The Routers

Last updated
The Routers
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Pop, surf rock
Years active1962–1970
Labels Warner Bros. Records

The Routers were an American instrumental group in the early 1960s.

Contents

Career

Formed in 1961 by Michael Z. Gordon, [1] [2] the Routers' [3] recordings sometimes used session musicians in addition to the actual group with the exception of Gordon who also formed another successful group, the Marketts. [4] Gordon composed the award-winning composition, "Out Of Limits" [5] with the Marketts. Gordon played on almost all of the Routers and Marketts sessions. [ citation needed ] The original line-up of the Routers was Al Kait, lead guitar; Lynn Frasier, tenor saxophone; Michael Zane Gordon, rhythm guitar, vocals; Scott Walker (then recording as Scott Engel), bass guitar; Randy Viers, drums. [6]

The Routers' first release in September 1962 was the guitar-driven instrumental "Let's Go (Pony)", [3] which reached #19 on the Billboard chart. Its infectious "clap clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap Let's Go!" chant became a favorite of cheerleaders and crowds worldwide. The songwriting credits are given to local singer Lanny Duncan and his brother Robert Duncan. Lanny Duncan had previously recorded the original demo of the song in 1961 as a member of the Starlighters, featuring Tony Valentino on guitar and Jody Rich on bass. The demo was recorded in Glendale with engineer Eddie Brackett. [7] [8] Valentino and Rich went on to form the Standells in 1962.

The Routers' [3] recording was instigated by record producer Joe Saraceno and his co-producer and composer Michael Z. Gordon, [9] who also went on to compose "Apologize" by Ed Ames. [10] Like many pop instrumentals recorded in Los Angeles, California, at this time, such as those by B. Bumble and the Stingers, "Let's Go (Pony)" involved Tommy Tedesco on guitar, Gordon (guitar) [ citation needed ], Plas Johnson (saxophone) and Earl Palmer (drums), and probably with Plas’ brother Ray Johnson on bass guitar as well.

Later Routers recordings were also written by Gordon, [9] including the songs "A-ooga" and "Big Band". Their recordings continued to be issued up to 1964 but with less commercial success, and involved Gordon (guitar) [ citation needed ], Leon Russell (piano) and Hal Blaine (drums). The same group also recorded over the same period as the Marketts. Various studio and touring versions of the band also included Gordon, Randy Viers, and Scott Engel (later of the Walker Brothers).

The band appeared in the 1964 film Surf Party. [11]

Members

Original line-up
Later sessionmen used

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

YearTitlePeak chart
positions		Record Label B-side Album
US
Pop 		UK
1962"Let's Go (Pony)"1932 Warner Bros. "Mashy"Let’s Go! With the Routers
1963"Make It Snappy"——"Half Time" (BB #115)
"Sting Ray"50—"Snap Happy"The Routers Play 1963's Great Instrumental Hits
"A-Ooga"——"Big Band"
"Snap, Crackle and Pop"——"Amoeba"
1964"Crack Up"——"Let's Dance"
"Stamp and Shake"——"Ah-Ya"
1966"The Time Funnel"—— RCA Victor "Walkin' Back"
1973"Superbird"—— Mercury "Sack of Woe"Superbird

Related Research Articles

<i>The Electric Spanking of War Babies</i> 1981 studio album by Funkadelic

The Electric Spanking of War Babies is the twelfth studio album by the American funk rock band Funkadelic, released in April 1981 on Warner Bros. Records. The title is an allusion to the Vietnam War and baby boomers. Sly Stone contributed to the recording sessions, singing lead vocals on "Funk Gets Stronger ".

<i>Breathe</i> (Faith Hill album) 1999 studio album by Faith Hill

Breathe is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Faith Hill. It was released November 9, 1999, via Warner Bros. Records. It won a Grammy Award for Best Country Album. Breathe is one of the most successful country/pop albums to date. It has been certified 8× Platinum by the RIAA, for shipping eight million copies in the US. The album includes the singles "Breathe", "The Way You Love Me", "Let's Make Love", and "If My Heart Had Wings". "Breathe" and "The Way You Love Me" both reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart; the former also peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the top pop song of 2000 according to Billboard Year-End. Several of the album's tracks also charted from unsolicited airplay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellowjackets (band)</span> American jazz fusion band

Yellowjackets is an American jazz fusion band founded in 1977 in Los Angeles, California.

<i>The Best of James Taylor</i> 2003 greatest hits album by James Taylor

The Best of James Taylor is the fourth compilation album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor released by Warner Bros. Records in 2003. The same album was released in Europe as You've Got a Friend: The Best of James Taylor.

<i>Amy Grant</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Amy Grant

Amy Grant is the debut studio album by then-teenage Christian singer Amy Grant, released in 1977 on Myrrh Records. Three songs from the album made Top Ten Christian radio airplay: "Old Man's Rubble", "Beautiful Music", and "What a Difference You've Made". The latter track was made more famous by country singer Ronnie Milsap, as "What a Difference You've Made in My Life".

<i>East of Midnight</i> 1986 studio album by Gordon Lightfoot

East of Midnight is Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot's sixteenth studio album, released in 1986 on the Warner Bros. Records label. The album reached #165 on the Billboard 200.

The Bel-Airs were an early and influential surf music band from South Bay, Los Angeles, active in the early 1960s.

<i>A Decade of Steely Dan</i> 1985 compilation album by Steely Dan

A Decade of Steely Dan is a compilation album by Steely Dan, released in 1985. It was the band's first compilation specifically for the compact disc market, and was certified a gold record by the RIAA.

<i>Another Page</i> 1983 studio album by Christopher Cross

Another Page is Christopher Cross's second studio album, recorded in 1982 and released in early 1983. It was not as commercially successful as its predecessor. "Think of Laura", taken from the album as Cross's third single, reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. It was Cross' final single to reach the Top 10. The first single, "All Right", reached #12 on the chart a year before. As a single, "No Time For Talk" peaked at #33. "Arthur's Theme " appeared as a bonus track on the cassette and later CD releases of the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilton Felder</span> American saxophone and bass player

Wilton Lewis Felder was an American saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders, later known as The Crusaders. Felder played bass on the Jackson 5's hits "I Want You Back" and "ABC" and on Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On".

Michael Zane Gordon is an American screenwriter, producer, musician and composer.

Plas John Johnson Jr. is an American soul-jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist, probably most widely known as the tenor saxophone soloist on Henry Mancini’s "The Pink Panther Theme". He also performs on alto and baritone sax as well as various flutes and clarinets.

<i>A Spanner in the Works</i> 1995 studio album by Rod Stewart

A Spanner in the Works is the seventeenth studio album released by Rod Stewart on 29 May 1995. It ended a four-year gap since his previous studio album. At that time, it was Stewart's longest break between albums. It was released on Warner Bros. Records in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Five singles were released: "You're The Star", "Leave Virginia Alone", "This", "Lady Luck", and "Purple Heather".

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".

<i>Chaka</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Chaka Khan

Chaka is the debut solo album by singer Chaka Khan. It was released on October 12, 1978 through Warner Bros Record label.

<i>Back of My Mind</i> (Christopher Cross album) 1988 studio album by Christopher Cross

Back of My Mind is the fourth studio album by singer Christopher Cross, released in 1988 through Warner Bros. Records. After both the album and its singles failed to chart in the United States and due in large part to the general decline in sales beginning with Another Page (1983), Cross was soon released from Warner Bros. "Swept Away" was previously heard on a few episodes of the TV show Growing Pains in 1987. It would be nearly three years until Cross signed a new recording contract with BMG and release a new album, Rendezvous, in 1992.

<i>Touchstone</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Chick Corea

Touchstone is an album by Chick Corea, released in 1982 through Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at number nine on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.

"Out of Limits" is a 1963 surf rock instrumental piece written by Michael Z. Gordon and performed by The Marketts.

Let's Go (Pony) is a 1962 song by The Routers. Its infectious “[clap clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap] Let's Go!" chant became a favorite of cheerleaders and football fans worldwide. The musicians were key members of the famous session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew: Earl Palmer (drums), Plas Johnson (saxophone), Tommy Tedesco (guitar), Bill Pitman (guitar), and Jimmy Bond (bass).

"I Know I'm Not Wrong" is a song by Fleetwood Mac from the 1979 double LP Tusk. It was recorded as the final song of side three of the LP on 19 September 1979, written by Lindsey Buckingham, whose sparser songwriting arrangements and the influence of punk rock and new wave were the leading creative force on it and other Tusk tracks. This was both the first and last song worked on for the Tusk album, and took almost a year to complete.

References

  1. ↑ "Pipeline Instrumental Review #66: Michael z. Gordon of the Marketts and The Routers". Pipeline: Instrumental Review. Pipeline Magazine. January 2005. ISSN   1470-8353.
  2. ↑ "IMDb Pro: The Routers Business Details". Pro.imdb.com. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Routers". IMDb.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "The Marketts". IMDb.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Repertoire - Title". Archived from the original on 2006-11-24. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  6. 1 2 "The Routers". IMDb.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Duncan Brothers". Soulfuldetroit.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  8. ↑ Burgess, Chuck (2007). Love That Dirty Water! The Standells and an Improbable Red Sox Victory Anthem . Rounder Books. ISBN   978-1-57940-146-7.
  9. 1 2 "Michael Z. Gordon". IMDb.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  10. ↑ "BMI | Repertoire Search". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Crowley, Kent, Surf Beat: Rock ’N’ Roll’s Forgotten Revolution, A Backbeat Book, 2011, p. 169
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.