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the Interns


Uniontown, 1965-8

L-R: Dave Holb, Tom Tuttle, Craig Gay, Joe Shamp, Paul Hylton

The Interns were formed by students at Green High School in the small community of Uniontown just south of Akron. The band name and image centered around lead singer Joe Shamp, whose father was a physician, and the source of the band's medical intern garb and name. The band members were Shamp. Tom Tuttle on guitar, Dave Holb on bass, Paul Hylton on keyboards, and Craig Gay on drums. The Interns played locally in the greater Akron area including teen dances, the Shamrock and WAKR benefits, and a couple appearences at Cleveland's Midnight Hour teen club with the Baskerville Hounds. 

In late '67 the Interns recored two songs at Akron Recording, "I've Got Something To Say" and "The Trip". When the records came back, one of the 4 tracks had been mixed out of sync on "I've Got...". So, a secord pressing was ordered, and to go with it, a picture sleeve was made by the band themselves. The 45 got airplay on WAKR and sold out of the first 500 copies, so another 500 were pressed and sold. Only a couple hundred sleeves were issued. The 45 was the Interns only recording, but it's a great one. A flubbed drum shot can be heard on "The Trip" where Craig Gay hits a mike stand with a stick. The band broke up in mid '68 as the last member graduated high school. Joe Shamp, a lifelong Elvis Presley fan, turned to similar inspiration and recorded the Elvisy country rocker "Poor Boy" released on Lark records. "Poor Boy" got some solid sales action in places like Texas and West Virginia. Keyboard player Paul Hylton (who at one point quit and returned) played in a psychedelic band "Labafaction" for a couple years.

Discography:
I've Got Something To Say / The Trip - Eastwood 1213-7/8, Dec 1967 (pic sleeve)

The first out of sync pressing is indentified by the Rite master on the A side, 20989. The second corrected pressing has the Rite master 20989-2.