The mid-1960s rock scene in Sacramento may appear isolated and insular especially when compared to the activities of the neighbouring San Francisco Bay Area, but its teenage audience was as partisan as any other across the United States in those halcyon days. Major acts like the Stones and the Byrds played Sacramento before they ever properly visited San Francisco-.-on their rare stateside visits, the Hollies and the Zombies avoided the Bay Area altogether, heading straight for Sac. The hip programming of the city's two AM power-houses KROY and KXOA fuelled the teen market, whilst savvy promoters exploited it to the max. And there were hundreds of local garage bands ready to cater to the massive, restless audience in the city and its environs.
Five years of sleuthing have gone into the preparation of The Sound Of Young Sacramento, the latest volume in the Nuggets From the Golden State series, which focuses on the very best teen garage and folk-rock groups that visited the Bill Rase Recording Studio & Talent Centre from 1965 to 1967. Bill's modest operation in those years gave these teenage combos an affordable outlet with which to immortalise themselves on wax, and as a result many bands beat a path to his Franklin Boulevard door.
Rase custom-pressed singles for the acts to sell at their shows, often in batches of a few hundred or less, resulting in some captivatingly rare releases. Included here are several records that are acknowledged punk classics, such as the superbly snotty I'll Be Gone by the Opposite Six and the psychotic surf of Too Much Loving by Dixon's Liberty Lads. Also featured are the, lesser known yet no less worthy, records by the Children Of Stone, Hustlers, Kee-Notes and others. There's Brit-Invasion sounds from the Coachmen and cryptic minor key moodiness from the Living End and the Night.
Unlike so many other studios, Bill Rase meticulously archived all his master tapes from the period, and close examination of these has thrown up further unreleased and quite astounding gems of a punk and folk-rock variety. We therefore proudly present several previously unissued ear-opening cuts from both popular Sacramento groups like the Psy-Kicks and Fugitives, and hopelessly obscure high school combos such as the Mergers, Chelsea Sidecar, Kix and Goodtime Music Co. The high standard and idiosyncratic sound of all the recordings featured makes this an exceptionally strong and listenable compilation.
In addition, the diligent research for the project required tracing members of each act featured, which in turn uncovered a wealth of facts, photos and memorabilia, cramming the booklet with an authoritative history of both the groups and the scene from whence they came. After widely-acclaimed releases in the Nuggets' series from Sacramento-related groups like Kak, the Oxford Circle and She, The Sound Of Young Sacramento continues to mine the motherlode of great rock'n'roll from the mid-1960s heyday of California's capital.
by Alec Palao
Artists - Tracks
1.The Opposite Six - I'll Be Gone - 2:22
2.The Mergers - Love, You Funny Thing - 2:43
3.Liberty Lads - Too Much Loving - 3:55
4.The Coachmen - Money (That's What I Want) - 2:28
5.The Coachmen - And That's Why - 2:27
6.The Hustlers - Linda - 2:46
7.The Insurgents - Summertime - 2:33
8.The Kee-Notes - Quit Changing Your Mind - 1:53
9.The Psy-Kicks - Summer Tears - 2:32
10.The Psy-Kicks - The Second Time Around - 1:59
11.The Fugitives - Blowin' My Mind - 2:29
12.The Children Of Stone - Mary, Can't You See - 2:22
13.St. George And The Dragons - Trust Me - 2:41
14.The Living End - A Night Like This - 2:48
15.The Living End - Brigitta - 2:48
16.The Goodtime Music Company - Aristocrat - 2:20
17.The Goodtime Music Company - Passionate Love - 2:25
18.The Reflections - Let Me Go - 2:39
19.The Reflections - A Little Bit More - 2:34
20.Don Wright And The Head Set - Why Did You Lie? - 2:23
21.The Walking Flour - Hoochie Coochie Man - 4:30
22.The Walking Flour - I Want To Be Your Driver - 2:28
23.The Gallery Production - Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It - 2:23
24.Organised Confusion - That I Love You - 2:47
25.The Kix - I'll Wait For You - 2:05
26.The Kix - What Would Life Be - 2:16
27.The Night - To Realize My Mind - 2:02
28.The Night - Too Much Loneliness - 3:00
29.The Chelsea Sidecar - Thinking Of You - 1:59
30.The Chelsea Sidecar - Special Girl - 2:22
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Thank you very much Cudawaver and Marios !!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. An excellent gift to music fans.
ReplyDeleteMany thankx friend. All the best.
ReplyDeleteMarvelous collection, thank you!
ReplyDeleteWith all the action going on in LA and SF, I bet these poor bands got lost in the shuffle something serious. Thanks for bringing their tunes to light for us!
ReplyDeleteGreat!!! Thankx.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks my friend!
ReplyDeleteLets not forget Timothy B. Schmit who was the base player for the NEW BREED, later to join POCO and then onto playing base with the EAGLES for many years. Also the Hide-a-way, the Fugitives and so many more great bands from.Sacramento and Davis..Anyone out ther have any idea what happened to Dayner Patton from Davis or Tony Powel who used to play with th Fugitives? Email me if you know anything. Allen Purdy and his wife Annette are doing real estate in Folsom. I still keep in touch with them. Allen also played with The Fugitives. Thanks for all the great memories..Judy Anstess (Hudson then) email: janstess86@gail.com
ReplyDeleteI would love to chat with anyone that remembers these great Sacramento bands of the mid 60's..I used to work for KXOA and KNDE radio station and was at most of the gigs at The Trip Room, Governor's Hall and at The Cottage park and Crabshaw's Corner, downtown..Hope to here from you guys out there..Judy
Anyone remember a band called 'The Chosen Few' from Sacto in about 1965. They did great Beatle's covers, and played many a gig in my high school in Lodi.
ReplyDeleteYes I know the Fugitives' You didn't mention Tom Fabian. He was the Drummer and one Founders of the band. Tom was going with my sister Sandy and he was like my Brother to me. The Band practiced at our House for a while. Tom also was the one that put on the Dances at the Trip Room at Natives son's Hall He also managed The Public Nuisance who played at the Trip Room. so I knew David Jim and Pat too.
ReplyDeleteHe (Tom) was my best friend for almost 40 years and he died 2 days ago-- I thought I would let you know. Tragic.
Delete.....Should I Stay or Should I Go....To Sacramento
ReplyDeleteSacramento's 60s Rock Music Legends: THE COACHMEN.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/thecoachmen1965/
1963-1967 Back when they were young, the members of Sacramento's The Coachmen played before huge Northern California crowds as the opening act for the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, the Kinks, Sonny & Cher, the Byrds and other famous artists..
Biography: The Coachmen
Sporting natty black bowlers, Sacramento, CA's anglophilic Coachmen left little doubt whence they drew their musical inspiration. Originally founded in 1963, the group's "classic" personnel included three guitarists Brian Costello, Rick Fitzpatrick and Mike Davis, bassist Skip Kelly and drumming vocalist Paul Kern. Two representative band tracks are featured on the various artists' compilation, Nuggets From the Golden State: The Sound of Young Sacramento (Big Beat). The first, an instrumentally brilliant reprise of the Motown chestnut "Money," suffers from Kern's well-intended but over-reaching vocal. Fitzpatrick's "And That's Why" proves infinitely better suited to Kern's singing abilities. A sterling example of English-beat balladry, the number brings to mind such limey luminaries as the Searchers and the Rockin' Berries. These two tracks were released in 1965 as successive singles by tiny Sacramento independent label Esar. Had the Coachmen seen the inside of a major label's recording studio, they might well have found their professional carriage rattling up the national charts. As it was, they enjoyed widespread local fame and actually opened for the visiting Kinks on several occasions. In 1966, having joined the National Guard (en masse*) to beat the draft, the Coachmen gradually faded from the scene.
Stansted Montfichet, All Music Guide
*Editorial correction: In 1966, three of the group (Costello, Davis & Kelly) joined the National Guard in the east San Francisco Bay Area.
The Coachmen played their last gig April 1st, 1967 in Sacramento at Governors Hall, (old) California State Fairgrounds. JMD (2017)
Sorry to bother you brother but, whenever you get a chance, could you re-up this link?
ReplyDeleteThanks...
Tommy Duque, The Sound Of Young Sacramento fixed..
ReplyDeletethanks, love this type of music
ReplyDeleteregards
jp