Golden World / Ric Tic bits

[Roburt]

Thought these items may be of interest to some ....

Wonder if the mag typesetter or the Ric Tic exec got a b*ll*cking for the "Whole World Is A Stage" ad error ...

[Roburt]

A couple more ... 

[Neil Austin]

1 hour ago, Roburt said:

A couple more ... 

Roburt,

I love this article , amazing and really interesting, still have a few Ric tics

[Roburt]

A couple of their very early releases get reviewed ...   Both Golden World and Ric-Tic Records were operating from early 1962. Run by Ed Wingate and Joanne Bratton till the summer of 1963, label operations being mainly undertaken in New York by Leonard Reed. Ed and Joanne would commute to & fro between Detroit and New York. The Ric Tic name came from the nickname of JoAnne's son to boxer Johnnie Bratton. Myto Music was named after Joanne's Aunt Myrtle and her cousin Toni.

Leroy Smalley was from Cleveland.

Edited August 12, 2023 by Roburt

[The Yank]

Another bit - (Cashbox September 10, 1966)

[Roburt]

When Motown took over Golden World, their Hitsville studio was in full operation with the one-inch, eight-track format. Golden World had a 1/2 inch three-track Ampex 300-3SS, and a Scully 1/2 inch four-track recorder. From BG on down through producers, like Norman Whitfield, etc., it was considered that this lack of eight-track technology an unacceptable limitation that rendered the newly named DAF [Davison Avenue Facility -- Studio B) unusable. Right off the bat, the pressure was on to revise the equipment so as to make productive use of Studio B a possibility. The first thing Motown did at Golden World was to install eight-track recording equipment & a new console. The acoustics in the studio were considered sufficiently good that Motown never felt the need to change this. Golden World used a Neumann AM-32B lathe (see pic) for disc mastering but it was installed in a small room, so the facility was very cramped. However overall  the original Golden World studio design was deemed very good, considering the money available at the time it was constructed (April 65).   

Edited August 12, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Loosely related  ... my pic of the Ric Tic Revue folk @ the Ritz (Edwin was missing) ...  

Edited August 12, 2023 by Roburt

[The Yank]

From the May 30th, 1964 issue of Cashbox - 

 

[Roburt]

Most 'unexpected' session @ Golden World studio (to me anyway) ...

Harold Smith's Majestic Choir --  Just As I Am LP (Checker) -- summer 1966

"We Can All Walk A Little Bit Prouder" wasn't cut there though.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Roburt

[Owd Codger]

Hello Roburt,

The first 3 years or so were New York recordings.

Did Ed Wingate send Detroit  session men to New York for these dates, or were they using New York players? If so, does this mean that Golden World's " Detroit" recordings ONLY happened upon Davison being built?

Thanks

[Neil Austin]

17 hours ago, The Yank said:

From the May 30th, 1964 issue of Cashbox - 

 

Great picture of the reflections

[Neil Austin]

On 12/08/2023 at 06:48, Roburt said:

Thought these items may be of interest to some ....

Wonder if the mag typesetter or the Ric Tic exec got a b*ll*cking for the "Whole World Is A Stage" ad error ...

Very cool  

[Mick Holdsworth]

I've never seen an advert for the Jimmy Randazzo before, only the entries as unissued in discographies.

I wonder what it was, maybe a direct vocal of the track that was dropped in favour of Tony Michaels. Alternatively, maybe it was a different musical recording, albeit the same song.

Anybody have any more info?

Edited August 13, 2023 by Mick Holdsworth
typo

[The Yank]

Another Fantastic Four ad. This one gets the group's name right -

 

[Torch56]

That Ric-tic sound was unique and in 1971 moved my interest and appreciation of soul music onto a different level. 'Please let me in' is rightly regarded as a classic, but some of the instrumentals are also worthy of similar levels of appreciation.

I recall a Dave Godin  article from the era where he commented on a Wheel attendee sporting a Ric-tic records tattoo to literally illustrate his appreciation of the sound synonymous with the label. By 1973 the scene had largely moved on as more obscure sounds from around the mid-sixties competed for our attention, but the classic red label with he black type-face still retained its place in my affection.

[Bunderthollox]

Briklain topic, nice one Robert 

[Roburt]

Golden World & it's studio were always about more than soul / NS output -- though we on here revere it for that side of it's work.

AN EXAMPLE ... a Flint rock group started out on the path to fame by using a Shangri-Las hit song as the inspiration for their name. With the name change (to THE PACK) came a different music style, the guys switching from jazz to rock. They would soon allow their new lead singer, ex DJ Terry Knight, to put his name ahead of the groups, after he used his industry contacts to land them a record deal. The Pack's first single, "Tears Come Rolling"/"The Colour of Our Love", was recorded at  Golden World's Studio and was released on the Wingate label. John Rhys wrote & produced "Tears Come Rolling". The group's manager, Jim Atherton from Flint, felt that Wingate was not the right label for a British-influenced Rock group. So he convinced fellow Flint businessman Otis Ellis to record the band on his small Lucky Eleven label. Before the band recorded their second single, the band name was changed to Terry Knight and The Pack,

The group started having hits (local at first) and the guys in the Pack were soon being regarded more as Terry Knight's backing band (he becoming the star name their promotion was focused on). There was a falling out & so Terry Knight went solo (after "I Who Have Nothing" was a big hit). Though they were from Flint, they spent a lot of time in Cleveland (where they were very very popular) & where they were regulars on the locally made TV show 'Upbeat'. So when Terry needed new guys to back him, he headed for Cleve. There, he recruited Lou Ragland & some of Lou's musician mates & they went on the road. Lou couldn't believe the difference in the treatment they got on that tour. They were playing 'white clubs' exclusively (not chitlin circuit clubs black acts played). They didn't have to set up their own instruments / gear on stage (just had to do a short sound check ahead of the show), they had great dressing rooms, were given food & drink whenever they asked, were booked into decent hotels, etc, etc). The time Lou spent on the road with Terry really opened his eyes to what treatment he should now expect.

The Pack continued on (& as I was informed by Neil Rushton in a Facebook post) ....    . . John Rhys was in London to deliver the Shades Of Blue “Oh How Happy” tape to Island Records. Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island, took John out in London and they saw one of the first performances by Jimi Hendrix. John loved one of Jimi’s songs and asked if he could record it on The Pack for Capitol Records when he got back to Detroit. The next night Jimi gave John a tape with the track on. John recorded it and 7 other tracks for Capitol who he recalls “hated” the music. . . .  The Pack metamorphosed into Grand Funk Railroad.

The Pack's final single for Capitol Records, was that cover version of Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" retitled "Next To Your Fire". The 45 was popular in Michigan but failed to chart outside the state. The Packs full-length Capitol LP was never released though, but 3 songs from those sessions ("Getting Into The Sun", "Can't Be Too Long [Faucet]" and "Got This Thing On The Move") did eventually appear on a compilation album released much later on.

I guess the remnants of the group, when they chose their later name __ GRAND FUNK Railroad (though it was GRAND TRUNK RAILROAD originally) were harking back to their more-soul / jazz based origins. The guys must have forgiven Terry Knight for 'dumping them' as he became their manager for a while. Capitol also revised their view on the group's rock style as it was Capitol who signed them to a deal in 69. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Terry Knight had 'dumped' the Pack & had his 1st solo 45 out in May 67.

Just days later he was over in Cleveland with Lou Ragland leading his backing band (though Lou still kept doing solo things as well) ...

Lots of top Brit acts would play the club that Terry, Lou R, etc played in Cleveland. So I guess, those same UK groups & their members (Rod Stewart, Steve Winwood, etc) would have been playing the same clubs across NE USA as Lou was playing. Wonder if Lou got to meet Rod, Stevie ? (too late to ask now). 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

There's another link between Lou Ragland & Detroit (in addition to his link (once-removed) from the Pack & their work @ Golden World's studio.

In summer 67, Way Out sent Lou to Detroit to gain access to the local studios & find out the 'secret' of their hit sound. Don't think Motown would let Lou anywhere near the inside of their studio, but he did visit United Sound & Golden World. Maybe his work with Terry Knight got him access he wouldn't normally have been given.

He played on the Precisions "If This Is Love" and other tracks cut at sessions done that particular week. He headed back to Cleveland and used his 'new found' knowledge to cut Way Out tracks that MGM distributed in early 68.   

[The Yank]

[Roburt]

A couple more bits ...