Information/Write-up
In 1964, at 17, Ken Callie left his hometown of Edmonton for Calgary. By 1968, he was in the studio at HMS in Calgary, laying down his first recordings. Those sessions birthed two singles: 'Love to Me' paired with 'My Little Girl' on HMS 45M1, and 'R. U. Cumming?' coupled with 'Walkin' Blues' on HMS 45M3. Ken recalls 'R. U. Cumming?' as a lighthearted venture, an excuse to really thrash the hell out of his Gibson SG Junior. He recalls, "That laughter you hear at the start of 'R. U. Cumming' was part of our plan to enter the stage clad only in flesh-colored jockstraps and white robes. As we announced ourselves as 'the Clymaxe,' we shed the robes, much to the audience's delight." Its flip side, 'Walkin' Blues,' showcased his garage prowess. With a scant three-word chorus, 'R. U. Cumming?' has become a collector's gem, with original vinyl commanding a hefty $2,000.00, making it the most valuable per-word chorus in Canadian music history - an unexpected Clymaxe! Yet, radio stations balked at its explicit content, refusing to play it.
Undeterred, Clymaxe continued performing at numerous gigs and outdoor events, even venturing into the Battle of the Bands in Grande Prairie in 1968. However, fate intervened when Norm decided to leave the group after getting married, causing them to miss out on the competition. In a surprising turn of events, while on their journey home, they received unexpected news on the radio - they had won the Battle of the Bands by a landslide, despite not even performing - the crowd had spoken, making them instant favorites!
In the early 70s, Ken Callie found success in the country music scene with his hit 'Wild Rose', released on Wild Rose Records WR 008, featuring 'Dark Dawn' on side 2. Meanwhile, Ken Callie's lifelong friendship with Gaye Delorme led to collaboration, with Gaye drawing inspiration from Ken's composition 'Dark Dawn' for fellow Edmontonian Tommy Chong's theme song, 'Things Are Tough All Over', in the Cheech and Chong movie. Gaye's popular track 'The Rodeo Song' was also inspired by Ken's lyrical talent, stemming from their shared experience of driving an old truck to perform at a winter rodeo.
Today, Ken still proudly calls Edmonton home, where his love for humor remains steadfast - though the Gibson is no more, having been sold off in a partially destroyed state, replaced by a pacemaker. Here's hoping the pacemaker outlasts the Gibson!
-Robert Williston, May 19, 2024
Ken Callies: guitar; vocals on R. U. Cumming
Norm Ingles (from Grand Prairie): bass; vocals on Walkin' Blues
Morris Brabazon: drums (deceased)
Written by Ken Callies and Morris Brabazon (R. U. Cumming); and R. Johnson (Walkin' Blues)
Produced and arranged by Ken Callies
Recorded at HMS Studios, Calgary, Alberta
500 pressing
tracks courtesy Ivan Amireault
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