Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm right with ya there, Bob. You know, a lot of the pre-Invasion stuff is discounted as schmaltzy. And I guess it was, once you compared it to the freshness of the Beatles and their contemporaries. But I still enjoy all of these...How 'bout Bobby Vee and the Duprees?

There were several Chicago bands that survived the Invasion intact, although some changed their names and personnel. The Buckinghams (named after a VOX amp) were the Centurys (sic) pre-'64. And I went to high school with two of the New Colony Six.

Paul, I once saw 'Beej', the lead singer with The Suburbs (from Minneapolis) with a backup band called The Vees...Bobby Vee's three sons. Those guys rocked hard...three of the best young cats I've heard playing rock in a long time. I talked to them a bit after the gig...totally down to earth and cool. I had to revise my whole estimation of Bobby upward...his contribution to modern culture transcended his own career. I hope them boys are still out there doin' it somewhere...

Hey remember: The night has a thousand eyes. haha! I like all that stuff, Neal Sedaka, Bobby Vee, I love the innocence of that era. I saw Gene Pitney a few years ago and he was still singing great. I've always loved The Four Seasons, Everly Bros etc.
I can remember several of the pre British invasion greats having hits post Beatles:
Chuck Berry had several, Roy Orbison of course. The Everly Bros. Jerry Lee Lewis had some country hits. Even The Jive Five had a pretty big hit in 65 and they were a doo wop group. Dion had at least one big one.

Bob...although there are a FEW years that separate us, we have VERY similar musical tastes....all of the groups/singers that you've mentioned, I LOVE their music....

I'll be 44 next month......

Remember a guy named Jack Scott? He's from the Detroit area, had some hits in the late 50's early 60's. I worked for his brother in law for 12 years. Jack spent one summer hanging out at the shop restoring an old caddy. Nice guy, segued into country music about the time Beatles hit America. He still tours and and was once big in the UK I was told. "Bye, Bye, Baby Bye Bye".

Bob, how 'bout Ernie Maresca? "Shout, Shout"...or Bruce Channel, whose hit "Hey, Baby" inspired JL's harmonica work on "Love Me Do"? John asked his harmonica player to show him a few licks (pun intended). The guy said, "How? You can't see what I'm doing!"

The Marketts, The Tornados (they were Brit). Dion had tons of hits, both pre- and post-Invasion.

And Bobby Rydell..."Wildwood Days", Brian Hyland, "SWAK" and "I'm Afraid to Go Home" (written during the Civil War Centennial in '63 about Sherman's march to the sea).

And let's not EVER forget the Ventures, who still rock, approaching the big 70!

Then there were the Papoolas, the Surfbards, This End Up...

Walk don't Run was one of the first songs I learned on guitar and their version of Pipeline. In fact I learned a lot of their stuff on guitar when I was a teen ager. I still hear "Hey Baby" a lot on the oldies stations.
I liked Dion and The Belmonts a lot. There's a new format on AM radio called True Oldies that plays a lot of 50's and early 60's including early Beatles stuff. They have a much bigger play list than your traditional oldie stations who now are playing a lot of 70's.
Jack Scott sounds familiar but I'd have to hear the songs.
I also like The Coasters, The Drifters and The Platters a lot.
He walked in the classroom cool and slow. Who calls the English teacher daddy-O, Charlie Brown!
I also like Elvis's pre army stuff the best, especially with The Jordanaires.

For info on Jack Scott check out
http:/rockabillyhall.com/JackScott1.html

opps forgot to activate url,
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/JackScott1.html
Note the blurb regarding the Beatles.

not to mention the mention of Jeff Healey who is GREAT.

Yea no doubt Jeff Healy is GREAT!

Cliff Gallup????

I've heard the name but that's it, who is he?

One of Gene Vincent's Blue Caps. The lead player. The man who defined the Gretsch sound for rockabilly.

alright, I knew I had heard that name, I do "Race with the Devil" in my rockabilly band.
Gene Vincent had about the best band back then, those guys could really play and were tight, I think they were a lot better than Elvis's band actually. Cliff was really good, the first guy I've heard who played those fast triplets that every guitar player has to play nowadays.