The 1910 Fruitgum Company Live @ Mount Holly August 1969

Now a lot’s been said about bubblegum music, its merits as well as its limitations. What can you really say about a genre that aims for the sub-teen market and yet appeals to teens as well as adults? Frank Patrick, the most visible owner of the infamous Daniel’s Den satellite of six or so teen clubs (originating in Saginaw), knew something was up with this new act, 1910 Fruitgum Company. Not that he liked bubblegum music or rock music, or any music for that matter. And maybe he wasn’t aware of the distinctions. But he was aware of what was hot in the market, as the former manager of Gettel Motor Sales and E.F Wieneke Ford, Patrick knew a thing or two about business and he was savvy 'bout getting the scoop on upcoming bands through talent agencies such as Ron Sunshine and industry subscription services that would rate new records. Well, Patrick took a chance on this new band and booked them for a one-off performance in 1968. Thing is Patrick booked ‘em when their 1st single, Simon Says, was climbing the charts and by the time 1910 was slated to play Daniel’s Den, Simon Says was a bonafide #1 Nationwide Smash Hit and the manager for the 1910 Fruitgum Company wanted to re-open the contract. Seems, Patrick agreed to pay them $1200 but now they wanted the going rate for a band with a #1-with-a-bullet-hit record, about $3500-$5000. No way. Frank Patrick was known for his iron-clad contracts (even sued Dick Wagner & The Frost for breach of contract, once upon a time), so the 1910 fellas had to buck up and play for peanuts. But I’m not reviewing that show, didn’t see it and didn’t care to see it at the time. But this Mt. Holly show was a different matter altogether ‘cos I had seen the Fruitgum Company at a Buddha Records showcase at the 1st Congregational Church just a few months before. The Reverend Gary Miller was the youth pastor and a regular customer at White’s Bar. He later went on to some kinda fame as one of the founding members of the New Reformation Jazz Band. Anyway, the show featured all them great Buddha Records acts including the Ohio Express, the Shadows of Knight, Question Mark (sans the Mysterians), and Jamie Lyons and the Music Explosion.

But the headliner, and the best of the lot, was the 1910 Fruitgum Company, led by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark “G” Gutkowski. In previous photos, and on television performances, he was the one with the policeman’s helmet playin’ the organ. But now he’s playing guitar and singin’ all them great bubblegum masterpieces in that oddly compelling boyish voice, such as the wonderfully salacious1,2,3 Red Light, Goody Goody Gumdrops, May I Take A Giant Step, and Indian Giver.

It was bubblegum at its juiciest!


But 8 months later, the Fruitgum Company was in a different bag, heavy jam rock complete with a horn section. Still, Mark “G” and his brother continued to write some fairly limber pop songs despite the decided format change. They recorded one last album, which I purchased before the show…


Hard Ride. On the cover is what looks like a motorcycle gang, all hairy, dirty and smelly and tattooed, and for all general appearances and purposes, look as if they are ready and able to rape, pillage and plunder at the drop of a hat...er... ah...helmet. Hmm, change of image…ARRRR, right ya arrrr, me mates. So I’m off to Mt. Holly with my buddy Bill Gerrish and a few others who could really give a shit one way another, at least maybe they’d meet some girls...don’t hold your breath. But me...I was there for the Fruitgum Company. Loved ‘em. They could sing and play better than a whole lotta bands I’ve seen and they wore the bubblegum crown like a tongue pressed firmly in their cheek until its all bulge-in’ out and noticeable. Nah...I didn’t care about anything else, not even the girl with the long dark hair, all tangled and sexy, she’s wearin’ a haulter top, revealing her firm supple gifts, and her jeans are skin-tight and she has a fine upright and uptight cantilevered ass. So...ok, I tried to talk to her but she wasn’t havin’ any, seems she was there to see the opening act

Turns out to be Grand Funk Railroad.
But I had never heard of 'em.
Had she mentioned the Pack or Terry Knight & the Pack, I woulda had more of an inkling. But NO, she doesn’t breathe a word about that. So I start to listen, the music is all dark and morbid, a bit cumbersome like Roy Wood on downers doin’ that Wizzard thing. I recognize a few songs such as Season of the Witch, sure don’t sound like Donovan, Land of 1000 Dances, give me Hannibal & the Headhunters any time before this lugubrious piece of crap. And their version of Midnight Hour was such a monolith of sound and noise and so devoid of any soul as to be almost unrecognizable - now that I liked. She loved Grand Funk and I was startin’ to love them...but I walked away...had to - better things to do. After all, 1910 was due on the main stage in just a few minutes. I wanted to get up real close and personal. See ya

Finally! 1910 Fruitgum Company climbs the stage and Mark “G” is front and center, only his hair is short-cropped and curly and he’s wearing tinted glasses and he’s playin’ bass guitar. He’s still the leader and takes charge of the mic, introducing the songs and the players (including Richie Gomez, formerly of the Soul Survivors - remember Expressway To Your Heart ?), but he's changed, low-key and not as spontaneous. "What's up". They start out with The Train, their last semi-hit from the Hard Ride album. It’s not so much bubblegum anymore, but a kinda funky white-boy soul music. Mark’s voice is in fine form and the band is tight. The horn section provides some punch to the arrangements of the bubblegum hits such as Indian Giver and Special Delivery. And Gutkowski’s Don’t Have To Run And Hide is a rockin’ gem, perhaps their most realized composition for the Fruitgum Company as a working, touring and recording outfit. The band stretches out with a coupla jams from their latest album Togetherly Alone, and Beggars Epitaph but they also mix in covers, like a wicked version of the Beatles’ Ob-La-Di, Ob-la-Da (Molly now does IT with the band) with Gutkowski’s original songs such as The Thing and Creations of Simon.

I left the show feeling somewhat vindicated, none of my friends would dare to express any kind of appreciation for “bubblegum” music, wasn’t cool. But they did – rather begrudgingly - admit that the Fruitgum Company was ok. And they were...

Bo White
July 4th, 2005