The Pleasure Seekers was a 1960s garage rock band from Detroit, Michigan. Patti Quatro (born Patricia Helen Quatro, March 10, 1948, Detroit,
Michigan, USA) formed the band in May 1964. After a few weeks practice, Patti dared Dave
Leone to give them a slot at his popular teen night club, The Hideout in
Detroit. He put them on stage two weeks later, and they soon became
well known and gaining momentum in the burgeoning and exploding Detroit
music community, playing concerts and teen clubs with Ted Nugent, Bob
Seger, and others. The original band included Suzi Quatro and Patti Quatro, Nancy Ball
(drums) (born 1947, Detroit, Michigan, USA), Mary Lou Ball (guitar)
(born 1950, Detroit, Michigan, USA), and Diane Baker (born 1947,
Detroit, Michigan, USA), whose father was in Art Quatro's band, on
piano. Later on in April or May 1966 Arlene Quatro (born Arlene Sue
Quatro, November 26, 1941, Detroit, Michigan, USA) replaced Diane Baker
on the piano. Sheryl 'Sherry' Hammerlee (born 1949) joined the band on
rhythm guitar in January 1966. Nan Ball played drums until ca. October
1966 when Darline Arnone (born Darline Sue Arnone, 1950, Detroit,
Michigan, USA) (ex-The Loreleis) joined the band and stayed until late
(December?) 1969. Arlene Quatro's husband, Leo Fenn, managed the band.
Pami Bedford (born Pamela Kaye Bedford, 27 July 1947, Detroit, Michigan,
USA) (ex-The Loreleis), joined the band on rhythm guitar in August
1967, replacing Hammerlee.
The band had their first record out in 1965, when Suzi Quatro and her
sister Patti Quatro were 15 and 17 years old, respectively, on the
Hideout label. Both sides of their first single – "Never Thought You'd
Leave Me" b/w "What a Way to Die" – have some prominence; the former is
included on Highs in the Mid-Sixties Vol. 6, while the latter was featured in the cult film Blood Orgy of the Leather Girls (1988). Both songs (lyrics by Dave Leone) are included on the compilation album Friday at the Hideout, which offers a retrospective of Hideout Records, and charted regionally for the band.
In 1968, they were signed to a major label, Mercury Records.
They released a second single, "Light of Love" b/w "Good Kind of Hurt",
with both songs charting. The group matured into a dynamic show band
and, using Detroit as home base, toured the U.S. Their show featured an
entire Sgt. Pepper / Magical Mystery Tour revue, as well as a Motown sound revue, and everything in between.
In 1969, The Pleasure Seekers morphed into Cradle, changing direction
musically in writing heavier original material and touring throughout
the U.S. Arlene was now manager and sister Nancy Quatro had joined as
vocalist and percussionist. The group toured vigorously, playing
concerts and pop festivals throughout the U.S. with popular bands of the
day, ending with a tour of Vietnam. In 1971, Suzi was signed by
producer Mickie Most to his RAK Records label, leaving for the UK and solo fame as Suzi Quatro (more about her in another entry). Patti continued with sister Nancy in Cradle, then joined brother Mike's MQ Jam Band, co-producing and recording an album, Look Deeply Into the Mirror.
The Quatro sisters have reunited for special TV and concert projects
through the years, reminiscent of the early Pleasure Seekers days.
