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Question: Jerry:
Two things:
1) That song, the way "We Five" did it ...has tremendous legs...  , even more than the "Ballad of Billie Joe McAllister and the Tallahachie Bridge", whose legs are largely due to the enigmatic verses.  Your lyrics could not be more basic and "bald"....   ...hardly more than  a half dozen facts, in the whole song.., yet:   the combination of the great harmony singing, Ms.Bivens spectacular solo voice, the great guitar work, the ending coda, the arrangement, etc.... (in essence: the whole package) all came together in "A perfect storm of singing/playing"...     ( If that song was first released TODAY, I think it would have the same impact...)     We would put that album on "repeat", and play it through the nite, back in '65, '66.  It was a transcendant thing to listen to it, over and over. I sent the clips that I just found on YOUTUBE... to my friends.... They all still say that they have never forgotten it...

2) I am a realtor in SF, not a documentary maker, but my friend is one.. He made "Seven Days on Craigslist".   ( I could ask him for his thoughts.). Some professor has a nice essay about the song, that I found on yesterday's Google search....  He is also fascinated about it...   I suspect that Mike's brother John, had a hand in the production, as it was SO polished... ...especially for a bunch of "twenty year olds"....

jack barry

Answer: Thanks Jack,
I exchanged a couple of emails with the professor you mention.  It is interesting how the meaning of the song is still being contemplated beyond the 'my guy dumped me' level.  It certainly has continued to stay on its feet.
 
While John was instrumental in getting us started, inspired, and into the studio, the vocal arrangement was essentially Michael's vision of Sylvia's song developed over a couple of months working with me, my wife Debbie, and of course, Beverly.  John actually mentioned at Michael's funeral how he was in awe of the way Michael could visualize vocals.  The 12 string was all Bob Jones' ideas. The drummer (Jerry Grannell) was brought in for the session-- he actually worked with Vince Guaraldi and it was his idea of rock.  Frank Werber was the producer who had the vision to put us all in a studio together.
 
Hopefully we'll get to play in the Bay Area again at a public venue (our last show up there was at the USF 150th anniversary).
 

Thx
Jerry

Question: Dear Jerry,
As a Bay Area teenager, "You Let Our Love Burn Out" absolutely knocked my socks off, and still does today - so cutting edge, so inventive. (When I first caught Jefferson Airplane a bit farther down the line, my first thought was that they were kind of launching off from the We Five trip.) Yet, the song's kind of an anomaly in your catalogue, isn't it - with the notable exception of the very trippy "There Stands the Door," of course. I was wondering how that arrangement came together. The use of the electric 12-string and banjo is totally unique. It's a very overlooked single, I think, and one that deserves enshrinement on a Nuggets-like compilation, at the very least.
Thanks, Jerry. All the best,
David Biasotti
Yokohama, Japan

Answer: Thanks David,
I'm impressed that you've even heard of those songs -- let alone know so much about them! They were WE Five's version of raga rock. We Five, like a lot of other people had been listening to a lot of Ravi Shankar in 1965. Bob Jones had even purchased a sitar, though we never got to the point of being able to use in it a song. After seeing Ali Akbar Khan (the Sarod player) concert, we realized that a sarod was very much like a banjo. Michael Stewart started fooling with chord positions that mimicked the Indian modal sounds and used a flat bridge that buzzed like a sitar. Bob then played similar patterns with big open chords on the 12 String and it was pretty trippy for the times. Both "You Let a Love Burn Out" and "There Stands The Door" were written to play around chords and melodies using that sound. I think the latter could have been a hit if we had gotten it on the radio 6 months sooner. I'll pass the question on to Bob for more,
Take Care,
Jerry

(Reply from Bob Jones)
Well, I think Jerry pretty much covered all the salient points of the story.  I didn't remember that Michael got the pickup from Ampeg but I do remember the excitement over the "magic penny" ( it looked like a penny on one side, remember? ).  I agree that the songs were timely, good radio songs and release timing was badly mishandled.  I became quite enamored with "You Let a Love Burn Out" when we were prepping the recent USF concert and started to work up a version for my single act.  Never completed the conversion.  Maybe I'll go back to it since I have a "play what you want" single show coming up.

Who are the writers on those songs?  Isn't "...Burn Out" John and Michael? Amazing that there are still people around that notice these things.  I'm flattered and honored.
Bob

Question: I was at a concert that the original We Five gave in May of 1966.
It was at a small engineering school in Potsdam, New York and it sticks in
my mind as one of the best that I ever attended, bar none (the other from that
era would be a few years later when Richie Havens came to the school a couple
of months before Woodstock). Let's see, the opener was the New Pandoras
(an all girl rock band) and then Larry Storch, the comedian... Then the stars
of the show! You absolutely had the entire audience in your hands. It was
wonderful. I recall the group singing "Somewhere" acapella... there was no
other sound in the entire hall. I recall that Mike told a goofy joke about an
Indian who wired ahead for a reservation. I also remember that he said that
this was you best audience in a long, long time. You couldn't walk by a
dorm room without hearing "You Were On My Mind" from that day on
for years... I also remember a song you played in the set which was
written by Michael Stewart's brother John Stewart. It was entitled "Journey"
and the first line of the chorus was, I think, "I'm going on a journey, way
out there." Anyway, I was really looking forward to the next album, but
it wasn't on that; nor, did John ever record it. I only have a few of his,
but I would have bought it if I saw it. Do you remember the song, or is it
only a figment of my imagination? Getting older, ya know. Anyway, it was
particularly haunting (I can still remember the tune). Do you remember
that concert in May?
- Fred Vigeant

Answer:  Thanks Fred, I find it very gratifying to hear from someone whose life
experience has been positively touched by a show we did.  May of '66 would
have been when We Five was around it's peak in performing ability for that era.
The core of the show hadn't changed in about 7 months, and most of the material
was pretty good, so when we walked on stage, if there was any kind of sound
system at all, we were able to do a good performance.  We worked very hard
to reach that point of the intimacy with the audience - and the audience reaction
was the payback.  Most of the college audiences we played to were fantastic.  
The give and take results in a very satisfying form of instant gratification that can't 
really be described.  Based on your description, it sounds like we connected
with yours, and vice versa!

Regarding recollections of that particular concert.

We Five played in New York state about 3 - 4 times.  The first was White Plains
headlining a Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour with the Byrds, the Raiders, and
Bo Diddley (the dates and lineup you described don't match).  I believe one of 
the others was at a high school where Simon and Garfunkel cancelled (they were
concerned that the 2 voice, 1 guitar format wouldn't go over with an audience 
that young).  I doubt if it was that show.  There was also at least one concert 
upstate (I recall flying to Albany and driving through some beautiful country to
get there). That's probably the one.  You mentioned the song "Somewhere" 
which was a fairly intimate arrangement and we might have done it in the show.
I can tell you that the finale segment always went from the "hear a pin drop"
silence of "My Favorite Things" (sung acapella) followed by "Somewhere Beyond
The Sea," and then "You Were On My Mind."  That might be what you are
remembering.  

Regarding "Journey"  I still have an old set list and it's on there, but, I can't 
remember how it went.  I know that we never put it out on a recording, so
the group stopped performing it in 1967 (which is probably why I can't remember
it).  I don't recall if the Kingston Trio ever did it - but it's possible.  Their last
couple of albums had lots of John's songs on them.  It would have been on Decca 
between 65 - 67.  

Once again, thanks for remembering.
God Bless, 
Jerry

Question:  Greetings, I'm a person that enjoys the oldies but goodies. Been 
going thru my old albums and came across "We Five"; played it and reminised
about how much I enjoyed their harmony and the like. Went to the web-site 
to get some info and found nothing about their original lead singer Beverly 
Bevins. Came across your web-site and found different members all-to-gether. 
It was my understanding that they disbanded because one of the members 
close to Beverly was killed. Can you fill me in on the 'doings' of the original 
group, and is Ms.Bevins still singing? A 'true' fan that appreciates good music 
when he hears it . . .Dave

Answer:  Thanks Dave,

It's always nice to hear from someone who enjoyed- - and still remembers - - 
We Five. Regardless of the group's personnel, harmony and good music 
have always been a cornerstone of what we do.  

Regarding Beverly, when I last spoke to her about 3 (1999) years ago, she was 
not singing professionally. There was never anything to the rumors 
about Beverly (or any of her close relationships that I know of) dying or 
triggering the demise of the original group. The dissolution was rooted 
in unfocused management that permitted a very young group to have too 
much autonomy.  We factionalized into a blues contingent, a pop contingent, 
and an "I'm out of here" contingent.  The fact that our second album went 
unreleased for over a year (until after we broke up)was a big source of 
frustration, as well.  

Beverly and her husband got into some fairly avant garde jazz, and what 
might be called pre-fusion music.  Bob Jones worked with several well 
known artists in the late 60's and was Michael Bloomfield's drummer 
until MB died.  Mike Stewart became a record producer (Billy Joel's Piano 
Man being his biggest hit).  Our original drummer (We 6th) John Chambers, 
played for several years with Elvin Bishop.  John is the only member I know of 
that has died. *note - Sadly Michael Stewart passed away since this response 
from Jerry  

Pete Fullerton and I began a group with my wife, Debbie (who had actually 
done a lot of work with We 5 behind the scenes for a couple of years), 
when We Five disbanded in 1967.   With A&M Records' encouragement, 
we acquired the name from the other members and The Return Of  We Five 
came out in 1968.  We teamed up with Mike Stewart again in 1969 when he 
produced our Catch The Wind album.  When Pete left the group in 1970, 
he became involved in a charity organization "Truck of Love"(which he now 
heads) that works with the homeless . 

Take Each Day As It Comes was the group's last release in the early 
70's. The group on that record has appeared at oldies shows and festivals 
over the years and is currently performing the  'Folk Rock Revival' 
show.  The show is really focused on corporate concerts and special 
events, so we don't tour. It is very faithful to what you remember, and I 
think that you would enjoy it.

Our oldest son, Chris, has been playing lead guitar in the group for 
about five years, and he recently started the WEB site you found.  If we 
are given permission, we would like to include some shots of prior 
members, but it is still early in the process. Thanks for asking - - and 
for remembering. 

Best regards,
Jerry 

Question: Hi Jerry......Pawing thru my accumulated singles today, I ran across 
Debbie's '75 A&M single, the Ron Nagle-penned "Cabin Fever". It credits a 
Michael Jackson as producer. Can't imagine another MJ producing, but I'd 
love to get confirmation if this was or wasn't THE Michael Jackson. Thanks
for your time, and all the best! 
Brad in Austin, TX 

Question:  I went to San Francisco's Washington High School, with drummer 
John Chambers (who once played with Coltrane, as well as Bishop, and Big Mama 
Thornton), and wondered if you could fill me in on the details of John's death. I last saw 
him in Pearl's in about 1988.  He played in a high school jazz group comprising Ernie 
Brecino (trumpet), Ron "The Rev" Stallings (tenor sax), Cornelius "Corny" Williams 
(piano), and the only non-student, Leon Cathay (standup bass). I remember 
"You Were On My Mind," well!  Heard that both John and Ron toured with your 
group right after high school ('65 - '66).  Is this correct? Have you heard of any of 
these musicians who played with John in high school?   I read a couple of rave 
reviews of Ron Stallings after high school, in the Village Voice, and would see 
him playing at the Fillmore and filling in with Bishop, Loading Zone, but don't 
know if he ever played in your band, or what became of him. 

James Gutierrez
						
					

Answer:  I'm a bit of a San Francisco Alum myself--I went to USF from Southern 
California in 1963.
						
						 Yes, John Chambers was the drummer who toured with 
us in We Five from 1965-67.  The studio drummer on the record was one of 
John's music teacher's--another well-known SF musician named Jerry Granelli
--who introduced us to John.  While I do know that John died many years ago,  
I don't know anything about the circumstances of his death.  Regarding knowledge 
of any of the other musicians in your E-Mail, I recognize the name of Ron Stallings.  
After going through a personnel change in 1968, We Five ultimately released 
five albums. A song we included on our 4th album (Catch the Wind -Vault Records 
1969) was "Come and Sit Down Beside Me."  It was co-written by Bob Jones, 
the original lead guitar player from We Five. One of the co-writers of that song, 
was Ron "Rev" Stallings.  Ron was never in We Five with me, but it is certainly 
possible that he played in a band with Bob Jones, John Chambers, and / or 
one of the other former members of the group who may have had occasion to play 
together after leaving We Five. If that were the case, some reference to the former 
association with We Five would have been likely, particularly in the late '60s when 
the name was still well known.