Because of the obvious Beach Boys influence and the growing interest on the Internet in the group's story, I decided to write up the history of the band for those interested collectors and fans.
Thanks,
Les Fradkin
http://www.lesfradkin.com
The CALIFORNIA Story (As told by Les Fradkin):
CALIFORNIA Discography:
See you in September / Ivy Ivy (1973) Laurie 3612
Song of a thousand voices / Abraham Martin & John (1976) Laurie 3639
Jeans on / Doo-wop music - Laurie 3647 (1976)
I'm just thinking of you / Doo-wop music - (1976) Laurie 3649
Summer fun medley / Paris (1945) (1981) Laurie 3695
Brown eyed girl / Thank you for lovin' me - Laurie 3701
He's almost you / Three time loser (1982) Laurie 3706
Black gypsy / The land of fun & love (1983) Laurie 3710
He's almost you / Three time loser - RCA 306
Little brown jug / String of pearls - 3C-114
CALIFORNIA Performs ELECTRIC SWING - 3C-6000
COLLECTOR'S RECORDS OF THE 50's and 60's Vol 14 - (1982)
Feat. See you in September
The story of the Laurie Records group CALIFORNIA has seldom, if ever been told. I was an original member and the only constant throughout the group's history from 1973 thru 1985.
The group was originally formed by myself, Barry Butler and George Cameron (drummer of The Left Banke). Barry & I would write together on our matching Rickenbacker 12 string guitars and stumbled on a sound that, in some respects, predated the Fleetwood Mac sound of 1975 and, in other respects, shared influences of The Left Banke and The Beach Boys. Because of that trait, I asked George Cameron to be our drummer and third harmony singer and he enthusiastically agreed.
We wanted to do big harmony pop. Went looking for a record deal in 1973 and after recording some demos at A-1 studios in NYC, landed a contract with Laurie Records. Their offices were on West 46th St in Manhattan, NYC.
During the course of the contract negotiations, Barry got quite upset. He left the band and quit the music business. But he helped form the sound we used. Steve Martin from The Left Banke came onboard to replace him. Bev Warren was added at Laurie VP Gene Schwartz's suggestion.
The first release came out in 1973 and was "See You In September" b/w "Ivy, Ivy". The B-side, although the same title as the Left Banke tune was one of my originals. The group originally was myself, Steve Martin & George Cameron (from The Left Banke) and Beverly Warren (Female Vocalist). Mike Brown (composer of "Walk Away Renee") guested on these sides but was not a part of the group. That A-side had a "Let's Go To San Francisco" Flowerpot Men meets Motown meets Beach Boys feel. It ended up on a Laurie Compilation called Collector Records Of The 50's & 60's Vol. 14.
Lineup for the first single:
Les Fradkin - Lead Vocal (Ivy Ivy), 12-string guitar, 6-string Bass, Background vocals (A & B)
George Cameron - Drums, Background Vocals
Steve Martin - Electric guitar, Background vocals
Mike Brown - Piano, Harpsichord
Eliot Greenberg - Background Vocals and String Arrangements ("See You In September")
Beverly Warren- Lead Vocal ("See You In September")
"See You In September" got to #111 on the Billboard Charts if I recall correctly. The group played a couple of shows and opened for Dion in New Jersey once. Then, the group broke up temporarily.
Nothing further on the group until 1976. ........
Gene Schwartz had the idea to revive the group and record a cover of "Jeans On" which at that moment, was NOT out in the US. Although he knew it was a risk, he plowed ahead anyway and asked me to put a new group together under the California name.
Since George & Steve were unavailable and the Beatlemania show was still just in rehearsal with no real clue as to destination or possible success, I invited the Beatlemania group to participate. This single was recorded at Electric Lady Studios and is the ONLY California record I produced without Gene & Eliot. I insisted on the artistic autonomy and was granted the chance. The record gets a Top 60 pick in Cash Box, Billboard & Record World.
Lineup for "Jeans On" and "Doo Wop Music"
Les Fradkin - Lead Vocal (Doo-Wop) Background Vocals, Moog and Bass
Diana Haig- Background Vocals (Jeans On and Doo Wop Music)
Joe Pecorino- Lead Vocal and Background Vocals (Jeans On)
Mitch Weissman- Piano and Background Vocals (Jeans On)
Justin McNeill- Drums (Jeans On and Doo Wop Music)
FYI: This lineup was the ONLY appearance by the Original Cast Of Beatlemania on record OUTSIDE the context of the Broadway show.
"Jeans On" was a cover of the David Dundas hit tune. We thought we could beat it out in the US. Not quite! :-) "Doo Wop Music" was written by Diana & I.
"Song Of A Thousand Voices" b/w "Abraham, Martin & John".
Lineup:
Recorded 1973 > Released 1976
Les Fradkin - Lead & Background Vocals, 12-String Gtr, Bass, Mellotron
George Cameron - drums, vocals
Steve Martin - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Barry Butler - 12-String Guitar, Vocals
"Song Of A Thousand Voices" (my song) had already been an nternational hit single for Mireille Mathieu and Roberto Jordan in French and Spanish language versions respectively. We thought it could hit in the US. Not quite! :-)
"Abraham, Martin & John" was among the demos that got me my Laurie deal along with "Where Have All The Heroes Gone". Just as a side note, Barry Butler co-wrote "Where Have All The Heroes Gone" and "Everything Is Gonna Be All Right" with me. Those two songs were also among the first California demos. "Heroes" was eventually sung by my friend Tom Selden. I released "Everything" as the closing track on my solo "Jangleholic" CD in 2006.
"I'm Just Thinking Of You" Lineup:
Les Fradkin- Lead & Background Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Mellotron
Drum Programming
Diana Haig- Background Vocals
JoAnne Calabrese- Lead & Background Vocals
This was a song that Joanne Calabrese wrote that I liked. It reminded me of Spanky & Our Gang as JoAnne had that same sort of vocal timbre. It didn't chart, unfortunately.
On to 1981:
I returned to Laurie Records as a producer / artist after Beatlemania closed at the end of 1979. Gene & Bob Schwartz wanted to revive the group with a Stars on 45 type release. I suggested a Beach Boys type record and they said OK if I could find the right guys. I went searching in the Village Voice under the guise of "auditioning" for a band that was advertising. That was Tony Pernice and Richie Tuske.
Their ad read: "Wally Bryson, where are you?" That, I thought, would be me. Needless to say, it was a great match up. I brought the guys to the attention of Laurie Records and we got working on the medley. As you can hear, it turned out to be a pretty exciting record. It took 100 hours to record and mix at Minot Studios in White Plains, New York. Gene & Eliot co produced but my production direction held sway throughout. Tony, Richie & I arranged the vocals. I arranged the track with Gene. By that time, all tunes that California recorded were arranged t my home studio before going up to Minot to record final takes. This gave us a very clear idea of what to expect in the studio when the clock was running.
Things evolved from there as the record took off fairly quickly across the country on radio. It swept to #1 in several markets and, as you may know, Dick Clark gave it an airing on American Bandstand. There was even a story in Billboard about it. We were booked to open for Todd Rundgren & Utopia at The Last Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY. That was a pretty cool show. I played a Rickenbacker doubleneck at that time. In fact, the whole band used Ricks and matching Vox Amps. JP Patterson played drums with our live shows as Bob Miller had other work as the drummer of The Metro Men who recorded for Genra Raven's Polish Records label.
Summer Fun Medley Lineup:
Les Fradkin-Lead & Background Vocals, Lead Guitar, Keys
Tony Pernice- Lead & Background Vocals, Bass
Richie Tuske- Lead & Background Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Bob Miller- Drums
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnuCFgPvB2M
Paris Lineup:
Les Fradkin- Guitars, Bass, Drum Programming
"Brown Eyed Girl" was selected as the follow up single. We treated this like "Wild Honey" complete with wailing theremin and big harmonies.
Brown Eyed Girl Lineup:
Les Fradkin- Lead & Background Vocals, Guitars, Theremin, Piano, Mellotron
Tony Pernice- Background Vocals and Bass
Richie Tuske- Background Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Bob Miller - Drums
Thank You For Lovin Me Lineup:
Tony Pernice- Lead Vocals
Les Fradkin - Guitar & Bass
Other Instruments from existing track from Laurie Archives
By 1982, the group started to evolve a bit out of the strict Beach Boys style and into a kind of Blondie like atmospheric Pop sound. Tony & Richie branched off to form The Singles which also included myself on guitar. Meanwhile Laurie & I replaced them in California with two new members from the Beatlemania show: Gigi Hagemann-Teeley (wife of my understudy Tom Teeley) on Vocals and Keyboards and Don Linares on Bass and Vocals. Bob Miller stayed on board on Drums. Gigi had a very interesting and unique voice.
The first single for the new group was a tune Diana Haig & I wrote called "He's Almost You" A very unique but commercial song about jealousy and wandering thoughts of someone else other than the "one you're with". I loved the chorus hook: "He's Almost You.... But he's not you!" This song has since been covered by the girl group Venus In Bluejeans on my RRO Entertainment label. The B-Side, "Three Time Loser" was a Laurie catalog tune that Gene wanted us to try. "He's Almost You" charted Top 50 in the U.K. The follow up "The Land Of Fun ^ Love" did not se any chart action.
He's Almost You / Three Time Loser / Land Of Fun & Love Lineup:
Les Fradkin- Background Vocals, Guitar, Electric Piano, Mellotron
Gigi Hageman-Teeley - Lead Vocals, Piano
Don Linares - Bass, Background Vocals
Bob Miller - Drums
The group had run it's course by 1983 but Gene & I revived the name for the 1985 album "Electric Swing" which was the first Guitar Synthesizer album ever made and a very early MIDI programming miracle for those days. An interesting cross of pop, rock and big band arrangements were the chief highlight of that release. At that point, the book closed on California.
Little Brown Jug / String Of Pearls Lineup:
Les Fradkin- Guitar Synthesizer and all other instruments
This was the FIRST Guitar Synthesizer album EVER made.
One of these days, EMI (who owns it all) will do a compilation, I hope. And when they do, I'll remaster it if they're interested.
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