Troubles and Trials

By Trafford Publishing

Little Caesar and the Consuls might possibly be Torontos oldest rock band. In Troubles and Trials, the bands former drummer, Gary Wright, takes a look back at the journey of a unique and successful homegrown band and the chain of events that helped make them popular.

As rock-and-roll traditionalists for well over half a century, Little Caesar and the Counsuls achieved recognition as accomplished musicians and songwritersdespite never producing a hit record after 1965. Wright not only chronicles the musical history that led up to the creation of the band in 1956, but also details the dynamics behind the band and what kept them rockin right up until they disbanded at the end of 2010. Determined to take a song and Caesarize it by making it their own, the band distinguished themselves from their competition and became a sought-after dance and cover band. Wright brings the bands story to life by including photos, anecdotes, and stories about the bands group of truly illustrious friends.

Troubles and Trials shares an introspective, behind-the-scenes glimpse into what it is like to share a passion for music with others and, in the process, create the kind of memories that last a lifetime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Dec 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466974203

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© Copyright 2011, 2012 Gary R. Wright.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Prior to the time of printing, diligent efforts were made to notify the copyright owner(s) of the photographs contained in this book. And while care has been taken to trace ownership of all copyright material in this book, so as to accurately credit the material that was used, it therefore constitutes permissible Fair Use of all materials, as a signed and numbered limited first edition

of (500) copies, as per copyright laws, and thus secures permission for use in this publication. Also every effort has been made to provide accuracy in the information prior to printing, and we regret that some of the members photos and names have been omitted due to non-availability. The copyright owner of this publication will gladly receive any information that will rectify errors or omissions for future editions. Also some of the photos have been altered as indicated, for accurate representational purposes.

Photos courtesy of the following:

G &R Graphics

CHUM Radio

Long and McQuade Ltd.

Toronto Reference Library Archives

City of Toronto Archives: Andrea Aitken

York University Library Archives Assistant: Sean Smith

CBC Still Photo Archivists: Lynda Barnett and Brenda Carroll

S. J. Radio and T.V. Productions

Internet Research: Mrs. Dolly Roth

Front and back cover design by: The Slick Brothers of Clever Letters

Text design by: Da’ Silk Suit Boys

With the exception of the copyright owner, I/we on our own behalf or for others, hereby agree that in having

purchased, read or obtained/used this book and the accompanying materials for research purposes or for any other

reason(s), we therefore waive any and all legal rights to pursue or receive compensation for any and all reasons,

for that which pertains to personal information or reference(s) used and that may be construed as or is contained herein.

The copyright owner reserves the right to show new retail prices on future publications of this book

ISBN: 978-1-4269-7096-2

ISBN: 978-1-4669-7420-3 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011910662

Trafford rev. 11/29/2012

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Contents

INTRODUCTION

Part One

Chapter i

Chapter ii

Chapter iii

Chapter iv

Chapter v

Chapter vi

Chapter vii

Chapter viii

Chapter ix

Chapter x

Chapter xi

Chapter xii

Part Two

Chapter i

Chapter ii

Chapter iii

Chapter iv

Chapter v

Chapter vi

Chapter vii

Chapter viii

Chapter ix

Part Three

Chapter i

Chapter ii

Chapter iii

Chapter iv

poems & ditties

A SPECIAL THANK YOU

To Riet M.W.I. De Jong my late wife, for her love, guidance and support.

To Mrs. Diane Georgia-Lee Wright-Jackson-Kennedy.

for the introduction to the original members in 1957.

To Bruce Morsehead for his outstanding contribution

to the band, by showing goodwill, friendship,

honesty and for always making a superb effort

while performing and through leadership.

To Norm Sherratt who was there from 1956-2010.

Thanks for the memories.

To Pete Derimetious and Paul Robson for the drum lessons.

To Gene MacLellan, Robbie Robertson, Lenny Stubbs and

Ken Pernokis, for their major and minor contributions.

To Jimmy and Jerry McCarthy, who always tried to bring joy,

through comic relief, which was at times, much needed,

just for a laugh. Especially their rubber chicken presentation.

To all of the other musicians who participated with us, especially Paul Denyes,

Wally Zwolinski, Vince Cocoluzzi, Steve Macko, John Bradley and Bobby Olliffe.

Always ready, willing and able to Rock ‘n’ Roll all night.

To the over the top agents and freelance musicians.

To the recording engineers and producers, especially Paul Hoffert, Doug and Paul Westbury,

George Semkiw, Glenn Talsky, Ben Bergmann and Pete Traynor.

Crossing paths with you was a rewarding experience.

To all of the past and present wives, especially Gloria, Vicky, Sharon, Sandra, Joyce,

Penny, Susan, Margo, Pinky, Joanne, Lucy, Shawn, and Carol for their tolerance and hospitality.

To those really dedicated roadies from Macon Georgia, Oshawa and Toronto, who went the extra mile especially

Bill Styles and Brian Wright.

To the ‘Studd Brothers’ (Sudz and Budz) for demonstrating what the meaning of a real friend should be.

To Jack Hammer and Dag Drummond for breaking down those barriers.

To the ‘Slick Brothers’ (Melvin, Fez and Leroy) for showing me some new tricks of the trade.

To my nephew Steven Jackson, who has forever amazed me, especially with his technical skills

in radio broadcast, T.V. and film production.

To our many friends and fans whom without your support none of this would have been possible.

May all the music you love be a constant companion and inspiration to help lift your spirits

throughout your life.

To the groupies, girlfriends, waitresses, nurses, mistresses and dancers for the brief encounters and flings

which helped us ‘make it through the night’.

To Steve Stevens, Don Spears and Len Varah for your friendship, assistance and support.

To Maurice Anderson, Al Brisco, Bob Lucier, Ron Dan, John Lacey and Ed (Pee Wee Charles) Ringwald

for the introduction and instructions on the Pedal Steel Guitar.

THOUGHTS

On the Business of Entertainment.

To treat everyone with courtesy and respect.

To be remembered and cherished for the absolute love you feel and convey.

To achieve fame and maintain your basic and very gracious humanity.

To genuinely engage your admirers and never be anxious to avoid them.

To be as glamorous as anyone famous, regal in your bearing with natural dignity, accessible to all people.

To convey a dazzling energy, personality, warmth and charisma, while maintaining an air of intimacy and

connection with your listeners.

This is then a testament to achieving success, as a great entertainer.

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INTRODUCTION

There’s a measure of people that may not realize the enjoyment that comes from playing in a band. Thus the basic theme of this story is about some of the original Rock ‘n’ Roll groups and their members, all of whom made a contribution to the pop music scene that developed during the mid 1 9 5 0’s and 1 9 6 0’s in Toronto, Canada. This plethora of young talent even managed to capture the attention of a perfunctory following while they were a part of the fabric of this vibrant music scene.

Now, right off the top, let me bring you up to speed, because the name of this book may appear to be ominous to you. And although the title appears to make overt reference to its theme, there’s more involved than its just having a show business ring to it.

That being said, Troubles and Trials is a combination of band memoir, biography and j’accuse manifesto, which is then followed by a declaration of innocence, with a specific look at a unique and successful homegrown band known by the name of Little Caesar and the Consuls and what it was that made them popular a long time ago. And as absolute R ‘n’ R traditionalists for well over a half-century, they are still considered by some people to be Toronto’s oldest rock band.

Some of the members of this group even achieved recognition as very accomplished musicians and writers.

So I’ve tried to stir the memory pot and reminisce about those good old days with striking vignettes, photos, anecdotes, quotes and opinions, on many things that pertain specifically to this group, including a parade of truly illustrious friends, acquaintances and eccentric personalities, along with other entertainment artists, songwriters and producers, some of whom were directly involved with them. These little details bring this story to life and help to make it understandable and at times amusing, along with flushing out some previously unknown facts. Thus, what emerges from these reflections of the group is clarification of where the truth left off and the myth began. This in itself does justice to a complex subject by providing a peek behind the scenes that enables the reader to evaluate critically what these individuals had to offer to their fans. But as with most things in life, the real story is much more complicated. Therefore, to get a better sense of how they survived for so long, you have to go back to the beginning. Way back.

During a span of some forty years, during which I provided a rock-steady beat that supported and became integral to their sound, I travelled down many long and twisted roads, during an idealistic pursuit of a dream, with the vast majority of the members involved with Little Caesar and the Consuls.That experience has now assisted me in presenting my consensus about them in an objective manner.

This is followed by Part 3 which explains explicitly the shameful truth about what took place after my dismissal in 2 0 0 3.

The reason for revealing that edgy subject was that it was crying out for a wholehearted response to what was, from my position, a very unnecessary decision. It also demonstrates how people that you know, can master one political art:changing their story.

Naturally, people may assume that I would want to denounce them for that mendacity. But what for? My concern was merely in how to summarize the tributes and turmoil of more than fifty years of entertaining, while compiling an enjoyable read.

Shortly after my termination, I frequently looked at their informative website describing their performances. That information and what I already had compiled made me realize that if I was going to write about this group, I would have to continue to provide accurate information about them so that there would be no reason to doubt the veracity of my tale.

Besides that, I could hardly speak of their history without telling some of my own story.

So this book is a revealing historical reference, particularly for those of you hoping to broaden your knowledge and raise your awareness of a small part of this city’s erstwhile musical history, despite nostalgia’s bittersweet rap. Because recent studies suggest that the occasional detour down memory lane can give your spirits a significant lift, especially if you enjoyed LC&TC and their particular presentations from 1 9 5 6 onward. And regardless of the fact that they failed to produce memorable hit records after 1 9 6 5, they just kept rockin’ right up until they notified their fans that they were ending the party and disbanding at the end of 2 0 1 0 and going their separate ways, but then, Great Caesar’s Ghost the remnants of the previous members decided to resuscitate LC&TC with two talented musicians by the name of, Sam Carothers and Marty Damsell. So one may ask is this band in the home stretch? Nevertheless, may they always appear to be forever young and have a long run at it, before they reach the finish line.

Part One

The people who are classified as Jazz, Country, Classical and Folk artists, have fascinating stories. And in Toronto, there were many amazingly talented people from 1 9 5 0—1 9 5 5 in all of those genres.

Before The Consuls had become a unit, very few, if any, rock music groups prevailed in Toronto or Canada, except for The Rhythm Jesters, a Montreal band, and vocal groups like The Four Lads aka The Otnorots, that’s Toronto spelled backward and The Four Dukes from 1 9 4 7, all of whom were former members of St. Michael’s Cathedral Choir School, who I might add, were still performing in 2 0 0 8 along with The Crew Cuts aka The Canadairs or The Four Tones, with a major radio-hit from the R & B cover song by The Chords called Sh-Boom, and The Diamonds, plus Paul Anka and his fabulous number one record Diana, a short time later.

Local radio wasn’t thinking of what was developing, and even CHUM radio didn’t go all Rock until 1957.

The beehived girl-group queens, with their short skirts, heavy make-up and enormous towers of Aquanet-sprayed hair did not exist until the next decade. But as with all things in life, fate and divine destiny would bring many people together and consequently change their lives.

Of course during the late nineteenth-century, the Corona music box, a popular medium, was born. To work this player, a predecessor to future devices, you would have to crank the handle on the side, which turned the large pierced disc inside.

The pattern of the holes on the disc then causes various teeth on the musical comb to be plucked, which would then create the tune.

And thereafter, another most enduring icon was developed called the coin operated cylinder phonograph which was labelled as a Jukebox. It was established as a medium of expression for songs that could be played for five cents, providing a means of distribution for all forms of music, thus paving the way for the Top 40 and rock ‘n’ roll tunes. Also Jukebox referred to the kind of places such as Juke Joints where one tended to find these machines.

Of course that was also long before Walt Grealis and Stan Klees had discovered each other and developed the Juno Awards.

This era also preceded Larry LeBlanc with his debut and Ronnie Hawkins when he first romped, rolled and shook up the regulars, the renowned, and a few others that were considered to be a part of the Toronto notoriety society.

One of the first rock groups that performed before The Consuls was The Rhythm Rockers, of course not to be confused with the group of the same name that headed-up the house band on the C.B.C. T.V. show in the 1 9 6 0’s called: "Music Hop". According to Norm Sherratt, one of the original members, The Rhythm Rockers consisted of the following members. The lead singer and saxophonist was Norm Sherratt aka Perrish, Harold Connel was on guitar, while Phil Exton just bashed away with reckless abondon on the skins. They would shake and rattle a place with a frenzied new music called, Rock ‘n’ Roll. It was simple. It was fresh. It was an all new sound. The audiences loved the raw talent of this group and the energy of their music. They rocked the crowd and had them dancing in the isles. This electrifying force could really light up the house. And it was as infectious then, as it would be in the future. But just like some other things, this was a very short lived experience for these particular individuals. Harold Connel was getting hitched and since he owned the only two postage sized amps and the car, this group was toast.

Then, in or around 1 9 5 5 or 56, Norm met a talented guitarist who would eventually achieve fame. His name was Gene MacLellan, the future composer of Snow Bird and (Put Your) Hand In The Hand. Norm and Gene then decided to look for a rock drummer. They found a local guy, another one of the first unorthodox rock drummers in Toronto. His name was Pete (The Bear) Derimetious. By this time, these three guys had been able to make contact with people in the city, who had also discovered the joy of dancing to this new music that they were playing.

The formation of this trio then lead to Norm meeting up with a pianist named Bruce Morshead. As the founding members they would now promote themselves and play locally as The Consuls, a name derived from a British car that Bruce had puchased. This car of his was a blessing, because having an extra car was another way they could eventually get around to play farther afield. Then at a later date they changed the name to Little Caesar and the Consuls, along with many other designations over the ensuing years.

Bruce and Norm would be the lynch pins in the long chain that would persevere for over a half-century. This was just one of the many things that made this group unique. For example Norm was the group’s arranger, writer, sax player, front man, lead singer, electrician, technician and sometimes roadie. He could really deliver the goods. As a matter of fact, Norm contributed so much during those 55 years that he deserves his own story.

So the stage had now been set by these musicians for what was to come for them and many other members.

This was now a few years after Alan Freed nicknamed Moondog, the American DJ who coined the phrase Rock ‘n’ Roll, appeared in the spotlight.

What was the original meaning of this new music? Well, someone said: The songs Good Rockin’ Tonight and My Man Rocks Me have what are considered coded lyrics, possibly suggesting having great sex. Tunes with coded lyrics assisted Freed to introduce white youth to rhythm and blues and how to Rock Around the Clock." Although his reputation suffered because of his involvement in the payola schemes of those times, the music endured. Payola, a form of extortion for air time would still be investigated in 2 0 0 6 by the New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer.

Also, 1 9 5 5—5 6 was around the time of Ted Steele and his show called Bandstand, another New York affair, which was prior to Dick Clark who would make his debut as host of another popular show called Bandstand, which later on was changed to American Bandstand when it went to ABC in 1 9 5 7.

The first act to appear was named The Chordettes, who just had a big hit with the song Lollipop, which eventually was one of Little Caesar’s popular signature tunes.

Nevertheless, good things had really started to happen everywhere in North America. The year 1 9 5 5—1 9 5 6 was also to be a very important year for other Toronto rock bands such as Bobby Dean and The Gems. The Gems and the Consuls were possibly the first two bands to emerge on this new scene. And just like the Rhythm Rockers, they played in local theatres during the intermission along with various other performers, all of which was followed in 1 9 5 7 by Rompin’ Ronnie Hawkins and later Frank Motley and his Motley Crew plus Jay King and The Spices.

Laissez les bons temps rouler. Let the good times roll.

LOCAL THEATRES

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Photo courtesy of the G & R Graphics

During the 1950’s, some theatres in Toronto represented venues where bands performed during the intermission period. This helped to establish R ‘n’ R groups for what was to come in and around the city.

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Photo courtesy of G & R Grapics

The one and only original leader Bruce (Little Caesar) Morsehead. A very talented guy beyond music.

Coin Operated Cylinder Phonograph.

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PART ONE

Chapter i

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The fact that America had already gained a foothold on this new music with entertainers like Elvis Presley, now offered this band an ample opportunity to emulate other musicians, and their style of music, thus providing Little Caesar and the Consuls with a large selection of songs to launch their musical careers. So LC&TC played original rock music, along with hit parade favorites of that era.

Tunes by Frankie Ford, (Sea Cruise) Little Richard, (Lucille & Rip It Up) Huey Piano Smith, (The Rockin’ Pneumonia) Jerry Lee Lewis, (Great Balls Of Fire) Hank Ballard, (Finger Poppin’ Time & Annie Had A Baby), Faye Adams or Lavern Baker (Shake A Hand & (Mercy Mr. Percy) all of which would soon be added to their repertoire. These rock classics still carry today the spark that thrilled dance patrons over fifty-five years ago.

Of course, as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but it can also breed mediocrity, so being a cover band was not their main objective.

Some of them would then continue to perform from this time right into the 21st. century, always churning out good time Rock ‘n’ Roll, for their numerous fans. This band would record songs and eventually regroup many times, along with eventually becoming a favorite back-up band along with The Gems, for countless American acts when they played in the Toronto clubs mainly throughout the 1 9 5 0’s and 60’s perhaps even setting a standard in entertainment for other pop groups in their city.

On a Saturday night in 1 9 5 6 these fab four musicians from The Consuls decided to go to a local dance at Playters Hall which was located in East Toronto. They were now really ready and set, to go man go! This was the first night that these guys played at a sox hop but they attracted a packed house of dancers. This event set the stage for the future. How could youth pass up this new and exciting adventure? And just like many people lured by Rock’s siren call, they were no exception.

This was now an opportunity to play and maybe even avoid the drudgery of a ho-hum-drum 9 to 5 day