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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1970-08-06, Page 6•0 U RIOH .8IQ.NAlogrAR U ,SDAY,, AUGUST 6,1 79 riental Last week Marty .Baechler camehome for his sister's wedding. Lynda Baechler is now . Mrs. Ray Allin. Nothing unusual there,, brothers are always travelling home to beat their . sisters' weddings. But Marty Baechler has an alias -= Jimmy Finch. And Jimmy Finch has a band, the Oriental Mod Squad. The Mod Squad and Marty arrived in town one week early for Lynda's big day and played the Candlelight Tavern - better known to most of us as the Pizza Patio (we still serve pizzas!): Lynda ' will be able • to remember her day through the photographs Gerry Cover took ..a.„the event. Fo he.est ;:nf • ooderici , t'r>Iikbe::rememb e t because the Oriental Mod Squad was *in town, and txhe pied piper had nothing on them. The band was formed about -a .-year::aga.and-has been -busk sin , ,.thin making th aightr-club circuit in Canada and the United States. A measure . of their success can be had from the knowledge, that they were booked into th - fabulous Caesars Palace in Lai Vegas for a week before :playing, Campbell's in London. They have bookings now as far as they care to see ahead add are looking forward to another trip to Las Vegas. Success hasbeen a : Marty Baechler catchword. He never took a lesson on bass guitar, but does an outstanding job on it. ,He never took a lesson as a' booking agent, unless we count those that came -from the school of hard knocks, but he did well at that fo" :Ve doil"know that he . ever took lessons in personality but he and the rest of the Oriental Mod Squad really come out tops in that department. Personality seems to be the name of the game for this group of highly talented people: They combine a blend of oriental charm with western music and bring. ;.about a result Goderich will not forget. The Pizza Patio • was packed for the group's week long stay. Parking lots overflowed, tables were as scarce as diamonds in a lily pond, even elbowroom at the doors was at a premium: For those of us who were fortunate enough to make the Marty • Myrna Lanny, Donny Michael r • Oriental Mod Squad .1 and the 0 • ern ars Story and photos by Ron Price "inner sanctum" a brand of entertainment was served• along with' a little oriental soulfood -- that has the rock and roll and other similar • musical groups beat all to heck. The music was. recognizable, stimulating, just plain Ain, to listen to. And perhaps that's the reason for their • success, the Oriental Mod Squad has FUN While they work, and it comes through in their music-. But let's introduce the group: Marty of course needs little introduction, he's a Goderich boy, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Con Baechler, Britannia Road. Attended public school here and GDCI. ' Became interested in nusiamearly.::agev.started -:a • esta, v5a«successf l"' en zor": young people's groups and finally went into the ' booking business for about a year and a half before the formation •of the 'Oriental Mod SquadPlays'bass guitar and. sings. Had his goal set as Lao Vegas and made it. Looking forward to .a return trip. The businessman of the group... Danny Harrison is from London, 'England. Has a really fine singing voice - mellow tones and . all that and his • impression of Al Jolson brought the crowd to its feet .. with applause. Also plays guitar ,and banjo - and occasionally falls off mini bikes! First class - performer, very talented and very lucky - he's married to Myrna. ' h Myrna . Sun . came to Canada from Kingston, Jamaica, about four years. ago. At the time the gr"ouip� was rte"d she says 'The was doing nothing but cook for Danny. She -sings - with a slight oriental lisp, -plays saxaphone and brightens the group -with her beauty., Lanny Shum is the clown of , the group - and the one with hidden talent. His voice , is a, pleasure to listen to, his antics are a delight: to watch, he serves a fme plate of oriental soulfood and fills in on drums. And if you happen to be able to watch. channel". 11 TV Hamiltonon August 23 between . 3 and .3;,30 p.m. you will be privileged to see a show called "I love you medley„" which was produced by Lanny. He came to Canada from r Hong Kong a year and a half ago wait for the weekendfor. to study television production. It was true Of -their stay here. The August 23 show ls his first: Mart, had his family to visit He took a leave of absence from- - with, although- -there waa-time producing when the group was _for water_ _skiing, .and boating - formed, which seems like a good way to broaden one's outlook. Michael Kumo . is billed as Indonesian. His attitude toward .3nusic and the quality of his English leads me to believe he, at ° the very least; spent a lot of time in the western hemisphere, trip with the group. The -rest spent their time seeing the town and at least Danny and Myrna made .it to the museum. Danny is a bieof a shutter bug and headed for the beach often as not to look for shots. They enjoyed their stay . and possible4n western Canada, but felt the town was "really great" that's only guessing. He certainly -- andthat's a group quote. has done a lot of travelling. , Esprite de corps appears to He was a high school teacher __exist within the group and also playing in groups in his spare outside it. Brian, Ayers of Grant time until he decided to make Smith and • the Powers, met the the switch to music full time. He Oriental Mod Squad while it•was ' ioe� rsgnet teamurng+. Vegas While 'sthe:•' 'ow.erS ••`' hootwasitoolkustratifirland ; were= playing° ~�Lampiyeyeilrs in°� `�• he believes the only way to go London, Brian drive up to now is up. He's taking a course Goderich and met ' up with the in music with. a BA..�in.,.. mind. -. group;again while we were at -- With that kind of -quality, how Judith Gooderham Methorial _..can the ou ail"?"_.. ... _.. __.. _.... Methorial . _ . P Park for a picture -taking session. Michael plays guitar,_ On Saturday Lynda_married saxaphoii and a real- mean her man and Marty and-, the clarinet. lid ----dso does some Oriental. a Mod Squad played at pretty trick fingering with a the wedding. Now they are off speciality of his plays y the for another trip on the road • • guitar on the back of his ead! Ice is also the father of a one -month-old baby boy.. Ricky Yasuda is from Tokyo, - Japan. Hat been 'in Canada about 10 years,and makes the sticks fly, on the drums.." Histo` facial expressions during his'solos lead pile . to believe ` that's spat pain he's feeling, but the group tells me he's really, feeling no pain! Musical °glasses and a solo on chopsticks are somethirig,,,but his perf(irmance on the guitar --- using -using drumsticks of course -- with Mcl:lei" proidrg the chords, is really something. else. Ricky also plays trombone and one number that gets the' audience participation ,involves Ricky -on Trombone, Myrna on Sax and Michael on Clarinet: Marty , and Danny ' are tied to their guitar . amplifiers and can't move. Lanny fills in on drums. That's the group; They ' have something about them that 'makes a person feel friendly. • They geton well together *and, as we said, they have -fun while they play. - Marty.sums up the kind of life they lead off-stage (so to speak) by saying he has always felt the band leads the kind - of life all week that everyone else has to • • From Goderich to Welland - from Welland to the high spot in Ontario night life, the Beverly Hills Hotel in Toronto for ,a week, starting September 14. If you missed them here, meet them there. It will be worth the trip.. The Beverly Hills Hotel :;is located at Highway 400 and 401 so you don't even have to 'go downtown. And for all you enthusiasts who might want to send some a fan snail, send it to the agent for.— the or___the t'l Oriental Mod Squad, Bud a .,Mort; ; '' e' `'" 1Bud .�., Nitittoif Agency, 240 Jarvis Street, Suite 220, Toronto, Ontario. The -group has played the same places as the Fifth . Dimension, George Kirby, Harry Belafonte, Andy Williams and Johnny •'Mathis, to name only a few. They have met pnany of them and have been introduced to many influential b people, including Ed .Sullivan. The Oriental Mod Squad is on its way up. It has now reached the doorstep' to the bigger-tines�4-- We can only wish them success - all along the line. • 4 We feel sure you will agree it's always nice -to hear about a hometown boy making good.