Album releases after the "Mercury" years

Laughs Laughs Singing Laughs

The "Laughs" album was released in 1963 on Nat Goodman's Three Speed records. It was a studio recorded album that had overdubbed audience laughter to generate the feel of a live show. It contained an interesting mix of comedy material, ballads and traditional rock and roll. All in all a good album with some great solos (Old Man River - John Felten) and excellent harmony numbers (Al di la). The record was not distributed to stores, but was sold at live shows. Only about five hundred of these records were pressed - which makes it a rarity today. The album was released along with a single (The Slide/Melody of Love)

The Diamonds 1970's

This album was released in January 1971 and featured a collection of contemporary hits. By 1970, the style of singing that had made The Diamonds famous was bordering on extinction (a situation that would change dramatically in 1972 when "American Graffiti" transformed the musical culture) so the style on the album was very different to what we were used to hearing. The Diamonds were now a self contained band, with each member being an instumentalist as well as a vocalist. The quartet had now become a sextet - with Mike Douglas on tenor saxophone and vocals - leading the group.

The following is an exerpt from the liner notes on the album*

The Diamonds are exciting. Listening to the playbacks of this album were as much of an emotional experience for me as hearing the group live at a recent club engagement. The Diamods are good-and they should be. They've worked hard at it for years. They're showmen in the true sense of the word and they are about the only vintage group still active. With early credits like Little Darlin', Church Bells May Ring, The Stroll and Silhouettes, the Diamonds are the only group of their kind with the resiliency, sensitivity and sheer guts to successfully make the transition into good contemporary music - and make it they have. This album is a compilation of the heaviest musical sounds out. Tastefully interpreted, played and sung as only The Diamonds could have done it.The album is good - very good. And so are the Diamonds. This I believe.

*written by Jerry Smithers