The Mad Lads
{{Short description|American rhythm and blues vocal group}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The Mad Lads
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias = The Emeralds
| origin = Memphis, Tennessee, United States
| genre = R&B, soul music,{{cite web|url=https://www.oldies.com/artist-songs/The-Mad-Lads.html|title=The Mad Lads|website=Oldies.com|accessdate=10 December 2021}} doo-wop
| years_active = 1964–1972
occasionally after 1984
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members = John Gary Williams
Julius Green
William Brown
Robert Phillips
Sam Nelson
Quincy Billups Jr.
Daryl Grandberry
}}
The Mad Lads were an American rhythm and blues vocal group, who recorded on the Stax subsidiary label Volt in the 1960s. Their biggest hits were "Don't Have to Shop Around" (1965) and "I Want Someone" (1966).
Career
The group was formed at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The original line-up comprised John Gary Williams, Julius E. Green, William Brown and Robert Phillips. They were originally called The Emeralds, but changed their name because there was another group of that name; the name "Mad Lads" was suggested by Stax employee Deanie Parker in response to the group's behavior and also in recognition of local disc jockey Reuben "Mad Lad" Washington.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XLdsRwpZ9oYC&q=%22John+Gary+Williams%22&pg=PA71 |title=Rob Bowman, Soulsville, U.S.A.: the story of Stax Records, Music Sales Group, 2003, pp.71-73 |isbn=9780825672842 |accessdate=2014-03-03|last1=Bowman |first1=Rob |year=1997 |publisher=Schirmer Books }}{{cite web|url=http://www.staxmuseum.com/about/artists/view/the-mad-lads |title=The Mad Lads at Stax Museum |publisher=Staxmuseum.com |date= |accessdate=2014-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814222708/http://www.staxmuseum.com/about/artists/view/the-mad-lads|archive-date=August 14, 2011}} They first recorded for Stax in 1964, releasing "The Sidewalk Surf", co-written by Isaac Hayes under the name Ed Lee, which was not a hit. However, their second record, "Don't Have to Shop Around", rose to no. 11 on the Billboard R&B chart, and no. 93 on the pop chart.{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=1996 |publisher=Record Research |page=281}} Featuring organ by Hayes and piano by Booker T. Jones, it has nonetheless been described as "curiously anachronistic, owing more to doo-wop than southern soul," and featured "the high, innocent tenor of John Gary Williams."{{cite web|author=The Mad Lads |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-mad-lads-p4818/biography |title=Biography by Richie Unterberger at |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2014-03-03}}
They followed up with "I Want Someone", "I Want a Girl" and "Patch My Heart", which were all R&B hits in 1966. However, towards the end of the year Williams and Brown were drafted. The group continued to make live appearances with the pair being replaced by Sam Nelson and Quincy Billups Jr., but the new line-up's recordings were not as successful. After Williams returned from military service, he was reinstated in the group, over other members' protests, at the insistence of record company co-owner Jim Stewart. The group continued to have R&B chart hits through to 1969, their final hit being a version of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" which also reached the pop chart. The group continued to record into 1973 and finally split up.
Williams recorded a solo album, John Gary Williams, at Stax in 1973. He later worked outside the music business in Iowa and Los Angeles, before forming a new touring version of the Mad Lads in 1984. The new group recorded an album, Madder Than Ever, in 1990.
Julius E. Green died on January 14, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?7627-R-I-P-Julius-Green-(Original-member-of-The-Mad-Lads) |title=R.I.P Julius Green (Original Member of the Mad Lads) |publisher=SoulfulDetroit.com |date= |accessdate=2014-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303153417/http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?7627-R-I-P-Julius-Green-(Original-member-of-The-Mad-Lads)|archive-date=March 3, 2014}} William C. Brown III died on July 24, 2015, aged 69.{{cite web|url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/entertainment/music/william-brown-was-mad-lads-singer-shaft-engineer-ep-1203539362-324102861.html|title=William Brown was Mad Lads singer, 'Shaft' engineer|publisher=Commercial Appeal|date=July 27, 2015}} John Gary Williams died in May 2019, aged 73.{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/john-gary-williams-of-r-b-group-the-mad-lads-dies-at-age-73/510519592/|title=John Gary Williams of R&B group The Mad Lads dies at 73|website=Star Tribune|accessdate=30 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528185857/http://www.startribune.com/john-gary-williams-of-r-b-group-the-mad-lads-dies-at-age-73/510519592/|archive-date=May 28, 2019}} The Mad Lads were inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame Class of 2014.
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="2"| Chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Label |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="40"|US Pop ! width="40"|US R&B |
| 1966
| align="left"| The Mad Lads in Action | — | 17 | rowspan="4"| Volt Records |
| 1969
| align="left"| The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lads | 180 | 46 |
| 1973
| align="left"| A New Beginning | — | — |
| 1990
| align="left"| Madder Than Ever | — | — |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="2"| Chart positions |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:40px;"| US Pop ! style="width:40px;"| US |
| | 1964
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Sidewalk Surf" | — | — |
| | 1965
| style="text-align:left;"| "Don't Have to Shop Around" | 93 | 11 |
| rowspan="4"| 1966
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Want Someone" | 74 | 10 |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Sugar Sugar"
| — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Want a Girl"
| — | 16 |
| style="text-align:left;"| "Patch My Heart"
| — | 41 |
| rowspan="2"| 1967
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Don't Want To Lose Your Love" | — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "My Inspiration"
| — | — |
| rowspan="2"| 1968
| style="text-align:left;"| "Whatever Hurts You" | — | 31 |
| style="text-align:left;"| "So Nice"
| — | 35 |
| rowspan="2"| 1969
| style="text-align:left;"| "Love Is Here Today And Gone Tomorrow" | — | — |
| style="text-align:left;"| "By the Time I Get to Phoenix"
| 84 | 28 |
| | 1970
| style="text-align:left;"| "Seeing Is Believin'" | — | — |
| | 1971
| style="text-align:left;"| "Gone! The Promises Of Yesterday" | — | — |
| 1972
| style="text-align:left;"| "Let Me Repair Your Heart" | — | — |
| 1973
| style="text-align:left;"| "I'm So Glad I Fell In Love With You" | — | — |
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs artist}}
- [http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/clash-road-trip-john-gary-williams-larry-dodson-interview Interview with John Gary Williams]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mad Lads, The}}
Category:American soul musical groups
Category:American funk musical groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1964