Information/Write-up
Pointe-Claire, Montréal Mersey Punk Debut! Please Don't Ever Change actually knocked The Standells' Dirty Water out of the CFCF's Top 10 back in the day.
Unchained & Unforgotten: The Story of M.G. & The Escorts
In the mid-1960s, the Montreal music scene was alive with raw energy and ambition, and at the heart of it stood M.G. & The Escorts. Emerging from the Pointe-Claire neighborhood, this group of five musicians fused British Invasion melodies with the snarling edge of garage rock, carving out a unique space in Canadian music history. Though their time together was brief, their impact was lasting, with singles that still resonate with collectors and fans of underground ‘60s rock.
The Origins: Pointe-Claire’s Finest
Formed in 1965, M.G. & The Escorts came together from the merger of two local groups. One was The Strangers, known for their covers of Cliff Richard & The Shadows, featuring Glen Stephen (bass), Glenn Grecco (lead guitar/songwriter), and Bill Bryans (drums/songwriting). They joined forces with Mike Gauthier (rhythm guitar) and Graham Powers (lead vocals) from another band, creating a lineup with serious talent and drive.
Playing anywhere they could—high schools, teen clubs, and the highly competitive “Battle of the Bands” circuit—the group quickly built a devoted following throughout Quebec and Eastern Ontario. Their high-energy performances and tight musicianship caught the attention of REO Records, a subsidiary of Quality Records Limited, leading to a record deal in early 1966.
The Breakthrough: Charting Hits & Underground Classics
Their debut single, "Please Don’t Ever Change" b/w "Sorry to Hear", released in May 1966, became a Canadian garage rock staple. Driven by a punchy rhythm and an overdriven guitar tone that hinted at the grit of future punk rock, the song soared to #9 on the CFCF charts and received airplay throughout Quebec and Ontario. The B-side, a slow, reverb-soaked ballad, showcased the band's ability to balance raw energy with emotional depth.
Determined to capitalize on their momentum, M.G. & The Escorts returned to the studio in September to record their second single, "I Can't Go On" b/w "The One Who Wants You". With a driving British beat-inspired sound, it should have been a bigger hit, but it failed to match the chart success of their debut. Still, it demonstrated the band’s evolving style and their commitment to writing original material, a rare feat in an era when most bands stuck to covers.
Then came their magnum opus. Released in early 1967, "A Someday Fool" b/w "It’s Too Late" was a defining moment. "A Someday Fool" distilled garage rock to its core elements—a hypnotic, repeating fuzz riff, an unrelenting snare beat, and a desperate, impassioned vocal delivery. The song was a blueprint for garage rock that countless bands would chase in the decades to come. The B-side, written by Grecco and Bryans, was more layered, featuring an unexpected mix of organ, celeste, and tight harmonies, marking their most ambitious work yet. This single quickly shot up to #9 on the CFCF charts, cementing their reputation.
The Psychedelic Shift & Sudden Disbandment
By mid-1967, the band was at a crossroads. The garage rock boom was giving way to the more experimental sounds of psychedelia, and Grecco and Bryans were eager to explore new sonic possibilities. Their final single, "Next to Nowhere" b/w "Remembering", released in late 1967, reflected this shift. With its soulful vocals, swirling organ, and orchestrated touches, the A-side was a departure from their earlier raw sound. The flip side, "Remembering," was a gorgeous, harmony-driven ballad that hinted at what could have been had the band continued.
Despite receiving promotion from Quality Records and even a U.S. release on Mala Records, the single would be their last. That September, the band played a major performance at Expo 67’s “Garden of Stars”, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in music. But within months, M.G. & The Escorts were no more.
The official reason? Internal drift. Bill Bryans, influenced by seeing The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane at Expo 67, began immersing himself in jazz, blues, and experimental music. He withdrew from the band and stopped communicating with his former bandmates, effectively marking the end of M.G. & The Escorts.
Legacy: From Forgotten to Revered
By 1968, M.G. & The Escorts had faded from public memory, much like other REO Records garage rock acts (Dee & The Yeomen, The Deverons, The Berries). Whether it was due to changing musical tastes or lack of proper label support, their name slipped into obscurity. But the legacy of their music lived on.
In later decades, garage rock collectors rediscovered their records, and demand for original pressings skyrocketed. Their most famous single, A Someday Fool, was even reissued in 2008 by the UK-based “Garage Greats” label—a bootleg reissue that, unfortunately, suffered from poor sound quality. Today, finding an original copy of their singles means shelling out hundreds of dollars.
M.G. & The Escorts may have been forgotten by mainstream history, but for those who dig deep into Canada’s 1960s rock scene, they remain an essential piece of the puzzle. Their music captures the raw energy of the garage era—unpolished, urgent, and unforgettable.
-Robert Williston
Glen Stephen: bass
Mike Gauthier: rhythm guitar
Graham Powers: lead vocals
Glenn Grecco: lead guitar and main songwriter
Bill Bryans: drums
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