The Boys Next Door (4 Wheels) - The Boys Next Door (64-67)

Θα σας ευχηθώ καλές γιορτές, με υγεία και εύχομαι επίσης να κάνετε όσα περισσότερα κουράγια μπορείτε μέχρι να περάσει η λαίλαπα που ζούμε. Είθε η καινούργια χρονιά να είναι πραγματικά καλή και να συνέλθουμε σαν άνθρωποι και κράτος.

Κλείνω τη χρονιά με τους Boys Next Door, ένα γκρουπ από την Ινδιανάπολη με την δική τους ιστορία και προσφορά σε αυτό που αγαπάμε υπερβολικά. Πληροφορίες θα βρείτε παρακάτω αλλά και στο πλούσιο αρχείο που ανέβασα (φωτό, 45αρια και διάφορα άλλα). 

Να είστε καλά όλοι αδέλφια.Καλές γιορτές και ΚΑΛΗ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ

Boys Next Door - Suddenly She Was Gone (1965)

Known to some as "the Beach Boys of the Midwest," the Boys Next Door were among the relatively few competent emulators of the Beach Boys/Jan & Dean vocal/hot rod/surf sound, and certainly among the very few competent emulators to emerge from outside of California. Formed in Indianapolis, they issued a few singles in 1964-1967, the first of these billed to the Four Wheels before they reverted to the name Boys Next Door (which they'd been known as before making their recording debut). The group had an extremely clean-cut image and sound, right down to the circa-1964 Beach Boys pinstripe shirts seen in some photos. Actually, however, their recordings were pretty good and energetic, with melodic harmonies and a fairly kinetic drive.

The early Four Wheels singles were convincing SoCal hot rod pastiches, and singles such as "Mandy" were respectable approximations of the Beach Boys sound circa 1964-1965 that could have fit in well as tracks on Beach Boys LPs of the period. The Boys Next Door were also no producer's concoction, writing much of their material and gigging frequently in the midwest, opening for stars like Herman's Hermits, the Hollies, Jerry Lee Lewis, and of course the Beach Boys.

They remained little known outside of Indianapolis, however, and split in late 1967 in disputes over musical direction, lead singer Steve Kester wanting to move into West Coast psychedelia, drummer Jim Koss and keyboardist Skeet Bushor wanting to play R&B. A comprehensive CD collection, including the Four Wheels sides, Girls Next Door singles, and a bunch of unissued material, was released in 1999.

Personnel:

JIM ADAMS  gtr, vcls       A

SKEET BUSHOR      keyb'ds, vcls          A

STEVE DRYBREAD  bs, vcls        A

JIM KOSS     drms, vcls    A

STEVE LESTER       ld vcls, ld gtr A

CD: 

1(A)   THE BOYS NEXT DOOR     (Sundazed SC 11061)          1999

45s: 

1(A)   Central High Playmate / Cold 45          (Soma 1428)                     Mar. 1965

2(A)   Why Be Proud / Suddenly She Was Gone (Soma 1439)                     Aug. 1965

3(A)   There Is No Greater Sin / I Could See Me Dancing With You(Cameo 394)       1965

4(A)   Mandy / One Face In The Crowd         (Atco 6443)                              1966

5(A)   The Wildest Xmas / Xmas Kiss   (Bad 1301)                          Dec 1966

6(A)   The Wildest Xmas / Xmas Kiss   (Atco 6455)                         Dec 1966

7(A)   Begone Girl / See The Way She's Mine (Atco 6477)                Apr 1967

NB: (1) as the Four Wheels.  

Not for the garage and psych clan, but sixties pop fans read on... This clean-cut quintet from Indianoplis were obviously influenced by the Beach Boys, for whom they opened on several occasions, right down to the striped shirts. Initially adopting the surf/hot-rod sound, their debut 45 was re-credited to the Four Wheels, deemed to be a more suitable handle.

Thereafter they followed their heroes (and villains?) towards California's smooth moody harmony-pop ala Pet Sounds, adding other influences to produce some fine mid-sixties pop pastiches: Begone Girl successfully takes on The Association; There Is No Greater Sin sounds like the Beach Boys covering Dylan and adds baroque flourishes; See The Way She's Mine adds a Midwest horn flavour to the recipe.

To their credit, whilst highly derivative, much of their material was self-penned, mainly by Koss and Lester. Of the covers:- three tracks (the final 45 and the unreleased Lorali) were written for them and produced by smooth balladeer Bobby Goldsboro, for whom they'd performed backing duties; Why Be Proud came from The Gestures' Dale Menten.

The CD comprises all their releases, including four tracks as the Four Wheels, radio spots, one live and several unreleased cuts. A detailed history and interview with Steve Lester by Jeff Jarema rounds off yet another quality retrospective from Sundazed.

Compilation appearances have included: Suddenly She Was Gone on Bad Vibrations, Vol. 1 (LP) and Soma Records Story, Vol. 1 (LP); and Why Be Proud on Soma Records Story, Vol. 2 (LP) and The Big Hits Of Mid-America - The Soma Records Story (LP).

(Max Waller)