Location California Opened 1960s | Type Nightclub | |
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Owner Bob Eubanks, Mickey Brown, Stan Bannister, Roy Bannister Genre(s) Rock and roll, Rock music | ||
The Cinnamon Cinder chain was a chain of nightclubs owned by Bob Eubanks. Acts that appeared in the clubs included The Coasters, The Drifters, Sonny & Cher, Buffalo Springfield, Ike & Tina Turner, and The Shirelles.
Contents
Background
The Cinnamon Cinder came about to fill a need for teenagers who were either too young or couldn't afford the entry to regular night clubs. The clubs were located in Southern California. Bob Eubanks, the chains owner was a Los Angeles disc jockey and game host. He hosted The Newlywed Game. He had partners and one of them was former L.A. policeman Mickey Brown and Van Nuys skating rink owners, Stan Bannister and Roy Bannister.
Acts like The Righteous Brothers and Stevie Wonder were booked for the clubs at North Hollywood and Long Beach. A television show called The Cinnamon Cinder Show originated from the clubs. There was also a hit record called "Cinnamon Cinder" which was recorded by The Pastel Six and The Cinders. It was also recorded by a band called The Hartung Sounds.
There were strict rules for the customers. The dress code discouraged the wearing of blue jeans, capri's or shorts. Alcohol wasn't permitted, and if a person showed signs of being under the influence, they would be turned away. Any adults such as parents that came in to check on their children would have to be accompanied by a member of the opposite sex. This was to stop older men coming in with the intention of preying on younger girls.
House bands
Cotton Candy consisted of former Vibrants drummer Bob Young and other members, Joey Cooper on guitar, Don Preston on guitar and John Gallee an organist and bassist. It was set up by Casey Van Beek who was with The Vibrants. Preston, Cooper and Gallee would later end up writing for singer Johnny Halliday.
Don and the Deacons were the house band at the club and started around November 1964. Preston would also play in Cotton Candy.
Among the house bands that played at the San Diego venue was The Roosters who were formed around 1965. The group's leader was multi-instrumentalist Richard "Dick" Purchase. He played bass, guitar, and keyboards. He was also an accomplished trumpet player. The rest of the band members were guitarists Joe Gonzalez and Bobby Hijer. The drummer was Sid Smith. In 1967 Smith left the band and was replaced by Jack Pinney. Pinney would later go on to become the drummer for Iron Butterfly. Later after a good part of a decade at the venue, they were let go by the club. They were possibly fired because of a later member Jerry Raney.
The house band for the Traffic Circle Cinnamon club was The Vibrants. They backed The Scuzzies on the Suzie Cappetta composed 1965, local top 40 hit "Dave Hull The Hullabalooer". The group had consisted of Cassey Van Beek (a.k.a. Casey Van Beek), Armond Frank, Bob Young, Jessy Johnston and Larry Britain. By December 1966, the band which was led by Van Beek had been at the club for five years. Around September 1967, the group broke up with some of its members returning to college. Van Beek who by this time was 23, set up another house band called Cotton Candy.
Studio City
The original Cinnamon Cinder club was located at 11345 Ventura Blvd. It was famously the location of a press conference by The Beatles before the band's Hollywood Bowl concert in 1964.
Long Beach
One popular club was at Traffic Circle, 4401 Pacific Coast Highway. Surf band The Pyramids appeared there in the 1960s.
San Diego
The most southern location of the chain was located at 7578 El Cajon Blvd., not far from San Diego State University.
Other Locations
In his autobiography "It's in the Book, Bob!", Bob Eubanks states that there were also Cinnamon Cinder clubs in Fresno and San Bernardino.