THE 4 TODAY aka THE UNIVERSALS - "I Lost Her Love" (L & F Recording Service — Acetate, 1964?)

by Achille Brunet

I acquired this unknown acetate four years ago. It was recorded by Port Arthur, Texas band The Universals. By carefully looking under the glued band name, it appears the band first recorded it as The 4 Today before changing name.

I found no trace of gig under either name. It seems to have been recorded by teens, most likely in the early/mid-sixties. The songs are at the junction of late rock'n'roll (especially for "Flame") and early garage rock (for the jangly "I Lost Her Love"). An address stamped on the A side gave the name of S. Fernandez.

Salvador Fernandez was born in 1929. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas in 1950 and served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War.

Being well in his 30s by the mid-sixties, I assume he was the band's manager, or at least a relative of someone in the band, rather than an actual member. I traced him thanks to the fact that he had lived all his life in the same house indicated on the acetate, unfortunately only to find he had passed away in 2016.

A song titled "I Lost Her Love" was copyrighted in March 1964, credited to Jerry L. Randolph. The songs sound like they might have been recorded in 1964 and people named Jerry L. Randolph lived in the area so that's always a possibility.

Three different songs called "Flame" were copyrighted around that date so it's harder to determine. 

(Thomas Jefferson High - 1950 Yearbook)

L & F Recording Service, located in Port Arthur, was operated by Lois Beadeaux and Floyd J. Beadeaux who was also a publicity chairman of the Junior Chamber of Commerce for the Miss Port Arthur contest and a Jaycees director.

The acetate's label shows it was recorded at L & F's second address on 1812 Procter Street, where it had moved in 1959 two years after its establishment in 1957. The studio was renamed in 1970 so the acetate was at least recorded between these two dates. During these years, the studio also recorded the singles by Curt Block And The Vibrations, and The Sons Of Barbee Doll.

 

Don't hesitate to drop me a line if you know more about the band.

(The Orange Leader — Nov 22, 1957)

THE GREMLINS from Virginia - "California Sounds" b/w "Tale For The Sea" (1966)

by Achille Brunet

California Sounds? Not quite. In Springfield, Virginia just on the other side of Washington DC, in terms of place to surf you could at best try on the Potomac River. Result is not guaranteed.

The "Fabulous" Gremlins were a band from Springfield, VA and were obsiously Beach Boys/surf music fans. They recorded a single at Capital Recording Co., Inc. that was released in June 1966 on Dimension Records, which was the studio's own label. 

Falls Church High School, 1967

Photo taken by David Werth.

The A side, "California Sounds", is a lively surf-teen number, backed with "Tales For The Sea", a good moody surf jangler. The B side reminds me a bit of "Black Jacket Woman", a song by The Tropics from Florida that was quite popular thoughout the East Coast. 

Both sides were witten by Mark Buckingham. I don't know who the other members were.

Walt Jones is also credited for arrangements in the BMI entry. Walt is also credited on the other release on the label so he might have had a hand at Capital Recording Co., Inc and Dimension Records.

Hear both sides:

The band played at Falls Church High School in West Falls Church in 1967 for the SCA freshman dance. It seems they made a good impression! You have to dig the gremlins drawn as little ghosts on the background. 

(An overview of the FCHS 1960s Teen Scene is coming soon.)

I'd appreciate any additional information on this band.

(Seems they copyrighted both songs as if 

it was just one. Probably a mistake)