The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 69

THE TV JOURNAL J7 Th nun mm, rr kJUIIlllllliy JUUW JLfUl failure March 20-26 Made Herman ginning lo pound out a merry tune and the boy responsible has taken a long hard Jock at himselLin the mirror, Fame came quickly to M-year-old Herman andf his Her-; mits from Manchester. England, but it took one failure to convince them they weren't quite the biggest thing on the scene. As soon as "I'm Into Some-, thing Good" hit the sales jack--pot the young British star thought he Avas really big-time. A MISTAKE it was a mistake," he admitted in a recent interview. "We thought we knew more than people who hd been in -the business" for years.7 Now our attitudes have changed if it Big The Big Town Boys from Toronto are heading for the "big time'.

This must be obvious to those who saw them perform recently at the Auditorium with" the Beach Boys. These six boys met only a year ago and they adopted the group's name from their first job backing Shirley Matthews on her hit record "Big Town Boy." After that came other opportunities to accompany artists on stage appearances, including The Girlfriends, Jack London, Robbie Lane and Bobby Cur tola. The-boys- getaIongextrem ly well, despite contrasting personalities. "It's amazing we met at all." says Josh, the drummer. "We started jam session together at a private party where all of us knew somebody but none of us knew each other." Tommy Graham.

21, the lead singer, is an experienced ar- ranger while Mike Lewis, the 19-year-old "baby of the group," spends his spare time studying classical music. "EverythingScomes Jromthe classics," explains M'k- TTe1s -a great admirer of the modern abstract symphonic style of Alexander Brott, of Montreal. (Bass guitarist Brian Massey got his musical experience playing for a band at the Club Blue Note in Toronto. The rest of the group consists of John (Henderson who plays the organ and acoustic, guitar, and Jimmy A mat, saxophJonist. "We've beenvery lucky so far," says Jirrfmy.

"We haven't had any big disappointments in our career and it seems-something bigger happens every week." The boys are the featured band on the CJQH television show "After Four." According to Mike, the greatest benefits from TV work is gaining confidence. "JtV good experience1," says allj. ertded-Vioriipjrpw we Jtnow we could look back on some great times." rr-The song that brought home the ups-and downs of show business was "Show Me Girl," tlieir second British release and thejf first flop. Mickie Most (their record producer) didn't want it. But we said: 'Come off it, that's going to1 be a big hit." But it was xt ry similar to "Something a sort of clap-clap, four-beat style.

was a comparative flop. "Now I think we appreciate what's being done for us. I mean really appreciate LITTLE WISER Herman, just turned 17 and a little wiser- in the ways of the record world, now has another Took Name From Hit Record British jiit, Silhouettes" It is with" "Can't You Hear My their hit here. 7 And even although a smash the group didn't like the song at all. Mickie Most, one the shrewd-t est men in the British pop field chose it for them, and even bet the group that it would make the" grade.

WAS. A SMASH "Silhoiiettes" was written by Frank Jr. for the Four Seasons but a version, by The Rays came out first and became a smash. -r. VCan't You, Hear My Heart- beat" was written by two members of The Ivy League, another British group netting the sales with Funny How Love- Can Town Boys flit Mike, "but there's a lot more tension in TV work than on live performances because of the short time to prepare.

Sometimes we don't see the music for the TV show until the same day." 1 Although the comedian, has plenty of confidence, he is always on the lookdut for new ways to express Hes-attending an art college and spends much of his time drawing and painting as well as writing poetry and playing the oboe, bongos and drums. Josh is a modern thinker. "I Jikejmodem art." he says. "It's Be. By Louise the expression that counts and it does say something to me.

My poetry is written in free verse but I usually keep' it to myself' and wouldn't want it published." As drummer for the Big Town Boys, Josh sums up his feel ings7 for the Beatle drummer with his favorite slang expression "too much!" He doesn't think that Ringo's recent marriage will hurt his career. "Ringo has an inner warmth," "and Ringo is Ringo whether he's married or Heart The "Heartbeat" song is hit In the UK, the smash version is perforrried by-four gals from New York City called Goldie and The Ginger-bieads. 7 Herman used to be an actor. kfact the little fella with the big smile first became known "as-Peter Noone lire actor. Occasionally the eagle eyed might spot him in a small it Star Beat tt With Sandy Gardiner Big Time t.

-r 1 x-- i v. T.vV-r? 4 I i Vinokur The Big Town Boys, are" friendly and clean-cut. They differ from many other groups because they have short hair but this hasn't affected their sue-' cess. Besides their TV show, they appeared in Toronto with the Dave Clark Five and the Beach Boys and there.js'a good possibility of an appearance on the U.S. TV pop show, 'Shindig." NO MANAGER "One of my pet peeves," says Mike, "is mass condemnation of the teenage Every J.

II role on some of the older British-made television" At the' moment however he has no desire to return tof the dramatic field. He's having too "much fun' and success with the group. And he's a much more mature teenager having, it stems, taken a leaf from Dean llgo- plan's book and let it go to his heart and not to his head. it feneration is the same. Besides, I'm still a teenager myself.

The group has no manager or writer. They work as a team and ad lib the comments between songs. Once Mike fell off the stage during their act "Luckily," joshed Josh, "his trombone was saved." boys', first is out; on RCA Victor." "Put You Down," the side and the flip written by Tommy Graham. The address of the Big Town" Boys' national' fan is: Sandy Herdsman, 92 Gray Abbey Trail, West Hill, Ontario. Gazing.