The Pebbles
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1960-65) as The Fredstones - Fred Bekky (aka Fred Beekmans) -- vocals, lead guitar - Bob Bobott (aka Bob Baelemans) -- vocals, rhythm guitar - Meil Gielen -- bass - Louis de Laat -- drums, percussion - Luk Mets -- vocals, keyboards
line up 2 (1965-69) as The Peebles - Fred Bekky (aka Fred Beekmans) -- vocals, lead guitar - Bob Bobott (aka Bob Baelemans) -- vocals, rhythm guitar - Meil Gielen -- bass - Louis de Laat -- drums, percussion - Luk Mets -- vocals, keyboards
line up 3 (1969-72) - Fred Bekky (aka Fred Beekmans) -- vocals, lead guitar - Bob Bobott (aka Bob Baelemans) -- vocals, rhythm guitar NEW - Cel De Cauwer -- drums, percussion (replaced Louis de Laat) - Luk Mets -- vocals,keyboards NEW - Axel Van Duyn -- bass, backing vocals (replaced Meil Gielen)
line up 4 (1973-74) - Fred Bekky (aka Fred Beekmans) -- vocals, lead guitar - Bob Bobott (aka Bob Baelemans) -- vocals, rhythm guitar NEW - Tim Turcksin -- keyboards (replaced Luk Mets) NEW- Johnie Verhas -- drums, percussion (replaced Cel De Cauwer) NEW - Patrick Wijnants -- bass (replaced Axel Van Duyn)
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- Cel De Cauwer (solo efforts) - Dream Express (Luc Mets) - The Fredstoes - The Ghostriders - Hearts of Soul (Luc Mets) - LBS (Luc Smets) - Shampoo (Cel De Cauwer and Luc Mets) - The Springs - Trillion (Fred Bekky) - Trinity (Fred Bekky)
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Genre: pop Rating: 3 stars *** Title: The Peebles Company: Barclay Catalog: 920280-1 Country/State: Hoboken, Belgium Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1 Price: $
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Music collectors interested in Belgian artists seem to tend to focus on progressive and rock bands. Overlooked is the fact the country spawned a couple of decent pop groups, including the criminally overlooked The Pebbles.
The Pebbles actually trace their roots back to 1964's The Fredstones. Hailing from Hoboken, Belgium the band was formed in 1960 by Fred Beekmans (aka Fred Bekky) and Bob Baelemans (aka Bob Bobott). The rest of the original line-up featured bassist Meil Gielen, drummer Louis de Laat, and keyboardist Luk Mets.
The group became known in their native Antwerp for extended club sets and won an early advocate when they were discovered by American producer Norman Petty. Amongst under things, Petty suggested a name change to The Pebbles and apparently recorded quite a bit of demo material with the band in New Mexico. Sporting a surprisingly English sounding Merseybeat sound, they recording a string of at least 14 international singles over the next five years, including two instantly forgotten US releases:
- 1965's 'Let's Say Goodbye' b/w 'Love Me Again' (CBS catalog number CBS 1.911) - 1965's 'It's Alright with Me Now' b/w 'Forever More' (CBS catalog number 1.914) - 1965''s 'Il Nuovo Giorno' b/w 'Domani' CapiraiDurium catalog number CN A 9163) (Italian release) - 1966's 'Huma la la la' b/w 'Geneveve' (Arcade catalog number 5013) (Italian release) -
1967's 'Someone To Love' b/w I Wonder'' (Belter catalog number 07-607)
(Spanish release) - 1967's 'Get Around' b/w 'Forty Miles' (Barclay catalog number BE.60944) - 1968's 'Forty Miles Inside Your Heart' b/w 'Get Around' (Major Minor catalog number MM 574) (UK release) -
1968's 'Forty Miles' b/w 'Get Around' (Mainstream catalog number 695) (US
release) It only took five years, but in 1969 The Pebbles finally got around to recording a studio album - "The Pebbles". Produced by Alain Milhaud, the album offered up a collection of original material with Fred Bekky, Bob Bobitt, and Luk Mets sharing writing duties. Given the band had always followed musical trends, tunes like 'Sunday Morning Trip' and 'Free of Love' were surprisingly mainstream pop efforts. Not bad, but still a bit predictible and somewhat staid. That wasn't to say the album didn't have it's moments. Tapped as a single 'To the Rising Sun' was a glorious slice of Hollies-styled pop and should have provided the band with a massive international hit. Elsewhere the blistering rocker 'Half Past Dead' showed they could toughen up their sound, As I said earlier, The Pebbles were one of the best '60s and '70s pop bands to come out of the Benelux. Shame they didn't get more recognition. Given the band's earlier European commercial successes, the album proved a sales disappointment which led to the expected personnel friction amongst band members..
"The
Pebbles" track listing: 1.) To the Rising Sun (Fred Bekky) - 6:36 Wow, who would have ever expected a Belgian band to out-Holly the Hollies? Seriously, 'To the Rising Sun' had everything needed for massive radio success - wonderful melody; incideously catchy hook, and crystalline harmonies. Alan Clarke and company would have sold Graham Nash into slavery for a song as good as this one. Wonderful way to start the album. Included on "The Pebbles Greatest Hits" compilation released a couple of years later, the tune was finally tapped as a single: - 1970's 'To the Rising sun' b/w 'Is There No One' (Barclay catalog number BE 61 397) rating; **** stars 2.) Sunday Morning Trip (Bob Bobott - Fred Bekky) - 3:30 'Sunday Morning Trip' was a sweet, slightly lysergic-tinged pop ballad that showed off the band's nice harmonies. Maybe because it was a ballad, Bekky's voice sounded a bit quivery. rating: *** stars 3.) Free of Love (Fred Bekky) - 4:30 Nice bubbly guitar-powered power-pop tune that made it sound like they been listening to lots of Chinn and Chapman produced British bands (think early Sweet). Keyboard player Mets handled the vocals. rating: **** stars 4. Do You Know, You Know? (Luk Mets) - 3:24
(side
2) Kicked along by nice 12 string guitars and sterling harmony vocals, 'Little Free Rock' sounded a bit like a bouncy Donovan tune. One of the album highlights and one of the few tracks where they injected a bit or originality into the debut LP. Bobbot handled the lead vocals. rating: **** stars 2.) Half Past Dead (Fred Bekky) - 5:00 Courtesy of the opening, 'Half Past Dead' gave drummer Cel De Cauwer got his moment in the spotlight. Probably the album's toughest rocker (though there were a couple of jazzy licks embedded in the tune), it was also one of the album's standout performances. Mets on lead vocals. rating: **** stars 3.) Cut My Head Off (Luk Mets) - 4:19 4.) Civil Wedding (Axel Van Duyn - Luk Mets) - 2:50
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Genre: pop Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Close Up Company: United Artists Catalog: UAG
29436 Country/State: Hoboken, Belgium Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1 Price: $
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After their debut studio album tanked, The Pebbles continued to release interesting and increasingly more rock oriented singles to an indifferent public.
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1971's 'Down at Kiki' b/w 'Jelly Mama' (Barclay catalog number BE 61 455)
At the same time, increasing unhappy with longtime label Barclay Records, in 1972 they finally broke loose from their contract, signing with United Artists. Produced by Ed Welch, 1972's "Close Up" found the group trying to walk a musical tightrope between pleasing their longstanding pop fans, while pursuing their own interest in a much more conventional (and likeable) rock orientation. Featuring all original material, again written by Fred Bekky, Bob Bobott, and Luk Mets, the results were basically split down the middle with tunes like 'Love Fades Away', 'Make Me King' and 'Judy Suzy and Phil' showcasing their pop, radio-friendly side, while 'Mister Southeaster' and 'Mother Amy' opted for a more rock focus. Unfortunately for the band, nothing here was particularly cutting edge and United Artists seemed to have little interest in promoting the collection, limiting distribution to just a few European countries.
"Close Up" track listing: 1.) Mister Southeaster - 5:20 Personally, as exemplified by the leadoff track 'Mister Southeaster', I really liked the harder rock flavors The Pebbles were exploring on this one. The title didn't make a lot of sense to me, but I sure liked the twin lead guitars which gave the tune an interesting Allman-esque-meets-Lake feel. Add in some nice Axel Van Duyn bass work and you had a great opener. rating: **** stars 2.) Once In a While - 2:43 3.) You - 2:38 4.) Love Fades Away (Fred Bekky - Bob Bobott) - 3:20 'Love Fades Away' was a pretty Hollies-styled radio-friendly pop ballad showcasing some of Bekky's frequently overlooked slide guitar. rating: **** stars 5.) Make Me King - 3:16 Another tune that sound liked they'd been listening to lost of mid-'70s English pop - Pilot, Status Quo, etc. Not particularly original (lots of na-na-nas), but still very likeable. rating: *** stars 6.) Spare a Little Love - 2:55 Bland, Peter and Gordon styled ballad that sound quite outdated and perfunctory. rating: ** stars
(side 2) 1.) Desert Funeral (instrumental) - 3:27 The instrumental 'Desert Funeral' sounded like something lifted from a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. Certainly different, but not one of the standout performances. rating: *** stars 2.) Judy Suzy and Phil (Fred Bekky - Bob Bobott) - 3:30 Usually I'm not a fan of hyper-sensitive ballads like 'Judy Suzy and Phil', but this one was really, really good. Imagine The Moody Blues if they ever decided they want to write a top-40 song. Easy to understand why United Artists tapped it as a single:
- 1972's 'Judy Suzy and Phil' b/w 'Love Fades Away' (United Artsits 4C 006-93850) rating: **** stars 3.) Reddish Wood - 2:45 The first time I head 'Reddish Wood' I clearly remember thinking this was a Smokie tune. The vocal had the same arch sound than Chris Norman had in his voice. Coupled with some nice electric guitar, this was one of the more radio-ready tracks. rating: **** stars 4.) Some Days Are Gone (Fred Bekky - Bob Bobott) - 2:46 Throwaway country-rock ballad that was highlighted by nice Eagles-styled harmony vocals ... there were actually a lot of American and English country-rock bands that didn't sound as good. rating: *** stars 5.) Mother Amy (Fred Bekky - Bob Bobott) - 2:54 The song title and lyrics were a bit of a mystery; perhaps a reflection on their mid-'60s time spent recording with Norman Petty? Nice jangle rocker with a funky rhythm, but lacked a really strong melody and probably wasn't the tune I would have picked as a single.
- 1972' Mother Army' b/w 'Some Days Are Gone' (United Artists catalog number 4C 006-93 487) 6.) Notion - 3:17
Like the first album, the collection again failed to find an audience which led to internal arguments over musical direction. After three more non-LP singles, by the end of 1974 The Pebbles had called it quits.
- 1974's 'Some Kind of Joker' b/w 'You Are My Sunshine (United Artists catalog number 4C 006-94 718) - 1974's 'No Time at All' b/w 'You Can Have The Thing Called Love' (United Artists catalog number 4C006-95088) - 1974's 'The Kid Is Allright' b/w 'Three Little Sisters' (EMI catalog number 4C 006-95 882)
There's also a one-shot 1980 reunion disco-oriented single that's pretty horrible:
7" format - 1980's 'Figrao' b/w 'Got Enough (Of Your Crazy Love)' (Killroy catalog number KS 3160 KF) 12" format - 1980's 'Figrao' b/w 'Got Enough (Of Your Crazy Love)' (Killroy catalog number KIL 119510 KMS)
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Genre: pop Rating: 3 stars *** Title: The Pebbles Best Company: Barclay Catalog: 920397 Country/State: Hoboken, Belgium Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1 Price: $
Genre: pop Rating: 3 stars *** Title: The Pebbles Greatest Hits Company: SFP Catalog: 4M032-64275 Country/State: Hoboken, Belgium Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1 Price: $
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Because they were such a singles oriented band, The Pebbles are one of the few band where it makes sense to look for some of their retrospective albums.
Released in 1972, 'The Pebbles Best" was a haphazard compilation of material drawn from their late-'60s and early-'70s tenure on the French Barclay. The twelve track retrospective included a couple of singles ('even Horses In The Sky' and 'Down At Kiki'), 'B' sides ('Jelly Mama' and 'The Verger'), and a couple of previously unreleased efforts ('Wavering Retrospection').
"The Pebbles Best" track listing: (side 1) 1.)
You Better Believe It
(side
2)
Released in 1981, "The Pebbles Greatest Hits" is probably the set for most folks to invest in. The thirteen track compilation was heavy on the band's late-'60s and early-'70s singes (virtually all of these 'A' sides. Only two of the songs overlapped from the earlier "Best Of" set - 'Seven Horses In The Sky' and 'Down At Kiki'. Far from perfect, the single album set ignored the band's earliest material, as well as some of their better latter career singles. Missing in action were singles like the AC/DC-ish 'Beggar', 'Some Kind of Joker', and 'The Kid Is Allright'.
"The Pebbles Greatest Hits" track listing: (side 1) 1.)
Seven Horses In The Sky
(Fred Bekky – Bob Bobott – Luc Mets – Hugo) - 3:45 3.)
Get Around (Fred Bekky – Bob Bobot) - 2:38
(side
2) 7.) No Time At All (Fred Bekky – Bob Bobot) - 2:55
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