The Sidekicks
| The Redcoats | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as |
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| Origin | Wildwood, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1964–1967 |
| Labels | Providence |
| Past members |
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The Redcoats were an American garage rock band formed in Wildwood, New Jersey, in 1964. Heavily influenced by the Beatles from the onset, the group released one single as the Redcoats before recording as the Sidekicks. As the Sidekicks, the band earned a national hit with their tune, "Suspicions", and recorded an album in 1966. In 2001 an album of newly discovered recordings, Meet the Redcoats! Finally, was issued.
Co-founder John Spirit (drums) possessed prior recording experience and national success as a credited writer and singer on the Ran-Dells' Top 20 novelty hit "Martian Hop", in 1963. With the arrival of the Beatles and the onset of the British Invasion, Spirit formed a Beatlesque band, which complimented his composing style. Spirit recruited Zach Bochelle (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Randy Bochelle (bass guitar, and Mike Burke (lead guitar, vocals) as bandmates, and hired record producer Steven Rappaport – the cousin of Spirit and producer of "Martian Hop" – as the band's manager. When asked if the band had any other influences in an interview, Rappaport limited them just to the Fab Four, before saying: "it's obvious from listening that their influences were generally Merseybeat – not just the Beatles". After extensive rehearsals at Spirit's home garage, the group signed to Providence Records, a subsidiary record label of Laurie Records, in 1965.
Before recording as the Redcoats, the group released a single, "She Belonged to Another", as the Statesiders in early-1965, according to the BMI database. Credited to Carnaby and Shakespeare, pseudonyms for Spirit and Burke, music historian Chris Bishop hypothesizes the single was recorded without the Bochelle brothers' participation, which explains the release's absence from Zach Bochelle's history of the Redcoats. In 1986, "She Belonged to Another" was featured on Mindrockers, Volume 12. The band, under the name the Redcoats, entered the studios again in the latter half of 1965, recording two Merseybeat-influenced tunes: "Love Unreturned" and "The Dum-Dum Song", both highlighted by English-sounding vocal harmonies. Receiving local radio play in New Jersey, the Redcoats garnered a following in the region with the songs, which were issued on their second single. More recording sessions followed; however, Rappaport could not manage to have the new material released on Providence Records.
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