Besides Mamie Smith, Perry Bradford also worked with Blues singer Alberta Hunter. Document Records collected Alberta Hunter's earliest recordings in their Complete Recorded Works in Chonological Order Volume 1 1921-1923.
Here is the discography surrounding Alberta Hunter's debut recordings:
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 1 1921-1923
"Jazzin' Baby Blues" by Alberta Hunter
If you were a blues singer in the early twenties, you likely worked with Perry Bradford. He wrote songs, arranged music, and lead the band that backed you up on recordings (often playing piano). Besides the fact that Willie "The Lion" Smith often played in bands with Perry Bradford, the connection between them includes a dispute between the two about which one of them played the piano for Mamie Smith on her landmark "Crazy Blues" recording, a song Bradford also wrote.
The collection of Perry Bradford's contributions to Blues and Jazz is largely incomplete because his work was mostly in the background. A few compilations exist that feature Bradford bands, like his Jazz Phools or "His Gang," and an accompanying solo blues singer that was sometimes Perry Bradford himself (like in two of the songs embedded here). The compilation album featured for this slide whistle stop is Document Records's Perry Bradford & the Blues Singers in Chronological Order 1923-1927. Bradford would transition his career into managing and publishing until, due to a hard hit taken from the Depression, he fell out of the industry and slowly into obscurity.
Here is Perry Bradford's discography:
Perry Bradford & the Blues Singers in Chronological Order 1923-1927
A Panorama 1923-1927
"Hoola Boola Dance" by Perry Bradford's Jazz Phools
"Kansas City Blues" by Perry Bradford and His Gang
"Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me)" by Willie "The Lion" Smith & His Cubs
Mamie Smith was the first African-American to record a blues song. The accompaniment on those first blues recordings was the stride pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith (still no relation... none of the Smiths are related). After starting his career as a session musician and rent party professional, The Lion, after a while, grew to be a successful band leader. His first recordings are collected on The Chronological Classics: Willie "The Lion" Smith 1925-1937.
Here is the discography surrounding Willie "The Lion" Smith's debut recordings:
The Chronological Classics: Willie "The Lion" Smith 1925-1937
"Finger Buster" by Willie "The Lion" Smith
"There's Gonna Be the Devil to Pay" by Willie "The Lion" Smith & His Cubs
"The Old Stamping Ground" by Willie "The Lion" Smith & His Cubs
The greatest Blues singers were royalty. Bessie Smith was The Empress of the Blues. Clara Smith was The Queen of the Moaners. But none were more royal than the first recorded Blues singer, The Queen of the Blues, Mamie Smith. (All Smiths mentioned are unrelated). Mamie Smith's earliest recordings have been collected on her Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 1 1920-1921 released by the ever-reliable Document Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Mamie Smith's debut recordings:
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 1 1920-1921
"Lovin' Sam from Alabam'" by Mamie Smith
"That Thing Called Love" by Mamie Smith
"That Thing Called Love" by Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds
On a couple of early recordings, Bessie Smith duetted with fellow (and unrelated) blues singer Clara Smith. Clara Smith's early recordings are collected on Document Records' Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 1 1923-1924.
Here is the discography surrounding Clara Smith's debut recordings:
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 1 1923-1924
"I Don't Love Nobody (So I Don't Have the Blues)" by Clara Smith
During his session musician years, Elmer Snowden recorded with most every jazz outfit or blues singer in New York. Alongside regular collaborators clarinetist Bob Fuller and pianist Lou Hooper, one of the singers he accompanied on a few sides was the Empress of the Blues herself: Bessie Smith. Bessie Smith has her earliest recordings collected as The Chronological Classics: Bessie Smith 1923.
Duke Ellington's early success as a band leader can be partially credited to his great skill as a booking agent. In his hometown of Washington D.C., his primary job was, probably, more running his small business as a booker than actually playing the piano. He'd organize groups, bands and orchestras for social functions and play as needed.
Duke Ellington performed occasionally with The Washingtonians, a D.C. orchestra led by banjo player Elmer Snowden. When Snowden moved his orchestra to New York, they could not get a booking. He called for Ellington to join the group and help them get their bearing in the city. It was only a matter of time until Ellington became the band's leader, and Snowden would leave soon after.
Snowden made a second career for himself in New York as a session musician throughout the thirties, but when the banjo fell out of favor as a jazz instrument, his fortune faded and he faded into obscurity. When interest in early jazz obscura peaked in the late fifties via crate digging and festivals, Snowden was rediscovered. He recorded his only album as a band leader Harlem Banjo! in 1960 on Riverside Records.
Here is Elmer Snowden's complete discography:
Happy Rhythm (1929 single by Musical Stevedores)
Jazz Collection - Volume 12 (compilation album) Harlem Banjo! (featuring Cliff Jackson)
Paris Guitar Jazz Festival (1967 live compilation)
Berlin Festival Guitar Workshop (1968 live compilation)
"I'm Gonna Hang Around My Sugar" by The Washingtonians
Charles Mingus's formative influence as a jazz musician and composer was Duke Ellington. Duke Ellington's first recordings were collected and released by The Chronological Classics series as The Chronological Classics: Duke Ellington 1924-1927.
Here is the discography surrounding Duke Ellington's debut recordings:
The Chronological Classics: Duke Ellington 1924-1927
"Darn That Dream" by Charles Mingus & Spaulding Givens
Charles Mingus rounds out our small town tour of The Quintet's members. Contributing bass to the five, Charles Mingus also pivotally released the ensemble's legendary performance on the record label he co-founded with Max Roach, Debut Records. Debut Records's first release came a year earlier and was Mingus's own debut album. Strings and Keys came out in 1952 and featured Mingus on bass and Spaulding Givens (aka Nadi Qamar) on piano.
Here is the discography surrounding Charles Mingus's debut album:
The Texas Hop (1945 single with his Sextet)
Lonesome Woman Blues (1945 single with his Sextet)
Ain't Jivin' Blues (1946 single with his Sextette)
Shuffle Bass Boogie (1946 single with his Sextette)
Ashby De La Zouch (1946 single as Baron Mingus and His Octet)
Pipe Dream (1946 single as Baron Mingus and His Octet)
Make Believe (1946 single as Baron Mingus and His Octet)
Honey Take a Chance with Me (1946 single as Baron Mingus and His Octet)
Mingus Fingus (1948 single with his Quartet)
Say It Isn't So (1948 single as Baron Mingus and His Rhythm)
Pennies from Heaven (1949 single as Baron Mingus and His Rhythm)
He's Gone (1949 single as Baron Mingus Presents His Symphonic Airs)
God's Portrait (1949 single as Baron Mingus Presents His Symphonic Airs)
The Story of Love (1949 single with His 22 Piece Be Bop Band)
Inspiration (1949 single with His 22 Piece Be Bop Band)
Charles 'Baron' Mingus: West Coast 1945-49
The Young Rebel, Vol. 1: Pacific Coast Blues
The Young Rebel, Vol. 2: Inspiration Strings and Keys
Precognition (1952 single with his Quintet)
Montage (1952 single with his Quintet)
Paris in Blue (1952 single with his Quintet)
Charles Mingus Octet (1953 EP with his Octet)
"Lyon's Roar" by Baron Mingus and His Rhythm
"Inspiration" by Charles Mingus and His 22 Piece Be Bop Band
From Diz to Bird, Charlie Parker played alto saxophone with The Quintet and was a frequent collaborator of Dizzy Gillespie's. He is spoken of as the most formative influence in the development of bebop jazz.
Here is the discography surrounding Charlie Parker's debut recordings:
The Complete Birth of the Bebop (1937-1945 recordings)
Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945 (1945 live recordings)
Warming Up a Riff (1945 single with The Be Bop Boys)
Billie's Bounce (1945 single with his Ree Boppers)
Now's the Time (1945 single with his Ree Boppers)
The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 1 (1944-1945) (1944-1945 recordings)
The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 2 (1945) (1945 recordings)
Yardbird Suite (1946 single with his Septet)
A Night in Tunisia (1946 single with his Septet)
Yardbird in Lotus Land (1946 live recordings)
Jazz at the Philharmonic (1946 live recordings)
Lover Man (1946 single with his Quintet)
Charlie Parker on Dial Volume 1 (1946-1947 recordings)
Bird's Nest (1947 single with his Quartet)
Cool Blues (1947 single with his Quartet)
Relaxin' at Camarillo (1947 single with his All Stars)
Cheers (1947 single with his All Stars)
Chasin' the Bird (1947 single with his All Stars)
Charlie Parker on Dial Volume 2 (1947 recordings)
Donna Lee (1947 single with his All Stars)
The Complete Savoy Sessions Volume 3 (1947 recordings) The Chronological Classics: Charlie Parker 1945-1947
"Ko-Ko" by the Charlie Parker Quintet
"Live at Town Hall, NYC, June 22, 1945" by Dizzy Gillespie & Charlie Parker
Continuing our tour of the five players in The Quintet and "the greatest jazz concert ever": Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet. The Chronological Classics: Dizzy Gillespie 1945 collects Gillespie's earliest recordings.
Here is the discography surrounding Dizzy Gillespie's debut recordings:
Live Sessions at Minton's Playhouse (1941 sessions)
I Can't Get Started (1945 single with his Sextet)
Salted Peanuts (1945 single with his Sextet)
Blue'n Boogie (1945 single with his Sextet)
Groovin' High (1945 single with his Sextet)
Dizzy Atmosphere (1945 single with his Sextet) The Chronological Classics: Dizzy Gillespie 1945
Bud Powell was the pianist with The Quintet. His earliest recordings of note are collected in The Chronological Classics: Bud Powell 1945-1947. Max Roach (also of The Quintet) can be heard playing drums as a member of The Bud Powell Trio, Bud's first stint as a recorded band leader. (Note: As usual for older jazz musicians, I go to the Chronological Classics well for a pretty thorough summation of their recorded body of work).
Here is the discography surrounding Bud Powell's debut recordings:
The Chronological Classics: Bud Powell 1945-1947
I'll Remember April (1949 single)
Indiana (1949 single)
Somebody Loves Me (1949 single)
I Should Care (1949 single)
"I'll Remember April" by The Bud Powell Trio
"I Should Care" by The Bud Powell Trio
"Nice Work if You Can Get It" by The Bud Powell Trio
Max Roach was the drummer for a makeshift, one-night-only quintet that performed at Massey Hall in Toronto on May 15, 1953. It featured five of bebop's pioneering musicians on their respective instruments: the aforementioned Max Roach, Charles Mingus on bass, Bud Powell on piano, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, and Charlie Parker (billed as "Charlie Chan" for contractual reasons) on alto saxophone. Billing themselves as "The Quintet" and the concert as "the greatest jazz concert ever", Jazz at Massey Hall came out on in 1953 on Debut Records, the record label founded by Max Roach and Charles Mingus.
Here is the complete discography for The Quintet:
Jazz at Massey Hall
Complete Jazz at Massey Hall (2004 album reissue)
The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley by Max Roach Quartet
The latest stop on the tour was for the Booker Little 4 "& Max Roach". Eminent bebop drummer Max Roach released his first album as bandleader The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley in 1954 on Debut Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Max Roach's debut album:
Prince Albert (1949 single with his Quintet)
Baby Sis (1949 single with his Quintet)
Tomorrow (1949 single with his Quintet)
Maximum (1949 single with his Quintet)
New Sounds (1952 compilation album with his Quintet)
Cou-Manchi-Cou (1953 single)
Just One of those Things (1953 single) The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley
Charles Lloyd was childhood friends with fellow jazz musician, trumpeter Booker Little. Booker Little released his debut album Booker Little 4 & Max Roach in 1958 (maybe 1959) with United Artists.
Here is the discography surrounding Booker Little's debut album:
Booker Little 4 & Max Roach
Young Men from Memphis (1959 album)
Booker Little and Max Roach live on "The Delinquent, the Hipster and the Square"
George Avakian produced Tab Hunter's album as part of the development of the Warner Bros. record label. After a couple years at the Warner job, he shifted careers a couple more times (in an already diverse, influential and prodigious job history) when in 1964, he began managing the career, arranging the music for, and producing the early recording works of Charles Lloyd.
Charles Lloyd (tenor saxophone, flute) released his debut album Discovery! in 1964 on Columbia Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Charles Lloyd's debut album:
Where Harold Lloyd, Jr. languished in both his aborted acting and music careers, his friend Tab Hunter found success in both. Breaking out as a matinee idol in the mid-fifties, Hunter then dabbled in music and immediately topped the charts with the song "Young Love" in 1956. He continued to record, though not enough to rival his acting career, and released his debut album Tab Hunter in 1958 on Warner Bros. Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Tab Hunter's debut album:
Young Love (1956 single)
Don't Let It Get Around (1957 single)
Ninety-Nine Ways (1957 single)
Young Love (1957 EP)
Jealous Heart (1958 single) Tab Hunter
I'm a Runaway (1958 single)
Conway Twitty was just a stage name. The reason for Twitty was that his given name Harold Lloyd Jenkins was too ordinary even though he was named after one of the great silent film comedians, Harold Lloyd. The silent comedian himself didn't make much noise, but his son and namesake Harold Lloyd, Jr. dabbled in it. A bit of a tragic ne'er-do-well, Lloyd, Jr. never quite found a calling, but he did release an album Intimate Style in 1965 on Coral Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Harold Lloyd, Jr.'s debut album:
Daddy Bird (1958 single as Duke Lloyd) Intimate Style
Ronnie Hawkins found it difficult to get off the ground in the crowded field of rockabillies populating the South. His friend and fellow, more successful rockabill, Conway Twitty, recommended Hawkins and his band move North to Canada where competition was less stiff. It was good advice that Conway Twitty himself didn't need. Twitty released his debut album Conway Twitty Sings in 1958 on MGM Records. (Note: The album is more often said to have been released in 1959, but I'm, personally, just going with what it says on the Conway Twitty website. It's most likely it was recorded in 1958 and released early the next year.)
Here is the discography surrounding Conway Twitty's debut album:
I Need Your Lovin' (1957 single)
Shake It Up (1957 single)
The Chronological Classics: Conway Twitty 1946-1957 (1957 compilation album)
Why Can't I Get Through to You Baby (1958 single)
It's Only Make Believe (1958 single) Conway Twitty Sings
The Story of My Love (1959 single)
Dale Hawkins's brother was also a rockabilly roller. Ronnie Hawkins, occasionally credited with his backing band The Hawks (more on them in the distant Tour future), released his debut album Ronnie Hawkins in 1959 on Roulette Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Ronnie Hawkins's debut album:
Summertime (1958 single)
Hey! Bo Diddley (1958 single)
Forty Days (1959 single with The Hawks)
Mary Lou (1959 single with The Hawks) Ronnie Hawkins
James Burton played guitar in Ricky Nelson's band starting in 1957 at the age of 18. Despite his youth, Burton had already earned a reputation in the music industry for his playing and was sought out for session work. One historic recording session was in his home state of Louisiana for Dale Hawkins on the foundational rock song "Susie-Q" (spelled differently often). Dale Hawkins released his debut album Oh! Suzy-Q in 1958 on Chess Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Dale Hawkins's debut album:
See You Soon Baboon (1956 single)
Susie-Q (1957 single)
Baby, Baby (1957 single)
Tornado (1958 single) Oh! Suzy-Q
La-Do-Dada (1958 single)
My Babe (1958 single)
Take My Heart (1959 single)
Yea-Yea (Class Cutter) (1959 single)
Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby (1959 single)
Our Turn (1959 single)
Liza Jane (1959 single)
Don't Break Your Promise to Me (1959 single)
Poor Little Rhode Island (1960 single)
Linda (1961 single)
Grandma's House (1961 single)
Assorted songs "performed" by Dale Hawkins on his regional TV show
Hayley Mills: "Who's that?"
Hayley Mills (twin): "Are you kidding? Ricky Nelson?"
Hayley Mills: "Oh, your boyfriend."
Hayley Mills (twin): "I wish he was! You mean you've never heard of him? Where do ya come from? Outer Space?"
-- The Parent Trap
A child actor who starred in his parents' radio and TV sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Ricky Nelson transitioned, in his teens, to rockabilly music through the sheer force of trying to impress his girlfriend and his father's industry ties (Note: His father was himself an experienced band leader). He signed a recording contract, first with Verve then Imperial, as a "young personality". His performances on Ozzie and Harriet helped turn him into one of rock 'n' roll's biggest stars, immediately topping the charts. Ricky Nelson released his debut album Ricky on Imperial Records in 1957.
Here is the discography surrounding Ricky Nelson's debut album:
A Teenager's Romance (1957 single)
You're My One and Only Love (1957 single)
Teen Time (1957 compilation songs)
Ricky (1957 EP)
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You (1957 single) Ricky
Honeycomb (1957 EP)
If You Can't Rock Me (1957 EP)
True Love (1957 EP)
Stood Up (1957 single)
My Bucket's Got a Hole in It (1957 single)
"A Teenager's Romance" by Ricky Nelson
"Bye Bye Love" by Ricky Nelson (with The Four Preps)
The Parent Trap, featuring songs by the Sherman Brothers, was a star vehicle for the Disney child to teen actress Hayley Mills. One of the songs from the movie "Let's Get Together" became a surprise Top 10 hit and one can only imagine the subsequent record released in 1962 Let's Get Together with Hayley Mills was a way of banking off of its success.
Here is the discography surrounding Hayley Mills's debut album:
Pollyanna Songs (1960 EP)
Let's Get Together (1961 single) Let's Get Together with Hayley Mills
Jeepers Creepers (1962 single)
Ching-Ching and a Ding Ding Ding (1962 single)
In Search of the Castways (1962 soundtrack)
Enjoy It (1962 single with Maurice Chevalier)
Castaway (1962 single)
Flitterin' (1962 single with Eddie Hodges)
Pollyanna (1963 story album)
Summer Magic (1963 soundtrack with Eddie Hodges)
"The Parent Trap" by Annette Funicello & Tommy Sands
Ludwig von Drake might like you to think he wrote all of his own songs, but they were actually ghostwritten for him by the songwriting team Robert and Richard Sherman, or The Sherman Brothers.
Songwriters are pretty difficult to tally up for the purposes of the Tour but the Sherman Brothers' songs tend to double as soundtracks, so they'll be organized as composers by the films on which they worked. In 1961, they contributed songs to three Disney films (as well as holding songwriting duties for some of The Mouseketeers). For The Absent-Minded Professor and Greyfriars Bobby, they contributed a song or two for each that would play over the opening credits or be saved for the Disney Story Album of those movies. The Parent Trap marked the first time the Shermans' songs made their way into the actual narrative structure of a Disney film. They wrote a handful of songs for The Parent Trap, but its score was written by Paul J. Smith and performed by the Camarata Chorus and Orchestra on the record release.
Here is the discography surrounding The Sherman Brothers's debut album:
The Flubber Song / Medfield Fight Song (1961 songs for The Absent-Minded Professor) The Parent Trap
Greyfriars Bobby (1961 song for Greyfriars Bobby)
"Let's Get Together" by Hayley Mills & Hayley Mills
Paul Frees voiced the iconic Disney Duck scholar and showman Ludwig von Drake.
A self-described genius who says he knows just about everything and says he invented almost everything, Ludwig von Drake is also something of a musician. He can sing jazz and rock and roll and even conduct an orchestra. His talents were first noticed by a large audience when he appeared on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color for the episode "An Adventure in Color". In it, he sings a couple songs and teaches the audience all about color, one of his many expert subjects.
Walt Disney noticed von Drake's musical talent and had the learned duck record his album Professor Ludwig von Drake released in 1961. His initial wave of popularity and success trickled down to a couple more singles and solitary songs on the occasional Disney TV Show. His last hurrah was the release of his own talking doll that included a tape of recorded bedtime stories.
His career as a recording artist was brief, but I'm sure he'd answer the call and drop a surprise album if the nostalgia machine started working on his behalf. I'd dig it.
Here is the complete discography for (Professor) Ludwig von Drake:
Professor Ludwig von Drake
I'm Ludwig von Drake (1961 single)
Carnival Time Featuring Professor Ludwig von Drake (1961 single)
The Voice of Professor Ludwig von Drake Offers Songs and Stories for Children (1961 tape for talking Ludwig von Drake doll)
Twistin' with Professor Ludwig von Drake (1962 promo single)
Rutabaga Rag (1962 song)
Rock, Rumble and Roar (1962 song)
"Green With Envy Blues" by Ludwig von Drake on Disney's An Adventure in Color
"The Spectrum Song" by Ludwig von Drake on Disney's An Adventure in Color
"Mama Told Me Not to Come" by Paul Frees (as W. C. Fields)
An impressionist and comedian from an early age on vaudeville and radio, Paul Frees found a natural home doing voices for animation. Frees was one of the many voice actors working on Rocky & Bullwinkle. He provided the voice for main baddy, Boris Badinov, and other minor characters.
He released a 1970 novelty comedy album Paul Frees and the Poster People where he sings popular songs in the voices of classic Hollywood actors like Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, and Peter Lorre.
Note: Paul Frees was a prolific voice actor with many iconic characters. Not all his songs for these characters are included because I'll be treating those characters as their own "artists" with their own pages (like the last blog entry or even *hint* the next one).
Here is the discography surrounding Paul Frees's debut album:
Although I Dropped $100,000 (I Found a Million Dollars in Your Smile) (1962 song)
A Girl (1966 single)
No More Toymakers to the King (1970 song) Paul Frees and the Poster People
Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head (1971 single)
Rocky (The Flying Squirrel) and His Friends by Rocky & His Friends
There was no Herman in Herman's Hermits; that is... no band member named Herman. Originally, the band thought their very young lead singer, Peter Noone, looked like Sherman (of Mr. Peabody & Sherman) and nicknamed him such. Sherman shortened to Herman and the band named themselves Herman and His Hermits which, in its turn, shortened to Herman's Hermits.
Mr. Peadbody & Sherman were recurring "friends" on the hit animated show The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends. Off the success of the show, there was released a 1961 comedy album Rocky (The Flying Squirrel) and His Friends.
Here is the complete discography by Rocky & His Friends:
Rocky (The Flying Squirrel) and His Friends
"Fast and Moose" Episode of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
You might imagine that "My Generation" had already established their popularity or, at least, their recognition worldwide, but initially the song didn't catch in the United States like it did in Europe. They started to make headway at the Monterey Pop Festival (though they felt out of place at this hippie cultural touchstone) then followed it up with a US tour as the opening act for a very, unlike-them, Herman's Hermits.
A sort of inverse of The Who, Herman's Hermits were not that big in their own UK but really big in the United States. Part of the reason is that before they got any traction in their native music scene, Herman and His Hermits's bubblegum pop and good looks were shipped and, rather vehemently, sold to the US market as the next Beatles after only a couple singles and one major hit. They released their debut album Herman's Hermits in 1965 with different track listings in the UK for EMI and the US for MGM Records.
Note: Since Herman's Hermits released more albums in the US than in the UK, I'll mostly be following the US discography for their future blog spots. This stop, however, highlights the UK album mostly because it has the better album cover. (I also think it's a better record).
Here is the discography surrounding Herman's Hermits's debut album:
I'm Into Something Good (1964 single)
Show Me Girl (1964 single)
Can't You Hear My Heartbeat (1965 single)
Hermania (1965 EP)
Silhouettes (1965 single)
Herman's Hermits (1965 US album)
Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (1965 single)
Wonderful World (1965 single)
Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (1965 EP) Herman's Hermits
"I'm Into Something Good" by Herman's Hermits
"Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" by Herman's Hermits
John's Children had a paucity of talent and their manager knew it. Instead of pressing for the improvement of the band's technical chops (he saw their lack of talent as part of their attraction), he focused on improving the songwriting (the addition of Marc Bolan) and encouraging the band members' stage antics. Even the release of the faux-live album whose release was banned/delayed because of its name had the texture of an outrageous publicity stunt rather than a bothered-about album release.
The band's stage antics were like The Who's own, so it was a natural fit for them to tour Germany together with John's Children opening. But the match didn't work out because the Children were just too "loud and violent" according to Townshend. They upstaged The Who with their theatrics and destruction and one time caused a riot before the headliners even took the stage. John's Children were good at something, if not music. The band was fired mid-tour. (Note: The drummer, Chris Townson, was probably the most skilled member of the band (outside of late-joiner Bolan) and was asked by The Who to sub for an injured Keith Moon.)
The Who (previously visited) released their second album A Quick One in 1966 on Polydor Records. They released an American version of the album re-titled Happy Jack in 1967 on Decca records with a slightly different track listing.
Here is the discography surrounding The Who's second album:
Ready Steady Who (1966 EP)
Happy Jack (1966 single) A Quick One
Pictures of Lily (1967 single)
Whiskey Man (1967 single)
Happy Jack (1967 American album)
"Cobwebs and Strange" by The Who
Pete Townshend Talks About A Quick One
The Who Live July 9, 1966 at Westminster Technical College
