Five Man Electrical Band

The Five Man Electrical Band (known as The Staccatos from 1963–68) is a Canadian rock group from Ottawa, Ontario. They had many hits in Canada, including the top 10 entries "Half Past Midnight" (1967) (as The Staccatos), "Absolutely Right" (1971) and "I'm a Stranger Here" (1972). Internationally, they are best known for their 1971 hit single "Signs".[1]

Five Man Electrical Band
Les Emmerson in Ottawa in 2008.
Background information
Also known asThe Staccatos (1963-1968)
OriginOttawa, Ontario, Canada
GenresRock, psychedelic rock
Years active1963 (1963)–1975, 1986–present
LabelsQuality, Capitol, MGM
Associated actsThe Guess Who
Websitefivemanelectricalband.ca
MembersTed Gerow
Les Emmerson
Steve Hollingworth
Rick Smithers
Wes Reed
Brian Sim
Past membersDean Hagopian
Vern Craig
Brian Rading
Mike 'Bell' Belanger
Rick 'Bell' Belanger
J. Murray Davison

History

Initial success as The Staccatos (1963-68)

The band The Staccatos was formed in Ottawa[2] in 1963. It initially included singer Dean Hagopian, guitarist Vern Craig, bass player Brian Rading and singer/drummer Rick Bell (born Rick Belanger). Hagopian left after about a year, and was replaced by vocalist and guitarist Les Emmerson, who would become the band's prime songwriter, while Bell and Emmerson split lead vocal duties.

The Staccatos made their debut as a recording act in 1965, with their early singles being written by the team of Craig and Emmerson. After releasing a non-charting single on a small independent label, the group signed to Capitol Records of Canada, and their second single, "Small Town Girl", made it into the Canadian top 20. Several follow-ups also cracked the top 40, and The Staccatos were rising stars in their native country. Their debut album, Initially, came out in 1966, and featured their hits to that point as well as several new recordings.

In the summer of 1966, Mike Bell (Rick's brother) joined the group as a second drummer and third vocalist. Shortly thereafter, the group had their biggest hit to date with "Half Past Midnight", which rose to #8 on the Canadian charts. This was the second Staccatos single written solely by Emmerson, who by this point was writing most of the band's original material. Also in 1968, The Staccatos issued a joint album with The Guess Who, each band taking up one side of the LP.

The Staccatos follow-ups to "Half Past Midnight" did not meet with as much success in Canada. In the US, the situation was worse – the band's singles (released by Capitol and Tower) failed to chart at all. Looking for a new direction, at the end of 1968, Ted Gerow was added to the line-up on keyboards, and shortly thereafter, Vern Craig left. Around the same time, while recording their second full album, the band was prompted to change their name by producer Nick Venet's comment that the name The Staccatos sounded "dated". After discussing various possibilities, bassist Rading seized upon a song Emmerson had written called "Five Man Electrical Band", claiming that's exactly what the group was. The band's name was duly changed, and Five Man Electrical Band released their self-titled album in early 1969.

Rebirth as Five Man Electrical Band (1969-75)

The group's new single "It Never Rains On Maple Lane" with B side "Private Train" was a mild success in Canada; the A-side appeared at #67 on the charts, but after two weeks on the charts the single was flipped over and B-side "Private Train" made it into the top 40, peaking at #37. Their album, meanwhile, contained a mixture of new material and older recordings originally released as by The Staccatos (including "Half Past Midnight") and was similarly successful in Canada. Follow-up singles failed to chart. At the end of 1969, the band ended their relationship with Capitol and signed with MGM Records.

The band's first two singles on MGM (released in 1970) both charted in the mid-50s in Canada. The group's 1970 album Good-byes and Butterflies created a minor controversy with a front cover picture that featured a marijuana plant; the album was withdrawn and subsequently reissued with a new cover.

In 1971, the band had their first international success when their label reissued the second MGM single "Hello Melinda, Goodbye/Signs", originally recorded in Los Angeles, with the sides reversed.[2] Disc jockeys and the public immediately took to "Signs" (written by Les Emmerson); it reached #4 in Canada, #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and went to #1 in Australia for nearly two months. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in August 1971.[3]

In the next few years a number of charting singles were released: "Absolutely Right", "Money Back Guarantee", "Werewolf", "I’m A Stranger Here" and several others, all written by Emmerson. Outside of Canada, most of these were minor hits, but the band continued with a steady flow of releases and concert dates. In 1972, the band issued Coming Of Age, their third album as Five Man Electrical Band. Emmerson, who was more interested in recording in the studio than in playing live, also established a parallel solo career in 1972.

Mike Bell, now going by his birth name of Michael Belanger, left the group partway through the recording of their 1973 album Sweet Paradise, and bassist Brian Rading left just as the album was being finished. The album produced several hit singles, including "I'm A Stranger Here", their highest-ever charting hit in Canada. Emmerson, Gerow and Rick Belanger attempted to keep things going with new players for a time, producing singles in 1974 and '75, with minimal chart success outside of Canada.

Rick Belanger left the group in 1974, leaving Emmerson and Gerow as the only remaining permanent members of the ostensibly "Five Man" band. Shortly thereafter, when 1975's "Johnny Get A Gun" peaked at a lowly #69 in Canada, Emmerson and Gerow decided to disband the Five Man Electrical Band.

Reunions and recent activity

In 1986, Emmerson reformed the band for a series of concert and festival appearances, and continued to tour with them over the following decades. The band typically plays a few shows a year, and now performs as a sextet: Les Emmerson (guitar, lead vocals), Ted Gerow (keyboards), Brian Sim (lead guitar), Rick Smithers (bass), Steve Hollingworth (drums, vocals) and Mike Belanger (drums, vocals).

Emmerson has also retained the rights to the band's recordings, and has licensed several 'best-of' compilations on CD.

Tesla scored a hit with a cover of the song "Signs" on their album Five Man Acoustical Jam in the 1990s. More recently, Fatboy Slim released a 2005 single called "Don't Let The Man Get You Down", based mostly off a looped sample from "Signs" – specifically the opening line, "And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply."

Brian Rading, bassist and founding member, died on 8 June 2016 of natural causes at his home in Hull, Quebec, after a few-years long battle with throat cancer. He was 69.[4][5][6]

Discography

as The Staccatos
  • 1966 - Initially
  • 1968 - A Wild Pair (Split album: one side by The Guess Who; the other by The Staccatos)

as Five Man Electrical Band

Compilation albums
  • 1975 - The Power of the Five Man Electrical Band: Their Greatest Hits
  • 1995 - Absolutely Right: The Best of Five Man Electrical Band
  • 2008 - Half Past Midnight: The Staccatos and Beyond (CD release of 1969 Capitol LP, Five Man Electrical Band, plus numerous Staccatos singles.)
  • 2009 - The Staccatos - Five Man Electrical Band: First Sparks The Anthology (1964–1969) (2-CD Release of all the Staccatos singles, and all Five Man Electrical Band Capitol singles, all tracks from the two Capitol albums; the pre-Capitol Allied Records single; five tracks from the A Wild Pair album; and three songs never previously released.

as The Staccatos
Year Song Canada U.S.
Hot 100		 Album
1965 "It Isn't Easy" - Non-LP single
"Small Town Girl" 20 - Initially
"Move to California" 26 -
1966 "It's a Long Way Home" 22 -
"C'mon Everybody" 20 - Non-LP singles
"Let's Run Away" 35 -
1967 "Half Past Midnight" 8 - Five Man Electrical Band
"Catch the Love Parade" 28 - Non-LP singles
"She Fancies Herself a Lady" -
1968 "Walker Street" 65 -
"Didn't Know the Time" 59 - Five Man Electrical Band

as Five Man Electrical Band
Year Song Canada AUS
[7]		 U.S.
Hot 100		 Album
1969 "It Never Rains On Maple Lane" 67 - - Five Man Electrical Band
"Private Train" 37 - -
"Lovin' Look" - - Non-LP singles
"Sunrise to Sunset" 56 - -
"Riverboat" - -
1970 "Moonshine (Friend of Mine)" 56 - - Good-byes and Butterflies
"Hello Melinda, Goodbye" 55 - -
1971 "Signs" 4 5 3
"Absolutely Right" 3 59 26 Coming of Age
1972 "Julianna" 17 - -
"The Devil and Miss Lucy (Country Girl)" 65 - -
"Money Back Guarantee" 17 - 72 Sweet Paradise
"I'm a Stranger Here" 2 - 76
1973 "Baby Wanna Boogie" 77 - -
1974 "Werewolf" 28 - 64 Non-LP singles
1975 "Johnny Get a Gun" 69 - -

Lineups
  • Ted Gerow (keyboards)
  • Brian Rading (bass)
  • Vern Craig (vocals, guitar)
  • Rick 'Bell' Belanger (drums)
  • Les Emmerson (vocals, guitar)
  • Mike 'Bell' Belanger (2nd drums)

References
  1. "Five Man Electrical Band". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  2. Ritchie Yorke (17 July 1971). Content legislation boon for local product. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 47–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 83. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  4. Jeff Giles (20 June 2016). "Five Man Electrical Band Bassist Brian Rading Dead at 69". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  5. "Ex-Five Man Electrical Band Bass Player Brian Rading Dies at Age 69". abc News Radio. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  6. Kelly Egan (16 June 2016). "Ex-Five Man Electrical Band Bass Player Brian Rading Dies at Age 69". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 112. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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