The Duals [NJ], "Bye - Bye" c/w "Nearest to My Heart," Arc 4446 (rel. late 1958)
Are you ready for The Duals? This teen harmony duo made two singles in 1958 in the mode of the early Everly Brothers, though with a rougher, rowdier vibe. They were Richard M. Oxman and L. Russell Brown, East Coast lads swept up in the first wave of rock 'n' roll.
Their first encounter was abrasive. Oxman was a street-crossing monitor at their school. Brown thumbed his nose at Richard's sashed badge of authority. A squabble resulted; both families united to conciliate this youthful fuss. When Oxman learned of Brown's obsession with rock 'n' roll--and his skill on guitar--he wanted in. Richard was a fast learner and soon the two achieved their intended goal: in their own words, "we're a combo of The Everly Brothers and Little Richard."
They wrote songs in the au courant rock 'n' roll style and decided they had to make a record. That's how you got places in the music world. In late 1957, they journeyed to Bobby Robinson's offices in Harlem (a long trek across the river from New Jersey). Guitars in hand, they proclaimed themselves sure-fire hitmakers. Amused, Robinson and a staff pianist asked them to perform.
Their first encounter was abrasive. Oxman was a street-crossing monitor at their school. Brown thumbed his nose at Richard's sashed badge of authority. A squabble resulted; both families united to conciliate this youthful fuss. When Oxman learned of Brown's obsession with rock 'n' roll--and his skill on guitar--he wanted in. Richard was a fast learner and soon the two achieved their intended goal: in their own words, "we're a combo of The Everly Brothers and Little Richard."
They wrote songs in the au courant rock 'n' roll style and decided they had to make a record. That's how you got places in the music world. In late 1957, they journeyed to Bobby Robinson's offices in Harlem (a long trek across the river from New Jersey). Guitars in hand, they proclaimed themselves sure-fire hitmakers. Amused, Robinson and a staff pianist asked them to perform.
Patronizing chuckles became dollar signs as Robinson witnessed the energy and flash of these high-school kids. He offered them a contract. They were underage, and he was required by law to have their parents sign off on this record thing.
A recording session was booked at Beltone Studios in New York. The lads knew of the place: many East Coast r&b and rock hits were made there. At the studio, they encountered tenor sax legend Ousley "King" Curtis. He took a liking to these cocky Jersey boys and offered to blow on their record. In a snit of youthful hubris, one announced that guitars were the in thing and saxes were out. (Both regretted this decision.)
Without King Curtis' sly interludes, The Duals made two sides for Robinson's new imprint Fury Records. "Wait Up Baby"/"For Ever and Ever" came and went in early 1958. It wasn't a hit, and no royalties came from the record. (Robinson was an eely character when it came to payment.)
Undaunted, the guys stayed on their home turf to make today's platter for Elizabeth, NJ's Arc Records. Arc (one of many labels with the name) is a primo source of wild teen rock 'n' roll and The Duals were an excellent fit. The results are rawer than the Fury single; the guardrails of big-city recording standards weren't installed in Elizabeth. The results...
"Bye - Bye," despite its obvious debt to The Everly Brothers' first hit single, has a rugged, distored sound unlike anything those famous siblings ever attempted. It would be right in place on Sun Records and reminds me of the fantastic one-off single by Wade and Dick (Sun #269), released in the spring of 1957.
This hi-octane side is more raw and rugged, with a vicious lead guitar tone that's distorted and distinct. The song reminds me of Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy" most of all, but there's the modal guitar chords of The Everlys' Cadence debut in play as well. The gnarly sound of "Bye - Bye" is thrillsville. From the slapback reverb on the boys' harmony vocals to the primitive air of Arc's makeshift studio and barely-audible percussion, this is a primo example of what I love about early rock 'n' roll. I can listen to this 10 times in a row and find something new to admire each time.
A recording session was booked at Beltone Studios in New York. The lads knew of the place: many East Coast r&b and rock hits were made there. At the studio, they encountered tenor sax legend Ousley "King" Curtis. He took a liking to these cocky Jersey boys and offered to blow on their record. In a snit of youthful hubris, one announced that guitars were the in thing and saxes were out. (Both regretted this decision.)
Without King Curtis' sly interludes, The Duals made two sides for Robinson's new imprint Fury Records. "Wait Up Baby"/"For Ever and Ever" came and went in early 1958. It wasn't a hit, and no royalties came from the record. (Robinson was an eely character when it came to payment.)
Undaunted, the guys stayed on their home turf to make today's platter for Elizabeth, NJ's Arc Records. Arc (one of many labels with the name) is a primo source of wild teen rock 'n' roll and The Duals were an excellent fit. The results are rawer than the Fury single; the guardrails of big-city recording standards weren't installed in Elizabeth. The results...
"Bye - Bye," despite its obvious debt to The Everly Brothers' first hit single, has a rugged, distored sound unlike anything those famous siblings ever attempted. It would be right in place on Sun Records and reminds me of the fantastic one-off single by Wade and Dick (Sun #269), released in the spring of 1957.
This hi-octane side is more raw and rugged, with a vicious lead guitar tone that's distorted and distinct. The song reminds me of Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy" most of all, but there's the modal guitar chords of The Everlys' Cadence debut in play as well. The gnarly sound of "Bye - Bye" is thrillsville. From the slapback reverb on the boys' harmony vocals to the primitive air of Arc's makeshift studio and barely-audible percussion, this is a primo example of what I love about early rock 'n' roll. I can listen to this 10 times in a row and find something new to admire each time.
"Nearest To My Heart" is a melodic, heartfelt rocker with a memorable melody and a gripping performance. It's a textbook example of how to do a good, solid romantic mid-tempo teen rock 'n' roll record. Nothing's there save what needs to be.
The lead guitarist makes a significant contribution here--from the massive chords that kick this side off just right to a meandering solo that wanders afield of the melody and threatens a crash-and-burn that just adds to the charm. No polish or arrangement on this from-the-ticker item! Oxman and Brown offer excellent, hard-edged but sincere vocal harmonies of this winning up-tempo rockaballad that was the intended A-side (tho' both sides are 10/10 in my book).
Nothing happened with this single. Arc did some promotion but didn't budget for The Duals. The record went unnoticed in the music magazines. Aside from some probable local air-play, this recording was lost in the regional shuffle. Little labels like Arc couldn't compete with the mob-influenced majors. There are thousands of forgotten singles like this one. When heard, they sound like obvious hit material, but in no way could they approach the proper (or improper) channels for success.
The Duals divided after this second flop. But one of them remained in the music biz. L. Russell Brown was half of a '60s rock duo we've played here in the past, The Distant Cousins. They made a series of excellent singles with producer Bob Crewe.
The Duals divided after this second flop. But one of them remained in the music biz. L. Russell Brown was half of a '60s rock duo we've played here in the past, The Distant Cousins. They made a series of excellent singles with producer Bob Crewe.
Brown wrote many hits in the 1960s and '70s, from "Sock it to Me Baby" for Mitch Ryder to "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" for Tony Orlando and Dawn. I hope he looked back on his first records with fondness; they're excellent work and capture the youthful spirit of rock 'n' roll's first wave.
Tomorrow: a rare record I tried to get for seven years. Lost so many auctions for this one until I AT LAST snagged it for a most reasonable price! The rare, promo-only debut disc by pioneering Detroit girl group The Dream Girls. A 1959 Metro Records release you can't afford to miss!
Both songs seem a bit ahead of their time in their musical sound. I hear Beatle's guitar from Harrison or Lennon here. I see what you mean that this geetar sound is very much like Wade and Dick's Sun 269 "Bop Bop Baby" and "Don't Need Your Lovin' Baby." (Yes, Virginia, YouTube IS good for something!) There was a new sound that electric guitars could make and Wade and Dick and then The Duals found that sound.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your thoughts, Bill. One of the things I so love about this period in music is that new things are being tried out and experimented with...the rulebook doesn't yet exist. Especially out in the hinterlands, musicians played and sang what they felt and didn't try to sound like anyone else. 1956 through '58 is a magical time in teen music.
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