Career
The band began as Jeckell and The Hydes in New Jersey in 1965. The original founding member was Frank Jeckell, with additional members Floyd Marcus, Pat Karwan, Steve Mortkowitz, and Mark Gutkowski---all from Linden, New Jersey.
During 1967, they were signed to Buddah Records, where they released five LPs under their own name and a variety of singles, as well as appearing on the LP The Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus, which sounded like the usual Buddha studio band in spite of its promotion as a "bubblegum superjam". Their first hit single, "Simon Says", was written by Elliot Chiprut, but Jeckell persuaded the band to record it. During the process they changed the beat and patterned the song after "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. "Simon Says" soon became a success, hitting #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart. The record sold over three million copies globally, earning gold disc status. It was heard in the 1968 Frederick Wiseman documentary High School.
The band started touring, opening for major acts such as The Beach Boys. They went on to release the hits "May I Take a Giant Step", "1, 2, 3, Red Light" (U.S. #5), "Goody, Goody Gumdrops", and "Indian Giver" (U.S. #5).
Early during the 21st century, originator Frank Jeckell and Mick Mansuetto put the act back together which included Floyd Marcus, original drummer, along with a few musicians, and started touring again. They performed a concert on November 17, 2007 at the Caravan of Stars XIV, in Henderson, Tennessee. Also appearing at the show were Dickey Lee, Jimmy Gilmer, Carol Conners (of The Teddy Bears), Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, Jim Yester (of The Association), Jerry Yester (of The Lovin' Spoonful), Eddie Brigati (of The Young Rascals), and Dennis Tufano (of The Buckinghams).
Read more about this topic: 1910 Fruitgum Company
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“What exacerbates the strain in the working class is the absence of money to pay for services they need, economic insecurity, poor daycare, and lack of dignity and boredom in each partner’s job. What exacerbates it in upper-middle class is the instability of paid help and the enormous demands of the career system in which both partners become willing believers. But the tug between traditional and egalitarian models of marriage runs from top to bottom of the class ladder.”
—Arlie Hochschild (20th century)
“They want to play at being mothers. So let them. Expressing tenderness in their own way will not prevent girls from enjoying a successful career in the future; indeed, the ability to nurture is as valuable a skill in the workplace as the ability to lead.”
—Anne Roiphe (20th century)
“A black boxer’s career is the perfect metaphor for the career of a black male. Every day is like being in the gym, sparring with impersonal opponents as one faces the rudeness and hostility that a black male must confront in the United States, where he is the object of both fear and fascination.”
—Ishmael Reed (b. 1938)