“I’m Gonna Get You” / “On My Mind” (Inner 501/2) November 1965

It’s a shame that the label to my Mustache Wax slab of genius is torn and crudely coloured in with orange felt tip but it’s the music that counts at the end of the day for me.

Mustache Wax hailed from the Bronx area of New York although I have read elsewhere that some members came from Queens/Kew Gardens.

’I’m Gonna Get Get You’ is a memorable folk rock jangler, the other side ’On My Mind’ is a minor key moody beat number that has constant changes of pace – slow then fast – quite unusual really.

The record got a mention in Billboard trade paper circa December 1965 as a ’spotlight’ new release.

Since I wrote about this fine record I have made contact with Mustache Wax member David Knopf. David kindly provided some much needed information about his 60s combo.

David Knopf: It’s amazing how the Internet helps bring things together. I was the bass player in Mustache Wax, and all the members were from the Riverdale section of the Bronx. It’s the northern tip of the borough, right before you get to Yonkers in Westchester County.

”I’m Gonna Get You”, the jingle-jangle song, was written by Eddie DiBiase, who may be the Queens connection you mention. Eddie, as I recall, also played the harmonica and did very well. It was an impromptu addition and added a lot to the song. Eddie was also Inner Records, which was part of something called Universal I. I don’t know if they label put out other records or was a one-shot deal.

The B side, well-described on your website, was written by guitarist Danny Lutzky, who at the time de-ethnicized his last name by calling himself Daniel Lane.  

Other members of the band: the singer was Lloyd Goldberg, also the drummer. We had a large black mustache painted on his front drum head and Richie Winston, guitar. I know there was one 12-string used on the A side. Might’ve been two. The song was recorded in a studio on 42nd Street in Manhattan. As far as I remember, we were high school juniors.

The band was together for a while, with different names and line-ups, but Mustache Wax was our last stop together. I’d imagine the group was together maybe a year with those members.

In addition to a brief road trip to Pennsylvania (I recall we were told that the A side reached No. 5 in Allentown, Pa.), we opened for The Lovin’ Spoonful in a concert hall in Providence, R.I.

Someone in the Kansas City area (where I now live and perform as a songwriter) contacted me after I wrote a humour column about the band experience and my desire to tour as a solo when I retire.

The fellow is a historian of garage bands and actually guessed the name of the band, the record label and the year the song was recorded. He mentioned that the song was reissued on a bootleg compilation by Pebbles. It’s funny to me that we’re considered a garage band because we all lived in high-rise, semi-suburban apartment buildings.

Here’s the story link: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/19/4127651/david-knopf-gas-up-the-vw-im-ready.html#storylink=misearch

I’m completely amazed that anyone even knows the record existed!