The Tabs

[jsmith]

Can anyone tell me much about this group that started out in St Louis in the late 50's.
I assume the doo-wop outings on Noble were by them though I'm just guessing this.
Anyhow, the group don't seem to have had any national hits but by 1960 they were touring across the US [[playing gigs at venues such as the Regal, Apollo, Uptown & Howard Theatres).
I believe the group's members were Charles Drain, Howard Robertson, Lionel Stokes, John Hopkins, Tuman Hughes, and Leroy Terry.
They seem to have relocated to Chicago in the early 60's and were signed to a deal with VeeJay [[1962).
Attachment 1869
The group's lead singer Charles Drain wrote the above song.
They next turn up in New York in 1963, signed to Wand.
After a couple of good releases for Wand; "Two Stupid Feet" & "I Am With You", they seemed to disappear off the recording scene.
The group broke up & its members returned to St Louis.
Here, Charles Drain went solo & recorded for the local Top Track label in the mid 60's.
By the end of the 60's, Charles had signed a deal with Chess [[though he may still have been cutting in St Louis) and had the self penned "She's Gone" released on Checker.
Attachment 1870

Can anyone tell me more about the group ??

[jsmith]

Anyone know if this is by the same group .........
Attachment 1887

[ady_croasdell]

Hi John,
Good timing, I'm just doing some research myself and wondered if William and Charles were the same or related. Do you know for definite that they are the same?

We have found two unissued Wand tapes The Big Show, The Landlord and a version of the Isleys Laughing To Keep From Crying. We are starting on a reissued programme of a lot more Scepter/Wand sides and hope to include them in there. Any nice photos or further info would be great.

Cheers

Ady

[jsmith]

Ady,
.... I am currently in touch with Charles' family [[son & uncle) and his 1970's producer & so am expecting loads of good info / photos on both the Tabs & Charles [[as a solo artist) in the next week or so.
William & Charles Drain were brothers & Tabs member Howard Robertson was also related.
Attachment 1899
Charles Drain in RCA studio New York with A.N.Other & Kent Washburn [[his producer).

[davie gordon2]

I think Charles Drain and William James Drain are brothers.

The Tabs on Noble are, I think, a completely different group. One of their Noble singles was reissued on the larger Gardena label in October 1960. Gardena was based in Gardena, CA.
one of the western suburbs of Los Angeles. My bet is that the Noble / Gardena group were from that area.

There was another group called The Tabs with releases on Dot and Nasco who were based in Nashville.

The St. Louis-based Tabs may have recorded for VeeJay but I don't think you can assume from that that they ever relocated to Chicago. VeeJay signed acts from all over the U.S. but that doesn't mean those artists ever moved to Chicago.

Here is all the info. I have on the St. Louis group's records.

THE TABS [[Vee Jay 418) Billboard Dec. 18, 1961
61-2246 Dance All By Myself [[Ollie Jones)
61-2247 Dance Party [[Charles Drain)
Prod : not credited

THE TABS [[VeeJay 446) Billboard June 9, 1962
62-2420 Mash Them Taters [[Wm. Drain)
62-2422 But You're My Baby [[Ike Turner)
Prod : not credited

There's apparently an unissued VeeJay track [[62-2421) but i don't know the title

THE TABS [[Wand 130) Billboard Feb 2, 1963
130A Two Stupid Feet [[Luther Dixon)
130B The Wallop [[Wm. Drain)
Prod : Ludix Productions arr : Reggie Obrecht

THE TABS [[Wand 139) July 1963
50019 Take My Love Along With You [[Wm. Drain)
50020 I'm With You [[Ed Townshend,Alvin Stewart)
Prod : Luther Dixon

THE TABS [[Wand unissued)
The Big Show [[Wm. Drain) reg. Library of Congress Nov 5,1962

William Drain's other credits include
You Upset My Soul [[Wm. Drain,Reggie Obrecht)
Maxine Brown [[Wand 152, Apr 1964)
Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford [[Ludix 104, Apr 1963)

Put Yourself In My Place [[Wm. Drain,Reggie Obrecht)
Azie Mortimer [[Swan 4158, Oct 1963)
Maxine Brown [[Wand 158, Aug 64)
Dionne Warwick : "Anyone Who Had A Heart" LP [[Feb 1964)
Big Maybelle : "The Soul of Big Maybelle" LP [[Sep 1964)

No Peace,No Rest [[Wm. Drain,Philip Westmoreland)
Les Watson [[Pompeii 66689, c. March 69)

Love Me Now [[Wm. Drain, Philip Westmoreland)
Barbara Carr [[Chess 2130, June 1972)

Beautiful Illusion [[Wm. Drain,Philip Westmoreland)
The Soul Blenders [[Vanessa 103, 1970)

Get Up And Move [[Wm. Drain, Oliver Sain, Philip Westmoreland)
David Dee [[Vanessa 104, 1970)

[davie gordon2]

The first single

[davie gordon2]

I have scans of their other records but uploading them is taking forever - I'll try again later and see if things move a bit quicker

[jsmith]

The only soul album released on LA based Emkay Records was by Marcus Kelly and Westmoreland Co. This group was led by Philip Westmoreland & were from St Louis.
Emkay EM1003- "FREE LOVE" Artist- MARCUS KELLY and WESTMORELAND Co.
Tracks:- PUSHIN TO THE TOP; THIS AIN'T LIVIN'; TOGETHER WE STAND; PAUL'S SONG; A HAPPY SONG; SNOOT SUITE; I'VE BEEN A GOOD MAN; YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW MY NAME; BIG CITY.
Phil was already signed to CMC in St Louis when Kent Washburn started working at / with the guys at the studio.
Phil also worked in collaboration with Oliver Sain plus Charles & William Drain.
Checking on BMI, William Drain [[Charles' brother who had written for & produced Charles Drain tracks released in the 60's) has 17 songs registered [[including "Get Up & Move" which he co-wrote with Phil Westmoreland & Oliver Sain).
The full list of his compositions is as follows :- BABY YOU UPSET MY SOUL [[with Reggie O), BEAUTIFUL ILLUSION, BIG SHOW, CLOSER AND CLOSER [[with Reggie O), DANCE PARTY, DANCING DOLL [[with Reggie O), GET UP AND MOVE, LOVE ME NOW, MASH DEM TATERS, MY WOMAN, NO PEACE NO REST, PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE [[with Reggie O), RIVER OF TEARS, TAKE MY LOVE ALONG WITH YOU, THAT'S MY WOMAN, THIS WOULD MEAN SO MUCH & WALLOP.
Phil Westmoreland himself has 18 songs registered with BMI [[including a few that were included on the Emkay album -- some written in conjunction with vocalist Marcus Kelly).

[ady_croasdell]

Further info

They also cut an unissued version of the Shirelles' Jive's The Thing on Wand and William wrote both sides of Charles' great 45 on Top Track.

Does anyone have a good photo of them?

Cheers

Ady

[jsmith]

Charles Drain [[in the 70's ) .........
Attachment 1909
[[my original digital copy is about 50 times bigger
than above image).

[jsmith]

Charles on stage .... [[again original is much bigger) .....
Attachment 1910

[jsmith]

No picture as yet of William ... but I still live in hope.

[jsmith]

The Tabs back in their touring days .........
Attachment 1918
I'm guessing that the 'guy up front' in the collage of pictures is Charles
[[hoping to get this confirmed).