1967 he became friends with guitarists Steve Cropper of Booker T. Garry Paige has a very interesting history - while visiting the U.S. The third single was a glistening bauble of psych-pop whimsy, "Summerhill Road" (December), co-written by Ray Burton and Garry Paige, as was the single's flipside, "Christopher Robin". The second was an irresistible slice of pure pop called "Windy Day" (June) originally recorded by US band The Lewis & Clark Expedition, it was another big success for The Executive in Sydney, where it reached #7.
The first was the brisk and catchy "It's A Happening World" (March) written by Brill Building doyens Barry Mann & Cynthia Weill, which made the Top 40 in Sydney and Brisbane. It was a Top 30 hit on most capital city charts during October 1967 and was especially successful in Sydney, where it peaked at #4, and it reached #28 on the Go-Set chart in December.ĭuring 1968 they released a trio of self-produced singles, making them one of the very first Australian bands to produce their own recordings. It paved the way for their biggest seller, the lush, majestic Steven Stills song "Sit Down I Think I Love You" (originally recorded by Buffalo Springfield on their debut album). "Aim" became a sizeable national hit, peaking at #26 on the Go-Set chart in September. Many listeners mistook the Execs' new single for an American recording, perhaps by The 5th Dimension or The Mamas & the Papas (whose styles obviously had a strong influence on The Execs) before discovering to their considerable surprise that it was a home-grown product. In the mid-'70s Young formed the band Fox (fronted by expatriate Aussie singer Susan Traynor aka Noosha Fox), who scored a major international hit with the song "S-S-S-Single Bed" in 1976. "My Aim Is To Please You" was a beautifully arranged and recorded mid-paced ballad, which displayed to excellent effect the multi-layered twinned lead vocals of Gino Cunnico (formerly lead singer of The Affair) and Carole King, together with the deft electric piano flourishes of Brian King.Īn interesting piece of music 'trivia' about this song is that it was written by guitarist Kenny Young, who is best known as the co-author of the R&B classic "Under The Boardwalk". It was the one-two punch of follow-up 45s in mid-'67 that cemented The Executives' reputation.
THE ESSENTIAL CAROLE KING RAR PROFESSIONAL
The other members of the Mark 1 line-up were virtual novices to the scene but acquitted themselves well in the professional Executives setting. He had brief stints with Dynasty and The Questions in 1968 before returning to The Execs later that year. Ray's antecedents include The Dave Bridge Quartet (1961-62) and The Telstars (1965). A second guitarist, Ray Burton (Raymond Doughty) also joined at the same time, replacing saxophonist Keith Leslie. The moody, wistful a-side was highly rated by Sydney radio DJs and sold well there.Īround mid-'67 Dudley Hood, co-writer of "You're Bad", left to be replaced by guitarist Brian Patterson, who hailed originally from the Laurie Lee Ensemble (1963), then The Bluebeats (1965-66), and Tony Worsley & The Fabulous Blue Jays (1966). In January 1967 they released their debut single, "Wander Boy" backed by a cover of The Addrisi Brothers' "You're Bad". Their musical expertise and versatility was unequalled for the time, and between them the six members could play thirty-one instruments, ranging from violin to harpsichord. This polished sextet was founded by husband and wife Brian and Carole King in Sydney in late 1966, quickly gaining 'must-see' status around inner-city venues. They are also notable as one of the very first Australian groups to produce their own recordings. They were also quite successful in commercial terms - they scored several Top 40 hits, including two consecutive Top 5 singles in Sydney, and they were widely regarded as being Australia's most sophisticated pop group. They shared with those bands a polished, musicianly approach, although they fared considerably better than most of their contemporaries in the longevity stakes. Like Allusions, and The Affair, not enough recognition has been accorded to The Executives.