie Jackie (1964): This early Oscar original is based on a true story of justice done.
Come On Willie (1964): A song about a fella who is dumped by his chick and is told “come back Willie”
Top Eliminator (1964): This is a hard rocking instrumental drag racing recording.
Dawn (1964): Oscar liked the chords changes and put them to his rock style guitar work.
Fanny Brown (1964): Oscar tells the story of a girl running all over town and now her boy friend is done with her.
I Feel Good (1965): Features the unforgettable sounds of Oscar’s ’58 Gibson Explorer guitar.
We would like to thank and recognize the entire Sundazed Music team for doing an outstanding job on the entire Oscar and the Majestics “No Chance Baby” album package. Also, we would like to thank our worldwide fan base for their support and tell them “this is just the beginning, Baby”. Now we will let our music speak for itself.
Rockabilly fans have known of Jimmie Dale’s epic two-sider “Baby Doll” / “Darlin” (Saber #708) but little was known about Jimmie Dale himself. A limited edition reissue of this famous track comes just in time to rescue Jimmie Dale from obscurity and return him to his rightful place as one of Indiana’s rockabilly masters.
Jimmie Dale Wilcoxson was born in New Albany on May 16, 1941. He grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry and even hitch-hiked to Nashville when he was 13 years old. In 1953 he began playing music regularly with Bill Wright, a Kentucky transplant who played the “talking harp”. Looking for adventure, he forged his birth certificate and entered the US Air Force when he was only 14 years old. After his mother found out, she produced his true birth certificate and he was on his way home.
The reissue is a limited edition and only 750 copies are being released so get it while you can. The pink vinyl EP features two additional songs by Jimmie Dale released around the same time, “Man Made Moom” / “For A Day” (Farrall 687). In addition, the gatefold EP features an amazing 12 page color booklet giving a full breakdown of Jimmie Dale’s career in Southern Indiana and Kentucky. Now, if I can only get my hands on a copy of this record! I’ve been looking for one since I first heard this in the early 2000s but have had no luck yet.
Left to right: Doc Lockridge, Dennis O'Neal, Patter McLaughlin and Steve Lewis
Heavy Water was a group of high school and post high school friends from Madison, Indiana. The band performed regularly from mid 1970 till early 1972. Several of the band’s songs were written by Doc Lockridge . Lockridge had a friend that was a DJ at the local radio station, that played a “garage recording” of one of the songs, and the positive response from listeners caused the band to pursue the possibility of getting it recorded. Fultz Recording Studio, in Fairdale Kentucky, offered a 45 single recording package, and the band recorded 2 songs there, in May of 1971.
Heavy Water – “Let’s Go For A ride” / “She Sees You” (White Horse Records F-7)
Heavy Water promoted the single at gigs, and carried it from town to town, trying to get airplay.
The band broke up in early 1972 as members began to move on to their post high school lives.
Heavy Water was: Dennis O’Neal – drums and vocals, Patter McLaughlin – guitar and vocals, Steve Lewis – bass and vocals, and Doc Lockridge - guitar and vocals.
Misfits were a garage band from Evansville, Indiana featuring Jeff DeVillez (vocals and writer), William Kneeland,Jr (lead guitar and backing vocals),Dave Ransom (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), David Blythe (drums and percussion), and Steve Gor (bass).
The band originally started around 1964 with William Kneeland,Dave Wells(keyboard),Jim Wells(Bass)and a drummer.They broke up and the Wells Brothers formed The Monzas,which included them and Gary Isbell on lead guitar;Danny Ritz on drums and Jeff Devillez as vocalist.
That group lasted about 18 months and never recorded. After the Monzas broke up around 1966,The Misfits regrouped and recorded “I’ll Feel Better” / “Please Don’t Go Away” on Showboat 1517. The band lineup later changed to Edwin Karges III (lead guitar), Pat Ritchel(drums), Ralph Child ”Chic” Bain (keyboard), Ernest James”Jim”Sanders (bass and sax). Jeff Devillez played bass when Sanders played sax. This later incarnation became popular regionally, playing 2-3 times per week in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.
The band that recorded on Showboat was heavily influenced by the Beatles, the Byrds,the Hollies, Buffalo Springfield, the Association, the Lovin Spoonful, the Zombies, The Grassroots, The Kingsmen,etc. The last incarnation of the group was more psychedelic and heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix,Cream,Vanilla Fudge, and Deep Purple.
A typical setlist for the band would include Wendy(The Association),Bus Stop(The Hollies), You’ve lost that lovin feelin(The Righteous Brothers),and many pop tunes of the era,along with a few originals.
In addition to the Showboat release, the Misfits recorded “If you believe in yesterday”/”Cry,cry,cry”. Five copies were produced on the studio’s cutting machine.
Showboat Records was housed in an older red brick building with stucco on the outside. The building is still in Santa Claus,but is part of the “Holiday World” theme park. In preparation for the recording, the band did several rehearsal runs. The acctual recordings were all done in about 4 or 5 hours in one afternoon using a 1/2 ” Ampex 4 track recorder. Ray Scrivner and another engineer acted as producers.
At that time,the rival bands that recorded were The Corvettes (later called Free Reign),The Turks (later The Young Turks), The Villians (they recorded some regional hits on a Nashville label called Bullet), and Gary and the Circles (headed by Gary Bugg)and The Nomads (who recorded for Skoop Records-a division of Showboat).
Other bands back then were The oinsmen(from Princeton), the Vikings,The Steel Head band, and The Unpredictables(who recorded a EP of 4 songs on GuildCraft Records of Indiana).
The Misfits won local Battle of the Bands competitions on multiple occasions-usually at the Gold Room of the downtown convention center
The band broke up when Jeff Devillez quit to take a month off to go to California with his family on a trip in July of 1968.
Special thanks to John Myer for sending me photos of these cool posters from Tippy Ballroom! It must have been a blast to see some of those back at Lake Tippecanoe.
US Male, the Sixth Generation, and Twelf Street Crossing
Strawberry Alarm Clock and U.S. Male
Electric Prunes, the Sixth Generation, and Spencer Davis
Cryan' Shames and U.S. Male
Coachmen - What'd I Say / Sheba (Bud Pressner Acetate)
Indiana’s Bud Pressner owned and operated one of the states most prolific recording studios for more than three decades. Originally located at 718 Washington Street, Gary, Indiana, Bud Pressner Music & Recording Service later moved to Merrillville, Indiana.
In addition to his own in-house label, Staff, he also churned out hundreds of microscopic pressings for local and regional bands. Indiana45s has been cataloging these records since we started this site in 2001. We have also documented at least a half dozen Bud Pressner acetates that never saw a proper release, at least as far as our research can tell. The fact that Indiana45s has been able to identify so many of these acetates leads us to believe that there may be many more unreleased acetates lurking in the wild.
The most famous of Mr. Pressner’s recordings are well known in the collector’s community. Aztex – I Said Move / Little Streets In My Town (Staff BP 194) remains one of the rarest and most in-demand garage records of all time.
Mr. Pressner began his career as a tenor saxophone and clarinet player and gradually branched engineering and recording music. He owned a store that repaired and sold musical instruments. This put him in contact with almost every local artists in the region. During his career, the Bud Pressner Orchestra recorded at least six albums of their own.
Over the course of the next few months Indiana45s will be showcasing some of Bud Pressner’s most obscure recordings.
The Counts of Rhythm - Gerald "Bud" Cole (drums), Jim Cox (guitar), and Roy Alexander (piano)
Continentals and the Counts of Rhythm - Hey Senorita
In 1958 the doowop craze was sweeping the nation. The Penguins had a massive hit with Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine). A small group of students from Muncie Central High School decided to make their own recording under the name Continentals and the Counts of Rhythm. The recordings were completed in a short period by a Cincinnati recording company. The result was a smoking version of the Penguin’s B-side hit “Hey Senorita” backed by an original, “Don’t Leave Me” (ZTSC-10476). The record was released locally and less than 100 copies were rumored to have been pressed, making it one of the scarcest records by an Indiana group. The Continentals consisted of Theotis Barnes, Phil Butts, Ralph Kersey, Ray Jimmerson and Elsworth Williams on vocals. The instrumental combo, pictured above, consisted of Jim Cox, Roy Alexander, and Bud Cole.
