The original LP cover, though this track was ripped
from an oddball Command/ABC/Probe records sampler (see below)
Listen – Mystic Number National Bank – Beautician Blues – MP3
Greetings all.
I hope the beginning of the new week finds you well.
The tune I bring you today is by one of those groups, where I knew the name years before I had any idea what they sounded like.
The late 60s was filled with ludicrously named bands, so much so that I could probably list five or ten of them, make up five more, mix them up and you’d never know the difference. I seem to remember a George Carlin AM/FM routine where he namechecks an imaginary group called the Indoor Outdoor Electric Protestant Blues Band (or somesuch…).
The Mystic Number National Bank is one of those (real) bands.
What little I’ve been able to find out about them, suggests that they hailed from Kansas City. They were – as ‘Beautician Blues’ reveals – yet another in a long line of whiteboy, overdriven electric blues machines, of which there was a decided surplus in the Woodstock era.
Much in the same way that I dig the Vanilla Fudge’s visions of excess on the soulful side of things, in which the Wilson Pickett is crossed with a healthy dose of hallucinogenics, then refried, amplified and shot out of a rocket, I dig the Mystic Number National Bank’s mélange of Blind Lemon Lunchpail (or Rutling Orange Peel as the case may be…), wrapped in an impossibly large heap of long greasy hair, leather lunged wailing and what I’m sure was a slightly straight looking horn section working the back of the stage. There’s a 1969 festival mud vibe running through the record that’ll take you away if you let it.
I also dig that the drummer was apparently the vocalist, and was doing his level best to shout down the less than inspiring twin lead guitar attack, which has a sloppiness that suggests to me that the producer was either stoned, or dealing with some kind of corporate time constraints that allowed for one take and one take only.
So take off your shoes, let the mud swallow your toes and shake your ass to the sound of the Mystic Number National Bank.
Peace
Larry
PS Head over to Funky16Corners for a a very tasty slice of late 60s Chitown soul!
PSS Check out Paperback Rider which has actually been updated!
Iron Leg 
I’m wondering if this isn’t a different take. I have this on a 45 and I remember it sounding a bit different. I’ll have to dig my 45 out of it and check, but it’ll probably be a while before I find it.
Brian
Let me know.
L
Love it – and what a great track listing – Both Sides Now, Topless Dancers,
Will have to keep an eye out for that one
There’s also a Soft Machine track on the other side. I picked it up for about five bucks. Well worth it.
I dug out my 45 of “Beautician Blues” and it definitely has some differences. For one, there’s a harmony vocal backing the lead. For another, the guitars seem to be a bit louder and there’s not as much shouting on this . There is some shouting, though, but not as much as on the track you presented. Also, the 45 version is in mono, not stereo, and while it’s definitely as funky, it also has a more raucous quality. At least, that’s what I think.
Unfortunately, I don’t have MP3 capacity around here, so I can’t share it. But if you want to seek out the 45 for yourself, the filp side is a slow version of “St. James Infirmary.” My particular copy has “St. James Infirmary” printed on both sides by mistake. Hopefully, you’ll have a little bit better luck.
Hope that helps a little.
I was lucky enough to have seen MNNB many times in the sixties. Their lead guitar player, Bob Seabow(not sure of the spelling) had a clubbed hand and played his instrument with what little nubs of fingers he had left….no pick, just the nub. He may sound sloppy on the album but in person he was truly amazing.
There was a cult following around the Place in Westport , the Art institute and all the hangouts around the Westport area ! Rick S. , we may have known each other back in the day . Bobs brother Greg L. , Barry T. , Jerry S. ? I believe Christina may be from the Johnson county area as well . Bruce Dodson hooked up with the wrong woman and wound up dead behind it . Rick , did you date a girl named Mercadies ?Oh well maby not the same Rick S. I’m on Facebook blog me sometime
In the late 60s at The Place in Westport ,Mo on any given weekend you could here Bob Sebbo , Glenn Walters , Dave Lorenze and Russ Booth cooken up some psycadelic soulfull rockin blues as The Mistic Number National Bank Band .They were kind enough to let me set in once in a while along with Ed Toler Steve, Mc Clane or whoever was in the house. Many fond memories of a band that could make you dance , whatever shape you were in !! I believe Glenn is still playing and I’ve found a website called ” Lamenting Amy Winehouse ” by Bob Sebbo and the Naughty Combo. I don’t know what happened to Dave or Russ .
You can find Glenn Walters at ,Google ,Glenn Walters Band
Bob communicates off and on with me and last wrote from New Jersey, where he has been living for quite awhile. He still plays and creates fabulous art. Glenn is playing in the SF Bay Area. Don’t know what happened to Dave…. still in KC? Sadly, Russ Booth died of a brain aneurysm several years ago. Searching around on the web I found info that Ed Toler has also passed away….DAMN! Both left us way too soon.
RIP my old friends.
A friend that played with Bob and Russ before Glenn came along { Steve } told me about Glenn’s project in 2000 on the web page called , Doc Kupa presents The Strokland Superband . That band has Mike Finnigan , Edgar Winter ,Huey Louis , Lydia Pence and many more . On the same page Glenn Walters has a recording listed as The King Of Retro Super Cool and on Glenn’s TAG he also shows recordings of The HooDoo Rythum Devels . I really enjoyed them , reminded me of a highly polished and produced version of the good ol days ! Glenn still has a very unique sound=== PEACE
As my old buddy Bill said, Glenn is very active singing in SF and has several solo albums available. His voice is even better than in the MNNB days. I am still in contact with Bob Sebbo. We email all the time and talk on the phone every few months. Bob retired and now lives in northern Wisconsin. He is still playing guitar, writing songs, and is a big Amy Winehouse fan, hence his laments on youtube. Someone told me Dave Lorenz was in Springfield MO, but I am not certain about that. Larry, if you need or want additional info about the Bank, I can probably help you or put you in touch with Bob or Glenn.
Russ Booth was my father. I’m very sorry to say he passed away back in 1997 from a brain aneurism.
I know what happened to Russ. He died. And I’m in touch with Glenn Walters and Sebbo. They’re my good friends and always will be.
The Place in Westport was actually three clubs in one at the same address. There was the blues/psychedelic side with overhead projectors casting images of oil and water pulsating to the rhythms of the onstage band (which included Ball and Chain, The Mystic Number National Bank and the Siegel/Schwall Blues band.) The east side of the club was strictly jazz. Milt Abel played there often. At the back was the C.W. Moss Memorial Saloon named after a character from the movie, Bonnie and Clyde. Joe Maccraken managed the place for its owner at the time. I designed and painted the art for the walls of the Moss saloon, painted a caribbean scene entitled “Rock Steady is Coming” on the front window (it never did) and collected admission for the psychedelic side of the bar. I had a front seat view of Sebbo and Walters and marveled at their artistry. Their version of “Summer Time Blues” turned the tables on early sixties rock and brought the crowd into something new, something that peaked at Woodstock.
Correction: MNNB may have played “Summer Time Blues”, but the tune that they slowed down and made their own was “Bony Maroney”. Also should mention the owner of The Place in Wesport in the late sixties was Ken Hill.
I must say, Larry hit the nail on the head when he guessed “corporate time constraints” as a reason for sloppiness. We not only had to record the whole thing in two days, but we had to find our own way to New York (bread truck which of course broke down) and pay for our own lodging. Since we couldn’t afford to stick around, all the production and horn overdubs were done after we left. The producers made sure they got writing credit so they could collect the ASCAP advance (who knew?) We received the finished product in the mail and listened in puzzlement. The album cover won some kind of award and I was ripped to the tits on acid in the band photo.
Fascinating line-up on the compilation!
Hi, Glenn!
My friends and I danced to your music often at The Place. Great memories and great fun!
My dad was the bass player for this band!
Hi Hannah, I’d love to be in contact with you, if you’d like to share stories about your dad. =Glenn
Absolutely! I’m on facebook. Or you band e-mail me, band_geek412@att.net.
Must have been taking a walk down memory lane today..was excited to bring up this site. I remember The Place and all of you well. My ex was John Green. I had a great time helping Greg Sebbo with the light show on occasion. I still can hear “I Put a Spell On You”!
Fabulous encounter. Thanks
The Place was the place in the 1960s. Rockin’ and dancin’ with “The Bank.” Good times.
Mike Scheibach – wow, just wow….
love and peace
Jon Strain’s little sister
Forever friend of Steve Mitchell (my adopted bro)
Janet
Lamenting Amy Winehouse and others….. Endearing.
Reminds me of satin doll and ‘deed I do.