The Strikes, Forgotten Heroes
Although The Strikes started off as a trio in 1955, they first came up with the name "Strikes" in 1956 when the group had eventually grown to six members. The name was adapted from a baseball expression "Strike Out". North Texas State was a musical melting pot at that time. Other students included Roy Orbison, Wade Moore, Dick Penner and Pat Boone. At some point in 1956, The Strikes hooked up with Joe Leonard, owner of radio KGAF and Lin Records in Gainesville, Texas. They rehearsed at the radio station and then headed for Cliff Herring's studio in Fort Worth where The Strikes recorded all their tracks. In September 56, the group accompanied Andy Starr on the second of Stan's sessions to be sold to MGM. Willie Jacobs, who wrote "Give Me A Woman" and "No Room For Your Kind", sang in the chorus. Although "Baby I'm Sorry" was cloned from The Clovers "Little Mama", these records provide some of the most innovative sounds in rockabilly, proof that the rockabilly's best moments were not exclusively confined to singers and musicians from Tennessee. The main singers, Jacobs, Scott and Kunz, were billed as "The Three Pelves" and their unison vocals have a swinging, infectious, footloose spirit. A.B. Cornelius supplies a number of truly cleansing breaks and the whole band communicates a passionate sense of fun. The Strikes' career lasted only 18 months. In September 1957, Willie Jacobs was drafted into the Army and the band split up. Discography: The first 4 tracks have been re-issued on Bear Family's "That'll Flat Git It, Volume 12" and the Imperial Rockabilly series has been re-issued on CD by the Dutch record company Disky in 1999. "If You Can't Rock Me" was covered by Ricky Nelson in 1963 and was even in America's Hot 100 for a short while. The Strikes Line-Up: |
