The crowd was filing out, the management itching to start cleaning up, and the band getting ready to pack, when Five Emprees lead singer Don Cook pointed to my tape recorder: "You look like you've got something up your sleeve."
Technically true, though that had happened earlier, when I'd been snap-snap-snappin' my time away, documenting the Five Emprees' one-night/one-off gig at the rebuilt Shadowland Ballroom, just a stone's throw from Silver Beach County Bark..and the site of many triumphs back in the mid-1960s, when teen culture reigned supreme (present company included, as well).
Indeed, once attractions like the Curious Kids' Museum Discovery Zone and the Carousel Ballroom are factored into the equation, the restored Shadowland Ballroom is an impressive attraction, as bassist Ron Pelkey enthused afterwards: "They had this so well-planned -- I mean, they've got stuff going on, over and over again. They allowed us to set up last night -- they got it going like clockwork."
This time around, Cook, Pelkey (plus sister Debbie Pelkey Cook) and keyboardist Bill Schueneman held down the frontline, while guitarist Mike DePoian deputized for Tony Catania (who was off traveling, and essentially indisposed). With original drummer Mike DeRose embedded in the West Coast architectural life, Billy Winans kept the beat...thus prepared, we were off and runnin' for two 90-minute sets!
For the 2010 model, we heard many of the highlights that have lit up previous reunions, including "Black Magic Woman" (Santana), "I'm A Believer" (The Monkees), "Spooky" (Classics IV), and "Summer In The City" (The Lovin' Spoonful)...along with the Beatles medley from ABBEY ROAD. (I'm going from memory at the moment, since my yellow notepad has seemingly absconded from view.)
There were a few surprises along the way, such as "All She Wants To Do Is Dance," which caused Cook to joke, after the slam-bang ending: "You thought it was from the '60s? Well...we lied." From the band's side of things, we got "Over The Mountain," and "Hey Lover" (the flipside of their classic single, "Little Miss Sad"), which serve to remind us that the Five Emprees' sound owed as much to classic R&B and soul as it did to the British Invasion.
The biggest, and most audacious choice, was an extended set-closing jam on yet another Santana raver, "Soul Sacrifice," which became one of the highlights of their '69 Woodstock Festival performance. Watching the crowd go crazt after those famed opening Latin bars (Dun-DUH-DUH-Dun/Dun-DUH-DUH-DUN-Dun) isn't something that I'll forget easily, if ever, while DePoian, Pelkey and Scheuenman made the most of their golden opportunity to stretch out.
What makes these shows so special is the Emprees' ability to make these well-worn songs sound as though they're playing 'em for the first time, while injecting their own instrumental character along the way...which is no mean feast, and not easy to do (as I can attest, having witnessed many reunited bands from all different eras).
Right around 11 o'clock, it was over, just like that, leaving the true believer and newcomer alike to add this particular show to their stack of memories...for which DJ "Rockin' Randy" Poole's choice of song (The Beatles' "In My Life") seemed so apropos. (Special thanks to Randy, by the way, for allowing me to use three of his Facebook pics -- which I've labeled, "THE VIEW FROM STAGE LEFT," "DRUMMER BILLY WINANS," and "WORKIN' THE CROWD" -- after my trusty punk rock digital camera's batteries crapped out after about 15 shots.)
Since these reunions currently happen one at a time, I naturally had to ask, "What happens now?" It's hard to believe that another year, at least, might pass before we see these guys again.
However, nobody's breaking out the crystal ball yet, as Ron made clear afterwards: "I don't know -- it's not up to us. We play whenever we can. Somebody has to ask."
Well, let's put this way...if anyone finds a better ideal cue, let me know.
WE CAME, WE SAW: THE SHADOWLAND BALLROOM (6/25/10)
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THE FIVE EMPREES RISE AGAIN (AND ARE READY FOR DOWNLOAD!)
UPDATE (11/08/09): The long-awaited rebroadcast of the Five Emprees special, "Talking With The Stars," aired on October 25th. As promised, this show is now available for download: simply go to "Featured Songs," click the relevant file (FIVE EMPREES_PARTS I, II, III or IV, and it's yours to enjoy!
Founding bassist Ron Pelkey was the guest on this four-part interview with Scott Bartel on 740-AM WDGY (St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN), and worldwide (www.wdgyradio.com). "The show presents a Five Emprees music history lesson explained by Ron himself, from the band's inception, to the band's current resurgence playing live once again!" Scott advised. As I've repeatedly stated, if you have even a passing interest in '60s garage band history, be sure not to miss this one!
For those of you who haven't dug too deeply into the site yet, the Five Empreees remain best-known for "Little Miss Sad," an infectious pop-soul blend that peaked at #74 for six weeks during the summer and fall of '65 on "Billboard"'s Top 100 chart.
The Addrisi Brothers-penned song propelled the Benton Harbor, MI band -- Catania, Pelkey, vocalist Don Cook, drummer Michael DeRose, keyboardist Bill Scheuneman -- into rock 'n' roll immortality, earning airplay in Albany, NY; Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; San Francisco, CA; and even several Canadian cities. The song remains an oldies radio staple to this day.
Founding bassist Ron Pelkey was the guest on this four-part interview with Scott Bartel on 740-AM WDGY (St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN), and worldwide (www.wdgyradio.com). "The show presents a Five Emprees music history lesson explained by Ron himself, from the band's inception, to the band's current resurgence playing live once again!" Scott advised. As I've repeatedly stated, if you have even a passing interest in '60s garage band history, be sure not to miss this one!
For those of you who haven't dug too deeply into the site yet, the Five Empreees remain best-known for "Little Miss Sad," an infectious pop-soul blend that peaked at #74 for six weeks during the summer and fall of '65 on "Billboard"'s Top 100 chart.
The Addrisi Brothers-penned song propelled the Benton Harbor, MI band -- Catania, Pelkey, vocalist Don Cook, drummer Michael DeRose, keyboardist Bill Scheuneman -- into rock 'n' roll immortality, earning airplay in Albany, NY; Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; San Francisco, CA; and even several Canadian cities. The song remains an oldies radio staple to this day.
THE FIVE EMPREEES RISE AGAIN (ON YOUTUBE)
Yes, indeed, you read it here, and you read it right...the Five Emprees rise again, so to speak, via the magic of Youtube, where bassist Ron Pelkey has been posting clips from that rockin' September 2008 benefit show at Lake Michigan College. Just type in "Five Emprees," and it'll come right up...or, in the "give me convenience or give me death" spirit, hit: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFiveEmprees.
For those who couldn't make the gig, check out what you missed, and post the odd comment or two, if the spirit moves you! I'm sure you'll be moved to do that after eyeballin' those cracking versions of songs like "Drive My Car," and "Summer In The City," along with the Beatles medley and acoustic mini-interlude that made last fall's show so memorable.
And I'm not just saying that out of fannish devotion. I've heard many of these same songs done by countless other bands, but somehow, when these guys get together, their collective energy and talent lifts them above the seen-it-all-done-it-all-merchant category, pure and simple. Check out the clips, and you'll see what I mean.
The best news is that this 20-song gig also exists on DVD, and -- for a short time -- Ron will make copies available to those who want them. Simply write with your name and address, and Ron will take care of the rest. "By law, I can't charge for this or I will have to get involved with individual royalties," Ron advises in his email announcement, "and I am not interested in doing this for profit, so there will be no charge for it."
So there you have it. The Five Emprees are also still available a few times per year for weddings, parties or other select occasions...to book 'em, just contact Ron via: thefiveemprees@hotmail.com. But don't try to sell him a life insurance policy, or recruit him for a "confidential business proposal" from the other side of the world...as those cricket sounds will be rather deafening.
For those who couldn't make the gig, check out what you missed, and post the odd comment or two, if the spirit moves you! I'm sure you'll be moved to do that after eyeballin' those cracking versions of songs like "Drive My Car," and "Summer In The City," along with the Beatles medley and acoustic mini-interlude that made last fall's show so memorable.
And I'm not just saying that out of fannish devotion. I've heard many of these same songs done by countless other bands, but somehow, when these guys get together, their collective energy and talent lifts them above the seen-it-all-done-it-all-merchant category, pure and simple. Check out the clips, and you'll see what I mean.
The best news is that this 20-song gig also exists on DVD, and -- for a short time -- Ron will make copies available to those who want them. Simply write with your name and address, and Ron will take care of the rest. "By law, I can't charge for this or I will have to get involved with individual royalties," Ron advises in his email announcement, "and I am not interested in doing this for profit, so there will be no charge for it."
So there you have it. The Five Emprees are also still available a few times per year for weddings, parties or other select occasions...to book 'em, just contact Ron via: thefiveemprees@hotmail.com. But don't try to sell him a life insurance policy, or recruit him for a "confidential business proposal" from the other side of the world...as those cricket sounds will be rather deafening.
WE CAME, WE SAW...THE FIVE EMPREES IN 2008
On September 13, 2008, the Five Emprees rose again for another Lake Michigan College benefit gig -- this time, to help the Silver Beach Carousel Society complete two horses as part of a traditional wooden carousel recreation near St. Joseph's Silver Beach. However, I couldn't let the occasion go without a few observations on the proceedings, which certainly proved as much fun as last year's affair -- as you'll see from my above photos!
As ever, the guys pulled out their share of surprises, including a swooning, acoustified version of "Scarborough Fair," with some glorious harmonies from the frontline (vocalist Don Cook, bassist/guitarist Ron Pelkey, and guitarist Tony Catania) -- which certainly reminded anyone listening closely of the strong ensemble vocal work that distinguished their original output.
And, like last year, the Emprees covered quite a bit of musical ground, from the obvious '60s chestnuts ("Gimme Some Lovin'," "I'm A Believer," "Louie Louie," "Money") to blues (the Pelkey-sung "Sweet Home Chicago") and girl group classics ("Be My Baby," "The Locomotion," which allowed backup vocalists Becky Rotter and Debbie Cook, respectively, a turn in the spotlight). I also enjoyed Catania's crunching leads on "Spooky," giving the song a decidedly modern groove.
Fans got a little bit more instrument swaps over last year -- such as on "Drive My Car," for which keyboardist Bill Schueneman played bass -- and Pelkey played more guitar, as well. The second set climaxed with a glistening run through the Beatles' ABBEY ROAD mini-suite ("Carry That Weight," and so on), delivered with all the aplomb you'd expect from a veteran band -- only, in this case, one that reconvenes now and then.
"We practiced like mad, but we only practiced together once," Pelkey said, after the show. "I practiced with Bill down in Atlanta, and I came up here for a weekend, and practiced with the girls, and Don -- Tony came once, for about three hours."
Pelkey attributed the outcome to the foundation laid down by drummer D.J. Hosbein (deputizing for original stickman Michael DeRose): "He always knows his material when he shows up...that's all I can ask for." The show was filmed for a possible DVD release, and recorded to digital 24-track, as well -- for now, the word is, "Wait and see."
At least one person can't wait for the outcome. Jack Kennedy (Atlanta, GA) shot me an email, saying, "Living in Atlanta, I missed the concert. Really great memories of the Emprees playing at Lakeshore Highschool dances back in "65/66. Would definately buy the DVD and CD if they come out." (11/05/08) Guys, I think that's your cue!
Whatever happens to the recordings, those who turned out certainly got an experience they won't forget any time soon -- as Fairplain resident Dave Lewis noted, during the intermission, where Cook autographed his copy of the Emprees' trademark single ("Little Miss Sad") -- which he bought for 69 cents (!) back in the day.
"I lived a quarter of a mile from 'em -- you could hear them playing, so I'd walk down to the corner, sit down and listen to them practice," Lewis said. "And I just loved that somebody (from Benton Harbor) had made it big."
Lewis missed out on the 2007 reunion, so this night turned out to be extra special for him. "This is a piece of my history, and my life, and so are those guys," Lewis said. "It's nice to come back, and remember."
If you saw last year's reunion, you already know what the Five Emprees can do. Their love of music shines through, they put on a terrific show, and better yet, they're ace individuals: what more could you ask?
As ever, the guys pulled out their share of surprises, including a swooning, acoustified version of "Scarborough Fair," with some glorious harmonies from the frontline (vocalist Don Cook, bassist/guitarist Ron Pelkey, and guitarist Tony Catania) -- which certainly reminded anyone listening closely of the strong ensemble vocal work that distinguished their original output.
And, like last year, the Emprees covered quite a bit of musical ground, from the obvious '60s chestnuts ("Gimme Some Lovin'," "I'm A Believer," "Louie Louie," "Money") to blues (the Pelkey-sung "Sweet Home Chicago") and girl group classics ("Be My Baby," "The Locomotion," which allowed backup vocalists Becky Rotter and Debbie Cook, respectively, a turn in the spotlight). I also enjoyed Catania's crunching leads on "Spooky," giving the song a decidedly modern groove.
Fans got a little bit more instrument swaps over last year -- such as on "Drive My Car," for which keyboardist Bill Schueneman played bass -- and Pelkey played more guitar, as well. The second set climaxed with a glistening run through the Beatles' ABBEY ROAD mini-suite ("Carry That Weight," and so on), delivered with all the aplomb you'd expect from a veteran band -- only, in this case, one that reconvenes now and then.
"We practiced like mad, but we only practiced together once," Pelkey said, after the show. "I practiced with Bill down in Atlanta, and I came up here for a weekend, and practiced with the girls, and Don -- Tony came once, for about three hours."
Pelkey attributed the outcome to the foundation laid down by drummer D.J. Hosbein (deputizing for original stickman Michael DeRose): "He always knows his material when he shows up...that's all I can ask for." The show was filmed for a possible DVD release, and recorded to digital 24-track, as well -- for now, the word is, "Wait and see."
At least one person can't wait for the outcome. Jack Kennedy (Atlanta, GA) shot me an email, saying, "Living in Atlanta, I missed the concert. Really great memories of the Emprees playing at Lakeshore Highschool dances back in "65/66. Would definately buy the DVD and CD if they come out." (11/05/08) Guys, I think that's your cue!
Whatever happens to the recordings, those who turned out certainly got an experience they won't forget any time soon -- as Fairplain resident Dave Lewis noted, during the intermission, where Cook autographed his copy of the Emprees' trademark single ("Little Miss Sad") -- which he bought for 69 cents (!) back in the day.
"I lived a quarter of a mile from 'em -- you could hear them playing, so I'd walk down to the corner, sit down and listen to them practice," Lewis said. "And I just loved that somebody (from Benton Harbor) had made it big."
Lewis missed out on the 2007 reunion, so this night turned out to be extra special for him. "This is a piece of my history, and my life, and so are those guys," Lewis said. "It's nice to come back, and remember."
If you saw last year's reunion, you already know what the Five Emprees can do. Their love of music shines through, they put on a terrific show, and better yet, they're ace individuals: what more could you ask?
THE FIVE EMPREES: LOOKING BACK WITH GARY BURNS
While writing my advance story about the Five Emprees' 9/13/07 reunion at Lake Michigan College, I learned of the Arf! Arf! Records reissue (THE COMPLETE STUDIO RECORDINGS: 1965-1968), which rounds up the relevant singles, selected one-offs and, of course, the band's complete LITTLE MISS SAD album. (For selected photos of the 2007 LMC reunion, click on the above CD image, and scroll through the rest.)
The Five Emprees remain best-known for their #74 national "Billboard" chart hit, the Addrisi Brothers-penned "Little Miss Sad." The song kicked up some dust in quite a few unlikely places -- ranging from Albany, NY, to major cities like Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; San Francisco, CA: and even several cities in Canada, too.
For six glorious weeks during the summer and fall of 1965, five guys from Benton Harbor -- Don Cook (vocals, guitar), Tony Catania (guitar), Ron Pelkey (bass), William Schueneman (keyboards), and Michael DeRose (drums) -- had the world by the cojones. (DJ Hosbein deputized for DeRose on the 2007 and 2008 reunions.)
And even though no other single reached those heights again -- and the draft's demands claimed Cook, DeRose and Pelkey, stifling what momentum still remained -- the Five Emprees' slice of rock 'n' roll immortality is secure, thanks to that single.
The reissue producer (and label head) Erik Lindgren got me in touch with Gary Burns, who wrote the liner notes outlining the Emprees' whole amazing story (the anecdotes about the recording of LITTLE MISS SAD are priceless, but you'll read them for yourself in the booklet).
Armed with that suggestion, I duly contacted Gary -- naturally, this being a newspaper article, there was no way in hell to include all of his comments...so here is the complete interview now, from fall 2007, in all its glory...crank up that CD, and enjoy!
WE ALL KNOW THAT IMPRESSIONS CAN CHANGE WHEN WE BELOW THE DUST OFF OUR FAVORITE RECORDS, YEARS DOWN THE LINE. HOW DID YOUR OWN IMPRESSIONS CHANGE (OR NOT) WHEN YOU WERE WRITING THESE LINER NOTES?
GARY BURNS: I hadn't heard all of the Emprees' records, but I knew several of them. When I sat down to listen to their body of work, I was blown away. They made some really great records. It's amazing how good a lot of local bands were in the '60s.
WHAT MAKES THE FIVE EMPREES STAND OUT FROM THEIR BRETHREN, SOUND-WISE (AND EVERYTHING ELSE-WISE)?
GARY BURNS: I think the Five Emprees were on the cusp of the transition from pop to rock. They were mainly a cover band, and that probably hurt their prospects for survival and success at the time. They were also very young and very unlucky with the draft. I'm not sure I would call them garage rock. They started slightly before that and never exactly fit in with that scene. They were a working band and they did a lot of blue-eyed soul.
HOW DO THE FIVE EMPREES STACK UP AGAINST THEIR PEERS OF THE TIME -- ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE SEEMED TO BE A MINI-MOVEMENT (IN CHICAGO, ANYWAY) OF BANDS THAT WORKED MANY OF THE SAME MUSICAL AVENUES?
GARY BURNS: The Five Emprees rank right up there with the New Colony Six, Ides of March, and Cryan' Shames. They just weren't as lucky. It's too bad, but Benton Harbor is just a little too far away from Chicago. They didn't get the opportunity to record as much as some other bands and some of their unreleased recordings are lost.
WHAT DO THESE RECORDS SAY ABOUT THE MUSICAL CULTURE OF THE TIME, AND HOW THE BAND RESPONDED TO IT, ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY OF THEIR SONGS WERE COVERS (AS WAS TRUE OF COUNTLESS OTHER BANDS IN THAT ERA)?
GARY BURNS: The thing that impresses me about the Emprees is that they still get together and play in their home town. I heard a recording of their last reunion and they put on a terrific show. They love what they do and they still connect with their fans.
IN HINDSIGHT, MANY PEOPLE REGARD THE BAND AS A CLASSIC ONE-HIT WONDER, ON THE BACK OF "LITTLE MISS SAD". WHAT EVIDENCE WOULD YOU CITE TO MAKE THE OPPOSITE CASE, AND WHAT MAKES THESE RECORDINGS RELEVANT FOR A MODERN LISTENING AUDIENCE?
GARY BURNS: They actually had two hits in the Chicago area. The second one was "Hey Baby." That was not as big a hit as "Little Miss Sad," but I remember hearing it on WLS. The Emprees should have had at least three more hits--"Hey Lover," "Gone from My Mind," and "Shake." They're excellent records. They may have gotten some airplay in some markets, maybe even some chart action. They weren't national hits, but fortunately you can hear them today on the CD. They are as good as anything you heard on the radio in the 1960s. And "Little Miss Sad" is one of the all-time greats. (UPDATE, 10/23/08: I've since been advised that BigOldiesChicago is playing "Little Miss Sad" in hot rotation: for more info, visit BigOldiesChicago.com, or www.bigoldieschicago.com. And don't forget to turn it up!)
The Five Emprees remain best-known for their #74 national "Billboard" chart hit, the Addrisi Brothers-penned "Little Miss Sad." The song kicked up some dust in quite a few unlikely places -- ranging from Albany, NY, to major cities like Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; San Francisco, CA: and even several cities in Canada, too.
For six glorious weeks during the summer and fall of 1965, five guys from Benton Harbor -- Don Cook (vocals, guitar), Tony Catania (guitar), Ron Pelkey (bass), William Schueneman (keyboards), and Michael DeRose (drums) -- had the world by the cojones. (DJ Hosbein deputized for DeRose on the 2007 and 2008 reunions.)
And even though no other single reached those heights again -- and the draft's demands claimed Cook, DeRose and Pelkey, stifling what momentum still remained -- the Five Emprees' slice of rock 'n' roll immortality is secure, thanks to that single.
The reissue producer (and label head) Erik Lindgren got me in touch with Gary Burns, who wrote the liner notes outlining the Emprees' whole amazing story (the anecdotes about the recording of LITTLE MISS SAD are priceless, but you'll read them for yourself in the booklet).
Armed with that suggestion, I duly contacted Gary -- naturally, this being a newspaper article, there was no way in hell to include all of his comments...so here is the complete interview now, from fall 2007, in all its glory...crank up that CD, and enjoy!
WE ALL KNOW THAT IMPRESSIONS CAN CHANGE WHEN WE BELOW THE DUST OFF OUR FAVORITE RECORDS, YEARS DOWN THE LINE. HOW DID YOUR OWN IMPRESSIONS CHANGE (OR NOT) WHEN YOU WERE WRITING THESE LINER NOTES?
GARY BURNS: I hadn't heard all of the Emprees' records, but I knew several of them. When I sat down to listen to their body of work, I was blown away. They made some really great records. It's amazing how good a lot of local bands were in the '60s.
WHAT MAKES THE FIVE EMPREES STAND OUT FROM THEIR BRETHREN, SOUND-WISE (AND EVERYTHING ELSE-WISE)?
GARY BURNS: I think the Five Emprees were on the cusp of the transition from pop to rock. They were mainly a cover band, and that probably hurt their prospects for survival and success at the time. They were also very young and very unlucky with the draft. I'm not sure I would call them garage rock. They started slightly before that and never exactly fit in with that scene. They were a working band and they did a lot of blue-eyed soul.
HOW DO THE FIVE EMPREES STACK UP AGAINST THEIR PEERS OF THE TIME -- ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE SEEMED TO BE A MINI-MOVEMENT (IN CHICAGO, ANYWAY) OF BANDS THAT WORKED MANY OF THE SAME MUSICAL AVENUES?
GARY BURNS: The Five Emprees rank right up there with the New Colony Six, Ides of March, and Cryan' Shames. They just weren't as lucky. It's too bad, but Benton Harbor is just a little too far away from Chicago. They didn't get the opportunity to record as much as some other bands and some of their unreleased recordings are lost.
WHAT DO THESE RECORDS SAY ABOUT THE MUSICAL CULTURE OF THE TIME, AND HOW THE BAND RESPONDED TO IT, ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY OF THEIR SONGS WERE COVERS (AS WAS TRUE OF COUNTLESS OTHER BANDS IN THAT ERA)?
GARY BURNS: The thing that impresses me about the Emprees is that they still get together and play in their home town. I heard a recording of their last reunion and they put on a terrific show. They love what they do and they still connect with their fans.
IN HINDSIGHT, MANY PEOPLE REGARD THE BAND AS A CLASSIC ONE-HIT WONDER, ON THE BACK OF "LITTLE MISS SAD". WHAT EVIDENCE WOULD YOU CITE TO MAKE THE OPPOSITE CASE, AND WHAT MAKES THESE RECORDINGS RELEVANT FOR A MODERN LISTENING AUDIENCE?
GARY BURNS: They actually had two hits in the Chicago area. The second one was "Hey Baby." That was not as big a hit as "Little Miss Sad," but I remember hearing it on WLS. The Emprees should have had at least three more hits--"Hey Lover," "Gone from My Mind," and "Shake." They're excellent records. They may have gotten some airplay in some markets, maybe even some chart action. They weren't national hits, but fortunately you can hear them today on the CD. They are as good as anything you heard on the radio in the 1960s. And "Little Miss Sad" is one of the all-time greats. (UPDATE, 10/23/08: I've since been advised that BigOldiesChicago is playing "Little Miss Sad" in hot rotation: for more info, visit BigOldiesChicago.com, or www.bigoldieschicago.com. And don't forget to turn it up!)