I first met Dave Miller at Pye in 1969 when he was deeply engrossed in recording for his Damil label. He was a robustly built man with silver hair, possessing a voice that resonated like that of a seasoned American voiceover artist. When engaged in conversation, he exuded humour, wit, entertainment and a deep well of worldly wisdom. Among the individuals I've had the privilege of encountering, Dave was one of the three exceptional minds I've come across, the other two being Jack Fishman and Dr Shyam Singha. Despite their remarkable qualities, all three of these modest individuals would likely have disagreed with my assessment. Miller has been the subject of numerous articles and stories over the years, often depicted as a smooth operator and occasionally compared to Colonel Tom Parker, the infamous manager of Elvis Presley. Born as David Leonart Kleiber in 1925 in Germany, both he and the Colonel emigrated to the USA during the 1930s and, on their arrival, adopted new names. They both shared a talent for shrewd business dealings, making the most of every financial opportunity that came their way. In 1949, Dave Miller established the Palda Record Company in Philadelphia. a label featuring various acts, including The Navy Shipmates, The Four Aces and The Blind Boys of Alabama, all experiencing modest sales locally. Dave, with an unrelenting passion for promoting records, seized every opportunity to produce and distribute a diverse range of content, from children's audio stories to recordings of local wedding ceremonies. In 1951, Philadelphia, PA became the home of Holiday & Essex Records, a company founded by Dave Miller. This record label gained significant recognition by the local music scene, largely thanks to its early releases featuring Bill Haley and The Comets. Dave initially transformed the band's name from the Four Aces of Western Swing to Bill Haley and the Saddlemen. Later on, he suggested changing the name to the Comets, drawing inspiration from Halley's Comet. The same year Miller inked a deal with Bill Haley for his Holiday Records label marking the inception of a new musical genre with Haley recording the first-ever track in this emerging style. The song was a rendition of Jackie Brenston's “Rocket 88.” Notably, this event occurred around three years prior to Sam Phillips being recognised for producing the pioneering rock 'n' roll crossover record, where a white artiste covered a track originally recorded by a black artist. Dave has often been associated with the decision to turn down “Rock Around the Clock,” but he consistently denied this accusation. An interview with the Comet’s bass player, Marshall Lytle supports this so my belief in his denial is justifiable. In the interview, when asked about song selection whilst recording with Miller, Lytle clarified that Bill Haley was primarily responsible for choosing most of the material. Whilst Dave Miller occasionally made suggestions, they were just that - suggestions. Lytle mentioned that “Rocket 88” was one of the songs that Dave Miller suggested, but when it came to choosing songs like “Rock the Joint” and others, it was Bill that had the final say. Given this insight, I’m sure that if Bill Haley had wanted to record “Rock Around the Clock” with Dave Miller, he would have done so. The fact that song choices were largely determined by Bill Haley himself underscores the idea that Miller's involvement in song selection was not as controlling as some accounts might suggest. Throughout the years, Dave frequently recounted tales from his early days, which I often suspected were embellished and exaggerated. Surprisingly, in 1979, after listening to Bill Haley's perspective on the same events, it became evident that if anything, Dave had downplayed the stories. Bill remarked, “Miller was an absolute wild man. Do you know he's the one who essentially invented Payola?The Full Story is in Kenny Denton's memoir "There Ain't No Rules In Rock n Roll"
