The Paupers
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Founder | Skip Prokop, Bill Marion, Chuck Beal, Denny Gerrard |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
Area served | Canada, United States |
Key people | Skip Prokop, Bill Marion, Adam Mitchell, Denny Gerrard, Chuck Beal |
| Products | Psychedelic rock music, albums, singles |
Number of employees | 5–7 (members varied over time) |
The Paupers were a psychedelic rock group originating from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, active between 1965 and 1968. They issued two albums through Verve Forecast Records and appeared at the Monterey International Pop Festival.
Formation
Initially established in Toronto in 1964 under the name The Spats by former Riverside Three drummer Skip Prokop (1943–2017) and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Bill Marion (1946–2014), the founding members also featured lead guitarist Chuck Beal (b. 1944) and bassist Denny Gerrard (b. 1947). Renowned for their rigorous practice sessions, they quickly became one of the most polished bands in Toronto. Early in 1965, they adopted the name The Paupers and secured a contract with local manager Duff Roman and the independent label Red Leaf Records. Their first single, "Never Send You Flowers," garnered moderate attention locally, followed by "If I Told My Baby." They shared the stage at the Canadian National Exhibition with David Clayton-Thomas & The Shays.
By early 1966, the band transitioned to Roman's label, Roman Records, where they released "For What I Am" alongside a rendition of "Long Tall Sally." Shortly thereafter, they ended their association with Roman and enlisted manager Bernie Finkelstein, who would later manage Bruce Cockburn. After a performance in July 1966, Bill Marion left to focus on solo projects and production.
Touring and Lineup Changes
Following Marion’s departure, Scottish immigrant Adam Mitchell (b. 1944), formerly of the folk ensemble CommonFolk, joined as lead vocalist and co-writer with Prokop. Mitchell made his debut on August 14, 1966. Under Finkelstein’s management, the band secured a contract with New York-based MGM Records and played prominent Toronto venues, supporting artists such as Wilson Pickett and The Lovin' Spoonful.
Their live performances enhanced their reputation, drawing interest from Bob Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman, who purchased Finkelstein’s share and renegotiated their agreement with MGM's Verve Forecast division. Their first single featuring Mitchell, "If I Call You By Some Name", climbed to No. 31 on Canada's RPM chart.
In early 1967, The Paupers performed at New York’s Cafe Au Go Go opening for Jefferson Airplane, recorded their first album with producer Rick Shorter, and toured the West Coast including appearances at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium and the Monterey International Pop Festival on June 16.
First Album Release
Returning to Toronto in late summer 1967, MGM issued the single "Magic People," followed by an album of the same title. MGM invested $40,000 in a promotional tour spanning 17 cities across the United States within one month. Notable performances included opening for Cream at New York’s Cafe Au Go Go—although this was cut short due to technical difficulties—and headlining Detroit’s Grande Ballroom with support from The MC5 in November.
The debut album Magic People reached No. 178 on US charts in November 1967; however, its modest impact was soon overshadowed by bassist Denny Gerrard’s departure in early 1968. He was succeeded by Brad Campbell, bassist and vocalist previously with Bill Marion’s former band The Last Words. Additionally, former BTB4 keyboardist Peter Sterbach briefly joined for live performances.
In January 1968, the single "Think I Care," taken from their debut album, failed to chart. Prokop began seeking session work opportunities, contributing to Peter, Paul & Mary’s "I Dig Rock And Roll" and Richie Havens’ Something Else. Despite this, the band maintained a strong presence through high-profile concerts such as supporting The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Soft Machine at Toronto's CNE Coliseum on February 24, followed by a second tour across the United States.
Break-up
John Ord became the band's keyboardist in July, making his first appearance at Detroit's Grande Ballroom the following month. However, internal conflicts continued to affect the group. After their final stint at New York's Electric Circus (August 29–September 1), Prokop departed to establish Lighthouse, while Campbell went on to join Janis Joplin's Kozmic Blues Band.
Following the dissolution, the band's sophomore album, Ellis Island, was released. Their last single, Mitchell's "Cairo Hotel"—which was later covered by McKendree Spring—did not achieve chart success.
Playing to pay off debts
October saw the formation of a revamped Paupers lineup consisting of Mitchell, Beal, Ord, and original bassist Denny Gerrard, who had previously been with McKenna Mendelson Mainline. Roz Parks, known from Edward Bear and Magic Circus, completed this ensemble. They debuted at Toronto's Night Owl on October 26–27 and received favorable reviews from local critics.
Gerrard soon exited once again, and Mitchell followed suit in April 1969. The remaining members brought in James Houston (formerly with Parks in Magic Circus) along with bassist Mel O'Brien as they resumed performing in local clubs. This configuration played the Night Owl on August 7–8 but dissolved later that same month.
Post-Paupers
Mitchell embarked on a solo career within Ontario’s folk scene and took on production roles for acts such as McKenna Mendelson Mainline, The Manhattan Transfer, and Linda Ronstadt. Gerrard briefly joined Luke & The Apostles before founding Jericho in March 1970. Beal transitioned into record production and artist management, eventually producing an audio book series for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Ord’s band supported Chuck Berry during the summer of 1969. Houston led his own group and collaborated with Parks and Gerrard in Tranquillity Base.
In 1969, Skip Prokop established the Toronto-based brass rock ensemble Lighthouse.
Singles
- "Never Send You Flowers"/"Sooner Than Soon" (Red Leaf 65002) 1965
- "If I Told My Baby"/"Like You Like Me" (Red Leaf 65003) 1965
- "For What I Am"/"Free as a Bird" (Roman 1103) 1965
- "Long Tall Sally"/"Sooner Than Soon" (Roman 1111) 1966
- "If I Call You By Some Name"/"Copper Penny" (Verve Folkway 5033) 1966 (CAN No. 31)(No. 6 CHUM)
- "Simple Deed"/"Let Me Be" (Verve Forecast 5043) 1967 (CAN No. 21)
- "One Rainy Day"/"Tudor Impressions" (Verve Forecast 5056) 1967
- "Magic People"/"Black Thank You Package" (Verve Forecast 5062) 1967
- "Think I Care"/"White Song" (Verve Folkway 5074) 1968
- "Cairo Hotel"/"Another Man's Hair on My Razor" (Verve Forecast 518007) 1968
- "South Down Road"/"Numbers" (Verve Forecast 518908) 1968
Albums
- Magic People (Verve Forecast FTS-3026) 1967
- Side one
- "Magic People" – 2:43
- "It's Your Mind" – 5:20
- "Black Thank You Package" – 3:12
- "Let Me Be" – 3:10
- "Think I Care" – 3:55
- Side two
- "One Rainy Day" – 2:20
- "Tudor Impressions" – 4:13
- "Simple Deed" – 2:43
- "My Love Hides Your View" – 3:20
- "You And Me" – 2:40
- Ellis Island (Verve Forecast FTS-3051) 1968
- Side one
- "South Down Road" – 8:30
- "Cairo Hotel" – 4:10
- "Can't Go On" – 3:35
- "Another Man's Hair On My Razor" – 4:15
- Side two
- "Numbers" – 5:33
- "Oh That She Might" – 4:56
- "Yes I Know" – 6:23
- "Ask Her Again" – 4:00
- "Juliana" – 2:49
Compilation Releases
- Magic People (Edsel Records DED 253) released in 1989