Milkwood (band)
Encyclopedia
Milkwood was an Anglo-Canadian rock band formed in Toronto in March 1969 by former Influence guitarist Louis McKelvey with future Celine Dion
backing singer Mary Lou Gauthier and English multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Tomlinson
, who’d worked previously with future Jethro Tull
guitarist Martin Barre
in The Motivation, The Penny Peeps and Gethsemane.
sideman, drummer Ron Frankel (born in April 1947 in Montreal), who had previously played in The Soul Mates (and with his wife Mary Lou Gauthier) in the lounge band, Five of a Kind before joining King Curtis & The King Pins in early 1968.
In October, McKelvey returned to England for six months and reunited with his colleague drummer/singer Malcolm Tomlinson (born on June 16, 1946 in Isleworth, Middlesex, England), from early 1960s band, Jeff Curtis & The Flames. Tomlinson was currently playing with Gethsemane (featuring future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre), and had recently done a BBC
radio session with Elton John
.
When Gethsemane split up in December, Tomlinson returned to Toronto with McKelvey in March 1969 to put together Milkwood.
Adding ex-Five Bells bass player Ron Blackwell (born on July 27, 1948 in Montreal), the band played at the Penny Farthing in Toronto in early May. According to Cashbox, Jimi Hendrix
popped in one night and caught the group. He reported seeing a great band with two drummers. On May 25, Milkwood performed at the Rock Pile with The Kensington Market Band and Grand Funk Railroad
.
, the label signed the band before it had played a single show.
During sessions in July, Blackwell left and former Influence member Jack Geisinger (born in March 1945 in Czech Republic) was brought down to New York to help finish an album, produced by Jerry Ragovoy
at the Hit Factory.
In August 1969, the band embarked on a six-week Canadian tour. Meanwhile, the album, which was slated for release in September to coincide with an American tour, was shelved.
The band's greatest claim to fame is that it appeared at Toronto's Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival concert on September 13, alongside The Plastic Ono Band
, Gene Vincent
, Alice Cooper
and others. John Lennon and Yoko Ono went on after Milkwood, with Ono emerging from a bag on stage.
On September 19, Milkwood performed at York University
with Teegarden and Van Winkle and the following month (on October 11), appeared at the Electric Circus. Shortly after a show at the Hawk's Nest on October 17, Milkwood travelled to Ottawa to play some shows and ran into Van Morrison
at Le Hibou. Internal differences, however, led to the group's demise in November 1969.
. Frankel later did sessions for Jesse Winchester
while Mary Lou Gauthier recorded a solo single, “In The Summertime” c/w “Come Run” for Polydor and currently sings with Celine Dion at Caesars Palace
in Las Vegas. She has recently recorded material with McKelvey and Tomlinson in Toronto. Blackwell is a computer consultant and lives in Las Vegas.
was interested in recording with Mary Lou Gauthier.
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
backing singer Mary Lou Gauthier and English multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Tomlinson
Malcolm Tomlinson
Malcolm Tomlinson is most notable as a Canadian musician, particularly active as a recording artist in the late 1970s.-UK Years: Early 1960s-1969:...
, who’d worked previously with future Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
guitarist Martin Barre
Martin Barre
Martin Lancelot Barre is an English rock musician.Barre has been the guitarist for rock band Jethro Tull since 1969. He has appeared on every Jethro Tull album except their debut This Was...
in The Motivation, The Penny Peeps and Gethsemane.
Origins
Milkwood was the brainchild of Louis McKelvey (born on October 31, 1943 in Killorglin, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland), who formed a tentative line up after he left Montreal group, Influence in late 1968. Through his previous band, McKelvey had befriended former King CurtisKing Curtis
Curtis Ousley , who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, funk and soul jazz. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer...
sideman, drummer Ron Frankel (born in April 1947 in Montreal), who had previously played in The Soul Mates (and with his wife Mary Lou Gauthier) in the lounge band, Five of a Kind before joining King Curtis & The King Pins in early 1968.
In October, McKelvey returned to England for six months and reunited with his colleague drummer/singer Malcolm Tomlinson (born on June 16, 1946 in Isleworth, Middlesex, England), from early 1960s band, Jeff Curtis & The Flames. Tomlinson was currently playing with Gethsemane (featuring future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre), and had recently done a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio session with Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
.
When Gethsemane split up in December, Tomlinson returned to Toronto with McKelvey in March 1969 to put together Milkwood.
Adding ex-Five Bells bass player Ron Blackwell (born on July 27, 1948 in Montreal), the band played at the Penny Farthing in Toronto in early May. According to Cashbox, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
popped in one night and caught the group. He reported seeing a great band with two drummers. On May 25, Milkwood performed at the Rock Pile with The Kensington Market Band and Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad is an American rock band that was highly popular during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad toured constantly to packed arenas worldwide. A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them...
.
Polydor Records and Jerry Ragovoy
Milkwood had sent a four-track demo to Polydor Records in late April and, according to BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, the label signed the band before it had played a single show.
During sessions in July, Blackwell left and former Influence member Jack Geisinger (born in March 1945 in Czech Republic) was brought down to New York to help finish an album, produced by Jerry Ragovoy
Jerry Ragovoy
Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy was an American songwriter and record producer.His best-known composition "Time Is on My Side" was made famous by The Rolling Stones, although it had been recorded earlier by Kai Winding and Irma Thomas...
at the Hit Factory.
In August 1969, the band embarked on a six-week Canadian tour. Meanwhile, the album, which was slated for release in September to coincide with an American tour, was shelved.
The band's greatest claim to fame is that it appeared at Toronto's Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival concert on September 13, alongside The Plastic Ono Band
The Plastic Ono Band
The Plastic Ono Band is a conceptual supergroup formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 before the dissolution of the Beatles. Among the various other members of the band were Eric Clapton, artist Klaus Voormann, future Yes drummer Alan White, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, & friends, the Who's...
, Gene Vincent
Gene Vincent
Vincent Eugene Craddock , known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly...
, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
and others. John Lennon and Yoko Ono went on after Milkwood, with Ono emerging from a bag on stage.
On September 19, Milkwood performed at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
with Teegarden and Van Winkle and the following month (on October 11), appeared at the Electric Circus. Shortly after a show at the Hawk's Nest on October 17, Milkwood travelled to Ottawa to play some shows and ran into Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
at Le Hibou. Internal differences, however, led to the group's demise in November 1969.
Aftermath
McKelvey, Tomlinson and Geisinger reappeared in DamageDamage (band)
Damage was a New York hardcore band circa 1983 to 1988.-Members:*Original members, 1983-1985: Boot , Mike Kirkland, Steve McAllister, Denny Morrison, Ted Warner....
. Frankel later did sessions for Jesse Winchester
Jesse Winchester
Jesse Winchester is a musician and songwriter who was born and raised in the southern United States. To avoid the Vietnam War draft he moved to Canada in 1967, which is where and when he began his career as a solo artist. His highest charting recordings were of his own tunes, "Yankee Lady" in 1970...
while Mary Lou Gauthier recorded a solo single, “In The Summertime” c/w “Come Run” for Polydor and currently sings with Celine Dion at Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
in Las Vegas. She has recently recorded material with McKelvey and Tomlinson in Toronto. Blackwell is a computer consultant and lives in Las Vegas.
Trivia
It was reported in the Canadian music press (Circus magazine) at the time that The BandThe Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
was interested in recording with Mary Lou Gauthier.
Sources
- Beat Merchants article
- The Toronto Telegrams After Four Section listed live dates every Thursday.
- RPM Weekly magazine, week starting July 28, 1969.