Wild Goose in Waukegan, IL. 1968 & 1969

Pics and Story by Rick Kancilja

I grew up in Waukegan, IL and the 1960s was an awesome time in history for popular music. The Beatles arrived in 1964. I was captivated by “I Wanna Hold You Hand” and “She Loves You.” I found 3 other guys from high school that could play instruments and we started our own band.

In 1966 a band on WLS and WCFL radio stations called The Cryan’ Shames. was playing “Sugar and Spice”. I loved it. Then another hit called “It Could Be We’re In Love”. My band learned both songs. We loved their tight multiple part vocal harmonies.

Most of the disc jockeys on WLS were Clark Weber, Bill Bailey, Jerry Kay, Ron Riley, Art Roberts, Larry Lujack, Bernie Allen, Chuck Buell, Kris Stevens, Joel Sebastian and Scotty Brink. WLS Radio Station put out a weekly list of songs on a 3”x 8” piece of paper every week with the songs listed in order of popularity. This piece of paper was called:

WLS SILVER DOLLAR SURVEY / WLS’ OFFICIAL PLAY LIST

Songs would climb up and down the charts according to record sales and radio play requests.

One day I heard a commercial on the radio saying Dex Card, another disc jockey, is opening a chain of night clubs in the Chicagoland area called Dex Card’s Wild Goose. He opened one in Waukegan and I went there almost every weekend. The Cryan’ Shames were a favorite act there. After remodeling The Wild Goose in Waukegan, The Cryan’ Shames appeared on opening night. I was pretty bold back then and security was not like it is these days so after each concert I would walk back stage and started talking to each member of The Cryan’ Shames until it was time to leave.

At each performance of The Cryan’ Shames I got as close as I could to them by pushing my way through the crowded room each night until I was right up against the stage.

I bought each of their vinyl albums as they came out. My band did "Sugar and Spice", “I Wanna Meet You”, "It Could Be We're In Love", "Up On the Roof". I told Tom “Toad” that we did those songs when I went backstage one night. Another night when they were doing "Sugar and Spice" Toad reached down and handed the microphone to me and Paul (my bass player) and we got to sing the 2nd verse of "Sugar and Spice" WITH the Cryan' Shames. How cool is that?

Another night, I went backstage and told Isaac Guillory that I couldn’t understand a couple of the words in “Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith and Jones.” Without saying anything he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote out the words to the whole song. I was speechless. I doubt whether there is another one like it.

Admission to the Wild Goose to see The Cryan’ Shames:

October 14, 1967 was $1.25, January 20, 1968 was $1.75, June 11, 1968 was $2.00, October 11, 1968 was $2.50. Some concerts were as much as $3.00

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