182:"Memories about the band are still crystal clear after 45 years. Four kids that lived more in four or five years than most people do in twenty, I remember so many other groups in the Greater Grand Rapids area and all around Michigan having shared the same kind of experiences. We were lucky with out even knowing it. In our heads we were the Stones, Beatles, Animals.....every time we got on stage and played these great new tunes. It was so easy to play all night and tear down, load it up, take home, and get up early and practice the next day and then do it all over again that next night. Then school on Monday and walking through the halls with a grin on your face just remembering how much fun you had last weekend, knowing no one would believe you if you told them. Except for the boys in the band. Those truly were the good old days. My hat is off to my dear old friends in the band that are fortunately still around. The Jades."
232:. Clarke was fourteen when the band formed and, unlike the other band members who were self-trained, he had taken lessons in classical guitar, but switched to bass. Lead guitarist Phil Succup had a truck and provided with transportation. Sparta High School's choir director Bob Stiles and Arnie DePagter, a Spanish teacher and coach, helped the band get gigs. The Jades first performance was at the Spanish Fiesta event held at the Sparta High School gym. The band worked occasional parties and became popular in the Tri-County region, regularly playing at high school dances in Rockford, Sparta, Rogers, Cedar Springs, Coppersville, Lowell, and other elsewhere and eventually toured statewide. For two summers they performed three nights a week at a club in Hess Lake and competed in several Battle of the Bands contests, winning one held at the Grand Rapids Civic Auditorium (also attended by
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to the theater's antique organ, but later began helping around the studio during sessions. Clarkes assisted on the session for the
Woolies' recording of Bo Diddley's "Who do You Love", which became a national top twenty hit. Keyboardist Floyd Johnson worked at the theater selling popcorn. In exchange for pay, Clarke made an arrangement with Kalmback to let the Jades use free studio time to record for the Fenton label. In 1966 drummer Dan Preston left and was replaced by Bill Alexander, who initially lied to the members of the group claiming he had played drums when he had not. He bought a drum set at Middleton Music, and joined the band. According to Alexander, "It's the greatest thing I ever did and would do it again."
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this time written by Siegel and Clarke, backed with "We've Got
Something Going", a catchy dance number. The group recorded several unissued songs, such as "Backlash" and "Down Home" which are believed to be lost. After the release of their second single, Dave Kalmback became the group's manager, and he attempted to secure the group with bigger and better-paying live dates, but by 1968 Clarke, Siegel, and guitarist Phil Succop enrolled in various colleges, diminishing the group's productivity. The Jades played their last performance in late 1968. According to Jayne Paasch writing for the Sparta Township Historical Commission:
204:. Their original membership consisted of Rich Seigel, who was blind, on vocals and rhythm guitar, Craig Clarke on vocals and bass, Phil Succop on lead guitar, and Roy Johnson on drums. Siegel and Clarke usually handled the vocals. Drummer Johnson left the band six months later and was replaced by Dan Preston. Floyd Johnson, a country music fan, would occasionally play on the piano located on the stage in the schools' gym while the band was practicing there in hopes that they would ask him to join, which they eventually did—he later became their official keyboard player. The Jades' primary influences were
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I wouldn't trade it for the world. What an experience for your teenage years - playing music almost every day, meeting people and making friends that have many of the same interests as you, traveling around your state (and) having more fun than you should be able to have. It was a great time and even
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featured two songs written by guitarist Rich Siegel: the moody "Please Come Back" and the flip-side "Confined
Congregation", a protest song aimed religious hypocrisy amongst the older establishment. It was released in February 1967 and was followed in June with "Surface World", another protest song,
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One of the most poignant stories of the day was when Phil remembered the last time the Jades played together, still so very clear in his mind today. It was
Christmas break 1968 and they played a party at the Civic Center here in Sparta. The reason he remembers that night is because it was the night
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and with its high ceilings, was known for having spacious acoustics, which can be heard on many Fenton recordings. The studio also had an eight-track source tape machine, which was ahead of its time for the mid-1960s. Clarke initially landed the job there to assist
Kalmback in re-installing pipes
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Eventually their touring itinerary came to include the entire
Michigan area. In 1965 the Jades' bassist Craig Clarke got job working at the Great Lakes recording studio, which was located in the Sparta Theater, an historic palace theater, which served the dual purpose of movie venue and recording
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Rich Seigel attended
University of Michigan and, because of his blindness, studied in braille. In the early 1970s Craig Clarke and Bill Alexander played for a few years in a local three-piece country rock bar band. Clarke continued to play in a series of rock bands over the years, and has more
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We competed with the
Mothers from Bay City (I think) in a Battle of the Bands at the Black & Silver Room. They were one of the best groups I've ever seen. Locally, Me and Dem Guys were the best around here. They became Common People, and had a few different vocalists. Lynn from Lynn and The
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Marking the 50th anniversary of their founding, in August 2015 the Jades (Craig Clarke, Rich Siegel, Floyd
Johnson, Phil Succop, and Bill Alexander) reunited for the "Celebrating Sparta Alumni Artists" as part of the "Town & Country Days" event held by Sparta High School.
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owned by Dave
Kalmback, who eventually became the group's manager. They are remembered for songs such as "Please Come Back" and the topical "Confined Congregation", and their work is highly regarded today by garage rock collectors and enthusiasts.
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he said good-by to Craig Yates, a classmate who was about to leave for Viet Nam. Craig died the following May 29. He was one of too many boys from Sparta who gave their last full measure that sad summer and are missed by so many to this day.
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though my father has been gone for quite some time I say my thanks that he encouraged me to take those guitar lessons. Today I am able to play with my son and some other young musicians and it never gets old.
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who were active in the 1960s (not to be confused with several other bands from the period also named "the Jades"). They were one of the most popular bands in Sparta and West Michigan and cut two
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form Grand Rapids) and coming in second in another held at the Black & Silver Room to a crowd of over a thousand, where they reached the semi-finals in the playoffs and were awarded $ 150.
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The Jades work has come to the attention of garage rock collectors and enthusiasts and has been included on several compilations. All four of their songs released on single are included on
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recently played in a blues band, Blues Stew, with his son who is the lead singer. He became a sales consultant of industrial equipment for warehouse and storage systems.
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Invaders joined them in the Seventies and one of their singers went on to sing for Toto.
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637:(First ed.). Branford, Connecticut: Priceless Info Press. p.
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studio. It was owned by Dave Kalmback, who was the proprietor of
464:"Memories about the Band are Still Crystal Clear after 45 Years"
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The Jades formed in the fall of 1965 by students from
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692:"Various – Scream Loud!!! The Fenton Story"
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468:Sparta Township Historical Commission.com
568:"The Jades: Interview with Craig Clarke"
490:"West Michigan Mid-Sixties Bands: Jades"
470:. Sparta Township Historical Commission
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283:Later developments, legacy, and reunion
279:The jades broke up shortly thereafter.
672:. Michigan Rock and Roll Legends. 2011
601:. 60s Garage Bands.com. Archived from
349:Rich Seigel (rhythm guitar and vocals)
760:Musical groups disestablished in 1968
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755:Musical groups established in 1965
666:"MRRL Hall of Fame: Dave Kalmbach"
301:. "Surface World" is featured on
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374:Rich Seigel (lead vocals, guitar)
750:Garage rock groups from Michigan
574:. Beyond the Beat Generation.com
462:Paasch, Jayne (August 5, 2015).
304:Teenage Shutdown! Nobody to Love
327:Rich Seigel (guitar and vocals)
298:Scream Loud!!! The Fenton Story
670:Michigan Rock and Roll Legends
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629:Markesich, Mike (2012).
496:. Grand Rapids Rocks.com
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333:Phil Succop (guitar)
364:Dan Preston (drums)
358:Roy Johnson (drums)
339:Roy Johnson (drums)
369:1966-1969 and 2015
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218:the Animals
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152:garage rock
136:Dan Preston
133:Roy Johnson
127:Phil Succop
121:Rich Seigel
69:Garage rock
744:Categories
724:. Discogs®
698:. Discogs®
404:References
250:See also:
234:the Quests
154:band from
344:1965-1966
246:Recording
148:The Jades
34:The Jades
728:March 5,
702:March 5,
676:March 1,
609:March 1,
578:March 1,
500:March 1,
474:March 1,
202:Michigan
722:Discogs
696:Discogs
317:Members
176:Origins
171:History
160:singles
90: (
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224:, and
198:Sparta
100:Labels
65:Genres
54:Origin
88:-1968
730:2016
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678:2016
643:ISBN
611:2016
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322:1964
226:Them
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