THE GRAPES OF WRATH - "Cause It Was Her" (Vita Records – V-005/V-006, 1967)

by Achille Brunet

A deep blue label for the guys by the sea, straight from the Los Angeles seaside in San Pedro. For fans of the Garage Punk Unknowns comps, "Cause It Was Her" needs no introduction. The band in itself, however, does!

The Grapes Of Wrath were from San Pedro, a district of Los Angeles, CA on the waterfront that includes part of the City's port. Of the half-dozen of 1960s bands to bear this name, it seems these had a special connection with John Steinbeck as the author reportedly had ties with the area.

The band was formed by students of San Pedro High School during summer 1966, with Ralph Sias (guitar), Danny Morrow (bass), William Doheney (drums), Brian Magnan (vocals), and Bill Lichty (organ).

(News Pilot - May 17, 1967)

Bassist Danny Morrow introduced the band in the press: "Ralph writes the songs, plays lead guitar and gets nervous. Brian sings lead vocal and smiles at girls. Bill plays organ and wears leather boots. William plays drums and loves drums. I play bass and get in and out of trouble."

The boys had met while in the high school gymnastics team, at the exception of Lichty. Ralph was the commissioner of athletics. Ralph Sias and Danny Morrow had known for a while. Ralph had also been part of a folk trio, The Brandyhill Singers, in late 1965.

Commissioner Ralph Sias crowns a Queen.

(News Pilot - Nov 11, 1966)

The band soon played their own songs, written by Ralph Sias and sometimes Brian Magnan. The band was managed by H. Eugene MacDonald, a.k.a. U. L. McDonald, who was a 41-year-old hotel manager at the Hacienda Hotel in San Pedro. He also managed and produced artists on Vita Record, Inc. since 1965.

At the beginning of 1967, the band recorded a "rough demo disc" at a small studio (it's unclear if the article refers to the actual Vita single or to an anterior acetate). MacDonald then presented it to various recording companies.

(News Pilot - May 17, 1967)

One Mr. Roth, vice-president of Sunburst Records (a label founded by Ed Cobb started with the second single by the "E" Types), was impressed enough with both the band and recording, finding them a "professional air", and arranged for another session. 

The time frame is a little unclear as at least one copy of the Vita single has the date Mar 1, 1967 stamped on it (and "Cause It Was Her" was copyrighted on March 7) but the recording session for Sunburst was announced on May 17.

Danny Morrow recounted the trip for the promotional article:

"The band owned one set of drums, five microphones, and one five-year-old amplifier. With the help of a not-too-willing 1959 Plymouth station wagon and rented equipment trailer totaling over $1,500, the "Grapes" headed for Studio City. For the trip, Brian occupied a position between the tail-gate of the car and the sacred amplifiers, a space of six inches. I filled in the back seat, alone with a spare tire, two dress coats, a lead guitar and my oversize feet. The front seat contained Bill and Ralph, who looked much like the pilot and co-pilot of a strickened WW II B-24 bomber. Despite a trip on the freeways that rivaled with the Wizard of Oz, the Grapes Of Wrath made it to the studio."

The band went over to American Recording Co. studios in the Studio City district in North Hollywood and recorded two songs written and arranged by Ralph Sias in the course of a five-hour session, produced by Mr. Roth.

The band recorded (or re-recorded) "For Every Year" and "Cause It Was Her". The songs subsequently received some airplay at the local rock station, at least in May. When the summer came, all members (except Lichty who was one year younger) had graduated from San Pedro High School.

Despite the Seeds-like tones of their best side, the band described themselves as folk-rock. An article of the time pointed out that they had not embraced the hippie style and stuck to short hair and burgundy-cherry dinner jackets.

In September 1967, the band appeared on a Fresno TV show and left for a tour in Redding, Red Bluff and North Sacramento Valley. The tour was planned because "Cause It Was Her" had become popular on Redding's airwaves. Drummer William Doheney was also an amateur radio operator and obtained the single to be played by DJ Ian Evans there.

It's the last thing I found on the band and they likely disbanded in the following months or years.

Ralph Sias became an architect and worked as a chief engineer for various construction companies. He also invented an air-conditioning decontaminating process in the early 2000s.

Bill Lichty in Church Choir, 1968.

Danny Morrow passed a scientific Master Thesis in Lawrence Bekerley Laboratory at the University of California in 1977 and moved to Half Moon Bay, CA.

Bill Lichty sung in many choirs and later attended Harbor College. He later worked in the aircraft field.

H. Eugene MacDonald kept producing a couple of rock singles, 50th Anniversary Zoo ("Love Man") and Scorpio Tube ("Yellow Listen"), that were both bands/projects of Eugene's son Conn. McDonald.

EDIT: I was advised the band was also discussed in Ugly Things #39, you might find more useful information there.

FUGITIVE FIVE - "(I Ain't Gonna Give Up) My Way Of Life" (Cell Records — 111/112, 1966)

by Achille Brunet

Notably compiled on Last Of Garage Punk Unknowns - Vol. 4 with the great garage ballad "(I Ain't Gonna Give Up) My Way Of Life", the Fugitive Five long remained shrouded in mystery. Let's dig out some pictures and stories.

The Fugitive Five from Decatur, Illinois first formed as a six-piece in November 1964 as Eugene and the Fugitives in a more rock 'n' roll/soul style. The members met as they all worked in the mail room of the Decatur Herald And Review and drummer Steve Fisher suggested they form a band. 

Eugene And The Fugitives—first single lineup.

(Decatur Herald and Review - Dec 29, 1965)

They were led by Eugene King, a 17-year-old African American singer who was also an employee of General Electric Co. The other members were Phillip Jones (rhythm guitar, harmonica), Bruce Berry (bass), Clyde Sims (lead guitar), and Fred Boyer (organ). They were all between 16 and 18 and attended local high schools. In 1965, Clyde Sims and Steve Fisher were freshmen at Eastern Illinois University.

On April 17, 1965, the band traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to cut their first record, produced by Chuck Givens. Givens was a Decatur musician and producer. He had led numerous bands in the early 1960s including Chuck And The Cannonballs, the Chuck Givens Combo, and the Quintones. Givens seemingly relocated to Jackson, Tennessee around 1964 while still producing Decatur artists most notably on the Flame label.

Eugene And The Fugitives recording in Nashville.

(Decatur Daily Review - June 14, 1965)

For the recording session, Eugene and the Fugitives penned two songs, "I Asked Her", written by Clyde Sims, and "Girls, Girls", written by Eugene King and Fred Boyer, that were released in June on Cherry, a one-off label of Givens. 

Chuck Givens might have contributed some arrangements as he's also credited on the record, though not mentioned in the press article. 1,000 copies were pressed. "I Asked Her" is a cool garage/soul track. I haven't heard the flip yet.

The record was delivered in several record stores in Decatur. The band also made a special appearance at Shoppers World where they distributed free records to the public. The band grew in popularity and was booked at the end of the year to entertain the crowds at the Citywide New Year's Eve Teen-age Dance.

In early/mid-1966, the band went through lineup changes. Eugene King, Phillip Jones and Fred Boyer left. Terry Willis, a junior at Eisenhower High School, replaced King on lead vocals while Barry Edward, also attending Eastern Illinois University, took up the organ and the band kept playing as The Fugitives.

The Fugitives—second single lineup.

(Decatur Herald and Review - Sept 24, 1966)

William "Bill" Ridge, the record manager at Shoppers World, became the band's promoter. At a loss of a place to play, Ridge sponsored many dances for the band at the Eagles Lodge, soon playing twice a week for over five months and drawing great crowds. The band also played a couple of pool parties, Fashion contests and Police Night dances. Former Fugitives member Fred Boyer became manager for local band The Mystics (they would become The Meat Dept., "This Week's Children" on Polar Bear) and had them attend the Eagles dances as well.

During the summer, the band recorded their second and last single at Stereosonic Studios in Chicago, Illinois and released it on their own Cell label. It was only then that the band took up the name Fugitive Five, possibly to avoid confusion with other bands with the same name, while keeping playing locally as The Fugitives.

On the A side, the band taped a good version of "Route 66". But the true standout is the flip side, "(I Ain't Gonna Give Up) My Way Of Life", a garage rock original by Clyde Sims with slower pace and great organ background and break.

The single was put on sale in August 1966. While the band enjoyed great local popularity, the disc didn't sell "as well as expected, but good". The band also found regrettable that "most adults [were] apathetic or hostile toward the group" and teen music in general.

The Fugitives at an Eagles Lodge dance.

(Decatur Herald and Review - Sept 2, 1966)

No news were given about them after Sept 1966 and they possibly disbanded in the following months. Clyde Sims went on to form "The Fresh Clover Blues" and "Mother Fox" bands at Eastern Illinois University in the following years (but maybe they were only an evolution of the Fugitives). 

Later on, Clyde taught Art and French in the Jerseyville and Kansas school systems, and in his free time gave guitar and French lessons. Later, he was also a thirty-year member of "The Artistics" band in Charleston. He passed away in 2019.

Having been long-time friends, Terry Willis would join The Meat Department when reforming in 1996. More HERE at Downstate Sounds.