The Rationals

00-69 Guitar Army/Handbags & Gladrags – Crewe 340

00-69 LP The Rationals – Crewe CR-1334

00-2000 LP The Rationals – CGC Records FLASH-46

Group member:
Scott Morgan – Vocals, piano, percussion, organ, guitar and flute.
Bill Figg – Drums, vibes, and percussion.
Steve Cordell – Vocals, guitar and percussion.
Terry Trabandt – Vocals, bass and piano.

The Rationals were Americal rock & roll band from Ann Arbor, Michigan/USA.

The Rationals were formed in 1964 and first recorded a couple of singles for the local label A2 Records. After scoring a local hit with their single “Gave Me Love”, they recorded a cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect”. This won them a contract for national distribution by Cameo/Parkway and the single ended up reaching #92 on the Billboard Hot 100. Several further singles, including “I Need You” and “Hold On Baby” were successes in Michigan but didn’t catch on nationally. Lead singer Scott Morgan was asked to join Blood Sweat and Tears, but he declined the offer.

The group’s full-length, a self-titles effort, arrived on Crewe Records at the beginning of 1970, and the group split up soon after. Morgan went on to play with several other Detroit-area groups over the next three decades, including Sonic’s Rendevous Band (with Fred Smith of MC5) and several of his own bands.

In 1995, John Sinclair released a live recording of a 1968 benefit concert entitled “Temptation ‘Bout To Get Me”. Sinclair also named his book “Guitar Army” after The Rationals song of the same name.

Bill Figg runs a Rationals website, but it’s very strange to see, that however he updates it regulary, the single “Guiter Army/Handbags & Gladrags” is not mentioned on the site.

Bill Figg’s Rationals website can be found at: www.therationals.com