60sgaragebands.com recently obtained a possible one-of-a-kind reference acetate of an unreleased GRT album by The Olivers, Indiana rock heroes best known for recording a highly-sought after 45 on Phalanx Records. We excitedly contacted Olivers' guitarist Mike Mankey regarding the acetate, hoping to learn more about it. Mankey was excited to hear the record for the first time since recording it, and graciously provided additional details on its recording.
Shortly after posting Mankey's recollections, we were contacted by Olivers' guitarist Jay Penndorf and keyboardist Rick Durrett, both who also graciously provided their recollections on the recording of the album.
|
Mike Mankey Recalls The Olivers
It all started for me when I first heard on the radio the song 'A Man Can't Live Without Love' by The Serfmen. The Serfmen would later become The Olivers. I was chopping onions in the back room of Azars Hotdogs By The Number restaurant where I worked in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1965. I was floored when I found out it was a local band. I made it a point to get out and see them play whenever I could. I was already in a band then, first called The Shadows and later changed to The Unexpected.
Billy Franze and I started in music together. We were both in The Shadows, The Unexpected and, later, The Olivers (and finally Triad...but that's another story). As The Shadows and The Unexpected, we played a lot of school dances and park and recreation events. We eventually covered a couple of Serfmen songs. Apparently, they had heard about us because one night as we were playing at the Hamilton Park weekly live band event, there they were, watching us. It was a very scary feeling having the best band in the city watching our little neighborhood combo. We had no idea at the time but they were about to go through some changes that would affect us, big time. First, they contacted and asked Billy to take over the bass duty, as Greg Church was leaving, and later asked me to take over the lead guitar, as Jay Penndorf (Jason Ritchie, pen name) got drafted into the service.
The Olivers' 45 ('Beeker Street' / 'I Saw What You Did') was cut before Jay got drafted, so I was not on those songs but was on all of the cuts on the album, which we thought would be on Sire Records. We even had liner notes written and pictures taken but they never got used. The album was recorded at a small but state-of-the-art at that time (1969) studio called Dove Studios, in Bloomington, Minnesota. The studio is long since gone and I have no idea what is there now.
Jay returned to the band for a while, after he got out of the service. The personnel in the Olivers, when the album was cut was: Rick Durrett on keyboards; Billy Franze on bass and lead vocals, Chuck Hamrick on drums; Jay Penndorf on guitar and vocals; and Mike Mankey on guitar and vocals. Jay and I switched off on the lead parts.
The titles of the songs are:
01. Ball Of Fire - Written by Billy, arranged by all. Bass solos by Billy.
02. Mushroom - Written by Jay, arranged by all. Main guitar riff by Jay.
03. Jessica Ryder - Written by Billy, arranged by all.
04. Someday Somewhere - Written by Billy, played by Billy.
05. The End - Written by Rick, arranged by all.
06. Free - Written by Mike, arranged by all.
07. Social Slavery - Written by Mike, arranged by all. Keyboard sound effects by Rick.
Recording the album was great fun and a lot of work at the same time. We never dreamed then that we would not get to hear the whole album for over forty years.
|
Jay Penndorf Recalls The Olivers
The album was recorded after I got out of the Army (the first time) and re-joined the band. I got out in October of 1968. It was dead winter when we were in Minnesota for the session, so I would put it January or February of 1969. As I recollect, we (ended up at Dove Studios) by invitation of Peter Steinberg, a local Minneapolis producer, who had heard about The Olivers. At that time the band was playing all over the Midwest and doing very well.
I think we were all very excited about recording the album, but we really didn't have time to carefully rehearse each song or to refine each of our contributions as we should have. We were used to live shows, and the way you operate there is much different than during a recording session. (The volume and activity covers the flaws.) We had no clue about the care that is needed for a good recording. Pete Steinberg also acted as A&R and although he could play the piano he didn't know how to assist us with arrangements. When I listen to the songs now, there are a thousand things I'd do differently. There was neither time nor money to go back and re-cut some of the "boo-boos.” Pete and the engineer both had time at the "boards" and should know how to set the levels and tones. Unfortunately this, too, was not carefully done. (The guys from C.A. Quintet, another band that recorded there. had the same complaints.)
The song ‘Mushroom’ (written by Jay) was inspired by a television show on the atomic bomb and its result in Japan during the war. I thought about the fact that we created this bomb for our protection, but someday it could be the very thing that ends us all. Kinda hippie-ish—huh?
My understanding for the reason the album was not released was a legal hassle. I heard that a record company wanted to sign the band but Pete stopped it. I think the whole thing would have been re-cut at a different studio with professional A&R and appropriate rehearsal time. In short, I heard Pete knew the band's potential but wanted more money and control. (Again, I heard that C.A. Quintet had the same issues.)
I loved hearing the songs again, but in my heart I know the band was a whole lot better live than what the recording provided. Billy, Mike, Chuck, and Rick at that time were awesome players and this recording does not give them justice—although I love it anyway. I wish you could have heard these same songs on stage, where we felt loose and relaxed. Maybe they should have recorded us live. Either way, I loved hearing it. It brings back some great memories.
|
Rick Durrett Recalls The Olivers
I joined The Olivers after my group, The Cardboard Bachs, broke up. We had been playing in Indiana a lot and I had met The Olivers and always liked their music. They offered me the chance to join and I did. I didn't have to think twice. They were a great bunch of guys to work with, but also serious about their music. We played tons of gigs and were always well received. A real fun band.
As I recall, the recording experience with The Olivers was one of my first with a band. It was just an incredible experience, and the songs were great. Lots of talent. As I listen to the songs again for the first time in decades, I hear with more experienced ears. If The Olivers had had the right producer and management, there's no doubt we would have become a national act. Unfortunately, I have to agree with Jay on this as to why it never happened. I actually feel some of the songs could be re-cut today and fall into the "Americana" niche. Even if they didn't, it sure would be a helluva lot fun to do.
|
| Unreleased Recordings - Samples |
|
|
|
|
 |
