Byron & the Mortals

BYRON & THE MORTALS

What really made an impression after awhile, however, is that more than a few of these bands were completely unknown even to the people who put the Pebbles albums together. Introducing “Train Kept A-Rollin’” by the Bold on Pebbles, Volume 10, the “Nigel Strange” liner notes say: “. . . I sure wish I knew more about them”. About the Wig/Wags, all they have is: “I used to think this was a Texas group, but since they aren’t included in the recently published Journey to Tyme [here they insert a plug and address for the book] I guess it’s not.” The liner notes for the Foggy Notions have a nice description of their great song “Need a Little Lovin’” but about the band they say simply: “A mystery group”.

The situation is much the same on Pebbles, Volume 9. For the second track by the LA-area band Byron & the Mortals: “. . . about whom nothing is known”. And: “The only thing I know about the Knaves is that lead singer Howard Berkman later turned up in some early 70’s Chicago bands.” The Banshees? “The group was Chicago-based, but that’s all I can tell you.” One more: “I know absolutely nothing about the Bugs.”

In order not to sound monotonous, the liner notes don’t always state outright that all I know about such-and-such group is that I found this here 45, but several of the liner notes are descriptive only. It wasn’t just these albums; most of the Pebbles liner notes were like this, particularly in the early years. Sentences like “Guess what? Another mystery band” and “Here finally is a group that I know something about” were commonplace on the back covers.

(July 2013)