Karen Smith recalls bringing the band to her house the Sixties for a 'jumping' Christmas party, with furniture pushed aside, and then the phone rang .. plus Ian Macdonald on toyland; Mike McMullen, Ken Schroeder at church

House parties over the Christmas season are always popular but one held in Chapleau during the Sixties still brings back memories as a live band had the place jumping in no time after it arrived at the home of Karen Smith.

Andre Renaud had mentioned the party to me some time ago when I was researching 'Phoenix Rising' a band in which he played drums for a time. The band also went under other names. So, as i was looking for some different Chapleau moments at Christmas, I was able to contact Karen for some information about bringing the band to her home to play for a party.

Karen wrote: "The heroes of this tale are my Mum and Dad. My brother Brian and I were home for Christmas. A bunch of us had gone to the show and were returning to our place when someone mentioned the band was practising in the basement of the town hall. I think it was Ken Braumberger that talked them into playing at our place."

Karen and Brian's parents were Cecil and Ruth Smith and they owned the Fox Theatre in Chapleau. To the real oldtimers, at first they had the Regent Theatre.

"In no time we had the band and their instruments loaded in trucks and cars and and set up in my parents family room," Karen continued. "Carpets in the living room and dining room were rolled up, and furniture pushed aside.

Peter Simpson and Sean Henry

"We did have a piano at our place and Peter Simpson tickled the ivory . That piano never sounded so good. The band had the place was a jumping in no time. Guitars, drums, horn, piano and even Frankie (Bignucolo) singing his heart out. "

Then the phone rang....

"Expecting a noise complaint I answered," Karen said. "It was our neighbour Mrs. Pineault concerned that someone was snooping around our garage. She could see the lights going on and off and was sure someone was sitting in the car. Out we went to investigate.

"There sat my Mum and Dad. They had arrived home to find their house filled with teenagers dancing to the music of a live band and could not hear themselves think. Dad had made a dash into the kitchen poured them both a stiff drink and there they sat, in the car in the garage waiting for the party to end."

"Learning that it was Mum and Dad sitting in the car, Mr. Pineault came over and invited Mum and Dad over to the warmth and peace and quet of their place.

"I have no idea how long the party lasted but by the next morning all the furniture was in place nothing broken and everyone had a great time.

"God Bless Mum and Dad. They had their home invaded by teenagers more than once," Karen added.

(As an aside, on a personal note, I thank Karen for her kind words about my grandfather Gerge Hunt and my family at St. John's Church.)

Andre Renaud picked up the story by recalling that it was Peter Simpson who made the arrangements with Karen " I was fairly new in the band at that time. I remember Peter saying to me," Andre we have a Christmas party to play at..It's at Karen Smith's place..

Peter told him they needed about 20 songs asking if he thought he could do different beats because he knew that in a small area the mistakes stand out and it's hard to keep the drum sound low. "You mostly use brushes or the stick on the rim and use he high hat rather than the big cymbals...."

Andre remembers that the place was packed, and it went over real well."We had a great time and there was no trouble at all..Karen was a great hostess and she paid us real well for those days..I remember $5.00 each..

"My drums were new and they were like a blue sparkle..Peter would alway say when the guys helped me move them around..Watch the bluey guys... watch the bluey.LOL. Peter had a nickname..A lot of people called him Simmy I always called him Pete."


While we were chatting Andre recalled another popular feature at Christmas in Chapleau. "I used to like going downstairs at Smith and Chapple's and look at the toy display..Also the train display they had there every Christmas.Nice place to duck into on the way to school when it was real cold..Warm up for a few minutes and keep going the rest of the way..LOL"

I remembered that Ian Macdonald, now retired as professor and head of the department of architecture at the University of Manitoba, at one time had a connection to the Smith and Chapple train display, so sent him an email for details. As always Ian replied promptly with details.

"My Dad looked after the Smith and Chapple hardware department including "toyland". It was set up in the lower level at the east end of the building under the Grocery department. The toyland display always included two electric train layouts. One was an American Flyer and the other was a Lionel.

"I had the nonsalaried assignment to oversee the operation of both of them which I gladly did. It was the only job I ever had at Smith and Chapple aside from occasionally delivering flyers.

"Several years later I began firing for the CPR and had the opportunity to actually operate full size locomotives hostling at Cartier. Most of my subsequent Christmas holidays were spent in a CPR locomotive cab substituting for running crews who were booking off. It paid a lot better than the Smith and Chapple assignment but I'm not sure it was ever quite as much fun."

Ken and Mike about then!!!

Michael McMullen, my cousin, and Ken Schroeder, my good friend, shared their exchange of emails about their role at the midnight service at St. John's Anglican Church where Michael had to fight an itch.

Michael asked Ken: "Do you remember the Christmas Eve service (midnight I believe) in either 1952 or 1953 that you and I were charged with standing in the middle aisle and determining when people could go up for communion? As I recall the church was packed. One reason that I remember it so vividly is that I had to scratch the back of my leg and was too embarassed to do anything about it while on duty (and display). The relief to do that downstairs afterwards has been etched in my mind ever since!"

Ken replied: "Funny how some things just stick .." Ken advised us that he has now been promoted to stand guard at the foot of the two steps at their church here in Hamilton. "Sigi (his wife) lets them out, one side at a time, and I wait to catch  anybody that falters on the steps .....good job ....."

I think the service was in 1952 when Rev. E. Roy Haddon was at St. John's. I recall the packed church. As an aside, at that time Michael's father Keith, was the People's Warden and my mother Muriel, and Ken's mother, Edith "Teddy" Schroeder, were in the choir.

Ian Macdonald recalled his role: "As an aside, my assignment at St.John's for the Christmas Eve service was operating the chimes. It was a job I inherited from Bob Linklater  who was then studying for the ministry at U of T. You may recall that  the chimes were actually a recording which was played on a set of large speakers in the St.John's belfry connected to a record player and amplifier in the ante room off of the Vestry. There was a real bell in the belfry in addition to the "virtual chimes" which I heard only on very rare occasions. I'm not sure but I think that Miss Herner donated the  sound system. You probably know better than I.

I believe she did along with her sister, Mrs Nettie Grout



Thanks all for the memories. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

'Phoenix in the Morning' title song in album produced by Chapleau band in the Sixties with a special tribute to Peter Simpson as recalled by Sean Henry and Andre Renaud

Peter Simpson with Sean (John) Henry

Although there were many versions of the evolving band that graced Chapleau in the sixties. The main ingredient was the Hammond B3 organ, and the musician that brought it all together: Peter Simpson.
"Peter was a very special player, an individual with perfect pitch, who could hum any note from the tuner in his head, without reference to an instrument," Sean (John) Henry, told me in an email when I asked him to share his memories of the band. "A musician who could play virtually any song, after a quick listen. This is something you are born with, not something you learn. It was a pleasure to be in the same band with Peter, to marvel at his talent."

"My role was that of rhythm guitar, songwriter, and singer. We had some great singers, notably Frank Bignucolo, Mary Whitney, and of course, Peter, who excelled at harmony. I enjoyed songwriting, the experimentation with new chords, playing with themes (usually leaving)," Sean wrote.

Andre Renaud

He added: "The sixties in Chapleau was a special time - a time before the Internet ended the cozy isolation that nurtured local talent. A time before the DJ's recorded music undermined the liveband, and helped bring an end to much of the real music in the town. But before the music died, a self-titled album was released: Phoenix - In the Morning.

CBC described the title song, written by Sean (John) Henry as "haunting", and gave it airplay. The recording studio was in Toronto, and the album was completed over a series of days in that city.

Sean added that at this stage of the band's life the drummer was Mario Martel, and he provided the beat for the album. The music consisted of two original songs (by Sean Henry) and covers culled from the work of Gordon Lightfoot and James Taylor.

"Names ranging from the Impacts to Reprisals to Phoenix, rising from the ashes of prior bands. Individuals like Bill Fox (rhythm & lead guitar), Jim Anderson (vocals, lead and rhythm), Bob Parnell (rhythm guitar), Andre Renaud (drums and president of the students council), Mario Martel (drums), and Steve Alexander (lead guitar extraordinaire and vocals).

Steve was another gifted musician, with a flair for blues and jazz. He poured himself into the guitar, and it was a good match."

Andre Renaud shared how he became involved with the band, and his memories of the experience.

"One day in the summer of 1964 I was walking near the old Town Hall and music was coming from the basement...I went down and the band was practising..They were taking a break so I asked to sit behind the drums and they said okay..I started fooling around and it the beat came to me easily," he recalled.

"Peter Simpson asked if I played..I said, 'No I didn't but I would sure like too.'..Peter replied that the band was losing its drummer so he replaced him.

" I ordered a set of drums from Sears or my mother did.LOL..I still remember the name, they were Stewart's..I can remember myself and Peter going down to the C.P.R. station and checking at the freight office everyday to see if they were coming in.

"We practised and played in the basement of the Old Town Hall, in the basement of the Hublit Hotel, at The Legion and in peoples homes if they asked us..One of the places I remembered was at the house of Karen Smith's for a Christmas party..Her father (Cecil Mith) owned the Fox Theatre..She paid us $5.00 each I think. We thought we were rich believe we charged .50 or .75 cents at dances.

"Most of the money would go to buy more equipment and pay off the equipment we had. Billy Fox was the oldest guy in the band so he was able to sign for the equipment we bought because we were too young..

"The band was called the Impacts at first then changed to the Reprisals I don't know where that idea came from? I was in the band from 1964 till sometime in the late part of 1966 or early part of 1967.I remember playing in White River, I think we went to Timmins also and played for some T.V. show called Focus?.

Andre shared the story of how he became president of the Chapleau High School Student Council.

"We wanted to play for the high school dances so the fellows got the bright idea that I should run for President of the Student Council . Believe it or not I got in ..Not because I was smart or a great politician but the band was popular with the kids and we ran a great campaign..It was a real fun time and probably one of the most exciting campaigns ever run for President of the Student Council ever. I don't think I was one of the teachers favourite choices because we were a little wild for their standards at the time because of the way we dressed, talked and played in a rock band..God Forbid. That was grade 12 by the way 1966."

Peter Simpson with Steve Alexander

"One funny thing happened to me..we were playing on the back of a float on main steet and my drum stool collapsed and I fell off the back of the float.. nearly killed myself."

Andre added: "Just a side note..I also played with an adult band from time to time..Yen Hong was the main drummer in that band..I was asked now and then to cover for him..It was funny because I was under age and they were playing in drinking establishments. We would play for dances at the Hublit, The Legion and the Curling Rink. When the liquor inspector was around they would hide me in the back room somewhere..When he was gone I would come out..

" It was funny as half way through the night I was the only sober one in the place and the music was starting to sound a little weird."

Thanks so much to Sean and Andre for sharing their memories of the band. It all started with a Facebook discussion about the possibility of a CHS reunion in 2012. Although the band was popular in the Sixties, "a long time ago" he added that "it was a very exciting time in our lives."

They are exploring the possibility of band reunion to play at the CHS celebration of 90 years of its history should it proceed. Andre wrote that whe Sean asked him, he replied that he "was game for anything... .I bet Peter would like that..I can see him from the other side laughing his head off. Imagine that a get together in 2012 in memory of Peter..Jzzz that would be nice." We will keep you posted. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

NOTE: Sean and Andre ar looking for former band members. If you are one of them or know where any are. pleaser email me.

Chapleau High School students Marjorie McRea and Andre Renaud flagbearers at official school opening in 1966

Link to story on opening of new CHS

Chapleau High School students Marjorie McRea and Andre Renaud hold flags, after being presented them by the Branch No. 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion colour party of Henry Therriault and Brigadier General Bruce Clement. The occasion was the official opening of the new Chapleau High School in November 1966.

In the background are Rev. Murray Arnill (left) of Trinity United Church and MPP Gaston Demers (right). Brigadier General Clement was a member of a pioneer Chapleau family.

Photo appeared in the Chapleau Sentinel of November 10, 1966, Thanks to Andre Renaud for providing it.

Note the price of The Sentinel was 10 cents in 1966.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE>