Gary S Paxton: From "Monster Mash" to "He's Alive", an incredible journey

Friday 2nd September 2011

Tony Cummings recounts the life and times of one of American music's most multi-faceted figures, GARY S PAXTON



Continued from page 1

But it was another Dallas Frazier song with which Paxton and Fowley's wing-and-a-prayer operation, Maverick Music, hit paydirt. A drunken session for Frazier's "Alley Oop" with various musician and non-musician friends and acquaintances and with Gary supplying the hilarious monologue beginning with the immortal line, "There's a man in the funny papers we all know," resulted in a huge hit. Dubbed the Hollywood Argyles, the single with its lugubrious black-sounding vibe fought off the East Coast cover versions and eventually topped the US pop charts. Kim Fowley remembered the "Alley Oop" phenomenon. "We're sitting in a hotel room [in New York] with Artie Ripp, and Red Gilson called from Hal Zeiger's office and said, 'You guys, Hollywood Argyles? We'll give you $25 apiece to play El Monte Legion Stadium.' I said, 'We don't need $25 that bad, why don't you get some phoney band for $10 apiece to be us, let them be the Hollywood Argyles.' Later on, when we did go back, we formed the Hollywood Argyles road band and that's who's on the album cover. Over a period of time, there were many Hollywood Argyles - I still meet people who say they were in the Hollywood Argyles, and they probably were, that night."

While Paxton and Fowley waited for their royalties to come in Maverick Music produced a tidal wave of singles. Remembered Fowley, "In that first year, it seemed we made a hundred singles. There were record companies everywhere, little tiny ones, and it's $100 to make a record and $100 to press up 500 copies, so with $200 you could change the world. It was like, if somebody had a sound, and somebody had a song, they were eligible to make a record; no matter how old, how young, how nice, how bad, how good, if they had a sound, and a song could be supplied to match that sound, then we would fill in the blanks with other people, or recording tricks, and then it would be done, and then we'd run out and dump it on somebody to put the record out and we'd go on to the next one. It was conveyor belt producing, just the sheer joy of the recording process. We were uneducated, underfinanced, unappreciated, unsponsored boys. Two 20 year old guys - most of the time at that age, you're on the dole or living with your parents, you're not out there creating careers for people and creating instant product."

The general arrangement was that Paxton would A&R and produce the sessions, while Fowley would find the talent and hustle the product, though that demarcation was quickly blurred. Amongst the early acts Kim brought in were the Innocents, a vocal trio whose original "Honest I Do" was the pair's second major success when it went Top 30 in August 1960.

Paxton historian Alec Palao summarized what happened next. "Paxton and Fowley parted ways in July 1961 and the fractured relationship was to remain acrimonious for decades afterward, but what these two youngsters had achieved in the face of considerable adversity, both commercial and logistical, has to be admired. For Gary Paxton, it was business as usual. He remained active as a recording artist in his own right, reviving the Maverick Music copyright "Sugar Babe" on Capitol with another studio-created group called, unsurprisingly, the Mavericks, produced by another up-and-comer, Nik Venet. But more importantly, over the course of the last year with Fowley, their successes had raised Paxton's visibility within the Hollywood milieu, so much so that prospective writers and performers, be they cornball country, doowopping R&B or rocking instrumentalists, were beating the off-the-track path specifically to his door. Paxton's abilities made him a natural to handle any genre he chose, and in this period he recorded everyone from Elvis' bodyguard Red West to Clint Eastwood, from "Louie Louie" author Richard Berry to "Love You So" hitmaker Ron Holden and future Seeds frontman Sky Saxon aka Ritchie Marsh. Gary also had a direct conduit to talent from specific areas including northern California and Bakersfield.

After a local radio station dismissed one of his records ("Elephant Game (Part One)" by Renfro & Jackson) as "too black", he assembled a protest parade down Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, consisting of 15 cheerleaders and a live elephant pulling a Volkswagen convertible; he was arrested after the elephant got scared and began to defecate in the street.

In 1962 Paxton found himself with another multi-million selling hit, the horror-rock classic "Monster Mash" by Bobby 'Boris' Pickett. Pickett had once been a member of the vocal group the Cordials, who Paxton had produced, and during their on-stage routine would perform a monologue during the group's rendition of the doowop oldie "Little Darlin'" in a Boris Karloff voice. It cracked up the audience and eventually gave the singer-turned-actor the idea of making a novelty record. Paxton recalled the "Monster Mash" session vividly. "'Monster Mash' was cut on three-track, at Conway. It took about eight hours to do that intro and put it all together, because we looked through all sorts of sound effects records, but everything we got was distorted or hissy, just awful. So for the sound effects we got a ratchet wrench, two hair spray cans, a glass of water with a straw, a guitar string with a pick, an electric razor."

Remembered Bobby Pickett, "Leon Russell was supposed to play piano, but he was late for the session. Chuck Hamilton was on bass, Jesse Sailes on drums, Billy Lee Riley on guitar and Gary played piano and overdubbed Hammond B-3. By the time I got to the studio, the track was done, the music track and the backing vocals, so all I had to do was fill in my lead, and we did it almost in one take, because I knew exactly how I wanted to do it."

With its goofy Karloff-style voice and absurd lyric ("The ghouls all came to my humble abode/To get a jolt from my electrode"). "Monster Mash" was unlike anything else in the marketplace. The industry agreed and numerous record labels turned the record down. Unperturbed, Paxton started his own record label. He recounted, "When I couldn't give 'Monster Mash' away I went down to a pressing plant on Santa Monica Boulevard, Alco, and I said, 'I wanna put this out on my own label, can you press up 4000 records on credit?' The owner [Al Levine] said, 'You mean you ain't got no money after "Alley Oop"?' I told him, 'I didn't get paid, but you pressed over a million singles, so you know that I cut records that will give you a lot of business.' So he said okay and pressed them up on Garpax. Lloyd Johnson came down and we loaded all 4000 singles in his huge '54 Lincoln and went up to Bakersfield, to KAFY. They said, 'Who's Garpax Records? We ain't playing nothing unless you got distribution - you get that and you can bring it back.' So I knew I was in trouble, but Lloyd and I devised a plan. Before we would go to the station, we would go to the number one record store in town and find the teenage girl that was running the cash register. I'd have my picture of Skip & Flip and the Argyles in the teen magazine and I'd say, 'I got this new record, we're just now putting it out. We want you to be the first to have it.' So I'd give them 10 free records, had them put it by the cash register, then we'd go to the radio station and if they asked about distribution we'd say, 'It's in the stores.' They'd call and the counter girl would say, 'Yeah, we got it right here.' Then we came back and within less than a week I had orders for 60,000 records. It would debut on station playlists at number two, or debut at number five."

Vicki Sue and Gary S Paxton
Vicki Sue and Gary S Paxton

"Monster Mash" by Bobby 'Boris' Pickett & The Crypt Kickers went on to become a number one US hit in 1962 and though it didn't hit in the UK, a re-issued version did in 1973, reaching number three. Gary estimates that it eventually sold 10 million copies. The record made the songwriter/producer a fortune. But money flowed quickly through Paxton's hands. "I had a lot of friends. It's true, the more you make, the more friends you have. I didn't really know anything. I was as dumb as a stick."

Famed country guitarist Chet Atkins advised Paxton to relocate to Nashville. But he didn't stay there too long. He recalled, "Chet and Shelby [Singleton - then heading up Smash Records] tried to get me to stay and to teach Nashville how to do hard rock'n'roll. They told me, 'If you stay down here, we'll all get richer.' I said, 'Nah, I'm going back to Hollywood. I got rock'n'roll inside me.' But I was the only one on the West Coast who could get the Nashville sound, because I had lived there for a couple of months."

Back in Hollywood more singles on Garpax and another Paxton label, G.S.P., followed. Gary also met and married his second wife Jan, a talented songwriter and jazz singer. Then Gary teamed up with Charlie Underwood, who had been a recording engineer at the legendary Sun Records studio in Memphis, and built a recording studio, Nashville West. But the relationship with Underwood soured and by 1964 it was another studio, Gary S Paxton Sound Services, in an old two story building at 1633 Hudson Street where most of his music was flowing from. But it was a chaotic environment. Musician Buddy Biglow remembered, "Gary was working most of the time and was doing a lot of drinking and everything. I'd never seen so many drugs in my life as I saw at that house, from all the different people around him. Coming from a little farming town in northern California, I'd never imagined the stuff I was seeing. Amongst everything, drugs were certainly paramount. I remember a lot of times he would work around the clock. Eventually I would fade, fall on the couch there, and Gary would still be mixing something, adding a guitar to something. I was astounded at what he was capable of doing and playing."

No major hits had come out of the studio in the earlier period, but the homespun facility had hosted its share of memorable visitors - from obscure British beat group the Snobs, to the Ike & Tina Turner session at Nashville West where Ike pulled a gun on Gary. Paxton often recorded albums and singles at places like Capitol. It was there that he produced his first gospel group, the Art Reynolds Singers. Among the songs that Gary produced for their 1966 album 'Tellin' It Like It Is' was the original version of "Jesus Is Just Alright", recorded years before the Doobie Brothers and dc Talk. Remembered Gary, "I went down by Longbeach where this incredible group was singing. I brought them up to Hollywood and produced the Art Reynolds Singers' first two albums. Then Thelma Houston became a solo singer and I produced her on Capitol Records."

Sessions continued for Gary, including some with influential white harmonizers the Four Freshmen (a major influence on the Beach Boys). In 1965 he produced "Sweet Pea", a hit for Tommy Roe, and "Along Comes Mary", a massive hit for The Association, winning a Grammy nomination in engineering for his efforts. The following year, Paxton produced another hit for The Association, "Cherish", and another for Roe, "Hooray For Hazel". But Hollywood was becoming increasingly claustrophobic and cut-throat. Inspired by success in the country charts with the Gosdin Brothers, Gary moved to Bakersfield in late 1967, where he survived for a couple more years until debts, sour business investments and personal problems with Jan led him to flee to Nashville at the end of the decade.

Gary recounted, "I told everyone I was going back to Hollywood, but when I was driving I remembered Dallas Frazier had said I should go and visit. So I called him and asked, 'If I come down to Nashville, could you get me a job?' He said yes, so I just turned left, I had £2,800 in a trailer plus a truck. I went 10,000 feet high into the desert. It took three weeks to get to Nashville. I went up and was signed to RCA. I had already worked with the musicians and knew everyone in Nashville because I had been there in 1962."

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Reader Comments

Posted by gloria wintersteen in florida @ 19:27 on Aug 11 2015

Ive really liked Gary's songs.hes had a great career. Im curious this guy I know said that hes a friend of gary paxton, that they. Are great friends.said gary took him under his wing, and helped with his career also.his name is willard justice .does gary p remember him..in nashville or the area.I hear there great friends .maby w va also. Thank you.really brags gary up..



Posted by david grinstead in lewiston id @ 17:56 on Jan 6 2014

I think I met gary Paxton if he was lead singer for the song ally oop...,I was stationed at 29 palms,calif.. when Phil and Don Everly where there to do there 30 days of active duty..I think Gary was part of that, not sure. Where you in the Marine s during the 60"S?


Reply by M McDonough in Tennessee @ 10:30 on Feb 22 2015

I am trying to get in touch with the publisher of the tune: "Bermuda Is Another World" by Hubert Smith

[report abuse]


Posted by J. Sandra TIzzone in New York @ 04:22 on Sep 24 2013

Hi Gary, We met in 1961 when I lived in Hollywood on North Broson Street. My landlady's brother in law was Johnny Angel (John Angelo Spezzie) I believe he was from New Mexico. I remember going to a couple of your recording sessions with him. Also, you and a very beautiful lady visiting Johnny and I at Maxine's apartment one afternoon. I have tried to reach him over the years, just to say "Hi"...However, have not been able to do so. Have you kept in touch with him over the years? Still Love your "Ali-Oop!" It makes mw feel like 21 again every time I hear it!...75th Birthday coming up in March...lol:) Think of the fun times while living in Hollywood in the 60's, with the Mamma's & the Papa's living right next door. I was engaged to a singer by the name of Bobby Lee at the time..."Thank You" to you and your group for contributing to so many Happy Memory's during my days in Sunny California!



Posted by rick adams in branson @ 21:40 on Jun 24 2013

Gary stops by my store every now an then.most of the time he buys a cross Ive be told he has many.aways makes the day better.thanks Gary



Posted by Dave York in California @ 02:17 on Nov 6 2011

Remember me in 2 Beach Party releases, that I'm sure you made money from that I didn't even get a taste? In your comments about the Monster Mash, you failed to mention that no jock would play the demo until I broke it in Seattle. Thanks for the memories!



Posted by Jerry Brown in Coffeyville, KS @ 16:15 on Oct 27 2011

I;ve heard so many different accounts of Gary's life but finally something I can believe in. So sorry his time in Coffeyville was so inhumane. The majority of people here would have never treated him in such a way. Personally, I apologize for how you were treated here. Been to Branson a lot. Maybe some day we can meet.



Posted by Richard Phillips in Northford, CT @ 15:53 on Sep 2 2011

One of the best articles I've read in a long time. What a life Gary Paxton has led. Thanks so much for printing his story.
You did a great job of it.
Rockin' Richard Radio



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