LEMON PIPERS, THE
Personnel:
- IVAN BROWNE lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- BILL BARTLETT lead guitar
- STEVE WALMSLEY bass
- R. G. NAVE keyboards, toys
- BILL ALBAUGH drums
Forming Ivan & the Sabres while attending the University of Cincinnati, Ivan Browne left the group and moved to Miami University in Oxford, OH, as a replacement for Tony of Tony and the Bandits. The quintet - Ivan Browne (vocals/rhythm guitar), Bill Bartlett (lead guitar), R.G. "Reg" Nave (organ), Steve Walmsley (bass) and Bill Albuagh (drums) - made its debut in 1967 with the single Turn Around And Take A Look. Catching the attention of Kasenetz and Katz and assigned to the songwriting/production team of Paul Leka and Shelly Pinz, they created a distinctive Lemon Pipers sound, a synthesis of sweeping strings and psychedelic organ and percussive elements exemplified on the group's million-selling #1 hit, Green Tambourine. Although the group did not like the song, they recorded Green Tambourine because it kept their contract with Buddah alive.
Their first album for Buddah contained several songs - Rice Is Nice, Shoeshine Boy - which were recorded in a similar bubblegum style, but also contained psychedelic stabs that juxtaposed their forced commercial leanings with their psychedelic aspirations. The group was unable to match their early success even though the song Jelly Jungle (Of Orange Marmalade) brought their two styles together in a perfect bubblegum single that failed to crack the Top 40. Despite stellar efforts such as Catch Me Falling, Dead End Street/Half Light, and the slightly gummy Everything Is You, the Lemon Pipers were labeled bubblegum and, like the later-day 1910 Fruitgum Co., had nowhere to go. The group broke up in 1969, with Bartlett later finding success as a member of Ram Jam.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH IVAN BROWNE FOR THE CLASSIC BUBBLEGUM MUSIC PAGE
ALBUMS:
GREEN TAMBOURINE (Buddah BDM-1009 - Buddah BDM-5009 - Stereo BDS-5009) 1968
CHECKMATE (Buddah BDS 5015) 1968 (Sampler with 1910 Fruitgum Co.)
JUNGLE MARMALADE (Buddah BDS-5016) 1968
CDs:
CASTLE SPECTRUM (Castle Communications 551 234-2) 1995
THE BEST OF THE LEMON PIPERS (Buddha Records 74465 99798 2) 2001
45s:
Quiet Please/Monaural 78 (Carol 107) 1966
Turn Around Take A Look/Danger (Buddah BDA 11) 1967
Green Tambourine/No Help From Me (Buddah BDA 23) 1968
Rice Is Nice/Blueberry Blue (Buddah BDA 31) 1968
Jelly Jungle (Of Orange Marmalade)/Shoe Shine Boy (Buddah BDA 41) 1968
Wine And Violet/Lonely Atmosphere (Buddah BDA 63) 1968
Hard Core/Rainbow Tree (Buddah 124) 1969
I Was Not Born To Follow/Rainbow Tree (Buddah BDA 136) 1969
We Can Be Together (From 'Pop Explosion' UK Buddah LP #643 312) 1968
IVAN AND THE SABRES
Originally from Centerville, Ohio, Ivan and the Sabres relocated to Cincinnati and under the guidance of Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffrey Katz became the Lemon Pipers.
Bill Albaugh (drums)
Bill Bartlett (lead guitar)
Ivan Browne (vocals)
Reg Nave (bass)
Steve Walmesley (keyboards)
45s:
Just Let Her Go / It's Not Like You (Prism 1893) 1964
Listen To Me / I Want To Know (Prism 1916) 1964
My Mind Cries Out / What's Rushing Through Your Mind Dear (Counterpart C-2615/6) 1967
Think Of Me / Great Potato Famine Of '71 (Counterpart C-2623/4) 1968
Stereo / Cozy (Counterpart C-2645/6) 1969
You are born to follow this link to Ivan Browne's site:
