The Hollywood Squares (band)
The Hollywood Squares |
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The Hollywood Squares were an American punk band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1977. They are probably best known for their edgy 1978 recording "Hillside Strangler". Released in a very limited edition on the trio's own Square Records label while the infamous serial killers were still at large in L.A., the issue quickly sold out and has since become a highly sought-after collectible. The Hollywood Squares' performance of "Hillside Strangler" also appeared on the 1978 Bomp! Records compilation LP, Killed By Death (KBD#1), and in subsequent bootlegs. Other artists who have recorded the song include The Morning Shakes (1998).
History
Formation
Guitarist Eddie Vincent and drummer Tad, having played together in Los Angeles with various bands since the early seventies, found themselves vacationing in London after a tour in Switzerland during the famous punk summer of 1977. Returning to L.A. they were inspired to form the power trio they dubbed the Hollywood Squares with bass player Spider Cobb (aka Bob Schell). Cobb had migrated to L.A. in early 1977 to work as an arranger. All seasoned musicians in their mid 20s, the three were drawn to punk music by the genre's raw energy and enthusiasm.
The group rehearsed and experimented for several months in the San Fernando Valley garage of a disc-jockey friend, collaborating on new material and reworking classics. Vincent's songs explored punk's recurring themes of alienation and angst, propelled by the raw, unrelenting, and occasionally Bartókian backdrop of an extremely loud power trio. In fact, the band was so loud that Cobb suggested rehearsing with headsets, a practice which became part of the group's signature in their very rare, live performances as well.
Going Public
Then at a rehearsal, Vincent played his latest composition—a short, tongue-in-cheek peek into the mind of a serial killer who was terrorizing the city at the time—and Cobb said he thought he heard a single. After some soul searching about the subject matter and the safety of loved ones, the group booked four hours (all they could afford) in an eight-track studio.
Cobb invited friend and freelance recording engineer Ron Hitchcock to stop by and "look over the house engineer's shoulder", eventually persuading him to engineer and master two tracks, "Hillside Strangler" and "Hollywood Square", for a 7-inch 45 RPM single. In return, the trio credited Hitchcock on the record label as producer and publisher, although no formal agreement or money was exchanged.
Upon release, most of the 500 records pressed went to Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records, through whom they were retailed at Bomp's North Hollywood store and wholesaled worldwide. Shaw was already planning the first "Killed By Death" compilation LP, and indicated at the time that he wanted to include The Hollywood Squares' "Hillside Strangler". The Squares agreed in principle, but no formal licensing agreement or money was exchanged.
The Hollywood Squares handled their own local radio promotion. The trio caught up to Rodney Bingenheimer outside KROQ's Pasadena studios one evening as he arrived to do his radio show, "Rodney On The ROQ", and Bingenheimer debuted "Hillside Strangler" the same night. Also among those who initially aired "Hillside Strangler" was radio personality Dr. Demento, who described it urbanely on his nationally syndicated program as a tale about someone "who's not much fun at parties".
"Hillside Strangler" promptly charted in Record World's New Wave Hit Parade, and it elicited favorable comment from some reviewers while outraging or bewildering others. Slash Magazine called it a "Mysterioso release from [a] mysterioso group", noting that, in contrast to most of their L.A. punk counterparts, The Hollywood Squares were seldom seen in public. The original recording is still logged regularly on the playlists of college and counterculture radio stations, discussed on boards and blogs, and sought in its rare, original format by collectors.
The Hollywood Squares meet The Hollywood Deal
In August 1978, The Hollywood Squares signed a production and publishing deal with Hitchcock, and five performances were subsequently recorded—three originals and two covers: "Ashes and Dust" (Eddie Vincent), "Organized Crime" (Eddie Vincent), "Alienation In L.A." (Eddie Vincent, Spider Cobb), "Here Comes The Weekend" (Paul Weller), and "Summer In The City" (John Sebastian).
Hitchcock shopped the first four tracks around to major record labels but, when efforts to sign the Squares proved unsuccessful, he returned to engineering for mainstream artists. The master recordings were shelved and, by the end of 1978, the Squares had gone their separate ways.
Post break-up
After Cobb departed the band, Vincent and Tad recruited bassist Laura Crowe, and dubbed this new power trio The Firm (many years before the Jimmy Page/Paul Rodgers collaboration of the same name). Playing new original material in a more "new wave/rockabilly" style, they performed at several Los Angeles clubs including the Troubadour. Although garnering positive reviews and much record label interest, they were ultimately unsuccessful in landing a recording contract and split up in late 1979. Laura Crowe later joined the American punk band Chainsaw.
At around the same time, after a stint with Badfinger, Cobb was forming new wave group Debbi and the Digits in Los Angeles with partner Debbi Meadows, and he recruited Tad to play drums. In early 1981 Eddie Vincent joined the Digits, replacing departing guitarist, Dana Ferris (Moon Martin). Tad and Vincent left the group during a 1981 Canadian tour. Cobb formed his own production and music publishing companies and re-focused on recording. Vincent continued to perform in a variety of bands, including a stint with Michael Twitty, and to write and record original material.
In May 2003, Cobb noticed The Hollywood Squares material being mentioned on the internet under the Hitchcock Media/BluSide label. Vincent and Tad were subsequently contacted, and discussions with Hitchcock about marketing followed shortly thereafter. Negotiations continued until late 2005, when disagreement over the original publishing deal caused a break down. Cobb opted out.
All but two of The Hollywood Squares' studio recordings ("Alienation In L.A." and "Summer In The City") were released in October 2006 on vinyl LP by Italian company, RaveUp Records. The LP, Hillside Strangler: Restrangled, includes the original masters of "Hillside Strangler" and "Hollywood Square", and four live tracks recorded at the Whisky-a-go-go in 1978. [Hitchcock Media][1] released Restrangled on CD in November 2006. In December 2006, RaveUp began offering ("Alienation In L.A."][2] as a free download.
Discography
Singles
Albums
- Hillside Strangler: Restrangled [studio/live 1978] (2006)
Compilations
- Killed By Death #1 (1978)
Trivia
- The debut performance of the Hollywood Squares was at a party at the home of a new-age guru in the hills of Topanga, California. Their sonic assault left many of the guests - who had expected light "new age" sounds - bewildered, to say the least. They also appeared live at The Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, California on May 13, 1978. Their last performance was at Jeff Simon's Rock Corporation, Van Nuys, California on July 3, 1978.
- The Hollywood Squares' name was chosen to reflect the group's somewhat cynical awareness of the constantly changing styles and fads that consumed the L.A. "hip" community, which Vincent and Tad, who had grown up hanging out in Hollywood, had seen come and go. Vincent's composition, "Hollywood Square", expresses that underlying attitude with characteristic clarity: "I was here first, and I'll leave here the last."
- The single "Hillside Strangler" was released on Valentine's Day, 1978. The killers' tenth and last known victim was discovered two days later.
- For the original "Hillside Strangler" single, Vincent and Cobb themselves letterpressed the 500 tabloid-style sleeves in a friend's print shop after hours.
External links
- BobSchellMusic.com – Spider Cobb site
- EddieVincent.com – Eddie Vincent site
- Hollywood Squares discography at MusicBrainz