Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mil An
Mil An
MILAN
by Martin Winfree
INTRODUCTION
Most garage rock fans know Milan by the four
singles that he released as “The Leather Boy” in
1967 (effectively, there are only three – the
“Jersey Thursday” single is extremely rare, and
it has yet to be comped). I am probably like
most people in having been introduced to
Milan’s music on the Pebbles, Volume 11 LP,
and I still consider it my favorite among the
dozens of Pebbles albums in my collection. I
think I became a fan of Milan on the first spin.
When I got the Pebbles, Volume 10 CD, which
also included several Milan songs, the liner
notes gave a hint of the breadth of his career
but, intriguingly, still nothing about his identity.
My very first article in Wikipedia was on The
Head Shop, and I can still remember the thrill I
felt when I ran across a copy of the LP at a
record convention in Hillsborough, NC and saw
Milan’s name on the album cover as the
producer. There were already well over one
million articles in the English Wikipedia alone,
but there were several major garage rock and
psychedelic rock artists that were not included,
and I set out to do something about it. For
instance, there was only a paragraph on the
American band the Outsiders, and there was
nothing at all on Mouse and the Traps. It
wasn’t long before I tried to tackle writing up a
Wikipedia article on this enigmatic figure in
garage rock. I have started more than 100 of Additionally, I came across an ad for a copy of
them now, but this one was the most difficult. Milan’s album I Am What I Am for what I
considered a very reasonable price of $22 – well
I started by scouring the Internet for any under what the 45s often go for. Even though
mention of Milan. Though I didn’t find any real the orchestral pop music was not at all like “On
blogs (there are two or three now), I saw the Go” or “Shadows”, I found myself playing
several bulletin boards and discussion groups his album again and again – I have probably
about him, most of which have since vanished listened to it 3 or 4 dozen times at least. One of
from the Web. I quickly ran across the names the problems with most albums from the first
“Milan Radenkovich”, “Milan Radenkowich”, half of the 1960’s is that they are usually filled
and “Rick Rodell”. But mostly the information with the same old songs that everyone else was
available was connected to simply “Milan”. recording at the time. In this case though,
Milan – or actually “M. Rodell” – was the
The Head Shop had been reissued on CD by songwriter on all 12 songs.
then, so I also found out that the real name of
the other mysterious figure on that album, Oddly, in all of the information I had collected
Maxim was Max Ellen. In all, I found something by then, I had hardly heard about an album at
like 40 or 50 tidbits about the man, even though all. One or two of the sources mentioned that
a lot of them were contradictory, if not there was allegedly an LP that might have been
guesswork. made by the same man who did all of those
great garage rock singles. Once I got a copy of
Going by a single name is definitely a 1960’s the album though, there was no question that
thing, but it makes Internet searches triply this was the same man who was on the cover of
difficult. The big city in Italy and the Mercury the singles issued in the name The Leather Boy.
car are just the beginning of what comes up. A
Google search on the single word “Milan” now Even more surprising, none of these sources
brings up an astounding 88,300,000 web pages. mentioned anything about his having died. In
fact, on one of the bulletin boards, someone
asked what Milan was doing these days; and
there was a response from another who
claimed to have heard from him “just last
month”.
I knew I didn’t have everything right about
Milan by a long shot, but I still pieced together
an article in Wikipedia by December 2006. I felt
pretty good about it and thought that at least
Milan’s discography was probably right – I even
imagined that I might have been the first person
to put that whole list together in one place –
even though I was missing a lot of details about
his life.
I also knew that there had to be many more older brother. Petar had been a goalie of some
records for other artists that Milan had had renown with the Munich soccer team in the
something to do with; I dare say that is still the 1960’s; I couldn’t get an e‐mail address, but I
case today. Greg Shaw has written that Milan’s did send a letter to him asking about Milan to
name “shows up as writer/producer on a big see if he could help me out. As usual, I heard
pile of records, from the early 60s right thru the nothing back.
end of the decade”; and I have hardly found
anything that looks like that yet. The release of a long‐awaited compendium of
Milan’s work in 2009 – a 19‐track vinyl‐only
I kept an eye on the article to see who out there compilation album called Hell Bent for Leather –
might know something more, and I also got an has finally brought his music to a wide
e‐mail once in a while about Milan. As an audience. It is available for purchase on dozens
example, I had missed a couple of singles in the of websites and probably numerous record
discography – as someone from France (!) stores as well.
pointed out in the “Talk” section for the article
in Wikipedia – but I believe I have them all now. Most delightfully though, in October 2009 I
I didn’t get a reply to an e‐mail that I sent to made contact with Milan’s younger sister
that person either. Darinka (Dara) and brother‐in‐law Ricky, who
are now living in Florida (where Milan grew up).
Then, in December 2008, someone with a user She uses the name Rodell as well. Together
name “Klaushoehn” (from Germany perhaps?) with their oldest son Derrick, they have both
attached a cryptic note about Milan to the been trying to get the word out about Milan’s
article, and then immediately deleted it. great talent for years, through Facebook and
Fortunately, Wikipedia saves absolutely other ways. I am dedicating this article on
everything, so I was able to retrieve it: Milan to my friends Dara and Ricky, without
whom I would never have gotten the whole
Milan (real name Milan Radenkovic) was story.
born in 1944. During the making of the
Head Shop album, he was diagnosed with EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY
brain cancer. He probably died in the
seventies. He was the son of folk Milan is a remarkable man from a remarkable
singer/guitar player Rascha Rodell. family. By most accounts, Milan was known in
the recording industry as Rick Rodell, and
Now I was getting somewhere! Besides having several sources give this as his "real name". In
the first indication from anyone that Milan had actuality, on December 15, 1941, he was born in
died many years ago, I had another name to Belgrade, Yugoslavia as Milan Radenković, as
look up: that of his father Rascha Rodell. Also, the son of Mila Radenković and her husband
to my surprise, there was another Radenkovic Radaslav Radenković. His name has been
right there in Wikipedia; and there was a longer anglicized as Milan Radenkovich (and
article on this Petar Radenkovic in the German sometimes Milan Radenkowich), though the
Wikipedia that gave more details about his surname is rarely if ever shown on records
father Rascha Rodell, so he was clearly Milan’s attributed to him. He adopted his father’s stage
name and changed his name to Richard Rodell dates). Newspapers of the day describe him as
(nicknamed Rick and Dicky) while he was still in a “strolling guitarist and romantic baritone”
high school in Miami Beach, Florida. who was often accompanied by an accordion
and a piano; and he headed a six‐piece band in
Palm Beach for a time. He could sing in 11
languages and was also an accomplished
painter who had regular showings in area art
galleries. By the early 1970’s, he had relocated
to California, where he owned a beer bar and
café called The Inn Between in Hemet; a
wedding there of two people who met at the
bar made news across the nation in 1971.
Rasha struggled
over the years to
Milan showed his athletic prowess by pitching achieve success, and
for a minor league team affiliated with the though the music
Chicago White Sox while he was still a teenager. business was even
Shortly afterwards, Milan headed for New York harder then than it
City, where he was based for his entire career, is today, he was a
moving easily among the big shots in most of well known
the major record companies for nearly a performer who was
decade, when the Brill Building was the hub of often written up in
America’s music industry. the local society and
show‐biz columns in
Milan’s father Radaslav Radenković, the son of Miami Beach and Palm Beach newspapers. As
the police chief of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, first one indication of his presence in south Florida,
began traveling to America to perform during an on‐line article that was posted in 2002 on
World War II, where he used the name “Ray the website for Breaking Travel News (originally
Rodell” and performed often for the American published in the magazine Spa) gave a
troops. By the late 1940’s, he was beginning to remembrance of the heyday of the Eden Roc
use the name “Rasha Rodell”. He received Hotel in Miami Beach; only one other performer
favorable notices in 1948 in Billboard for an (Maxie Fransko) was mentioned in describing
appearance at New York’s Penthouse Nightclub. the Mona Lisa Room, where Rasha was a fixture
In the 1950’s, as Ray Rodell, he had a regular for some five years. Milan’s first public musical
show on NBC radio. performance was with his father at the
Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach.
After he and his family settled in Miami Beach,
Rasha performed as a popular folksinger,
guitarist and bandleader who worked for tips,
using the name Rasha Rodell (sometimes
Rascha Rodell, presumably on his European
MILAN AND THE TWIST
Among the many recording artists in the 1960s
Petar (Radi) Radenkovic, Milan’s older brother who went by only one name, at least for a time
was raised in Europe by his grandparents after – Donovan, Melanie, Jennifer, Keith, Oliver,
Milan’s family moved to America. He was a Sonny and Cher, Simon and Garfunkel, Jan and
very talented goalie who was a member of the Dean, etc. – Milan was one of the first,
Yugoslavian soccer team that won the silver beginning with his earliest single in 1962 when
medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics. Radi was he tried to cash in on the enduring popularity of
one of the first four immigrant players in the the twist: a dance that anyone can do but that
top soccer league in Germany, Bundesliga, no one can do particularly well (it will probably
where he played for the Munich soccer team never be featured on Dancing with the Stars).
that won the German Cup in 1964 and the “Santa’s Doin’ the Twist” was the first of many
league title in 1966. He is credited with the Milan songs with a dropped “g” and was
unequalled feat of never allowing more than evidently a one‐off for the Migon label: There
one goal in any game throughout his career. He wasn’t really a catalogue number, just the date
was enormously popular in Germany during the of release with “A” and “B”. As Rick Rodell,
1960’s and scored a Top 5 hit on the German Milan was also shown as the songwriter for
singles chart with “Bin i Radi, Bin i König” (“I am both sides of the single; in fact, among all his
Radi, I am King”). He is also the author of two recordings, his only cover was evidently of the
books and owns a hotel in Munich called Donovan song “Jersey Thursday”.
(naturally) the Hotel König. Radi, who is 75,
now lives in a small town near Munich. In the early 1960’s, this or that dance became a
fad seemingly on a monthly basis, so it is easy
to forget how long the twist craze lasted. The
original version of “The Twist” by Hank Ballard
and the Midnighters dates from 1959, and
Chubby Checker took the song to the top of the version of the song made the Top 40 here, and
charts in 1960 and again in 1962. When it also topped the German singles charts and
Billboard Magazine marked the 50th Anniversary was #2 in the U. K.
of the launch of the Hot 100 chart in August
1958 – after Elvis and a lot of the other early A NEAR HIT IN 1963
rockers had already scored many of their
biggest hits – “The Twist” was placed at #1 on Milan’s second single, “Innocence” was
the “All‐Time Hot 100 Top Songs”. released in early 1963 on End Records; by this
time, the label had been acquired from its
Additionally, “The Peppermint Twist” (Part 1) by founder George Goldner by Roulette Records,
Joey Dee and the Starliters – the house band at which was controlled by the notorious
New York City’s Peppermint Lounge, the recording industry mogul Morris Levy. Though
epicenter for the phenomenon (there was a it did not make the charts, Milan evidently
Peppermint Lounge in Miami Beach also) – was made an impression on Levy with this
the #1 single for three weeks in January 1962. recording.
One of the Starliters, Eddie Brigati would later
be a founding member of the (Young) Rascals.
Many of the biggest musical acts of the time
also had hit songs about the twist in this period:
Bo Diddley, Sam Cooke, Bill Haley & His Comets,
the Marvelettes, Gary “U. S.” Bonds, and the
Dovells, among many others.
As if that weren’t enough, as one of their early
singles, the Beatles released “Twist and Shout”,
which had been a #17 hit for the Isley Brothers
in 1962. This became the most successful cover Lou Christie had just released his second single
song for the Fab Four when it reached #2 on the on Roulette, “Two Faces Have I”; and it would
charts on April 2, 1964, during the week when prove to be a bigger hit than his debut single
the Beatles had the Top Five songs on the “The Gypsy Cried”. At Levy’s insistence, and
Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. This was during the middle of a tour, Christie went into
the seventh Top 10 twist song stretching over a the studio and recorded Milan’s song “How
five‐year period. Many Teardrops” on May 16, 1963, with George
Goldner and Nick Censi as producers. The new
Nor was that even the end of the story. single moved quickly up the charts but, due to
Incredibly, “Twist and Shout” almost reached Christie’s induction into the U. S. Army, stalled
the Top 20 in 1986, when it was featured in a at #41 on the Cash Box charts on June 22, 1963
memorable scene in the film Ferris Bueller’s Day and as high as #46 on the Billboard Hot 100 (in
Off, and also in Rodney Dangerfield’s hit movie July 1963). In October 1963, the song reached
Back to School in the same year. In 1988, #8 on the charts in the nation of Israel.
Chubby Checker recorded “the Twist” again,
this time accompanied by The Fat Boys; this
Lou Christie would revive his career many AMERICAN BEETLES?
months later in a very different musical
landscape; in a testament to his strength as a
performer, his biggest hit of all, “Lightnin’
Strikes” became #1 during the height of the
British Invasion (on February 19, 1966).
Milan and Lou Christie – real name: Lugee
Sacco – actually have more in common than just
this single. When his first single “The Gypsy
Cried” was released on the tiny C&C label, the
Beatles imitators were quite common as
artist was shown as “Lou Christie” without his
Beatlemania took hold in 1964 – not that there
knowledge or permission. He has been quoted
is any shortage of them now, though the more
as saying: "I was pissed off about it for 20
polite term “tribute band” is used these days.
years. I wanted to keep my name and be a one‐
The record is unclear, but one last project for
named performer, just 'Lugee'."
Morris Levy might have been Milan’s serving as
the producer on one of the singles released on
Additionally, Lou Christie wrote most of his hit
Roulette by the American Beetles; he is also the
songs, along with his songwriting partner Twyla
songwriter for one of the songs, “You Did it to
Herbert (and that is quite a story in itself). As
Me”. There are some indications that Milan
such, he is one of the first singer‐songwriters in
had further involvement with the band, but I
popular music, a fact that John Lennon has
have not found any evidence of it to date. On
remarked on, among others. He was also not
one of the blogs that I uncovered, someone said
afraid to take chances with his music; the
they had spoken with a member of the
melody for his controversial hit “Rhapsody in
American Beetles, and he never recalled
the Rain” (1966) was inspired by Tchaikovsky’s
meeting Milan. The story is that the band’s
“Romeo and Juliet”.
manager like Milan’s demo of the song and had
them record it.
“How Many Teardrops” is the earliest song that
is included on Hell Bent for Leather. (A foreign‐
While assuming the total Beatles sound and
language schedule of artists who made the
clothes and hair, the American Beetles were
charts in Australia, together with highly detailed
actually a fine garage rock band from West
discographies, listed a second Lou Christie
Palm Beach, Florida – Milan’s neck of the
single written by Milan, “Guitars and Bongos”;
woods, as it happens. The band formed as the
but this is another song that was co‐written by
Ardells in 1959; despite the numerous name
Christie and Twyla Herbert).
changes – they were also known as the R‐Dells
and released a single as The Tones – they
stayed together with the same lineup through
1967. The band released nine or ten singles in
1964 and 1965 as the American Beetles for
Roulette and also for Bob Yorey’s labels. In
1966, they began recording as the Razor’s Edge the most popular singers on the 1950’s, his
and made the Top 100 in 1967 with “Let’s Call it activity in the music industry was mainly related
a Day Girl”; the song was later covered by to managing her career.
Bobby Vee.
Budd Garnoff is best known though for his work
I AM WHAT I AM with Chuck Barris in creating legendary game
shows like The Gong Show and The Newlywed
When Milan released his LP in 1964, he moved Game, not to mention the first television
to a different record label, 20th Century Fox syndication company to distribute these shows
Records. Though one of the most recognizable to independent TV stations for prime‐time
brands in the world, their record company was audiences. Along the way, he put on what has
pretty minor league and was probably created been described as the very first telethon, a
mainly to release their movie soundtracks. The marathon 1951 television broadcast to raise
label’s biggest success came with the release in money for a cardiac hospital that also happened
1958 of one of the first recordings of “Little to showcase two of his clients at the time, Dean
Drummer Boy” by the Harry Simeon Chorale; Martin and Jerry Lewis. Lewis of course would
after being reissued and renamed several times, become the most visible presence in the
the accompanying LP would go on to become telethon world over the ensuing six decades.
the largest selling Christmas album of all time.
The liner notes give some details about Milan
I Am What I Am is something of a time capsule: and describe him as “a darkly handsome, six
an album that might have been recorded by foot, 160 lb. twenty year old" (he actually
somebody like Bobby Vinton, Paul Anka or turned 22 in late 1963); they continue: "Milan
Bobby Rydell, but having the advantage in the is popular music . . . he lives it, loves it and
2010’s of being composed of unfamiliar songs understands it and refuses to allow the
that are definitely of the period, which have not tendency to copy whatever happens to be in
been played to death for 50 years on oldies the top ten at the present time to influence his
radio stations. Add the something extra that work."
comes from a man singing his own songs and
not someone else’s, and the result is an I included that last quote in the Wikipedia
unexpected treat from a bygone era. Just one article mainly because I thought it was a great
of the songs from the album, “Runnin’ Wild” is quote. As I have been thinking it over while
included on Hell Bent for Leather; and if that preparing this more complete article, I have
track grabs you at all, let me assure you that the come to realize that, strictly speaking, it is not
LP is well worth tracking down. really accurate in describing Milan, at least not
his career as a whole. Like anyone else in show
The album was produced by Budd Granoff, and business, Milan was interested in getting good
he also wrote the liner notes. Granoff had a material out there that was in keeping with the
storied career in show business, beginning as a times; and there is certainly nothing wrong with
Broadway press agent representing the likes of that.
Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante and Doris Day.
Following his marriage to Kitty Kallen, one of
More to the point, I have been mulling over just In 1965 and 1966, Milan issued three more
what Budd Granoff might have meant by singles, this time in the name of the World of
“whatever happens to be in the top ten at the Milan. These songs represent a transition
present time." On February 1, 1964, the Beatles toward the garage rock sound for which he is
had their first #1 hit song in America, “I Want to best known, and away from Milan’s first love:
Hold Your Hand”; and the Beatles and the other the melodic American pop music that probably
English bands in their wake dominated the represented in his mind an updated
charts for years to come. To these ears though, continuation of the music that his father sang
despite the numerous musical styles and over the course of his career. Milan was willing
personas that Milan undertook over the years, to issue an album full of this kind of music in
the British Invasion left scarcely any mark at all 1964, right in the teeth of the storm from
on his recordings. Britain that swept nearly all of the American
musicians from the charts, so it was probably
Though the record company released two only with the greatest reluctance that he
singles and presumably made the usual efforts allowed himself to move on.
at promoting the album, the record‐buying
public passed it by. Had the album been Additionally, there is a glaring gap in the
released just one year earlier, when Lou Christie admittedly incomplete discography that
nearly took one of Milan’s songs to the Top 40, documents Milan’s efforts as a songwriter,
it might have been a different story. producer and arranger for other musicians,
which might be as long as three full years from
CHANGES IN THE WORLD OF MILAN the release of the American Beetles single in
1964. No one else seemed to be willing to join
From the descriptions given above, it is clear Milan in his pursuit of what was already viewed
that few if any of Milan’s recordings up to this as hopelessly old‐fashioned pop music, and that
point would fall into the category of “ugly could have been what clinched the decision for
things”; in fact, much of his music is quite him.
beautiful (not that there is anything wrong with
that). One track from each of the first two World of
Milan singles are included on Hell Bent for
Leather: “Luva Luva” – Milan really loved
double word song titles – and “Follow the Sun”.
I’M A LEATHER BOY
In any case, once he got his garage rock legs,
Milan really hit his stride with his next
Milan hit it out of the park. As described in a
endeavors: the four superb Leather Boy singles
2005 post by Brian Marshall on the It’s Great
that were released in quick succession in 1967.
Shakes website:
Three are in the name of The Leather Boy – and
both of the MGM singles had picture sleeves –
Milan hits it off by yelling "Ready! [Get] Set!
and they were preceded by another single in
Go!", followed by a pounding drumbeat
the name of Milan (the Leather Boy), just in
that charges at you with the force of a
case anyone missed the connection.
buffalo stampede! Then, twangy guitar and
crazy organ come in with a one‐two punch,
as Milan sings:
One track mind
My baby's got a one track mind
My baby's got a one track mind
She'll never stop until she finds
L‐O‐V‐E, Love!
L‐O‐V‐E, Love!
Oh Yeah!
Oh Yeah!
Both sides of the third World of Milan single,
“One Track Mind” and “Shades of Blue” book‐
end Side 1 of Hell Bent for Leather.
These songs celebrated motorcycles and the
joys of leather at a time when Harley‐Davidson
was practically in receivership. In “I’m a Leather
Boy” and “[Leather Boy] On the Go”, Milan
added the sounds of real motorcycles in the
background (almost continuously in the case of
the latter song) – even Steppenwolf didn’t go
that far when they emerged the following year
(though they were used as the intro to “Born to
Be Wild” on the soundtrack of Easy Rider).
Milan was also looking out for his listener’s
inner life, with “You Gotta Have Soul” and
“Soulin’”.
MGM played up the motorcycle connection in a
big way by having the Leather Boy ride from city
to city on his motorcycle – a 1960 Harley –
during the promotion of the records. The above
photograph shows Milan posing with MGM
record company executives – with the lot of
them mounted on motorcycles – in front of a
dealership that appears to be in Canada. Milan
often took the stage on a motorcycle at concert
and television appearances, a stunt that was
unheard of before and hasn’t occurred very
often since.
What is apparently the last of Milan’s singles, a
cover of “Jersey Thursday” (on yet another
label, Parkway) is impossibly rare. However, the
other Leather Boy singles sell on a regular basis
at auction on eBay and other locations. The
website popsike.com reports that the “I’m a Despite disparate musical backgrounds, Max
Leather Boy” single sold four times in 2009 and and Milan decided to try to work together on a
once already in 2010 for anywhere from $28 to new type of music: moving the nascent style of
$90; the “On the Go” 45 sold twice in 2009 for psychedelic rock to a new level of proficiency
£20 and $34; and “You Gotta Have Soul” and bringing in musical influences from both
brought $25 in 2009. jazz and classical music – as the CD’s liner notes
put it: “The Beatles meet the modern classics,
THE HEAD SHOP such as Schönberg and Mahler.” Using a band
that had been known variously as The Aladdins
In 1967, Milan became good friends with and The Household Sponge, and with a working
another professional musician named Max Ellen title of The Underground Tunnel, the result was
after they met in the laundry room of his an fascinating experiment showing where
apartment building. He had come to America psychedelic rock music could go, called The
from Hamburg, Germany on the last boat of Head Shop.
refugees to arrive before Pearl Harbor – barely
two weeks before Milan’s birth – and was an The band started off with Danny Prosseda and
excellent violinist who backed the Who’s Who Drew Sbordone singing on street corners in
in jazz: Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Brooklyn in the early 1960s. Later members
Torme, and Tony Bennett, along with many pop were Joe Siano as the vocalist and also on sax,
and rock musicians like Ray Charles, B. B. King, Geoff Wright on organ, and Billy Hayes on
Stevie Nicks, Lenny Kravitz, Whitney Houston, drums. As The Household Sponge, the band
released a single "Scars" b/w "Second Best" on then‐omnipresent Beatles standard would still
Murbo (#M‐1017); the August 15, 1967 edition be around. Richie Unterberger has called their
of Billboard listed “Second Best” in its Spotlight other cover, of Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny” the “so‐
section as a song that was expected to make called ‘bad acid’ version” of this song. (A track
the Hot 100. called “Ace of Folk” is sometimes listed with
songs by the Head Shop on Internet sites, but
After Milan heard the band, he brought in Jesse this song is by a relatively new band that is
Luca to handle the drumming, and he used his usually called Headshoppe or Headshop).
extensive contacts in the recording industry to
line up free studio time at Capitol Records so According to Geoff Wright, Milan told him that
that he and Max Ellen – now given the the opening sounds on “Heaven Here We
sobriquet “Maxim” – could leisurely work with Come” were from satellites. Milan provided the
the band on refining the concept and laying screams near the beginning of the album and,
down the tracks. with Danny Prosseda, the “ohs” on “Where
Have All the People Gone”.
Joe Siano’s vocals are among the best on any
psychedelic album of the 1960’s, and the Milan was responsible for the design for the
complex arrangements include many sounds album cover; it features multi‐colored cubes
and instruments that are unrecognizable. The arranged in a 17 x 17 grid, with the 9 central
outstanding song on the album is Milan’s “I Feel cubes removed and replaced with a picture of a
Love Comin’ On”, featuring jazz fusion guitarist shrunken head. He must have had a different
Larry Coryell. This was reportedly Coryell’s first kind of “head shop” in mind from the ones
time in the recording studio, and most of his where incense and rolling papers are sold!
solo was improvised while Milan praised him. Some of the cubes are numbered and lettered
Milan also assisted him in getting his debut also, and the shapes sort of flatten out toward
album out on Vanguard in the same year as the the edges. Apparently the swirling colors are
Head Shop album. The other original songs, not supposed to form a particular shape, but
such as “Listen with a Third Ear” – shown as they are a lot of fun to study, comparing the
“Listen with the Third Ear” on the CD reissue – upper and lower quadrants with one another.
and “Heaven Here We Come” are also album
highlights. The album was ultimately released in the
summer of 1969 through a friend of Milan who
Two of the three covers are of extremely was an A&R manager at Epic. After his friend
familiar Beatles songs, “Yesterday” – performed left the company, the record company didn’t
similar to the version of “Help!” that was seem to know how to promote the album, and
recorded by Vanilla Fudge a few years earlier – the band began to drift apart.
and a propulsive rendering of “Revolution”.
“Yesterday” was combined with an original song Shortly after the release of The Head Shop, Max
called “Where Have All the People Gone” into Ellen and fellow violinist Irving Spice combined
“Opera in Year 4000”, seeming to address the in August 1969 to form a new company called
state of the music industry at that point in time: All Spice Productions. Their first project was a
Even if everyone in the world went missing, the band called Giant; What’s in This Life for Me –
apparently by this band and described as a
“funk jazz rock LP” – came out on Mercury in
1970.
Additionally, All Spice Productions were behind
the release of an album called The Hunchback
of Notre Dame (Bells Were My Friends) by
Alexander Rabbit (also known as The Alexander
Rabbit). This album was praised for its diversity
and the strength of its original material,
although the sound was trending away from
psychedelia and toward progressive rock. At a
later time, when a single by this band was
released on A&M – “Malagueña” b/w “I Didn’t
Even Thank Her” (#1101) – the production
credits were for Irving Spice only at Spice As with many of the singles where Milan
Productions, so the partnership might have appears as songwriter, producer or arranger,
already run its course. there are questions as to whether the band was
just one more disguise, like the Leather Boy;
MILAN AS A GARAGE ROCK MECHANIC and I have seen some Internet sources mention
that about The Unclaimed. However, a blog
Beginning in 1967, Milan became one of the go‐ post about the neo‐psychedelic band also called
to guys for garage rock bands seeking The Unclaimed (which formed in 1979)
songwriting and production assistance in the mentions that the founder of this band, Sheldon
recording studio. He oversaw the releases of a Shelley Ganz had heard from Peter Case
host of singles by bands like The Unclaimed, The (Plimsouls, Nerves) that a good friend of his
Licorice Schtik, The Downtown Collection, and named Gurf Morlix had been in a band called
The Doughboys. His eclectic tastes showed in The Unclaimed back in the 1960’s. Morlix was
his work with an obscure girl group The from Buffalo, NY and, soon after this record was
Chanters and a bubblegum pop band called Ice made, became captivated by Hank Williams and
Cream. Tracks by all of these groups except The moved into country music. He worked with alt‐
Doughboys appear on Side 2 of Hell Bent for country star Lucinda Williams for many years
Leather, where Milan’s work with other before launching a successful solo career. In
performers is featured. The two Licorice Schtik 2009, Gurf Morlix was awarded Instrumentalist
songs are also included as bonus tracks on the of the Year at the 8th annual Americana Music
CD reissue of The Head Shop (see above). Association Honors and Awards Show.
Artie Kornfeld, the producer of this record is a
genuine music industry heavyweight. Kornfeld
was a talented songwriter who is credited with
having written more Cash Box Top 100 songs
than anyone else. He was appointed the vice
president for rock and roll at Capitol Records
while in his early 20s. Artie Kornfeld is best
known as the music promoter among the four
men who organized the original Woodstock
festival.
The Doughboys were from Plainsfield, New
Jersey and grew out of a band started in 1964
by Mike Caruso (bass), Richie Heyman (drums),
and Wally Kirchofer (guitar), called the Ascots.
After the addition of Mike Farina (guitar) and
Myke Scavone (lead vocals) from a rival band
Not to be confused with a group of clarinetists called the Apollos, the band changed its name
called Licorice Schtick (though that is rather to the Doughboys. After winning a Battle of the
unlikely), the Licorice Schtik released a single on Bands contest in 1966, they got a recording
Dot: “The Kissin’ Game” b/w “Flowers contract with Bell Records and released two
Flowers”. Milan did all of the honors on this singles. Milan’s song “Candy Candy” was the
disk: He wrote and arranged both songs and “B” side of the second single “Everybody Knows
also produced the session. Since this band was My Name” (Bell #878). In the summer of 1968,
being promoted by Milan in the same time the Doughboys became the house band for the
period that the Head Shop album was being put legendary Café Wha? in Greenwich Village.
together, both tracks are also included on the
CD reissue of that album. After the band broke up, Myke Scavone formed
Ram Jam, and the band had a major hit in 1977
with Leadbelly’s “Black Betty”. The Doughboys
reformed in 2000 and has been going strong
ever since, releasing two albums.
Square” was included on Look What I Found,
Volume 42.
This obscure bubblegum pop band recorded a
A mystery girl group, Milan arranged both sides
song by Milan about chewing gum (go figure) in
of the single and wrote “Bongo Bongo”. Several
about 1968. A blog post says that the band was
years ago, an extensive series collecting vintage
from Cleveland and answers “no” to several
singles called Look What I Found had included
inquiries claiming (again) that this was really
each side of this single, on Volume 12 and
Milan singing. For this record, Milan was
Volume 21.
working with Peter Schekeryk Productions;
Schekeryk would shortly meet and marry
Melanie (Safka) and manage her career. Milan
and Melanie became good friends, probably
through this connection; she became perhaps
the best of the hippies recording in the 1960s.
The song was included on Volume 49 of the Lost
Jukebox series (now up to over 100 CDs).
MILAN’S PASSING
Reports vary as to the cause of Milan’s death in
1971; some sources mention brain cancer, and
I know very little about this band; I can’t even others a brain tumor. Often the sources say
find anything much on Strobe Records. Again, that this occurred while The Head Shop album
Milan produced both sides of the single and was being put together. The best information I
wrote “Sunshine”, which was included as a have found though is that Milan had a bad
bonus track on the CD reissue of The Head accident on his beloved motorcycle in 1970 that
Shop. A copy of the other side, “Washington gave him brain damage. Milan’s condition
deteriorated over the coming months until his
untimely death on March 1, 1971, several “Shadows”, and “You Gotta Have Soul”. When
months shy of his 30th birthday. the Pebbles series was reissued on CD, Pebbles,
Volume 10 was the album that collected Milan
OTHER SONGS WRITTEN BY MILAN tracks; “I’m a Leather Boy” and “On the Go”
appear on this album, while the former track
The database set up by BMI lists a total of 54 also was included on the earlier Pebbles,
songs written by Milan; the same list comes up Volume 3 CD that was licensed to ESD. Finally,
in the name Rick Rodell. Most have already “Shadows” appears on both of the Pebbles box
been mentioned – though the titles do not sets, Pebbles Box (LPs) and Trash Box (CDs).
always match exactly – but there are several
songs that I have been unable to attach to a Not including the songs on Hell Bent for
recording. At least one, “Levaysme Amor d Leather, the “Searchin’ for Shakes” database
Aquesto Terra” seems to be by a different lists another 10 appearances of Leather Boy
Milan. The others – probably dating from the songs plus “One Track Mind” on compilation
early part of his career, though this is only a albums. In addition, “On the Go” has appeared
guess – are “Billy”, “Daughter of Uncle Sam”, on one of the albums in the Wavy Gravy series.
“Falling Stars”, He’s My Bobo”, “I’m Your Little (A reference in a Youtube video of “On the Go”
Boy”, “It’s My First Date”, “Julianna”, to Songs the Oblivians Taught Us is apparently
“Melancolie”, “Miracle”, “Penny”, “Ruby not a real album – see below).
Begonia”, “Snake Dance”, “St. Mary’s”, “You All
I Want Is You”, and copyrighted arrangements HELL BENT FOR LEATHER
of two songs in the public domain,
“Greensleeves” and “He’s Got the Whole World
in His Hands”.
However, many of Milan’s songs do not appear
on this list. Just 7 of the 12 songs on the album
I Am What I Am are on the BMI list, and neither
of the songs on Milan’s first single appear. For
the Head Shop, the two songs that Milan co‐
wrote with Max Ellen (under the name Maxim),
“Prophecy” and “Listen with a Third Ear” are on
the list, as is the title song “Head Shop”, but not
“I Feel Love Comin’ On” , “Infinity” or “Heaven
Here We Come”.
COMPILATION ALBUM APPEARANCES
The 2009 compilation album Hell Bent for
Greg Shaw was the first to reissue Milan’s songs Leather collects the lion’s share of the songs
on compilation albums, when his 1983 release mentioned in this article and ostensibly came
Pebbles, Volume 11 included three of the out on a new French label called LS (which
Leather Boy songs: “I’m a Leather Boy”, evidently stands for Licorice Schtik). Side A –
the “Leather Boy Side” – are songs that Milan brother‐in‐law spoke with him recently when he
himself released; while Side B – the “Flower was playing a gig in Texas. He said that his
Child Side” – are by other artists where Milan father wants to perform “I Feel Love Comin’
was the songwriter, producer, arranger or some On” in his concerts but cannot due to copyright
combination of the three (“Head Shop” was co‐ and trademark problems.
written with Max Ellen).
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
The album is evidently a bootleg and is certainly
anonymous; the credits on the album include Sixties songs have proliferated like weeds on
artwork by Shady Cadillac and layout by Leather video outlets like Youtube over the past several
Lotion. It has received glowing reviews from all years. In a recent search, I counted four Milan
quarters, though everyone seems to hate the songs: “One Track Mind”, “On the Go”, “I’m a
front cover, which shows a boy on a motorcycle Leather Boy”, and “Shadows”; no videos are
with the label for “One Track Mind” attached to any of these songs. However, that
superimposed onto the headlight. My own is not the case for the Head Shop songs that are
opinion is that it looks a lot better on the LP available on‐line: “Head Shop”, “Heaven Here
album cover than in the little pictures on a We Come”, “Listen with the Third Ear”, and “I
computer screen. Someone put up a blog post Feel Love Comin’ On”. There are two videos for
claiming that he had gotten a tattoo from the “Flowers Flowers” by the Licorice Schtik, one
cover artist. with vintage video and the other with a sort of
light show. Ice Cream’s “Chewin’ Gum Kid” has
COVER VERSIONS OF MILAN’S SONGS an audio‐only post; and there are many
recordings of “How Many Teardrops” available,
Though Milan’s profile in the music work has as well as the “B” side of that single “You and I
been climbing steadily for the past 25 years, (Have a Right to Cry)”. Though I saw several
modern bands have been slow to cover his songs by the American Beetles, the Unclaimed,
songs. However, the Oblivians, a Memphis‐ and the Doughboys, none seemed to involve
based garage‐punk outfit that was active from the songs that Milan was associated with.
1993 to 1997 included “Motorcycle Leather
Boy” – a loose adaptation of “On the Go” – as END OF THE MYSTIQUE?
the opening track on Rock ‘n Roll Holiday: Live
in Atlanta. The album documenting this 1994 Now that more details about his life and
live show – prior to the release of their debut recordings have come out, does that mean that
album in 1995 – was released in a tiny edition of there are no other surprises about Milan under
just 300 LPs in 1996, but it was reissued on CD wraps? My answer would be no; I have actually
in 2003. A reunion performance by the band in been told several other fascinating aspects of
2009 in Detroit featured this song and is posted his life and career that I have been unable to
on Youtube. verify to date:
Also, Larry Coryell is still recording and touring Milan was reportedly trained as an attorney
and recently passed through Florida. His son – his father Rasha Rodell was also a lawyer
Murial Coryell is also a musician, and Milan’s – and helped write the copyright law for
musicians and their works. This would be Yet there is more to the world of music than
ironic if true, since Milan and his heirs have having a hit record. Consider Deon Jackson,
not yet collected the royalties on this who hit #11 in 1966 with a delightful R&B song
records. called “Love Makes the World Go ‘Round”. He
had two follow‐up singles that also made the
Milan clandestinely assisted the Beatles in charts and played numerous dates in and
writing one of their songs, “I’ll Follow the around Chicago during the remainder of the
Sun”. I would be inclined to think that the 1960s, but he ultimately had to take a job at an
source confused this song with “Follow the area high school. The #1 song on the Billboard
Sun” by the World of Milan, or that they Hot 100 during the week that “How Many
might have meant the American Beetles, Teardrops” made #41 on Cash Box was the
except that some details came with this Japanese‐language hit “Sukiyaki”. A copy of the
claim: Paul McCartney said in an interview Capitol 45 of this song was available for sale on
sometime that “NY Blot” helped the Beatles eBay in May 2010; with four days to go before
write a few of their songs; in actuality, NY the auction would close, the disk had received
Blot was Milan. one bid for 49¢.
Milan was involved in some way with The fact is, Milan had the goods, and those who
recording a song by the Grateful Dead. This worked with him knew it, so he was able to get
could make Milan unique in the world if he up to bat again and again. Milan recorded more
worked with this band as well as the than 30 songs during his career and probably
Beatles. assisted in one way or another with that many
songs for other musicians. A dozen or more
EPILOGUE major record companies had Milan’s name on
their releases at one time or another, and the
The career of this prolific and highly versatile same is true of several other smaller labels.
recording industry professional was cut short by Milan’s stature in the music industry by the end
his untimely death at age 29. Milan leaves of the decade was such that the recording
behind a legacy of astonishingly diverse sessions for The Head Shop could be described
recordings, and there is little doubt that he as “leisurely” and as using “free studio time”.
would have been able to navigate the musical
trends over the past several decades just as Hopefully Hell Bent for Leather can mark the
readily. beginning of a greater appreciation for this
mysterious figure in the garage rock universe,
If measured by the numbers alone, Milan could even though it is 40 years overdue. There are
be judged a failure. None of his own records undoubtedly other records that can be
ever made any of the charts; and the best he unearthed that have Milan’s fingerprints on
could do with songs that he wrote, arranged them, and these can be added to the
and produced for others was to almost crack discography that follows.
the Top 40 once.
DISCOGRAPHY
Singles (As a Recording Artist)
Milan with His Orchestra: "Santa's Doin' the Twist" b/w "Swing a Little Longer"; Migon (#1962) – 1962
Milan: "Innocence" b/w "Winter Time"; End (#1123) – 1963
Milan: “I Am What I Am" b/w "Over and Over Again"; 20th Century Fox (#487) – 1964
Milan: "Runnin' Wild" b/w "Angel's Lullaby"; 20th Century Fox (#552) – 1964
The World of Milan: "Cry, Lonely Boy" b/w "Luva‐Luva"; ABC‐Paramount (#10718) – 1965
The World of Milan: "Follow the Sun" b/w "I'm Cryin' in the Rain"; Brunswick (#55292) – 1966
The World of Milan: "One Track Mind" b/w "Shades of Blue"; Brunswick (#55298) – 1966
Milan (The Leather Boy): "You Gotta Have Soul" b/w "My Prayer"; Flower (#100) – 1967
The Leather Boy: "I'm a Leather Boy" b/w "Shadows"; MGM (#K‐13724) – April 1967
The Leather Boy: "On the Go" b/w "Soulin'"; MGM (#K‐13790) – August 1967
The Leather Boy: "Jersey Thursday" b/w "Black Friday"; Parkway (#125) – 1967
Album (As a Recording Artist)
Milan: I Am What I Am; 20th Century Fox (#TFM 3149/#TFS 4149) – 1964
Singles (As a Songwriter, Producer and/or Arranger)
Lou Christie: "How Many Teardrops" b/w "You and I (Have a Right to Cry)"; Roulette (#R‐4504) – 1963
The American Beetles: "Don't Be Unkind" b/w "You Did It To Me"; Roulette (#4550) – 1964
The Chanters: "Bongo Bongo" b/w "Free as a Bird"; MGM (#K13750) – 1967
The Doughboys: "Everybody Knows My Name" b/w "Candy Candy"; Bell (#878) – 1967
The Unclaimed: "Memories of Green Eyes" b/w "Jingle Jangle"; Philips (#30430) – 1967
Ice Cream: "The Chewin' Gum Kid" b/w "Epitaph to Marie"; Capitol (#P‐2321) – 1968
The Licorice Schtik: "The Kissin' Game" b/w "Flowers Flowers"; Dot (#17131) – 1968
The Downtown Collection: "Washington Square" b/w "Sunshine"; Strobe (#351) – 1968
Album (As a Songwriter, Producer and/or Arranger)
The Head Shop: The Head Shop; Epic (#BN 26476) – 1969
Retrospective Album
Milan the Leather Boy: Hell Bent for Leather; LS (#LS‐001LP) – 2009 (vinyl only)