The Electras (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1962 in Ely, Minnesota, United States |
| Defunct | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Ely , United States |
| Products | Garage rock music |
The Electras emerged as a garage rock group from Ely, Minnesota in 1962. Their active recording period spanned from 1965 through 1967, highlighted by their most notable song, "Dirty Old Man". They also performed under the alias 'Twas Brillig', releasing a rendition of the garage rock staple "Action Woman", originally by the Litter, which often caused confusion between the two bands.
History
The origins of The Electras trace back to 1962 when brothers Bill (lead guitar and vocals) and Earl Bulinski (rhythm guitar) formed a duo after relocating to Ely and enrolling at Ely Memorial High School. Both had taught themselves guitar and possessed semi-professional playing experience. To complete their lineup, they placed an advertisement, bringing in accordion player Gary Omerza and bassist Fred Godec. Their initial performance took place at John's Bar but was cut short due to age restrictions.[1]
By their second appearance, drummer Len Erickson and vocalist Kaye Spalj had joined, broadening their setlist with songs from the Ventures. Between 1963 and 1965, Jerry Fink succeeded Erickson on drums, while Tim Elfving assumed lead vocal duties, solidifying the group's primary formation.[1] Under manager Chuck Novak’s guidance, Omerza transitioned to playing the Farfisa organ, allowing them to cover tracks by Paul Revere and the Raiders and the Animals.[2] Toward the end of 1965, Novak introduced the band to songwriter-producer Warren Kendrick at Dove Recording Studio for their first single session. Their debut release, "Bout My Love," came out late that year, achieving a regional peak at number 39 before fading quickly.[3]
Kendrick subsequently signed The Electras to his Scotty Records label. Their follow-up single, "This Week's Children," climbed to number 12 in Minneapolis early in 1966. Their third single, "Dirty Old Man," became their most successful record—holding the top regional spot for 17 weeks and selling approximately 6,000 copies.[4] According to music historian Richie Unterberger, their style resembled a grittier version of Paul Revere and the Raiders, particularly evident in "Dirty Old Man" with its distinct fuzz guitar and organ sounds.[5] Session musician Danny Raustadt performed all guitar parts on this track at Dove Studio using a Gibson ES-335TD equipped with a Maestro Fuzz effect. Just as the single was poised for national release, Bill Bulinski was drafted in July 1966 for service in Vietnam; concurrently, Novak enlisted in the Navy. Harvey Korkki stepped in for Bulinski on guitar, while Omerza took charge of organizing live performances.[2]
Although losing an original member, The Electras expanded their touring circuit throughout the Midwest. In autumn 1966, Kendrick secured a distribution agreement with Columbia Records to release "Dirty Old Man," backed by "This Week's Children," on Date Records. However, these records were withdrawn after it was discovered that another band owned rights to the name Electras—a group including future Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Without informing the band, Kendrick rebranded them as 'Twas Brillig' and reissued "Dirty Old Man" in February 1967. Shortly thereafter, Elfving was drafted as well, prompting Columbia to pull promotional support. Under this new name, they recorded two additional singles but failed to replicate earlier achievements and ultimately disbanded.[4]
The confusion between The Electras and Minneapolis-based the Litter arose because Kendrick produced both groups and The Electras covered The Litter’s signature tune "Action Woman".Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Their version incorporated a baroque pop instrumental introduction absent from The Litter’s more commonly reissued recording. A compilation titled Rare Tracks erroneously asserted that Warren employed Litter members for 'Twas Brillig and Electras sessions; however, despite sharing a producer and label affiliation, no personnel overlapped.[5]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In 2010, The Electras were honored with induction into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame, leading original members to reunite for a performance. Their body of work has been preserved in collections such as The Scotty Story and The Best of the Electras.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Gary Omerza (born August 1, 1946) passed away unexpectedly on July 25, 2011, at age 64.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Earl Bulinski died suddenly on April 3, 2021, in South Padre Island, Texas at age 72.[6]
External links
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