Shadows of Knight - The Atco Singles (Part 2)

[popsdrums]

Don R. "Dano" Schoenborn, age 67, May 16, 1942 to Oct. 11, 2009, eldest son of Raymond and Hattie Schoenborn; Dano worked for many years in the "Rock and Roll" industry serving as road manager for the Shadows of Knight (Gloria), the Bangor Flying Circus and the Buckinghams (Don't You Care, Kind of a Drag). In the late 60's,

[roccovaselino]

For anyone who follows The Shadows, I have an update. The guy 3rd from left in the 1st picture, Ken Turkin (drums) passed away recently. The 4th guy, Woody Woodruff, apparently has had a stroke and can no longer play. He was an awesome player. I spoke with Jimy Sohns a month ago, and he's in good health and still funnier than hell. The 2nd person in the picture is John Fisher, and I've lost touch with him.

[Valerifon1]

That solo on the first song is haunting and very reminiscent of Spirit - I love that tone! The drumming is that real crisp and funky snare work that I just really love! What a treat to hear this! Many thanks! Luther

[roccovaselino]

Thanks for the drum comments. I did those tracks almost 40 years ago!! Holy crap! "Hawkeye" Daniel's solo IS haunting. I have some awesome live stuff that he's on. No one had the rich tone of this guy. Wish I knew if he was still alive...

[myrecordcollection]

I agree with you on the guitar solo! The vocal and the solo really take over from each other well. If only there had been a whole album that sounded like that song.

[roccovaselino]

We had a total of six finished songs from the Record Plant session, including an eight-minute version of I am the Hunter. We had at least three more originals that we could have used to finish off an album, but we didn't have support from the label.

[hogcontroller]

Yeah, this song just has tension from the first note and then the guitar solo just explodes. This is one of those singles that I can listen to over and over. Someone knows where these tapes are. These need to come out!

[roccovaselino]

We were signed to a New York management company headed by a guy named Gene Frank. Bill Traut may have gained control of the tapes later. The songs I'd like to see released are "Fire and Water," "A Change is on the Way," "Warwick Court Affair," "I am the Hunter (long version)," and a remake of "Uncle Wiggly's Airship." I don't know if Frank and Traut are even alive anymore, or if Atlantic still has the master tapes.

[roccovaselino]

I love the video retrospective! All those photos are from 1968 and sooner. I replaced the 3rd guy in the 1st picture, Ken Turkin, in early 1969. The 4th guy is Steve "Woody" Woodruff, and he was replaced by John "Hawkeye" Daniel in late 1969. Neither Hawkeye or I are in any of these pictures. We had the same personnel for another two years, until we hired Edgar Winter bass player George Gonzales. I wish I had it to do over again now that I can actually play drums...

[roccovaselino]

I'm Paul Scarpelli, the drummer on both of those tunes. That's the first time I've heard Warwick Court in 30 years. (Sohn's first wife Susan lived on Warwick Court when she was in high school.) John Fisher wrote the song and played Hagstrom 8-string bass and acoustic guitar. Great solo by Hawkeye on his beat-up SG Standard. "Hunter," the A side, was butchered in the mix, with some shitty edits. We did both sides at The Record Plant in New York. Sohns is still kickin' it.

[MoorelandSt]

I really love all of this late period SOK music.

[hogcontroller]

Wow, thanks for posting. This single is awsome. Your drumming is one of the things I really enjoy about both of these songs. I happen to love the mix of I am the hunter. Considering your comments, I would love to hear the original tapes. Wish you guys had done more in this vein.

[roccovaselino]

Those were the most creative years for the band, but the most obscure. We did an album at The Record Plant that was never released, and it had a few cover songs, powerhouse originals, and more subtle things like Warwick Court. I'd give anything to cut the drum tracks over again now that I can play.

[hogcontroller]

I would love to hear that. That's exacltly what I imagined an album from this period to be like. Wish the Shads could have gone in that direction. You should pester Sundazed or Rhino Handmade to dig that up and release it. I really think the drum tracks are excellent myself. That bass drum stammer and snare crash right at the end of the first line of the first chorus is great. This music has SWAGGER, which sadly is missing in music these days. Hope you're better. God must be in this. Take care.

[roccovaselino]

BTW, hogcontroller...I'm having a really, really bad day, and your compliment on my playing from almost 40 years ago was a boost. Thanks, man. ;>)

Hey, type "Paul Scarpelli" into a YouTube search and hear a short solo "the old man" posted a few months ago.

[TMSgal]

Cool group and cool song too...I liked it

[espsummer]

that b-side was great. if "warwick count affair" was indeed the first song. i'm kicking myself for not buying their first album for 5 bucks at a record store ages ago. a few months later i got a vhs tape made by a collector that had "shake" on it performed on some late 60s music show. its an amazing video.

[bc191]

These song kind of remind me of the closing days of the Cryan Shames. There is a more mature sound to the music while still maintaining an aesthetic quality. I think Shake is my most favorite by them

[Lamvesp]

Haven't heard these for ages. Cheers.

[psaavedrat]

Great discover man!!!