While pop/rockers the Sundowners
never scored a hit during their career in the mid-'60s, for such a
little-known band they managed to cast a long shadow, touring with some
of the biggest acts of the day and appearing on television and in major
motion pictures. Formed in Lake George, NY in 1959, the original lineup
of the Sundowners consisted of Eddie Brick on lead vocals, Dominick DeMieri on lead guitar and vocals, Eddie Placidi on guitar and vocals, Bobby Dick on bass and vocals, and Kim Capli
on drums. In 1965, after earning a loyal local following, the group cut
a single for the Coed Records label, "Leave Me Never" backed with a
cover of Chuck Berry's "Around and Around." In 1966, the Sundowners
moved to Los Angeles in hopes of shifting their career into high gear,
and cut a second single for Filmways Records featuring two original
songs, "Ring out Wild Bells" b/w "When the Sun Goes Down."
In 1967, the Sundowners were playing an engagement at the famed Sunset Strip club Ciro's when Michael Nesmith of the Monkees
saw the band perform; impressed, he invited them to join the group's
summer concert tour as their opening act, and they also backed the Monkees for a show-closing medley of rock oldies. (The tour's openers also included Jimi Hendrix and Ike & Tina Turner, putting the Sundowners
in excellent company.)
In 1967, they were signed to Decca Records, and
released the Beatlesque single "Always You" b/w "Dear Undecided"; the
A-side was written by Tony Asher and Roger Nichols, and the sessions were produced by studio legend Bones Howe. In 1968, the band released their only LP, Captain Nemo, which was produced by guitarist DeMieri.
While the album would become a cult favorite with fans of sunshine pop
and light psychedelia, it didn't sell well, and the group fared better
as actors in the year of its release.
In February, the Sundowners
guest starred as "The Raspberry Wristwatch" on "A Very Warm Reception,"
an episode of the espionage drama It Takes a Thief, while in September
they appeared as "Sonny and the Sundowners" (with Paul Petersen
playing their lead singer) on the "Song of Bertrille" episode of the
comedy The Flying Nun. The Sundowners can also be seen and heard briefly
in the movie Don't Make Waves, which starred Tony Curtis, Claudia Cardinale and Sharon Tate(allmusic.com)
Without words. I am a big lover of this kind of music and maybe you will
also enjoy!
Frank Flac1 & Flac2 You need both Flac links! mp3@320





Thank you Frank! I've never heard of this band.
ReplyDeletemany thanks
ReplyDeleteI listened to the Sundowners track "Always You" and think what a wonderfully crafted Song. When it came out (Released) it has right in there, if not better than most of the stuff happening in 1967. I can't seem to go a day w/o playing it and it really grows on you.
ReplyDeleteI have the LP and hoped for a couple of unreleased ones, but you can't win 'm all :)
ReplyDelete