This fascinating, yet short-lived, South African group recorded a hopelessly rare 45 for the US Scepter label in 1968, which was produced by Billy Forrest and distributed in South Africa by Troubadour Records.
The musicians collectively had an impressive history.
Guitarist John E Sharpe had previously played with The Deans (where he met Les Goode) and then worked with The G-Men before fronting his own group, John E Sharpe & The Squires (who also included Goode at one point).
Goode meanwhile had started out with Les Beats and then The Nitwits before joining forces with Sharpe in The Deans and subsequently John E Sharpe & The Squires. After working with The A-Cads during late 1965-mid 1966, including a short spell in the UK, Goode returned to South Africa in September that year and reunited with Sharpe in a new formation.
Scotsmen John Elliott and Albert Rossi met in South Africa when they were both employed as session players at Troubadour Records. Rossi appeared on Quentin E Klopjaeger’s LP Sad Simon Lives Again.
The drummer had worked with Chris Lamb & The Universals in the UK before emigrating to South Africa in 1964/1965.
Elliott meanwhile had worked in John E Sharpe’s short-lived group, New Order during 1967.
John Elliott in New Order. Thanks to Alan Shane for the photo
Nic Martens had worked with Durban groups The Navarones and The Lehman Limited alongside future Freedom Children’s drummer Colin Pratley before later working with The Noel McDermott Group.
The five musicians came together around September 1967 and worked under producer Billy Forrest, who landed the recording deal for a lone 45 which coupled covers of Booker T & The MGs “Green Onions” with Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man”.
The single is extremely rare and I am very grateful to South African music writer and collector Tertius Louw for sharing scans of both sides of the record.
Around August 1968, the group broke up and while Martens later worked with Freedom’s Children, Sharpe and Goode formed another band called John E Sharpe & His Board of Directors who issued another rare 45 on Parlophone which coupled “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” with “Legend of a Big Toe”.
Both musicians then hooked up with former Freedom’s Children guitarist Julian Laxton in the short-lived Crystal Drive.
I’d be interested to hear from anyone who can add more information.
Huge thanks to Albert Rossi and Tertius Louw for background info
Left to right: Craig Ross, Colin Knott, Hugh Mackrell, Geral Knott and Dave Ridgeway
Craig Ross (lead vocals)
Geral Knott (lead guitar)
Hugh Mackrell (rhythm guitar/vocals)
Dave Ridgeway (bass)
Colin Knott (drums)
A Durban band formed in late 1968 after former Gonks lead singer Craig Ross had left South African rock legends, Freedom’s Children.
The group also comprised siblings Colin and Geral Knott who had previously played with The Alouettes; bass player Dave Ridgeway and former Mods rhythm guitarist Hugh Mackrell.
During 1969, the band recorded four tracks in Johannesburg with producer Brian Pretorius and engineer Dave Pollcutt. These comprised three covers: John Lennon’s “Ballad of John & Yoko”, Lee Dorsey’s “Love Machine”, Oz’s “King Croesus” and one original, Hugh Mackrell’s “Down”. The four tracks are issued over two singles for the Uptight label.
When the group split up in 1970, Craig Ross later recorded a lone one-off single, “Ginger Man” c/w “Dear Prudence” in 1975.
Huge thanks to Hugh Mackrell and Brian Pretorius for helping piece this story together and for providing the single scans and newspaper clippings.
A short-lived band formed by former Paul Butterfield Blues Band bass player Jerome Arnold after he briefly moved to the UK.
Cowell and Toomey had recently worked with The Warren Davis Monday Band after playing together in Still Life and Jon. Both would go on to form Titus Groan.
Holland had previously worked with Long John Baldry’s band Bluesology after Elton John had left.
7 February 1969 – Blues Loft, Marlow, Bucks (Melody Maker)
14 February 1969 – Fishmonger’s Arms, Wood Green, London (Melody Maker)
13 April 1969 – Farx Club, Northcote Arms, Southall, London with Egg (Time Out)
13 April 1969 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, London (Melody Maker)
21 April 1969 – Blaises, Imperial Hotel, Queen’s Gate, London (Hounslow Post)
29 April 1969 – Fishmongers Arms, Wood Green, London (Time Out)
This group of Missing Links recorded on Rosco Records out of Hollywood. According to a paragraph that popped up on Wikipedia before being removed, the band’s members were Larry Duncan, Jim Stanley, Mike Swain and Danny DeLacey.
The controversy over that paragraph derives from whether the Missing Links backed Micky Dolenz for a brief time as Mickey and the One Nighters, at the instigation of Eddie Hodges. The Cool Cherry Cream site has the best summary of this crucial morsel of music history.
That site quotes Andrew Sandoval’s The Monkees: Day-By-Day, including that the Missing Links appeared at a spot called La Pitcher in Denver (anyone know more about this club?)
Regardless, the Missing Links did cut one great 45 without Micky, a cover of a recent Al Dowling song “Heartbreak Hill” b/w an original “I Cried Goodbye” on Rosco Records 418.
D. DeLacey and C. Stevens wrote “I Cried Goodbye” for Misslink Music, production through Rosco’s Chartmaker Productions, Inc. at N. Vine St. in Hollywood. I’m not sure who C. Stevens is.
The correct spelling of Danny DeLacey’s name is Danny DeLacy, at least that’s how it appears in a Cash Box artist directory and a very interesting item in the April 18 issue of Cash Box that describes him as an Australian and mentions his current DeVille Records single.
That single did see release on DeVille Records DE 118, but with the artist credited as “The One” through a paste-over label. It features “All the Time” and “You Got That Love”, both by Danny DeLacy and Jonny Baron for Charlin Music and Fabulous Music (ASCAP).
I haven’t heard either side – if you have audio files please contact me!
Production by Jay Colonna; he also receives production credit on a Danny Welton single “Julie” / “Stroblights” from the movie “Girl in Gold Boots” (1968), one of the worst rated flicks on IMDB, and Elroy Peace’s funk 45 on Jo-Jo, “Whirlybird” / “Mama Sho-Nuff Is Psyche” (intriguing title!)
At some point, Danny DeLacy returned to Australia. When bassist Kim Lynch left the Australian group The Loved Ones in 1967, Rob Lovett switched to bass and Danny DeLacy joined on lead guitar. Interestingly, Australian rock history site Miles Ago describes DeLacy as an American!
Elroy Peace also had a number of Australian releases, I wonder if there’s some connection.
One other intriguing side-note: Rosco Records 417, just before the Missing Links features the Nova-Tones “Walk on the Surf Side”, a song by Bill Lincoln and Mike Dood for Beaver Music. Likely this is the same Bill Lincoln who recorded with the Bushmen, the War-Babies and Euphoria! I haven’t heard the Nova-Tones single either, so if anyone has a copy please let me know.
Sam the Sham’s entire backing band quit towards the end of 1965, supposedly over financial disagreements. David Martin, Jerry Patterson, Ray Stinnett and Paul Gibson could not keep the Pharaohs name, and Sam recruited an entirely new Pharaohs lineup.
The remaining group cut one single as the Violations on Dot 45-16866, with Sam the Sham’s producer Stan Kesler, released in April, 1966.
Paul Gibson wrote the fast-moving r&b top side, “You Sure Have Changed” and collaborated with Ray Stinnett on “The Hanging”. The drumming is especially noticeable on both sides. I’ve read that “The Hanging” is a comment on the breakup with Samudio, but the lyrics are either oblique, like “People offer many persuasions/ Some offer gold as a prize / But they lie …”, or simply hard to comprehend over the slamming drums!
Cash Box reviewed the single in early May, 1966, giving it positive B+/B reviews, but the single faded without making any charts that I’m aware of.
Paul Gibson copyrighted two other songs in 1966, “A Long, Long Way” which was the B-side to Sam the Sham’s January 1966 single “Red Hot”, and “Like You Use To” which I’m not sure if anyone recorded.
I read Paul “Butch” Gibson left the music business after this single.
Ray Stinnett formed the 1st Century and released one 445 on Capitol produced by Don Nix featuring two of his original songs, “Looking Down” / “Dancing Girl”. He would work with Booker T. Jones and in 1971 cut his own album that would wait 40 years to be released with the title A Fire Somewhere.
I hadn’t heard the Innocence single “Quit Buggin’ Me” on Zap Records 2331, but I bought a copy because the titles were promising and it shares a label with a favorite garage 45, the Starlites‘ “Wait For Me”.
“Quit Buggin’ Me” turns out to be a fairly hilarious song-poem type vocal over a rock backing track (with flute, why not).
Quit buggin’ me, I don’t want to be bothered, Can’t you see, You’re wasting your time.
Besides the singer’s off-time interjections of “Quit buggin’ me”, I like lyrics such as “keep fishin’ round, you got the bait”! plus the chorus chanting “You’ve had your way” and “I’m off the hook”.
“Jungle of Love” is more countrified and the lyrics a bit hackneyed.
Rozella Staples and Joan Hager wrote both songs, published through Top Talent Music BMI. They registered the songs with the Library of Congress in September 1970, but from the pressing code ZAFX-6805217, I believe this was actually recorded and released in 1968.
Zap Records was part of Belle Meade Records in Nashville, also known for song-poem releases.
The Magnums had one release of R&B sounds dense with echo, both originals by Charles Collins. “One of These Days” is the uptempo side, while “Two People Against the World” is the slow ballad. Can’t tell you anything more about the band at this time.
Released as Centennial 45-1863-2, the King pressing dates it to 1964. Panhandle Pub. Co. handled the publishing, as it did for the New Mason Dixons’ single “Back Up” / “Totaled” (both by Sam Follo) on Centennial 45-1863-1. Centennial’s address was 217 Blackwell St., Bridgeport, West Virginia.
There’s also a Centennial 45-1863-3, Pee Wee & the Prophets “Let’s Work” / “Tell Me”, with the address changed to Clarksburg.
Andy Mark came from St. Davids, Pennsylvania, a small community close to Wayne and about 15 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
A promotional sleeve created at the time of his first single reproduces a number of news articles, programs and letters. Andy was part of a folk group referred to variously as the Suburan Three or the Suburban Four.
These St. Davids lads are: Andy Mark, 13, guitarist; Jim Schnaars, 13, second guitarist and lead vocalist; Dan Gladish 14, Irish bass player; all students at Radnor Junior High, and Bob Schnaars, 15, blue-grass banjoist, who attends Mercersburg Academy.
Another Hootenany program omits Bob Schnaars and lists Jaccy Schnaars instead of Jim. Debbie DuPont managed his bookings, and Ed Cotlar produced his first single. Ed Cotlar had worked for Cameo-Parkway and Goodway Records, and in 1968 would join Diamond.
Billboard, April 27, 1968
Billboard published two mentions about this release in the April 20 and 27, 1968 issues.
Ed Cotlar is reactivating his free-lance record promotion service, E-jay Enterprises – House of Ideas. His first accounts are “Girl Watcher,” by the O’Kaysions on North State Records and “Part Time Hippie,” by Andy Mark on Hilaire Records.
The second news item is about Deborah Eldredge duPont forming Hilaire Records headquartered in St. Davids, PA. Unfortunately the item spells the A-side as “Oartime Hippie”.
Hilaire H-100 has two originals by Andy Mark, “Partime Hippie” and “Take a Good Look”. Both songs’ lyrics seem to question fads of the time.
“Partime Hippie”
Not all of us can make it (?), So we’ll just have to fake it, Unless we want to stand up to the world.
?? But in some peoples’ eyes, You can’t be a man till you grow a beard.
It’s a new generation, Of a new revelation, It’s a turn-on, tune-in and drop out.
[music freaks out]
I know what you’re thinking That I’m supervising (?) But you don’t know how wrong that you are.
Not all of us can make it, So we’ll just have to fake it, Unless we want to stand up to the world.
“Take a Good Look”
The time has come when I must run and leave you to your games, It’s been a year, the time is here to forget our names.
Take a good look and tell me what you see, Take a good look and tell me what you’ll be.
You say that truth is meaningless and you live for today I say that truth is valuable, who’s to say?
I regret I must disagree, That in this world, one cannot be entirely free.
Take a good look and tell me what you see, Take a good look and tell me what you’ll be.
I regret I must disagree, That in this world, one cannot be entirely free.
Until you see my reasoning I must be sure of just one thing, That when you change and come back home, you’ll know that I am here (?)
Take a good look and tell me what you see Take a good look and tell me what you’ll be.
Bissel Music is listed as publisher, but I can find no copyright record for these songs.
Interestingly, the promotional packet that accompanied the “Partime Hippie” single does not mention either song from that single or provide the lyrics.
The Philadelphia Inquirer had a full article on Andy on June 9, 1968, with a photo and the headline “‘Rich Fairy Godmother’ Aids Young Rock Star”. Unfortunately I do not currently have an online newspaper archive subscription so I can’t access the photo or full text but I did glimpse some excerpts:
“Dave Hardt on bass guitar and John Fuchs on drums. Andy and Dave were just graduated from Radnor Senior High School, while John is entering his senior year.”
Andy “picked up pointers on the instrument from his older brother. Andy cannot read music and must tape all his original songs and have a friend transcribe them. Andy and his friends have appeared on several television shows …”
There is also a mention of Andy’s music being conservative in political outlook, and that he would be studying law in the future.
front of promotional package that accompanied “Partime Hippie”
A second single saw release as Andy’s Tool Box, also on Hilaire but with a different label design and numbering (527 this time).
“Well of Your Love” is a swift-moving rocker with organ and bass in the fore of the mix, backed with the piano-led ballad “Breadcrumbs” that livens up with harmonies in the chorus. This time the lyrics are concerned with relationships and unrequited love. Andy Mark wrote “Well of Your Love” and co-wrote “Breadcrumbs” with J. Peirce.
This single came with a picture sleeve that I do not have that shows Andy with photos of an unnamed drummer and bassist. If anyone has a good scan of this sleeve, please contact me.
H. Kaplan produced, with distribution by Melrose Records, and publishing by Hera BMI (though once again I find no registration with the Library of Congress).
According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, in 1972, Andy Mark went into commercial jingles for radio and TV, starting several companies including Philadelphia Music Works, Broadcast Results Group, and the Canary Collection. He passed away in February, 2009 at the age of 58.
Thank you to John Pitts for research help with this article.
Inside of the promotional folder that came with my copy of “Partime Hippie”
Evolution, a band from Reno, Nevada featuring two young women in white go-go boots and three men with ruffled shirts. The photo comes from Bob Dee and Associates who booked many groups around Reno, Lake Tahoe and California.
My friend Derek sent me this photo. Sure, they’re probably a show band covering soft pop, but the look is worth a few laughs. Maybe a couple of members were in cool groups a few years earlier who recorded some great unreleased music we haven’t heard yet. Maybe.
Karen and the Starliners came from Plainfield, Connecticut, but recorded at Planet Studios in Providence, Rhode Island. “I Can Count the Times” has a good garage backing, the flip “Storm in My Heart” is a more typical ballad.
Fred Richards wrote both songs, published by Planet’s in-house company Ranford Music Co., and registered with the Library of Congress in October, 1966.
This seems to be their only release. I don’t have any other band members’ names.
