Just weeks following The Beatles’ landmark first appearances on television’s Ed Sullivan Show, King Records would lease recordings belonging to a “European” group by the name of The Beehives, whose versions of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” graced both sides of their one and only King 45 released in April 1964.
Later that same year in September, a Cincinnati group by the name of Them would record a handful of songs at the King recording studio — “Don’t Look Now,” with its playful Mersey influence, would see release as the A-side of a King 45:
“Don’t Look Now“
Them (1964)
In 2016, someone shelled out $223 for a copy of Them’s King 45.
Buckeye Beat has the back story on how The Torquays evolved into Them:
The Torquays were started in 1961 by a couple of students at Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills High School. After a couple years of building their skills and reputation, they got a contract with King records in September 1964 to record their first 45. The band decided to change their name to Them (after the 50s film, without any knowledge of the Irish band, Them, with Van Morrison) prior to the record’s release, allegedly because a band in Lexington, KY was using the Torquays name. The 45 that emerged turned out to be a classic two-sider – “Don’t Look Now” b/w “A Girl Like You“, featured on many “compilations” of 60s garage band music.
Them kept getting bigger and bigger, while the band members attended the University of Cincinnati by the fall of ’64. Between appearances at U.C. dances, teen dances, fundraisers, etc., Them were the biggest group in town. In the fall of ’65 Them got a regular TV gig on Between Time, a teen-oriented variety show on Cincy’s WCPO TV. They added Mary Ellen Tanner, a beautiful singer, and later Steve Welkom, a guitarist and singer who was a few years younger than the other members and brought the band some of more harder edged ’66 era garage influences.
(image courtesy of ThemTorquays.com)
George Makrauer (drums), Paul Simons (lead guitar and vocals), Eugene Katona (bass and vocals), Mary Ellen Tanner (vocals), and Stan Hertzman (rhythm guitar, keyboards, and vocals)
It was Steve who composed the A-side of Them’s second 45, “Baby (I Still Need Your Lovin’). Before the recording, Them had been negotiating with the American arm of Brian Epstein’s management for a contract. The second 45 was also recorded at King, but the record was released on the short-lived Toy Tiger label, run by local promoter Don Litwin, who also had a connection to Cincinnati resident and future famed film scorer, Randy Edelman. Edelman was connected to a vocal group, The Strangers in Town, who recorded a 45 on Toy Tiger with Them providing the music.
The Toy Tiger 45 was released twice, first using the name Tthheemm and another pressing as It’s Them to prevent confusion with the Irish band and to avoid potential interference if they got a contract with Epstein. For some reason the record is very hard to find (the Buckeye Beat team wants a copy badly, please!). “Baby I Still Need Your Lovin'” is an absolutely great piece of snarlin’ garage rock featuring [future Adrian Belew producer] Stan Hertzman on the organ.
Unfortunately nothing came of the Epstein deal and the band, with the members in disagreement about the future direction, disbanded in ’67.
King recording session –
September 30, 1964
Photo courtesy of ThemTorquays.com
Torquays/Them’s own website show their actual King recording and songwriting contracts.
