MIA: Michael McGuffy

"Young Man's Blood" / "In My Soul"

Michael McGuffy

US Eagle Records 69

Hey all! Whenever I run into a roadblock with a record, I'm going to add a "missing in action" post to the blog, and open it up to anyone who might have information. I don't pretend to know everything, so I will look to you, dear reader, to fill in the holes, when I need help.

Ready?

I don't recollect when or where I acquired this single. It was this year, and I'm thinking it was in Pueblo, but when you get to be a certain age, the particulars tend to get blurry...but I digress.

Here's what I know, so far:

Michael McGuffy (I've also seen it spelled "McGuffey") was based out of Fort Collins.  According to what I learned (off the Internet) he used to teach guitar at a music studio in the Musical Arts Conservatory, there.  In 1969 (possibly 1970), he recorded this one single,  before he teamed up with Bobby St. John to form the group Utah and St. John. This was confirmed in a 1975 blurb in the Greeley Daily Tribune. I've also seen a reference to him, in the group Cunningham Corner (thank you, invaluable Lost Fort Collins)

As for the record? You know when you think a single is going to sound a certain way, just based on the title, or label art, and must admit you were completely wrong? Yeah, I had that moment. I was thinking country twanger. Holy cats, yes, I own up to my inaccurate guess.

First off, "Young Man's Blood" might be one of my favorite Colorado finds, of the year.  Yup, I'm going to gush. The single starts off as a slow, singer/songwriter psych folk loner vibe about, I'm assuming, the wartime atmosphere of the period.

"The ground is covered with young man's blood. Where is God and what happened to love?"

Then, starting at the :48 mark...wait for it, wait for it.  He slowly builds up to a heavy-on-the-electric-guitar jam that I was absolutely not expecting. WOW.

LISTEN to "Young Man's Blood"

The flip side doesn't disappoint, with the oh-so-breezy "In My Soul."

Thank you, Michael, wherever you are.

The Unpredictable Nu-Sett

I rarely ever find any Colorado records in antique malls. No, wait, I DO find a few, but when you have a dollar-bin mentality, antique malls are NOT the place to go bargain shopping. We have two mega-antique malls in my zip, and there is most definitely a premium on any vinyl.

While running some errands today, I decided to pop into one of the mega malls, just to see if the trend has changed. It hasn't (Whipped Cream & Other Delights for $30, and it looked like it was used for sharpening knives). I'm always up for a challenge, so I continued to dig, looking for something unpredictable. Then lo and behold...there it was.

The Unpredictable Nu-Sett, out of Denver.

 

Mint vinyl.
Mint cover.
Autographed.
I swear I heard it calling my name.

I gladly got out my wallet to fork over the (more than I usually pay) $7, and headed home.

First off, I love the cover of this 1968 LP. The members of this bi-racial group (in order on the cover: Scott Roberts, Rod Jenkins, Buddy Brown, and Chuck Mills) look like they are having a blast, in their matching suits, on the tiny stage, at the Inn-Timate Lounge.

The LP opens up with a short introduction, then on to a rockin' cover of "Devil With the Blue Dress / Good Golly Miss Molly," which segues into the Lonnie Donegan ballad, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again." Plus there are a handful of comedy routines added to the mix, which makes for a pretty darn good lounge effort.

 

Side One:

Devil With the Blue Dress / Good Golly Miss Molly

I'll Never Fall in Love Gain

Comedy Routine

Along Came Jones

Mack the Knife

Comedy Routine

I Wonder If I Care As Much

Side Two:

Satin Doll

What Kind of Fool Am I

Comedy Routine

Act Naturally

Gimme a Little Sign

Comedy Routine

Green Green Grass of Home

Comedy Routine

Love Me

Hava Nagila

As for the players (according to the liner notes written by Rocky Mountain News columnist Pat Hanna:

 

Buddy Brown attended Adams State, and then joined the military (as a member of the Steppin' Brothers). In 1964, he joined the group, the Capricios, who were regulars at the Inn-Timate.

 

Scotty Roberts was originally from Illinois, who ended up in Colorado, by way of Minnesota. Buddy enlisted Scotty into the Capricios.

 

Chuck Mills grew up in Wheatridge, and was briefly a member of the Capricios, which had quickly changed their name to the Unpredictable Nu-Sett, after his arrival.

Rod Jenkins was a former member of the Astronauts and the Contrasts. He also appears on the Hustlers Ski Country LP.

The story of Deeds Electronic and that Denver address

I have a soft spot for various artists compilations. I guess it goes back to when I was a kid, and one of my first record purchases, with my own money, was K-tel's Fantastic LP. It was like having a radio station on your turntable, with all of your Top 40 favorites on one disc.

So, imagine my surprise when I discovered a various artist comp, out of Denver!

 I was intrigued by these plain, neon pink, covers, with a back cover showing swimming swans (I'm guessing because they were issued on the Swan record label).

While the Deeds Electronic company shows a Denver address (70 W. 6th Avenue),  the story on these albums doesn't even begin to start there. And wow, what a story it is.

We actually begin the tale of the Deeds Electronic various artists albums, in the Empire State.

Deeds (also known as GAI Audio) was run out of New York, by a businessman named Jack Kessler. I couldn't track down an exact date on the formation of the company, but the intent was to manufacture various artists compilations, much like Ronco, or K-tel.

But there was a problem - namely copyright law. The feds had just begun to crack down on piracy and bootlegged recordings, and Deeds Electronic was in their crosshairs.

Deeds had already pressed several dozen different compilations, out of its plant, in Maryland - featuring Johnny Cash, Simon & Garfunkel, Lynn Anderson, Tammy Wynette, Marty Robins, Ray Price, The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Beth Midler and Roberta Flack. Needless to say the record labels, such as Columbia, were none to happy to find out that another record company had been including their artists on these albums and 8-tracks.

A front page story, in the May 5, 1972 issue of the Wilmington Delaware News, states:

Cecil County (Maryland) Sheriff's Police have seized tape-recording equipment and 58,000 bootleg tapes from what is believed to be the largest single operation of its kind in the United States. The raid was conducted Wednesday against the Deeds Music Co., Inc., at the Elk Mills Industrial Park, about 4 miles north of Elkton. 

The story goes on to say: The tapes and duplicating machines were seized under a court order obtained by Columbia Records, a subsidiary of CBS, and Atlantic Records, who were joined in their action by 44 music publishers.

According to the story, the Denver address on the albums was a "mail transfer point."

So that Colorado mystery is solved!

Cecil County Circuit Court Judge H. Kenneth Mackey heard testimony (bench trial) on Jan. 28, 1974, as Deeds lawyers defended the business. The suing record companies wanted $300,000.  Court documents found (I love the Internet) state: After hearing testimony, for six days, Deeds Music Company, Inc., consented to entry of judgment against it in the amount of $150,000. All claims against the remaining defendants were reserved. The latter offered no testimony and rested at the close of plaintiffs' case. On March 1, 1974, at the conclusion of the trial, Judge Mackey, in an oral opinion from the bench, entered judgment against each of the other defendants under the counts alleging unfair competition and civil conspiracy.

=The End=

Back on Campus - Part Two

So, back in February, I posted a couple of LPs I found from my old alma mater, the University of Southern Colorado, oops, now Colorado State University-Pueblo. I had hoped to find additional vinyl recordings, as I had heard that there were more than just these, out in the wild.

Last month, while attending the Vintage Voltage Expo, in Denver, my dear friend and fellow vinyl hunter, Joel Scherzer, clued me in to a 45 he found at a dealer's booth - from that little ol' campus on the hill.

Listen to a sample of "Hail Colorado"

"Hail Colorado" (written by Marcia and Paul Spencer) was recorded in 1975 by the USC Wind Ensemble, with Ralph Levy back in the director's chair. Unlike the other USC recordings, this vinyl features the vocals of Jerry Teske. The b-side offers up the same composition, sans vocals.

Jerry Teske, was a private vocal coach, and regular entertainer at Figaro's Restaurant, who also served as the choral director for Palmer High School, in Colorado Springs. He passed away in 2017.  His obituary indicated that he also performed for the Grace Episcopal Taylor Choir, Colorado Springs Chorale, Abendmusik, Colorado Opera Festival, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, and the western group, The Trailriders.

In 1977, "Hail Colorado," went before the State Affairs Committee, to be considered the official state marching song. The measure was vetoed  by Lakewood Sen. Joe Schieffelin, who was quoted as saying: "After the bill passed the House, we received a couple of letters from people who said they had a better marching song and wanted us to hear theirs."

Blacksheep, Black Sheep, have you any info...

Hey all! I'm going through a mountain of Cash Box magazines, from the 1960s, and I found this advertisement for a band called Blacksheep. To my surprise, I discovered that the drummer is from Southern Colorado!

 

According to the ad: Dean Pedersen (also known as Aaron Fire) The Blacksheep's drummer, hails from Canyon City (sp) Colorado. Eighteen-year-old Dean started playing jazz drums in 1963. He writes poetry, does clay sculpture, and is currently writing a book in his spare time.

 

 Well how about that?

Blacksheep (The Black Sheep on the records) also included guitarist Michael Mongeon (from Canada), bass player Buddy McCabe (from California), vocalist Mark Harman (from California), and lead guitarist Joe Masterson (from New York). The band put out "It's My Mind" / "Arthur" (Columbia 43666) in 1966, and a year later released "Feeling Down" / "Suzanne" (Columbia 43974). I can't seem to find any reference to any other vinyl releases, after that. Their sound is described as "catchy garage pop."

Apparently there was another band, called Black Sheep (out of New York), which appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Several years later, former Foreigner lead vocalist, Lou Gramm, also was in a band called Black Sheep (not related to these two other bands).

If anyone has any information on Mr. Pedersen, from Canon City, CO, please drop me a line!

The Chevelles

What a crazy week this has been! I scored the Pueblo music poster cache of my lifetime, but noticed a group I wasn't familiar with - The Chevelles. I had heard of the 4 Chevelles, from Denver, but didn't know anything about a group, with a similar name, from Pueblo.

 The Chevelles

Top: Fabian Chacon (bass), Dave Vega (guitar)

Bottom: Joey Rodriguez (keyboards), Dave Trujillo (drums)

Then I get this email from Jess LeFebre, a member of the Pueblo-based Uptown Jam Band.

"Our guitarist was in the Chevelles... Dave Vega."

WOW.

So Jess forwards Dave's contact info, and we are off to solve the mystery of the Chevelles.

When and how was the band created?

We were all students at Central High. This was 1965. The Chevelles were already established, and they needed to replace their guitarist (Nick Sineros). I was 16-years old, and just getting started playing guitar. I guess I played well enough to play in the band.

 The Chevelles

Left to right: Dave Vega, Dave Trujillo, Joey Rodriguez, and Fabian Chacon

Where did you play?

Joey's father was our manager. We were booked all over town - the CYO Club, Arcadia, Pinnachio's, Brass Horn, Latin Village.

Did you ever record a single?

We never recorded a single. We played strictly covers - oldies, soul.

There was a group in Denver called the 4 Chevelles. Had you ever heard of them, or ever met them?

Never heard of the 4 Chevelles.

How long was the band together?

We broke up in 1969.

What did you do, after the band broke up?

I played with various groups, including the Fabulous Fremonts, after the Chevelles. I replaced Tony Garcia on guitar, after they recorded "Watermelon Man." I was also in the Rudy Gutierrez Orchestra, and Abraxas (with Carlos Crull, who was also in The Crew). We did shows with Chicago and Tower of Power (with Abraxas). I also played with the Steel City Band, but I quit before they recorded their single. I worked at CF&I for a year, then a chrome shop for 26 years, but I've always played in bands.

What happened to the other members of the Chevelles?

Fabian passed away. Last I heard, Dave was in Denver. and Joey lives in Pueblo.

Currently, Dave Vega is keeping busy playing with both the Uptown Jam Band, and Bad Habits. You can also see him in action, on his YouTube channel.

Uptown Jam Band (Dave Vega is second from right)

And with that...three posts in one week - I think I'm going to take a break, for a bit (whew!)

More Colorado Music in Posters

Hey all! If you saw those incredible 1964-1967 Pueblo concert and promotional posters. I'm not done yet... The person I purchased these items from, has a cache of other incredibly rare Colorado (and other) music-related posters. I'm posting them all here.

 

Canon City - Teen Dance (no year noted). 

Pictures of dancing teens, and Pueblo DJ, Steve Scott.

 

Clovis, NM - Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs promotional poster

 

 

Colorado Springs -  Hullabaloo Scene (no year noted), 3200 N. Nevada. Cool picture of the Hullabaloo dancers. 

 

Colorado Springs -  Little Richard concert at the City Auditorium Thursday, Nov. 5, 1964. Also shows the 4 T's, Larry Laster, and Malcolm Hayes

 

Colorado Springs - Peter and Gordon concert poster for Wednesday, July 22, 1964 show at City Auditorium

 

Colorado Springs - Promotional poster for the Swing'n Star Time show, held at the City Auditorium, Sunday, Feb, 14, 1965. Acts included The Newbeats, Larks, Round Robin, Mickey Lee Lane, the Coasters, and the Executives

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for Glen Campbell (and The Tinkers) appearing at the City Auditorium, Saturday, Oct. 16, 1965.

 

Colorado Springs - concert poster for Freddy Cannon, appearing at the City Auditorium, Wed. Nov. 24, 1965

 Colorado Springs - concert poster for The Astronauts, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, City Auditorium, July 20, 1966

Colorado Springs - concert poster for the Hondells, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Wed. July 27, 1966 

 

Colorado Springs - concert poster for The Standells, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Wed. Aug. 3, 1966

 

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for the Young Rascals, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 1966 

 

 

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for The Leaves, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Friday, Aug 19, 1966

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for the Everly Brothers, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Sunday, Aug, 28, 1966

 

Colorado Springs  - Concert poster or Eric Burdon and the Animals, appearing at the City Auditorium (no year noted) 

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for The Music Machine, Dec. 31 (no year noted)

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for three-night show of Jefferson Airplane, at the Broadmoor International Theatre. The Pueblo band, The Trolls were the opening act (not noted, but confirmed by Trolls member, Monty Baker).

Colorado Springs - Promotional poster for "The Beatles: Away With Words" at the Palmer Auditorium. March 8-9, 1968

 

 Colorado Springs - Concert poster for Battle of the Bands concert, held Sat. Jan, 18, 1969, at the City Auditorium. Bands included Beast, Warm, C.A.A.B, Deep Steam, Grouse, Paxtons Back, and Street Carnival

 

 Denver - Promotional poster for the Pacesetters

 

Denver - Promotional picture for Tyler and the Bandits. Band was active between 1965-1967. Revolving door of members: Tyler Plotzke, Steve Adler, James Casewott, Wayne Brown, Greg Reed, Harold Coggan, Jim Stallings, Mike Zitzkin, and Cliff Smith.

 

Denver - Promotional poster for The Rainy Daze

Denver - Promotional poster for The Moonrakers (also note the mention of The Astronauts and Dave Clark Five - no year noted)

Denver - Promotional poster for The Saints

Denver - Two-color Boenzee Cryque promotional poster



Denver - Led Zeppelin concert poster (March 25, 1970)



Hastings, NE - Spider and the Crabs promotional poster. The band put out an extremely rare garage psych LP (estimated less than 500 were pressed). Band: Bob “Mouse” Meyerhoffer (vocals), Steve “Spider” Einsel (guitar), Warren Gitt (saxophone), Dick Rasmussen (trumpet), Rick Messenger (keyboards), Lindy Gallaher (bass), and Jim McMillin (drums).



Topeka KS - Promotional for The Flare Show. No clue on this item. I understand they were out of Topeka, but can't find any additional info.

Trinidad, CO - Promotional poster for the July 4 (no year) Battle of the Bands show. Bands noted are Love Revolution, Fuzz, and Soul Pak