Every Mother's Son

by Michael Sutton
Since the Beatles spawned a league of imitators, it shouldn't be a surprise that the Beatles' most successful clone, the Monkees, would inspire a doppelganger of its own. Formed in 1967 in New York City, NY, Every Mother's Son attempted to Xerox the Monkees' innocuous bubblegum pop. Consisting of brothers Dennis Larden (vocals, guitar) and Larry Larden (guitar, vocals), Schuyler Larsen (bass), Bruce Milner (keyboards), and Christopher Augustine (drums), Every Mother's Son was signed to MGM and released their debut LP in 1967. The catchy "Come on Down to My Boat" was a Top Ten hit in the U.S., but the group wasn't able recapture its success. The band released another album, Every Mother's Son's Back; however, their appeal had already started to dissipate. "Come on Down to My Boat" may have acquired Every Mother's Son a slice of fame, but a career cannot be propelled by one song, and the group folded in 1969. Dennis Larden joined Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band. In the late '80s, VH1 dusted off the video for "Come on Down to My Boat" and added it to regular rotation, aiming to attract baby boomers who had a fond recollection for the forgotten classic. The track has since become a fixture on oldies radio stations.