Wings
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 1967) - Oz Bach (RIP 1998) -- vocals, bass - Steve Knight (RIP 2013) -- keyboards - Jack McNichol -- lead guitar - Jerry Peloquin -- drums, percussion - Pam Robins -- vocals - Eddie Simon -- guitar
line up 2 1967-68) - Oz Bach (RIP 1998) -- vocals, bass - Steve Knight (RIP 2013) -- keyboards NEW - Jim Mason - vocals, rhythm guitar (replaced Eddie Simon) - Jack McNichol -- lead guitar - Jerry Peloquin -- drums, percussion - Pam Robins -- vocals
line up 3 1968) - Oz Bach (RIP 1998) -- vocals, bass - Steve Knight (RIP 2013) -- keyboards - Jim Mason - vocals, rhythm guitar (replaced Eddie Simon) - Jerry Peloquin -- drums, percussion NEW - Shia Richmond -- lead guitar (replaced Jack McNichol) - Pam Robins -- vocals
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- Crib and Ben (Eddie Simon) - The Devil's Anvil (Steve Knight) - The Euphoria Five (Pam Robins) - The Feenjon Group (Steve Knight) - The Guild Light Gauge (Eddie Simon) - The Hi Five (Pam Robins) - The Jefferson Airplane (Jerry Peloquin) - Mountain (Steve Knight) - The New York Electric String Ensemble (Jerry Peloquin) - The Peacemakers (Steve Knight) - The Red Onion Jazz Band (Steve Knight) - The Serendipity Singers (Pam Robins) - Spanky and Our Gang (Oz Bach) - Spooner Summit (Oz Bach) - Taksim (Steve Knight) - Tarantula (Oz Bach) - Webster's New Word (Jim Mason and Jerry Peloquin)
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Genre: folk-rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Wings Company: ABC Dunhill Catalog: DS
50046 Country/State: San Francisco, California Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: still in shrink wrap; open and torn Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $35.00
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By the time Wings signed to ABC Dunhill, the five members were all experienced and accomplished musicians. Singer/bassist Oz Bach had been a member of Spanky and Our Gang, quitting after the release of their first album. As a member of the studio entity The Devil's Anvil keyboardist Steve Knight had recorded a 1967 psychploitation album for Columbia Records. Jerry Peloquin had been a member of the South Bend, Indiana based Webster's New Word and The Jefferson Airplane's first drummer (replaced by Gus Duffy who was then replaced by Alex (Skip) Spence) and recorded a string of singles with San Francisco's Webster's New World Singer Pam Robins has been a member of The Serendipity Singers. Paul Simon's younger brother Eddie provided guitar, though before the band went into the recording studio he was replaced by former Webster's New World and Peter, Paul and Mary sideman Jim Mason.
Initially
calling San Francisco home, the band began playing bay area clubs, but
relocated to New York City where they pick up record label attention when
they were hired as the opening band for a series of nationally know touring
bands including Big Brother and the Holding Company and Sly & the Family
Stone. Signed by ABC Dunhill th
Amidst band infighting there was no support for the single, or a supporting tour for the album. Before the end of the year Wings was history with the members scattering to different projects; the most successful being Knight's stint with Mountain.
"Wings" track listing: 1.) See Someone Hangin' (Oz Bach) - 4:07 rating: **** stars While the anti-Vietnam war lyrics were surprisingly contemporary and to-the-point, melodically Bach's "See Someone Hangin'" clearly reflected his Spanky and Our Gang experiences. Really liked Bach's vocals and the song's energy. 2.) That's Not Real (Jim Mason - Pam Robins) - 3:26 rating: **** stars A beautiful country-rocker, showcasing Mason and Robins' blended vocals, "That's Not Real" was every bit as good as anything that was to follow with the early-'70s explosion of country-rock bands like late-inning The Byrds, Firefall, The Flying Burrito Brothers, etc. The song was tapped as a single:
- 1968's "That's Not Real" b/w "General Bringdown" ABC Dunhill catalog number 45-4165)
3.) General Bringdown (Jim Mason - Oz Bach - Pam Robins) - 2:30 rating: *** stars The harmony rich arrangement on "General Bringdown" bore a distinct comparison to Spanky and Our Gang and The Mamas and the Papas. While the vocals were nice, they were clearly derivative leaving Jack McNichol's guitar solo as the song's standout feature. The track also appeared as the "B" side to their "That's Not Real" single. 4.) First Time Is the Last (Oz Bach) - 3:00 rating: **** stars Every wondered what John Phillips and company would have sounded if they had elected to pursue a country-rock direction? Probably not. I certainly hadn't, but that's the impression the ballad "First Time Is the Last" left me with. Cloaked in sweet, seamless vocals, it's surprising how much I like this one. 5.) What Do I Know (Jim Mason) - 2:40 rating: **** stars "What Do I Know" found the band returning to harmony group-styled sunshine pop. The song showcased how well Mason and Robins voices blended, but once again the highlight came in the form of McNichol's fuzz guitar work.
(side
2) Powered by McNichol's' jazzy guitar "Pretty Little Girl" found the band returning to Mamas and the Papas styled harmony pop. Judging by this track Robins was every bit as good as Cass Elliott and Michelle Phillips combined. Shame Dunhill didn't tap this one as a single. 2.) Takin' It Lazy (Oz Bach - Jim Mason - Pam Robins - Felix Pappalardi - Gail Collins).- 3:15 rating: ** stars i.) Takin' It Easy (Oz Bach) rating: ** stars ii.) Lazy Afternoon) rating: ** stars A two part suite, "Takin' It Easy" was the first misstep. The harmonies were there, but the song wasn't particularly memorable; simply too MOR to make any impact. Sliding into "Lazy Afternoon" the results didn't get any better. Equally pleasant, but again too MOR for their own good and the whistling closeout didn't do anyone any good. Hard to believe Felix Pappalardi and Gail Collins would have their fingerprints on something so banal. 3.) Shrinking Violet (Pam Robins - Seth Evans) - 2:05 rating: ** stars With an old-timey feel, the barrel house piano and kazoo propelled "Shrinking Violet" strove to be cute, but like much of the Spanky and Our Gang catalog, simply failed. Horrible. I can actually picture this on a Cass Elliott solo album. That wasn't meant as a compliment. 4.) Different Kind of Woman (Jim Mason - Oz Bach - Pam Robins) - 2:40 rating: *** stars Opening up with some harpsichord, "Different Kind of Woman" was yet another harmony rich ballad. McNichol's' flamenco guitar section was momentarily interesting, but ultimately Jimmie Haskell's arrangement sank the tune. 5.) Changes (Keep Coming About) (Oz Bach) - 2:22 rating: ** stars With an interesting melody "Changes (Keep Coming About)" was promising until the Mamas and the Papas harmonies kicked in (as well as the dreaded whistling solo). 6.) Give Me Your Love (Jim Mason - Oz Bach - Pam Robins) - 2:11 rating: **** stars One of three Mason-Back-Robins collaborations "Give Me Your Love" was the track that came the closest to a conventional rock song. The patented harmonies were still there, but McNichol's' fuzz guitar was featured front and center. This was the song I would have tapped as a single.
After a battle with cancer Bach passed Away in September 1998.
Suffering form Parkinson's disease Knight passed away in January 2013.
© Scott R. Blackerby December 2025
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ey
went sent back west going into L.A.'s>'s Sunset Sound studio with
producer Steve Barri and arranger Jimmie Haskell. Dunhill seeming had
considerable faith in the band, letting
them record a collection of all-original material. Bach, Mason and Robins
were separately and collectively credited with all of the material.
Exemplified by tracks like "General
Bringdown", "What
Do I Know" and "Changes
(Keep Coming About)" musically the
bulk of "Wings" mined the same harmony-rich pop path
popularized by The Lovin' Spoonful, The Mamas and the Papas, Spanky &
Our Gang. The material and performances were generally quite good with
Mason and Robins' voices meshing in a pleasant fashion. Unfortunately
their sound was probably a year or two behind the public's ever changing
taste. As much as I enjoyed tracks like the anti-Vietnam war "See
Someone Hangin'", the band would have been better served further
exploring country rock as the did on the gorgeous single "That's
Not Real" and "First Time Is the Last", or harder edged
tracks like "Give Me Your Love".
Conclusion - it's a
pleasant listen, but hardly essentially. Shame they didn't get a
chance at a second album.