The Montanas
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Wolverhampton , England |
| Products | Pop rock music |
The Montanas were a pop rock ensemble originating from Wolverhampton, England, active during the 1960s and 1970s. Although they did not achieve significant acclaim within the UK, they experienced moderate success in the American market.
Established in 1964, the band quickly became known for their energetic live shows. Under the management of Roger Allen, they secured a contract with Pye Records and released initial singles written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent. Keyboardist Terry Rowley joined in 1966, adding to both songwriting and arranging efforts. That same year saw the release of two singles; the latter, "That's When Happiness Began" backed with "Goodbye Little Girl," garnered consistent sales supported by widespread radio airplay. Their prominence rose when they served as the opening act for the Walker Brothers' UK tour in late 1966. Following this exposure, further singles and appearances on radio programs such as Easy Beat and Saturday Club helped them reach audiences in France, the Netherlands, and Germany. The March 1967 single "Ciao Baby" backed with "Anyone There" sold over 10,000 copies in Britain alone, with a reissue appearing in 1969.
Although they scored several radio hits in the UK, chart breakthroughs were limited. Their track "You've Got to Be Loved," released on 13 October 1967, remained on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks, peaking at number 58 by early April 1968. It also attained positions of number 41 on Cashbox and number 33 on Record World. The follow-up single "Run to Me" reached number 121 on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart and number 96 on Cashbox. Insufficient promotion in the United States curtailed further national chart successes. Between 1967 and 1968, lineup adjustments occurred as the band shifted focus toward more commercially appealing singles often composed by outside writers. After departing from Pye Records in 1969, Terry Rowley and vocalist John Jones left to concentrate on original compositions. The Montanas continued performing through much of the 1970s, incorporating comedic elements into their shows before disbanding in 1978. Subsequently, vocalist Ian "Sludge" Lees pursued a career in comedy, while bassist Jake Elcock transitioned into artist and repertoire (A&R) roles.
In 1997, Sequel Records issued a compilation CD titled You've Got To Be Loved (Singles A's & B's), featuring twenty-six tracks including ten newly mixed from original multi-track recordings.
Members
- Will Hayward – guitar
- Graham Crew – drums
- Ralph Oakley – bass
- John Jones – vocals
- Terry Rowley – keyboards (joined 1966)
- Jake Elcock – bass (joined 1967)
- Graham Hollis – drums (joined 1967)
- Barry Clifft – drums & vocals (dates unknown)
- Bob Cross – guitar & vocals (joined 1977, formerly of Alvin Stardust)
- Pete Mackie – bass & vocals
- Ian "Sludge" Lees – vocals (joined 1968)
- George Davies – vocals (joined 1968)
- Allen Austin – guitar & vocals / bass guitar & vocals
- Brian Eustace – guitar & vocals
- Neil Craddock – bass guitar & vocals
Road crew
- John Kirby
- Micky Winfer
- Shaun Gillam
- Keith Mantle
- Loz Collins
- Cozmic Dave
- Les Gilfilan
Discography
- Singles
- All That Is Mine Can Be Yours b/w How Can You Tell (Piccadilly 7N 35262, September 1965)
- That's When Happiness Began b/w Goodbye Little Girl (Pye 7N 17183, September 1966)
- Ciao Baby b/w Anyone There (Pye 7N 17282, March 1967; US release Warner Bros 7208)
- Take My Hand b/w Top Hat (Pye 7N 17338, June 1967; US release Independence 79)
- You've Got to Be Loved b/w Difference of Opinion (Pye 7N 17394, October 1967; US release Independence 83)
- A Step in the Right Direction b/w Someday (You'll Be Breaking My Heart Again) (Pye 7N 17499, April 1968)
- I'm Gonna Change b/w A Step in the Right Direction (US version, Independence 87)
- Run to Me b/w You're Making a Big Mistake (Pye 7N 17597, September 1968; US release Independence 89)
- Roundabout b/w Mystery (Pye 7N 17697, February 1969)
- Heaven Help You b/w Roundabout (US only, Independence 93)
- Ciao Baby b/w Someday (reissue) (Pye 7N 17729, April 1969)
- Let's Get a Little Sentimental b/w Hey Diddle Diddle (Decca 32682, 1970)
- Uncle John's Band (cover) b/w Doctor Nero (MAM 14, 1971)
- No Smoke Without Fire b/w Seaport (MAM 45, 1971)
- Suzanne b/w Your Love Is Growing (MAM 62, 1972)
- Love Machine b/w Oh but I Love You (Charisma 265, circa 1975)
- Compilation CD
- You've Got to Be Loved (Singles A's & B's) (Sequel NEMCD 994,1997)
Charts
| Year | Song Title | Highest Chart Rankings | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | U.S. Cash Box | U.S. Record World | |||
| 1968 | You've Got to Be Loved | 58 | 41 | 33 | |
| Run to Me | 121 | 96 | |||
| 1970 | Let's Get a Little Sentimental | — | — | — | |
- The Montanas history at Brumbeat.net, including a conversation with Jake Elcock