The Lead, Valleri, ザ・リード

Featuring young singers Phil Trainer and Alan Merrill, and a 1968 album track for The Lead, this Monkees song was covered by the band which was made up of foreigners based in Tokyo on the RCA album "Sound Of Silence.".
This version was released on the RCA LP version, and features the first lead guitar work (complete with 1960s fuzz tone and wah wah) on a released recording by Alan Merrill.
Close two part harmony by bassist Phil Trainer on melody and Alan Merrill high harmony on the verses here, with rhythm guitarist Tamia Arbuckle and drummer Alan Hill joining in on their instruments and singing the choruses.
After The Lead broke up in 1969, Phil Trainer went to Italy to join The Clinic, a British band. Alan Merrill went solo and was the first signing to Atlantic records Japan, Tamia Arbuckle became a Scientologist and move back to Los Angeles, and Alan Hill is the only member who has eluded certain follow up, but it is rumoured that he joined the US military.
The Lead were part of the Group Sounds scene in Japan, and unique there as the only band of foreigners in the circuit.
Recorded at RCA studiso Tokyo and produced by Robbie Wada.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The-Lead
• Valleri
• boyce-hart
• phil-trainer
• alan-merrill
• tamia-arbuckle
• alan-hill
• アラン・メリル
• monkees-cover
• arrows
• the-clinic
• gs
• ザ・リード
• sixties
• 1960s
• RCA

[1Sharpobject]

I love the heavy lead guitar part on this. So much better than the Monkees version!

[tsunamisasumi]

@1Sharpobject When they recorded this The Lead were all in their teens, much younger than the Monkees were when they released the original version. Also, The Lead Played their own instruments, and The Monkees used studio session players to back them up.

[tsunamisasumi]

Thanks! & The Lead play their own instruments!

[randynready]

Sounds like they were listening to The Cream's album Disraeli Gears around the time they recorded this cover!

[pewmanfustudios]

This is much better than the Monkees version.

[KeithTheKing]

@jojoranter That's right, Alan Merrill has played guitar on live and studio albums by both Meatloaf and Derringer. He was a very in demand session musician on guitar and bass in Japan and England in the seventies.

[jojoranter]

@tsunamisasumi The lead guitar player on this track went on to play guitar with the hit groups Meat Loaf and (Rick) Derringer.

[Valgal444444]

Oh Wow! I really like this version. I am a Valerie and decided to find songs with my name in them and found this one. Thanks for posting it. It is now a favorite.

[bzjohnson]

Wow, excellent version of a great song. Thanks.

[desamator11]

kool version.

[desamator11]

@tsunamisasumi 2 of the monkees knew how to play and the other 2 learned!

[Sawyerbabe1968]

I like both versions, the Monkees and The Lead. This version has a more edgy feel, very different to the Monkees version. I like it, thanks for posting x

[jellymon51]

Interesting version.  Good vocals.