Thumper

a musical history

(Memories ​Currently under ​construction)

Thumper–formerly known as The ​Checkmates, The Plague, and Spun ​Glass–was an American rock and roll ​group that emerged from the Los ​Angeles scene in the late 1960s.

The group made 11 recordings ​produced by Jerry Riopelle on the ​A&M Records label from 1968 to ​1969.

(in alphabetical order)

Jimmy Gray Hall

Michael Kelly McCarthy

David Karl Plehn (Plenn)

David Austin St. John

Jon Alan (“Jack”) Wadley

Kenneth Roe Weidaw

Thomas Andrew Wyper (Bryan)

Lineups

Timeline

1964–1966

Michael, Tom, Kenny and Jack meet Jimmy ​and Dave Plehn at Arcadia High School.

1965

Jimmy, Tom, Kenny, Jack, and ​Michael form The Checkmates: ​“Music for any Occasion. For the ​Rhythm and Blues Sound.”

Michael’s mother sews matching ​checkered vests for ​performances.

1966

The Checkmates become The ​Plague.

early 1968

The band becomes Thumper. ​David St. John takes Jack ​Wadley’s place on drums. Dave ​Plehn says that the thumping ​rhythm of St. John’s drum ​inspired the new name.

1968

Thumper play a fundraiser at the ​Cheetah Club on the Santa ​Monica Pier. Manager Dwight ​Espe promises that industry ​people will be there, but they ​never show up. Allman Brothers ​(then known as The Hourglass), ​Jose Feliciano, The Buffalo ​Springfield, The Turtles, and ​others also appear on the bill.

EARLY 1970s

Audio engineer Emmitt Siniard briefly joins the group as a ​pianist.

Tom & Ken step away from the group.

A&M thinks the group’s style is too eclectic, and therefore not ​marketable, so Thumper is dissolved.

Before going their separate ways, Dave, David, and Jimmy ​back Jerry Riopelle and other groups including Linda ​Ronstadt. Ronstadt performs two of Jimmy’s songs and one ​of Jerry’s in a set at what is now California State University, ​Northridge, on a bill with the Flying Burrito Brothers and ​Savoy Brown Blues Band.

RECORDINGS

UNRELEASED ALBUM TRACKS:

(Click title to play)

Two Sons Tucson

Boom Boom

Guitar Man (Able Told a Fable)

She Sang a Song

Lullaby

Knee High

In 1999, Tom compiled the group’s recordings (released and unreleased) into a ​CD called “From the Ashes Tour 1999”, with liner notes (below).

MUSICAL CONTRIBUTIONS ON ​RECORDINGS:

Leon Russell

Nick DeCaro

Tommy Reynolds

Jim Horn

Jerry Riopelle (producer)

Leon Russell

LE​GACY

Jimmy GRAY Hall

1948-1984

After Thumper, Jimmy Hall recorded a solo album for CBS Records, but never ​re-recorded the lyrics for several of the songs, and so the album was never ​released (according to label exec Stephen Paley). The album was produced at ​the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, with CBS ​Records A&R exec Stephen Paley and Muscle Shoals Sound Section alum ​Eddie Hinton producing.

His music found influences in soul, funk, rock, and bluegrass. The unreleased ​album was released to critics, with Billboard Magazine labeling the album as a ​"promising debut" and Hall "a musician to watch in the years to come." The ​title track of "Possessed by the Moon" was an instrumental on which Hall ​played many of the instruments, but the best-known song would become "BE ​THAT WAY," which was re-released on "45 KINGS, VOLUME III," and referred ​to as part of the"blue-eyed soul" movement of the 1970s. Other songs from ​the album include the biographical "YOU ONCE SAID" and "TWO SONS" which ​hinted at Hall's family, as well as trouble to come.

In the years that he recorded the singles (released as 45s), Hall did session ​and tour work for Linda Ronstadt and Sly & The Family Stone, and others. ​Hall's turbulent personal life, including a serious drug addiction, took its toll, as ​Hall spent the next decade in and out of prison for crimes including felony drug ​possession, weapons charges, and armed bank robbery. After being ​implicated in more than 30 bank robberies in Southern California, he died in a ​police shootout after a high-speed chase in Big Bear, California, at age 35, on ​June 3, 1984.

(Source: Grady Hall)

After Thumper disbanded, David Plenn went on to support Thumper producer ​Jerry Riopelle in the studio and on the road through the ‘70s and ‘80s, until ​Riopelle passed away in 2018.

“I was about 19. Jerry said, ‘I’ve got a solo deal with Capitol Records. ​Would you like to play lead guitar for me?’ My first gig with him was at ​the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, opening up for the Kinks and Fanny. I ​wasn’t your typical studio musician, so it was kind of a big leap for him to ​choose me as his guitarist.”

David also developed a career as a professional songwriter. His “Easy Driver” ​was a 1978 chart entry for Kenny Loggins, while “The Forecast (Calls for Pain)” ​— produced by another important musical mentor, writer-producer Dennis ​Walker — appeared on Robert Cray’s 1990 album “Midnight Stroll.” His tunes ​were heard on the TV shows Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place and Touched ​By an Angel.

When his son Taylor was born, David pulled back from road life to spend more ​time at home. He and his wife Shelley Stephens opened The Dinosaur Farm, a ​beloved South Pasadena toy store.

For his 2022 self-titled debut solo album, David was backed by legendary ​singer-songwriter-arranger Van Dyke Parks (architect of the Beach Boys’ ​Smile), drummer Jay Bellerose (Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Aimee Mann, etc.), ​bassists Jenny Condos (Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, ​etc.), James “Hutch” Hutchinson (Willie Nelson, B.B King, Linda Ronstadt, ​etc.), vocalists Tara Austin and Llory McDonald, bassist David Jenkins, ​drummer David Goodstein, and co-producer Lloyd Moffitt.

Known as the writer in the group, Tom earned a B.S. degree in English at ​University of Oregon and later moved to rural northern California, where he ​built a house and co-founded the garage band Loose Gravel with Bill Gann and ​Dan Crosby.

He now lives in Nevada City, CA, where he relaxes by playing guitar, gardening, ​and kayaking with his wife Renee and best-friend-for-life Michael McCarthy.

Loose Gravel

After high school, Michael made a career for himself in ​the restaurant and wine industries. He owned McCarthy’s ​Irish Bar & California Grill in Pasadena, and managed ​restaurants and wineries in the Bay Area.

He lives in Napa, California, with his wife Robin.

Michael & Tom

After high school, Jack disappeared from the music scene. His drums were ​stored and collected dust for almost 50 years. Meanwhile, he attended UCLA, ​CSULB, and USC where he received his Master’s degree in Chemical ​Engineering. He married LaVonne McAllister in 1971 and began his career with ​Mobil (now ExxonMobil) in 1972. His career transferred his family from ​Southern California to New York City and then to Northern Virginia where he ​retired in 2009. After retirement, he and LaVonne moved to Richmond, Virginia ​to be closer to grandkids. Despite a rewarding career and the fulfillment of a ​loving family, Jack never lost his love for playing drums. In 2016, Jack reached ​into the old dusty drum cases to find his beloved Slingerland drum set and ​began the arduous process of restoration. Now neighbors can hear him ​jamming away to the music of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. He has three married ​children, and seven grandchildren.

“Playing in the band with my boyhood friends was one of the fondest ​memories of my young life along with our decompression time at ​Pellegrinos.”

Thumper drummer David St. John passed away July 18, 2009. He was born in ​Boston, Massachusetts, on November 17, 1949. He grew up in Pasadena, ​California, and lived in and around the San Gabriel Valley most of his life. David ​was involved in the music business as a musician, songwriter, piano tuner and ​roadie for several bands, including The Beach Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd and ​Waylon Jennings. For the last several years, he worked as an extra in several ​television shows and movies, including “My Name is Earl” and “Angels and ​Demons.” He is survived by his loving spouse Christina Thurman of Altadena, ​California. He is also survived by his son Seth of Tenino, Washington; his ​granddaughter Chloe; his mother, Polly St. John of Mill Valley, California, and ​his brothers and sisters, Marcy, Peter, Nora and Austin St. John. He was ​predeceased by his father, his son Justin and his daughter Dylan.

(Published by Pasadena Star-News on Aug. 4, 2009)

Ken’s story

The Next Generation

Allison Wyper (daughter of Thomas), Taylor Plenn (son of David), and Grady Hall (son of Jimmy) at ​The Dinosaur Farm toy store in South Pasadena in 2024.

Allison is a performance ​artist, website designer, ​and art business ​consultant currently based ​in Los Angeles. She loves ​to sing.

Taylor is a musician living ​in Los Angeles. He and his ​father perform together ​regularly. Taylor plays ​saxophone and flute.

Grady is an award-winning ​writer and director of ​commercials, music ​videos, TV series, and ​films based in Santa ​Monica.

References & ​Credits

references

Thumper | On A&M Records

Jimmy Gray Hall | Last.fm wiki

Arcadia High School Yearbooks | ArcadiaApaches.com

website & archivE CREDITS

This collabortive archive project was initiated in 2023 by Allison Wyper.

The website was created on Canva, with the idea that it can be easily ​edited by the musicians and their families.

Michael McCarthy provided band photos.

The recordings were uploaded to Soundcloud, with the exception of “A ​Fool Didn’t Know,” which is currently on YouTube.

Questions and contributions should be directed to ​allison@rhizomaticarts.com.