The Idols, "The Prowler" c/w "30 Days," RCA-Victor 47-7339 (rel. 9/1958)
While signed with RCA-Victor in the late 1950s, De Vorson indulged in the label's penchant for one-shot artists. 1958 was a major year for the label in this regard; single after single of "no photo available" performers who made one release as a flyer. Had any of them succeeded, the label would've then promoted them and made the world aware of their existence.
These one-offs were all tax write-offs, and they gave producers, arrangers and songwriters paid time to experiment and practice in RCA's state-of-the-art recording studios. It wasn't a total waste of time and money, but these efforts left behind a mountain of questions for which there're no answers.
Such is the case with The Idols, whom I suspect may be The Valiants, an LA-based Black vocal group who recorded under many aliases. This record is a hidden delight in RCA's 1958 catalog. Obvious inspiration is The Coasters, whose records, written and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, were more influential than the history books might admit.
"The Idol" is the first-person account of a man up late "watchin' some old mystery on TV" when his imagination goes on overdrive. To a fetching Afro-Cuban battery of percussion, piano and sleazy sax, he envisions the worst, and, to his credit, it may be happening.
Played with a deadpan, it's a rockin' little item that parodies The Monotones' big hit "Book of Love" for its spot-on ending. Released in time for the 1958 Halloween season, it might have charted--had the label put an ounce of promotional weight behind it. As is, it got a review in Billboard (seen below) but otherwise left no trace of its existence, save the unplayed copies that show up nowadays.
"30 Days" goes full Coasters, with the conversational sax as a Greek chorus to the vocal group's harmonies and shenanigans. Our heroes stand before a gruff judge who's fond of the titular sentence. Arguing does them no good and, in a surprise ending, The Idols are convicted en masse; their entreaties have vexed this pillar of justice.
It'd be great if there was some information on the making of this record or its performers. "The Prowler," which one eBay seller describes as a "great titty shakin' exotica dancer goodie," appears on the 2025 Bear Family compilation CD On the Prowl with the Wolf. It's possible their researchers dug up info on who did what.
Tomorrow: a Northern Soul gem by...The Gems, Chicago soul meets girl-group finesse on a sought-after 1964 Chess Records platter that matters.
Two hilarious songs and probably TOO reminiscent of their forebears to make a sale—"Book of Love" from late '57 and "Yakety Yak" from early '58. Even the teeners know a joke when they see one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the cool post, Frank! Don't have much to add about the featured tracks other than liking the nice recording sound and rich vocals on the second one. And your writing filled in some info for us about Barry De Vorzon...I've always enjoyed Barry and the Tamerlane's "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight"
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