Johnny Thompson Quintet?

[Heitkotter77]

I wonder what their other 45 sounds like. The sleeve looks pretty cool.

Very straightforward 60s pop. No weird effects or unusual instrumentation, etc.

I may still have a copy buried in one of my garbage boxes here. I'll take a look.

There's a third single that's also fairly straight, but uses electric harpsichord (okay, they may not be considered a good thing in these parts) and has some interesting rhythm and meter shifts. The songs were We'll Make It Good/Turn Me Down on the Lyra label, rather than Guitarsville like the other two. I also believe it was released as just Johnny Thompson, not the Quintet.

 

[Hicksville Hogwash]

Acid / LSD can have its novelty side, look at Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters for example. Seriously comical but comically serious.

I like the more deep growled vocals version a lot the squeaky version less a lot.

 

[Lewis]

I have a copy of the 3rd 45 and it is credited to Johnny Thompson on the sleeve but The Johnny Thompson Quintet on the labels. The sleeve also clearly has a 'Lyra' label stuck over where it says Guitarville, so I don't know what happened there. I really like the 45 and the description above is pretty spot on. It doesn't sound anything like Columbus but reminds me again of Love, perhaps Stephanie Knows Who or something this time.

 

[axel]

reminds me again of Love, perhaps Stephanie Knows Who or something this time.

That makes me want to hear it even more. I like 60s pop anyway. I even have a soft spot for harpsichord! :oops:

 

[chas_kit]

Interesting coincidence this post just got revived, as I just wrote about Johnny Thompson on my site.

http://www.garagehangover.com/johnny-thompson-quintet/

Check out the youtube video of 'The Sorcerer' that I included in the post. I think the guy was influenced by exotica and the occult, common enough around LA then. But his background was actually country music.

Right around the time he was putting out these records he opened a music shop, still open today, selling instruments to groups and high school bands.

"Color Me Columbuth" is terrible, it would have been so much better as an instrumental.

I'm sure you'd like the Lyra 45 Axel, I couldn't find it online. I have clips from an old auction.

 

[Heitkotter77]

I'll have to dig out my cassette box. I should have one or both sides on one of my singles comps.

 

[Lewis]

That makes me want to hear it even more. I like 60s pop anyway. I even have a soft spot for harpsichord! :oops:

Here you go Axel, Side A Turn Me Down:

http://www.divshare.com/download/26546647-a93

Side B We'll Make It Good

http://www.divshare.com/download/26546649-d7e

 

[axel]

Hey, that's very kind! Thanks, Lewis!

 

[Lewis]

My pleasure Axel.

 

[chas_kit]

Johnny Thompson, still in music at age 72.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-thompson-music-20160927-snap-story.html

 

[troggy]

I recently picked up a 45 by Johnny Thompson and The One-Eyed Jacks on Guitarsville, "For Us They'll Be No Tomorrow"/"Soul Chant". The a-side is a pop vocal but the flip is a cool instrumental.