The Poor Souls
Years active1965 - 1967
196? - 197?
LabelsDecca, Quality
Spinoff ofThe Johnny Hudson Hi-Four

Poor Souls was a Scottish band who had a hit in the UK, broke up and then re-emerged as a Canadian band who recorded for the Quality Records label, and two hits in 1970 with "Lookin’ Round", and "Comin' Round". They also had another with "Land of the Few".

Background

The group's history goes back to Dundee, Scotland when a group called The Johnny Hudson Hi-Four aka The Hi-Four was formed. When another musician, Chick Taylor came on board, the name was changed to The Poor Soul. The UK line up consisted of John Moran (aka Johnny Hudson) on guitar & vocals, Doug Martin on bass & vocals, Chick Taylor on guitar & keyboards and John Casey on drums & vocals.

After sigining with Decca in 1965, they recorded the single, "When My Baby Cries" which was released in June that year on Decca F 12183. The song was a climber for the week ending, Sunday 11 July 1965.[1][2]

In 1966, they were signed to ALP Records. In July, they had chart success with "Love Me". The group toured the US military bases in East Anglia. In late 1966 the label went into receivership.

The group later went to Rome and played there for a while before breaking up in 1967. Three members, John Moran, Chick Taylor and John Casey went to Canada and settled in Toronto, recording for the Quality label.[3]

Career

Recordings

In 1970, the Canadian group had the single, "Lookin’ Round" bw "Scarecrow" released on Quality 1959X.[4] For the week ending 4 July, the single peaked at #3 in the Top 50 MAPL Canadian chart.[5][6][7] It also peaked at #28 on 11 July in the RPM 100 singles chart.[8]

They followed up with the similarly-titled single, "Comin’ Round" bw "Workin’ Man" on Quality 1980X.[9] The group was pictured with CKFH's John Donabie in 20 June issue of RPM Weekly. At that time their single was at #73 in the RPM 100 chart.[10] The single which was produced by Barry Keane had the label behind it in an interesting promotion. In a promotion that was described as an attention-getter, Canadian radio personalities were sent an engraved tin cup and pencils with "give to the poor souls" on the cup. Don O'Neil the program director of CHEX contacted Lee Farley of Quality Records to let him know that it worked. This exercise paid off for the group in the charts.[11] For the week ending 31 October, the single peaked at #14 on the Top 30 MAPL Canadian chart.[12][13] It also entered the RPM 100 Singles chart at #76.[14]

In 1971, "Land of the Few" bw "No More" was released on Quality 1998X.[15] On the week ending 5 June, it was at #71 in the RPM 100 Singles chart.[16]

Venues

Along with Rotary Connection, Brutus and Chimo!, they were booked to appear at the Midsummer Night's Rock Fest which ran from Fri 26 Jun 1970 - Sun 5 Jul 1970 in Michigan.[17] Later that year they were booked to appear at the Rock Hill Rock-In festival that ran from 5 September to 6 September that year. Other groups that were booked to appear there were Sound Spectrum from London, Ontario, Mud Flat from Toronto, Madrigal from Hamilton and April from Orangeville.[18][19]

In 1971, Poor Souls along with Leigh Ashford, Bruce Cockburn and Tim Hardin were the acts to play an 4 April benefit concert for group Srynx who lost most of their equipment in a fire.[20]

Break up

The group broke up after John Moran's wife died in an automobile accident.[21]

Later years

By 1973, John Moran was signed to Columbia Records. He had recorded an album, Come Join Me and had released a single of the same name which was in the progressive rock mode.[22]

Discography

UK group singles
Act Release Catalogue Year Notes #
Poor Souls "When My Baby Cries" / "My Baby's Not There" Decca F 12183 1965
Poor Souls "Love Me" / "Please Don’t Change Your Mind" Alp Records 595004 1966 [23]
Canadian group singles
Act Release Catalogue Year Notes #
Poor Souls "Lookin' Round" / "Scarecrow" Quality 1959X 1970
Poor Souls "Comin’ Round" / "Workin’ Man" Quality 1980X 1970
Poor Souls "Land of the Few" /" No More" Quality 1998X 1971 [24]

Members

UK
  • John Moran (aka Johnny Hudson) - guitar, vocals
  • Doug Martin - bass, vocals
  • Chick Taylor - guitar, keyboards
  • John Casey - drums, vocals
Canada
  • John Moran - guitar, vocals
  • Mike McDonald - guitar
  • Martin Soldat - keyboards
  • John Slorach - bass
  • Tommy Frew drums
  • Ron Ray - drums (replaced Tommy Frew)

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The
  2. ↑ Radio London - The Early Radio London Fab Forties, Sunday 11th July 1965, Climbers:
  3. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The
  4. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The, Singles, as The Poor Souls (Canada)
  5. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 13 No. 20 4 July 1970 - Page 9 TOP 50 MAPL Canadian Chart
  6. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 13 No. 21 - Page 9 TOP 50 Canadian Chart
  7. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 13 No. 22 18 July 1970 - Page 9 TOP 50 MAPL Canadian Chart
  8. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 13 No. 22 18 July 1970 - Pages 11 - 12 RPM 100 Singles
  9. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The, Singles, as The Poor Souls (Canada)
  10. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 13 No. 18 20 June 1970 - Page 14
  11. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 12 No. 19 27 June 1970 - Page 4 Poor Souls Promotion Paying Off
  12. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 14, No. 11 31 October 1970 - Page 7 RPM Top 30 MAPL Chart
  13. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 14 No. 12 7 November 1970 - Page 9 Top 20 MAPL Canadian Chart,
    Recommended singles meeting CRTC requirements for AM radio.
  14. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 14, No. 11 31 October 1970 - Page 9 RPM100 Singles
  15. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The, Singles, as The Poor Souls (Canada)
  16. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 17 12 June 1971 - Page 9 RPM100 Singles
  17. ↑ Festival - Midsummer Night's Rock Fest 1970
  18. ↑ Space City vol 2 no 6 Aug. 22 - sept. 4, 1970 - Page 24 ROCK
  19. ↑ Dufferin County Real-estate Guide, 29 October 2013 - 365 Things To Do In Orangeville, ON Rock Hill Rock-In The BigFun Week end, The ‘Freak Out’ Festival Of 1969 – Rock Hill Park by David Waters, Poster
  20. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 15 No. 8 10 April 1971 - Page 12 International benefit for fire-struck Srynx
  21. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The
  22. ↑ RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 13 10 November 1973 - Page 6 Columbia Reception for Moran-Egerton's 17 Oct.
  23. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The, Singles, as The Poor Souls (UK)
  24. ↑ The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - Poor Souls, The, Singles, as The Poor Souls (Canada)
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