An interracial Canadian R&B group that recorded 16 songs for Motown in 1966. However, when it was discovered that American lead singer, Ricky Matthews, was in fact AWOL from the US Navy, the Motown dumped the band from its contract and the record was never released.
Well, consider what happened to the various Mynah Birds after this whole Motown fiasco. Original keyboardist Goldie McJohn and bass player Nick St. Nicholas went on to join the equally aviary Jack London and the Sparrows. Which later replaced Jack London with German born John Kay. Changing their name to Steppenwolf, the group went on to record such '60s rock anthems as "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Born To Be Wild"
While replacement bass player, Bruce Palmer convinced the latest Mynah Bird guitarist to sell their equipment, buy a hearse and drive out to LA. Where they nearly quite literally ran into Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, and decided to form the Buffalo Springfield. Yes the guitarist's name was Neil Young.
Colin Kerr put together the Mynah Birds, featuring members from local bands The Sailor Boys and The Swinging Doors. The original Mynah Birds even dressed like actual mynahs: Black leather jackets, yellow boots, & yellow turtlenecks. Colin even wanted them to shave a "V" in the back on their heads to mimic the mynah's plummage - but luckily that idea was vetoed. The first Mynah Birds' line-up featured two lead singers, Sam And Dave style, Ricky Matthews and Jimmy Livingston. The rest of the band consisted of Frank Arnel on guitar, Kent Dawbney on drums and Nicholas St. Nicholas on bass. Jimmy did not last long. And neither did Rajah, (the Real Mynah Bird) who was constantly being forgotten when the band loaded up all of their equipment. But Rajah did last long enough for them to cut their first (and only) single "The Mynah Bird Hop" b/w "The Mynah Birds Song" (Columbia G4-2660). Colin provided the lyrics and narration and Colin's brother Ben wrote the music. The Hop was an up-beat calypso-ish number while the Song was more of a ballad. But Rajah's songs were not a success.
But that's okay, the club(The Mynah Bird) was doing well, and the band was going strong, finally swapping Nick St. Nicholas for the Sparrows' bassist Bruce Palmer. Bruce was happy to leave the group since leader Jack London (not his real name) insisted that all the band members speak in phony British accents even though they all grew up in the neighborhood and no one was fooled for a second into thinking they were British. Around the same time that Bruce joined, Goldie McJohn also popped up on organ. Goldie in fact later defected to the pseudo-British Sparrows. Also filling in for the group at this time were Richie Grand on drums (later to be replaced by Rick Cameron). The main problem seemed to be hanging onto a guitarist. First there was Ian Gobel. Then some Italian whose name no one remembers. Then Tom Morgan. And then John Yachimak.
So while they were neither revolutionarily great or gut-bustingly bad, and while information about them is scant, still I'm fascinated. Why? Well, consider this hypothetical scenario: The Mynah Birds make it big - or at least they're offered enough hope for the future success of the project that they never realize their true careers. Would Goldie McJohn been kicked out for doing too many spacey, jazz interludes like he was in Steppenwolf? Would Neil Young have eventually chafed against his non-singing non-writing sideman role like he did with Buffalo Springfield? Would Rick James have spent more or less time in prison? Would Poco finally been appreciated out from the shadow of Buffalo Springfield, or would any ever even give a damn about them? Would Kenny Loggins have ever met Jim Messina? Would Prince just be considered a weird little pervert without Rick James paving the way? Would the Eagles be around without "Buffalo Springfield paving the way? Would MC Hammer have ever happened without the bass line of "Superfreak" propelling "U Can't Touch This"? Without MC Hammer would anyone in white middle class suburban America know (or care) who Snoop Dogg, Puff Daddy or Tupac were? Without "Born To Be Wild" would "Easy Rider" still have been a hit? Without the surprise hit of "Easy Rider" would the Hollywood studio system have surrendered the reigns of control to the directors, issuing in the golden age of Hollywood in the 1970s.
Written by Scott Livingston
Sparrow
Formed in Toronto, Canada, in 1965, Sparrow evolved from an earlier incarnation, Jack London and the Sparrows. The original line-up - Jack London (vocals), Dennis Edmonton (guitar), Jerry Edmonton (b. 24 October 1946, Canada; drums), Nick St. Nicholas (b. 28 September 1943, Hamburg, Germany; bass) and Art Ayre (organ) - enjoyed a No.1 hit in Canada with "If You Don't Want My Love", before London left to pursue a poppier direction. Former folk singer John Kay (b. Joachim F. Krauledat, 12 April 1944, Tilsit, Germany) took his place and with the arrival of Goldy McJohn (b. 2 May 1945) in favour of Ayre, the definitive Sparrow was established. The quintet quickly became a leading attraction in Toronto's Yorkville district, playing a gruff-styled R&B, perfect for Kay's growled vocals. By contrast, the Sparrow's singles, "Tomorrow's Ship" and "Green Bottle Lover", were, respectively, folk/rock and garage/punk. They moved to Los Angeles in 1967, but split up when neither band nor producer (David Rubinson) were happy with their final series of recordings. Kay, McJohn and Jerry Edmonton then formed Steppenwolf, whose best-known song, "Born To Be Wild", was composed by Dennis Edmonton, under his newly-assumed name, Mars Bonfire. Nick St. Nicholas was a member of Steppenwolf between 1969 and 1970 and the success of this band inspired the release of John Kay And The Sparrow, which comprised of demo recordings made to secure their recording deal with CBS Records.
Steppenwolf
Although based in southern California, Steppenwolf evolved out of a Toronto act, the Sparrow. John Kay (b. Joachim F. Krauledat, 12 April 1944, Tilsit, Germany; vocals), Michael Monarch (b. 5 July 1950, Los Angeles, California, USA; lead guitar), Goldy McJohn (b. 2 May 1945; keyboards), Rushton Moreve (bass) and Jerry Edmonton (b. 24 October 1946, Canada; drums) assumed their new name in 1967, inspired by the novel by cult author Herman Hesse. The band's exemplary debut album included "Born To Be Wild" which reached number 2 in the US charts. This rebellious anthem was written by Dennis Edmonton (aka Mars Bonfire), guitarist in Sparrow and brother of drummer Jerry. It was featured in the famous opening sequence of the movie Easy Rider, and has since acquired classic status (the song achieved its highest UK chart position, number 18, when it was re-released in February 1999). Steppenwolf actively cultivated a menacing, hard rock image, and successive collections mixed this heavy style with blues. "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Rock Me" were also US Top 10 singles yet the group deflected the criticism attracted by such temporal success by addressing contemporary issues such as politics, drugs and racial prejudice. Newcomers Larry Byrom (guitar) and Nick St. Nicholas (b. 28 September 1943, Hamburg, Germany; bass), former members of Time, were featured on Monster, Steppenwolf's most cohesive set. A concept album based on Kay's jaundiced view of contemporary (1970) America, it was a benchmark in the fortunes of the group. Continued personnel changes undermined their stability, and later versions of the band seemed content to further a spurious biker image, rather than enlarge on earlier achievements. Kay dissolved the band in 1972, but his solo career proved inconclusive and within two years he was leading a reconstituted Steppenwolf. The singer has left and re-formed his creation several times over the ensuing years, but has been unable to repeat former glories.
Early Steppenwolf
Power Play / Howlin' For My Darlin' / I'm Goin' Upstairs / Corina, Corina
Tighten Up Your Wig / The Pusher
Steppenwolf
Sookie Sookie / Everybody's Next One / Berry Rides Again / Hoochie Coochie Man / Born To Be Wild / Your Wall's Too High / Desperation / The Pusher / A Girl I Knew / Take What You Need / The Ostrich
The Second
Faster Than The Speed Of Life / Tighten Up Your Wig / None Of Your Doing / Spiritual Fantasy / Don'T Step On The Grass Sam / 28 / Magic Carpet Ride / Disappointment Number Unknown / Lost And Found By Trial And Error / Hodge Podge Strained Through A Leslie / Resurrection / Reflections
At Your Birthday Party
Don't Cry / Chicken Wolf / Lovely Meter / Round And Down / It's Never Too Late / Sleeping Dreaming / Jupiter Child / She'll Be Better / Cat Killer / Rock Me / God Fearing Man / Mango Juice / Happy Birthday
Steppenwolf Live
Sookie, Sookie / Don't Step On The Grass, Sam / Tighten Up Your Wig / Monster / Draft Resister / Power Play / Corina, Corina / Twisted / From Here To There Eventually / Hey Lawdy Mama / Magic Carpet Ride / The Pusher / Born To Be Wild
Monster
Monster/Suicide/America / Draft Register / Power Play / Move Over / Fag / What Would You Do (If I Did That To You) / From Here To There Eventually
Seven
Ball Crusher / Forty Days And Forty Nights / Fat Jack / Renegade / Foggy Mental Breakdown / Snowblind Friend / Who Needs Ya / Earschplittenloudenboomer / Hippo Stomp
For Ladies Only
For Ladies Only / I'm Asking / Shackles And Chains / Tenderness / The Night Time's For You / Jaded Strumpet / Sparkle Eyes / Black Pit / Ride With Me / In Hopes Of A Garden
Slow Flux
Gang War Blues / Children Of The Night / Justice Don't Be Slow / Get Into The Wind / Jeraboah / Straight Shootin' Woman / Smokey Factory Blues / Morning Blues / A Fool's Fantasy / Fishin In The Dark
Easy Rider Soundtrack
Pusher - Steppenwolf/ Born to Be Wild - Steppenwolf/The Weight - The Band Wasn't Born to Follow - The Byrds/If You Want to Be a Bird - The Holy Modal Rounders/Don't Bogart Me (A/K/A Don't Bogart That Joint) - Fraternity of Man If 6 Was 9 - Jimi Hendrix Experience/Kyrie Eleison/Mardi Gras (When the Saints) - The Electric Prunes/It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - Roger McGuinn/Ballad of Easy Rider - Roger McGuinn
20th Century Masters/The Best of Steppenwolf
Rest In Peace
Jefferson Airplane/Early Flight
Two more (Surrealistic) Pillow (Jefferson Airplane) sessions yielded outtakes that turned up later on "Early Flight"...Jorma (Kaukonen) joined by his old Ohio schoolmate John Hammond on harmonica and (Jerry) Garcia and pianist Goldy McJohn (later of Steppenwolf) cut the bluesy "In the Morning"...Quote from "Got A Revolution" 'The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane' ...Jeff Tamarkin
Janis Joplin/I Got Dem Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama
Although uncredited on the album, the fact remains that a large portion of the keyboard tracks on this lp were contributed by Goldy.
