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From KYA BEAT San Fransisco, California October 1966 These days, the Left Banke are half way there. They still haven't found the clavinet they've been combing the country for, but they have found another object of a search. They have a hit record. You've heard their new record by now ("Walk Away, Renee") but it's quite possible you have never seen a clavinet. Or even heard of one. A Clavinet A clavinet, you see, is a sort of 18th century keyboard instrument that produces a sound similar to that of today's electric harpsichord. Coming up with weird, antique instruments is the biggest kick among today's musicians. The Stones and the Beatles have incorporated such oddities as the sitar and the kazoo into their works. But it took the Left Banke to come up with the Clavinet. The unusual and unpredictable are trademarks with the Banke. A prophecy that has almost become a bi-law in the recording profession says that when a group first breaks into the business they do so with a big, hard rock sound. You just don't start with a pretty melody. But the Left Banke did. "Walk Away, Renee" contains a smooth, softened blend of harmony you usually see attempted only by an established group. Within days after its release, the record was one of the most sought after in record shops. The Left Banke are a weird array of individuals-a quintet with such varied interests you wonder if maybe the term "group" is a glittering generalization in their case. Digs Poe Take Tom Finn, for instance, who digs Edgar Allan Poe stories and once wanted to be a railroad engineer. Or Steve Martin, who went to school in Spain and once had visions of becoming an actor. Or Jeff Winfield-the lead guitarist whose ambition is "to become an eccentric old man." An amiable young man named Mike Brown is the leader of the group. He comes from a musical family, and his first love is writing music. Mike's musical prowess is vast; he is proficient on the clavichord, organ, harpsichord and piano. But music is only half the appeal of the Left Banke. Trying to guess what they'll do from one moment to the next is the other half. Don't speculate on the type of clothing the group will be wearing the next time you see them. It's useless. Their dress varies with the whim of the moment and one time you might see them in floppy bell-bottoms. The next time, they might be wearing tightly tapered pants with boots. The Left Banke has one more basic prerequisite for success: 20- year-old George Cameron is from London. And that, coupled with their musical skills and brash personal appeal, is all the Left Banke needs.
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