Song:No Friend Of Mine
Album:Uptight Tonight: The Ultimate 60s Garage Collection
Here's a 1967 garage band classic that never got it's due because of poor distribution. Various artists comps have kept the song alive because there are no comps of The Sparkles. This group from Texas was led by guitarist Stan Smith. They recorded with legendary producer Norman Petty in 1958 but the recordings were never released. The Sparkles broke up but Smith reformed them in 1962 and recorded one single that went nowhere. They split up again and Smith formed a new version of the group with drummer Lucky Floyd, guitarist Donnie Roberts and bassist Bobby Smith. Stan Smith and Roberts left in 1965 and guitarists Gary P. Nunn and Louie Holt and drummer Jim Marriot joined. The Sparkles signed with Hickory Records and worked with Roy Orbison's drummer Larry Parks as producer. They released some singles including the 1967 classic No Friend Of Mine but none were successful. Nunn & Holt quit and the others moved to California and renamed themselves The Pearly Gates. They eventually split up for good in 1972. No Friend Of Mine has been kept alive by garage band comps like this one from Big Beat. Gary P. Nunn went on to join Jerry Jeff Walker's band and is best known for his song London Homesick Blues which is the theme song for Austin City Limits. Here's a video for No Friend Of Mine by The Sparkles.
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