Touch (1960s band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Touch was an American progressive rock group from the 1960s that produced a single album, the self-titled Touch released in 1968. The band consisted of John Bordonaro (drums, percussion, vocals), Don Gallucci (keyboards, vocals), Bruce Hauser (bass, vocals), Jeff Hawks (vocals), and Joey Newman, also known as Vern Kjellberg (guitar, vocals).
History
Following his departure from The Kingsmen, Gallucci established Don and the Goodtimes alongside drummer Bob Holden. An initial formation of the band featured Jack Ely. They achieved a US pop chart placement at number 56 with the track "I Could Be So Good to You," which was produced by Jack Nitzsche. Later additions to the lineup included vocalist Jeff Hawks, guitarist Joey Newman, and bassist/vocalist Ron "Buzz" Overman.
By the end of 1967, inspired by the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the members of Don and the Goodtimes sought new creative directions amid feelings of stagnation. Gallucci and Hawks collaborated on the "lysergic acid"-influenced suite "Seventy Five." Subsequently, Gallucci, Hawks, and Newman joined forces with Hauser and Bordonaro, retreating to a Moorish-style residence in the Hollywood Hills to compose material for their forthcoming album.
Prior to producing Touch, the ensemble contributed instrumental tracks for Elyse Weinberg’s album under the moniker "The Band of Thieves," named after her composition. These sessions were engineered by Gene Shiveley at Sunset Sound Recorders.
The recording process for Touch was distinguished by a convivial atmosphere that attracted prominent rock figures such as Mick Jagger, Grace Slick, and Jimi Hendrix. Shiveley took on production duties for these sessions at Sunset Sound.
From the album emerged the single "Miss Teach"/"We Feel Fine," but due to internal issues, the band dissolved shortly thereafter.
In a review for Record Collector, critic Kris Needs hailed Touch as a foundational work within American progressive rock and regarded it as a sought-after collectible until its reissue by Eclectic in 2004. He observed:
Album
Touch
Original vinyl release, 1968:
- "We Feel Fine" 4:41
- "Friendly Birds" 4:53
- "Miss Teach" 3:29
- "The Spiritual Death of Howard Greer" 8:52
- "Down at Circe's Place" 4:00
- "Alesha and Others" 3:05
- "Seventy Five" 11:12
- Total duration: 40:12
2004 Eclectic Disks CD edition ECLCD 1005 featuring bonus tracks 8-12:
- "We Feel Fine" 4:39
- "Friendly Birds" 4:51
- "Miss Teach" 3:29
- "The Spiritual Death of Howard Greer" 8:52
- "Down at Circe's Place" 3:59
- "Alesha and Others" 3:04
- "Seventy Five" 11:47
- "We Finally Met Today" (previously unreleased single, 1968) 3:41
- "Alesha and Others" (live studio demo, 1968) 3:14
- "Blue Feeling" 11:45
- "The Spiritual Death of Howard Greer" (live studio demo, 1968) 8:07
- "The Second Coming of Suzanne" (film soundtrack, 1973) 12:19
- Total duration: 79:22
Singles
- "Miss Teach" / "We Feel Fine" (Coliseum 45-2712, issued in 1968); also distributed in Canada, France, and the UK in 1969.
- "We Feel Fine" / "Down at Circe's Place" plus "We Finally Met Today" (Fruits de Mer Records Crustacean 88, UK reissue, 2018)