Genre: pop
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title:  The Krystals
Company: Fourmost
Catalog: MS-8943
Year: 1968
Country/State: Labrador City, Canada / Haarem Holland
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG+
Comments: minor ring and edge wear
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6121
Price: $200.00

First off, good luck finding a copy of this Canadian obscurity. In thirty years of collecting I've only seen one copy of "The Krystals". Similarly, good luck finding any kind of information on the band ...

What little I can tell you about the band comes from the limited liner notes on their self-titled 1968 album. The line-up consisted of singer/bass player Stan Erbrink, drummer Roland Gaudet, keyboard player Ray March and guitarist Lloyd Thornhill. Recorded in RCA's Montreal Studios, Erbrink was also credited with producing, designing the cover and taking most of the album photos. Interestingly, there was a Stan Erbrink who was a member of the early-1960s Dutch band The Black Knights. I have no idea if there's any link, but on tracks like their cover of Chicago's 'Colour My World' Erbrink's vocals displayed a heavy accent that certainly wasn't English or French. So what's this rarity sound like? While the album lacked writing credits, the mix of apparent band originals and popular covers found the group bouncing around between pop, beat and mild-psych genres. They certainly weren't the most technically proficient band you've ever heard, but at least to my ears their occasional clumsiness was part of the charm. While most of the covers were at least passable (wonder why they felt the need to turn in two Chicago covers?), originals like 'You Love 'cos You Like It', 'Mr. In Between' and 'You Are Such a Good Looking Woman' were the real charmers. You also have to admire the group's willingness to record in French ('Je' N'aurai Pas Le Temps') and Spanish ('Maria Isabel')   

"The Krystals" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) You Love 'cos You Like It
2.) Mr. In Between
3.) You Are Such a Good Looking Woman
4.) He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
5.) El Condor Pasa (instrumental) (Paul Simon) - 
6.) Make Me Smile

(side 2)
1.) Over & Over
2.) Maria Isabel
3.) Je'N'aurai Pas Le Temps
4.) Colour My World
5.) Mamas and Papas (instrumental)
6.) Can't Have
7.) Creepin' Fuzz (instrumental) (Lloyd Thornhill)

For those of you influenced by such things, this one's listed in Hans Pokora's book as a three star rarity.


So The Krystals LP was one I liked, but wasn't crazy about (reinforced by a recent spin). Since posting the comments in 2007 I received one question about it ... that is until this interesting email crossed my in-box.

Hi there at Badcat Records,
 
It was a great surprise to me to find the name of "The Krystals" on your list after 44 years. My name is Stan Erbrink (Dutch nationality) and I was part of that band during 5 years. And yes: I'm the same Stan Erbrink of "The Black Knights". I hope you don't mind that I send you some comments.

First something about "The Black Knights": The band existed from 1961 to 1966 and actuated in the area of Haarlem/Heemstede (Holland). The music style was mainly Beatles, Shadows, popular rock etc. The band members were: Co Erbrink, (my brother) drums, Louis Kloes rhythm guitar, Peter Obdam bass guitar and myself lead guitar. In 1963 we got an offer from the dance-studio "Griffioen" in Haarlem to cut a record. It was our bass player Peter Obdam who wrote "Blue Dream" (a Shadow-like instrumental) and a beatsong "Little Girl". It was a sort of a publicity-act and the records were used as give-aways for new sign-ups to the dance-school. I can´t remember how many records were pressed, but it should be around 500 or 1000 copies at the most. In 1992 a Danish band "The Blue Stars" rerecorded the title Blue Dream on Rarity Records (catalog number C192463).

In 1966 after finishing my engineering studies I went to Labrador City, Canada and that was also the end of the band.
 
Something about "The Krystals":
 
The band was formed in November 1966 by Maurice (Moe) Caines a former singer/guitarist of "The Keatniks" (also from Labrador City). I joined Moe Caines together with Tommy Hynes and Cecil Lucas from the start. As happens with many bands there were a lot of changes and in the last two years the members of The Krystals were as is mentioned on the record. The record was recorded at R.C.A. studios in Montreal in November. 1970 in one tiring continuous session of 18 hours. It was an arduous job and this explains possibly the slight lack of quality, apart for not being professionals. The whole operation was self-financed. In January 1971 only 2000 copies were released. The reason for making the record was mainly that I wanted to leave a palpable reminder of the band in Labrador City where we played music for five years.
In October 1971 I went to South Africa and the band broke up.
 
With respect to the credentials I can tell you that only one title on the record is 100% ours, the name is "Creepin´ Fuzz" which was made by Lloyd Thornhill. The rest of the titles on the record are all from other composers. We should have written the credentials on the record, thinking back that was not an elegant thing to do. If I could do it over again certain errors like this (and others) would be eliminated.
 
I read your comments and critics on our record and sort of agree with you, what you think of us is more or less correct.
 
In case you want some photographic material, let me know, but that may take some time as I have to dig them out of the old luggage-trunk.
 
It was nice to find your website.
 
With kind regards.
 
Stanislaus (Stan) J. Th. Erbrink.