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Little Caesar and the Consuls

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This article is about the Canadian mid-20th-century group. For the Californian mid-20th-century group, see Little Caesar & the Romans. For the late-20th/21st-century band, see Little Caesar (band). For other uses, see Little Caesar (disambiguation).
Little Caesar and the Consuls
Also known asThe Consuls
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresRock
Years active1956 (1956)–1971 (1971)
Past membersBruce Morshead
Ken Pernokis
Tom Wilson
Gary Wright
Norm Sherratt
Gene MacLellan
Robbie Robertson
Steve Macko
Vic Wilson
Peter DeRemigis
Wayne Connors
Paul Denyes
Tommy Graham
Mike Hollman
Sandy White
John Bradley
Bob Olliffe
Websitewww.littlecaesarmusic.com

Little Caesar and the Consuls are a Canadian rock music group, originally active in Toronto from 1956 to 1971, originally as simply The Consuls. In 1959 the five-piece group split in two, with three members (Robbie Robertson, Gene MacLellan and Peter Deremigis) forming The Suedes, and Bruce Morshead and Norm Sherrat, after a time, putting a new band of Consuls together. The new group soon added Little Caesar to their name, supposedly after a number of fans commented that lead singer Bruce Morshead resembled Edward G. Robinson in the film Little Caesar.[1]

The core of the group was pianist Morshead, guitarist Ken Pernokis, bassist Tom Wilson, drummer Gary Wright (who'd replaced Wayne Connors in 1963) and saxophonist Norm Sherratt.

The group recorded several Canadian hits, including "If ... (I Found A New Girl)" and covers of "My Girl Sloopy" and "You Really Got a Hold On Me", which reached #1 on the RPM charts in 1965, making them only the second Canadian group (after Chad Allan and the Expressions) to top that chart.

Morshead and Wilson left the band in 1968. The band continued with new vocalist and keyboard player Steve Macko before breaking up in 1971.

There have been several incarnations of the group; reuniting in 1973, 1976, 1986, 1993 and 2003.

In 1993, Norm Sherratt, Tom Wilson, Steve Macko, Vic Wilson (saxophones), Tony Crivaro (vocals & guitar) and Gary Wright (drums) joined up and recorded a reunion album, Since 1956. Tom Wilson left the band in 2010.

In later years Norm Sherratt, Tony Crivaro, Sam Carothers (bass), Walter Taylor (keyboards) Sonny Milne (drums) and Doug Dixon (vocals & guitar) held forth at shows, adding Russ Strathdee on sax in 2013.

Currently the lineup includes Walter Taylor (keyboards), James Legere (bass), Phil Strong (drums) and Russ Strathdee (sax), with Martin Damsell on Lead vocals and guitar.

Discography

Albums

  • 1965 Little Caesar and the Consuls
  • 1993 Since 1956

Singles

  • 1959 "I'm Happy" / "Runaway" [as The Consuls]
  • 1963 "If ... (I Found A New Girl)"
  • 1963 "Something's Funny, Something's Wrong"
  • 1964 "Sea Cruise"
  • 1964 "Heartaches"
  • 1965 "My Girl Sloopy" - #3 - August 1965
  • 1965 "You Really Got a Hold On Me" - #1 - December 1965
  • 1966 "You Laugh Too Much" - #9 - April 1966
  • 1966 "1000 Miles Away" - #58 - July 1966
  • 1966 "Personality"
  • 1966 "Mercy Mr. Percy" - #38 - December 1966
  • 1967 "My Love For You" - #88 - May 1967
  • 1976 "Hang On Sloopy"

References

  1. ^ Canadian Pop Encyclopedia
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