THINGIES It's a Long Way Down Merry-Go-Round of Life 45 VG+ Kansas Garage Band
$
101
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
My father grew up in Topeka, Kansas and was deep in the late 60's music scene with his Topeka West high school band friend Kerry Livgren - who later wrote "Dust in the Wind" while a member of Kansas. Along the way, my dad picked up a single from one of the hippest local bands he heard at clubs like The Hilltop, The Tiki Bar, and The Low 20 Club with Larry Miller on bass, Gordon Marcellus on drums, John Dalton on guitar, Phil Weaver on vocals, and Ernie Swisher on organ.
The newly-named "Thingies" - from George's smart remark in a Help! bathroom scene after Ringo almost gets his hand (and sacred ring) sucked off in a hand dryer - recorded their first single "It's a Long Way Down" (with "Merry Go Round Of Life" opposite) in early 1966. "It's a Long Way Down" was an anti-drug song, warning that when you're up... it's a long way to come down! My father swears that Topeka teens took it seriously and no one in Topeka used drugs for the rest of the 60's.
Financed by the band, a limited pressing (web sources say about 1,000 copies) were released on the Casino custom label. The single made the charts on KEWI in Topeka and the band drew 3,500 screaming, but apparently not high, fans to the Topeka Auditorium.
Pick up this rare primo piece of Kansas garage rock history!
price rating
