Judd Hamilton | |
---|---|
Birth name | Judd Douglas Hamilton |
Born | Republic, Washington |
Genres | Surf, Rock, Country |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1960s - Present |
Labels | Dolton Liberty American International United Artists RCA Victor |
Formerly of | Judd Hamilton & the Furys, The Marketts, The T-Bones, Hamilton & Munro, Judd and Miss Munro, The Hamilton Brothers |
Judd Douglas Hamilton is an American musician, former band leader, writer, film producer, and actor. He recorded for the Dolton, Liberty, American International, United Artists and RCA Victor labels. He contributed to the music of California, and to surf music from his involvement with the T-Bones and 1960s surf groups, the Avantis and the Ventures. During the 1960s, he was part of the groups Judd Hamilton & the Furys, The Marketts and The T-Bones. As a film and television producer, he was the executive producer and co-screenwriter for the films Maniac and The Last Horror Film , and the executive producer for The 7th Annual Sci-Fi Awards, a 90-minute TV special. His brother was Dan Hamilton. He was married to English actress Caroline Munro for some years.
Judd and Dan were members of The Marketts. [1] [2]
Judd Douglas Hamilton was still attending college when he was in The Furys. He wrote a song which when released put the group's name in the KMEL Top 10. [3] From meeting people and progressing through the musical inroads, he was responsible for the classic surf record, "Wax 'em Down". [4] [5] Both Judd and brother Dan were members of The T-Bones. [6] He was responsible for putting together the touring version of the group, which also recorded as The T-Bones. [7] [8] [9] The January 22, 1966 issue of Cash Box listed the T-Bones' line up as 23 year old Judd Hamilton on rhythm guitar, his 21 year old brother Danny on lead guitar, 24 year old drummer Gene Pello, 23 year old bass guitarist George Dee, and 23 year old organist and saxophonist Richard Torres. They had also just completed an LP. [10] Both Judd and Dan were also members of The Marketts. [11] [12]
Hamilton also acted in film as well as writing and producing. He produced the classic horror slasher Maniac which starred Joe Spinnel. [13] [14]
Hamilton was possibly mistakenly credited with being a member of The Chambers Brothers. The source was an article in the March 28, 1970 issue of Record World . Apparently, Hamilton was at a party for an American International Records signing and there was confusion about the Chambers Brothers signing to the label or, and Hamilton being a member of the group. The next issue (April 4) clarified that The Chambers Brothers were not with American International and were with Columbia Records. It also stated that Hamilton was not a member of The Chambers Brothers. [15] [16]
Between 1975 and 1977, at least four singles were released with his wife Caroline Munro, including "You Got It" which had a run of popularity on the radio. They were the first act to have a UK release on the new Aquarius label. [17] [18] [19] Some singles were billed as made by Judd and Miss Munro. The couple divorced in 1982. [20]
In 2008, Judd and Dan Hamilton were the cover subject as well as main article in the surf music magazine, Pipeline #77, the story of JUDD & DANNY HAMILTON. [21]
In 1960, Hamilton was a freshman at Wenatchee Valley College. He entered a talent show with a song he wrote. He was approached by KMEL DJ Don Bernier, who was in the audience that night. Bernier proposed that Hamilton should record with a band called The Furys. A few weeks later, Bernier drove the band over to a Spokane radio station, recording a few tracks. [22] The resulting single was "I’m Not Around Anymore" backed by "Little Lost Angel", released on Julian J-101[ clarification needed ]. [23] [24] In 1961, the single was reported in Billboard Music Week as having some sales potential. [25] It went into the KMEL Top 10. [22]
Hamilton & the Furys appeared at Wenatchee's Roller Rink as the opening act for the Ventures and Bobby Vee. Guitarist Bob Bogle invited Hamilton to look him up if he was ever in Hollywood. [23] Hamilton left college in 1961 and headed to Hollywood where he was invited to work as a roadie for the Ventures. [26] Within the year, Bogle decided to record a single with Hamilton, "On A Night Like This" backed with "'Til I Found You", under the name of Shane. It was arranged by Hank Levine, and advertised in Billboard . [27] [28]
In 1963, he recorded the Johnny Mercer song "Dream", backed by the Ventures, along with an original composition, "Your Only Boy", releasing on Dolton. It was given a four star rating: it had potential to be stocked. [29] [30] [31] It was given a B+ rating by Cash Box, with the reviewer mentioning a similarity with The Marcels' song "Blue Moon". [32]
In 1965, "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" by the T-Bones was climbing the charts. The musicians that played on the recording were session musicians, the Wrecking Crew. Liberty Records wanted to promote the song, while the Wrecking Crew were on the road. Hamilton was approached by Joe Saraceno, a producer for Liberty in November. He got the job of putting together a band to play live as the T-Bones. Hamilton became the rhythm guitarist for the group and made his brother Dan be the lead-guitarist. He got George Dee to be the bass player, Gene Pello on drums and Richard Torres as keyboard and sax player. Dan Hamilton and Richard Torres left the band and were replaced by Tommy Reynolds, Joe Frank Carollo and Jay Allen. A touring version of the T-Bones was formed. [33] When the group arrived back in Los Angeles, they were invited to play a benefit event[ clarification needed ] at the Aquarius Theater. The T-Bones recorded Everyone's Gone to the Moon, the last studio album credited to the T-Bones. The photo of this line up is on the back of the album.
In 1966, according to Cash Box, T-Bones' line up was 23 year old Judd Hamilton on rhythm guitar, his 21 year old brother "Danny" on lead guitar, 24 year old drummer Gene Pello, 23 year old bass guitarist George Dee, and 23 year old organist and saxophonist Richard Torres. They completed an LP. [34]
By June 1970, Hamilton had completed his part in the Paramount Pictures film A Talent for Loving, while his next solo single, a Johnny Cymbal composition, "Rules" and "Someday Morning", was released on American International Records. [35] [36] He was one of the first acts that signed to the label. [37] That year, he had the single, Sunshine Man" bw "Baltimore" released on American International Records A-163. The record was made up of swamp pop. Record World gave it four stars. [38]
In 1971, he had a single released on the United Artists label, "Mixed-Up Guy". It was a Mirror Pick by Record Mirror. Even though the reviewer noted Hamilton's good singing, the record was noted more for performance than sales. [39] Other singles released were "Rose by Any Other Name" and "Don't Be Afraid of the World", and on the following year "Long Road" and "C'Est La Vie". [28]
Judd and Dan Hamilton were the cover subject as well as main article in the surf music magazine, Pipeline #77, the story of JUDD & DANNY HAMILTON. [40]
Hamilton and Caroline Munro's single "You Got It", Released on Aquarius AQ 3, was taked about in Kevin Allen's Soul Gossip column in April 10 issue of Record Mirror . With the segment beginning with "blue - eyed soul strikes again!", Allen drew comparisons with the recent hits Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds, and R&J Stone, while James Hamilton in his Disco Page made a Sonny & Cher reference. The record was a UK radio hit in 1976. [41] [42]
In 1964, along with former Dolton Records label mate Bill Shaw, Hamilton worked for Regency Records as an A&R man. [43] [44] One of the acts he recorded was Danny and the Memories which was headed by a pre-Crazy Horse Danny Whitten. He also had Pat and Lolly Vegas, his brother Dan, Leon Russell, Dave Gates and Gary Leeds to record as the Avantis, producing "Gypsy Surfer" and "Wax 'em Down". [45] [46] Backed with "Gypsy Surfer", it was released on Chancellor C-1144 and became a local hit. It was also picked by the Astra label and bootlegged. [45] [47]
After recording the final T-Bones album, Dan Hamilton rejoined the group for a Japan tour with the lineup once again, including the Hamilton Bros., along with Joe Frank Carollo and Tommy Reynolds. After the Japanese tour, the T-Bones disbanded. Dan, Joe Frank and Tommy got back together in 1970 as Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. Judd lived in London and helped from behind the scenes. The band signed a record deal with ABC Dunhill. Their first single, "Don't Pull Your Love Out", became a million selling gold record, reaching No. 1 on Cashbox and No. 3 on the Billboard charts in 1971. Reynolds left the group in 1972. Alan Dennison joined, on keyboards. They eventually signed with Playboy Records and made their first single, "Fallin' in Love", became their next gold record hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Charts in 1975. [48]
In 1990, after spending twenty years in Europe, Hamilton returned to Spokane. He started his own small recording studio and was looking forward to working on a project with his brother Dan as the Hamilton Brothers. Dan Hamilton died just before Christmas in 1994 and thus the project never eventuated. In 1995, an interview with Judd Hamilton in the Spokesman-Review , there was a strong indication that Hamilton was going to produce a greatest hits CD on a Spokane label. [49]
Hamilton had a co-starring role in the Richard Quine 1969 Western, A Talent for Loving . [50] [ unreliable source? ] He played the part of Jim, one of Major Patten's adopted sons. It was allegedly on the set that Hamilton met Caroline Munro who was to become his wife. [51] In 1978 he co-starred in the sci-fi film Starcrash alongside Caroline Munro, Christopher Plummer, David Hasselhoff, Marjoe Gortner, Joe Spinell. Along with Joe Spinell, he was the executive producer for the 1980 horror film Maniac which starred Spinell and Caroline Munro. [52]
In 1980, he played a major role in the television special, 1980 Sci-Fi Awards, where he was an executive producer and writer. The event was hosted by Caroline Munro and Mark Hamill. During a rehearsal, Caroline Munro was overcome by a fever and nearly fell from the stage. [53] [54] [55]
In 1981 he co-wrote the screenplay, executively produced and co-starred in his last film The Last Horror Film , which starred Caroline Munro and Joe Spinell. [56] [57]
Act | Title | Cat | Year | Loc | Notes # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Judd Hamilton and the Furys | "I’m Not Around Anymore" / "Little Lost Angel" | Julian Records J-101 | 1961 | US | [22] |
Shane | "On a Night Like This" / "'Til I Found You" | Unity CP-2112 | 1962 | US | [58] [28] |
Judd Hamilton | "Dream" / "Your Only Boy" | Dolton Records No. 80 | 1963 | US | [59] |
Judd Hamilton | "Flight 103" / "Initials on a Tree" | Regency 111 | 1964 | US | [60] [61] |
Judd Hamilton | "Rules" / "Sunday Morning" | American International A-151 | 1970 | US | |
Judd Hamilton | "Sunshine Man" / "Baltimore" | American International A-163 | 1970 | US | [36] |
Judd Hamilton | "We Love You Mr Pompidou" / "We Love You Mr Pompidou" (instr) | AMI Records 86031 | C 1971 | (France) | [62] [63] |
Judd Hamilton | "Mixed-Up Guy" / "Whatever Happened to July" | United Artists UP 35247 | 1971 | UK | |
Judd Hamilton | "Rose by Any Other Name" / "Don't Be Afraid of the World" | United Artists UP 35311 | 1971 | UK | |
Judd Hamilton | "Long Road" / "C'Est La Vie" | United Artists UP 35367 | 1972 | UK | [28] |
Judd Hamilton | "Bonne chance, si tu l’aimes" / "Something happens" | Philips | 1973 | France | [64] |
Hamilton & Munro | "Come Softly to Me" / "Sad Old Song" | King Kong Records 52001 | 1979 | France | [65] [66] |
Judd And Miss Munro | "You Got It" / "Where Does Love Begin" | Aquarius AQ 3 | 1976 | UK | |
Judd And Miss Munro | "Rhythm of the Rain" / "Sound of the Sun" | RCA Victor RCA 2753 | 1976 | UK | |
Judd Hamilton And Caroline Munro | "Love Songs" / "Sound of the Sun" | RCA Victor PB 5021 | 1977 | UK | [28] |
Act | Title | Cat | Year | Role | Notes # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Avantis | "Wax 'Em Down" / " Gypsy Surfer" | Chancellor 1144 | 1963 | Arranger for both sides | [67] |
The Avantis | "Surfin' Granny" / "Do the Surfin' Granny" | Regency RP 107 | 1964 | Co writer for side 1 Arranger for both sides | [68] |
The Avantis | "Phantom Surfer" / "Lucille" | Regency 110 | 1964 | Co-writer side 1 Arranger both sides | [69] |
The T-Bones | "Fare Thee Well" / "Let's Go Get Stoned" | Liberty 55906 | 1966 | Co-writer side 1 | [70] |
Spheres | Festivals and Suns | Spheres SP 001 | 1978 | Co-writer on "Savitri" | [71] [72] [73] [ citation needed ] |
Jay Chattaway | Bande Originale Du Film "Maniac" | Milan A 120 151 | 1982 | Executive producer | [74] [ unreliable source? ] |
Film | Actor role | Crew role | Director | Year | Notes # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A Talent for Loving | Jim | Richard Quine | 1969 | [75] | |
Starcrash | Elle | Luigi Cozzi | 1978 | [76] | |
Racquet | Performer | David Winters | 1979 | [ citation needed ] | |
Maniac | Executive producer | William Lustig | 1980 | [77] | |
The Last Horror Film | Alan Cunningham | Producer Writer | David Winters | 1982 | [78] |
FantastiCozzi | Elle | Felipe M. Guerra | 2016 | A documentary [79] [80] | |
Title | Episode | Role | Crew role | Director | Year | Notes # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Where the Action Is | Episode #2.99 | Himself Member of the T-Bones | 1966 | aired 28 January 1966 | ||
Beat! Beat! Beat! | Hullabaloo - 31.01.1966 | Himself Member of the T-Bones | 1966 | aired 9 December 1966 | ||
Dick Clark's American Bandstand | Episode #9.25 | Himself Member of the T-Bones | 1966 | aired 26 February 1966[ citation needed ] | ||
Cadet Rousselle | Episode dated 7 June 1973 | Himself | 1973 | (Talk show) aired 7 June 1973 [81] | ||
The 1980 Sci-Fi Awards | Writer Exec producer | Myrl A. Schreibman | 1980 | TV special [53] 23 November 1980 [54] [55] | ||
The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the 1960s. While their popularity in the United States waned in the 1970s, the group remains especially revered in Japan, where they toured regularly. The classic lineup of the band consisted of Wilson, Bogle, Nokie Edwards, and Mel Taylor (drums).
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds were a 1970s soft rock trio from Los Angeles. The original members were Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo (bass/vocal), and Tommy Reynolds (multi-instrumentalist/vocal), all of whom had previously played in The T-Bones, a 1960s band noted for the instrumental hit "No Matter What Shape ."
Maniac is a 1980 American psychological slasher film directed by William Lustig and written by C. A. Rosenberg. It stars Joe Spinell as Frank Zito, an Italian-American serial killer residing in New York City who murders and scalps young women. Spinell was also co-writer of the film.
The Last Horror Film is a 1982 American horror comedy film directed by David Winters and starring Joe Spinell and Caroline Munro. The director, David Winters, filmed on location at the Cannes Film Festival.
Caroline Munro is an English actress, model and singer known for her many appearances in horror, science fiction and action films of the 1970s and 1980s. In 2019, she was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.
Joe Spinell was an American character actor who appeared in films in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as various stage productions on and off Broadway. He played supporting roles in film including The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), Rocky (1976), Rocky II (1979), Taxi Driver (1976), Sorcerer (1977) and Cruising (1980).
Playboy Records was an American record label, based in Los Angeles, California, and a unit of Playboy Enterprises. Artists recording for the label included Al Wilson, Barbi Benton, Blue Ash, Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, The Weapons of Peace, Brenda Patterson, Lois Fletcher, Jeanne French, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, Ivory, Greg Kihn, The Rubinoos, Wynn Stewart, Mickey Gilley and Joey Stec.
"No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" is an instrumental composition recorded in 1965 by The T-Bones and released as a single the same year.
"Don't Pull Your Love" is a song written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert which became a top ten hit single in 1971 for Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds.
The Psychopath, also known as An Eye for an Eye, is a 1973 horror film written by Walter Dallenbach, produced and directed by Larry G. Brown and John Ashton as one of its co-stars.
The T-Bones were an American, Liberty Records recording group, existing from 1963 to 1966. The studio recordings of all of their albums but the last were done by American session musicians, The Wrecking Crew.
The Marketts were an American instrumental pop group, formed in January 1961 in Hollywood, California, by Michael Z. Gordon. They are best known for their 1964 million-seller, "Out of Limits".
Lolly Vegas was a Mexican American musician of Indigenous descent. He played in numerous ensembles with his brother, Pat, including Pat & Lolly Vegas, The Avantis and Redbone. The brothers have Yaqui, Shoshone and Mexican heritage.
Dennis Earle Lambert is an American musician, songwriter and record producer.
Wild Things! is a 1966 studio album by the Ventures, released on Dolton Records BLP-2047 (mono) and BST-8047. A 4-track reel-to-reel release was subsequently issued by Music Tapes, Inc. The album is noted for its marked turn towards a heavier sound in comparison to earlier Ventures releases, and the standout track Wild Child which was prominently featured as a sample in "Start the Commotion" by The Wiseguys.
Joe Frank and the Knights were an American garage rock band from Leland, Mississippi who were active between 1959–1965. They were led by Joe Frank Carollo. In the early-to-mid 1960s their popularity grew beyond the Mississippi delta and Memphis areas as they became one of the most popular groups in various parts of the Southern United States. They had a regional hit with "Can't Find a Way", which attracted the attention of ABC Records who picked up the record and re-released it for national distribution. However, the band broke up shortly thereafter, and Carollo joined the T-Bones, who later evolved into the soft rock trio Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds in the early 1970s.
Daniel Robert Hamilton was an American musician. He was a member of The T-Bones with his brother Judd Hamilton, and later was the lead singer of the soft-rock group Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. He also was a composer, and wrote the hit songs "Fallin' in Love" and "Diamond Head".
"Diamond Head" was an instrumental by the Ventures in Japan and Hong Kong. It also charted in the United States in both the Billboard and Cashbox charts. It was written by Dan Hamilton.
The Avantis were a surf group from Los Angeles, California that was active from around 1963 to 1964. They recorded some singles on a couple of labels. They are known for their 1963 surf rock instrumental, "Wax 'Em Down".
Patrick "Pat" Vasquez-Vegas is a Mexican-American musician of Yaqui/Shoshone descent, vocalist, writer, and producer of Redbone, known for their hit singles "Come and Get Your Love", "The Witch Queen of New Orleans", "Maggie", and "We Were All Wounded at Wounded Knee". He has played in numerous ensembles which include Pat and Lolly Vegas, The Avantis, and Redbone. Vegas, along with his Redbone bandmates, was featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian for being the first rock/Cajun group of Native American ancestry to have a No. 1 single.