Vocalist Ernie Bringas tells his side of :
The Rip Chords Story

There is alot of misinformation about THE RIP CHORDS, especially in terms of their vocal creativity. This problem stems from the ever changing line-up of individuals who, in one way or another, became associated with THE RIP CHORDS. These individuals can be broken down into three distinct parties. First and foremost were Ernie Bringas and Phil Stewart - not only the original RIP CHORDS but, from a legal perspective, the only RIP CHORDS. Second, came producer/singer Terry Melcher, to be joined later in the same vain by Bruce Johnston (but it was Melcher as head producer that retained control). Third, we have the arrival of Rich Rotkin and Arnie Marcus. How these three parties figured in THE RIP CHORDS enigma is as follows. We begin with the original group, Bringas and Stewart. (Please note that for the sake of clarity, I, Rev. Ernie Bringas, am writing this commentary in a third person format.)

Just out of high school, Bringas and Stewart started singing together in 1957. In 1962, they landed a recording contract with Columbia Records and assigned to beginning record producer, 20 year old Terry Melcher (Doris Day's son). Bringas and Stewart, now calling themselves THE RIP CHORDS, released their first recording, HERE I STAND, in early 1963. The release had moderate success (peaking nationally at #51) and paved the way for future promise.

On their second release, GONE, Bringas and Stewart were joined by Bruce Johnston (a vocally talented friend of Melcher). Although GONE made the national charts, it was not quite as successful as their previous single. Nevertheless, THE RIP CHORDS had established themselves nationally. All that was needed to further their success was a top-notch song to record.

At this critical point, Bringas (who had recently graduated from college and was planning for the ministry) decided to leave THE RIP CHORDS to pursue three years of graduate studies at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. His decision to leave was somewhat forced by church officials who threatened to take away his ministerial credentials; they believed Bringas should not, in a manner of speaking, "serve two masters." Phil Stewart now found himself without a singing or touring partner, but quickly resolved the problem by contracting two young men (Rich Rotkin and Arnie Marcus) to accompany him as THE RIP CHORDS on the touring circuit. But they were not contracted to record any RIP CHORDS' music. Accordingly, this left Stewart as the sole remaining RIP CHORDS singer although Bruce Johnston - having contributed vocally on GONE - was hovering in the wings.

It was also during this critical period that Melcher and a young songstress named Carol Conners, collaborated on a song called HEY LITTLE COBRA. Recognizing the songs potential, Melcher called for a RIP CHORDS' session. Obviously, Stewart, as a lone vocalist, did not constitute a vocal group, and it was this predicament that prompted Melcher and Johnston to fill the void created by Bringas' departure. Although Stewart appears on HEY LITTLE COBRA (a matter disputed by Melcher and Johnston), it was, nevertheless, the lead vocal of Melcher that gave the song its winning impetus (peaking at #4 nationally).

Meanwhile, Bringas had been given permission by the Bishop of his Conference to rejoin THE RIP CHORDS, provided he restrict his involvement to recording, and refrain from touring with the group as it was believed this would detract from his educational studies. With Stewart's approval, Bringas ended his three month absence. For obvious reasons, Rotkin and Marcus would continue to accompany Stewart on the touring circuit.
Following Bringas' return, the album HEY LITTLE COBRA AND OTHER HOT ROD HITS was recorded and, as has been reported, " ...featured the 'old' sound of THE RIP CHORDS (Stewart and Bringas) and the 'new' sound (Melcher and Johnston) in equal smatterings. . ." But this latter statement - although true in some respects - is somewhat misleading because it creates the false impression that THE RIP CHORDS' sound was either a vocal product of Stewart & Bringas, or Melcher & Johnston. This false impression must be corrected.

When you listen to THE RIP CHORDS' albums (especially THREE WINDOW COUP) it becomes obvious that neither duo in and of themselves could have created this rich diversity of sound without the full complement of 4 voices. Listen to such songs as THIS LITTLE WOODIE, HOT ROD U.S.A., SURFIN CRAZE, BEACH GIRL, TROPHY MACHINE, (to name a few), and the best one of all -MY BIG GUN BOARD. Melcher's production of these beauties incorporates what Bringas has termed, "cross-overdubbing." (Credit Melcher for using this creative procedure.) It is a method by which vocal parts are not simply duplicated (overdubbed), but also oftentimes covered with different voices. It was not unusual, as one example, for Johnston to overdub an identical falsetto on top of Bringas' recording, or vice versa. Most parts were repeated by one or two other singers, making it virtually impossible to distinguish who was contributing what to whom and where. Accordingly, virtually all harmonies and some leads were duplicated in this manner (for example, as was the composite leads of Melcher and Bringas on MY BIG GUN BOARD). Of course, there were certain songs that called for a specific talent not held by the others, as evidenced by Johnston's creative falsetto on GONE, and Stewart's baritone qualities that consistently rounded out many songs in stellar fashion. In any case, the richness of sound created by homogenizing 4 unique voices in multiple cross-overdubbing was unmatchable.

To be sure, no one denies that Melcher and Johnston were as producers, arrangers, writers, and vocalists, major contributors to what is now known as "The California Sound." But equally so, that "sound" was never so vibrant and expressive as when all four voices - Stewart, Melcher, Johnston and Bringas -registered their influence. Neither Bringas and Stewart as a duo, nor Melcher and Johnston as a duo (who later recorded their own music under the moniker of BRUCE AND TERRY), ever recaptured the marvelous sounds as found on THE RIP CHORDS' albums when all four voices were present. Any denial of this declaration flies in the face of these numerous recordings.