The Mods Guestbook has been closed to due to guestworld closing down all html guestbooks in 2012. I have not had time to look for a new guestbook server. If you want to make any comments regarding The Mods, you can send an email to me. Thanks, Larry Smith.   

Gone but not forgotten...courtesy of sixties garage band compilations  

The Mods biography, as best recalled by Larry Smith - former bass guitarist, co-founder and co-songwriter for the Toledo, Ohio group from the 1960's. Larry is not a professional writer; please excuse any grammer or spelling errors.

The 1960's band from Toledo, Ohio that billed themselves, as The Mods did not start out using the name The Mods when they first formed a band.  The original members of the band that was formed in Toledo, Ohio had several other names before they took on the name  The Mods.  The band was originally founded by two brothers;  Terry Smith and his younger brother Larry Smith along with and their best friend, Larry Music.  I know what you are saying, (Larry Music) yes, Music was his real last name... great name to have if you are going to be in a band playing music.  The three teenagers first became interested in forming a band in 1963 shortly after the Beatles took America by storm.

As young boys, the Smith brothers, Terry (age 12) and his younger brother Larry (age 10), both learned to play guitar on their own after their father showed them how to make a few basic chords on their father's guitar. Their father was very musically inclined and had the ability to play several musical instruments, as did Smith boy's uncle's and grandfather. So I guess it must have been in the genes for the Smith brothers to play musical instruments too. The Smith brothers did inherit the ability to play music by ear on the guitar, and both eventually learned to play several other musical instruments between them. Terry Smith ended up teaching the brother's friend, Larry Music to play guitar in 1962.

In 1962 the two Smith brothers along with their best friend Larry Music, formed a small combo consisting of three electric guitars. They boys never thought of playing out anywhere but only played for their own enjoyment and for a few of their neighborhood friends. The three teens thought that they needed a name so they started calling themselves "Terry and the Blasters." Early on the guys started learning and performing a lot of instrumental stuff from the late 1950's to the early 1960's. Examples of these instrumentals were; The Ventures (Walk Don't Run and Walk Don't Run 64, Perfidia, Apache, Out of Limits); Santo and Johnny (Sleep Walk) and a few other songs I can't even recall the names of now.

In 1963 THE BEATLES took America by storm. Soon on the heels of the Beatles came the other English groups that became known as, the "British Invasion." All of these groups changed the face and sound of Rock N' Roll forever. The songs by the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Kinks, and the many other English Rock groups that followed them, inspired the three young guitarists. They boys soon learned to play cover songs of their favorite groups and in early 1963 a drummer by the name of Terry Fitzsimmons was added to the group. (Terry Fitzsimmons left the group in 1965 when he was drafted to serve in in the Vietnam War.) Terry Fitzsimmons was replaced on drums with a great drummer by the name of Fred Jablonski in 1965. With the addition of a drummer and the three guitars, they now had a full-fledged band and that was when the group changed their name from Terry and the Blasters, to "THE IMITATIONS." About that same time, Larry Smith switched from playing electric guitar, and started playing bass guitar. The four teens became quick friends with the local radio DJ's and started playing at local teen dances on the weekends with an occasional high school dance performance thrown in.

The IMITATIONS soon found out that there was to be a series of "Battles of the Bands" to be held at the Toledo Sports Arena, with the chance to win a recording contract. The name the group had chosen soon fit, because "THE IMITATIONS" performed the latest cover songs of all of the popular big British bands of the early 60's. THE IMITATIONS entered the first series of the "Battle of the Bands" at the Toledo Sports Arena for three years in a row, 1963 - 1964 and 1965. In 1963 as Larry Smith says "we just plain out and out sucked as a band." In 1964 they had improved so much that they came in 2nd place in the Battle of the Bands. In 1965 the IMITATIONS finally won the Toledo area Battle of the Bands at the Toledo Sports Arena

The IMITATIONS were rewarded as winners of the Battle of the Bands, with the opportunity to record a 45-RPM record in Toledo, Ohio. The record was to be distributed on the PECK record label. The IMITATIONS felt they needed a better name to record under, and chose the name "THE MODS." The two brothers in the band, Terry and Larry Smith had started early in 1963 trying their hand as a songwriting duo. The two co-writers already had a few songs that could go on their 45-RPM record that they were soon to record. The Smith brothers wrote several songs during 1963 through 1966 and their group The Mods, had already recorded the first two songs written and placed it on a 45-RPM demo record at A&T Productions Inc., a local studio in Toledo, Ohio. Those two songs were never released. Instead the group chose to record two recent songs the Smith brothers had recently co-written in 1965. Those two songs were titled, "I GIVE YOU AN INCH (AND YOU TAKE A MILE)" and "YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER THINK COMING", and it was those two songs that became the A-side and B-side of the PECK 45-RPM record that was released in 1966 in Toledo, Ohio. When the group released the PECK single they had no idea that several other groups in the USA were also using the same name for their groups, The Mods.  This was way before the computer age when you could easily search the internet to see if any other band was called The Mods. 

The Mods recorded the two songs on the PECK label in the basement of "Buzz Jamieson" sometime in 1966 somewhere in South Toledo. Mr. Jamieson, (I am sure Buzz), was a nickname; was the engineer on this recording. So "THE MODS" were really not a Garage Band, but a basement band! Hehe! I don't know if "Buzz" Jamieson is still alive but he later founded "Jamiesons Stereo" on Monroe street in Toledo, a mainstay in the area for stereo equipment repair. The PECK label was owned by George Peckinpah, a Toledo area businessman. The producer George Peckingpah took advantage of the boys young age and never did pay them any royalties for the copies of the records he sold. I think I remember George Peckinpah saying he was related to Sam Peckinpah a Hollywood director. Not sure if he really was or not.

As for writing credits listed on the 45-RPM PECK record label, if you look at the label on the (A-side) "I GIVE YOU AN INCH (AND YOU TAKE A MILE) the writing credits under the title read (T. Smith - L. Smith) with copyright by Terry Smith.

The (B-side) "YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER THINK COMING", the writing credits read (T. Smith) only. But, Larry Smith say's he did co-write both songs and does not know why his name was left as co-writer on side-B. Larry says he wrote the chord structure, the melody and some of the lyrics for each of these songs at age 15. Terry Smith was 17 years of age when he co wrote these two songs on the PECK record. Larry says, "We did co-write several other songs before and after the PECK record. The only other original songs that we recorded were put onto a demo for ourselves only. Those two songs were titled, "A PLACE WHERE LOVERS GO" and "NIGHT AFTER NIGHT." These two songs were written and recorded as love songs to imaginary girls. Both of these songs were recorded prior to the PECK recording. In fact an interesting fact about the demo was that these two songs on the demo record were recorded in early 1964 or 1965 at Attila Records in downtown Toledo. Attila Records was owned by another Toledoan, (John Pocisk) aka' Johnny Paris, of Johnny and the Hurricanes.

Before THE MODS we recorded the PECK 45 RPM recording we played the average gigs that high school garage bands play at, high school sock hops, proms, roller rink dances, CYO dances etc, local DJ sock hops, county fairs, private parties. After the PECK recording in 1966, we played a lot better venues and finally started to make some good money for playing music. We started playing in many nightclubs in the Toledo, Ohio area. For a while we were the "house band" at the "PEPPERMINT LOUNGE" in Toledo on Jefferson avenue, and I (Larry Smith) was only 15 or 16 years old.

The Mods play back-up for Chuck Berry in Toledo, Ohio in 1966

The Peppermint lounge in Toledo, Ohio was on the club circuit where many of rock n' roll's early legends came to perform.  Some of the rock n' roll artists that had performed at the Peppermint Lounge were, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Rivers.  My greatest rememberance while playing there was when "Chuck Berry" came to town and our band, The Mods got to open up for Chuck Berry before he played his sets.  Chuck listened to our music and when we came off stage he told us that he really liked our sound.  To our surprise Chuck had arrived in town without a backup band to play with him and his classic rock n' roll songs.  Years later I saw an interview on TV where Bruce Springsteen said that "Chuck Berry always arrived in town and used the house band at night clubs to back him up."  It turned out too that Chuck Berry didn't have his guitar because he shipped it ahead to Toledo, Ohio and it never arrived in time for his appearance at the Peppermint Lounge; so he asked my brother Terry if he could use his 1965 Gibson SG Deluxe to play his first set.  How could anyone turn down a request like that?  Chuck used a group called, Eddie Cash & Company to back him for his first set but, when he came back to do a second set he surprised our band The Mods by asking us to play back up for him on his second set.  As a band we were star struck and we were simply awed that Chuck Berry would ask us to back him up.  Just before we started the set with Chuck, we asked him, "what songs we were going to play?" Chuck just smiled and said, "Boys, we're going to play some Chuck Berry songs."  Chuck Berry took off playing that set like a man possessed with us trying to keep up with him.  Chuck didn't even tell us what songs we were going to play or what key we would be playing in, we just had to look at his left hand to figure out what guitar chord he was playing in and figure the rest out for ourselves.  I guess you could say that was the biggest highlight of THE MODS tenure as a band, playing backup one night for  rock n' roll legend Chuck Berry.

We also heard lots of other groups that toured at the Peppermint and opened up for a few of them. Some of those groups were, THE McCoy's of "HANG ON SLOOPY". We opened up for the Knickerbockers who sounded like the Beatles with their then hit titled "Lies".  The Mods played gigs in the tri-state area of Ohio, Michigan and Indiana at many different venues.  We played one of our largest gig's in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1966 at a large auditorium I don't even remember the name of place.  The DJ at the concert played our 45-RPM recording before we came out to perform our set and he gave us a great introduction.  When we finally arrived on stage there were approximately six thousand screaming teenagers cheering us on. We had our amplifiers miked through the house PA and we still could not hear ourselves playing music.  I guess that we were Grand Rapids, Michigan's version of the Beatles or Stones that night. When we finally closed the concert and came off the stage we were chased by girls ripping at our clothes. That was kinda scary for me who had not even had a girlfriend yet.

The Mods sign a record contract in 1966 with Impact Records in Detroit, Michigan

With the success of that first 45-RPM record, my brother Terry tried getting us an audition with some record companies in Detroit, Michigan. Believe it or not, he talked us into an audition with a major label in Detroit. Terry was the leader of the group and had, excuse the term, a-lot-of-balls. He cold called a bunch of record companies in Detroit, Michigan and got us an audition for a label just by talking on the phone. The A&R people of the label we auditioned for liked what they heard and we were signed to a two-year recording contract. The label for that record company was called, "Impact Records." Again, another name change was comning for the group. The record company told us that the name we were using, "THE MODS" was already being used by another group recording records. So we had to pick a new name quickly to record under. We threw up a bunch of names in the air and came of with the name "THEY." I think because it reminded us of another sixties group called "THEM." So the name "THEY" was the name that we used when we signed with IMPACT RECORDS. We were all under eighteen so our parents had to sign the contract too.

We were also very excited because our new group name, "THEY", would be recording at "Golden World Studios" in Detroit, Michigan. We finally did record two separate studio sessions at "Golden World Studios" for "Impact Records." The Impact Records sessions recorded by the group included several hours of reel to reel tape. Most of the material recorded by The Mods aka "THEY", were cover songs from some of the most popular groups from the sixties.

In January of 2003, I contacted our former A&R director from "Impact Records", by e-mail after accidently finding him on the internet. His name is John Rhys Eddins and he has a cool internet radio company called BLUEPOWER.COM. Blue Power's website has lots of pre-recorded radio shows that you can listen to as John plays music and interviews people in the music business. The website has lots of BLUES information and sixties music conversation in general on the radio shows. Here is a quote from John about his company Blue Power. (Quote from John Rhys Eddins) "bluepower.com has become the hub for Bluespeople from all around the globe and that is how I keep my hand in the business." (End-quote) Here is a link to bluepower.com John's website: http://www.bluepower.com

***UPDATE*** February 1, 2003
John Rhys Eddins, our former A&R man at "Impact Records" finally e-mailed me back and he says he will look around to see if has any of the tapes our group (The Mods) recorded as, "THEY" for Impact Records. John says that the owner of Impact Records, Harry Balk is still alive and he will check with him to see if he has any tapes in his possession and get back to me. Cross your fingers for me!!! None of these tapes were ever released as records because my brother Terry ended up getting drafted into the armed forces in 1967 or 1968. I would love to hear these tapes again if they still exist. The studio we recorded at, "Golden Worlds Studios", had recorded a few of the major radio hits during the 1960's. Two of the groups that had recorded there were, "Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels", and the "Shades of Blue." I remember that "The Shades of Blue" had a hit song out at that time called. "Oh, How Happy!"

The Mods lost Impact Records tapes from 1966

***UPDATE*** March 12, 2003

just received this e-mail from our former A&R man at IMPACT RECORDS back in the sixties about any "lost tapes" of The Mods music. So this closes the door on any future releases.

Good Afternoon Larry,

I am sorry to say that due to all the moves since I saw you last, I don't have a copy of any tapes of The Mods. I have not had the chance to speak with Harry Balk, the owner of Impact Records; as he has been out of town for the last couple of months. I will call him Friday as I need to speak with him also. I doubt seriously that Harry would have a copy of something he didn't release. I just finished digitizing the Impact catalog and since there was no release by The Mods, the cuts were not included.
I think the only tape ever made was the one I cut that day and that's a shame. I too, have lost endless amounts of recorded work due to lack of room or just plain stupidity on my part. But, if I remember correctly, it certainly was a mighty time. I wish you all the best and I will check with Harry Friday.

Warm Regards,
John Rhys Eddins
BluePower.com