(Music Video below)
Marc was a skinny Polish-American Jew. I was a Euro-American mutt who’d decided he was Irish after playing a leprechaun in the high school musical. Our first band was clunky. If the chords to the song went, “Blum, blum, blum, blum,” the bass player would go, “Boom, boom, boom, boom” and the drummer would go, “bang, bang, bang, bang.” All skate.
The band broke up. But Marc and I started to write songs. Our favorite was a McCartney-esque paean to the day we wrote it, Thursday. There was a stage dad a few blocks away who was desperate to turn his 13 year old into a rock star. So we sold him our cast-off tunes for date money. But we refused to sell “Thursday Song.”
After a few false starts, we managed to finagle a Sicilian-American drummer named Joey into auditioning for us. We’d never heard anyone play like him. Forget “bang, bang, bang, bang.” Joey could go, “ska-dinka-dunka-clank-clank-ba-dink-dunk-shiiiik!” He was that good. And then Jeph, a 15 year old half-Native American bassist, who’d played a one-
nighter with the James Brown band (which made him a living legend) sat in with us, explaining that as soon as something better came along he’d be outa there. Nothing ever did.
It was the blind date that blossomed into love. We were better together than we were apart. We’d try to do covers, but then someone would say, “So I wrote this song,” and we’d work on that instead. It was a draw-back for school dances, where everyone wanted Top 40 and all we knew was Top Us. But eventually an embryonic fan club began to show up and call out the names of their favorite Daily Planet songs.
The Daily Planet. That was what we called ourselves, because of our international…ish…ness. We were just shades-of-white American teenagers, really. But we looked pretty diverse in our WASPy little SoCal suburb of La Mirada.
We managed to score some off-hours recording time with the Beach Boys’ engineer Chuck Britz (who was married to one of my mom’s childhood buds). We laid down four tracks at United Western Studios, where icons like Elvis and Ray Charles had recorded. Although our style was folk-rock, everyone picked the poppy “Thursday Song” to be our first hit.
So when Capital Records and the Singer Sewing Machine Company (go figure) announced their Sounds of ’68 campaign, we submitted “Thursday Song.” And then forgot about it. But a month later someone called and said, “Congratulations, you’re the best new band in the western United States!”
We drove to Hollywood and re-recorded “Thursday Song” with Billy Strange, the guitarist who’d done the James Bond theme (“DUM-da-da-da-DUM-dum-da-DUM-da-da-da-DUM-dum-da-DA-da-da-da-DA!”). And got our measurements taken by a wispy clothing designer named Boyd (his theme: “patent leather hippies”). And played at the Daisy Club in Beverly Hills, where our slightly stewed host Tony Bennett announced that we were his new protégés! (We never heard from him again.)
We lip-synched “Thursday Song” on a Tuesday at ABC Studios, for the adoring masses. Well, for our adoring little fan club back in La Mirada, anyway. Who would have eventually become adoring masses, if only…but that’s another story.
Here’s a video (in black & white for some reason–the show was in color). Be kind.
Fantastic.They are some wonderful trousers.
Yes, we were given the costumes after the show, but for some reason chose never to wear them again. ;>)
Impressive. What fun! Thx.
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Eat your heart out, Monkees! Not sure I can be kind about the cossies, though. 🙂
Yeah, we kinda hated them, actually. They gave them to us, but we never wore them again.
That does surprise me!
Love this
Woah a little Mitch Teemley! That was fun. You need to bring those boots back!
Side story: I’d been delivering newspapers by bicycle for some time and had uber-beefy legs. Our costumer had a serious hissy when he had to expand the boots to accommodate my Popeye calves.
Haha! That’s amazing. Great side-story.
Groovy! I can see why you never wore the pants again, but are those boots I see? Pretty sure my daughter would love them. 😉
See comment about the boots above. ;>)
Great story and video, my friend. Nice pants 🙂
;>)
You guys were ADORABLE! And you could sing, play, compose your own catchy tunes, too — unlike some who major(ed) in wailing guitars and screaming vocals. Whyizzit that talented cream doesn’t always rise to the top?! I don’t get it.
Well, God’s in there somewhere, Nancy, but also circumstances. I’ll tell the rest of the story sometime.
Of course, you’re right. Perhaps that road to success would also have led to heartache and sorrow–as some bands have experienced. Fame and fortune can be more curse than blessing. God may very well have been protecting you.
I did some (less visible) band work myself (electric bass), so I know enough to be able to say that you guys sounded good!
Thank you, Robert!
I agree with Nancy – Adorable. But I think I’m glad the vid was in black and white. The colors of the outfits might have blinded me. And yeah, funny aside about the boots. You guys reminded me of the Dave Clark V! Nice job!
;>) Actually, the outfits were in black and white, Susan, but they would have blinded you anyway; they were rather op art-ish. I liked Dave Clark V, but most of our stuff was more folk-rock-oriented. Thursday Song was our pop-iest tune.
Just for fun I jumped and screamed and cried while watching (what was that about anyway?). Only for you, Mitch.
;>)
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I love this story, and I trust / hope there will be another story (sequel) to this. I think my love for music, especially my teen years from ’63 on, has never left me. Even my kids agree. Well, everyone who knows me agrees, but that is another story… Thanks for a great read! -Jennie-
My pleasure, Jennie! And good to hear a bit more about you, as well.
Best to you, Mitch.
Mitch, do you remember opening at the club in South Central LA for “Everybody Needs Somebody” Solomon Burke? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDtCOvAEpUM
I do, indeed, remember opening for King Solomon, and how he wanted to take us under his wing and make us his band. I was too immature at the time to realize what a cool deal that would have been!
Hi Mitch, This post brought back so many personal memories that I thought I’d send an email rather than post a response. In those early La Mirada days, you may remember, I was a small part of the embryonic fan club. At the time, I had a huge crush on Joe Pino, aka Joe Pizza, who called me Dori Crouton… If you recall, we even ‘semi’ dated for a short time, but it never amounted to much. God had other plans, for which I am now grateful. Oh, and those outfits…Wow! You guys were so stylin’! And I had to wonder if the reason they didn’t zoom in on Jeff was because the rest of you were better looking or because he was bouncing around too much. 😂 At any rate, it was a hoot to reminisce with you…not to mention, I learned a few things I never even knew about the band. You actually went much further than I’d heard or realized.
But the bottom line, I’m so grateful for grace and that we are where we are now! I never stop being amazed by grace! On another note, do you know anything about the other three and where they are…as far as knowing the Lord? I ran into Jeff at a high school reunion but sensed that he did not. In my own life, I am still praying for my dear brother every single day.
Anyway, thank you for the post…and especially for the video. Enjoyed it all thoroughly! 😊 I pray the Lord continues to bless your ministry as you reach and touch so many lives!
Your sister in Christ, Dori
“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Gal. 5:6
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Dear Dori. No, I’m not sure I knew that you’d dated Joey, “semi” or otherwise. Yes, God did have other plans for us, didn’t He?
The guys and I have maintained contact over the years. Jeff (he went back to the conventional spelling) has been married for many years, lives in Montana, and is involved in a Native American church (I’m uncertain what their beliefs are). Marc lives in Costa Mesa with his wife Judy, and is (as far as I know) a non-practicing Jew. Joe and his wife live in Laguna Hills and is actively involved in the Catholic church.
Galatians 5:6 is one of my favorite verses.
That’s so great that you stay in touch with them. It was wonderful to see Jeff again…sweet guy! And Joe is a FB friend of late. And yes, how great that God had other plans for us…way better than the ones I had. He took all the broken pieces of my life and put them together in an amazing way, better than I deserve for sure. I’m still amazed by grace! 👆🏻 Thank you for taking the time to respond.😊
Greetings and Salutations from Montana Mitch!
Yes those were quite the wonder years and all of it flashed by in the blink of an eye. From highs to lows and everything else we somehow managed to keep it fun and creative for as long as possible. After all this time I’m still playing bass with a country band, backing a local blues artist and playing every Sunday at my church in Missoula. Oh.. and to set the record straight, I studied Native American Religious Traditions as part of my undergraduate work at the University of Montana. I’m currently serving as the president of board of trustees for Unity of Missoula (www.unityofmissoula.org). Presently I am considering enrolling at the University of Philosophical Research (www.upr.edu) which offers a Master’s degree in both Consciousness Studies and Transformational Psychology. Its based in Los Angeles and is set up as an a accredited long-distant online graduate program. The president (Dr.Obidiah Harris) also happens to be my uncle and has offered me a very generous tuition discount. Anyway, thanks for posting the Planet story.
Love to you my brother,
Jeff
“Behold the Christ in you, the hope of glory.” – Colossians 1:27
Jeff, so glad you got a chance to read the post and respond! And glad you had the chance to set the record straight re. your beliefs (in response to Dori’s question above). I knew you had differing beliefs about Christ than do, as a principal or a force (I believe he’s a Person), but didn’t want to misrepresent them. At any rate, delighted to hear from you. Love you too, bro! ~Mitch
Mitch,
Good to stay in touch as we wade into our latter chapters of life here on Earth. Keeping the Faith Brother.
Jeff
Keeping the Faith Brother Jeph, however, I am curious to know if you realize the Angel Lucifer was fully arrayed by the creator to reflect the hope of His glory on the day his dazzling angel walked in the Garden of Eden and had direct access to You? —Until one day, when everything changed in the Columbia Gorge when the Remnants from a lost landscape on an island of ancient soil—crowned by a crop of wheat that survived the ice-age floods that sculpted the region known today by the Ripples as the “Channeled Scablands” left from Glacial Lake Missoula that existed for 2,000 to 2,500 years between 15,300 and 12,700 years ago, creating more than 40 and maybe up towards 60 separate flood events according Ezekiel 28:12–15.
http://www.urantia.nyc/eng01/053.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqKuKBhCxARIsACf4XuEGuz4nh9VZ_aI_wuNcEawmgUHcRJEU-KBgE5R2CKESbYvOGBRBeg8aAgZNEALw_wcB#53_1_2
Wow, I only read three of your posts and a lot of comments and I feel like I already know you better! I am sorry I never followed you back from the beginning. Nice to see your “like” today and I am looking forward to reading more of your “stuff”. 🙂 Debbie
Thank you, Debbie. I’m honored!
Oh, bless your heart. I believe the honor is mine. I am a mere beginner. 🙂 Blessings on you and your beautiful wife.
Love the pants! Love the cheesy grins. The song. The story. And how many “what if’s” it’s making me think about.
;>)
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I love seeing things like this. The top photo was a typically exuberant mid-60s pop-group pose, and the middle photo looks like the band Harper’s Bizarre. The song from the video is reminiscent of Herman’s Hermits, We Five, Beau Brummels, etc., especially the Hermits. Classic cheery 60s flower-folk-pop. I was a kid in northern Ohio when this music was all the rage, and our neck of the woods really embraced it, especially the British Invasion. I had a Beatles lunchbox, Beatle boots, paisley shirt…the works. Then the Monkees came along and diverted me from LSD and the Maharishi. My town of Mansfield was kind of ground zero for bubblegum, giving birth to both the Music Explosion (“Little Bit O’Soul”) and Ohio Express (“Yummy Yummy Yummy”). I was friends with the younger brother of OE’s rhythm guitarist (anyway, that’s my dubious claim to fame).
You’re a lucky guy to have been on the front lines of this pivotal moment in music history!
It was a heady time indeed, Pete. I enjoyed reading a bit about your memories and shoulder brush with the (temporarily) famous. I remember both of those groups fondly.
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Reblogged this on Mitch Teemley and commented:
So 50 years ago I did this. Dang, I’m old…ish.
That is awesome! Great sound! Amazing the different twists and turns life takes!
That was seriously good, Mitch!
Thank you!
Pretty cool, Mitch! I love this post. I was prepared to hear Thursday Song, though, but Chase the Night Away was pretty catchy too. Which one were you?
I was the cute one. ;>) (The one with his foot up on the platform.) Actually, the person who posted the video on YouTube (not someone I know) mistakenly labelled it “Chase the Night Away;” the song’s official title is “Thursday Song.”
A true treasure!
These little snippets you share trace your path to where you are today.
You give a lot to your readers. Please know that it is much appreciated.
Thank you, Sarah.
Man, I so wish this was the original color version. So, the show provided the costumes to you guys — how would you normally dress for a gig?
Casual, like in the concert shot above the video.
Love this!
Hi Everyone,
Just to fill in some minor details to this story (which of course is a great remembering).
Prior to the sessions at Western Recorders our drummer’s (Joe Pino) dad paid for a session at Hollywood Recorders in which four songs were recorded. The songs were “Charlie’s Turn To Sing”, “Love Is”, “I See A Bird” and of course “Thursday’s Song”.
It was our first time in a “professional” recording studio and led
us to further persue our potential as a creative songwriting band. For the sake of historical condensation, the basic timeline is accurate in its telling but I must state
that my sitting in with James Brown band was for one song while his bass player was late getting to the gig. Nevertheless it was a thrill to be able to do that at such a young, tender age of fifteen.
“Jeph” – Bass Player, The Daily Planet – 1967-1969
Thanks for the detail, Jeph. You’re still a legend, old buddy!
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Mitch I wish I could have grown up in that era… Love the song and the clothes! The bass sound is very good.
Thanks! The bass player was Jeff (a.k.a. “Jeph) Haberman, whose comment is right above yours, btw.
I just read his comments and that is cool. Even playing one song with James Brown…hard to beat that. During this period bass would sometimes be buried but Jeph’s bass comes through clear. You all must have had a great time. Thanks for sharing Mitch.
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I appreciate this blogger technique of “pinging back” to previous posts. This is a great post! I would basically proclaim a hearty “Ditto!” to all the accolades above. Very cool that the video exists and is posted and available. Fun, fun, fun. – oh, wait; that was a different SoCal band.
;>) Thanks!
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Catchy little tune lip-synched with great alacrity–but good Lord, what were you people wearing?!?!?! I can’t unsee those pants.
;>) Those were the “groovy” costumes the ABC designer made for us. The network “gifted” us with them after the show. We lovingly stored them in the backs of our closets along with our mood rings and pet rocks.
Illuminated by your lava lamps?
Hey Mitch,
Bob Christenson here from “The Things To Come” which won the competition for the group category in the Sounds of ‘68 Superteen contest. Fun to read about this after all of these years. Have posted some stuff about our group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheThingsToCome.
Bob, how great to hear from you. After all, it’s been a few, ahem, years, hasn’t it? Clicking on your link now!
Thanks for the response. The site primarily contains pictures along with a few other artifacts. Two of our members have dies – Jaynee in 2005 to cancer and John just last year due to COVID. I also was able to find the winner of the female contest – Kathy Jackson – now Kathleen Bertrand. She is on Facebook. She went on to be quite an accomplished musician/performer in the greater Atlanta area. Has put out several jazz albums.
If you have time for the story of the male winner – Danny O’Conner – let me know. Quite a interesting bit there.
So sorry to about Jaynee and John, Bob. Life is transient, isn’t it? But not without reason. Re. Danny: If you’re referring to his/her transformation into Canary Conn, I spotted his book back in the late 70s and sort of scan-read it. But I haven’t heard anything since. So if you know more, sure, I’d be interested. Blessings.
Yep – Danny to Canary. She was a real early “trailblazer” as it was. She evidently sold the George Barris custom Firebird car that was part of the winnings to get money for the surgery in Mexico. Appeared on Merv Griffin and Tom Snyder Late Night several times but went off the radar completely. I read a post by one of her children that they were trying to reach her but have not had any luck.
Speaking of those cars, Kathy Jackson never took delivery of hers. She sold it to a neighbor for college money. It was later discovered in the South by a man names Jack Dale who did a complete restoration on it. He contacted me for any information I could get him regarding color etc. in his quest to get it restored. He got in touch with the Barris folks and they gave him a certificate of authenticity. Several pictures about that on our Facebook site. It is the only one left. We sold our car to the bass players brother. It got tee-boned late at night on the streets of Ft. Dodge, Iowa by a drunk driver. Totaled it. Ended up in a junkyard in Ft, Dodge and parted out. Given that the car Jack has is the only one known to be left, it’s worth about $150,000.
Kathy also did NOT accept the Capitol recording contract the winners got. They wanted her to do things she wasn’t really comfortable doing so she declined.
Lots of stories.
Wow, stories indeed.
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Nancy Sinatra boots!
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