- Syndicate of Sound
The Syndicate of Sound were a 1960s
garage band fromSan Jose, California , with an edgy style that some critics have considered to be a forerunner ofpsychedelic rock .The band originally comprised Don Baskin (b.
October 9 ,1946 ,Honolulu ) (vocals, guitar); Bob Gonzalez (b.February 14 ,1947 , San Jose, California) (bass); Larry Ray (b.September 12 ,1945 ,San Francisco ) (guitar); John Sharkey (b.June 8 ,1946 ,Los Angeles ) (guitar, keyboards); and John Duckworth (b.November 18 ,1946 , Springfield,Missouri ?) (drums). The group was formed from the combination of two teen bands (The Pharoahs and The Aristocrats). The Syndicate of Sound rapidly became popular in the San Jose area, and the next year won a "Battle of the Bands" competition against about 100 groups includingThe Golliwogs (laterCreedence Clearwater Revival ). The prize was a recording session withDel-Fi Records , but the resulting single "Prepare For Love" was unsuccessful.Baskin and Gonzalez continued to write new material, and came up with "Little Girl", which the band recorded for Hush Records in San Francisco in January 1966. It became a regional hit after San Jose radio stations latched onto it, attracting the attention of executives at Bell Records in New York, who released it nationally and offered the group a contract for an album. Replacing Ray with guitarist Jim Sawyers, they wrote and recorded the LP in three weeks, and began a national tour appearing with other hit acts such as the
Young Rascals , theYardbirds , and theRolling Stones . "Little Girl " reached the US national pop charts in June 1966, peaking at # 8.In an attempt to sustain their success, the band released three more singles, but none charted. Duckworth was then drafted, other members began to drop out, and the group disbanded in 1970. Baskin worked as a studio musician and arranger in Hollywood before turning to country music later in the decade. "Little Girl" was later recorded by other artists, including English pseudo-punk group
The Banned - an offshoot of prog-rock band Gryphon - who reached the UK charts with it in 1977. The American punk group theDead Boys included a version on their 1977 debut album "Young, Loud and Snotty ". "Hey Little Girl", renamed "Hey Little Boy", was also covered by Australian bandDivinyls in 1988 on their "Temperamental" album. The song was also recognised by theRock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, where it is on permanent rotation. In 1990, Baskin, Gonzalez and Duckworth reformed the band, which continues to perform occasionally. In 2005, Larry Ray rejoined the band. [Information from [http://www.syndicateofsoundband.com/ Syndicate of Sound website] ; www.syndicateofsoundband.com.]References
External links
* [http://www.syndicateofsoundband.com Syndicate of Sound Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/syndicateofsound Syndicate of Sound MySpace Page]
* [http://www.classicbands.com/syndicate.html More information, including interview with Baskin]
* [http://www.sanjoserocks.org Syndicate of Sound, San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame]
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