Lets Talk Fenton Records
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Sun, 10/22/2006 - 2:04pm.
The legendary Fenton Records in Grand Rapids where various bands from that city and around Michigan came to record in the Great Lakes studios in GR is back. Wayback Records is putting out a 3LP/2CD set called Sceam Loud The Fenton Story loaded with great and forgotten slabs of Michigan rock this end of Hideout Records in Detroit.
Here is the track list
The Quests-I'm Tempted
Tonto & The Renegades-Little Boy Blue
The Beaux Jens-She Was Mine
The Jujus-I'm Really Sorry
The Chancellors-5 Minus 3
The Saharas-They Play It Wild
The Jades-We Got Something Going
The Chentelles-Be My Queen
Headhunters-Times We Share
The Assortment-First I Look At The Purse
The 9th Street Market-You're Gone
The Blokes-All American Girl
The Sheffields-Nothing I Can Do
The Ardvards-I Dont Believe
The Blues Company-She's Gone
The Soul Benders-7 and 7 Is
Black Watch-Left Behind
The Penetrators-What Went Wrong
The Jades-Surface World
The Ardvarks-I'm Higher Than I'm Down
The Mussies-12 0'Clock July
The Jujus-You Treat Me Bad
The Tribe-Fickle Little Girl
The Plagues-Why Cant You Be True
Peter & The Prophets-Dont Need Your Lovin'
Tonto & The Renegades-I Knew This Would Happen
The Barons-Try A Love With Me
The Quests-Shadows In The Night
Me and Dem Guys-Come on Little Sweetheart
Renegades V-Wine, Wine, Wine
The Plauges-I've Been Through This Before
The Mussies-Louie Go Home
The Fugitives-You Cant Blame That On Me
The Legends-I'll Come Again
The Jujus-Do You Understand Me
The Quests-Psychic
The 9th Street Market-I'm A Baby
Peter & The Prophets-Johnny of Dreams
The Pedestrians-Its Too Late
The Beaux Jens-Trouble Baby
Bed of Roses-I Gotta Fight
The Ardvarks-Thats Your Way
The Barons-Dont Come Back No More
The Jades-Confinded Congregations
The Fugitives-I'll Hang Around
The Blokes-Slander's Child
Lyn & The Invaders-Boy Is Gone
Tonto & The Renegades-The Easy Way Out
The Jades-Please Come Back
The Pentagons-Try and Find
The Plauges-(Clouds Send Down) Tears From My Eyes
Poor Boys Pride-The Place
Chancellors-Dear John
The Assortment-Bless Our Hippy Home
The Plauges-Through This World
The Ardvarks-I Dont Need You
The Blues Company-Experiment In Color
The Jujus-Hey Little Girl
Tonto & The Renegades-Anytime You Want Some Lovin'
The Quests-Sceam Loud
The Pedestrians-Think Twice
Mickey, you are deep. I had
Submitted by timh on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 7:43am.whoa
Submitted by Etaoin Shrdlu on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 7:59am.A few of these tracks have
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 11:15am.should be good
Submitted by dingey on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 12:13pm.Yeah, I'll be curious to hear some of this.
Wasn't the Left Banke from
Submitted by timh on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 6:10pm.For more info on this go
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Tue, 10/24/2006 - 11:40am.For more info on this go here:
http://www.rimpo.de/fenton.htm
Just found out the vinyl
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Sat, 10/28/2006 - 3:21pm.Grand Rapids Rocks
Submitted by Jake on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 11:32am.My frist attempt at a website was Grand Rapids Rocks: http://www.grandrapidsrocks.com/
I rarely update it anymore, but lots of members of the original bands add comments all the time.
I was happy to hook up the label who's putting out that comp with some of the original band members, who provided unseen photos (and permission). It's a great comp. So many badass songs.
The GR scene was definitely poppier than the punk Detroit scene, but it's still great. Not all of the Fenton-related bands were from GR; some were from as far away as Grand Ledge and Traverse City.
"I'm Tempted" by the Quests (mp3) is one of my favorite songs of all time (definitely my favorite stalker/daterape song): "I'm tempted to take you…NOW!" My other fave 60s GR track was left off this comp: "Ya Ha Be Be" by the Bel-Aires (mp3).
Left Banke
Submitted by Jake on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 11:36am.THe Left Bank I know about
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 12:31pm.Back in my dog days, at
Submitted by Mr. Jass on Wed, 11/01/2006 - 6:28pm.lots of spots
Submitted by dingey on Thu, 11/02/2006 - 8:46am.Back in the Fleepside days, there was a Rickman resident who was a regular—very quiet, retiring guy, huge fan of classical music (as well as inexplicable subject of a Br*ce Wh*te poem that went “T*rry P*tts has lots of spots.”). He looked rather like a really tall version of young Truman Capote. Anyway, one time some little 60’s scene fanzine came in that had an article about a Michigan group from this side of the state called THE AARDVARKS. There were photos of said edentata on the beach at Lake Michigan, etc., and one of them looked extremely familiar. In fact, the photo was labeled with his name….the name of the fellow whom Br*ce Wh*te claimed to have “lots of spots.” When asked, T*rry denied that it was him, but Sc*tt and I are still convinced……the Aardvarks experience was somehow tied in with his mental downfall…Love to hear the stuff sometime!
Thats an iteresting story.
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Thu, 11/02/2006 - 1:16pm.***
Submitted by Tree on Thu, 11/02/2006 - 1:41pm.I…forgot
surface world
Submitted by Kapn on Fri, 11/03/2006 - 12:45am.Shining some light
Submitted by admin on Fri, 04/06/2007 - 2:55pm.As always, I’m a day late and, well, many many dollars short.
I love you guys.
-Dadmin
I'll let you in on the
Submitted by Ulysses S. Eater on Fri, 04/06/2007 - 3:05pm.Not yet but I so want
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Fri, 04/06/2007 - 3:35pm.Not yet but I so want this. As Useless mentioned they have like 10 copies of this on vinyl but they’re $65 a pop. Keep in mind only 900 copies were pressed on vinyl. Going to get up there in the next week or so with a few things to trade.
When I get it I will be sure to let yall know.
To let yall know I picked up
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Sun, 04/15/2007 - 3:40pm."****" - Mojo
Submitted by Kapn on Mon, 04/16/2007 - 7:30pm.Our good friend Michael Hurtt just reviewed this set in Mojo 162. The review gives some nice background info on the Fenton operation:
… (In 1963,) Dave Kalmbach decided it was high time he expanded his budding recording operation beyond his basement. By setting up shop at the Our Theater in nearby Sparta, he inadvertently followed in the footsteps of Memphis’s Stax and Hi, who had recently located their studios in former cinemas… (W)hen Great Lakes Recording Studio moved in, the Our Theater was still screening movies, so Kalmbach and his sundry bands did business between the latest western and beach flicks. With recording equipment crammed into the projection booth and bands blasting forth from between the screen and the first row of seats, they recorded either before the first matinee or late at night, after the popcorn had been swept up.
Again, if you missed Jake’s earlier post, his Grand Rapids Rocks site offers even more Fenton info and interviews with participants. Not even a month ago, someone offered this info in a comment on one of the interviews:
In 1965 you would take your band’s tape and money to the rear of a storefront on Division in downtown Sparta. They would then place the order for your records with the "American Record Co." pressing plant in Owosso, MI. The plant would put whatever label name you wanted on the product. The Fenton name was the most requested one. That wonderful factory burned to the ground in a massive fire on October 29, 1972. So sad! In 2002 I went to the corner where the plant once stood and poked around. Found some surviving burnt remnants of old 45’s at the edge of the foundation! Some pieces still had some readable print on them. (Sigh!)
Does Corner still want $65 for the LP, Mickey?
Yes they do want $65 but I
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Tue, 04/17/2007 - 10:20am.The Mussies
Submitted by Slice812 (not verified) on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 8:17pm.Came across this thread quite by accident. In 1964ish I lived in South Haven, MI next door to I believe his name was Paul Nabb of The Mussies and actually took guitar lessons from him but I was very young at the time (around 5 or 6) and was friends with his younger brother Neal. He gave me a copy of their demo 45 of A side "Louie Go Home" B side "12 O’Clock July" which I have had ever since. It is in pretty rough shape and certainly hasn’t seen any play since the 1970’s. I am going to put it up for sale on Fleabay and see what I can get for it. Anyone know what happened to these guys???
Fleabay link...
Submitted by Arthur on Fri, 04/04/2008 - 10:15am.Give us the link to your 45, and I bet someone would buy it.
I bet somebody right in this thread would buy it.
Submitted by dingey on Fri, 04/04/2008 - 10:58am.Belly up and start bidding, boyeeez.
Just to let anybody know but
Submitted by Samantha Stephens on Fri, 04/04/2008 - 1:21pm.Just to let anybody know but the vinyl version of the Fenton box is sold out(then again they only pressed 900 copies which is probably why it was so expensive). You can still get this on CD. You probably wouldnt have to go to Corner, I imagine you could get it online.
Its worth it to me!
Box set and videos
Submitted by arrjay (not verified) on Thu, 05/22/2008 - 9:17pm.People: The vinyl version of this box set has been (from the beginning) and still is available on Amazon.
Just stumbled onto 4 newly made videos (by Aris, lead singer of the SoulBenders from Grand Rapids) including ‘7 & & Is’ now on YouTube.
Check em out! They’re a lot of fun.
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