The Mad Lads

During the 1960s the Mad Lads ranked among Stax’s scarce vocal ensembles. Their harmonies, shaped by doo wop yet driven by the high, innocent tenor of John Gary Williams, echoed Philadelphia soul far more than the prevailing Memphis sound. Still enrolled in high school, the members joined the Stax roster in late 1964. Mid-decade R&B success arrived with “Don’t Have to Shop Around,” “I Want Someone,” and “I Want a Girl,” though none reached the pop charts. Drafted in 1966, Williams and fellow Mad Lad William Brown paused studio activity for military service while the group continued live dates with temporary replacements. After their return, original members Julius Green and Robert Philips declared they no longer wanted Brown; Brown and Stax co-owner Jim Stewart forced them to reinstate Williams. Subsequent releases followed the Stax soul and funk formula and lacked the singular character of the group’s earlier singles. They reentered the R&B Top 30 in 1968 with “Whatever Hurts You.”