Perhaps the best known of all Iowa rock groups that called Iowa home was Gonn. Unlike that legendary band, however, The Macabras (different spelling for ‘macabre’)—from Burlington—specialized more in singing and the vocal department. This is evident by the songs that comprise their sole Hamilton Rye 45-rpm record release: Covers of The Cryan’ Shames ‘I Wanna Met You’ and The Beatles’ ‘And I Love Her.’ Guitarist and vocalist Joel Kipp provides their story.
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An Interview With Joel Kipp
60garagebands.com (60s): How did you first get interested in music?
Joel Kipp (JK): By listening to The Beatles and The Beach Boys in the early ‘60s.
60s: Was The Macabras your first band?
JK: Yes, The Macabas was my first band. I've have played in many bands since, but they were the best of my memories.
60s: Where and when was The Macabras formed?
JK: In 1965. I formed the band, along with singer Gary Smith and drummer Tim Hermann.
The Macabras were: Gary Smith – vocals; Joel Kipp – guitar and vocals; Tom Lippert – keyboards and vocals; Dennis Duke – bass; and Tim Hermann – drums.
60s: How would you describe the band's sound? What bands influenced you?
JK: The Beatles of course, influenced us. However, we were really into singing, and bands like The Cryan’ Shames, Buckinghams and Three Dog Night also influenced us.
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60s: What was the Iowa rock and roll scene like in the '60s?
JK: We were very young when we started. If you played in a band, it was a special thing. Nowdays…everybody plays the guitar. Live music was it. No one thought about playing records or tapes.
60s: Where did The Macabras typically play?
JK: At youth centers, schools and college parties. We were too young for the nightclub scene. We were good singers and a good band but were "under the radar" in Iowa because of our age.
60s: Did you play any of the local teen clubs?
JK: Yes, in our area in Burlington. The Spider Web was the hot club—also The Klub, Krackers and many others.
60s: How far was the band's "touring" territory?
JK: About 200 miles around southeast Iowa.
60s: Did The Macabras participate in any battle of the bands?
JK: Yes and we won a lot of them…mostly because of the vocal thing.
60s: What other local groups of the era do you especially recall?
JK: Groups like Gonn, Brillo & The Firebirds, The Echoes of Night, The Blessed Few and The Vacant Lot.
60s: Did The Macabras have a manager?
JK: No.
60s: How popular locally did The Macabras become?
JK: Very popular in our hometown and high school. In March 2009, Burlington High School, our old school, honored us with a ten-page article including old pics, recordings and such.
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60s: Did The Macabras record in the '60s?
JK: Yes. We made a 45-rpm. We recorded in Davenport, Iowa at a studio called Fredlos. A teacher at our school put up the money for us to record two songs.
Note: The songs recorded were ‘Down In The Cellar of Murphy’s Saloon’ (which is basically a spoken into followed by a cover of The Cryan’ Shames’ ‘I Wanna Meet You’ and the Beatles cover ‘And I Love Her’ (Hamilton Rye 6839, 1968)…
60s: Did The Macabras write many original songs? Who was the band's primary songwriter?
JK: We wrote a few. We still stay in touch today and write more than ever.
60s: Do any other Macabras recordings exist? Are there any vintage live recordings, or unreleased tracks?
JK: An hour of The Macabras performing at the local auditorium was recorded. It was a high quality reel-to-reel but the tape was lost years ago.
60s: Did the band make any local TV appearances?
JK: No.
60s: When and why did the band break up?
JK: In 1970. Everyone graduated from high school and went their separate ways.
60s: What keeps you busy today?
JK: I now play piano for a country band. My wife has a small chain of music stores, and I and run a small recording studio (Pro Tools).
60s: How do you best summarize your experiences with The Macabras?
JK: It was some of the best times with friends making music.
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