The Doughboys are an American rock band from Plainfield, New Jersey, United States, who were active in the mid-1960s, and re-formed in 2000. They have been active ever since, and have cut three albums of newly recorded material since their reunion.
History
1960s
The band originally formed when three members of the Ascots, Richard X. Heyman (drums), Mike Caruso (bass), and Willy Kirchofer (guitar) were joined by two members of the Apollos, Myke Scavone (vocals, harp), and Mike Farina (guitar). The group initially kept the name, the Ascots. From 1965 through 1968 they were considered the top band in Central New Jersey. Their repertoire consisted mostly of covers of groups like the Yardbirds, the Kinks, the Animals, and the Rolling Stones. The group played school dances and opened for acts such as Henny Youngman, the Hassles (with Billy Joel), and the Vagrants (with Leslie West).
In 1966 the Ascots appeared on John Zacherle's Disc-O-Teen television show several times competing in a year-long battle of the bands contest. The Ascots won the contest, and first prize was a recording contract with Bell Records. Prior to making their first recording, the Ascots changed their name to the Doughboys. The band's two singles, "Rhoda Mendelbaum" and "Everybody Knows My Name" (written by Bob Gaudio), were produced by the Jerome Brothers, who would later go on to produce the Left Banke. Both singles were released on the Bell Records label but failed to chart. Around this same time, the group began to perform in World War I "doughboy" uniforms that they had purchased at a vintage clothing store in the East Village.
After releasing "Rhoda Mendelbaum", the Doughboys performed on WMCA Good Guys weekend shows around New York City with artists such as Neil Diamond, the Fifth Dimension, the Syndicate of Sound, and the Music Explosion. Around this time the group also opened a show for the Beach Boys and the Buckinghams. The Doughboys had developed a grand finale for their shows that consisted of a rousing rendition of "Bo Diddley", where Heyman and Scavone would set up floor toms at the front of the stage and play them ferociously using maracas instead of drumsticks. As the song reached its climax, the two Doughboys would each pick up their floor tom and throw them together in mid-air for a dramatic end to the show. The day of the Beach Boy/Buckingham show, the group realized that they had neglected to bring one of their floor toms along with them. After asking the Buckinghams to borrow a floor tom and being turned down, the group asked the Beach Boys, who agreed. During the Doughboys' finale, Beach Boy Dennis Wilson happened to spot his floor tom being ridden like a horse by Myke Scavone. Furious, Wilson rushed the stage, tackled Scavone, and the set ended with Scavone and Wilson trading punches in front of a shocked audience. Wilson later apologized, and admitted that he was upset because his brother, Carl, was about to be arrested for draft evasion.
In 1967 the group decided to drop the rhythm guitar from their line-up and dismissed Mike Farina. By 1968, with the rise in popularity of groups such as Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Doughboys dropped Myke Scavone from the group and focused on playing long instrumental music. In the summer of 1968, the three-man Doughboys were the house band at the famous Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village. By the end of 1968, the original Doughboys broke up.
Later developments
Post-Doughboys, Scavone, Caruso, and Heyman played briefly together in Cool Heat in 1969. Kirchofer played with Jake and the Family Jewels. Kirchofer and Heyman were reunited briefly in the Quinaimes Band in 1973. Scavone worked briefly with Bo Gentry and Richie Cordell, released two singles on Epic Records as a solo artist, sang background vocals on a Ben Vereen album, and did session work as a drummer for producers Kasenetz and Katz.
Richard X Heyman played drums for artists such as Link Wray and Brian Wilson. On the strength of a self-released album, Living Room, Seymour Stein signed Heyman to a deal with Sire Records/Warner Bros. Records where he recorded as Richard X Heyman. Heyman continues to record as a solo artist.
