Ohio Express

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Ohio Express
Ohio Express, 1973
Ohio Express, 1973
General information
Genre (s) Bubblegum pop
founding 1967
Founding members
Joey Levine
Tim Corwin
Dean Kastran
Dale Powers
guitar
 Doug Grassel († 2013)
Jim Pfayler

The band Ohio Express was formed in 1967 and was a representative of the bubblegum genre. She came from the Midwest of the United States , from Mansfield , Ohio .

Band history

The band had known each other since high school . When the producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz from “ Buddah Records ” were looking for a young, poppy band for their new bubblegum sound, they found the until then completely unknown group Ohio Express, which suddenly became famous.

The peak of their success took place in 1968/69. During this time they released several albums and singles on Buddah Records, including Chewy Chewy , Sweeter than Sugar , Mercy and Down at Lulus . The group's singer, Joey Levine , sang, as was always said, like he had a lot of gum in his mouth. Compared to other bubblegum bands, such as the 1910 Fruitgum Company , the Archies , Music Explosion , Middle of the Road , the Partridge Family or the Bay City Rollers , they played heavier music. The opening riff of their hit Yummy Yummy Yummy was adopted by many bands, including Judas Priest .

The Ohio Express group with founding member Doug Grassel lived temporarily in Europe and gave many concerts here. The last single was released in Germany under the slightly modified band name OHIO X PRESS. In 2013 a recording of a concert was released, which was broadcast live by Antenne Brandenburg in 2013, also on CD under the title Still Alive & Rockin .

Original cast

  • Joey Levine, vocals
  • Tim Corwin, drums
  • Dean Kastran, electric bass
  • Dale Powers, guitar
  • Doug Grassel, guitar (born July 5, 1949 Ohio ; † September 21, 2013 in Cologne )
  • Jim Pfayler, keyboards

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
US US
1968 The Ohio Express US126 (11 weeks)
US
1969 Chewy Chewy US191 (2 weeks)
US

More albums

  • 1968: Beg, Borrow and Steal
  • 1969: Mercy
  • 1970: The Very Best of the Ohio Express
  • 2001: Yummy Yummy Yummy - The Best of the Ohio Express
  • 2013: Still Alive & Rockin

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE AT AT CH CH UK UK US US
1967 Beg, Borrow and Steal
Beg, Borrow and Steal 		- - - - US29 (12 weeks)
US
B-side: Maybe
1968 Try It
Beg, Borrow and Steal 		- - - - US83 (2 weeks)
US
B-side: Soul Struttin '
Yummy Yummy Yummy
The Ohio Express 		DE3 (18 weeks)
DE 		AT5 (16 weeks)
AT 		CH8 (7 weeks)
CH 		UK5 (15 weeks)
UK 		US4 (14 weeks)
US
B-side: Zig Zag
Down at Lulu’s
The Ohio Express 		DE20 (4 weeks)
DE 		- - - US33 (9 weeks)
US
B-side: She's Not Comin 'Home
Chewy Chewy
Chewy Chewy 		DE7 (18 weeks)
DE 		AT18 (8 weeks)
AT 		- - US15 (13 weeks)
US
B-side: Firebird
1969 Sweeter Than Sugar
Mercy 		DE16 (6 weeks)
DE 		- - - US96 (1 week)
US
B-side: Nothing Is Sweeter Than My Baby
Mercy
Mercy 		DE14 (12 weeks)
DE 		- - - US30 (8 weeks)
US
B-side: Roll It Up
Pinch Me (Baby Convince Me)
 - - - - US99 (2 weeks)
US
B-side: Peanuts
Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)
 - - - - US86 (2 weeks)
US
B-side: Make Love Not War

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More singles

  • 1969: Cowboy Convention / The Race (That Took Place)
  • 1969: Love Equals Love / Peanuts
  • 1970: Hot Dog / Ooh La La
  • 1970: That's the Way a Woman Is / Talking 'Bout You
  • 1994: Catchy Catchy Groove
  • 2009: I Need You
  • 2010: Swingin & Rockin the Blues (as Garrison & Ohio Express)
  • 2011: Boom Boom (Rebeling Song)

swell

  1. ↑ a b Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US