Midwest rockers ventured here

Unbelievable Uglies

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Enterprising mid-western rock bands toured the region in the second half of the 1960s hoping to expand their fame to a national level.

Escanaba saw appearances by the Boys Next Door from Indianapolis, Indiana; the American Breed from Cicero, Illinois; and the Unbelievable Uglies from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Those groups, along others, entertained young people at popular teen dances at the local Teamsters Hall sponsored by promoter Gene Smiltneck, beginning in 1966.

While they electrified local teenagers with their show, the Unbelievable Uglies were well-known throughout the upper midwest for their outrageous stage act.

Their appearances were centered around Dave Hoffman, known on-stage as Winston Fink, one of the group's founders, who sang and played upright bass. Other members were Dave Prentiss (guitar), Gregory J. Paul (lead guitar), Bob Eveslage (keyboards and vocals), Mike Shannon (drums), Alan St. Pierre (lead vocals) and Paul Lidstrom.

Beginning in 1964, the group released about a dozen 45 rpm singles on a variety of labels, including Music Masters, Cardinal and Soma.

Regional success led to a contract with major label Liberty Records where Bobby Vee produced their single "Sorry," which was backed with "Get Straight," on a 1967 single. The follow-up record paired "Spiderman" with the uniquely titled "My Research into the Soul of Psychedelic Sound."

With a growing reputation for no-holds-barred live shows, the Unbelievable Uglies were booked as the opening act for the Who in Fargo, North Dakota, Bobby Vee's home town.

The show, held at City Auditorium on Nov. 21, 1967, drew national attention when Fargo's mayor claimed the musicians incited a "teenage riot." The city administration exaggerated the situation, banning the group from performing in Fargo again. The order, however, was quickly lifted and the Unbelievable Uglies performed in the North Dakota city on many more occasions.

Their show in Escanaba was a wild one, said Greg Curran, a long-time local musician and then a member of the Riot Squad rock band. Curran recalled one member of the Unbelievable Uglies constantly bashing himself over the head with an aluminum garbage can as part of their act.

Recognizing a long-running comedy prop, the Uglies also made use of a rubber chicken named Hershel, much to the amusement of the Upper Peninsula crowd.

Where the Unbelievable Uglies relied on comedy to sell their live shows, the Boys Next Door were devoted to the California sound of the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean.

The Boys Next Door made an impression on Curran because he was a big fan of the Beach Boys, too.

Originating in Indianapolis, the Boys Next Door were comprised of Steve Drybread (bass and vocals), Jim Koss (drums), Steve Lester (guitar and lead vocals), Skeet Bushor (keyboards) and James Adams (guitar and vocals).

Called the "Beach Boys of the Midwest" by some, the Boys Next Door emulated the sound and appearance of their heroes. During their Escanaba appearance, the Boys Next Door even wore pinstripe shirts like the ones favored by the Beach Boys.

The group issued three 45 rpm singles in the 1965-66 period for the Soma, Cameo and Bad labels.

Singer-songwriter-guitarist Bobby Goldsboro produced and wrote some songs for the Boys Next Door, although they penned much of their own material.

Signed to Atco, a division of Atlantic Records in New York, the Boys Next Door released "Mandy" in 1966 and "Begone Girl" in 1967

A third Atco single was aimed at the holiday market. "The Wildest Christmas" was composed by Lester and Bushor, while "Christmas Kiss" was the work of Koss. The Christmas entry didn't make the national charts, but Curran thought enough of the record to keep it in his collection for over four decades.

The Boys Next Door opened for many stars of the period, including the Beach Boys, before they disbanded in late 1967.

Just as the Boys Next Door were breaking up, the American Breed was enjoying acclaim for some catchy singles.

Comprised of Gary Loizzo (guitar and lead vocals), Al Ciner (rhythm guitar), Chuck Colbert (bass), Kevin Murphy (keyboards) and Lee Graziano (drums and trumpet), the American Breed became an "overnight sensation."

Midwest fans first paid attention to the group in the summer of 1967 when they issued a psychedelic single called "Step Out of Your Mind." on the Acta label. The song peaked at No. 35, according to the July 17, 1967 edition of the "Hot Happenings Record Guide," printed by Record City in Milwaukee. The American Breed returned with "Don't Forget About Me," but the song stalled at No. 79 on Aug. 21 and 28, 1967.

Thankfully, the band didn't give up, because "Bend Me, Shape Me," their huge hit, came next. Record City's "New Mid-Western 40 plus 40" put the song at No. 2 on Jan. 2, 1968.

"Bend Me, Shape Me," was actually a cover song, first recorded by an all-girl band called Shape. Then, England's Amen Corner introduced the song to the British charts.

Composed by Scott English and Larry Weiss, "Bend Me, Shape Me," was produced by Bill Traut.

With a smash single on their hands, the group rushed to Acta Records in Hollywood for a ten-day stay to assemble an album. The 11-track long-player included "Bend Me, Shape Me," "Mindrocker," and "Green Light," which turned out to be their next single.

With appearances all over the country, the American Breed became known for their showmanship. A radio station gig in Louisville, Kentucky drew 40,000 supporters.

Their dance/show in Escanaba drew a smaller crowd, of course, but those young people were just as enthused to hear the group's brassy brand of rock 'n' roll.

The Unbelievable Uglies, Boys Next Door and American Breed generated fans with exciting recordings and live shows.

While the exact dates these three midwestern bands appeared in Escanaba have been obscured by time, other details of their careers remain intact, illustrating the vibrancy of the regional rock 'n' roll scene at the time.

'Big Dog' delivers original gems

Michael "Big Dog" Murphy presented his
original blues compositions during a show in
Escanaba last week.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Michael "Big Dog" Murphy showcased his impressive catalog of original material during a acoustic performance on March 13 at 8th Street Coffee House in downtown Escanaba.

The singer-songwriter-guitarist played more than two dozen of his own blues and folk compositions and filled out the program with a handful of choice cover tunes.

He introduced a number of songs from his forthcoming "Lies Told. Loves Lost" compact disc which had not been performed in public before. A prolific songwriter, Murphy recently wrote ten songs in three weeks.

His thought-provoking lyrics could easily stand alone as poetry, but he combines them with no-notes-wasted instrumentation to craft instantly appealing songs.

Murphy paid tribute to Robert Johnson, the great bluesman who, legend says, sold his soul to the devil for musical success, with "Scratch's Blues." The haunting lyrics Murphy sang included: "Gotta get down to the crossroads. Gotta find my brother Robert J."

Although Murphy performed the song solo, highlighting his gruff-yet-soulful voice, he earlier recorded a take featuring first-rate harmonica accompaniment from Michael "Jelly Roll" Roy.

A fan of practical jokes, Murphy told the story of a club gig where Roy wore sunglasses and feigned blindness. Murphy helped the "blind" Roy on and off the stage during the evening and through the crowd at the end of the show. Murphy then assisted Roy into the driver's seat of his car while amazed onlookers watched the "blind" musician motor away.

After a break, Murphy returned with "I Don't Want No Tears When I'm Gone." Murphy wrote the song in reaction to the death of keyboard player Mickey Larson who passed away from throat cancer on Aug.13, 2004. Fans may remember Larson as a founding member of the Tennis Shoe Tongue Band, later known simply as Tongue.

Another of the evening's standout performances came with the original composition entitled "Hellbound." Murphy sang: "I'm hellbound, baby, there's goin' be the devil to pay. I'm hellbound, if I keep doing the things I do." The song may be the perfect example of the blues

Murphy told his audience many outstanding blues numbers contained just three chords. He cited Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins and blues pioneer Charlie Patton as examples.

Many of Murphy's songs deal with a broken relationship and resulting depression. "Young people don't have a monopoly on heart-break," the 58-year-old musician said.

With a depressed mental state, Murphy temporarily lost the essence of who he was, he confided to the audience. His song "Two Me's" illustrated the point.

While patrons may have felt Murphy's pain, his experiences have proven great fodder for his songs, as "The Band Aid," "I Wonder" and "Suitcase in My Hand" proved.

Some of Murphy's songs were especially dark such as "Tracks," about drug addiction; and "Cup of Diamonds."

Still, Murphy displayed some humor in "Big Fancy Car," about a man who thinks his deficiencies with women will be solved with a better automobile.

Another original entitled "Evil Woman," not the Electric Light Orchestra hit from 1976, is about a "lady of the evening" in New Orleans who steals the belongings of her customers when she leaves.

Nick-named "Big Dog" due to his "rather large stature," Murphy possesses an powerful growl in his voice, not unlike Tom Waits. In fact, Murphy performed his take on "219," a song composed by Waits and Kathleen Brennan. "My baby's leavin' town on the 219," Murphy sang plaintively about a woman going away on a train.

Showing a variety of influences, the Tennessee-born musician also impressed the audience with his rendition of "Unchain My Heart," a top ten hit for Ray Charles in 1962.

Murphy covered Frank Frost's "My Backscratcher," in a version sure to please the late Mississippi harp genius.

Besides performing solo, Murphy plays in an acoustic duo and with a full band. Called Men of Blues, or the MOB for short, the band consists of Murphy (lead guitar and vocals), Richard "Smokey" Smith (bass) and "Lucky Don" Veerkamp (drums). Some shows have included Larry "3rd Degree" Byrne (keyboards), Roberto "Birdman" Scharone (sax) and acoustic sideman Michael "Jelly Roll" Roy (harmonica).

Based in Wisconsin, Murphy was raised south of Nashville in a Southern Baptist surrounding.

He has opened for A. C. Reed, the late Sean Costello, Philip Walker, Ronnie Baker Brooks and the up & coming Shannon Curfman. He is also proud to have shared the stage with Big Brother and the Holding Co. and Chicago's Magic Slim and the Teardrops.

His blues heroes include Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Rogers, B. B. King, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Little Milton and Buddy Guy.

Murphy's CD recordings include: "Live and Blue," "No Bar, Too Far," "M2: Unplugged" and the soon to be released "Lies Told. Loves Lost."

Although Murphy's music is heavy with the sounds of the blues, he concluded his Escanaba show with "Blackbird," a Paul McCartney song from the Beatles' White Album. Like many songs, the lyrics are open to interpretation, but opaquely about struggle and freedom.

During the evening, Murphy took his audience on an emotional rollcoaster ride, ending on a positive note.

Unfortunately, the blues musician had significant competition for his first appearance in Escanaba in two years, due to the Canadian pop band Guess Who playing at the Island Resort and Casino.

Thanks to 8th Street Coffee House owner Rob Romero, Delta Folks and, of course, Michael "Big Dog" Murphy for an outstanding night of acoustic blues.

Wisconsin bands impacted U. P.

The Robbs were successful recording artists
in the mid-west, including the Upper Peninsula, but
never enjoyed a nationally-ranked hit single.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Wisconsin rock bands, such as the Robbs and Love Society, held influence in the Upper Peninsula during the late 1960s.

Milwaukee's Robbs, and Love Society, from Plymouth, earned radio airplay and enjoyed retail record sales propelling their appearance at widely-attended teen dances.

Although neither group placed a 45 rpm single on the national Billboard Hot 100 chart, their popularity can be traced through regional sales rankings compiled at the time.

Veteran Escanaba musician Greg Curran recently found a cache of weekly charts he picked up at area record outlets from Sept. 12, 1966 through Jan. 31, 1972.

Printed by Record City, 5600 W. North Ave., Milwaukee, the 1966 issues are titled "The New Mid-Western 40 Plus 40 Official Record Guide."

At a glance, music fans could see the region's top 80 songs, including a hit of the week, up & comers; and the coveted No. 1.

The guide was available as a customer hand-out at record retailers around the mid-west, including the Upper Peninsula. Curran could examine the report each week to look for songs his band, the Riot Squad, might want to add to their set list.

By January, 1967 the publication was renamed "Hot Happenings Record Guide" and listed "Bittersweet" by the Robbs in the No. 4 position. The Robbs comprised David Donaldson (guitar and vocals), brother Robert (organ), brother George (sax) and Craig Krampf (drums). For the sake of the band, they were named Dee, Bruce, Joe and Craig Robb.

Recorded for Mercury Records, "Bittersweet" was written and produced by P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri. The third single released by the group, "Bittersweet" remained on "Hot Happenings" into April.

The Robbs quickly followed with "Rapid Transit"/"Cynthia Loves It," the hit of the week while ranked at No. 16 on May 1, 1967. The double-sided smash loomed large at No. 2 on May 29, edged out of the top spot by Engelbert Humperdinck's "Release Me."

When "Girl Girls" only made a slight showing in the fall, Mercury dropped the Robbs. Still, they returned in the spring of 1968 with "I Don't Want To Discuss It" on Atlantic Records. The record barely cracked the top half of "Hot Happenings" at No. 38 on May 27, 1968. A successor, "Changin' Winds," also failed to impress the record-buying public.

The Robbs didn't get a nationally-charting record, but they did draw the attention of Dick Clark, who hired them as house band on the television show "Where The Action Is."

As Upper Peninsula fans embraced the Robbs, Escanaba promoter Gene Smiltneck signed them to perform at a teen dance at Teamsters Hall, 900 1st Ave. S. Smiltneck remembered a large and enthusiastic crowd, but his biggest attraction turned out to be Love Society.

Smiltneck estimated Love Society attracted 900 young fans to a dance held circa June, 1969.

Love Society was comprised of Dave Steffen (lead guitar), Mike Holdridge (organ), Keith Abler (rhythm guitar), Steve Gilles (bass) and Mike Dellger (drums).

They recorded a version of "Do You Wanna Dance," originally a No. 5 hit for Bobby Freeman in 1958. Appearing a Scepter Records, the single was backed by a Steffen-Dellger composition entitled "Without You."

"Do You Wanna Dance" was marked as an up & comer at No. 76 when it debuted on the "Hot Happenings" dated July 8, 1968. Mid-west sales pushed the song up each week until it peaked at No. 21 on Sept. 23, 1968.

Love Society's next single was "Tobacco Road," written by J. D. Loudermilk. The song had been a career-maker in 1964 for the Nashville Teens, actually a British group. The Love Society take on "Tobacco Road" first entered the "Hot Happenings" chart at No. 67 on Dec. 23, 1968.

During its stay on the chart, "Tobacco Road" was also ranked with the flipside, "Drops of Rain," another Steffen-Dellger original. The double-sided hit made No. 22 on Feb. 3, 1969 and may have risen further since some of the weekly "Hot Happenings" from this period are missing.

About the time Love Society performed in Escanaba, "Let's Pretend" was released on the Target label. The record stalled at No. 41, according to the "Hot Happenings" dated July 14 and 21, 1969.

Other Wisconsin bands also snagged airplay and retail record sales in the Upper Peninsula.

Thee Prophets, from Milwaukee, made an impression in the mid-west with "Playgirl." Comprised of lead singer Brian Lake, Jim Anderson, Dave Leslie and Chris Michaels, Thee Prophets recorded for the Kapp imprint.

"Playgirl" registered No. 21 on the March 24, 1969 mid-western record guide and sparked enough interest around the country to get into Billboard's national ranking at No. 49.

The Unchained Mynds, meanwhile, never made the Billboard Hot 100, despite nearly topping the mid-western "Hot Happenings" chart with "We Can't Go On This Way."

Hailing from LaCrosse, the group was comprised of Randy Purdy (keyboards), Wayne Bentzen (guitar), Clare Troyanek (bass) and Dan Hansen (drums).

Originally a Top Ten regional hit for Boston's Teddy and the Pandas, the Unchained Mynds' version of "We Can't Go On This Way" was recorded for the independent Transaction label. Produced by Lindy Shannon, the 45's B side featured a bluesy take on Wayne Cochran's "Going Back to Miami."

"We Can't Go On This Way," was listed at No. 2 on the "Hot Happenings" chart for April 21, 1969, behind "Hair" by the Cowsills. The Unchained Mynds cooled, then surged again. On May 26, 1969 they were in second place again, kept out of the top position by the Beatles' twin smash, "Get Back"/"Don't Let Me Down."

On the other hand, Underground Sunshine borrowed a Beatles song to record. The Montello, Wisconsin, group saw promise in "Birthday," which opened side three of the "White Album."

Underground Sunshine was comprised of Egbert Kohl (bass and vocal), Frank Kohl (drums), Chris Connors (guitar) and Jane Little (keyboards).

Their recording of "Birthday," on Intrepid Records was listed on the regional level at No. 16 on Sept. 1, 1969. The 45 generated enough interest beyond the mid-west to get a No. 26 position on the Billboard Hot 100.

Thee Prophets, Unchained Mynds and Underground Sunshine made an impact in the U. P. with radio airplay and record sales, while the Robbs and Love Society added live performances to the mix.

These bands provided a welcome provincial flavor to the rock 'n' roll of the period, usually cast on a national level.

Thanks to the 107 "Hot Happenings" record guides collected by Greg Curran, we now have a more accurate glimpse into the late 1960s music scene, when regional and local hits were still possible.

Radio surveys defined Top 40

Radio surveys, like this one from WJIM in
Lansing, were an important component in the Top
40 format.


By STEVE SEYMOUR

Radio surveys, which ranked the Top 40 songs at local stations, are an under-appreciated part of pop music history.

Published weekly, the listings were issued from the late 1950s to the early 1980s, with the practice peaking in the late 1960s.

The surveys were usually distributed at retail record outlets where customers would buy the latest 45 rpm singles.

Billboard magazine actually compiled its Hot 100 singles chart from these radio surveys and data collected from vinyl sellers until a computer-based method was originated in 1991.

Because a record's progress could be tracked, many music fans collected the weekly surveys, hoping their favorite song would eventually rule the Top 40.

The surveys were contained on a single sheet of paper and listed the radio station's top songs along with their previous week's chart position.

Some leaflets were simple, showing the list of records, date and station call letters. Others contained photographs, advertising and program notes, too.

Radio surveys came in various sizes, some being folded and most having colorful graphics to grab the attention of the young listeners who also spent their spare cash buying singles and albums.

I've long been fascinated by these little publications and picked them up whenever I was in a store which sold records.

Smaller radio stations didn't usually produce weekly surveys, but they were quite common in larger markets where the broadcast business was more competitive.

For years, I've kept three examples from the Lansing area which just happen to illustrate the variety of radio surveys published at the time.

The capital city's WJIM, AM 1240, printed "Sound Power Survey" every seven days. The Sept. 19, 1969 edition put Nilsson at No. 1 with "Everybody's Talkin'." Measuring just four and one-half by seven inches, the flyer also promoted Michigan State University football games aired on the station.

Named after the son of original station owner Harold Gross, WJIM boosted "Lansing's Number One Sound."

The survey for WVIC in nearby East Lansing, meanwhile, was more elaborate. The issue dated Jan. 17, 1970 listed "Jennifer Tompkins" by the group Street People in the top spot. WVIC, AM 730 and FM 94.9, was East Lansing's dominant Top 40 station. Their folded survey opened to reveal the "Big 30" singles, "Hit Bounds" and "Big 5 Albums." The back carried an advertisement for the album "Music From Big Pink" by The Band.

WVIC's survey also publicized concerts at a rock bar called Grandmother's, including a Feb. 1, 1970 show which featured Scorpion and Pitche Blende.

WBRS, the first radio station on the MSU campus, on the other hand, just compiled the hits on a eight and one-half by 11 inch handbill. The list dated Jan. 30, 1970 put "Blowin' in the Wind" by the Fifth Dimension as the top song.

Another undated WBRS survey tagged "Something's Burning" by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition at No. 1. WBRS, AM 820, which stood for Brody Radio Service, was affiliated with the ABC radio network.

Former Upper Peninsula resident Clark Sullivan also put away a few radio surveys back in the late 1960s. Sullivan, a founder and lead singer of the Marquette-based Excels, was tracking the success of "Little Innocent Girl," one of five singles the band released on the Carla label.

For the week of July 19, 1968, WTRU, AM 1600, in Muskegon, put the song at No. 20, up six positions from the previous week. WTRU was an influential contemporary hits station which waned with the onset of FM stations in the 1970s.

On a survey dated July 17, 1968, WVMO in Monroe put "Innocent Little Girl" at No. 8. WVMO, FM 98.3, which stood for Voice of Monroe, had signed on the air the previous summer. (Both WTRU and WVMO named "Turn Around, Look at Me," by the Vogues, as their No. 1 song.)

The Excels did even better with their record at WKNX, AM 1210, the leading Top 40 hit music station in Saginaw. On the Aug. 9, 1968 survey, the song was listed at No. 3 for the second week, behind "People Got to be Free," by the Rascals at No. 2, and "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf at No. 1.

By Aug. 16, the Excels' song climbed to No. 2, while "Light My Fire," by Jose Feliciano, leapfrogged into the top spot.

While "Little Innocent Girl," drew considerable interest in lower Michigan, it did not make the national Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Iron Mountain native Joe Giannunzio also collected a few radio surveys when he was working as a disc jockey at WGRD in Grand Rapids under the professional name Gary Mitchell.

WGRD, AM 1410, was a pioneer in the Top 40 format, beginning such programming in 1959. The call letters stood for Grand Rapids day time, since the business was only licensed to broadcast during daylight hours.

Nicknamed the "Big 14," WGRD put considerable effort into its radio surveys. Although the folded brochures were just three and one-half by six inches in size, they featured black & white photographs, colorful psychedelic borders and advertisements, in addition to the song listings, referred to as the "Big 30."

"The WGRD 'Big 30' is an unbiased estimate of the relative popularity of songs in the Grand Rapids area, based, in part upon local sales and listener requests," an announcement in each issue declared.

Three installments of the station's survey featured photos of Giannunzio on the cover. Issue 135, dated Aug. 12, 1970, ranked "Make It With You" by Bread at No. 1 and also carried an ad for Coke.

Radio survey 147 listed "I Think I Love You" by the Partridge Family in the premier position on Nov. 4, 1970, but also promoted a "Heavy!" SRC concert in an ad on the back cover.

Edition 158, dated Jan. 20, 1971, had "One Bad Apple," by the Osmonds at the top spot. The back cover advertised a concert featuring Mike Quatro and his Jam Band along with an all-girl rock group called Cradle.

Although radio surveys were popular for years, they fell from favor in the late 1970s, ending an era in broadcasting history.

Today, radio aficionados and pop culture historians increasingly value those old surveys for the detailed glimpse they offer into radio's past. They're still fun to look at, too.