The Gentlemen Four
“We’ll Be Seeing You…”
1978, no label
From the liner notes: “For three years these four aspiring physicists have humbly had the Science Building at Point Loma College as their home. They found there that they could sing, would sing, so… they did sing! Headed up by Bob, they had soon wafted their hilarious harmonies into the heart of all who heard. But, it only started there. Soon they were on the banquet circuit, singing for churches, and often the main attraction at school functions and presentations.”
The Uplifters, “Guided By the Footprints”, 1985, ECP # 2097
The other day I found The Uplifters & the Polston Family side by side at a thrift store and assumed at first it was the same visually challenged group…. but it was not. A dig through the BizarreRecords archive turned up a few other groups from the time when giant glasses went hand in hand with giant hair.
The Polston Family, “Featuring ‘Well Glory’ and ‘The Singing Family’”, Alpha #7908-4
The Merits, “A Brand New Touch”, Rainbow #2506
The Roy Knight Singers, “Little David”, 1985, Supreme #SS 33042
Judy Hagan, “For Those Tears I Died”, Benson Sound
So as you may or may not have noticed. Bizarrerecords.com has been having some technical issues over the past few months affecting my ability to post and your ability to comment. After many failed attempts to fix the problem, I finally restored a backup of the site and everything seems to be going swimmingly again. But a few posts have disappeared, so sorry if you see a few repeats…
“I was a stinkin’, filthy, no-good junkie, twisted out of my mind. Up tight. Bound by dope. A chronic addict. A chronic criminal. A chronic liar. There was no way out. The doctors said it. The narcos said it. My family said it. It was my sister’s boyfriend who gave me my first taste of marijuana. I was not quite ten at the time… I was out of my mind! I never forgot the beating I got when my father found out. Man! I was sick!… Kept throwing up, falling down, getting up… laughing all the time my father was hitting me.”
From the liner notes: “The first thing you notice is the incredible number of instruments on the stage. Could they possibly use them all? No way. Nobody could be that versatile. that talented you say. But as soon as they step on stage, you know that you’ve underestimated them. The way they look, the way they act tells you that the Executives are professionals. They are in charge. The show starts and for the next hour or so you become involved. Your emotions are touched. You laugh, you listen, and you’re moved… because the Executives deliver.
It’s always over too soon and before you know it you’re walking out into the night to your car. On the way home you try to pick out your favorite number, your favorite joke, your favorite moment. And it’s not easy to decide. It isn’t until later, until after you’re home that you discover you’ve been changed a little. From now on it’s just going to take more to entertain you. A little extra to reach you. Because you’ve been spoiled. You’ve been to see the Executives.”
– Don Reo (note: Mr. Reo was the first comedy partner of comedian Slappy White. He then worked as writer on the JIMMY DURANTE PRESENTS THE LENNON SISTERS SHOW. Mr. Reo currently writes for T.V.’s LAUGH – IN.)
