The Red Bells

**The Red Bells**, also known colloquially as **The Bells**, were an American folk rock band formed in 1964 by Tim Bailee and Marshall Jones.

## History

### Formation and Early Years (1962-1965)

Tim Bailee and Marshall Jones met in 1962, at Stephen F. Austin High School. They planned to start a band together after their graduation and began composing a large catalogue of songs which they often performed for their school, or at a number of Austin all-ages clubs. Satisfied with their backlog and the positive reception their performances received, they recruited roommate Wayne Cook as their drummer and fellow Austin High graduate Samuel Ellis as bassist. The group were immediately satisfied with their sound and felt that with Bailee's already written songs, they were ready to begin searching for a label.

Upon meeting with several Texas based record companies, the group were treated with general disinterest. Demos were re-recorded in order to fit the labels' standards, but were denied again. Bailee recounted the bands struggle in Texas to be signed in a 1966 interview:

> "I can laugh about it now, but it surprised me then. Especially since we were playing at packed clubs to kids in Austin. They just didn't like our look, and they especially didn't like our sound. We were too young for them, too modern. I find that pretty funny too 'cause nowadays we get told we're too country and to get with the times!"
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The group moved to Los Angeles in 1965 in hopes of finding a more progressive label to accept them. The group relied on friends and family to house them until meeting with a Screw Kathy Records executive who heard their potential and when told that a number of songs had already been written, promised to sign them if they fully completed their first album within three weeks.

The first single by The Bells, "", was released in October 1965 and charted top 10 in California, and top 50 countrywide. The band's first album, *Pull the Reins*, was released in November 1965 by SK Records in mono and stereo to moderate acclaim.

### Lineup Changes (1966-1967)

The band began studio sessions in February 1966 for their second album, *Foxglove*, during which tensions rose between the members of the group, particularly Jones and Ellis. Ellis was dismissed from the band in March 1966, nearing the end of the album's completion and delaying the release for a number of months. Wayne Cook is quoted in a 1966 interview as saying:

> "[...] it would always be the personal stuff, that came up between Marshall and [Samuel]. It sucked real bad because we sounded so good together[...] I mean the musical part of it was great, which isn't usually the case. But Sam turned into an asshole. I mean, I didn't even feel like I knew him by the time we were recording Foxglove. The decision was unanimous, we all told him he had to get out. Actually, it was Tim that told him. He was always good at letting people down easy. But it sure didn't go over easy with Sam."
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The group began auditioning for a new bassist and hired Dean Fischer in May 1966, who was credited alongside Ellis as bassist. *Foxglove* was released in August 1966 to moderate acclaim, reaching top 30 on the *Billboard 200*.

The Red Bells' penultimate album *Under Mirage* began production in October 1966 and was released in December 1966. It was not considered a commercial success and peaked at #114 on the *Billboard 200.*

### Bailee's death and *Coins and Tokens (1967)*

Production for the group's fourth and final album, *Coins and Tokens*, began in June 1967 after an eight week international tour. Production continued until late August and was scheduled to be completed in November, after another eight week tour of Canada and the United States.

On 08 November, Bailee and 37 passengers were killed when American Airlines Flight 472, a commercial Convair 580 flight, crashed slightly after takeoff from Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. Bailee was travelling to Los Angeles from a short vacation visiting family. Both Jones and Cook travelled to Austin with Bailee and were scheduled fly back with him, but missed the flight.

Jones initially refused to continue production on *Coins and Tokens*, but after convincing from Cook and Fischer agreed to complete the album. The group collaborated with other studio musicians to fill in Bailee's missing instrumentals, while Jones provided vocals for songs intended for Bailee, particularly *song1,* *song2* and *song3*. *Coins and Tokens* was released in December 1967 and is to date the best selling album by The Bells, reaching gold status and was described by *Rolling Stone* as a "seminal country rock album."

#### Disbandment

After completion of *Coins and Tokens,* the group discussed hiring another lead guitarist and continuing with their tour, but felt that without Bailee's presence, the spirit of the band would diminish. The Bells disbanded in December 1967.

## Personnel

#### Original members

* Tim Bailee - lead guitar, vocals, harmonica (1965-1967; died 1967)
* Marshall Jones - rhythm guitar, vocals (1965-1967; died 2010)
* Wayne Cook - drums, vocals (1965-1967)
* Samuel Ellis - bass guitar (1965-1967; died 1998)

#### Subsequent members

* Dean Fischer - bass guitar, vocals (1965-1967)

## Discography

* *Pull the Reins (1965)*
* *Foxglove (1966)*
* *Under Mirage* *(1966)*
* *Coins and Tokens (1967)*