THE UNRELATED SEGMENTS
The Unrelated Segments were an American garage rock band from Taylor, Michigan, that were active between 1966 and 1969.
The group was a popular musical act in Michigan, achieving regional acclaim for their song, "Story of
My Life".
The nucleus of the Unrelated Segments was spearheaded by lead vocalist, Ron Stults, and lead guitarist Rory Mack, the two previously playing together in a short-lived band called The Village Beaus.
Stults and Mack were shuffling between groups when a fellow musician, rhythm guitarist John Torok, invited the two, along with bass guitarist Barry Van Engelen and drummer Andy Angellotti, to a jam session. The group experimented with chord patterns and guitar licks, while playing popular songs. By the second rehearsal together, Stults and Mack co-wrote the band's most successful song, "Story of My Life". Within two weeks after the rehearsal, the band officially formed, and began performing locally.
By the second rehearsal together, Stults and Mack co-wrote the band's most successful song, "Story of My Life". Within two weeks after the rehearsal, the band officially formed, and began performing locally. On November 26, 1966, they entered the nearby United Sound studio to record the track for their debut single with the song, "It's Unfair", being the flip-side.
However, the band was limited by the label's limited promotion and distribution, so the single failed to
chart nationally. In the summer of the same year, the Unrelated Segments returned to the studio to cut their second single, "Where You Gonna Go?; " another local smash, it helped the group land live dates at the famed Grande Ballroom opening for acts including Spirit, Spencer Davis Group and Jeff Beck Group. They also opened for the likes of The Who and the MC5.
"Cry, Cry, Cry" followed in the summer of 1968, but failed to match the success of its predecessors;
Angellotti was soon dismissed from the line-up, replaced by Ron Fuller who brought a style of drumming akin in style and showmanship to the biggest English bands. After Van Engelen was drafted to serve in Vietnam in early 1969 the Segments recruited new guitarist Daryl Gore, with Torock moving to bass. After changing their name to simply the U.S., they recorded a handful of unreleased tracks before disbanding as the decade drew to a close.
Discography
"Story of My Life" b/w "It's Unfair" - HBR 514 (1967)
"Where You Gonna Go" b/w "It's Gonna Rain" - Liberty 55992 (1967)
"Cry, Cry, Cry" b/w "It's Not Fair" - Liberty 56052 (1968)
THE TIDAL WAVES
The Tidal Waves were an American garage rock band formed in Roseville, Michigan, in 1964. Despite the young ages of the group members, the Tidal Waves were one of the more accomplished musical acts in the bustling Michigan garage band scene. They are best remembered for their regional hit, a cover version of "Farmer John", which managed to reach the Top 10 of several radio station charts around Detroit.
Inspired by the Beatles' momentous appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, high
school students Tom Wearing (drums, vocals), Mark Karpinski (lead guitar, vocals), and Vic Witkowski (rhythm guitar, vocals) formed the Tidal Waves. Early on, the group performed at local teen dances, high schools, and battle of the bands. In 1965, two additions were made to complete the lineup: Bob Slap (bass guitar, vocals) and Jon Wearing (percussion, vocals). As their popularity grew, the group performed alongside their Michigan contemporaries the Unrelated Segments, MC5, and SRC, among others.
Dennis Mills replaced Slap on bass, and penned the group's second single, the Zombies-influenced "I Don't Need Love". Released in September 1966, the tune included complex arrangements performed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and reached number 19 on WKNR Radio thanks to DJ Paul Cannon
promoting it as his "Song of the Week".[4] The Tidal Waves' popularity grew to a degree that they began touring nationally with the Animals and the Dave Clark Five, while appearing on numerous regional television programs. However, for the group's third and final single, "Actions (Speaker Louder Than Words)"—often credited as their most artistically accomplished recording—they were almost completely unsupported by Hanna-Barbera, as the company was transitioning away from promoting music releases. In early 1967, the Tidal Waves disbanded after issues regarding the group's royalties from their record sales.
The Tidal Waves were actually among the best of them, despite their youth (three of them were in junior high when they started out in 1965). They had a hard, aggressive attack on their instruments (which, surprisingly for a band as punk sounding as this one, included a saxophone, à la the Kingsmen),
three strong (if not necessarily "good") singers, and a good sense of melody and what to do with it. Their debut single, "Farmer John" b/w "She Left Me All Alone," was recorded in January of 1966 and made number one on the local charts in Detroit later that year. The group, with some lineup changes (Dennis Mills came in on guitar, and also wrote their third single "Action! (Speaks Louder Than Words)"), released two more singles before calling it quits in 1967. Six of their songs were reissued by Collectables in 1998 paired off with the music of the Unrelated Segments on a CD called Where You Gonna Go?.
As amazingly, good as the Segments' stuff is (and it is), the Tidal Waves are even better, with a sound vaguely similar to the early Who (check out the guitar break on "She's My Woman" and see if it doesn't remind you of "The Good's Gone"). The only pity is that they never charted nationally -- SVR's limited local distribution made that impossible to accomplish -- and didn't leave behind enough for a full album.
Discography
I Don't Need Love Hanna-Barbera Records 1966
Farmer John album art Farmer John SVR Records 1966
Action! (Speaks Louder Than Words) / Hot Stuff! (7", Single) Hanna-Barbera Records HBR-515 1967
[AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
This 21-song collection should be a killer disc, highlighted not only by six classic sides from the original Unrelated Segments, which existed through 1967, but six songs from their Detroit compatriots, the Tidal Waves.
Unfortunately, it also includes further tracks by the reconfigured group circa 1969, and five additional songs by Ron Stults from his early post-1969 solo career, and the latter, alas, along with the later Segments songs, detract from the overall value.
The core of this CD is lean, mean garage punk with a mournful, late-teens angst and a huge amount of talent involved: hooks that guitarist Rory Mack pulls out of thin air and spins into a bluesy folk-rock proto-psychedelic web; Ron Stults' powerful singing; and Barry Von Engelen's melodic bass work, reminiscent of Chris Hillman in his days with the Byrds. This is prime garage punk, which could easily have rivaled the 13th Floor Elevators or the Beau Brummels' best work.
The 15 Unrelated Segments tracks are augmented by the inclusion of six songs by the Tidal Waves,
another Detroit-based band, even younger (three junior high schoolers in the lineup) than the Segments, who also recorded for S.V.R. Records. Their stuff is rawer and more sneering, less melodic but not a trace less impressive -- these boys incorporated the strongest elements of Paul Revere & the Raiders' early work ("Kicks" etc.)
with the kind of hard-playing edge (especially on the guitars) that the British bands were bringing to music in 1964 -- a true, raucous, screaming punk sound with a crude, unpretentious energy, sort of the Kingsmen meet the British invasion. Their version of "Farmer John" hit number one on the charts in Detroit, and would have put them on the map nationally if S.V.R. Records had only had better distribution; it's a highlight here, but most of the rest lives up to its promise.
The sound is excellent, and the notes, although crudely assembled, give a good picture of the two bands' histories. The later tracks by the Segment and Ron Stults, however, are simply loud psychedelia with a raucous metal edge and no style. They're a chore to listen to for anyone who likes the classic garage punk represented elsewhere on the CD, and that part of the disc is only rescued by some rehearsal tapes of the early band which finish off the album.]
Pretty good psych rock, with the first half of the album being some of the best that genre has to offer.
The second half shows a more progressive direction, which doesn't work quite as well. "Hey Love" is a great track with solid guitar runs and a really catchy rhythm, especially the bass in the forefront. "Story of My Life" has some rather menacing vocals and some organ reminiscent of ? and the Mysterians. "It's Not Fair" and the title track are two more solid highlights. The previous poster was right "It's Gonna Rain" could be one of the best rock songs. The next track could even be a contender.
Both have a bit of a British Invasion sound, but with slower, more hypnotic guitar. "I Don't Need Love" is a solid number, even incorporating some orchestration. The later tracks go in a more hard rock direction. Songs like "Easy Money" show more forceful guitars and harder rhythms.
The Unrelated Segments & The Tidal Waves – Where You Gonna Go? 1968
Label: Collectables – COL 0710, Collectables – COL#0710
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1998
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Hard Rock
ARTISTS - TRACKS
01. The Unrelated Segments: Hey Love 3:06
02. The Unrelated Segments: Story Of My Life 3:02
03. The Unrelated Segments: Where You Gonna Go? 2:49
04. The Unrelated Segments: Cry, Cry, Cry 3:05
05. The Unrelated Segments: It's Not Fair 3:04
06. The Unrelated Segments: It's Gonna Rain 2:28
07. The Tidal Waves: She Left Me All Alone (Victor Wittkowski) 3:06
08. The Tidal Waves: I Don't Need Love (Dennis Mills) 2:36
09. The Tidal Waves: Action! (Speaks Louder Than Words) (Dennis Mills) 3:04
10. The Tidal Waves: Farmer John (Dewey Terry, Don "Sugarcane" Harris) 2:12
11. The Tidal Waves: Big Boy Pete (Dewey Terry, Don "Sugarcane" Harris) 2:38
12. The Tidal Waves: She's My Woman (Richard Cioffari) 2:12
13. The Unrelated Segments: There's Gonna Be A Change 2:55
14. Ron Stults: Wait 4:21
15. Ron Stults: Easy Money 4:53
16. Ron Stults: Lady Lace 3:35
17. Ron Stults: Cool Slick Jenny 4:11
18. Ron Stults: No Excuses 4:30
19. The Unrelated Segments: Story Of My Life 3:06
20. The Unrelated Segments: Where You Gonna Go? 2:54
21. The Unrelated Segments: It's Gonna Rain 2:08
The Unrelated Segments
Ron Stults - Lead Vocals
Rory Mack - Lead Guitar
Barry Van Engelen - Bass
Andy Angellotti - Drums
John Torock - Rhythm Guitar
The Tidal Waves
Tom Wearing - Drums, Vocals
Mark Karpinski - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Bob Slap - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Jon Wearing - Percussion, Vocals
Vic Witkowski - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
MP3 @ 320 Size: 152 MB
Flac Size: 385 MB
Primo garage! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the FLAC link.
ReplyDeleteThe glorious people's republic of Michigan!
ReplyDeleteForward!
I knew Rory Mack as a Radio DJ at a local Kalamazoo Michigan FM station. Thanks for the VERY nice feature on Unrelated Segments. He was very humble about being in that band! What a great guy he was! RIP.
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