Little Caesar and the Consuls
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Rock music, albums, singles |
Little Caesar and the Consuls was a Toronto-based Canadian rock group active between 1961 and 1971. Their initial documented live appearance took place on February 11, 1961, during the Valentine Party hosted by the Downsview Junior Teen Club.
Before this, pianist and lead singer Bruce Morshead along with saxophonist Norm Sherratt were members of The Consuls, a band named after the Ford Consul car model. The original five-member Consuls dissolved in early 1959 due to a combination of limited commercial success and internal conflicts, including Robbie Robertson's decision not to play bass. Following this split, Robertson teamed up with guitarist/vocalist Gene MacLellan and drummer Peter DeRemigis to form The Suedes, while Morshead returned to his banking career.
Approximately a year and a half later, Morshead and Sherratt joined forces again to create Little Caesar and The Consuls. The band's name "Little Caesar" was reportedly inspired by fans who thought Morshead resembled Edward G. Robinson's character in the movie Little Caesar. The main lineup featured Morshead on piano, Ken Pernokis handling guitar duties, Tom Wilson playing bass, Gary Wright on drums, and Sherratt on saxophone.
The group scored multiple hits in Canada, including "If ... (I Found A New Girl)" as well as renditions of "My Girl Sloopy" and "You Really Got a Hold On Me," the latter reaching number one on the RPM charts in 1965. This achievement made them the second Canadian band, following Chad Allan and the Expressions, to top that chart. In 1968, both Morshead and Wilson departed; Steve Macko then joined as vocalist and keyboard player until the band's breakup in 1971.
Little Caesar and the Consuls reunited on several occasions: in 1973, 1976, 1986, 1993, and again in 2003. The 1993 reunion lineup included Norm Sherratt, Tom Wilson, Steve Macko, Vic Wilson, Tony Crivaro, and Gary Wright, leading to the release of the album Since 1956. After Tom Wilson left in 2010, the band’s roster shifted to include Norm Sherratt, Tony Crivaro, Sam Carothers (bass), Walter Taylor (keyboards), Sonny Milne (drums), Doug Dixon (vocals/guitar), Russ Strathdee (saxophone), James Legere (bass), Phil Strong (drums), and Martin Damsell (lead vocals/guitar).
Albums
- 1965 Little Caesar and the Consuls
- 1993 Since 1956
Singles
- 1963 "If ... (I Found A New Girl)" - (#7 CHUM Chart - October 1963)
- 1963 "Something's Funny, Something's Wrong"
- 1964 "Sea Cruise"
- 1964 "Heartaches"
- 1965 "(My Girl) Sloopy" - (#3 RPM - August 1965)
- 1965 "You Really Got a Hold On Me" - (#1 RPM - December 1965)
- 1966 "You Laugh Too Much" - (#9 RPM - April 1966)
- 1966 "A Thousand Miles Away" - (#58 RPM - July 1966)
- 1966 "Personality"
- 1966 "Mercy Mr. Percy" - (#38 RPM - December 1966)
- 1967 "My Love For You" - (#88 RPM - May 1967)
- 1976 "Hang On Sloopy"