The Collectors (Canadian band)

The Collectors was a Canadian psychedelic rock band active in the 1960s.[1][2]

Collectors singer/guitarist Bill Henderson, who later became known for his work with Chilliwack.

History

The Collectors debuted in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1961 as a house band (the C-FUN Classics) for CFUN radio, and renamed itself The Collectors in 1966. The band featured Howie Vickers (Howard Vickberg) on lead vocals, Bill Henderson on lead guitar, recorder, keyboards, and lead vocals (these last mostly on Grass and Wild Strawberries), Claire Lawrence on tenor saxophone, harmonica, keyboards, flute, organ, recorder, and vocals, Glenn Miller on bass and vocals, and Ross Turney on drums and percussion.[3][4]

The Collectors' biggest hit was their first single, 'Looking at a Baby', released in March 1967 on the Valiant label in the U.S. and on New Syndrome in Canada. It reached #4 on Toronto's CHUM-AM on April 24, 1967. Valiant was then acquired by Warner Bros. Records. In 1967 the group released its first album. The Collectors, on the Warner Bros.-Seven Arts label and appeared on sessions for the US group The Electric Prunes' album Mass in F Minor.

In the fall of 1968 they released Grass and Wild Strawberries. The lyrics of this album were written by Canadian poet and playwright George Ryga ("The Ecstasy of Rita Joe") complemented by the music of The Collectors. Between 1968 and 1969 the group composed soundtracks to three Canadian films: "Don't Let The Angels Fall," (1968) "Canada The Land," (1969) and "The Land" (1969). The Collectors also appeared on the CBC national television program Let's Go.[5]

Howie Vickers left the group in 1969, and the remaining members of the band reconstituted themselves as Chilliwack, with Bill Henderson taking over lead vocals.[6][7]

Discography
  • 1967 Looking at a Baby (Vickberg-Henderson) A-side; Old Man (Vickberg-Lawrence-Henderson) B-side; 45 RPM single[8]
  • 1968 The Collectors[9]
  • 1969 Grass and Wild Strawberries
  • 1970 I Must Have Been Blind A-side; The Beginning B-side; 45 RPM single release (never compiled on an album)

Singles
Year Song Parent album CAN CHUM US Billboard US Cash Box US Main
1967 "Looking at a Baby" non-album cut 23 4 — — —
"Fisherwoman" non-album cut 18 — — — —
1968 "We Can Make It" non-album cut 99 — — — —
"Lydia Purple" The Collectors 55 — — — —
1969 "Early Morning" Grass and Wild Strawberries 84 — — — —
1970 "I Must Have Been Blind" non-album cut 56 20 — — —
"Sometimes We're Up" non-album cut 63 — — — —

References
  1. Michael Barclay; Jason Schneider; Ian Jack (1 June 2011). Have Not Been the Same: The CanRock Renaissance, 1985-1995. ECW Press. pp. 563–. ISBN 978-1-55490-968-1.
  2. "Collectors". CanadianBands.com. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  3. Bob Mersereau (1 March 2015). The History of Canadian Rock 'n' Roll. Backbeat Books. pp. 90–. ISBN 978-1-4950-2890-8.
  4. Norm N. Nite (1 September 1985). Rock on: the illustrated encyclopedia of rock n' roll : the video revolution, 1978-present. Harper & Row. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-06-181644-4.
  5. Ryan Edwardson (2009). Canuck Rock: A History of Canadian Popular Music. University of Toronto Press. pp. 121–. ISBN 978-0-8020-9989-1.
  6. James H. Marsh (1999). The Canadian Encyclopedia. The Canadian Encyclopedia. pp. 458–. ISBN 978-0-7710-2099-5. or "Chilliwack". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  7. "Henderson, Chilliwack still going strong after 40 years". Estevan Mercury, October 5, 2011
  8. "Images of both A and B sides". Archive website The-Collectors.info. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  9. Ed Gould (1988). Entertaining Canadians: Canada's international stars, 1900-1988. Cappis Press. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-0-919763-18-0.
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