February 17, 2015

101 Reel-to-Reel Tapes 95: Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil

Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®
   

In addition to my 20,000 Vinyl LP collection I'm selling, I have reel-to-reel, pre-recorded tapes for sale. If interested, contact me by email please, not by a comment. 

I have the Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil, reel-to-reel tape, for sale on eBay. I have others for sale on eBay now (see links below).    

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The Ides of March is an American rock band that had a major US and minor UK hit with the song Vehicle in 1970. After going on hiatus in 1973, the band returned with their original line-up in 1990 and has been active since then. 




Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover
cover photo by Patti Reynolds & Ted Staidle
photo of album cover by Styrous®


The Ides of March began in Berwyn, Illinois (a western suburb bordering Chicago) on October 16, 1964, as a four-piece band called "The Shon-Dels." Their first record, Like It Or Lump It, was released on their own "Epitome" record label in 1965.  

In 1966, after changing their name to The Ides of March (a name suggested by bassist Bob Bergland after reading Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in high school), the band released their first single on Parrot Records - You Wouldn’t Listen. The song reached #7 on WLS Chicago and #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1966. 



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover detail
cover photo by Patti Reynolds & Ted Staidle
 detail photo by Styrous®


Having secured a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records, in 1970 the band released the track Vehicle, which at the time became the fastest selling single in Warner's history. Fourteen seconds of the completed Vehicle master tape (primarily the guitar solo) was accidentally erased in the recording studio. The missing section was spliced in from a previously discarded take.  

The song reached #2 on the Hot 100 and #6 on the corresponding Cash Box listings. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc in November 1972. The following album, Vehicle, reached #55 nationally.



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover back
back cover photo by Patti Reynolds & Ted Staidle
photo of album cover back by Styrous®



The band toured extensively throughout 1970 in support of many top acts, including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin (see link below), and Led Zeppelin



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover back detail
back cover photo by Patti Reynolds & Ted Staidle
detail photo by Styrous®


In 1971, the band released their second album Common Bond. The featured single was "L.A. Goodbye". The song was at #1 on regional charts for five weeks, #2 on WCFL Chicago, #5 on WLS Chicago, but only #73 on the Hot 100.   

In 1972, the band moved to RCA Records and released World Woven. At this point, the band departed from the "brass" sound (though one song featured a single trumpet) and the album produced no hit singles. In 1973, the Midnight Oil album was released.



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover back detail
back cover photo by Patti Reynolds & Ted Staidle
detail photo by Styrous®



Between 1973 and 1990, The Ides of March went on an extended hiatus, during which Jim Peterik co-founded the band Survivor and co-wrote all of their platinum hits including Eye of the Tiger, The Search Is Over, High on You and I Can't Hold Back.   

He also began a career of writing collaborations which resulted in many platinum hits for other artists, most notably Hold On Loosely, Rockin’ Into The Night, Fantasy Girl and Wild-Eyed Southern Boys for .38 Special and Heavy Metal for Sammy Hagar.   



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover back detail
back cover photo by Patti Reynolds & Ted Staidle
detail photo by Styrous®


Jim Peterik co-founded the band Survivor and co-wrote all of their platinum hits including Eye of the Tiger, The Search Is Over, High on You and I Can't Hold Back.   

He also began a career of writing collaborations which resulted in many platinum hits for other artists, most notably Hold On Loosely, Rockin’ Into The Night, Fantasy Girl and Wild-Eyed Southern Boys for .38 Special and Heavy Metal for Sammy Hagar.   



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover spine
photo by Styrous®


In September 2010, the City of Berwyn, Illinois, dedicated Home Avenue between Riverside Drive and Cermak Road (the location of J. Sterling Morton High School West, the school most of the band members attended) to "Ides Of March Way" in tribute of the band.  



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape box cover spine
photos by Styrous®



Ray Herr died on March 29, 2011, of esophageal cancer at age 64. John Larson died on September 22, 2011, in Warsaw, Indiana, from cancer at the age of 61. Chuck Soumar resigned from the band in 2011 to pursue other interests.  

The Ides are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the band in 2014. The original four members - Bergland, Borch, Millas and Peterik - are still playing together (after Peterik's hiatus to form Survivor). They are also releasing a 50th anniversary career retrospective box set and a DVD, and continue to write and record new music. At their anniversary concert on September 27th, 2014, they received a citation from the State of Illinois honoring their achievement as well as their charity work (the band established a scholarship fund at their alma mater, Morton West High School in Berwyn, IL).



Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape
photo by Styrous®


Parrot singles: 
  • "You Wouldn't Listen" / "I'll Keep Searching" (Parrot 304) 1966 (reached #7 in Chicago)
  • "Roller Coaster" / "Things Aren't Always What They Seem" (Parrot 310) 1966 (reached #14 in Chicago)
  • "You Need Love" / "Sha-La-La-Lee" (Parrot 312) 1966
  • "My Foolish Pride" / "Give Your Mind Wings" (Parrot 321) 1967
  • "Hole in My Soul" / "Girls Don't Grow on Trees" (Parrot 326) 1967**
Kapp single:
  • "Nobody Loves Me" / "Strawberry Sunday" (Kapp 992) 1968


Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil
reel-to-reel tape label detail
detail photo by Styrous®


Tracklist:
 
Side 1:

1 - Hot Water written by Arellano*, Peterik*, Borch* - 4:01
2 - Nothing Love Won't Cure written by Peterik*, Millas* - 3:30
3 - Do What You've A Mind To written by J. Lehman*, O. Lehman* - 2:35
3 - Chicago's Got The Blues written by Peterik* - 3:10
4 - Quicksilver written by Peterik* - 3:26

Side 2:

1 - Heavy On The Country written by Peterik*, Borch* - 2:40
2 - Roadie Ode written by Peterik* - 4:20
3 - Lay Back written by Peterik* - 4:00
4 - Holy Love written by Peterik* - 3:30
5 - Ride The Music written by Peterik* - 3:20


Credits:
 
    Bass, Vocals – Bob Bergland
    Congas, Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals – Chuck Soumar
    Design – Des Strobel*
    Drums, Vibraphone, Vocals – Mike Borch*
    Engineer – Richie Schmitt*
    Guitar, Bass, Flute, Vocals – Larry Millas
    Keyboards – Dave Arellano*
    Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals – James Michael Peterik*
    Lead Vocals – Chuck Soumar (tracks: B1)
    Management – John Galobich
    Photography By – Patti Reynolds, Ted Staidle
    Producer – Bob Destocki, Frank Rand
    Steel Guitar, Resonator Guitar [Dobro] – Rusty Young
    Typography [Lettering] – John Cabalka

Notes:
   
Orange RCA Victor labels.


Label: RCA Victor ‎ EPP1 0143-C
Format: reel-to-reel tape
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Rock, Pop


Ides of March Discography 


The Ides of March ~ Midnight Oil, reel-to-reel tape, is for sale on eBay 
  

Other reel-to-reel tapes now for sale on eBay     



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