cktimes.ca Archives for Classic Vinyl


Classic Vinyl

With Allan Day

THE UGLY DUCKLINGS AND MORE

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Live on CHUM CD Metamorphosis CD Thump & Twang Bigland Agency Publicity Photo Maple Leaf Gardens '66 Poster Ugly Ducklings Nothin 45 record 1966 Ugly Ducklings Early Photo Yorkville Evolution Album

A group for all you Blues players to check out this week is THE HOMEMADE JAMZ BLUES BAND---incredible young family group--a 3 piece band consisting of Taya Perry/drums 9 years old---Ryan Perry/guitar/vocals 15 years old and Kyle Perry/bass 13 years old---THIS BAND KICKS ASS---they are all self taught and play with a conviction of how the blues should be played---check out youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYydJFUxW1s and check out their other clips while your there. I love their trademark guitars and would love to have one in my collection. They placed 2nd out of 100 bands at the International Blues Challenge Festival in Memphis Tennessee last year---Enjoy and thanks to Sirius Radio Blues Station for tuning me onto them---don't think they would be played on any local station's anywhere in Canada, or any top 10 station in the USA---Sirius Radio you ROCK

Since my last column, I exchanged a couple of emails with Dave Bingham--lead singer of The Ugly Ducklings. If you happened to have followed the Toronto music scene back in 1966, one of the biggest groups at the top of your list would have probably been a group called The Ugly Ducklings (originally called The Strolling Bones). Formed back in the mid 60's, they had a short 2 1/2 years of huge success playing in all the local coffee houses and bars in the Yorkville district along with hitting all the college, university and high school areas in northern Ontario.

I was very excited to hear from Dave---he mentioned a few of my facts were slightly inaccurate (he wouldn't tell me which) but he is presently writing a book about The Ugly Ducklings and we will all find out the ultimate truths of the band and their history---Now that is EXCITING, and I hope to get one of the first copies. Other exciting news from The Ducks is that, there are presently 5 NEW CD's available from The Ducks catalog---which I currently have 3 of them and look forward to getting them all. Log onto Dave's site http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/nothin66 you can go under his seller's name "nothin66" if this ebay attachment doesn't work---also mention you found him in the CKTIMES Classic Vinyl Column.

"Live On CHUM" is a must---recorded Jan 22nd 1967 with interviewer Bob MacAdorey---original line up consists of Dave Bingham/vocals, harmonica, Roger Mayne/lead guitar, Glynn Bell/rhythm guitar,vocals, John Read/bass and Robin Boers/drums. This cd is just chalked full of their early songs and tidbits of information---when they formed, Spencer Davis being their Favourite Group, how they got their name etc. JUST A GREAT CD

"Thump & Twang" was recorded in November '67---Mike McKenna is lead guitarist on this cd--they recorded demo songs for their 2nd album, most of the songs from this session were erased and only "The Blues Fell This Morning" survived---on March 17th 1968 they recorded the rest of this cd "live off the floor at Danforth Music"---shortly after this was recorded, the band and the record label split and the songs remained in storage until 2002---this cd is exactly how The Ugly Ducklings sounded in '68----ENJOY

The Ugly Duckings/GNU "Metamorphosis" CD---this cd is recorded at Hallmark Studios, Toronto and "live from The Hawks Nest" under their new name GNU---the fans didn't like the name change, so they changed it back after much debating, but not before these sessions were recorded. Many new members in this band and a different sound. Dennis Pendrith/bass, Ray Nowak/keyboards, Rob Boers/drums, Dave Bingham/vocals and David Kindred/guitar

"Somewhere Outside" (which I haven't got yet) has been mastered from the original acetate of original mixes November 1966----7 additional track and 4 never released tracks---a 12 pg booklet, highlighting The Ducks history and never seen before published photos---THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR THE DUCKS FAN.

Check out my new purchase this week---Nothin'/I Can Tell 45 on Yorkville records from 1966. It is always a treat to find an older record in excellent condition and this is a true find. Another album I picked up is from the Yorkville Records Label,"Yorkville Evolution" loaded with songs from top Canadian artists---Ronnie Hawkins/Ugly Ducklings/Stitch In Tyme/Little Caesar and the Consuls/The Sugar Shoppe and many more---the album is in excellent condition and I LIKE that, love the Yorkville area photo in the background of the dancing girl--takes me back to headier times.

Another quick update is for the Mike McKenna fans out there---I received another email from Mike's webmaster and we can all log onto Mike's site at http://www.mikemckenna.ca/main%20menu.html lot's of info, bio, pictures, tour dates, and purchase all of his recent cd's----give it a view.

Not only have these great unreleased older CD's been made available, but Dave has added most of the youtubes of The Ugly Ducklings under Nothin66 and hopefully when the CKtime readers view them, give them a rating and this will help them stay on. He has also added several youtubes of other GREAT Toronto area bands John & Lee & The Checkmates, The Apostles and Kensington Market---give them all a view and rate them.

New Update on youtubes this week by Dave Bingham (lead singer) "SNAFU PROMO VIDEO" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lOLlCht52w&feat...ure=related "The Band Played On" from Off The Wall Album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2AtOHBhJ_E The Yorkville Reunion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSwdHZrYUns&feat...ure=related Los Guys Blues Band with Dave Bingham version of "Nadine" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ5zvU6AvvE&feat...ure=related

I know I had these on a few weeks ago, but this weeks column demands them again---The Ugly Ducklings youtubes "Gaslight" http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vUuTvLMAoCA&feat....ure=related "Hangman" from the Eyes of Tomorrow TV show '68 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=88FTIQupOtw&feat....ure=related "You Can't Judge a Book by Looking At The Cover" http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuoFKWVsjI8&f......ure=related "Hey Big Mama, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut" http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=am7XOv7QizI&feat....ure=related and "Rimb Nugget" http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_vOohGhi0Hc&feat....ure=related

Hope you enjoyed this weeks column and see you in 2 weeks---contact me at bluesslider88@yahoo.ca or at cktimes with any comments you would like to make about classic vinyl



Allan Day----long time acquaintance of John Gardiner----I presently live in Goderich Ontario, retired (oh yeah) and live for the sound of music, especially from the 60's music explosion---I hope you enjoy some of my articles and they bring back some lost memories of bands gone by. Now I have to let you know that I am a HUGE Rolling Stones fan, collector, historian and I hope to hear any stories you might have on this GREAT Band from the 60's----email me at CK Times and let me know what you have or memories you have of this group. I will include stories and short stories on The Stones each week.