Like The Lemon Drops, The Rogues V called McHenry, IL home. Also like The Lemon Drops, The Rogues V recorded (though not nearly as much)...but they performed in public more more frequently than the 'I Live In The Springtime' legends did. By sheer luck (and via introduction by regular contributor Clark Besch) we made contact with Rogues V drummer Rick Vycital. We were able to provide Rick some rehearsal recordings made by his band and that provided to us years ago by Mike Anderson. In return, Rick graciously shared his Rogues V scrapbook...
|
Rick Vycital Recalls The Rogues V
The first band that I played in was The Jaguars. We played our first paying gig when I was 13. We played in bars sometimes. My dad (who was a musician in his youth and also graduated from The University of Illinois with a music major) knew that I could be hassled since I was so young, so he had a letter typed explaining that I was with the band, had his permission to play where alcohol was being served and stated I could play beyond my curfew as long as I was in the presence of my band members. If I remember, the other three weren't 21 either but we were never questioned as long as we showed our "permission" letter to the bar owner prior to the gig.
Band members were: George Sorenson (leader, lead guitar and lead vocals); Jeff Brand (bass guitar, organ, background vocals); Skip (I don't remember his last name) (rhythm guitar and vocals); and Rick Vycital (drums and vocals). (Note: Sorenson and Brand would later join The Lemon Drops.)
Skip sang ‘Cara Mia’ unbelievably great. He had a falsetto voice and hit all the notes perfectly. He was another show stopper. When he sang that song, people stopped what they were doing and stared. He was incredible. We probably should have played more Jay & The American songs but we didn't. I know that we had a few rhythm guitar players come and go for a while. I played with The Jaguars until I joined The Rogues V in late 1965.
Ed and Tom Streich were brothers, Tim McPike was the lead guitar out of Crystal Lake (previously in a group with noted soon-to-be serial killer Mark Smith) and Ron Parks (previously in The Nomads) was the bass player out of Wonder Lake. I, Rick Vycital, was the drummer.
We played at The New Place a couple times, a lot of high school dances, some Chicago venues, the Illinois State Fair, University of Illinois frat houses, The Cellar in Barrington (I think that's what it was called)...and Madura's Danceland when The Flock had to cancel; they were snowed in at Cleveland. We did the show with Art Roberts of WLS fame. He emceed our gig and he was a real gentleman; he spent time with us between sets, was interested in our roots as a band and even danced on stage during the second set to lighten the crowd up...and it worked. Everyone had a good time even though I'm sure that they missed hearing The Flock perform. I would have, too.
I remember a group called The Lemon Drops but I don't remember if I ever heard them. During the summer, we were either practicing or playing bookings...
'Mona' was the B-side of our recording session at Chess Records. 'We Gotta Move.' which Ed and Ron wrote, was the A-side. The sound engineer really balanced everything nicely and yes, the drum line was very prominent throughout (engineering expertise--not me so much).
The 'I Wanna Meet You' cut does sound like the Cryan' Shames and that's why I wanted Ron to hear it to see if it was us or a Shames recording. He said that the bass line was his; he remembers the "picking" and claims that it is us. I just remember that it was one of our best songs. I explicitly remember that in 1967 we opened our first set at Crystal Lake High School (I think a homecoming dance) with 'I Wanna Meet You' and the crowd went silent. They froze and stared at us; it was creepy at first until we realized that they were listening closely. More people came up to us after that set and told us that they thought The Cryan' Shames were playing there. I know that we had every instrumental and vocal track down to exactly what the Shames recorded, especially the harmonies. Ed played 12-string lead guitar on the song and Ron sang lead. Ed sang high harmony and Tom and I sang the middle and low respectively.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
