The Doors Forum

Posted: **Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:27 pm**

Saw these guys...great great vocalists and musicians out of CHicago.

CRYAN' SHAMES (not the UK Cryin Shames)

Sugar & Spice..pre-psych Brit beat sounds 1966
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe7RlzkVS3U

The Cryan' Shames is an American garage rock group from Hinsdale, Illinois. They originally formed as The Travelers, with founding members Tom Doody ("Toad"), Gerry Stone ("Stonehenge"), Dave Purple ("Grape") of The Prowlers, Denny Conroy and Jim Fairs from The Roosters, Jim Pilster ("J.C. Hooke", so named because he was born without a left hand and wore a hook), and Bill Hughes. In 1966, upon learning that another band already had the name The Travelers, they needed to find another name; J.C. Hooke remarked that their difficulty in doing so was "a cryan' shame," and thus named the band.[1]

After signing with Bob Monaco, the promotion manager for Destination Music, their first hit single was "If I Needed Someone", which was not released in the US (but included on their debut album). It was soon followed by "Sugar and Spice," a Tony Hatch song that was a hit in 1963 for the English group The Searchers. The Shames' version reached #49 in the USA (while reaching #4 on local radio WLS).

They signed to Columbia in 1966, and while they never were to become a national success, their singles and albums continued to sell well in the Chicago area.

(an amazing mix of pop rock psych beautifully produced..something Brian Wilson would be proud of)

The group disbanded in December 1969, but reunited again and continues to tour. Jim "J.C. Hooke" Pilster and Tom Doody (Toad) are the only remaining original members in the current lineup. Two members of The Cryan' Shames have since died: bassist Dave Purple in June 2001, and his replacement Isaac Guillory, on December 31, 2000.

Posted: **Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:45 am**

I had the LP up at the top. I looooooooooooooved their version of Up On The Roof. The harmony was more than excellent. I loved the entire album!

Posted: **Wed Aug 10, 2011 7:35 pm**

Dragonfly wrote:I had the LP up at the top. I looooooooooooooved their version of Up On The Roof. The harmony was more than excellent. I loved the entire album!

A really fine all round album indeed!! Best version of that Carol King classic!!

Posted: **Wed Aug 10, 2011 7:40 pm**

jamestkirk wrote:
Dragonfly wrote:I had the LP up at the top. I looooooooooooooved their version of Up On The Roof. The harmony was more than excellent. I loved the entire album!
A really fine all round album indeed!! Best version of that Carol King classic!!

Theuy are still going it seems...

remember Mr. Unreliable...they still rock, even as grandpa's!! Great guitar work!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-vLafcU ... re=related

The Doors Forum

Cryan' Shames--"A Scratch In The Sky" 1967

Cryan' Shames--"A Scratch In The Sky" 1967