Blue Feeling - The Story Of Snakeye

Snakeye was formed in August of 1971 out of the remnants of multiple local Halifax, Nova Scotia, groups: Langley Beach Crowd, Pepper Tree, and Melody Fair. The original members consisted of Allard Barkhouse (drums/lead vocals), Jim White (guitar), Tony Argent (guitar), and Kenny Umphrey (bass/backing vocals). The leader of the group (as well as the main songwriter and lead singer) was Allard Barkhouse. He also acted as de facto management during the early days.

During 1971 and early 1972, Snakeye performed around Nova Scotia and garnered a small but devoted following. They began a management arrangement with H.P. & Bell, who also managed Lighthouse at that time. H.P. & Bell arranged a central Canadian tour (Ontario/Montreal) for Snakeye during the summer of 1972 in an attempt to bolster their popularity. They played the regular circuit for bands of the time: high schools, colleges/universities, coffee bars/clubs, bars, etc.

While in Toronto during their summer 1972 tour, Snakeye recorded their debut album at Toronto's famous Thunder Sound Studios. Producer and multi-instrumentalist Keith Jollimore partnered with them to produce the sessions. This was something of a reunion, as Keith was also from Halifax and had previously played in Central Nervous System with Snakeye guitarist Jim White. Keith Jollimore was a reeds player in multiple Halifax bands, including the house band of Frank's Bandstand, The Offbeats. In addition to this, Keith was a singer, songwriter, arranger, and in-demand session musician before relocating to Toronto.

The material recorded for Snakeye's debut album was wholly original. Bandleader Allard Barkhouse co-wrote every song with various members of the band, with the exception of "Blue Feelin'" and "Choked Up," which were credited to the whole band. Producer Keith Jollimore added flute and saxophone to some songs. He also hired Paul Hoffert (Lighthouse) to be executive producer on the sessions, brought in Dianne Brooks for backing vocals, and current bandmate (Dr. Music) Doug Riley to add piano/keyboards. This clearly affected the band, as they would eventually add a keyboardist to the lineup.

 A total of ten songs were chosen for the album, but it's possible that more songs were recorded during the June/July Thunder Sound sessions. Two songs were chosen for a debut single, and the band was excited to begin shopping their demos around to record labels. They hit the road and continued their tour before returning to Halifax in the fall of 1972. Upon their return, the gigging continued, but Snakeye struggled with finding a label for their album.

In early 1973, Snakeye's luck changed when they managed to secure a contract with the Canadian brand of the United States record label United Artists Records. Though the album was still shelved, the band was able to test the waters with their lead single, "Blue Feelin'/Choked Up." The only condition, was that they had to add horns, which makes the single recordings unique to the album versions. Released in the spring of 1973 internationally, the A-side managed to reach #51 on the RPM Hot 100 Singles Chart, which gave the band another shot at Toronto. They were invited to open a series of high-profile gigs with A Foot In Cold Water and April Wine. The band graciously accepted, but after all was said and done, they had to quickly return to the Maritimes, where another high-profile opening slot awaited, this time for Blood, Sweat & Tears on nearly a half dozen East Coast dates.

From the outside, things were looking up for Snakeye: chart success, touring, and opening for big Canadian acts. But unfortunately, behind the scenes, lineup changes were on the horizon. First, bassist Kenny Umphrey left the band in late 1973 and was replaced by Gordon Tucker (Double Blind). This lineup solidified through early 1974 when Snakeye was touring with Ocean and The Bells, two other Canadian mega-acts. Then, after contract disputes with their management (mostly due to H.P. & Bell losing Lighthouse as a client) again delayed the release of their album, guitarists Jim White and Tony Argent left the band. They were replaced by Steve Brown and Cedric Upshaw. 

Throughout the remainder of 1974, Snakeye coasted on existing gigs, and leader Allard Barkhouse returned to management duties temporarily. Bassist Gordon Tucker left the group, and former bassist Kenny Umphrey was asked to rejoin the band, which he accepted. The band signed a management contract with Hudson Productions and continued to search for new recording/record release opportunities as the months progressed. 

Near the end of 1974, Snakeye was contacted by Halifax record label owner Harold Langille. He had recently launched a new label called Big Harold's Records, and though it only had two releases on its roster (a single by Blakeney Still and an album by The Festival Family), Harold felt Snakeye's album would be a perfect addition to the label. Plans were made, and the album (entitled Blue Feelin') finally saw release in early 1975. New members and old members were credited on the album jacket, but none of the new members performed on any of the tracks. The album is a phenomenal ten-song platter of pure original blues rock magic. Standout tracks include "I'm Coming Home", co-written by Allard Barkhouse and bassist Kenny Umphrey. 

Kenny Umphrey's second phase with the band came to an end in early 1975, shortly after the release of the band's debut album. He was replaced by Allard Barkhouse's former bandmate from Langley Beach Crowd, bassist Steve Russell. After getting Steve up to speed on the band's repertoire, Snakeye embarked on their third Ontario tour, which was followed up with an opening slot on April Wine's Maritimes tour to close out 1975.                                                    

                                                                                            UNDER CONSTRUCTION - CHECK BACK SOON

                                              

Migration - The Story Of Three To One & Raja

                                 INFORMATION HERE IS CURRENTLY BEING REVISED - STAY TUNED FOR THE UPDATED ARTICLE

Three to One's short but influential run began in Vancouver during late 1966. The band consisted of Brian Russell (guitar/vocals), Claudette Skrypnyk (drums), Derek "Derry" Norris (bass/vocals), and John Renton (guitar/keyboards/vocals). Brian, Claudette, and Derek were established members of the Vancouver music scene, while John Renton was a newcomer. Below is the story of how these four musicians came together.

Claudette Skrypnyk (often miscredited as 'Scritnik') was a singer/drummer born in Saskatchewan before moving to British Columbia, where her first band was the Kelowna-to-Vancouver R&B band The Shadracks, a quintet that also featured Craig McCaw (later of Poppy Family fame). Claudette set herself apart both by being the only female drummer on the scene and by drumming barefoot, the latter garnering quite the fan base. The Shadracks began in 1962 with a different lineup: Glenn Chilow (rhythm guitar), Craig McCaw (guitar,) Rick Mussellam (vocals), Warren Dunnaway (drums), and Bob Verge (bass). Drummer Joe Stolz replaced Warren Dunnaway for a few gigs before Claudette joined. The Shadracks toured British Columbia and managed to secure a recording contract with Toronto's ARC Records. Their lone single, "Call Up The Man/Midnight Blues," was released during August of 1966. "Call Up The Man" received modest chart success around British Columbia and Toronto and eventually made it onto the Rob Frith/Neptoon Records compilation called The History Of Vancouver Rock And Roll Volume 2.

John "Bernard" Renton was a singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist born in India. John's family moved to England early on in his childhood, where he fell in love with music. During his teen years, John played in multiple English bands and befriended a pre-fame Jeff Beck. According to John, the pair briefly played in a band together [NAME UNKNOWN] before the Renton family moved to Vancouver. "Jeff Beck went on to success with The Yardbirds shortly after I left England, but we kept in touch and got together for meals when his band came to town," says John. Upon arrival in Canada, John used his previous education in England to secure a job in the Vancouver Technologies space, computers specifically. Although he took a brief break from music, it wasn't long before he met Derek Norris, who helped draw him back in. John and Derek began living together in an apartment off Broadview in Vancouver. Just down an alleyway by their place was a little recording studio called Vancouver Recording Services, operated by legendary producer Robin Spurgin. John and Derek began doing sessions at the studio, and these activities led to meeting Tom Baird, keyboardist/arranger of The Classics, who was also producing the Vancouver leg of CBC's Let's Go television show. Tom then hired John Renton to make solo singing appearances on the Let's Go program, but unfortunately no tapes of these performances are known to exist.

Derek "Derry" Norris was a singer/bassist/guitarist born in British Columbia, where he quickly became enamored with music before moving to Vancouver's thriving downtown area in his teenage years. Derek got involved in the music scene early as both a singer and musician. During 1963, Derek (as bassist) co-founded his first band, The Roving Three, alongside guitarist Mike Buckley (older brother of The Villains/Spring multi-instrumentalist Bob Buckley) and guitarist Steve Miller (not that one). The Roving Three performed on the Vancouver folk circuit during 1963 and 1964 before adding female vocalist/percussionist Phyllis Surges and morphing into The New Wave Singers in early 1965. Derek, dissatisfied with the band's new direction, decided to leave, and Vancouver bass legend Rick Enns took his place. He decided to focus on promoting at a local coffeehouse [NAME UNKNOWN], where he managed to book big acts like Sonny Terry, Jose Feliciano, Brownie McGhee, and others throughout 1965. Derek Norris met and befriended John Renton along the way, and the pair began jamming and living together at John's Broadview apartment in Vancouver. Derek and John then began doing musical sessions at Robin Spurgin's nearby studio.

Brian "Winston" Russell was a singer/guitarist born in Calcutta, India. He came from a musical family, with his sister Gillian Russell also pursuing music in her teenage years. Brian shared a similar early story with John Renton as the Russell family traveled to England from India in Brian's youth. During his mid-teens, Brian and his family moved from England to the Okanogan Valley region of central British Columbia. And by 1959, the family had relocated to Vancouver. Brian Russell was a founding member of The Classics (later The Collectors and eventually Chilliwack) in 1961, alongside Howie Vickers (vocals), Claire Lawrence (sax), Glenn Miller (bass), Tom Baird (piano), and Gary Taylor (drums). The group also performed under the alias C.F.U.N. Classics as part of a promotional deal with a local Vancouver radio station, CFUN-AM. Tom Baird composed the majority of The Classics' four singles (three of which charted locally) between 1963 and 1966. Brian was guitarist and backing vocalist on all of them. The Classics were the house band for the Vancouver leg of CBC's Let's Go musical variety program (1964-1966). After two seasons of the grueling television recording schedule, The Classics quit the show and split up. Some members wanted to continue doing the show, so they joined the replacement band Probably Us for the third season. 

After Brian Russell's departure from The Classics in the summer of 1966, he began jamming with Derek Norris and John Renton. "During the process of finding a drummer, Claudette's name came up," says John Renton. "We all knew who she was, and when we auditioned her, she blew us away!" As a result, the original trio became a quartet. An early observation by a friend regarding the gender dynamics of the band yielded their band name, 'Three To One.'

From the onset, Three To One knew they had something special, and with Brian's connections from CBC's Let's Go program, they quickly found a manager in Burt Napier. Burt saw the potential that Three To One possessed, both musically and from a unique marketing standpoint. The consensus among the band and management was that Vancouver was not where they needed to be. Although each of Canada's main cities had thriving music scenes at the time, the crown of opportunity unequivocally rested with Toronto.

Three To One settled on Jameson Avenue in Toronto, with Brian, John, and Derek rooming together in the unit of one apartment building, while Claudette found a room with female roommates at a building further down the street. The group proceeded to rent a rehearsal space at Yonge & Bloor, "right above the subway station," says John. "The room next door to us was rented out by Ian & Sylvia, and the room next to that was rented by a brother and sister musical act who had a dance show on CTV. It may have been Shawne & Jay Jackson, but I can't remember." In addition to the star-studded musical neighbors, another tenant on the floor did photography [John—Aryss last name unknown], and the band hired them to be their regular photographer.

After taking some promo photos, Three To One began gigging around Toronto, becoming regulars at Le Coq d'Or, The Hawk's Nest, Broom & Stone, and The Brown Derby, among other local venues. "We made friends with a few bands around town, but we were closest with Bobby Kris & The Imperials," says John. From their first show, the racial/gender dynamic of Three To One was apparent. It was jarring for some and enthralling for others, simply because very few (if any) bands on the local/national music scenes of the day had female drummers, and fewer still had South Asian frontmen and a band who wholly embraced those cultural themes musically and in dress. 

A big early gig for Three To One was as part of an outdoor showcase at Scarborough Arena Gardens. The event took place on June 10th and featured Roy Kenner & The Associates, The Magic Circus, Eddie Spencer & The Mission, The Jackdaws, Lords Of London, The Counts, Bobby Kris & The Imperials, The Tripp, and Grant Smith & The Power. 

The Scarborough Arena show for Three To One was well received. Roy Kenner & The Associates approached Burt Napier, asking if Three To One could open for them on two of their late June dates. They agreed, and the next show was at Scarborough's Broom & Stone club on June 20th alongside The Associates and The Symbol. The Associates then embarked on a road gig to Bramalea, Ontario, at Bramalea Arena on June 23rd.

Three To One declined to go with Roy Kenner & The Associates on their July/August northern Ontario tour, opting to return to Toronto. This decision proved wise, as The Associates imploded near the end of the tour in August, with singer Roy Kenner and keyboardist Henry Babraj joining Mandala to replace their recently departed singer George Olliver and keyboardist Joey Chriwoski.

The remainder of the summer was busy for Three to One. They performed local shows at clubs like The Hawks Nest, Club 888, El Patio, and The Flick, among others. They rubbed shoulders with local bands and began making a reputation for themselves. In addition to this, they played around the GTA (greater Toronto area) and even traveled to Orillia to play at The Pavilion's famous Teen Club.

ARC Records came calling during July of 1967, specifically producer Tony DiMaria, who was managing the roster of ARC publishing arm Canint. Tony signed the band to a two-single deal, with the condition that the A-side of their first would be a cover of Pink Floyd's recent June 16th release, "See Emily Play," and the flip could be whatever the band wanted. Three To One entered ARC's home recording space, Bay Studios, during July/August of 1967 with producer Tony DiMaria and engineer Gary Starr. What started as filling a single turned into nearly an album's worth of mostly original material written by John and Brian, with occasional writing contributions from Derek.

"See Emily Play/Give Me Love" was released in early September of 1967 on the ARC Records label. The B-side is a band original written by John Renton and Brian Russell, featuring a strong lead fuzz guitar. Though the A-side was long considered the 'first ever' cover of "See Emily Play," recent discoveries show that is not the case. It turns out there was some trickery afoot. In typical ARC Records fashion, the label purchased the bed track for the song from England, where Ben Cash and The Cashtons had recently recorded what is widely considered to be the ACTUAL first cover version. As a means to differentiate their version from the UK version, ARC had Three To One's John Renton put his vocals on the track and then added some remix elements like children's dialogue and space sound effects. 

Though the single was poised for success, Three To One's cover of "See Emily Play" only met with minor regional interest upon release. The group did manage to perform on CBC's Let's Go program in late 1967 as well as CTV's After Four program, but tapes/footage from either program have yet to surface. It's likely that both sides of "See Emily Play/Give Me Love" were performed. Three To One's version of "See Emily Play" also saw a 1968 reissue on ARC's subsidiary Yorkville Records. This was as part of a compilation album called "CTV's After Four," which featured a selection of ARC and Yorkville Records releases. 

Unfortunately, while the reissue was well-intentioned, Yorkville forgot to check if Three To One was still together at the time (early 1968) and, additionally, mislabeled the entry as "Bob Francis—I’ve Been a Bad, Bad Boy." This comedy of errors was of little consequence to the band during that period. This was because they had already moved on to using another band name and were preparing to record. 

To that end, the remainder of 1967 was uneventful for Three to One. They played Stratford (Club 42), Barrie (The Pavilion) and a few other locales in an attempt to grow their audience. But unfortunately, their lack of success saw Burt Napier bow out of band operations, and he was soon replaced by Ron Scribner, who signed the band to his RSA (Ron Scribner Agency) management company and its stable of artists. By 1968, however, the band would re-emerge as The Raja. They donned South Asian attire (Nehru shirts, etc.) on stage and in promotional photos. The Raja also leaned into the eastern influences of its principal songwriters (John Renton and Brian Russell) through writing and instrumentation. 

The Raja performed extensively around Toronto and the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area) throughout the early months of 1968. Additionally, they played another show at Orillia's Pavilion, Sudbury's Club 42, etc. One of the band's career highlights was opening for The Who, The Troggs, and MC5 at CNE Coliseum on April 7th. This was truly a testament to the band's skill, appeal, and managerial connections.

During May of 1968, the Raja were given the opportunity to record for a new record label. ARC Records had just launched Goodgroove Records, a subsidiary label originally for American soul/R&B imports from the M.S. Records label (Louis Curry, The Buena Vistas, and Lonette McKee). Tony DiMaria was put in charge of finding Canadian talent to bolster the roster of Goodgroove. His first choice was Toronto R&B band The Majestics with a pair of tracks from their fourth ARC studio album, Funky Broadway ("Tell Mama/Hey Joe"). Tony's second choice for inclusion was Raja. 

The Raja entered Bay Studios during May/June of 1968 to record their debut single. Technically, the Raja were still under contract with ARC from the Three To One days. This meant that they owed ARC Records a second release. Thankfully, this second release didn't have a mandated material requirement, as their Three To One single did ("See Emily Play").

August of 1968 was a busy month for the Raja. First, their debut single, "Realize/Drifting In The Wind," was released and promoted in RPM Magazine. Both sides were written by Brian Russell. The Raja also had a number of high-profile gigs lined up, which included appearing at the Flick in Yorkville Village (August 19th-21st), The Scene in the North Toronto Memorial Arena, and at the CNE's Time Being festival (August 23rd-29th).

The Time Being festival was a two-week event (August 15th-September 2nd) held at the CNE, which featured a massive assortment of Canadian talent and international artists appearing daily. From the Canadian roster, you had acts like Kensington Market, Magic Cycle, Tyme & A Half, Lords Of London, The Staccattos, Cat (formerly The Spastiks), The Yeomen, and many more. On the international side you had Buddy Guy, Moby Grape, Valentine Kelly Explosion, and others. It was truly a fantastic assortment, and the Raja appeared for seven consecutive days. 

During September, the Raja's single entered the RPM charts, but not the A-side "Realize." The B-side "Drifting In The Wind" began charting around Ontario, and the song managed to climb to #89 on RPM's Hot 100 Singles Chart by September 16th, as well as reaching #8 on the Cancon Top 20 Charts. The band was invited to perform their songs live on CBC television, but the footage has not surfaced since. They were also signed for the CFOX Spectacular to be held at the Dorval Arena in Montreal on August 24th. This was a showcase of Toronto talent, which featured The Raja and The Mandala. 

Though the high-profile gigs were nice, the lack of sustainable chart success and album reco  rding opportunities took its toll on the band's members. By November of 1968, the Raja were no more. They left behind them a short but compelling legacy under both of their chosen names. Though Three To One is immortalized due to "See Emily Play," The Raja were a fascinating Canadian musical footnote that deserves more attention. 

Brian Russell got involved in Toronto session work as well as the production side of things at ARC Records. He recorded many guitar sessions during the 1970s with Heads of Our Time, Anne Murray, Roger Whittaker, J. Vincent Edwards, King Biscuit Boy, and more before heading out on tour with international superstars during the 1980s.

John Renton also got involved with session work in Toronto before briefly replacing Gregory Lee in Yorkville psych/prog band Nucleus. "I gave him my Coral Electric Sitar as a goodwill gesture," says Gregory. John was later replaced by Ronald Corrigan, at which point he got back into session work. John Renton was discovered and signed by Reprise Records in 1974. He then set to work on his debut solo album, Half In, Half Out. 

Claudette Skrypnyk and Derek Norris returned to Vancouver soon after the demise of The Raja, where they reinvolved themselves in the local music scene and session work. Derek joined a cover band called Owl alongside Dave Sinclair, Jimm Taylor, and Frank Ludwig. 

Keep On Running - The Grant Smith & The Power Story

 

Toronto of the 1960s was a hotbed of musical activity. Patrons hungry for musical entertainment could have their pick of genre on any given night: jazz, country, folk (solo and with a group), pop/rock, and more. It all came down to what club you chose to walk into. Perhaps the greatest delight of this musical buffet was the proliferation of a distinct form of R&B/Soul, mostly on Yonge Street in the early days. Clubs like the Devil’s Den, Club 888, the Hawk’s Nest, Club Mimicombo, The Gogue Inn, and especially The Bluenote, were instrumental in the growth and promotion of this new sound.

Grant Smith & The Power were one of the cornerstones of Toronto's new thriving R&B scene. The band was a training ground (much like Ronnie Hawkins' band) for up-and-coming local musicians. Members of "The Power" went on to be in Motherlode, McKenna Mendelson Mainline, Jericho, and Dr. Music, among other prolific Canadian bands. Along with The Mandala, David Clayton Thomas' bands, Bobby Kris & The Imperials, Jon and Lee & The Checkmates, Robbie Lane & The Disciples, and more, Grant Smith & The Power were instrumental in developing what later became known as "The Toronto Sound."

Grant Smith & The Power began under a (slightly) different name, backing a different singer. The group met and officially formed at Yorkville’s Chez Monique Coffeehouse (88 Yorkville Ave.) during October 1966. The original lineup consisted of ex-members of two seminal Yorkville R&B bands, as well as members of Las Vegas show band “The Beau Keys.” Drummer Charlie Miller and organist Val Stevens played with “The Weepers,” tenor saxophonist Jerry (Shymanski) Mann played with “Bobby Kris and The Imperials,” and trumpeter Ralph Miller (Charlie’s older brother) played with “The Beau Keys.”

Further auditions added budding local bassist Mike Harrison and Hamilton guitarist Les Morris to the lineup. Les had been playing for some time and was quite proficient in the 1950s tradition. Mike, on the other hand, was relatively new to his instrument. In the background, Brian Ayres (Bud Matton agent and former bassist with The Galaxies, The Marque-Royals and lastly, The Beau Keys) was ever-present as the band's “Éminence grise.” He and Ralph Miller were the band’s de facto management.

Last (but certainly not least) was singer Eddie Spencer. Eddie was part of the initial wave of musical immigration from Jamaica to Toronto. He had a distinct, powerful voice and was determined to make his mark on the Canadian music scene. Eddie made the trip to Canada in 1964 alongside his bandmates in The Sheiks. The group was looking to build a following and score some gigs outside of their homeland. Some of these Jamaican natives had no idea what the Canadian winters had in store. Lead singer Jackie Opel made a quick exit after his first taste of the “Canuck Cold.” This was one of many opportunities for the budding young talent of Eddie Spencer. He replaced Jackie for a year or two before leaving the group altogether.

Eddie Spencer & The Power garnered a small local following in the lead-up to 1967. In Toronto’s R&B scene, they were setting themselves apart as a group to watch out for. Eddie’s raw, soulful delivery and the consummate musical ability of “The Power” helped them really make an impact. Their public debut was at Toronto’s “Club 888” in late October 1966, opening for the inimitable Ike & Tina Turner.

Over the next two months, Murray Campbell's Devil's Den club became “The Power's” rehearsal hall and after-hours spot. Long and frequent rehearsals helped propel the band up in status to one of Toronto's most popular dance bands, playing all the hippest local venues: The Gogue Inn, The Hawk's Nest, The Broom and Stone, and almost every forward-looking high school gymnasium in what we know today as the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area).

Though things were off to a great start for the band, a problem was looming on the horizon. Ralph Miller had been acting as the de facto manager of “The Power” with guidance from Brian Ayres, a friend and cohort of the band. Brian had begun working as a junior agent at Toronto’s “Bud Matton Agency.” A growing dissatisfaction with vocalist Eddie Spencer was blooming between Brian and Ralph (potentially influenced by the higher-ups at The Bud Matton Agency). Eddie was more of an accomplished vocalist than a flashy showman; it seems the latter was what the pair was after. Additionally, due to the racial climate in Toronto at the time and attitudes around race, the band’s leadership felt that having a white singer would be a better business move, particularly when it came to attracting the younger female demographic. This was around the time when Grant Smith came to the attention of the group.

Ellis Grant Smith was born and raised in London, Ontario. A lover of soul and R&B, Grant often sang along to his favorite records, but his early days in music were as a drummer, not as a singer. He drummed for a London comedy-rock band called “The Missing Links.” Grant stayed with the group until a car accident in 1965 ended his drumming career. He soon after picked up a microphone. He got together with a short-lived country-rock band known as Zeke & The Moonshiners.

By 1966, Grant's group Zeke & The Moonshiners had run its course. Being an early alt-country outfit, Grant was dissatisfied with the material and direction. He was plotting his exit soon after joining. Shortly after leaving, Grant formed E.G. Smith and The Express. This group played music that Grant loved, and so he gave his all every time they got on stage. His raw, albeit untrained, voice was instrumental in helping build the popularity of the group. They quickly gained a live reputation around Ontario for their "heart-stopping" talent and live energy.

As 1966 came to a close, E.G. Smith & The Express had reached newfound levels of popularity and began gigging in Toronto.  Brian Ayers was managing the group via the Bud Matton agency and convinced the rest of  "The Power” to go see the band perform. Though the group didn’t think much of it, the suits had other ideas. Grant, though not half the singer as Eddie, was a flashy showman with a particularly powerful stage presence; this particularly caught Brian Ayres’ eye.

On the evening of December 31st, 1966, having just completed the New Year's Eve gig upstairs at Toronto's prestigious Gogue Inn, singer Eddie Spencer and guitarist Les Morris were fired. Neither musician had any inkling beforehand, nor did the rest of the band; this really took everyone by surprise. After the news was broken, frontman Eddie Spencer approached bassist Mike Harrison: "Hey, man, Happy New Year! I've just been fired." Shocked by the news, he uttered a stunned "Huh?" Mike was in absolute disbelief.

Eddie was fired for previously mentioned reasons, while Les was fired to accommodate Grant Smith's guitarist Jim Pauley. Additionally, Jerry Mann [Shymanski] quit around this time as the band leadership didn't want him to bring his girlfriend to gigs (he was supposed to be available to the teenyboppers), and as the oldest band member (23), he wouldn't stand for it. Brian Ayres was brought in to replace him on saxophone.

After his unexpected firing from “The Power,” Eddie worked on putting together another band. In late 1967 he started gigging with a new band as Eddie Spencer and the Mission. They eventually caught the attention of ARC Records’ Tony DiMaria, who became Eddie’s personal manager. What followed was a fruitful year/two of recording, releasing three singles in a twelve-month span alone. First out of the gate was “You're So Good To Me Baby/If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)” in April 1968. This features a variation of The Precision’s “If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)” with the same backing track. This had minor success before being forgotten. ARC’s newly founded subsidiary label Goodgroove housed his next two singles, “Power Of Love/Baby Now That I've Found You” in December of 1968 and “Dream Lover/Whiter Shade Of Pale” in early 1969. These three singles have become highly coveted in the intervening decades (particularly in the UK, where they’ve been discovered and reissued), showing the high caliber of soul/funk/R&B that Eddie was capable of singing as well as, in the case of “Power of Love,” his ability as a songwriter.

As for "The Power," changes began taking place almost immediately. They hired Grant Smith and guitarist Jim Pauley, but another bandmate of Grant’s from “Express” was also being courted. Drummer Wayne Stone took more convincing, but after two weeks, he relented. This decision created a fairly unique situation for a dance band: two drummers. The next, crucial change was the band name. They rebranded as Grant Smith & The Power, sometimes going by E.G. Smith & The Power before fully committing to the former.

During early 1967, the band started establishing a solid fan base on southern Ontario’s dance circuit. "The Power" were fully rehearsed and began showcasing tight, eye-catching choreography at their shows. In addition to this, management had a series of suits made for the band's members in an array of eye-catching colors. Famous Toronto celebrity tailor Lou Myles was contracted and did not disappoint; Grant Smith & The Power were one of the sharpest-dressed bands in town. 

Audiences were amazed by what "The Power" had cooked up in just two short months with their new lineup. Many wondered why the group had yet to record. The truth was, there had been little interest from local/international labels up until this point, which wasn't entirely the band's fault. Very few independent Canadian labels were around during that period; international labels hadn't started their "Canadian Expansion" projects, and the established Canadian labels were more concerned with reissuing popular international releases. 

During March 1967, however, "The Power" managed to secure a demo recording, potentially spearheaded by Brian Ayres. They recorded some of their standard R&B stage tunes as well as an early version of "Keep On Running.” Though nothing initially came of it (besides the studio experience), getting Keep On Running down on tape was an important decision. 

As 1967 wore on, the band was working regularly around Ontario but with an increasing frequency in Toronto. They played everywhere and anywhere they could, including eight bookings at Ronnie Hawkins' famed Hawk's Nest club alone. Unfortunately, road fatigue would claim its first victim during the summer of that year. Shortly after a June 27th show at the Broom & Stone in Scarborough, original drummer Charlie Miller left the band. With the lineup reduced to a single drummer, Wayne Stone cut his teeth in the solo drummer chair at a week-long summer resort gig in Grand Bend, Ontario. After this short engagement, the band was packed and ready for Boston.

The new lineup consisted of Grant Smith (vocals), Mike Harrison (bass), Wayne Stone (drums), Ralph Miller (trumpet), Brian Ayres (tenor saxophone), Jim Pauley (guitar), and Val Stevens (organ/keyboards). The band booked gigs in the Northeastern United States for semi-regular work throughout the remainder of the summer. Four weeks in Boston kicked off the tour, followed by two weeks in Revere, Massachusetts, and wrapped up with a two-week stay in Williamsville, a suburb of Buffalo, New York.

Grant Smith & The Power returned to Toronto at the end of August. Many members were rejuvenated and hopeful for the future. Unfortunately, guitarist Jim Pauley didn’t feel the same way. He decided to quit the group, frustrated with the lack of meaningful success. This prompted bassist Mike Harrison to briefly quit the band as well. He was burnt out from touring and felt like staying around Toronto while considering his next move.

After many auditions, guitarist Jim Pauley was replaced by the talented Jon Palma, who formerly played in "The Weepers" with Charlie Miller and Val Stevens. Band management persuaded Mike Harrison to return to the band as well. "Though I was initially frustrated, I decided it was in my best interest to return to the band," says Mike Harrison. "The Power" brought Jim up to speed on their repertoire and began playing live the following week, kicked off by a gig at Toronto’s Hawk’s Nest.

During September, the band made plans to record songs with Toronto producer John C. Irvine for a potential single. They recorded a Grant Smith/Val Stevens original in “Her Own Life,” and when engineer Ivan Bradley asked what they were recording for the flip side, the band froze; nobody had considered a second tune. After some discussion, bassist Mike Harrison suggested "Keep On Running," as it had gone remarkably well in their March recording session. Everyone agreed, and they re-recorded the song for the single. 

The September recording sessions were a success, and the band was happy with the demos they had done. October was mostly dedicated to gigging and shopping around the potential single to local labels. During November, however, Grant Smith & The Power were introduced to the songwriting team Art Snider and Al Rain. The pair had been working together for most of the 1960s, writing and recording minor hits for local artists. Art Snider doubled as engineer and producer at his self-owned Sound Canada Recording Centre, while Al Rain was particularly gifted in the songwriting department, being Canada’s chief purveyor of “Northern Soul.” 

Al Rain wrote a pair of songs specifically for Grant Smith & The Power, which he presented to them on meeting. The songs required strong backing vocals, so Al Rain provided his vocal group, The Tiaras. The result was a fantastic soul/funk double-sider that has since become a collector's item among fans of Northern Soul.

Both the September and November recording sessions featured the tenor saxophone playing of Steve Kennedy. Though hired for these sessions specifically, Kennedy (of Eric Mercury & The Soul Searchers) eventually joined the band in February 1968, while they were in Boston. Brian Ayres (the band’s tenor saxophonist) switched to baritone sax for the aforementioned sessions. 

January of 1968 finally saw the release of Grant Smith & The Power's debut single, "Keep On Running/Her Own Life." John C. Irvine launched his own label called Boo! Records, and "Keep On Running" was the first release. Originally, as the story goes, they planned on “Her Own Life” being the A-side. However, “Keep On Running” turned out well, so the band decided to lead with it instead. This proved to be a stroke of genius; the song was a minor hit in Canada, reaching #15 on the CHUM charts in Toronto, with some lesser placements across the country.

Seeing the success of "Keep On Running," the band booked another small tour of the eastern U.S. for February-March of 1968, trying to capitalize and expand their audience. Behind the scenes, Brian Ayres had been chatting with an old friend, guitarist Ken Marco. The pair had played together in The Beau Keys back in 1965 before Brian joined “The Power.” Ken was looking for a gig, and Brian was more than happy to help him out. Another point in Ken’s favor was the fact that Ralph Miller had also played in a version of The Beau Keys. In Brian’s mind, Ken was a much better guitarist than Jon Palma; Ralph would second that notion, effectively sealing Jon’s fate in the coming weeks.

After discussions between Brian and Ralph, a decision was made to fire Jon Palma, replace him with Ken Marco, and pay to fly Jon back to Toronto. Though a contentious decision, nobody could dispute that Ken was the better player. Plans were made, and during an early March gig at Trude Heller’s in New York, Jon was fired and sent packing. The remainder of the U.S. dates went extremely well, considering how little time Ken had to practice. It was clear that the band made the right decision hiring Ken. They traveled back to Toronto, where multiple home gigs in and around the city awaited; most notable of these was opening for The Hollies and Spanky & Our Gang at Toronto’s O’Keefe Centre on March 17th. March was truly a fruitful month for the band. There were plans for another U.S. tour in April/May, and the band was eagerly preparing.

Early into their initial 1968 tour, at one New York gig, they struck gold. Their knockout live show, paired with the success of "Keep on Running," caught the attention of MGM A&R representative Tony Orlando. He brought them to the attention of MGM, who signed them to a deal after hearing the demos of their second single. They loved the songs and planned on releasing them on both sides of the border.

As April came to a close, "The Power's" sophomore single was readied for release. The plan was to release the single during May in Canada and August in the United States. Unfortunately, it failed to chart abroad but found minor success in Canada. Interestingly, "You Got What I Want" was the A-side in Canada, while "Thinkin' About You" was the A-side in America. In the intervening decades, “Thinkin’ About You” has been picked up by the Northern Soul circuit in the UK. Originally, there was talk of an album with MGM. This fell through after the poor performance of the band’s sophomore single.

June saw the band gigging frequently in Toronto (playing The Hawk's Nest twice) as well as touring around Ontario in promotion of their second single. The band’s third U.S. tour (this year alone) was scheduled to begin after their July 14th gig at Summer Gardens in Port Dover, Ontario. They spent three weeks in Somer’s Point, New Jersey, performing at Tony Mart’s. 

While the band began honing their material for the studio, saxophonist Steve Kennedy had been planning a line-up change. To save space and time for touring and recording situations, he wanted to bring in friend and ex-bandmate, keyboardist William “Smitty” Smith. The pair had played together in Eric Mercury & The Soul Searchers up until Steve left to join “The Power” and kept in touch. Bassist Mike Harrison and Val Stevens were fired in early October with little to no notice. As Mike Harrison puts it, “Smitty was unaware that Val and I had been fired to accommodate him. He (Smitty) told me privately that he didn't understand why Val and I were "leaving such a good thing." I didn't bother filling him in.”  

After their involuntary exit from Grant Smith & The Power, Mike Harrison and Val Stevens went their separate ways. Mike stayed in the Toronto scene for over a decade, joining McKenna Mendelson Mainline less than a week after his exit to replace unpredictable bassist Denny Gerrard. Thereafter he became a session player, working with Cathy Young, Rick James, Leigh Robinson, Ron Russell, Timothy (?), and more. Val, on the other hand, had the ambition to play more personal music. He founded a namesake jazz trio (The Val Stevens Trio), which met only limited success locally. July of 1969 saw Val return to Grant Smith & The Power, where he stayed until February 1970. After an uneventful few months bandless, Val decided to move to England in late 1970. He placed ads in Melody Maker magazine, which led to him joining the band Clown, which was short-lived due to creative differences. This was followed by Tucky Buzzard, with whom he did some gigs and wrote music for one of their songs (though uncredited when it was released on their album later). Lastly, he joined the progressive outfit Khan in early 1972 but quit the band during the summer.

Shortly after the departure of Mike and Val and the arrival of “Smitty,” the band began talks on recording an album. Near the end of October, they went into the studio to begin the process.

By early November 1968, the band had recorded their album. They again recorded at Art Snider's Sound Canada Studios. The album, simply titled Keep On Running, featured their debut single, as well as a number of covers, including Harvey Scales’ "Love-itis" (then making the rounds on the CHUM/RPM charts for scene-mates "The Mandala”), a pair of Otis Redding covers in "Respect" and "Sad Song," The Beatles "Day Tripper," Wilson Pickett's "99½," the Mar-Keys "Grab This Thing," and a 7-minute version of Bobby Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe."

The album release saw "Keep On Running," the band’s debut hit, briefly re-enter the CHUM charts in Toronto. The group played a few gigs in and around Toronto during November and December to capitalize on the success, but trouble was on the horizon. All gigs came to a screeching halt in January with the surprise departure of guitarist Ken Marco, sax player Steve Kennedy, organist William “Smitty” Smith, and drummer Wayne Stone. The quartet were dissatisfied with the recordings and the over abundance of covers, so they relocated to London, Ontario, where they began work on a new group. They emerged five months later as Motherlode, ready to take Canada by storm. 

Staggered, Grant Smith, Ralph Miller, and Brian Ayres began searching for (essentially) a whole new band. The departed foursome were replaced by former members of a defunct Brantford, Ontario band known as Franklin Sheppard & The Good Sheppards. They were Sonnie “Jiggs” Bernardi (drums), Gord Baxter (guitar), Rick Berkett (bass), and Wulf Stelling (organ). They were supplemented by two additional horn players, Ted Stack (trumpet) and Bert Hermiston (sax/flute).

This new lineup committed to nearly non-stop rehearsals at The Hawks Nest club in Toronto over the next three months. They'd play the occasional local gig as well, but February through April was mostly dedicated to preparing for one final stab at touring in the United States, specifically Massachusetts.

May of 1969 saw the band embark on the aforementioned US tour. Things were going well through the early summer, but by July, tensions had reached a fever pitch between leader Grant Smith and organist Wulf Stelling. Wulf was fired and replaced with former organist Val Stevens for the remainder of the tour. 

The dawning of August 1969 saw Grant Smith growing restless. He desperately needed a break and convinced the band to take a hiatus for the remainder of August. This caused a few of the newer members to leave when September came around, namely Gord Baxter (guitar), Rick Berkett (bass), and Ted Stack (trumpet). Rather than replenish their ranks, Grant Smith & The Power carried on without a guitarist for the first time in their career. The lineup was now Grant Smith (vocals), Brian Ayres (saxophone), Bert Hermiston (saxophone/flute), Sonnie Bernardi (drums), Ralph Miller (trumpet), and Val Stevens (organ). 

The new roster stayed together from September 1969 to February 1970, playing regular gigs around Toronto and pockets of Ontario (Oshawa, Hamilton, etc.). Val Stevens grew tired of performing with "The Power" and decided to take a break from music for a few months before moving to England. Val was replaced by former Mandala and Power Project organist Josef Chirowski.  

                                                                                            EDITING THIS SECTION STAY TUNED

WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY: AARON LUSCH

WITH NOTES AND INFORMATION FROM: MIKE HARRISON

CANADIANCULTCLASSICS@GMAIL.COM