John O’Hara and his Playboys (1964) – LOUIE of the Week

This week’s LOUIE comes all the way from Germany circa 1964. John O’Hara and his Playboys, NOT to be confused with Ron Holden & the Playboys (one of the earliest bands to ever perform LOUIE LOUIE), was a band that was created in Scotland in the late 1950’s. Originally known as “Ralph Danks’ Playboys,” the band was transformed into simply “The Playboys” when Ralph left.

Between 1962 and 1966, the band had a very successful career in Germany. After three members of the bands were injury in an auto accident, saxophone player John O’Hara took over the lead vocals and centre stage and the band was transformed into “The Playboys with John O’Hara,” which later became “John O’Hara and his Playboys” and eventually “John O’Hara and his New Playboys.”

You can read the comprehensive history of the band by visiting the RockingScots.co.uk webpage on John O’Hara and his Playboys.

Sometime in 1964, the band recorded a version of LOUIE LOUIE for Decca records, and thanks to the powers of the internet, you can now hear this version free of charge as a YouTube clip.

1964 – Louie Louie/Stampfklatoffeln – Decca D19552

John O Hara and his Playboys – LOUIE LOUIE

Elsewhere on YouTube, you can find some actual television performances of the band, as opposed to YouTube slideshows with rare music recordings. Check out this cool performance of the band doing “Wooly Bully.”

You can read more about this band and their vinyl output by visiting the Music Station webpage on John O’Hara and his Playboys.

Speaking of PLAYBOYS, did you know you can get the current issue of the latest PLAYBOY magazine for only 60 cents this month? Apparently, PLAYBOY is rolling back their price back to what was the original cover price in the 1960’s to celebrate the new NBC television show “The Playboy Club.”