"The Tikis" -- band which became "Harpers Bizarre" - General Tiki

T Thomas Member Lake Mojave Joined: Mar 15, 2005 Posts: 372	T Thomas Posted posted on Sun, Jul 22, 2007 2:42 PM Or maybe there were two "The Tikis." There is no "Len Wade" mentioned in any of the Harpers Bizarre - related info. I've found. I did find a few mentions of Len Wade on the 'net though, such as (from http://music.download.com/lenwade/3600-8568_32-101033406.html ): Editor's review: Wade's cut of "Everybody's Clown" is a classic example of the sound Finley Duncan forged at Playground, his longtime Gulf Coast studio. Behind Wade's pained lead, "Clown" mixes rock 'n' roll guitar and girl-group vocals into a sound that's at once playful, soulful, and dark. Biography: Like other sleepy southern towns, the residents of Valparaiso, Florida had no idea what Finley Duncan had going on behind the walls of his Playground Studios. Duncan, a larger than life character, had a successful amusement company which included jukeboxes, dabbled in the record biz as early as the mid 50's recording in Muscle Shoals and Nashville sporadically releasing masters to Star Day, King, and others. In 1969 Duncan chose Florida's Emerald Coast to start his own legacy. With the help of his industry partner Shelby Singleton, Playground Recording Studio was built (later Singleton would model his studio in Nashville after the Playground design). Duncan assembled a crack studio band similar to Muscle Shoals Rhythm section where some of the pre-Playground Minaret sides were cut. Playground Studios Gulf coast location became a haven for local black talent, touring armory groups, and other Southern outcasts... This appears linked to the record cover image you have posted; note the mention of "jukeboxes" and, more specifically, "some of the pre-Playground Minaret sides..." (the record cover shows that it is from the "Minaret" label). So, there were two musical entities called "The Tikis"? Perhaps the pre-Harpers Bizarre one was a bona-fide band and the excellent record cover you share above is from more of a "psuedo" band, a (one-shot?) studio creation for the southern jukebox circuit. Just speculating here, I'm no scholar in this area.

Or maybe there were two "The Tikis." There is no "Len Wade" mentioned in any of the Harpers Bizarre - related info. I've found. I did find a few mentions of Len Wade on the 'net though, such as (from http://music.download.com/lenwade/3600-8568_32-101033406.html ):
**
Editor's review:
Wade's cut of "Everybody's Clown" is a classic example of the sound Finley Duncan forged at Playground, his longtime Gulf Coast studio. Behind Wade's pained lead, "Clown" mixes rock 'n' roll guitar and girl-group vocals into a sound that's at once playful, soulful, and dark.
Biography:
Like other sleepy southern towns, the residents of Valparaiso, Florida had no idea what Finley Duncan had going on behind the walls of his Playground Studios. Duncan, a larger than life character, had a successful amusement company which included jukeboxes, dabbled in the record biz as early as the mid 50's recording in Muscle Shoals and Nashville sporadically releasing masters to Star Day, King, and others.
In 1969 Duncan chose Florida's Emerald Coast to start his own legacy. With the help of his industry partner Shelby Singleton, Playground Recording Studio was built (later Singleton would model his studio in Nashville after the Playground design). Duncan assembled a crack studio band similar to Muscle Shoals Rhythm section where some of the pre-Playground Minaret sides were cut.
Playground Studios Gulf coast location became a haven for local black talent, touring armory groups, and other Southern outcasts...
**
This appears linked to the record cover image you have posted; note the mention of "jukeboxes" and, more specifically, "some of the pre-Playground Minaret sides..." (the record cover shows that it is from the "Minaret" label).

So, there were two musical entities called "The Tikis"? Perhaps the pre-Harpers Bizarre one was a bona-fide band and the excellent record cover you share above is from more of a "psuedo" band, a (one-shot?) studio creation for the southern jukebox circuit. Just speculating here, I'm no scholar in this area.

Post #320491 by Thomas on Sun, Jul 22, 2007 2:42 PM