B

Not the rarest of the Guinness catalog, but not one that you find every day and certainly not one with much written about it ...

In typical Guinness fashion there's little in the way of biographical information. No production credits and no performance credits, though all ten tracks were erroneously credited to Lang Montgomery. Ah, but thanks to keyboardist Lang Montgomery, here's the band's abbreviated history:

photo courtesy of Lang Montgomery

Front: left to right: Don Jenson -Bill Walls,

Second row left to right: Lang Montgomery - Phil Gilsdorf

Third row - unknown keyboard player

- Don Jenson. (leader of the band) rhythm guitar, lead vocals, recorder (flute). Neither Bill nor I know what happened to Don. 30 years ago he was in the Florida/Alabama area.

- George Cowling on rhythm guitar and backing vocals.

- Jim Durand on bass and backing vocals.

- Lang Montgomery: drums, piano, background vocals. I got "born again" in 1974 and left the group shortly before it broke up. I then became a Presbyterian minister for 22 years. Now in business, I still play my drums with some old rockers now and then

So one thing Lang didn't mention was that the group recorded an instantly obscure 45 for the local Dimension label:

- 1969's 'Can't Find the Time' b/w 'Scarborough Faire' (Dimension catalog WE 1002)

Like most bands, the group underwent a number of personnel changes.

George Cowling left in 1971 and was replaced by Bill Walls, who took over lead guitar and vocal leads on the songs he wrote. He also sang background vocals. Bill recently moved from Virginia Beach to South Mills, near Elizabeth City, North Carolina). I talked with Bill a month ago. He is still playing the oldies around the Virginia Beach area.

Jim Duran was replaced by Scott McCarl (who came all the way from Omaha to play with us). Scott left us before the recording sessions, though he did alright for himself hooking up with Eric Carmen and The Raspberries. Scott was a fantastic singer and bass player who was also a Beatle "wannabe", sounding just like Paul McCartney (he even played a left-handed Hofner Bass guitar). When Scott left we brought in Phil Gilsdorf as a replacement.

Our collective strengths were originally in the vocal department. We just liked to sing but found that we couldn't get hired unless we had some instruments. Three of the original members (including me) had played in another pop/top 40 group together, so we started using our instruments. We idolized and originally wanted to sound like The Association (of 'Along Comes Mary' fame). Four-part harmony was big during that time. We were tired of the loud rock scene and found simple pleasure in harmonizing. But one thing led to another and before you know it we were playing to beer-drinking crowds at the southern end of Virginia Beach during the summer. We would sometimes get bored while playing the same songs over and over. So we would look out the window at the surfers near the Steel Pier shooting the waves.

We all lived together in the same house on 86th St. right on the ocean here in Virginia Beach during the winter months, moved out for the summer when the rent went up and played in local clubs most of the summer, moved back in in September. We took out music seriously, setting up a practice room with carpeting on the walls and used a TEAC tape recorder to practice and record original songs. We had practice 4 out of 5 days during the week at certain hours - very disciplined. Don Jenson saw to all that. Don was was from Portsmouth. I was from Norfolk. Bill Walls from Virginia Beach, Phil Gilsdorf (bass player) was from Norfolk.

Most of these songs were written on the road when we were traveling doing the "Ramada Inn/Holiday Inn" circuit up and down the east coast between January-May 1972. During this long road trip we listened a lot to the The Association, Doobie Brothers, America and Three Dog Night. Sadly,our former bass player, We actually recorded the album in Mercury Studios in Nashville, though the album cover you show is not the original one. We made the album primarily to sell on the road and possibly get someone to listen to our original music.

"Witsend" was another tax scam release where the first couple of times I played it I didn't have a clue what to make of it. Parts of it were quite good; parts not so impressive. It also had a weird demo feel to it complete with between song patter, though it may have been staged. Some of the performances were actually quite good, but musically it wasn't particularly distinctive with the 'group' bouncing all over the spectrum.

- With kind of a Gospel-meets-Southern-rock vibe the leadoff track 'We're Gonna Have a Good Time' sounded a little bit like a Delaney and Bonnie outtake. Since I like Delaney and Bonnie, I found it quite attractive. rating: *** stars This was simply meant to be a party, feel good song to make people dance.

- Kicked along by a nice melody, a catchy hook, and some distorted guitar, 'Live A Little Learn A Little' had an intriguing bubblegum rock feel to it. easy to picture this one on an Archies album ... I should add that was meant as a compliment. rating: **** stars This was Don's way of dealing with the ups and down of life (including old girl friends).

- 'Time without Her' was an attractive country-rock-meets Up with People number complete with nifty melody and some first rate acoustic guitar (though the drumming was kind of formulaic). Be forewarned it also had one of those hooks that drilled into your head and wouldn't leave. rating: **** stars Bill had recently gotten married and so was missing his wife terribly.

- The first true disappointment, complete with sappy lyrics and out-of-tune flute solo, 'Stolen By Time' was a hideous MOR ballad that should have been relegated to something useful like an insurance commercial. rating: ** stars We played a Ramada Inn just west of Rochester, NY in a little town called North Chili for 2 weeks in May of 1972. I fell for a beautiful, dark haired girl at the club where we were playing. When we were just starting to get to know each other a little, we had to leave and go to another job. I stayed up late the night before we had to leave, and feeling melancholy, tried to copy the style of David Gates of Bread (i.e. "If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can't I paint you.."). You're right. It was was completely sappy. And I hated the out of tune recorder but the record producer just said "Next" (He only wanted our money anyway).

- Had it not been for the joint male/female lead vocals, 'Life On the Road' could have been mistaken for an early-1970s America track (back when they were still a trio and actually worth hearing). Pretty and again quite commercial in that early-1970s style. rating: **** stars Written by Bill Walls during our long drive from Baltimore to Mobile , Alabama (i.e. "back in the van to Alabama ..."). Bill loved the band America and had recently purchased a Martin guitar to sound like them.

- Except for the unexpected mid-section time shift, side two's upbeat 'Identity' may have been the standout performance. Nice melody and gritty vocal. I could swear I'd heard the voice somewhere else, but have never been able to figure out where. rating: ***** stars Written by Don Jenson (with a little help from me with the chord progression). Don had lost what he thought was the love of his life. He mourned her for years. This song was his look inside himself trying to rebound and "get back what she took from me". He agonized with trying to finish this song for months until when we were playing a Ramada Inn in Grand Rapids for 4 weeks. On a snowy day in out room, I helped him bring some resolution to the various chord changes that just weren't flowing well. Since I had been taking piano lessons for a few years, I was more familiar with key changes, etc. but he essentially wrote 99% of the song

- Hum ... 'Home By the Sea' was another America wannabe effort (it also kind of remind me of a Tears for Fears composition with Curt Smith handling vocals). Again not a criticism, since it was actually a pretty good America (of TFF) imitation. rating: *** stars Remember, we lived right on the Atlantic Ocean for 3 years together). Again, more of Bill's attempt at an America tune.

- 'Just Who Are You' was a pretty, but bland ballad, which actually would have sound pretty good on mid-1970s radio. Too bad the pretty acoustic guitar didn't kick in earlier. rating: ** stars Another attempt at introspection and self-improvement by Don.

- 'Waiting To Tell You' was a slice of throwaway pop that actually sounded like something you would have heard on mid-1970s top-40 radio. Yech !!! rating: ** stars This my attempt at playfulness, after the style of Melanie's "Brand New Key", 1972.

- Alright, let's show 'em we can rock. Not a bad effort but unfortunately there simply wasn't enough song structure to make this one memorable. rating: *** stars This was my attempt at copying the Pointer Sisters. "Yes We Can Can". Again, simply trying to make a catchy dance tune.

All told a pleasant surprise and one I've actually pulled out from time to time.

By the way, there's at least one other Wits End - a Dallas, Texas based outfit that released a private press collection entitled "Rock and By God Roll" (Snowdrop Records catalog #DR-1101)