The MOB Chicago Band
The MOB is an American rock, rhythm and blues show band.
The first group from the windy city to incorporate a full horn section (the Chicago horn rock sound).
They influenced many local bands who came later (i.e. The Buckinghams, Chase, Chicago and The Ides Of March).
The MOB is an American rock, rhythm and blues show band.
The first group from the windy city to incorporate a full horn section (the Chicago horn rock sound).
They influenced many local bands who came later (i.e. The Buckinghams, Chase, Chicago and The Ides Of March).
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News About The MOB
- Welcome to the official website of The MOB, Chicago's original horn rock band (previously TheMOBmusic.com).
- Kane And Abel, the story of the duet Artie Herrera and Al Herrera prior to joining The MOB.
- Mousie & The Traps, the story of the teen trio performing with The MOB at the Dick Clark Young World's Fair and more.
- Gary Beisbier, the story of a musician, songwriter and arranger who brought the horn rock sound to Chicago.
- James Holvay, the chart-topping writer of The Buckinghams salutes the "Chicago Style" of Curtis Mayfield, Major Lance, and Gene Chandler.
THE MOB BIOGRAPHY
This exciting group was born in Chicago and has come to be known as one of the top show bands in the country. They were formed in the late sixties.
They grew up together, hung around the same neighborhoods together and from their mid-teens played music together. Those years have made them a tight and very solid musical aggregation.
In that they were the first windy city group to incorporate a full horn section, they influenced many local bands who came later. (i.e. The Buckinghams, The Ides Of March and CHICAGO)
The majority of member’s (pre-the formation of The MOB), had played with the back-up band for the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour. Thru years of grueling one-niters, crisscrossing the US and Canada in a Greyhound bus, they learned the importance of stage presentation.
When The MOB decided to go it on their own, their goal was to be a triple threat in the entertainment industry. That meant having the best presentation, involving the audience and keeping the quality of the musicianship at its highest level.
They accomplished all three goals which resulted in them earning “headliner status” in every major showroom in Nevada and across the country, including Canada, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
A highlight of their career as “road warriors” was being the first rock band ever to perform at a Presidential Inaugural Concert & Ball.
Although national recording success eluded them, two members of the group (Holvay & Beisbier) penned million selling records for The Buckinghams. These include: “Kind Of A Drag”, “Don’t You Care”, “Hey Baby” and “Susan”. The MOB had numerous regional hits such as: “Disappear”, “Open The Door To Your Heart”, “I Dig Everything About You”, “Give It To Me” and “Money”, which was a hit in Europe.
Unbeknownst to The MOB, they had developed a cult following with the Northern Soul fans in the UK. In 2005, Sequel Records, a label based in England, released a CD compilation of two MOB LP’s titled “The Heritage Sessions”.
They grew up together, hung around the same neighborhoods together and from their mid-teens played music together. Those years have made them a tight and very solid musical aggregation.
In that they were the first windy city group to incorporate a full horn section, they influenced many local bands who came later. (i.e. The Buckinghams, The Ides Of March and CHICAGO)
The majority of member’s (pre-the formation of The MOB), had played with the back-up band for the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour. Thru years of grueling one-niters, crisscrossing the US and Canada in a Greyhound bus, they learned the importance of stage presentation.
When The MOB decided to go it on their own, their goal was to be a triple threat in the entertainment industry. That meant having the best presentation, involving the audience and keeping the quality of the musicianship at its highest level.
They accomplished all three goals which resulted in them earning “headliner status” in every major showroom in Nevada and across the country, including Canada, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
A highlight of their career as “road warriors” was being the first rock band ever to perform at a Presidential Inaugural Concert & Ball.
Although national recording success eluded them, two members of the group (Holvay & Beisbier) penned million selling records for The Buckinghams. These include: “Kind Of A Drag”, “Don’t You Care”, “Hey Baby” and “Susan”. The MOB had numerous regional hits such as: “Disappear”, “Open The Door To Your Heart”, “I Dig Everything About You”, “Give It To Me” and “Money”, which was a hit in Europe.
Unbeknownst to The MOB, they had developed a cult following with the Northern Soul fans in the UK. In 2005, Sequel Records, a label based in England, released a CD compilation of two MOB LP’s titled “The Heritage Sessions”.
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NORTHERN SOUL UK
“...As for the group’s name, Holvay says, “I was watching the late, late, late show one Friday night, and an old movie came on called 'The Mob'...”
- Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years by Rick Simmons ISBN 978-1609492144
- Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years by Rick Simmons ISBN 978-1609492144
THE CHICAGO HORN ROCK SOUND
The MOB was the first band in Chicago to have a full horn section. Prior to The MOB (early-to-mid ’60’s), Gary Beisbier and Jimmy Holvay had horns in all of their line-ups. “Beatle Time” was recorded in December of 1963 and charted on WLS. Gary and Jimmy recorded as a group called The Livers, previously The Chicagoans. The song carries the melody with a horn section.
In June of 1966, The MOB was playing at a club in Schiller Park on River Road called the Wine and Roses. Coming to see The MOB were every rock band musician in town including The Missing Links, The Exceptions and Carl Bonafede. The MOB’s very first release [”Wait (Please Don't Walk Away)” b/w “Mystery Man”] was on Cameo / Parkway Records in May of 1966. “Kind Of A Drag” by The Buckinghams was released in 1967, later Blood Sweat & Tears, CTA, the Ides Of March and Chase all featured horns.
It was said in Danny Seraphines’ book, that the MOB inspired Danny, Terry and Wally to add horns to their group, which was originally called The Missing Links, which then became The Big Thing (now known as Chicago). In March of 1966, Jimmy Holvay was asked to write and produce a two sides for The Missing Links. It was a single called “Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up” b/w “You Hypnotize Me” on Ivanhoe Records, when they were a four piece band, prior to them adding a horn section and re-forming as The Big Thing.
The Buckinghams also recorded their version of “Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up” for their first USA LP. It was the producers (Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede) who added horns to The Buckinghams tracks. The Buckinghams did not have horns in their band.
- Street Player: My Chicago Story by Danny Seraphine ISBN 978-1681626819
- Kent Kotal Forgotten Hits forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2014/06/more-from-jim-holvay.html
In June of 1966, The MOB was playing at a club in Schiller Park on River Road called the Wine and Roses. Coming to see The MOB were every rock band musician in town including The Missing Links, The Exceptions and Carl Bonafede. The MOB’s very first release [”Wait (Please Don't Walk Away)” b/w “Mystery Man”] was on Cameo / Parkway Records in May of 1966. “Kind Of A Drag” by The Buckinghams was released in 1967, later Blood Sweat & Tears, CTA, the Ides Of March and Chase all featured horns.
It was said in Danny Seraphines’ book, that the MOB inspired Danny, Terry and Wally to add horns to their group, which was originally called The Missing Links, which then became The Big Thing (now known as Chicago). In March of 1966, Jimmy Holvay was asked to write and produce a two sides for The Missing Links. It was a single called “Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up” b/w “You Hypnotize Me” on Ivanhoe Records, when they were a four piece band, prior to them adding a horn section and re-forming as The Big Thing.
The Buckinghams also recorded their version of “Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up” for their first USA LP. It was the producers (Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede) who added horns to The Buckinghams tracks. The Buckinghams did not have horns in their band.
- Street Player: My Chicago Story by Danny Seraphine ISBN 978-1681626819
- Kent Kotal Forgotten Hits forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2014/06/more-from-jim-holvay.html
“...The Mob pioneered Chicago's 'horn rock' sound—and wore dark pinstriped suits with carnations...”
- The Secret History Of Chicago Music by Steve Krakow
www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2015/09/18/the-mob-pioneered-chicagos-horn-rock-soundand-wore-dark-pinstriped-suits-with-carnations
- The Secret History Of Chicago Music by Steve Krakow
www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2015/09/18/the-mob-pioneered-chicagos-horn-rock-soundand-wore-dark-pinstriped-suits-with-carnations
“...Guercio, in search of another artist to produce signed a MOB influenced horn band from his hometown called The Big Thing...”
- liner notes by Clark Besch Music Writer/60’s Pop Historian eastside-heartbeats.com/?p=43
- liner notes by Clark Besch Music Writer/60’s Pop Historian eastside-heartbeats.com/?p=43
WHO IS THIS MOB?!
The St. Valentine's Day Radio Spots
In early 1967, manager Joe DeFrancesco (in his quest to secure The MOB a recording contract with a major label) came up with a strategy. He directed The MOB to record at a top studio in New York City. The studio was A & R Recording, and the engineer was Brooks Arthur. The MOB recorded: "Disappear", "Blowin' My Mind", "I Wish You'd Leave Me Alone" and "Everybody's Got To Have Somebody", a newer version than the one recorded at Capitol Records' Studio B in Hollywood.
While in New York, Joe had a marketing brainstorm. A few months previously, Joe had seen a Las Vegas act, The Kirby Stone 4, perform at the Scotch Mist on Chicago's Rush Street. He befriended one of its members, Larry Foster, who was a celebrity voice impersonator.
While Joe was sitting in A & R Recoding's control room and mixing the tracks, he came up with an ingenious marketing plan of how he would launch the next super group to the world. He contacted Larry Foster, with whom he created a radio spot campaign titled "WHO IS THIS MOB?!" The twist was not only that these mobsters weren't gangsters but also that "they were clean". They were a musical group.
The mobsters and Joe secured a major record deal with Mercury. The single chosen to be released in 1968 was "Disappear" (Holvay/Beisbier) b/w "I Wish You'd Leave Me Alone" (Holvay/Beisbier). The February 14th holiday was also known in Chicago for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, which occurred in the 1920's. It was decided to purchase numerous ads (with the royalties from The Buckingham's hits) on the local Top 40 power house radio station WCFL, which ran the radio spots for weeks; all building up to the release of Mercury Records #72791 1-40785 and 1-40786 Bag-O-Tunes (BMI).
There were five radio spots Foster recorded: James Cagney, Walter Winchell, Humphrey Bogart, Al Capone and Edward G. Robinson. Each radio spot did not include any clip from The MOB’s single but instead teased that “they were clean”.
While in New York, Joe had a marketing brainstorm. A few months previously, Joe had seen a Las Vegas act, The Kirby Stone 4, perform at the Scotch Mist on Chicago's Rush Street. He befriended one of its members, Larry Foster, who was a celebrity voice impersonator.
While Joe was sitting in A & R Recoding's control room and mixing the tracks, he came up with an ingenious marketing plan of how he would launch the next super group to the world. He contacted Larry Foster, with whom he created a radio spot campaign titled "WHO IS THIS MOB?!" The twist was not only that these mobsters weren't gangsters but also that "they were clean". They were a musical group.
The mobsters and Joe secured a major record deal with Mercury. The single chosen to be released in 1968 was "Disappear" (Holvay/Beisbier) b/w "I Wish You'd Leave Me Alone" (Holvay/Beisbier). The February 14th holiday was also known in Chicago for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, which occurred in the 1920's. It was decided to purchase numerous ads (with the royalties from The Buckingham's hits) on the local Top 40 power house radio station WCFL, which ran the radio spots for weeks; all building up to the release of Mercury Records #72791 1-40785 and 1-40786 Bag-O-Tunes (BMI).
There were five radio spots Foster recorded: James Cagney, Walter Winchell, Humphrey Bogart, Al Capone and Edward G. Robinson. Each radio spot did not include any clip from The MOB’s single but instead teased that “they were clean”.
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James Cagney
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Walter Winchell
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Humphrey Bogart
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Al Capone
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Edward G. Robinson
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"...The number one show group in the country today, The MOB..."
- Ray Ford of KISD-AM 1230 introduction at the Mocamba Club in Sioux Falls
- Ray Ford of KISD-AM 1230 introduction at the Mocamba Club in Sioux Falls
Check out "I Dig Everything About You" @ ReverbNation
For booking and press inquiries, visit us @ ReverbNation
For booking and press inquiries, visit us @ ReverbNation
THE MOB, GEORGE TORRENS AND THE MAYBEES, JIMMY PETERSON AND THE CHICAGOANS, THE LIVERS, JIMMY FORD AND THE KASUALS, LITTLE ARTIE AND THE PHARAOHS, KANE AND ABEL, JIMMY FORD AND THE EXECUTIVES, THE MISSING LINKS, THE BIG THING, THE CIRCUS, SMOKE, ASK RUFUS, RUFUS, THE BUCKINGHAMS, CHICAGO, THE IDES OF MARCH, DICK CLARK CARAVAN OF STARS, THE WRECKING CREW, JIM HOLVAY, JIMMY HOLVAY, JAMES HOLVAY, JIMMY SOUL, GARY BEISBIER, LARRY McCABE, BOBBY RUFFINO, CHUCK RUSSEL, JIMMY FRANZ, MIKE SISTAK, RON GATELY, DWIGHT KALB, WAYNE ERWIN, JIMMY GUERICO, DANNY SERAPHINE, WALLY PARAZADIER, TERRY KATH, RICK PANZER, KEVIN MURPHY, LEE LOUGHNE, TONY NEDZA, DAVE HEIDLBERG, MOUSIE AND THE TRAPS
© THE MOB / James Holvay / Mike Baker And The Forgotten 45s - All Rights Reserved
