Sorting through a box of records recently, I came across a 1964 single by the Executives. It was a version of March Of The Mods, the corny, oft-covered instrumental popularised by the Joe Loss Orchestra.
I’d never heard of The Executives, but the B-Side Why, Why, Why was quite good however so I decided to investigate further. This is what I found.
Now read on.
The Executives were a Blackpool based band who at one time featured future Jethro Tull members Glenn Cornick and Tony Williams
This is in fact the original and very first recording of March Of The Mods. Not only that, it was written by Tony Carr, the father of Executives member Roy Carr
Roy Carr later became a well-known rock writer for the NME
The B-side Why, Why, Why was written by Tony and Roy Carr.
Tony Williams also later joined Stealers Wheel
The song was later covered by many other artists including the Joe Loss Orchestra who had a hit with it
It’s discovering things like this that make life worth living.
http://i.imgur.com/VyJphMt.jpg
I remember Roy Carr being lead singer in the NME Christmas party house band back in the 70s. Funny what you remember.
I’m ashamed to say I had no idea of his musical history until I researched this single.
Oh, and the “Lansdowne Series” on the label indicates that it was recorded at Lansdowne Studios off Ladbroke Grove in Holland Park. Although known as a jazz studio, Lansdowne also turned out some famous rock records including the early Deep Purple albums. Joe Meek also worked there as an engineer.
In 1971/2 my girlfriend worked at the studio as a secretary to producers Denis Preston and Zack Laurence, the man behind the 1970 hit Groovin’ With Mr. Bloe
As ever, you’re full of surprises JC. I’ve been reading a lot around British ujazz lately and the Lansdowne recordings are often mentioned.
My fave, of those I’ve heard/own, is Rendell-Carr’s 1965 first album ‘Shades Of Blue’ (there’s something magical about it that’s not shared by their subsequent albums, though I like the fifth/final one ‘Change Is’ too – but it’s getting closer to jazz-rock by then).
Did you meet Preston? Any anecdotes?
I didn’t meet Preston, but I do remember my g/f talking about the vast record library at Lansdowne. And she would occasionally, er, “liberate” stuff and bring it home.
I’ll email her and get back to you. Watch this space.
In the opening still of the YouTube clip, that’s Roy Carr bottom right with Glenn Cornick standing behind him. I believe the future Jethro Tull bassist Cornick didn’t join the Executives until after March Of The Mods however.
And here’s Roy Carr (top) in his NME days with the elegantly wasted Nick Kent
http://i.imgur.com/b4Otwfs.jpg
I met Nick Kent once circa 1975. He was more shabby in real life. Still, despite the air of shambling junkiedom about him, it remains the only time in my life I have seen a lime green leather jacket.
The tiger’s tooth earring is pure Keef and the silver star necklace is a lift from David Essex. Not sure about the dog collar choker though.
Meanwhile Roy Carr appears to be channelling DLT
The Executives (renamed The Executive) later did a psych-pop single, of which this groovy “Forever Changes” soundalike was the b-side. It was included on a 1980s “Rubble” LP.
Were any mods known to have marched to this?
I only ever knew the Joe Loss hit version of this – and when I say “hit” it peaked at just #31 in late 1964 – but there were several versions. Dead Loss we used to call him.
Here’s Joe. Who knows, Elvis Costello’s dad may be on this record.
There’s a great YouTube comment under this:
Q: How many 60’s Mods raised their pork-pie hats to Joe for this?
A: None
The Executives were also a respected Australian pop combo in the 60s – sort of the smooth, polished, not-kids-stuff kind of thing – here they are doing their biggest hit, a cover of Stephen Stills’s “Sit Down, I Think I Love You”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IETiy_YaqDM
Very accurate copy of this which was the hit in New Zealand
I continue to be amazed at the gulf between hit records in NZ and Australia in this and other periods. I can understand NZ artists not being recognised (because they weren’t released) in Australia – but I’m surprised Aussie record companies didn’t bother sending a few copies across the ditch (as we say).
In case anyone was wondering what that bizarre guitar was, played by Ray Burton over on the right of that Executives clip (and I’m sure you were), it was a Maton Flamenco made in Melbourne.
http://i.imgur.com/NRWeK9G.jpg
Ruddy marvellous. I want to swing my pants to all of those tunes.
From 1966, here’s the Aussie version from the Aulton Mob. Two years was a lifetime in the sixties, so by the time this appeared things had moved on and it didn’t chart.
http://i.imgur.com/qlmGkJ7.jpg
I noticed the subtitle in brackets; Finnjenka Dance and listening to the track it does seem to fit the (very silly) Finnish dance that is Jenka. Most famous through this tune (showing the silly dance as well):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wRS2y4UB4c
This song – the titles on YT say it’s either called Letka or Letkiss – was a big hit in its day (I’m guessing either the 50s or early 60s?), and I remember from my childhood that my parents would hum it and teach us kids to do the dance jumping back and forth.
Edit: Ouch! Not a dance designed for high heeled shoes, I’d say. I can imagine the state of my toes after a night of hopping about like that on the dance floor…
Thanks for that. I’d been wondering what that meant.
Where else on the interweb would you get this level of detail? Nowhere else, that’s where.
Often in life you ponder some obscure piece of “knowledge” taking up space in your memory and wonder “when would I ever need to know that ?!
Then you go to the AW one day and find that your useless fact is the missing piece of the puzzle on some niche thread…and your time don’t seem quite as wasted as before. 😀
What a wonderful sentiment, Locust. All those seemingly unconnected pieces of knowledge, and suddenly an AW OP provides the “red thread” to link them together, There’s no decent translation for that useful Swedish expression. The best I can come up with is “common thread” but that isn’t such a strong visual image somehow.
http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/106430/does-english-use-red-thread-as-expression-for-theme
Just stumbled on this very detailed site on Australian pop. Well worth a browse.
http://www.poparchives.com.au/1116/the-aulton-mob/march-of-the-mods-finnjenka-dance
And this dance site goes into a lot of interesting detail and even gives you the steps.
http://duramecho.com/Dance/BEECIIFolkDance/March_of_the_Mods.html
What a really enjoyable clip, Locust. They sure knew how to have back in the day.
And as you can see from the sleeve of this single, Letkiss was a dance sensation that was sweeping the Finnish nation between 1963 and 65.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObDV1aWOH9U&list=PL-4x8bbyCvrEfUMk_fC0NBgQrngawdJTn
THis thread is turning into a treasure trove full of small neglected gems.
Sweden was not immune to the charms of the Jenka, @Locust.
Here’s Lill Babs doing her bit to spread the word.
In fact, a pal of mine mentioned on FB (where I posted your clipand got a lot of interested response) that Stikkan Andersson (Abba’a mentor) tried to launch jenka as an international dance craze with “slightly less than moderate success”.
Dancers among you will perhaps know that jenka is a form of “schottis”.
I considered posting that Lill-Babs clip before I found the German dance teacher, but it’s just too awful, isn’t it? The lyrics…jag har nÃ¥nting för du – just so they could rhyme with “nu”…du jenkar och stÃ¥nkar men, det gör man för sin jenka-vän…oh dear!
Hm, a form of schottis, really? I have to say I prefer the real schottis infinitely! Especially the schottis foursome is very satisfying (hurr…)
1964 was quite the year for marches….from the episode of Stingray called “Secret Of The Oysters” comes a Barry Gray-penned piece of incidental music called “March of the Oysters”….can one detect a slight influence from Mr Carr’s original…?
This is pretty far out. The album is too. Way aHead of its time:
The Executives had 9 singles, a considerable amount without an E.P. or album (beaten only by Episode Six with 11?), and are surely ripe for a retrospective on Ace or rpm.
Although a bit late for the Summer of Love, being released in May ’68, how the fantastic “Tracy Took A Trip” wasn’t a massive hit is still a mystery.
It seems a shame the progress of their name changing didn’t end up with The Executive AKA.
That’s subtly brilliant Colin
Well, I wouldn’t go that far myself, but thanks for the thought!
The Esecutive AKA Arkestra would be next…
The Exes Without Roy?
Undoubtedly. And, Crimson/21st C Schizoid Band-like, there would come a point where all the former members bar the key one would reunite in a kind of uber-tribute act called the Ex-Ecutives. For all their many fans, obviously.
“March Of The Mods” was a UK No. 1 hit, sort of….Christmas 1989 saw “Lets Party” by Jive Bunny and the Mixmasters debut at the top of the charts (and sink rapidly after). The first part of it (and which reappeared after each sampled bit) was “March Of The Mods.”
Wikipedia takes up the story…”The difference was it sampled classic Christmas songs instead. These included the 1973 Christmas No. 1 Slade’s “Merry Christmas Everybody” and Gary Glitter’s “Another Rock n’ Roll Christmas”. It also featured “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” but, as they did not have permission to use the Wizzard song, they got the group’s lead singer Roy Wood to re-record the song.”
I won’t include a link to a Youtube copy of it, because….well, I just won’t*.
*Even Beany would draw the line at this one, surely?
Oh, well remembered sir
I’m saying nothing. Just don’t call me Shirley.