Our Monthly Club Meeting will be this Sunday, March 8th at the Homewood Public Library. 2:00 PM

*****Next club meeting will be April 5th, 2008, the FIRST Sunday******
WE WILL MEET IN OUR OLD ROOM IN APRIL. ROOM 110.

AT THIS MONTH’S MEETING: MUSICAL RESEARCH ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB

LOOKING FOR SOME INTERESTING WEBSITES THAT ARE DEDICATED TO SEARCHING FOR SONGS, DOING SOME RESEARCH ON RECORDING COMPANY LABELS, OBTAINING ARTIST BIOS, STATIONS THAT PLAY OLDIES OR OBSCURE SONGS OR JUST NEED AN UPDATE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE BRC WEBSITE AND MAYBE DO YOUR OWN RADIO SHOW? HERE’S THE PROGRAM FOR YOU. IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE COMPUTER OR CAN OPERATE ONE BLINDFOLDED, THIS WILL BE A HELPFUL PROGRAM FOR ALL. EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE A COMPUTER YOU WILL ENJOY AND MAYBE EVEN AMAZED SEEING HOW MUCH INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET.

EVER WONDERED WHAT THE ORIGINAL LINEUP OF THE DRIFTERS WAS? HOW ABOUT WHO BUDDY HOLLY RECORDED WITH FIRST? MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT LABEL ROY ORBISON HAD HIS FIRST RECORD ON. HOW ABOUT THE TOP 10 SONGS OF THE YEAR YOU STARTED SCHOOL OR GRADUATED? WHEN WAS THE FIRST 45 RPM RECORD ISSUED? IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT MUSIC THERE IS PROBABLY A SITE ON THE INTERENT THAT CAN HELP.

PAUL OZBURN WILL BE LEADING THIS PROGRAM AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION WILL BE ENCOURAGED. WHAT SITES DO YOU USE FOR YOUR MUSICAL EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH? HERE’S A CHANCE TO SHARE THEM WITH THE GROUP. WE ALL COULD USE ANOTHER SITE THAT MIGHT HAVE JUST THE INFO WE ARE LOOKING FOR. PAUL HAS SHOWN ME MORE SITES THAN I CAN REMEMBER SO BRING SOMETHING TO WRITE ON SO YOU CAN ENJOY THESE SAME SITES.

ALABAMA GARAGE BANDS: THE HARD TIMES

Alabama had its share of what we now call “garage bands”. Over the next few months let’s take a look at some of these bands, the members, the songs, the labels they were on and if possible, where they are now.

Let’s take a look at a band that won a contest where 300 groups participated. It was the WVOK Dixie Talent Search in 1966. The band was The Hard Times. Members of the band were Daily Vandergrif, Mike Melton, Ronnie Melton, Mike Pair, Ron Parr, and Mike Gunnels. Mike Pair is an honorary member of BRC and spoke to us about the band at a club meeting a few years ago. At that meeting Mike also gave away some copies of a record the band released on the Ultimate record label. Over the years The Hard Times, later to be known as The Rites Of Spring, recorded their music, toured with Herman’s Hermits and The Animals, appeared on Dick Clark’s Where The Action Is, had a #1 song locally on WSGN, and had Terry Knight, who produced Grand Funk, produce a record for them on the Cameo/Parkway label out of Philadelphia. I happened to come across an interview on the Garage Hangover website recently so I thought I would include it and let Mike tell you about the band.

Q. How did the Hard Times form? Were you friends in school or in other bands?

Mike Pair: I played with Mike Gunnels in another band which lasted about 3 months. He then met the rest of the group who were trying to form a band, and when they needed another guitar, he suggested me. They all went to Woodlawn High School together - except me.

The Hard Times' "Losing You" was produced and recorded here in Birmingham at Boutwell Studies. Ed Boutwell shot all the civil rights footage from Birmingham with the fire hoses and dogs that you still see on the TV. Steve Norris, a local DJ, produced it. "You Couldn't Love Me" was a one take song just to fill the other side of the record. "Losing You" got to #1 on the top local charts in Birmingham. We also did a lot of work for the WSGN DJs. WSGN was a great radio station.

We were busy every weekend throughout the south. We booked from Lowery Talent in Atlanta. They also had Tommy Roe, Joe South, Bobby Goldsboro, and the Tams. They picked us up because we won a 300 band "Battle of the Bands" There were so many bands, it lasted 2 days and we won.

Q. How did the Hard Times come to the attention of Cameo Parkway?

Mike: The Cameo Parkway record and Where the Action Is came through Lowery Talent. We were still the Hard Times, [but the California group] the Hard Times band was a regular on that show, so that was the reason for the name change to the Rites of Spring. If we had turned down the Action deal, we could have kept the name.

Q. Tell me about recording the Rites of Spring record.

Mike: We recorded both sides in Philly. Chubby Checker was there too.

Q. One website says that Terry Knight took your demo and re-recorded the vocals and some tracks, and improved it. Is that how you see it?

Mike: No, that part is not correct. The cut for the record company was the first one and we had not recorded that song before. Terry was a little weird even in those days. After we would do a cut, he would just sit there and stare into space not saying anything for long periods of time. We would just stand in the studio and wait until he came out of his "zone". When Chubby Checker came in and sat in on some of the session, things were a little better and he acted more normal.

Q. Did you ever see any money from Cameo for the Rites of Spring 45?

Mike: Not a dime!!! They never pushed the record, and the only reason we can figure out was "96 Tears" came out about the same time and it was more of an instant hit that our record was, so it got all the promo money. We had one more record in our contract, but if I remember correctly, Cameo Parkway went south and out of existence not too long after we recorded, and the second record never got made.

We were on 'Where the Action Is' about two weeks before the show ended: #444, March 16th, 1967, and the show ended with #455, March 31, 1967. We were the first Alabama band on national TV.

We went to LA to film and went to a disco (can't remember the name). It was during the riots on Sunset strip that year. The hotel would not give us a room because with our long hair (long for those days, you wouldn't look twice now): they thought we were there for the riots. Dick Clark Productions had to call the hotel to tell them who we were and that it was ok to give us a room. Filmed with Neil Diamond, and the Royal Guardsman from Florida who did all those Snoopy and the Red Baron songs.

Q. That's interesting you filmed with the Royal Guardsmen and Neil Diamond, because the episode you're on features Keith Allison and Paul Revere and the Raiders - did they use footage from different times for the show?

Mike: Yes, they filmed all over the country and then picked which date they would show what. There might be 5 bands on a show filmed in 5 different places. We actually filmed the show several months before it aired. Keith Allison introduced us as a band from one of his favorite towns, Birmingham, Alabama. The Action crew had actually filmed some in Birmingham, and our keyboard player had a date with one of the Action dancers. That was pretty cool at that time.

Mike: The band broke up about 9 months after the Action appearance as Uncle Sam was calling most of us. It was great fun for a few years and we did shows with the Animals, Herman's Hermits, Tommy James, the Byrds and Tommy Roe. Lots of great memories and good times. Mike Melton found some tapes we made at Fame studios with Rick Hall producing (Muscle Shoals, Alabama). I have listened to the tapes and there is some good stuff on them. It’s funny that all the songs on there we wrote and they are all "death songs", which is far from our stage act. All stuff on stage was up beat!!

Mike Melton, the bass player, and Ronnie Melton, the keyboard player are still here in Birmingham and I see them often. Ron Parr who co-wrote most of our songs was killed in 'Nam. Mike Gunnels, our lead singer made a small hit in Nashville on his own, but then fell out of sight. Daily Vandergriff our drummer is in West Virginia and is in the National Guard.

I’m sure some of our members remember seeing The Hard Times at a gig somewhere, hearing their songs on the radio or maybe even being in class with them in high school. Thanks to Mike and the gang for giving us some good music during some of the best years of our lives.

Their discography included;
Losing You & You Couldn’t Love Me Ultimate 31272 (Hard Times)
The Hard Times - You Couldn't Love Me The Hard Times - Losing You
Comin’ On Back To Me & Why (?) Parkway 109 (Rites Of Spring)
The Rites of Spring - Comin' On Back To Me The Rites of Spring - Why (?)

SCHEDULED FOR THE APRIL MEETING:

What recordings that are relevant to Alabama do you consider the most important or significant? Club member Andy Millard, who is employed at UAB and is currently writing a book on the local music scene, has picked his top 5. Put your thinking cap on and be prepared to give your top 5. My list is down to 25 and will try and whittle it down to 5 before the April meeting. BE THERE FOR THIS ONE.

We also have tentative plans on getting Jerry “Boogie” McCain to come and talk to us at a meeting in the near future. Jerry is one of the most revered blues harmonica players in the world. Jerry made his first recording in 1953 and is still recording and performing. More info as soon as it is confirmed. YOU WON”T WANT TO MISS THIS MEETING.

Many years ago Ernie K-Doe and his wife Antoinette K-Doe were made honorary members of BRC. They both were our guest at two of the BRC record shows. Of course Ernie passed away a few years ago and now it saddens me to write of the death of Antoinette. It was decided by the BRC officers to send a $100 donation to the Antoinette K-Doe fund to help in the expenses of the funeral.

Some of you may remember a local band called The Road Runners. Billy Clark, a member of the band, passed away February 18th. Billy also owned Rickwood Auto Sales and OK Used Cars in B’ham. He was 63.

See ya,

Charlie

Thought to ponder:
“If you're looking for youth, you're looking for longevity, just take a dose of rock 'n' roll—it keeps you going. Just like the caffeine in your coffee, rock 'n' roll is good for the soul, for the well being, for the psyche, for your everything. I love it. I can't even picture being without rock 'n' roll.” — Hank Ballard