In 1969, Greil Marcus penned for Rolling Stone a spoof record review of an album by “The Masked Marauders.” Tantalizingly, the group supposedly included Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger (performing such obviously satire titles as “I Can’t Get No Nookie”). The presumably stoned public rushed to stores to snap the record up. When no such record could be located, Marcus decided to pursue the gag and, calling in some favors (and some not-so-heavy session musicians), a “Masked Marauders” record was rushed out to an underwhelmed audience. Soon enough, Rolling Stone exposed the very hoax they created.
Without examining the consequences of jiving Rolling Stone with their own jive, Knight decided to take up the idea for his own.
Lead singer Carl Storie recounts the experience:
The album had been released before the Brown Bag deal. We were called Limousine – the record was on GSR. He bought the rights to it and took it to his studio and remixed the masters. He made a lot of changes; the album really sounded different, better – he had a real talent for that.
We met with Terry only once – in his New York office. I never questioned the mystique, the gimmick. He believed in the music, he believed in us as musicians; he felt the skill of the band would overcome any negative stuff resulting from the ad campaign.
We had this huge billboard on the Sunset Strip, so everybody who was anybody would see it and be talking about Terry Knight’s new mystery group – it was the cover of the album, specially designed so the heads of the band came out over the top of the billboard. He had the Faith logo put on matches, patches for clothes, postcards – anything it could be printed on. He did it all, he put our names on everything; it was incredible.
He paid us to rehearse; we worked on our show up here [in Indiana] all summer long. He would call us everyday from New York or wherever, asking us “Are you getting the act down tight?” “Yes, Terry, that’s all we’re doing, working on our show.” We played in this cabin; no one was to know what we were doing or whom we were. It was a wonderful time in our lives. We had our debut show planned for Madison Square Garden; Styx was going to open.
Then Rolling Stone exposed us; they busted the plan. They called us hicks – we were devastated, the joke of the town, they came down on “the hype.” The show didn’t happen; Terry folded the label shortly after the album came out.
Rolling Stone didn’t bother to review Faith. Robert Christgau’s Creem review was an exercise in humiliation, stating only “I was curious enough to play the first side of this record the day I got it. It took me two months to get to side two.”
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - sonny
cool! thanks, eric.
is the Amazon link to the movie 'the incident' an error?
2 - sonny
did you see the recent bob johnston interview in the austin chronicle?
here
3 - Eric Olsen
thanks Sonny, Knight scored The Incident, hence it's inclusion. Barry didn't want to emphasize the more obvious work like GFR this time around
4 - larry patterson
wanted to say hi! to Roger Force. He was The
Force!!!! behind Moms Apple Pie.. The kid who bugged me at National Record Mart. Remember??
if you could download me some of the MAP tunes...
would appreciate it. maybe we could get #3 out of the can........and re issue it, hope you get this message... larry patterson. former manager.the guy who put the $200.00 up for the demo in Cleveland Recording Company but I did get $10,000 from Terry Knight
5 - larry patterson
Roger Force contact me larry patterson
6 - Marlene Weinberg
THis is a very interesting article about Mom's Apple Pie. I remember the music, the album cover and the guys in the band. Just to mention, my brother, Larry Patterson managed this group and had Mom's Apple Pie put on the map. I remember all the stories he had to tell and he remembers those days very well. We talk about it all the time. Thanks for mentioning him as he did work very hard with the group. They all were very young at that time and headed in the right direction.
It is good to see that LArry and the Mom's Apple Pie group are still remembered for what they brought to the music industry.
Thanks again for a great article.
Marlene Weinberg
Tierra Verde, FL
7 - MArlene Weinberg
Hi, again.
I have one of the original posters hanging on my wall. How can I get the albums that were published. Mine somehow got lost over the years.
Thank you.
Marlene Weinberg
8 - larry patterson
MAR Aunt K or Mary Miller send this to them
and add comments for me thanks Larry Patterson
9 - larry patterson
Rodger! Fred! Dave ! contact me want to re-issue MAP inc. on the Mom's Apple Pie Record Label will send copy of design. but need downloads of albums (3) and any publishing rights you signed over to Knight or Storybook Publishing a Grand Funk Company Take care all
10 or more of you Larry in Treasure Island, FL
10 - annethe voice) Bartee
I know John Hambrick and the album he did with Terry Knight is brillant,, it should be re-issued again,,, John was looking for Terry Knight but couldn't find him,,, put johns name in Google and get his email address that way.. I have recorded johns tunes and love the material he gave me too.. is Terry knight dead? anne bartee
11 - larry
Terry is gone John Hambrick was very good Larry
12 - Larry Patterson Jr.
Hi, this is Larry Patterson Jr. Sharpsville PA.
I can remember the whole Mom's Apple Pie cover controversy from when I was just a kid. I just didn't uderstand what it was about until I was a little older. I still have a poster and album covers from Apple Pie #1 and #2. I would really like to see my dad Larry Sr. do something with Mom's Apple Pie #3.I didn't realize how big a deal this thing was until I found this web page while searching for details on Mom's Apple Pie. I was very impressed when I found my father's name and comments made by him on this web site. I haven't seen my father in years but it's nice to know that I still have a reason to be proud of his accomplishments. Rock n' roll was something he passed on to me. -------Larry P Jr.
13 - larry patterson
Larry Patterson Jr. contact me. DAD!!
14 - Tom Roos / Sweden
Anyonne happends to know what happend to Pia Knight or what her sirname was or is today , It would be intressting to ask her a couple of question then I in fact is Swedish myself. (pĂĄ ren svenska)
VBR & TACK [Personal contact info deleted]
15 - larry
I would like everybody to read this The Band MOM'S APPLE PIE were more than the Album Cover, even though it is famous, they were and are still GREAT musicians including Roger Force
from Larry
former manager of MOM'S APPLE PIE!!!
16 - Elizabeth D.
I can't find these albums anywhere. Are they still available . . . somewhere . . . maybe??? I don't care what format, though I would prefer the vinyl.
17 - Karyn L.
I have the MAP albums 1 & 2. I bought them because I loved the sound, but mainly because I knew Tony & the organist from former Warren band, "The Shaddows," who played in Cleveland a lot. Larry, I hope you find Roger or vice-versa. Would love to hear #3. MAP, no matter what the critics say, your sound was the sound of that time when we were all young and "Happy to Be." Tony/Pepe, thanks for Utopia, the songs, and the memories.
18 - Karyn L.
PS I have photos of Terry Knight & the Pack that I took in April 1966 when TK&P opened for Peter & Gordon at the Hippodrome in Cleveland, OH at a WHK "Good Guys" concert. Photos are not the best and individuals only identifiable because I wrote captions beneath them all. Who ever knew that they would be part of a legacy of sorts.
19 - Kathryn
Pia Knight's maiden name was Cedric. She was originally from Sweden. I was TK executive secretary during Brown Bag. I, too, have often wondered what happened to Pia. TK dictated every thing that poor girl did....
20 - Larry Patterson
this is the official MOM'S APPLE PIE page.
feel free to join and send comments.
Thanks,...Larry former manager of MAP
21 - Larry Patterson
The official Mom's Apple Pie page
by former manager Larry
22 - Dom Settemio
Bob Fiorino, are you still around? I knew your Uncle Frank Fiorino up in Boston very well
23 - annsara43
Larry, what happen to Pia Knight and who is involved with Knights web site, thanks
24 - fred turner
Does anyone have an email address for Roger Force or Joe Ahladis? Thanks much.
25 - anne bartee
John Hambrick the newscaster made a great album with Terry knight called Windmills in a Jet filled sky,,, it should be re issued again ,,,as john has some hits on that album ,,, check it out... Bartee