Iowa Rock and Roll (Part I) - On That Note

[MeanDean]

Iowa Rock and Roll Acts. Part I of ?

Okay, Iowa is not Liverpool, or London, or New York, Or L.A. Or even Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans or San Francisco. That doesn't mean there weren't artists and groups creating, performing and recording here. For a long time regional backwater acts were sort of overlooked by collectors who naturally looked to amass rare and valuable discs from the major artists.

But in the last 15-20 years there has been huge growth in interest for locally performed and produced vintage recordings. A lot of it can be credited to the internet. Fans and artists can now interact on line. Thus, what were formerly 'mystery ' records and acts are now being sourced, often from original fans and even the artists themselves - who suddenly realize someone 'out there' is interested in their history.

As far as recording of the vintage Iowa acts there were two major players and many many minor ones. This episode will give an overview of those two, with later postings delving into some of the smaller but nonetheless very interesting offerings.

FREDLO

Fredlo Studios (Operated by FRED and LOuise Mauck) in Davenport make the claim to recording the first Rock and Roll record in the state. That honor belongs to one Jerry Martin and the Sounds who released a single, "Janet/Lovely One" in early 1959. Jerry is actually King Zbornik who became a major Milwaukee DJ in the 60's and claims to have recorded at both Chess studios in Chicago and with Sam Phillips in Memphis.




Jerry Martin - Janet - Rockabilly 45
www.youtube.com

One of the other early Rock and Roll groups to use Fredlo Studio were the Escorts. Fronted (actually the drummer) by Roger Booth they recorded several sides at Fredlo, most noteworthy in my eyes is this somewhat startlingly graphic rocking number, "I Wanna Do It" recorded in 1963.




Roger Booth and The Escorts - I wanna do it - 1963
www.youtube.com

The Escorts also recorded a couple sides for the Minnesota label, Soma, but their biggest break came when the New York label Red Bird (Shangri-Las, Dixie Cups) signed them and released their single "I Wonder If She Loves Me" in summer of 1966. Since there were already several acts out there recording as the Escorts (including one from Liverpool that had Paul McCartney produce one of their singles) the label suggested they change their name to the Do's and Don'ts. The release was even featured in several of the music trades as having significant hit potential. But ultimately it did not break nationally despite peaking at #14 on KIOA and top ten on a couple of Duluth MN stations.



The Do & the Don'ts - "I Wonder If She Loves Me" ( 1966 )
www.youtube.com

Iowa Great Lakes (IGL)

The IGL studio/label was started in Milford in 1965, just South of the Okoboji/Spirit Lake vacation hub. One of their first singles was "Peter Rabbit" by DeeJay and the Runaways which charted regionally including on Des Moines' influential KIOA. Word is it sold 5,000 copies in 3 weeks. The brisk sales interested the national labels and the single was soon licensed for re-release on Mercury's subsidiary label, Smash Records. To my knowledge this is the highest charting single by an Iowa based group and/or recorded in the state. The song peaked at #45 on the Billboard chart. It was top 10 in several Minnesota stations as well as Orlando FL and Syracuse NY. Inexplicably the label's followup release misspelled the name of the group on the label (DeeJay and the Runnaways) and played it safe with one of the label's more generic selected songs instead of what the band wanted to release - The Gorilla Song - which in my mind would have definitely been the more likely hit. The group even scored a national television appearance on D ick Clark's "Where the Action Is".



Dee Jay & The Runaways - Peter Rabbit bw Three Steps to Heaven
www.youtube.com

This is their appearance on Where the Action Is:



Dee Jay and The Runaways - Peter Rabbit (Where The Action Is - Aug 15, 1966)
www.youtube.com

Before we leave DeeJay and the Runaways let me throw another one at you. IMHO this is one of their more spirited performances, I believe pre-IGL, recorded/released on the Coulee label out of Wisconsin.


Dee Jay And The Runaways: The Pickup, Love Bug Crawl
www.youtube.com

Lest you think these labels were out there as agents for the expansion of Rock and Roll, it's not that simple. Both were businesses and to survive would record virtually anything, contracting with artists or groups for studio time and/or defined pressing deals of 45's or LP's. Both studios produced a wide gamut of styles including local high school bands and choruses and church choirs. Of course it's the Pop/rock stuff that is sought by me and other collectors. Several of the Fredlo LP's have seen modern reissue and the original pressings bring a pretty penny when they do occasionally pop up on EBay.

Much information on Iowa R&R history can be researched at the Iowa Rock and Roll HOF web site.

www.iowarocknroll.com

I'll delve into some other Iowa releases in my next offering. Or two, probably.

 

[flynnhicks03]

I'm a big fan of '60s garage rock. This is the first Iowa act that popped in my head:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GONN

 

[MeanDean]

I'm a big fan of '60s garage rock. This is the first Iowa act that popped in my head:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GONN

That's a classic, no doubt. I was going to cover that next week, LOL

Very interesting factoid: "In 2000, Lenny Kaye told Craig Moore in person at a Patti Smith Group concert that "Blackout of Gretely" would have been included on the original Nuggets#1: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 double LP in 1972 except that it was too long. The song was, however, featured on the Nuggets box set released by Rhino Records in 1998."

 

[flynnhicks03]

That's a classic, no doubt. I was going to cover that next week, LOL

Very interesting factoid: "In 2000, Lenny Kaye told Craig Moore in person at a Patti Smith Group concert that "Blackout of Gretely" would have been included on the original Nuggets#1: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 double LP in 1972 except that it was too long. The song was, however, featured on the Nuggets box set released by Rhino Records in 1998."

Yeah, I've got the Nuggets box set. It's fantastic.

 

[MeanDean]

Yeah, I've got the Nuggets box set. It's fantastic.

I should get that box set, I guess. I have the late 70's reissue on Sire. Not the original on Elektra (I think it was).

 

[flynnhicks03]

I should get that box set, I guess. I have the late 70's reissue on Sire. Not the original on Elektra (I think it was).

There's a Nuggets 2 box set that I'd like to get, but it's tough to find and pretty expensive. Sounds like it's got some pretty interesting international stuff on it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nugge...from_the_British_Empire_and_Beyond,_1964–1969

 

[cyclones500]

Cool cuts. Those sound good.

The Do's and The Don'ts is a cool name.

I'm pretty sure I've heard Peter Rabbit, it's possible if as you say it's the highest-charting Iowa recording.

I had no idea there was a studio in Milford at one time. I'm curious how many studios there were in that period in smaller communities, maybe it was more common back then.

 

[MeanDean]

Cool cuts. Those sound good.

The Do's and The Don'ts is a cool name.

I'm pretty sure I've heard Peter Rabbit, it's possible if as you say it's the highest-charting Iowa recording.

I had no idea there was a studio in Milford at one time. I'm curious how many studios there were in that period in smaller communities, maybe it was more common back then.

No, not very many studios. Those two were among the better ones. I think the guys that operated it were from Spirit Lake. There were smaller cruder studios in the larger towns but not really set up for multi mike or multi track. At least that's my understanding. Could be wrong of course.

Stay tuned in two weeks for part II.

 

[urb1]

No, not very many studios. Those two were among the better ones. I think the guys that operated it were from Spirit Lake. There were smaller cruder studios in the larger towns but not really set up for multi mike or multi track. At least that's my understanding. Could be wrong of course.

Stay tuned in two weeks for part II.

Assuming you will include the Hawks?

 

[MeanDean]

Assuming you will include the Hawks?

I wasn't going to cover Otho, no. But it's a good angle, for sure. It's tempting because I''m a huge Zombies fan and Paul Atkinson being the A&R guy at Columbia partially responsible for getting them signed is pretty cool.

Mostly it's a period thing. My goal for this little subseries was to keep it more historical/early at this point. Might include the West Minist'r stuff. It would be a good topic later on if we're still doing these.

Thanks for the question/comment.

 

[cyson]

King Zbornik was from Albia.

 

[Clone83]

I like these threads and my interest probably varies some depending on the groups or kind of music — though I like many kinds. I tend to go on long excursions on You Tube, but somewhat sporadically. I learn a lot. But I know it takes more time than I am perhaps willing to invest, to efficiently and accurately convey that information to others — as you have done here. Kudos.

I am posting because I know of a pdf with information about the Everly’s experience in Shenandoah. There is other information out there. And if I recall correctly, the Everly family got their start there with “seed man” Henry Field’s radio station, instead of his competitor, Earl May and KMA.

Anyway, the pdf describes the era of live music on the radio, and pressures associated with the advent of television and recorded music.

Relatedly, Earl May founded Omaha television station KMTV. After that, but still back in the day, his Shenandoah radio station KMA broadcast Cyclone football games, announced by Warren Swain, if I recall correctly. I believe it was Henry Field’s sister, Jesse, who started the first 4-H clubs, in neighboring Clarinda.

The radio stations helped the nurseries sell their product, as well as more radios.

In the link below, the part most relevant to the Everlys, I believe, is from about page 99 to 125:

KMA: The First 60 Years
http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/KMA-Iowa-Book.pdf

 

[matclone]

I will have to look up this Nuggets set. I'm a huge fan of the Blues Magoos-well, of the two albums I know of theirs--and their sound from that era. I bought Electric Comic Book about age 14 or 15, and it still sounds great. GONN sounds a bit like them.

 

[Clone83]

I had heard Peter Rabbit before. It could have been online. But reading more about it, it seems just as likely I heard it on an Omaha radio station.

Seeing that the recording studio was in Milford, I was also curious whether the Richter brothers, who founded the University of Okoboji, were involved with it in any way. They weren’t. But, in searching, it was interesting to see that the studio and DJ & the Runaways had a 50th anniversary reunion last year at the Roof Garden:
https://www.exploreokoboji.com/news...at-lakes-recording-company-planned-july-16th/

Anyone who visits Okoboji should consider visiting The Three Sons store. I haven’t been there for years, but it seems likely maybe half of their clothing (a whole floor then), quality brands, is still half off, plus a dollar.

From a local article:

Milford brothers have taken us to school all these years
http://www.dickinsoncountynews.com/story/2100426.html

Four decades from now, people will still apply to a college that doesn't exist and the walls of The Three Sons will probably have a picture of someone in orbit wearing a University of Okoboji sweatshirt....

From MeanDean’s original post:

Iowa Great Lakes (IGL)

The IGL studio/label was started in Milford in 1965, just South of the Okoboji/Spirit Lake vacation hub. One of their first singles was "Peter Rabbit" by DeeJay and the Runaways which charted regionally including on Des Moines' influential KIOA. Word is it sold 5,000 copies in 3 weeks. The brisk sales interested the national labels and the single was soon licensed for re-release on Mercury's subsidiary label, Smash Records. To my knowledge this is the highest charting single by an Iowa based group and/or recorded in the state. The song peaked at #45 on the Billboard chart. It was top 10 in several Minnesota stations as well as Orlando FL and Syracuse NY. Inexplicably the label's followup release misspelled the name of the group on the label (DeeJay and the Runnaways) and played it safe with one of the label's more generic selected songs instead of what the band wanted to release - The Gorilla Song - which in my mind would have definitely been the more likely hit. The group even scored a national television appearance on D ick Clark's "Where the Action Is".



Dee Jay & The Runaways - Peter Rabbit bw Three Steps to Heaven
www.youtube.com

This is their appearance on Where the Action Is:



Dee Jay and The Runaways - Peter Rabbit (Where The Action Is - Aug 15, 1966)
www.youtube.com

Before we leave DeeJay and the Runaways let me throw another one at you. IMHO this is one of their more spirited performances, I believe pre-IGL, recorded/released on the Coulee label out of Wisconsin.


Dee Jay And The Runaways: The Pickup, Love Bug Crawl
www.youtube.com

Lest you think these labels were out there as agents for the expansion of Rock and Roll, it's not that simple. Both were businesses and to survive would record virtually anything, contracting with artists or groups for studio time and/or defined pressing deals of 45's or LP's. Both studios produced a wide gamut of styles including local high school bands and choruses and church choirs. Of course it's the Pop/rock stuff that is sought by me and other collectors. Several of the Fredlo LP's have seen modern reissue and the original pressings bring a pretty penny when they do occasionally pop up on EBay.

Much information on Iowa R&R history can be researched at the Iowa Rock and Roll HOF web site.

www.iowarocknroll.com

I'll delve into some other Iowa releases in my next offering. Or two, probably.

 

[cyclones500]

I've long-loved the University of Okoboji concept. From 60s thru 80s, our family and close-neighbors rented a cabin (or two) each summer at the Lakes. I wasn't aware of some of the backstory of U-of-O, including the Sept. 31 "game."

Also wasn't aware of Fighting Phantoms nickname. Appropriate for the hoax. I think a better school nickname is Blue Wave, but that's making the existence of a university too literally.

 

[Clone83]

Funny how today is October 1.

 

[Clone83]

On YouTube I ran across another Fredlo recording — some pretty decent 1960 garage rock. I’m not sure The Nightmares were Iowa based, but given the local nature of recording back then, it seems likely Iowa or Illinois:





Anyway I didn’t see anything by The Nightmares here or on associated threads 2 and 3:

https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/iowa-rock-and-roll-part-2-on-that-note.231907/

https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/iowa-rock-and-roll-part-3-on-that-note.232487/

MeanDean or anyone else know more?

Not Iowa based, but for those familiar with how Youtube loads similar music to what you’ve been listening to, here is a Detroit-based garage group I liked a lot when I came across it:



The Pleasure Seekers are sisters.

Doing a little looking around, I see that the bass player, Susi Quatro, had some big hits in the 1970s and was forerunner in a way for women rockers like Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde, and Blondie. She also made cameo appearances on the popular 1970s TV show Happy Days as “Leather Tuscadero.”

1973


Happy Days music compilation


According to the associated comment to the last video at YouTube, producer Garry Marshall offered her a spin-off from Happy Days, but she declined. On the show, her sister Pinky Tuscadero was Fonzi’s girlfriend. It also says Quatro was hired by Marshall without an audition, based on a picture of her on his daughter’s bedroom wall (Penny Marshall?).

 

[VeloClone]

It also says Quatro was hired by Marshall without an audition, based on a picture of her on his daughter’s bedroom wall (Penny Marshall?).

Penny is Garry's sister, not daughter.

 

[MeanDean]

On YouTube I ran across another Fredlo recording — some pretty decent 1960 garage rock. I’m not sure The Nightmares were Iowa based, but given the local nature of recording back then, it seems likely Iowa or Illinois:





Anyway I didn’t see anything by The Nightmares here or on associated threads 2 and 3:

https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/iowa-rock-and-roll-part-2-on-that-note.231907/

https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/iowa-rock-and-roll-part-3-on-that-note.232487/

MeanDean or anyone else know more?

Not Iowa based, but for those familiar with how Youtube loads similar music to what you’ve been listening to, here is a Detroit-based garage group I liked a lot when I came across it:



The Pleasure Seekers are sisters.

Doing a little looking around, I see that the bass player, Susi Quatro, had some big hits in the 1970s and was forerunner in a way for women rockers like Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde, and Blondie. She also made cameo appearances on the popular 1970s TV show Happy Days as “Leather Tuscadero.”

1973


Happy Days music compilation


According to the associated comment to the last video at YouTube, producer Garry Marshall offered her a spin-off from Happy Days, but she declined. On the show, her sister Pinky Tuscadero was Fonzi’s girlfriend. It also says Quatro was hired by Marshall without an audition, based on a picture of her on his daughter’s bedroom wall (Penny Marshall?).

I am familiar with the Greyhounds record on Fredlo. I regret not buying it years ago when you could pick it up for $20 or $30 on Ebay. Now everyone seems to think it's worth $100 or more. Maybe it is. I always hoped to find it in a box of miscellaneous records where so much of my stuff came from. But no, I don't know specifically anything about the group. Sorry.

Based on the catalog number it was released in 1960.

Edit; I'm also watching a copy of the Fabulous Thunderbolts "My Girl Sue." It's already $99.00. I guess this vinyl collecting is just something I'll have to be more selective or settle for things others haven't discovered, yet.