Bruce Shay formerly of the 60's group 1910 Fruitgum Company
Bruce joined Identity Crisis in November of 2001, he had played with the band several times before he revealed his former identity which I guess in some way fits the crisis. One of my greatest memories was the night at Jimmy Macs shortly after we found out who he was, we broke out with a little "Simon Says" with Bruce on the main vocals. It was however the only time we ever covered the Fruitgum Co. Bruce added a new energy to the group which led to a very busy 2002 playing most every weekend from Land O Lakes to Clearwater Beach sometimes two locations per night. Bruce left the band in January of 2002 and went to Germany, touring with The Archies and other well known bubblegum groups of the 1960's. He still resides in Tampa, FL and I'm sure he will be seen in the future around town.
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September 14, 1968
1 - Harper Valley PTA
Jeanine C. Riley
2 - People Got To Be Free
The Young Rascals
3 - Born To BeWild
Steppenwolf
4 - Light My Fire
James Morrison & the Doors
5 - 1,2,3
Red Light
1910 Fruitgum Company
6 - Hush
Deep Purple
7 - You Keep Me Hanging On
Vanilla Fudge
Not to mention at
38 - Hey Jude - The Beatles
Links
Bruce Shay
Bubble
Gum World
Burning
Country.com
1910 Fruitgum Co.
1910
Fruitgum Company Website
Biography
Chart
Hits
SIMON SAYS Buddah [USA]. An old children's play song 'Simon
Says' was the inspiration for this disc debut by this group with
its extraordinary name.
The group consists of: Floyd Marcus (drums) born 1949;
Pat Karwan (lead guitar) born 1949; Mark Gutkowski (organ) born
1950; Steve Mortkowitz (bass guitar) born 1949; Frank JeckeI
(rhythm guitar) born 1947.
The quintet, all from Lynden New Jersey, went to the same high
school and formed the group in January 1967 and played under
number of names including Jeckell and Hyde, The Odyssey, and
The Lower Road. It was Frank Jeckell who coined the name 1910
Fruitgum Company after discovering an old bubble gum wrapper
while going through a trunk in an attic.
'Simon Says', written by Elliot Chiprut, is a teenage 'bop' type
of number, the arrangement being a collaboration between the
group and their disc producers. It was issued in early January
1968 and sold a million by March with R.I.A.A. Gold Disc award.
In the U.S.A. the disc was No 1 for one week with 14 weeks in
the bestsellers, and in Britain No 2 for two weeks and 16 weeks
in the bestsellers with over the 250,000 sale. It also sold a
million in Canada, the global sales totalling around 31/2 million.
Released in Britain on Pye International, 3 May 1968.
Each member of the group shares the lead vocal spot on different
numbers. In
April 1968, Bruce Shay and Dave Peck replaced Marcus and
Mortkowitz.
This disc sparked a trend for what became known as bubble-gum
music' in the U.S.A., created for the sub-teenagers, the formula
being set by actor and rock 'n' roll singer Neil Bogart, general
manager of the newly-formed Buddah label in 1967 The label's
sales were almost $6 million in its first year.
1. 2. 3. RED LIGHT Buddah [ USA]. Second
million seller for The 1910 Fruitgum Company, the song written
by S. Trimachi and Bobbi Trimachi. The disc was released in the
U.S.A. in July 1968 and achieved No 3 chart position for three
weeks with 13 weeks in the bestsellers, with Gold Disc award
from R.I.A.A. in October. The song, like the group's first hit,
has a carefree children's-game motif, with lover's lyrics and
hefty dance rhythm.
From: Joseph Murrell's; Million Selling Records / an Illustrated Directory
