Doug E. Rhodes
About
Doug E. Rhodes
Doug Rhodes, (born May 28, 1945) multi-instrumentalist, performed with 1960s rock bands The Music Machine and The Millennium.Growing up in Garden Grove, California, Rhodes began his music career as a jazz saxophonist at the age of 16, playing with older brother Robbie Rhodes. Eventually, he became the member of a band called The Spats, for whom he played organ. He was kicked out of the band late in 1965. After moving to L.A. in January 1966, Rhodes met producer Curt Boettcher, who got him work as a studio musician. He played celeste for The Association's #1-hit "Cherish" (which went on to become one of their biggest hits).
In the summer of 1966, Rhodes joined the rock band The Music Machine, for whom he primarily played the organ and provided backing vocals. After the release of the band's first LP and a promotional tour, four of the five members, including Rhodes, quit the group, leaving only singer/songwriter Sean Bonniwell. According to Rhodes, there was conflict over money and Bonniwell's attitude toward the other members. Bonniwell continued to use the band name, and released a second album, comprised mostly of older recordings on which Rhodes had performed.
Rhodes continued to work with Curt Boettcher, forming the band The Millennium along with two other former Music Machine members. The Millennium's debut LP was released by Columbia Records in 1968. After the short-lived Millennium dissolved, Rhodes kept busy as a session musician, playing for the likes of The Association, Taj Mahal, Chad and Jeremy, Tommy Roe, and Van Dyke Parks. He was also involved in the Millennium-splintered group Bigshot that was signed to Together records, the ill-fated label set-up by Gary Usher and Curt Boettcher in 1969. The others members of Bigshot included the drummer Ron edgar and the guitarist Michael Fennelly and strangely one ex-Goldebriars Murray Planta (guitarist). Some demos were recorded but never issued. The producer of those sessions was Joey Stec.
In 1971, Rhodes moved to B.C., Canada. He continued to play around with various musicians, including Valdy. Eventually, he settled in Victoria, B.C., became a professional at piano tuning and restoration, as well as playing 1920's style jazz with an orchestra called The Belevedere Broadcasters. He has a son, Davis Lamar Rhodes, and a daughter, Sasha Marie Rhodes. source Wikipedia
The Music Machine (1965 - 1969) was an American garage rock and psychedelic (sometimes referred to as garage punk) band from the late 1960s, headed by singer-songwriter Sean Bonniwell and based in Los Angeles. The band sound was often defined by fuzzy guitars and a Farfisa organ. Their original look comprised of all-black clothing and black moptop hairstyles. Bonniwell was known to wear a single black glove.
The group came together as The Ragamuffins in 1965, but became The Music Machine in 1966. The single "Talk Talk" was recorded at RCA studios on July 30, 1966.
Their debut album, (Turn On) The Music Machine, was released in 1966 on the Original Sound label. Seven of the twelve tracks were originals, written by Bonniwell. One of these, "Talk Talk," became a Top 20 hit in the U.S. The follow-up single, "The People In Me," peaked at #66. Bonniwell blamed the weak showing of this single on a supposed feud between the band's manager and a top record executive. Four cover songs were included on this release, due to record company pressure.
After a promotional tour of the U.S., the rest of the original line-up, which included Ron Edgar (drums), Mark Landon (guitar), Keith Olsen (bass) and Doug Rhodes (organ), left Bonniwell, due to internal conflicts. In 1967, Music Machine (essentially only Bonniwell at this point) were signed to Warner Bros. and re-named The Bonniwell Music Machine. A self-titled LP was released that year, made up mostly of previously recorded singles with the original line-up. The recording spawned no big hits, despite the inclusion of a few more pop-oriented songs.
A third album was recorded but never released. In 2000, a Bonniwell Music Machine album called "Ignition" was released on Sundazed Records. This is a collection of songs from the unreleased 1969 album, as well as demo tracks from the band's Raggamuffin days in 1965.
In 2000, Bonniwell wrote about his life and The Music Machine in a biography called "Beyond The Garage," published by the small press publisher Christian Vision.
Music Machine is also the name of a local band from Vancouver, Canada which is composed of Denise Reyes, Alex (Beej) Lim and Jeanelle Comiso. No legal action has been taken though cause The original Music Machine have disbanded for four decades.
In 1969, The Music Machine Image:Music Machine.pdf was also the name of a local band from Ottawa, Canada which was composed of guitarist Pat Travers, Bassist Kevin Travers, vocalist Jeff Jodoin and drummer Steve Peacock.
