1960s Original Group Names Multiple Choice Quiz | Band Names

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the original name of the Guess Who, when they released their first single in Canada?

Answer: Chad Allan and the Reflections

Chad Allan and the Reflections were released on the Canadian American label with "Tribute To Buddy Holly" and "Back And Forth" in December '62. It was also issued in the USA on the same label.
The rest of the group names were on later releases in Canada but not in the US.

2. Under what name did The Band begin life when they released their first single in Canada?

Answer: Canadian Squires

Canadian Squires were released on Apex in Canada and the Ware label in the USA.
"Leave Me Alone" and "Uh-Uh-Uh" were released in early '65.
Levon and the Hawks were released on Atco later on, after the Canadian Squires release.

3. Chilliwack became popular in the USA in the early 80s with "My Girl(Gone, Gone,Gone)" a Billboard Top 40 Hit. However Chilliwack started recording in Canada back in the 60s. What original name was used on their first release in Vancouver, Canada?

Answer: The Classics

The Classics - "Aces High" and "Comin' Home" on the Jaguar label in '65. "Aces High" is an instrumental that was released only in Canada.
The Canadian Classics and The Collectors were the next two incarnations of the group. Their releases were both in Canada and the USA. Valiant and WB were issued in the US and Valiant, New Syndrome, WB and London in Canada.
Check out "Lydia Purple" and "Looking At A Baby" by The Collectors; it's worthwhile listening.

4. The Stampeders are known for their big hit "Sweet City Woman" in the USA and Canada. But what was The Stampeders' original name when they released their first single locally in Calgary, Canada?

Answer: The Stampeders

It was still The Stampeders. Their first release was "House Of Shake" on the Sotan label in '65 issued locally in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The other group names I made up. I had to be convincing and make it seem real or none of you would've picked them. I know I've done it again.
It wasn't until '68 that the US first released "Be A Woman" on MGM. A very lame orchestrated effort recorded in the US. It was the only time I can recall that strings were used on a Stampeders' single. This song was showcased on "Upbeat" in Cleveland, Ohio back in '68. Make that twice, the other single was "Oh My Lady" in '74, a much better effort.
There were 28 singles released in Canada and only a dozen in the US.

5. David Clayton Thomas had a popular run with Blood, Sweat and Tears in the late 60s. But like many transplanted Canadians he had his humble beginnings in Toronto, Canada. What was the name of his first backing group on a single released in Canada?

Answer: David Clayton Thomas With The Fabulous Shays

David Clayton Thomas With The Fabulous Shays released "Barby Lee" and "Lucy" on Atca in '64. And yes it is spelt Atca, a local Canadian label in Toronto.
David Clayton Thomas and The Shays were first released on Atco with "Walk That Walk" and "Hey Hey Hey" in the US in April '65. It was released as David Clayton Thomas and His Quintet on the Red Leaf label in Canada.
David Clayton Thomas and The Bossmen were on the Roman label in Canada along with David Clayton Thomas and The Shays.
David Clayton Thomas was also on Tower in the USA without any backing band named. "Brain Washed" was a powerful anti-American protest song against the US government. It was released in '66 and was banned in most places in the USA. But it was extremely popular in Canada and made the Top Ten there. Which is here where I am.
Did you get all that or did I confuse everyone?

6. Lighthouse had one fine hit with "One Fine Morning" in Canada and the US. But you should know by now, they did not start out life that way in Canada. What original group name was used on their first single in Canada?

Answer: The Paupers

The Paupers had four singles released on the Red Leaf and Roman label in Canada starting in '65. But there were not any US single releases from those issued in Canada.
However, The Paupers were signed to Verve Forecast in the US circa '67 and that opened the door to two albums and several singles on that label.
Skip Prokop was the only constant member and leader of The Paupers and Lighthouse from the beginning to the very end.

7. Neil Young also had humble beginnings in Canada. With what group did he release his first single ever in Canada?

Answer: The Squires

The Squires single was a surfy type instrumental titled "Aurora" and "Sultan" released on the V label in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Neil Young situated himself there in the early 60s and hung out with Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings before Burton joined the Guess Who. Nowadays this single has been sold for as much as two thousand US dollars. Neil Young was involved with The Mynah Birds in Toronto where he met Rick James.

It's the very same guy that became famous. Anyway Neil did some recordings with Rick James and the Mynah Birds, but evidently the one single released on Warner Brothers in Canada only, did not involve Neil Young. "The Mynah Bird Hop" and "The Mynah Bird Song" was the single on WB.

8. The Five Man Electrical Band also had a beginning before their big hit "Signs". Under what name was their first release in Canada?

Answer: Dean Hagopian and The Staccatos

Dean Hagopian and The Staccatos were released on the Trans Canada label in '63. Dean Hagopian was a DJ in Ottawa, Canada and the Staccatos backed him up on that one single. They also did live appearances on stage where the Staccatos did their songs then backed up Dean. That was their only single together.
The Staccatos' next single would be "It Isn't Easy" on the Allied label in Canada only. Then they signed with Capitol of Canada which is associated with the US label but has its own numbering system for Canadian groups, different from the US.
The Staccatos' first release in the US would be on the Tower label with "Let's Run Away" in late '66.
Canada also used the US Capitol numbering system as well, usually for American groups. But for most Canadian and British groups on Capitol in the 60s, the 72000 series was used in Canada. For example, "Let's Run Away" was issued on Capitol 72395.
The Beatles were kind of the exception, with Canada issuing the early Beatle singles on the 72000 series, then switching to conform to Capitol in the US, to make it uniform in both countries.

9. Of course you all know John Kay as leader of Steppenwolf, but there were a few incarnations of the group name before and during John Kay's career. Under which group name did John Kay release his first single in Canada?

Answer: The Sparrow

I know this was a bit tricky. John Kay was involved with The Sparrow on Columbia in both the US and Canada. Two singles were released on that label in '66.
"Tomorrow's Ship" and "Isn't It Strange" 4-43755
Here's the lineup for this single: John Kay, Dennis and Jerry Edmonton, Nick St. Nicholas, Goldy McJohn
"Green Bottle Lover" and "Down Goes Your Love Life" 4-43960

The Sparrows' "Hard Times With The Law" and "Meet Me After Four" Capitol 72257 was issued in Canada only.
Here's the lineup: Nick St. Nicholas, Jerry Edmonton, Dennis Edmonton, Art Ayres.
John Kay would join the group a couple of months later in Toronto.

10. Terry Jacks hit it big in the States with "Seasons in the Sun", however he had his beginnings in Vancouver, Canada as well. Which one of these groups did Terry Jacks release his first single under in Canada?

Answer: The Chessmen

The Chessmen's "Meadowlands" is an instrumental and Terry Jacks' first single release in Canada on the London label.
It would be released a few months later on the Jerden label in the US.
The Chessmen released two singles on London and two singles on Mercury.
"Love Didn't Die" and "What's Causing This Sensation" on Mercury sound very garage and a bit punky compared to his Poppy Family recordings and "Seasons in the Sun". It's worth a listen. You can find it on youtube.

Source: Author TOKENHIPPIE

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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1960s Original Group Names Trivia Quiz

These are all popular groups or artists you should know. All you have to do is pick out who they started out in life as. Chances are it won't be easy, but what's life without a few challenges? This quiz has a focus on Canadian musicians.

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