"The Ambertones" East Los Angeles, CA (1965)




 (Original 1965 pressing from my collection)

    Chicano groups from East L.A like "The Ambertones" have left their mark on the raza's musical history. The Ambertones were special however, because they could pull off almost ANY sound! Be it: Surf, Garage, Doo Wop, R&B, Blues,  and Soul - The Ambertones could play them all. They started out as "The Scepters" in the early 60's, while the group's members attended Roosevelt & Garfield Highschool in East LA. Their main style at first was surf, and later on in about '63, they started doing R&B covers and getting more and more into their own sound. The Ambertones eventually played for school and teen dances, and even won first place prize at Battle of The Bands at the Hollywood Palladium. In October of 1965, while on their second record label (and by now about to record their third release) - The Ambertones did a GORGEOUS cover of the Lenny Welch tune, "I Need Someone".  The flip-side of this 45 RPM single was "If I Do", an original Garage styled composition, which makes this record highly sought after by collectors. Due to the huge popularity "I Need Someone" and demand for this record, it was pressed up a second time and bootlegged in 1969 on a pale looking "Dottie" label.


(Direct recording sample from this rare 45)

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