[Ed. Note - Please see comments section after the article for a band listing and confirmation that this WAS a real band and they were from Modesto, California.]
Not too much known about this stomper entitled Gotta Hold On. An online ERA Records discography shows this as coming from 1966. The listed producer is a cat named Billy Cardenas. Cardenas apparently specialized in East LA bands and had a penchant for working with hispanic bands. The songwriter is listed as one Doug Wareham. He also wrote the Flip-Side, Just Wanna Be Myself.
Not too much known about this stomper entitled Gotta Hold On. An online ERA Records discography shows this as coming from 1966. The listed producer is a cat named Billy Cardenas. Cardenas apparently specialized in East LA bands and had a penchant for working with hispanic bands. The songwriter is listed as one Doug Wareham. He also wrote the Flip-Side, Just Wanna Be Myself.
Other than that, nobody seems to know who the cryptically named No-Na Mee's really are. Both the name and the fact that nobody has come forward to say, "yeah-dat-mee's" makes me believe that this two minute and twenty eight second gem could well have been a studio band. Perhaps Cardenas himself. The only thing arguing against that, and I don't mean this in a bad way, is that the musicianship and production remain pretty amateurish. Say, unlike The Shindogs or some of those records labeled as The Chocolate Watchband. One internet source I found claimed they were from the rock-n-roll mecca of the California Central Valley of Modesto.
I pulled this one off of Highs In The Mid-Sixties Volume 2. Anyone with info on this song, please let us know by dropping a comment below.
I'm going to argue with myself here. I called the musicianship pretty amateurish. After listening to the number a bit more, I have come to really be impressed with that organ break. Further leading me to believe that this was a band that did not exist outside of a studio setting.
ReplyDeleteThe name itself would support that belief - seems like a lark name, a name not to be taken seriously. We're the no namey band. But we hyphenate each syllable, add a caret over the A (which we have no idea what it does) and then, just to further muddle any sort of notions you might ascribe to the name, we add a possessive apostrophe to the end.
ReplyDeleteI like the organ too, but more in how it flips the opening riff on its head, causing it to almost pulsate throughout the song. The refrain has a very well crafted pop sensibility, something the Remains could've turned out. But the overall production seems poor.
I tracked down that Modesto idea to a single short comment made with confidence on another blog featuring the b-side.
"I tracked down that Modesto idea to a single short comment made with confidence on another blog featuring the b-side."
ReplyDeleteI think we saw the same article. Not very convincing. And, by the way, it is called "flip-side", not "b-side."
The group is from Modesto. It was formed by Doug Wareham and included Robbie Orr, [Base], Rod Williams [Drums], Clay Ice [Organ].
ReplyDeleteWelcome Clay. You have a chance here -- which I hope you will take -- to put down on record a little bit about the mysterious band and the fabulous recording. I hope we can convince you to tell more. Please.
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ReplyDeleteIm the drummer from the NoNa Mees there is a lot u dont lnow about this group there was a single and a album but Cardenas took the advance we were supposed to get from Era records and took off to mexico this destroyed the band which was the end because we were broke from playing all over the state and owed a lot of money for the equipment that we had the members on the records was Doug Wareham rythim and lead singer Robbie Orr Bass and back up singer Dennis Ellison lead guitar Clay Ice organ and back up singer and Rod Williamson drums and back up singer.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone wants to talk to me about the groups history feel free to do so there is much more about the No Na Mees. Text me at 209-613-1257. Im 78 years old so dont wait too long. 😂
ReplyDeleteIm not selling anything here just want the truth to be known.
ReplyDeleteAnd im not anonymos i am Rod Williamson !
ReplyDeleteI was the drummer for Dean and the Hi Fi’s, the Blenders, the Ravens, the Telstars, and the No Na Mees. As well as a snare drummer In the Modesto Mancini band and Orchestra back in the 60’s. I played drums with Mike Alsup at one time before he was with Three Dog Night. So not a phony.
ReplyDeleteAlso Cannibal and the Head Hunters
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