| Purple Blues, Yellow Taxis, LSD and Jams & Jellies: The Lance Records Story |
At first glance, the Lance Records story is really not all that different from the story of countless other record labels that had their origins in the early to mid-1960s. Formed during the height of "Beatlemania" as an outlet for garage bands to record their songs in the hopes of becoming the next "Fab Four," Lance Records assisted its roster of talent in recording dozens of singles that elevated them to the heights of local success and that today are considered classics of the era. The primary difference, however, between Lance and other successful local labels was that founder and owner Dick Stewart was able to achieve his success based in, of all places, Albuquerque, New Mexico. While other presently revered labels such as Fenton in Detroit, or Dunwich in Chicago, had a major metropolitan talent pool in which to fish for their bands, Stewart and Lance Records thrived in an area better known for its purported UFO crashes than for its rock and roll scene. By Mike Dugo |
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| King Richard (Dick Stewart) & the Knights |
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Stewart himself was originally part of the garage band phenomenon. His group, the Knights, who formed in 1961 and specialized in instrumental guitar songs prior to the Beatles landing in America, changed its name in 1966 to King Richard & the Knights in the hopes of capitalizing on the new musical rage. According to Stewart, however, prior to that change, Albuquerque's "local rock and roll aficionados were tired of the same old rockabilly sounds of the late '50s and were welcoming with open arms, the new delivery of instrumental guitar." The Knights were able to cash in on the newfound popularity of the instrumental guitar in a big way. Using a Fender guitar or, more specifically, a Jazzmaster, Stewart was able to follow in the footsteps of the Ventures (of "Walk, Don't Run" fame), a band that he describes - most likely correctly - as the most successful guitar instrumental rock band in history (and Fireballs' guitarist, George Tomsco - from nearby Raton, New Mexico - was Stewart's earliest major influence). Stewart and the Knights scored a local chart topper in 1964 with the release of "Precision," which to this day still has the distinction of holding the number one spot in Albuquerque longer than any original song by a local band. The Knights continued to record a handful of excellent instrumentals, but it was just a matter of time before the group would evolve into King Richard and the Knights. As Stewart recalls, "King Richard and the Knights seemed to be more 'in' name-wise with the new age of British rock." Together with the addition of King Richard to the title, the band changed from instrumentals to vocals and eventually recorded "I Don't Need You," their own entry into the garage band sweepstakes. Other excellent songs recorded and released during the period of 1964-1966 included "How About Now," "That's the Way It Goes," and "I Want to Love You." Although it's interesting to look back and think about what might have been had King Richard & the Knights continued down the garage path, it was not to be. "The more the music changed," recalls Stewart, "the less inclined the Knights wanted to be a part of the expression." |
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| Love's Special Delivery |
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Although King Richard and the Knights threw-in-the-towel in 1967, Stewart kept himself busy. In April 1966, he launched The Lance newsletter, which, for nearly two years, provided an elaborate accounting of the '60s rock happenings in the Southwest that has never been equaled in historical musical content for that part of the U.S. While his original intention was to use the newsletter as a promotional tool for King Richard and the Knights, that plan quickly vanished when The Lance would eventually become, in Stewart's words, "a voice for just about all of the working Albuquerque rock bands." Stewart would soon become promoter and music producer for most of them.
In the later part of 1966, Lance Records was formed. The Kreeg was the first band to sign with Stewart, which resulted in the label's initial 45-rpm release, "Impressin'" b/w "How Can I." Rightfully recognized today as a cult classic folk-rock song, it, indeed, was a very promising first impression for Lance Records. Among the single's admirers was Tommy Bee, a Native American from Gallup, New Mexico, who would soon become Lance's primary talent scout and manager for many of the area's bands. A veteran of his own band - Tommy Bee and the Stingers - it was Bee who would sign the balance of Lance Records' roster to Stewart's label. Due to the immediate success of the Kreeg 45, Lance Records was able to quickly attract the attention of many promising local garage bands such as the Movin' Morfomen, Cellar Dwellars, the Vandels, Lincoln Street Exit, Trademarques, Rockin' Aces, Love's Special Delivery, Mother Sturtcman's Jams & Jellies (Bob Sturtcman's post-Kreeg band) and the Fe-Fi-Four-Plus 2. In addition, soul bands were included in Lance Records' productions with releases by Doc Rand and the Purple Blues, the Sheltons, and Rudy and the Soul Setters. Toward the end of Lance Records' career, the label began experimenting with Mexican-American music with the signing of Manny and the Casanovas and Little Joe and the Blazers. It also signed (or was close to signing) many local bands that, unfortunately, went unrecorded including the Coffin Bangers and the Weeds.
Although Lance Records was best known for its recordings and mid-'60s vinyl releases, it also became instrumental as a booking agency (aptly named Lance Booking Agency), and scheduled appearances by its bands in teen clubs, high schools, and frat clubs throughout New Mexico. The Lance Booking Agency, as it became known, stretched as far north as Boulder, Colorado (booking bands at the Drink Inc.), although its reach never crossed the border into Texas, a state not lacking in the number of great bands that could be booked locally. By now, the total local dominance of Lance Records was completely evident in the fact that Stewart's label became an exclusive retail distributor, known as - you guessed it - Lance Records Distributors, in Albuquerque for all the local record labels. While facing some competition from a handful of other New Mexican labels, particularly Hurricane Records, the owners of those companies were required to go through Lance to get their 45s stocked in the Albuquerque retail record shops.
From musician, to publisher, to producer, to booking agent, to distributor, Dick Stewart and Lance Music Enterprises (the parent company for The Lance newsletter, Lance Records, Lance Booking Agency, and Lance Records Distributors) was successful in covering all the bases. Unfortunately, it simply could not last. While extremely successful in producing and recording local garage bands, Stewart would soon, in his words, "develop a passion for U.S. Hispanic bands. I was born and grew up in the Northwest Valley of Albuquerque, which had a dominant Hispanic population. I became fluent in Spanish and a great admirer of the traditional Mexican-American music." Stewart produced an album by Manny & the Casanovas entitled "Floresitas Mexicanas" which became a huge seller in the Hispanic market. Sadly, it would be the only album ever released by Lance Records during that time. Stewart recalls that Tommy Bee, whom was so instrumental in locating and attracting local bands to Lance Records, "didn't want any part" of recording Hispanic music, and parted ways with Stewart shortly after the label released a rock single by the Rockin' Aces. Stewart would release three more singles without Bee's involvement, and then turn his attention in another direction. He created a spin off label, owned by Lance Records, which catered to Spanish acts only. Named Lobo Records, it managed to release just one single by a group known as Little Ralph's Combo. |
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| Kreeg |
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In January 1968, Stewart ceased publication of The Lance newsletter, and shut down Lance Records. Along with Eric Sanchez, he formed Casanova Records, and dedicated the new label solely to Spanish acts. While Lance Records had been extremely successful in monopolizing the Albuquerque rock and roll scene, Casanova Records, according to Stewart, represented "the first time that I made any real money in the music business. Whenever a traditional song becomes a hit, it practically lasts forever." While that may be the case, there is every reason to believe that the garage band songs that he produced and recorded for Lance Records could, too, very well last forever. |
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| Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2 |
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The Best of The Lance Roster: Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2: "I Wanna Come Back (From the World of LSD)" / "Double Crossin' Girl" (Lance 101A/102B) The Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2 was assigned Lance Records' second release, and the band responded with the two-sided garage monster "I Wanna Come Back (From the World of LSD") and "Double Crossin' Girl." Recorded at the Norman Petty Studios, and written by guitarist Danny Houlihan, "I Wanna Come Back" was possibly the very first psychedelic song to be released in New Mexico. One hundred or so promo copies of the single featured the "From the World of LSD" tagline, but later pressings of the 45 had it removed at the request of the record distributors. According to the Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2's Victor Roybal, "We were looking for a new and original sound. Much of what we had been doing [was] performing top 40 sounds which people requested to hear. Danny came up with the song and we all liked the sound." Though not as well known or notorious, the flipside, "Double Crossin' Girl," might possibly be the better tune. The single proved so popular locally that it was eventually released in Europe on Polydor Records - the very first New Mexican recording to obtain such an honor. Band members were Danny Houlihan, lead singer; Victor Roybal, organ; Eddie Roybal (no relation), drums; Mike Layden, lead guitar; Eddie James, rhythm guitar; and Ernie Gonze, bass guitar. |
The Sheltons: "Find It" (Lance 103A) / "Knock on Wood" (Lance 118B)
Though originally encouraged by Tommy Bee to record "Double Crossin' Girl" (the band had actually backed Bee on a number of demos), the Sheltons' first single on Lance Records was "Find It" b/w "Yesterday's Laughter." Recorded at Dell Studios in Albuquerque, the Sheltons' single would be the labels' first soul release, and an example of what was referred to at the time as the "Duke City Soul Sound." "Find It" was a sizable regional hit, and received airplay in El Paso, Tucson, Phoenix, and Amarillo. The April 1967 issue of The Lance announced an upcoming Shelton's album, but the plans never materialized. The Sheltons would later record a cover of Leiber-Stoller's "I Who Have Nothing" (Lance 117A), a song that held the number one position in terms of local sales for nearly two months late in 1967. In the spring of 1968, Bee would take a version of the band's "I Who Have Nothing" backed with an instrumental titled "The Cat," and snare a release on Dot Records in California. Unfortunately, due to the draft, nothing further evolved. Original members of the Sheltons were George (Bud) Lucero, lead guitar; Steve Lucero, sax, keyboards, lead vocals; Toby Romero, drums; Robert Elks, guitar; and Ray Avila, bass.
The Kreeg: "How Can I" / "Impressin'"/ "How Can I" (Lance 229A/B) / "For Your Love" (By Mother Sturtcman's James & Jellies, Lance 127)
"New hit label! New hit song! New hit group! Lance Records presents the Fantastic Kreeg!" announced a full-page ad in the November 1966 issue of The Lance. The single, recorded at John Wagner Studios in Albuquerque, featured two Bob Sturtcman originals. Though the Kreeg did not have any further releases on Lance Records, in 1968 they would add keyboardist Ted Cholewka and become Mother Sturtcman's Jams and Jellies. Their Vanilla Fudge-ish version of the Yardbirds' "For Your Love" had proven just how much Lance Records had changed with the times but, alas, would prove to be the labels' final release. Original members were Robert (Bob) Sturtcman, guitar, vocals; Russ Sturtcman, drums; Hap Blackstock, bass guitar, vocals; Ray Trujillo, bass guitar; and Larry Inks, lead guitar.
Movin' Morfomen: "Don't Go Baby" (Lance 107A)
From Espanola, New Mexico, the Movin' Morfomen, who were five students at Espanola High School at the time of their signing with Lance Records, would record a total of five singles for five different labels throughout the sixties. Before signing with Lance, they had previously recorded a single on the Delta label, "When You Were Mine," which had held the number one spot on a local station, KSVF, for three weeks in a row in 1966. Due to the success of that single, the May 1966 issue of The Lance reported that "several major companies such as Mercury Records expressed interest" in the band. After "careful consideration," however, it was decided to sign with Lance "on the basis of the label's tremendous popularity and exposure which it has experienced in such a short time." Original members were Dave Rarick, guitar, keyboards, and vocals; Rudy Maestas, guitar and vocals; Anthony Martinez, bass; Danny Gavurnik, trumpet, guitar, and vocals; and Ed Valdez, drums. |
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| Lincoln Street Exit |
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Lincoln Street Exit: "Paper Place" / "Who's Been Driving My Little Yellow Taxi Cab" (Lance 109A/110B)
The Lincoln Street Exit are best remembered today for their 1970 album on Mainstream, and for later changing their name to Exit and eventually Xit. The band recorded only the one single for Lance Records in 1966, but did release additional singles on other labels throughout the latter half of the decade. The line-up at the time of the Lance Records' release included Paul Chapman on keyboads, Frank Viramontes on 12-string electric guitar, Siegi Chavez on guitar, Mike Martinez on lead guitar, Lee Herrera on drums and Mac Suazo on bass. Other members at different times included Larry Leyba, John Burnete and Steve Hubner.
Cellar Dwellers: "Love Is a Beautiful Thing" / "Working Man" (Lance 111A/112B)
Released in April 1967, the Cellar Dwellers version of the Young Rascal's "Love Is a Beautiful Thing" was promoted by The Lance newsletter with the tag line "Flower Power Is Upon Us." Don Gleicher, the lead guitarist in another New Mexican garage band, the Monkeymen, who later became the Piggy Bank, wrote the flip, "Working Man". The band's line-up was Michael Gleicher (Don's brother) on lead guitar, Frank Cotinola on drums, Steve Serencha on organ/guitar, and Pete Springer on bass. |
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| Cellar Dwellers |
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| Cellar Dwellers |
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Love's Special Delivery: "Say That You Love Me" (Lance 123); Trademarques: "In Her Own Little World" (Lance 116B)
Love's Special Delivery and the Trademarques released one single each for Lance Records. Unfortunately, nothing further is known about either band. |
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| Doc Rand & the Purple Blues |
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Doc Rand & The Purple Blues: "Something You Got" (Lance 120B); Rudy and the Soul Setters: "I Dig Girls" (Lance 124)
Doc Rand and the Purple Blues and Rudy and the Soul Setters, along with the Sheltons, comprised the soul band faction of the Lance Records' roster. Again, nothing further is known about either band. |
Discography
2229A - "Impressin'" - The Kreeg
2229B - "How Can I?" - The Kreeg
101A - "I Wanna Come Back (From the World of LSD)" - Fe-Fi-Four-Plus 2
102B - "Double Crossin' Girl" - Fe-Fe-Four-Plus 2
103A - "Find It" - 103A - The Sheltons
104B - "Yesterday's Laughter" - The Sheltons
105A - "I Want You (Yeh I Do) - Doc Rand and the Purple Blues
106B - "I Need a Woman" - Doc Rand and the Purple Blues
107A - "Don't Go Baby" - The Movin' Morfomen
108B - "Only The Young" - The Movin' Morfomen
109A - "Paper Place" - Lincoln St. Exit - psychedelia
110B - "Who's Been Driving My Little Yellow Taxi Cab" - Lincoln St. Exit
111A - "Love is a Beautiful Thing" - The Celler Dwellers
112B - "Working Man" - The Celler Dwellers
113A - "Try Me" - The Vandels
114B - unknown - The Vandels
115A - "What is Love" - The Trademarques
116B - "In Her Own Little World"
117A - "I Who Have Nothing" - The Sheltons
118B - "Knock on Wood" - The Sheltons
119A - "Hold on I'm Coming" - Doc Rand and the Purple Blues
120B - "Something You Got" - Doc Rand and the Purple Blues
121A - "If you're Ever Gona Love Me" - The Rockin' Aces
122B - "If You Only Knew" - The Rockin' Aces
123 - " Babe" - Love Special Delivery
- "Say That You Love Me" - Loves Special Delivery
124 - "I Dig Girls" - Rudy and The Soulsetters
- "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - Rudy and The Soulsetters
125 - unknown
126 - "Floresitas Mexicanas" - Manny and the Casanovas
- "Simpre Hace Frio" - Manny and the Casanovas
127 - "For Your Love" - Jams and Jellies
- "When I'm With Her" - Jams and Jellies |
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