The Electras (band)

Last updated

The Electras
Origin Ely, Minnesota, United States
Genres
Years active1962–1967
Labels
Past membersBill Bulinski
Earl Bulinski
Gary Omerza
Fred Godec
Len Erickson
Kaye Spalj
Jerry Fink
Tim Elfving
Harvey Korkki

The Electras were an American garage rock band formed in Ely, Minnesota in 1962. The group recorded between 1965 and 1967 during their musical career, including their most-known tune "Dirty Old Man". The band, which also worked under the moniker, 'Twas Brillig, released a version of the song "Action Woman", a composition that was made into a garage rock classic by the Litter, and has consequently caused the two groups to be wrongly associated with each other.

Contents

History

The Electras were formed when brothers Bill (lead guitar, vocals) and Earl Bulinski (rhythm guitar) came together as a duo in 1962, soon after moving to Ely, Minnesota and enrolling at Ely Memorial High School. The brothers had possessed prior experience self-teaching themselves to play guitar and performing at a semi-professional level. In mid-1962, the two were interested in assembling an ensemble, first placing an advertisement in the high school newspaper that read, "Attention all bass players, please call Bill Bulinski. He wants to start a band". [1] Gary Omerza, who was actually an accordion player, was the first to respond to Bulinski's offer. Nonetheless, the brothers accepted Omerza's desire to be a band member, and recruited Fred Godec as the Electras' bass player. Their first gig was at a club called John's Bar where the group played renditions of rock and roll favorites; however, the band was forced to vacate after the town's priest complained that the band members were too young to perform at the venue. [2]

By the Electras' second gig, the group added Len Erickson (drums) and female-singer Kaye Spalj, while applying songs by the Ventures to their repertoire. Between 1963 and 1965, Jerry Fink replaced Erickson, and Tim Elfving became the group's lead vocalist, solidifying the band's most-known lineup. [2] Additionally, the band hired Chuck Novak as their manager, and convinced Omerza to play the Farfisa organ, which allowed the Electras to cover compositions by Paul Revere and the Raiders and the Animals. [3] In the fall of 1965, Novak had gotten the Electras in contact with songwriter and record producer Warren Kendrick of Dove Recording Studio to pen and record the group's debut single. The band's first release, "Bout My Love", was issued in late 1965, and charted regionally at number 39 before dropping off listings in a week. [1]

Undaunted, Kendrick signed the Electras to his own record label named Scotty Records. Their follow-up, "This Week's Children", propelled to number 12 in Minneapolis in early 1966. It was the Electras' third single, "Dirty Old Man", that proved to be their biggest hit, as the band enjoyed 17 weeks with the record charting at number one regionally and selling 6,000 copies overall. [4] Music historian Richie Unterberger prescribed that the group "sounded like a slightly rawer version of Paul Revere and the Raiders. That was never more true than on their regional hit 'Dirty Old Man', with its menacing unison fuzz guitar and organ lines". [5] Danny Raustadt Eden Prairie MN and studio musician for Warren, played all guitars on Dirty Old Man and used his mid 60's Gibson ES-335TD and a Maestro Fuzz tone. Recording was at Dove studio in Burnsville MN. Though the single was on the verge of being picked up for national distribution, Bill Bulinski was drafted in July 1966 and sent to combat in Vietnam, while Novak joined the Navy. Bulinski was subsequently replaced by Ely native Harvey Korkk, and Omerza upheld the duty of arranging the Electras' concerts. [3]

Despite losing a founding member, the group still remained a popular attraction as they expanded their touring across the Midwest. In the fall of 1966, Kendrick finally secured a distribution contract with Columbia Records to release "Dirty Old Man" with "This Week's Children" as its B-side. However, copies of the single, which were issued on the subsidiary Date Records, were recalled as it was discovered that the Electras' name was copyrighted by another group who released an album in 1961 that included future Massachusetts Senator and Secretary of State, John Kerry. [6] Without the band's input, Kendrick changed their name to 'Twas Brillig, and rereleased "Dirty Old Man" in February 1967. Elfving was drafted for service in Vietnam soon after, which consequently resulted in the group losing advertising support from Columbia. The band recorded two more singles under the moniker, but could not replicate their past successes and disbanded. [4]

A confusion over the Electras' relations with fellow Minneapolis group the Litter has prompted record collectors to widely believe the two bands shared the same members. This was a result of Kendrick producing both groups, and the Electras' recording of the Litter's most accomplished song "Action Woman". [7] The Electras' rendition included a baroque pop-influenced instrumental intro not present in the Litter's more reissued piece. In addition a compilation album, Rare Tracks, included the two groups together and mistakenly claimed in the sleeve notes that Warren "used the Litter musicians to record also some obscure singles under the name of 'Twas Brilling, Electras...Thus 'Dirty Old Man' or 'Soul Searchin' were played identically by Litter under several names of groups." [5] However, other than for having the same producer and record label, the bands have no correlation between each other. [8]

In 2010, the Electras were inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame, which saw original group members reconvene for a reunion concert. The band's material has been compiled on The Scotty Story and The Best of the Electras. [9]

Gary Omerza (born on August 1, 1946) died unexpectedly on July 25, 2011, at age 64. [10] Earl Bulinski died suddenly on April 3, 2021, in South Padre Island, Texas at age 72. [11]

Related Research Articles

Garage rock is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is characterized by basic chord structures played on electric guitars and other instruments, sometimes distorted through a fuzzbox, as well as often unsophisticated and occasionally aggressive lyrics and delivery. Its name derives from the perception that groups were often made up of young amateurs who rehearsed in the family garage, although many were professional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country Joe and the Fish</span> American psychedelic rock band

Country Joe and the Fish was an American psychedelic rock band formed in Berkeley, California, in 1965. The band was among the influential groups in the San Francisco music scene during the mid- to late 1960s. Much of the band's music was written by founding members Country Joe McDonald and Barry "The Fish" Melton, with lyrics pointedly addressing issues of importance to the counterculture, such as anti-war protests, free love, and recreational drug use. Through a combination of psychedelia and electronic music, the band's sound was marked by innovative guitar melodies and distorted organ-driven instrumentals which were significant to the development of acid rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Shadows of Knight</span> American rock band

The Shadows of Knight were an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, that played a version of British blues influenced by their native city. When they began recording in 1965, the band's self-description was "the Stones, Animals and the Yardbirds took the Chicago blues and gave it an English interpretation. We've taken the English version of the Blues and re-added a Chicago touch," to which rock critic Richie Unterberger commented: "The Shadows of Knight's self-description was fairly accurate."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Standells</span> American garage rock band

The Standells are an American garage rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in the 1960s, who have been referred to as a "punk band of the 1960s", and said to have inspired such groups as the Sex Pistols and Ramones. They recorded the 1966 hit "Dirty Water", written by their producer, Ed Cobb. "Dirty Water" is the anthem of several Boston sports teams and is played following every Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins home win.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beau Brummels</span> American rock band

The Beau Brummels were an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, Ron Meagher, Declan Mulligan, and John Petersen (drums). They were discovered by local disc jockeys who were looking to sign acts to their new label, Autumn Records, where Sylvester Stewart—later known as Sly Stone—produced the group's early recording sessions. Initially, the band's musical style blended beat music and folk music and typically drew comparisons to the Beatles, while their later work incorporated other music genres such as psychedelic rock and country rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Chocolate Watchband</span> American garage rock band

The Chocolate Watchband is an American garage rock band that formed in 1965 in Los Altos, California. The band went through several lineup changes during its existence. Combining psychedelic and garage rock components, their sound was marked by David Aguilar's lead vocals, songwriting, as well as proto-punk musical arrangements. The band's rebellious musical posture made them one of the harder-edged groups of the period with many critics labeling them as America's answer to the Rolling Stones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Monks</span> American rock band

The Monks, referred to by the name monks on record sleeves, were an American rock band formed in Gelnhausen, West Germany, in 1964. Assembled by five American GIs stationed in the country, the group grew tired of the traditional format of rock, which motivated them to forge a highly experimental style characterized by an emphasis on rhythm over melody, augmented by the heavy use of distortion. The band's unconventional blend of shrill vocals, confrontational lyrics, feedback, and guitarist David Day's six-string banjo baffled audiences, but music historians have since identified the Monks as one of the most innovative rock bands of their time. The band's lyrics often voiced objection to the Vietnam War and social alienation, prefiguring the harsh and blunt social and political commentary of the punk rock movement. The band's appearance was considered as shocking as their music, as they attempted to mimic the look of Catholic monks by wearing black habits with cinctures symbolically tied around their necks, and hair worn in partially shaved tonsures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirty Water</span> 1965 single by The Standells

"Dirty Water" is a song by the American rock band The Standells, written by their producer Ed Cobb. The song is a mock paean to the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and its then-famously polluted Boston Harbor and Charles River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Think for Yourself</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"Think for Yourself" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album Rubber Soul. It was written by George Harrison, the band's lead guitarist, and, together with "If I Needed Someone", marked the start of his emergence as a songwriter beside John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The song's lyrics advocate independent thinking and reflect the Beatles' move towards more sophisticated concepts in their writing at this stage of their career. The song has invited interpretation as both a political statement and a love song, as Harrison dismisses a lover or friend in a tone that some commentators liken to Bob Dylan's 1965 single "Positively 4th Street". Among musicologists, the composition has been recognised as adventurous in the degree of tonal ambiguity it employs across parallel major and minor keys and through its suggestion of multiple musical modes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rising Sons</span> American folk rock band (1965–1966)

Rising Sons was an American folk-rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965. Their initial career was short-lived, but the group found retrospective fame for launching the careers of singer Taj Mahal and guitarist Ry Cooder.

The Litter was an American psychedelic and garage rock band, formed in 1966 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. They are best remembered for their 1967 debut single, "Action Woman". The group recorded three albums in the late 1960s before disbanding, but they re-united in 1990, 1992, and again in 1998, when they recorded a new studio album consisting of both old and new material. All of their Minneapolis recorded material was produced by Warren Kendrick, who owned the Scotty and Warick and Hexagon labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rising Storm (band)</span> American rock band

The Rising Storm is an American rock group that was active at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, United States, between 1965 and 1967. Their music is considered to belong in the folk rock and garage rock genres. The original members of the group were Bob Cohan (guitar), Todd Cohen (bass), Charlie Rockwell (keyboards), Tom Scheft (drums), Tony Thompson, and Rich Weinberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart Full of Soul</span> 1965 song by the Yardbirds

"Heart Full of Soul" is a song recorded by the English rock group the Yardbirds in 1965. Written by Graham Gouldman, it was the Yardbirds' first single after Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton as lead guitarist. Released only three months after "For Your Love", "Heart Full of Soul" reached the Top 10 on the singles charts in the UK, US, and several other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley song)</span> 1956 song by Bo Diddley

"Who Do You Love?" is a song written by American rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley. Recorded in 1956, it is one of his most popular and enduring works. The song represents one of Bo Diddley's strongest lyrical efforts and uses a combination of hoodoo-type imagery and boasting. It is an upbeat rocker, but the original did not use the signature Bo Diddley beat rhythm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talk Talk (The Music Machine song)</span> 1966 single by the Music Machine

"Talk Talk" is the debut single of American garage rock band the Music Machine. It was released in November 1966, and produced the band's only Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was included on their debut album, (Turn On) The Music Machine.

<i>Garage Beat 66 Volume 2: Chicks are for Kids!</i> 2004 compilation album

Garage Beat '66 Volume 2: Chicks are for Kids! is the second installment in the Garage Beat 66 series of garage rock compilations issued by Sundazed Records, which was released on April 27, 2004 and is available exclusively on compact disc. It features well-researched liner notes, written by Ugly Things publisher Mike Stax, which supply background information about each song and act, usually including photographs of the bands. Like all of the entries in the series it is noted for good sound quality, as all of the tracks are mastered from the original studio master sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Action Woman</span> 1967 single by The Litter

"Action Woman" is a song by the American garage rock band the Litter, written by their record producer Warren Kendrick, and first released as the group's debut single on Scotty Records in January 1967. The song also appeared on the band's first album Distortions. Although "Action Woman" never broke out on the national charts, it is now revered as a classic piece of the musical genre of garage rock. Accordingly, the composition has appeared on several compilation albums – most famously as the opening track on Pebbles, Volume 1, incorporating a skip in the recording – and has been the subject of cover versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T.C. Atlantic</span> 1960s American psychedelic/garage rock band

T.C. Atlantic was an American garage rock/psychedelic rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota who were active in the 1960s. They were one of the most popular groups in the Twin Cities, but failed to break nationally. In the intervening years since their breakup, their recordings have attracted the interest of '60s music collectors and enthusiasts, and they are particularly remembered for their 1966 fuzz-tinged song, "Faces", which has been mentioned as one of the earliest garage rock songs to display psychedelic characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Escapades</span> American garage rock band

The Escapades were an American garage rock band from Memphis, Tennessee who were active in the 1960s. They became one of the most popular groups in the Memphis area during the mid-1960s and recorded two singles. "I Tell No Lies", the A-side of their debut single, became a big hit in Memphis and around the South. They were signed to Verve Records, who released their follow-up, "Mad, Mad, Mad", which featured a fuzz-toned guitar line. Their work is highly regarded by garage rock enthusiasts and collectors and has appeared on various compilations.

<i>Distortions</i> (album) 1967 studio album by The Litter

Distortions is the debut studio album by American psychedelic and garage rock band the Litter. It was released on May 1, 1967, by Warick Records and includes the single "Action Woman".

References

  1. 1 2 "The Best of the Electras (CD booklet)". Get Hip Recordings. 1993.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  2. 1 2 "Electras". musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "The Scotty Story (CD booklet)". Arf! Arf! Records. 1993.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  4. 1 2 Jackson, Terry. "The Electras". hometownfocus.us. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Unterberger, Richie. "The Electras – Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ Hira, Nadira. "John Kerry's Rock Star Past: The Story of the Electras". mtv.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Top 50 singles of 1966". ungawa.be. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  8. ↑ Hann, Michael. "Old Music: The Electras – Action Woman". theguardian.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "The Scotty Story". arfarfrecords.com. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Gary M. Omerza August 1, 1946 – July 25, 2011 (age 64)". kerntzfuneralhome.com. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Earl Stanley (Stosh) Bulinski". The Ely Echo. April 9, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.