by Richard Skelly » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:30 am
Anyone know what ever became of The Five Man Electrical Band and, especially, its chief songwriter Les Emmerson? Formerly known as The Staccatoes, the band would always rate a footnote for sharing a pivotal album with The Guess Who that boosted both their careers.
The late Jack Richardson, then an advertising agency creative director, convinced Coca Cola Canada to pay for each band to record one side of a record called A Wild Pair. Coke gluggers could get a copy by mailing in bottle-cap liners (plus shipping and handling). Richardson soon quit his job and mortgaged his house to fund (and produce) New York recording sessions with The Guess Who which resulted in their massive hit These Eyes.
The Staccatoes meanwhile changed their name to FIve Man Electrical Band and switched labels from Capitol to MGM/Polydor. Eventually, they also roared up North American charts with Signs, Absolutely Right and other notable singles. Signs later was successfully covered by Tesla but haven’t heard a peep from FMEB and/or leader Emmerson in ages.