The Teemates – Jet Set Dance Vol.4: Discotheque


There is something that keeps me needle dropping sixties “youth-dancesploitation” LPs. Many of them look pretty tame but often end up hiding some really knock out tracks (many of them also do not, but let’s focus on the positives).

Take this example from 1964, intended as a stereo demonstration LP of sorts it has a band called the Teemates running through 14 tracks. Included amongst the covers of Hard Day’s Night, Oh Pretty Woman etc. are even four of the band’s original tunes. I don’t know if the Teemates were a “real” band or a bunch of session players coupled together to cash-in on the dance hits of the day (frug, slop, monkey…) but the back cover includes biographies of the band, so I guess they may have been legit. Released by the Audio Fidelity Record Company, the back cover tells you which of “today’s” dance crazes are best suited to each track. Luckily there are at least five awesome songs on this LP: C’Mon & Swim, Movin’ Out, Mashed Potatoes-Yeah!, Walk Don’t Run-64 & Nightfall. They rank among the best garage rock that I have heard from an LP such as this. I have no idea what Vol’s.1-3 are like though.

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edit: I just read online that The Teemates were in fact a “real” band from New Jersey, this is their only LP, they also may have had at least two 45s released as well. This record was re-released by Capitol & these later versions may have had Audio Fidelity labelled LPs in Capitol labelled jackets. The one I reviewed has no mention of Capitol anywhere on it though so must be one of the earlier ones. I suppose that means that Vol’s.1-3 of the series are by different bands & may not be as good as this one? Interesting, still a cool record if not as unknown as it originally appeared.

11 Comments

  • banana says:

    “There is something that keeps me needle dropping sixties “youth-dancesploitation” LPs.”

    word. this shit is great!!

  • michaelvee says:

    beautiful! (Movin’out has been comped on Hipsville Vol. 0Two) whereas C’mon&Swim is still uncomped.

    Thanks for posting!

  • We were a real band. Go to the website.

  • Kris Holmes says:

    Hi Richard,
    Thanks for the link to the website, lots of good info to be found on the band there for sure. It’s always cool to have people involved with the records find the reviews.

  • Jason staff says:

    Richard Staff is my father and I can tell you that The Teemates was a real band and one of the best. Thier music has both inspired me and my sister and impressed the heck outta all my friends. So check out his site and see for yourself. Thanks

  • BobM says:

    I remember the Teemates, There was a guitar player(Gary Mercury) in the original band.

  • Hi this is Bobby The Rythym Guitar Player for the Band. I still perform. Give a shout at myspace page. Yes I did change my performing name to Bobby Calumet in the Mid Seventies and STILL perform. Thanks for the kudos kids

  • Sorry about that typo in rythym in my message. At any rate folks I still perform though was set back after a serious injury in May. Jusr regaining my feet. drop a line at myspeace.com/bobcalumet the name I now perform under

  • Beth Jetton says:

    They were indeed a real band!! I used to play in a duo with Bob Polhemus (Bob Calumet) in the 80’s . . and he was a DEAR!! Check them out on myspace . . tmates2 is their myspace name!!

  • Rik Shafer says:

    Bob probably doesn’t remember but I was the first guitar player for this band.ds Rik Shafer.
    I quit to go back to college, and they got Robbie. Had fun with these guys for a long summer and remember Joe Shefsky, the manager who had a dry cleaning business to pay for the band uniforms! LOL

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