The Monzas, named after a car called the Corvair Monza Spyder, were a ponytail pop group formed by Nelson Miller in the early ‘60s. Miller arrived at the University of North Carolina in 1961 and quickly formed the band with four other folks — Ward May, Skip Henshaw, Roger Mercer, Sharon Copeland, Linda Quinlan and Bing Greeson. When they began, they intended on playing covers at local high schools and private parties to get some extra cash while they finished up college, but soon they began seeing bigger success. After cutting a few records with national distribution, the group eventually fell apart as folks graduated, got married and moved away. The music they left behind transports us to the good feelings of a small, mid-century college town in America.
Hey! I Know You was released in 1965 with all of the quintessential mid-century feel good vibes. The album is full of dreamy ooohs, melodic backing vocals and big, wavy brass sounds. The title track Hey I Know You took off upon release, ending up radio stations across the country throughout the sixties. However, the group has recently had some success with Where Is The Love, a sweet, soft track full of unrequited love. Consider this to be your mid-week pick-me-up.
Enjoy.
The Monzas - Hey! I Know You:
Pair this album with:
Chardonnay Fougue. I tend to shy away from Chardonnay, because I’m not really into toasted, buttery wine. However, most (all?) low-intervention Chardonnay is unoaked, so what you get is a nice, clean fruit-forward white that still has some creaminess.
Summer Squash and Basil Pasta. Simple, easy breezy weeknight meal. Whip this up, pour a glass of wine and sit out on a front porch, fire escape, stoop, etc, and enjoy the twilight of summer.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.