The Knickerbockers
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Biography
Best known for their 1965 single âLies,â garage rock band the Knickerbockers formed in 1964 in Bergenfield, New Jersey. Founded by brothers Beau Charles (born Robert Cecchino) on guitar and vocals and John Charles (born John Cecchino) on bass and vocals, the classic line-up also included Jimmy Walker (drums) and William âBuddyâ Randell (vocals / sax), they settled on the name the Knickerbockers in 1964 and were discovered by producer / artist Jerry Fuller and signed to the Challenge Records label. After releasing the singles âAll I Need is Youâ (1964) and âJerk Townâ (1965), the Knickerbockers scored a number 20 hit with âLies,â a single that combined a heavy Beatles influence with a garage rock edge. The follow-up single âOne Track Mindâ was destined to rise higher on the chart but distribution issues with Challenge Records ensured that it never charted higher than number 46. The group continued to release singles throughout 1966 and 1967 â including âHigh on Love,â âChapel in the Fields,â Love is a Bird,â and âI Can Do it Betterâ â but they didnât make much of a commercial impact. Albums like Jerk & Twine Time (1966) and Lies (1966) suffered distribution issues and both Buddy Randell and Jimmy Walker left in 1967. The Charles brothers eventually retired the Knickerbockers name by 1970 and moved on to other musical projects. The Charles brothers and Jimmy Walker reunited briefly as the Knickerbockers in 1983 followed by a full reunion of the classic line-up in 1990 but nothing significant resulted from those reunions. Buddy Randell died in 1998. Jimmy Walker died on July 15, 2020.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Lies (are breaking my heart)
- They Ran For Their Lives
- Do Ya'love Me? (Rec. December 11,1929)
- Zur Lieber Polka
- Rumors, Gossip, Words Untrue
- Walzer Von Ibete
- Why do You Suppose? (Rec. December 11,1929)
- Bayrische Defilier Marsch
- Me! (Rec. July 21, 1931)
- Gau Platter
- In Der Heimat - Marsch Potp
- Kamaradschaft Marsch
- Die Ferne Polka
- Kronen Laendler
- Rosenheimer Maedeln Walzer
- Gretchen Polka
- Blumenstrauss Walzer
- Just One More Chance
- Lustig Im Keller Polka
- Where Can You Be? (from "Cheer Up And Smile")
- Traum Einer Kriegers Walzer
- Heimkehr Polka
- Stick With Me
- Blue Skies
