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| No shortsleeve shirts and shorts? This Beachcombers photo must have been taken in the fall. First band lineup, pre-45. Courtesy of Danny Coane. |
Hailing from the capital of Vermont, Montpelier, the Beachcombers cut one 45 with two band originals in August 1965. The flipside, as always seems to be the case, is where the moody organ-driven gem lies. "Always Thinking About Your Love" fits right into the blueprint of the classic "New England garage sound." Unison vocals, perfectly timed drum fills, and a crude recording (explained below) all add to its charm.
Extra special thanks to Danny Coane, a.k.a., Starboy DC, of the Starline Rhythm Boys, for hipping me to this record in the first place back in 2019. Danny provided ALL of the info below, as well as the newspaper clipping. You'd think he was a member himself!
The Beachcombers were a popular band who started in the early 1960s, pre-British invasion. The initial lineup, seen in the newspaper photo, included:
Harry "Thumper" Colombo (MHS '62) - drums
Ron Fielder (MHS '62) - rhythm guitar
Dave Hornberger - lead guitar
Mike Yates (MHS '63) - bass
Rich Beauregard - lead singer
Steve Bellemeur - organ
Dave Hornberger and Rich Beauregard left. (Side note: "Dave later pulled a bank job in downtown Montpelier by breaking in a rear door at night and taking adding machines! This door was right across from the Sheriff's Dept! He and another guy tried to fence the machines down in Massachusetts and got caught.") Steve Bellemeur, a surfer from California who was staying with relatives in Vermont, returned home to the West Coast. In 1964, Dick Fielder joined up with his brother Ron, and Jack D'Arthenay took over on keys. This is the lineup which recorded the 45:
Harry "Thumper" Colombo (MHS '62) - drums
Ron Fielder (MHS '62) - lead guitar
Dick Fielder (MHS '65) - rhythm guitar
Mike Yates (MHS '63) - bass
Jack D'Arthenay (MHS '62) - organ
Brothers Ron and Dick had matching Sunburst Fender Strats, and Mike Yates had a cherry-red Fender Precision bass — the trio trekked down to E.U. Wurlitzer in Boston in 1964 and picked up their brand-new instruments.
As for the tunes, Mike Yates wrote and sang the bouncy "I Should Worry." Dick Fielder wrote "Always Thinking About Your Love" for his girlfriend — and now wife of 50+ years — Marlene.
Danny: "The record was recorded by E. F. "Erv" Auchter of Colchester, VT (who also recorded The Thunderbolts "Heart So Cold," but Erv recorded The Beachcombers in Montpelier City Hall (vacant) live (no audience) and that's why the sound ain't that great! Erv was one of the few record engineers/producers in VT back then."
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| Third place behind formidable opponents the Zip Codes and The Jesters featuring Danny Coane! |
"Thumper, whose father was a well-known local doctor, got the idea, or in conjunction with other bandmates, to "rent" the hall (although I don't think the city charged anything initially), hire a sheriff, have someone at the door to take $$, etc. They played there regularly and only on Saturday nights. Back in the 60's you didn't have all this media, etc., you have now, so kids went to the dance on Saturday night and they would pack the place with like 600 to 1,000 or more kids at $1 a head (and this was in the 60's!!). Well, the "City Fathers" got word of this scene and went to check it out. They didn't shut it down, but they started charging rent!! Then other bands got interested in this scene (like us - The Jesters) and the city would also let us rent. So, besides us, The Thunderbolts, The Vistas, and The Stratatones played there, and also some "name" acts came through like Tommy Roe and The Belmonts (without Dion)."
"The Beachcombers went on to continue to play and worked a joint (Green Acres) at Lake Elmore (a couple of towns north of Montpelier) plus they developed another venue, The Loft, which was this big yellow barn in East Montpelier. They changed personnel more and I don't know who was in it since I left Montpelier in '65 to attend the Univ of Vermont (Burlington)." [Note: while at UVM, Danny met and joined up with guys from The Cured, but he left the band before their 45 was recorded.]
And there you have it!
Ronnie Fielder, Mike Yates and Jack D'Arthenay have passed away.
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THE BEACHCOMBERS
I Should Worry / Always Thinking About Your Love
no label (FV-22521-1 / FV-22521-2)
August 1965
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