line-up 1: (1969)

- Don Gleicher -- vocals, guitar 

- Barry Ray -- vocals, guitar 

- David Schoenfeld -- drums, percussion 

- Jerry Schoenfeld -- vocals, bass, keyboards

- The Continentals (Jerry Schoenfeld)

- The Monkeymen (Don Gleicher)

- The Piggy Bank (Don Gleicher)

Genre: rock

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Plain Jane

Company: Hobbit

Catalog: H.B. 5000

Year: 1969

Country/State: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: promo sticker on front cover

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5384

Price: $120.00

Wow !!!  I'd only seen one short review of this obscurity and it essentially labeled the album as lame country-rock ...  Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

First off, other than what's on the liner notes, good luck finding out much about this outfit.  The line up featured singers/guitarists Don Gleicher and Barry Ray, and brothers David and Jerry Schoenfeld (drums and bass/keyboards respectively).  This is speculation on my part, but I suspect the band originally hailed from New Mexico.  That's based on the fact that a 'Don Gleicher' was a member of a pair of mid-1960s New Mexico-based bands - The Monkeymen and The Piggy Bank. (Turns out I was correct - see the email below.)

Recorded at Hollywood's I.D. Sound Studios with Les Brown Jr. handling the production duties, 1969's "Plain Jane" was nothing short of fabulous.  Featuring ten original tracks with all four members contributing material, the album showcased a mesmerizing blend of late-1960s country-rock, pop, and psych influences.  Full of killer songs and breath-taking, slightly stoned vocals, this overlooked gem spent weeks on my CD carousel (yes I made a CDR copy for personnel use).  Hard to pick standouts since all ten tracks were worth hearing, but the opener 'Who's Drivin' This Train' sounded like Arlo Gurthrie and the Grateful Dead having graduated from the John Philips top-40 songwriting academy, while 'Not the Same' combined CSN&Y vocal harmonies with some ballistic drumming and a cool psych feel.   If I had any complaints, it was that these guys lacked a distinctive sound of their own, though in borrowing bits and pieces from other groups they came up with a wonderful aural stew. They also created one of those albums that was a blast to crank up and play spot-the-influences. Okay, I'll add that 'Num-Bird' was too country-flavored for my tastes.   'You Can't Make It Alone' was what post-Monkees Michael Nesmith always yearned to sound like.  'That's How Much' sported an odd mock-English feel - hum, kinda' what Davy Jones always wanted to sound like ...  'Short Fairy Tale' added some tasty jazzy guitar licks to the mix.  And that was just side one.   ll hyperbole aside this is a classic lost album just waiting to be discovered !!!  

"Plain Jane" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Who's Drivin' This Train   (C. Ray) - 3:55  rating: **** stars

Showcasing a mesmerizing slice of pop-meets-country-rock, 'Who's Drivin' This Train' was one of those tunes that climbed in your head and simply wouldn't leave.  As mentioned above, think along the Arlo Guthrie and Grateful Dead mash-up and you'd get a feel for just how cool this song was. 

2.) You Can't Make It Alone   (Jerry Schoenfeld) - 4:19  rating: **** stars

With a lazy, slightly lysergic tinge, 'You Can't Make It Alone' found the band going deeper into country-rock mode.   Fantastic harmony vocals ...  this was the kind of tune Mike Nesmith always wanted The Monkees to record.    

3.) That's How Much   (Don Gleicher) - 2:08  rating: **** stars

Opening with some nice Hammond organ, 'That's How Much' went in an Association-styled pop direction.  Full of lush harmony vocals the results were very poppish, but with an acid edge. \Schoenfeld provided a great bass line. 

4.) Short Fairy Tale   (Don Gleicher) - 2:19  rating: *** stars

'Short Fairy Tale' was interesting for integrating a jazzy feel into the band's sound.  The song's unexpected mid-track change in direction came as a surprise, but after a bit of needless scat singing the song closed out with a return to a sprightly jazz feel. 

5.) Not the Same  (Jerry Schoenfeld) - 4:20  rating: **** stars

Kicked along by David Schoenfeld's killler drum work (the echo effect is amazing when heard ona  good pair of speakers), and some nice fuzz guitar, 'Not the Same' was the fist side's most psychedelic outing.  I'm just a pushover for bands that managed to meld sweet harmonies with lysergic overtones.   

(side 2)
1.) Num-Bird   (C. Ray) - 2:24  rating: *** stars

Initially my least favorite performance, 'Num-Bird' was an out-and-out country tune.  That said, the song's laidback charm kind of grew on me over time.  Not great, but listenable.  

2.) What Can You Do?  (Jerry Schoenfeld) - 2:50 rating: **** stars

Powered by Jerry Schoenfeld's organ, 'What Can You Do?' found the band bouncing back toward rock/psych.  This one had a distinctive Dylan-esque feel to it.  I'm not a big Dylan fan, but his one sounded pretty good.  The song also featured a dazzling fuzz guitar solo.  Shame it cam in just as the song started fading out.  

3.) Fire Hydrant   (C. Ray) - 4:08  rating: *** stars

Hum, the only song I'm aware of with this title ... 'Fire Hydrant' was a drowsy, blues-tinged number that showcased some nice pedal steel guitar and Jerry Schoenfeld's pleasant bass.   

4.) Silence   (Don Gleicher) - 2:31

The ballad 'Silence' was quite dark and disturbing.  In an email Don Gleicher was kind enough to explain the song's roots: "[the song] was written in memory of a friend of mine who was the sax player in an early group here in Albuquerque called "The Continentals".  He [Barry Grant] was killed in a car accident a few years after the band split up."  rating: *** stars

5.) Mrs. Que   (C. Ray) - 3:36  rating: *** stars

Another enigmatic outting, 'Mrs. Que' also showcased the band's unexpected jazzy influences. Great David Schoenfeld drums.  

Poking around on the internet I came up with an address for a Don Gleicher.  Lo and behold it was the same one ...  Mr. Gleicher was kind enough to tell me a little bit about the band:

Scott:

I am, in fact, that Don Gleicher. Jerry, David, and myself were from New Mexico; Barry was from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma as I recall.

I left the band shortly after the album was completed and have not seen any of the others since. I've heard that Jerry moved to Mancos, Colorado, but I have no idea where the others are.

Just for your information, we had actually recorded another entire album prior to that one. Unfortunately, there was a financial dispute between management and the studio, and we never got our tapes back. I thought I had at least one really nice tune on that one that I've long since forgotten.

That very somber tune called "Silence" (as I recall - haven't listened to it in years) was written in memory of a friend of mine who was the sax player in an early group here in Albuquerque called "The Continentals". (Jerry was one of the founding members.) He was killed in a car accident a few years after the band split up.

Quite by chance I ran into Schoenfeld on Hollywood Boulevard as I left an audition (hadn't seen him in years). He and Barry had the album deal cooking and it eventually proceeded to fruition.

I'm glad you enjoyed the album. Maybe one of these days I'll burn it to a CD.

Here is some additional info on the other (and related) bands if you're interested. Incidentally, there was at least one other band named "Plain Jane" I came across when I searched that name. Perhaps that's the initial review you read. 
 
1. Members of "The Continentals" 
 
Jerry Schoenfeld (guitar, vocals) 
Pete Loomis (Bass, backup vocals) 
Les Bigby (Drums) 
Barry Grant (Sax) 
Don Gleicher (Guitar, backup vocals) 
 
Notes: Jerry, Pete, and Barry were the founding members, as I recall. 
 
2. Members of the Monkeymen (Name changed later to the Piggy Bank) 
When I joined, the members were: 
Vic Gabriele (Leader, bass, vocals) 
Wes Snipes (electric piano, backup vocals) 
George Orona (Guitar, vocals) 
Don Gleicher (Guitar, backup vocals) 
 
I don't remember if the drummer was Benjie Martinez when I joined, but shortly after I joined the name was changed to "The Piggy Bank" and Benjie was the drummer. 
 
Vic's dad told an investor about the group, and he and a partner put us up in San Francisco in hopes of landing a record deal. Wes stayed in Albuquerque, since he had a wife to support. The new keyboard player was Wayne Von Dreel. 
 
Over the years I played with a number of groups here, and wrote and recorded a few songs for my brother Mike's group (The Cellar Dwellers). I also played with my other brother Rick's group (The Nomads.) I believe Mike has some of the tapes from that era. The drummer of the Cellar Dwellers group (Frank Cotinola) lives in Los Angeles and is still an active studio musician. (Mike talked to him last year.) I also worked occasionally as a studio musician at John Wagner's studio here in Albuquerque. 
 
Cellar Dwellers Lineup: 
Pete Springer - Vocals, Bass 
Steve Serencha - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar 
Mike Gleicher - Vocals, Lead Guitar 
Frank Cotinola - Drums 
 
Vic started another group named Mudd (after I left Albuquerque) and added drummer Randy Castillo (who later became Ozzie's drummer). I briefly played with Mudd after I returned from California. 
 
As a footnote: my major influences at the time the Plain Jane album was recorded were Chet Atkins, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and early lessons from a jazz guitar player. 
 
Hope this doesn't bore you to tears. 
 
Don Gleicher

March 2008

Postscript:  I'm not sure it's a legitimate reissue, but iIn 2008 the English Fallout label reissued the album in CD format (Fallout catalog number FOCD2098).