The Blendtones

[Roburt]

This group had a popular 45 put out on Success in 1963 -- "Come On Home" .......... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9z0_9aImLs

 

Is much known about them at all ?

I note that the record label was based out of Des Moines, Iowa. 

 

There was also a Blendtones who had a doo-woppy ballad ("Lovers") out on Zanzibar.

There had been a doo-wop group out of the Pittsburgh / Baltimore area a couple of years earlier who went by the name of the Blentones / Blen Tones who for a while also had a record deal (MGM). I guess they were an entirely separate outfit.

Earlier in the 50's, that had been a group of the same name that played gigs in Windsor, Ontario (Canada). 

Edited July 10, 2013 by Roburt

[Robbk]

This group had a popular 45 put out on Success in 1963 -- "Come On Home" .......... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9z0_9aImLs

 

Is much known about them at all ?

I note that the record label was based out of Des Moines, Iowa. 

 

There was also a Blendtones who had a doo-woppy ballad ("Lovers") out on Zanzibar.

There had been a doo-wop group out of the Pittsburgh / Baltimore area a couple of years earlier who went by the name of the Blentones / Blen Tones who for a while also had a record deal (MGM). I guess they were an entirely separate outfit.

Earlier in the 50's, that had been a group of the same name that played gigs in Windsor, Ontario (Canada). 

Same group.  "Lovers" by The Blendtones was released on Success 101.  Many of Success' artists worked out of Chicago.  It may be that the owner's address was in Des Moines, but most or all of the recordings were made in Chicago.  I bought "Lovers" new on Success, and thought that was the original label.  I never heard of the Zanzibar release.  Maybe Zanzibar was the original, local, label, and it was leased to Success.  Or, maybe Zanzibar was a legitimate reissue, or a bootleg for the Doo-Wop market.  Does anyone here know?  (Bob A?)

[Robbk]

I saw the Zanzibar pressing.  It's clearly a 1970s pressing, and loogs rather like a re-issue than a bootleg.

[boba]

i don't know how you can tell from the zanzibar label design whether a record was legitimately licensed or not, but they released new music and bootlegged at least one title (the ideals gorilla).

[Robbk]

i don't know how you can tell from the zanzibar label design whether a record was legitimately licensed or not, but they released new music and bootlegged at least one title (the ideals gorilla).

Well, if they bootlegged "The Gorilla", then it should be more likely than not that they also bootlegged "Lovers".