Mortimer

by Bryan ThomasMortimer evolved out of a later incarnation of the Teddy Boys, from Hyde Park, NY, who recorded a handful of singles for MGM and Cameo Records in 1966 and 1967. They masqueraded under a somewhat psychedelic pseudonym, Pinocchio & Puppets, for an two-sided instrumental single (the B-side was an Eastern raga rock version of "Cowboys and Indians," but is probably not the Michael Lloyd song), which was released by Mercury in 1967. In May 1968, the future members of Mortimer were in the front row of the live TV audience at The Tonight Show and got the chance to meet John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were in New York to launch their new Apple label and appear on the show. The band eventually ended up in London, where -- under the supervision of Peter Asher -- they recorded a few sessions for the label (an acetate of Mortimer's version of the Beatles' "Two of Us" is said to still exist in the vaults, although it apparently bears little resemblance to the Beatles' version). The group apparently came very close to signing with Apple, but ended up signing a production deal with U.K. record producer Daniel Secunda (brother of Procol Harum manager Tony Secunda) and his B.B.& D. Productions, Inc. The group cut a self-titled album, from which two singles were released, for Philips, but dissolved soon thereafter.