(Those) Rogues
Websites:
No
Origin:
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:
(Those) Rogues – Rock Grit from Sault Ste. Marie
(Those) Rogues were part of the surprisingly vibrant 1960s rock scene in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The band featured Bryan Primeau (organ, vocals), Rick Rogers (guitar), Mike Jargan (drums), Harvey Bell (bass), and Terry Davey (saxophone). Although Davey left prior to their lone recording, he helped shape their early image and sound. “Terry was a Brit and a Beatles guy,” recalled manager Joey Spina. “He even had the band wearing those British caps — all part of the look.”
Their lone single, released on Algoma Records (Algoma 53), is a top-tier Canadian garage rock collectible. The A-side, "Wish I Could See You Again," offers catchy hooks and a crisp organ-driven melody, while the B-side, "Girl," pushes into rawer territory. It was recorded on February 26, 1967, at Arc Studios in Toronto with Marshall Shapiro engineering and John Holt producing. Holt was also the man behind the Amen’s single and several other Algoma productions.
Manager Joey Spina was instrumental to the group’s local success. A newly surfaced booking ledger from 1967 (provided by Spina) shows just how active the Rogues were, with detailed entries for gigs across Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, and North Bay, often at high schools, youth halls, and hotel venues. They regularly played institutions like Sault Collegiate Institute, Bunting High, and the Windsor Hotel, typically earning between $95–$120 per night for multi-hour sets — serious money for a teenage band at the time.
One note dated April 30, 1967, shows Spina negotiating a $260 booking at the Sudbury Arena, plus $115 for travel, accommodations, and meals. The show was to include (Those) Rogues and Debbie Lori Kaye, who would go on to fame as a featured performer on the Tommy Hunter Show. Contracts were to be drawn up with both Kaye and the Sudbury venue — a clear sign the Rogues were making moves beyond the local circuit.
Terry Davey fondly remembered the band’s roots: “The Rogues started their career playing at the Moose Hall in Thessalon. The Fireflies gave us a break to fill their spot at the Peppermint Hall in the Soo… when it burned down, we ended up across Queen Street at the Knights of Columbus Hall.”
For years, fans believed that (Those) Rogues had recorded a lost LP in John Holt’s basement, with only 10 acetate copies made. Recent interviews with Chuck Wesley, Bruce MacGregor, and Joey Spina have since clarified that this was a case of mistaken identity — the mystery album was actually by The Sound Sett, another local act on the Algoma label.
Despite recording just one official 45, (Those) Rogues earned their place in Canadian garage rock history. Their single has appeared on international compilations like Gravel Vol. 5 (2007, Kumquat May Records), and their music remains highly sought after by collectors.
A rare photo shows the classic Rogues lineup left to right: Mike Jargan, Rick Rogers, Bryan Primeau, and Harvey Bell. Terry Davey later formed the Bishops Court Trio, and Harvey Bell would go on to become Chief of the Ojibwa tribe.
As Bryan Primeau once quipped, “It’s like going to an LSD party — without the LSD.” That’s the spirit the Rogues brought to Northern Ontario: wild, raw, and full of life. Thanks to archival efforts and the discovery of Joey Spina’s documents, (Those) Rogues are finally being recognized for what they were — pioneers of a uniquely Canadian garage rock movement.
-Robert Williston
Bryan Primeau: organ, vocals
Mike Jargan: drums
Rick Rogers: guitar
Harvey Bell: bass
Terry Davey: saxophone
Produced by John Holt
Engineered by Marshall Shapiro
Recorded February 26, 1967, Arc Studios, Toronto, Ontario
