Anthony J. Hilder


Anthony J. Hilder was an American author, film maker, talk show host, broadcaster, news correspondent and former actor. In the late 1950s to the mid-1960s he was also a record producer, producing music mainly in the surf genre. He headed a couple of record labels as well as working for various others. He was also a publisher.

Background

He was born on November 30, 1934, to Jack and Patricia Hilder. His education was at prep school in Ojai, California, and later at University High in West Los Angeles. He majored in film and communications at USC where he later attended.
In the late 1950s, he was known as Tony Hilder and performed A&R work for Modern Records. In the early 1960s Hilder became a prolific producer of surf music. According to Who Put the Bomp magazine, Hilder's name as publisher, producer etc., appears on many records, both 45s and albums. His name would have appeared on more if it wasn't for the poor crediting on the budget releases. As a producer, he produced records such as Jim Waller's "Surfin' Wild".
He was credited as producer on the Surf Battle various artists album. He produced the Bombora album by the Original Surfaris. He supervised the recordings of the Revels, a California group remembered for the instrumental hit "Church Key". He was also the president of Impact Records, a label that released recordings by The Revels, Lil' Ray and the Premiers and Dave Myers and the Surftones. He had a role in providing the music for the 1961 film, The Exiles.
In 1971 Hilder was ejected from Lou Gordon's television interview show. He was also interviewed by the Idaho-based Times News that year and voiced his strong opposition to property taxes and the system of education in America. Hilder believed Ronald Reagan was a tool for the bankers by the mid-1970s; previously he had supported him. He also had further issues with Reagan. In the mid-1990s, Hilder hosted the Radio Free World radio show in Los Angeles. Also in that period, he was hosting his syndicated television show, Millennium 2000.
Hilder hosted radio shows and at one stage had a radio show in Alaska.
Hilder became involved in conspiracy films from the early 1990s. His films include Illuminazi 9-11 which featured Jordan Maxwell, Clayton Douglas and Ted Gunderson who Hilder has been associated with. Other films include Panic Project, 911 : The Greatest Lie Ever Sold. and Skull & Bones.
He was a news correspondent for the American Free Press, and a freelance writer. He was also a part of the alternative media.
A speaker at Conspiracy Con, he was described by The Silicon Valley Voice as a favorite fact finder for many conspiracy theorists.

Actor

In the late 1950s Hilder had minor or supporting roles in a few feature films and television shows.
In 1957, he was at his early stage in getting acting work. In December that year, he was in "The Trail to Christmas" episode of General Electric Theater. He also appeared in M Squad that year. Along with Robert Hafner, Hilder had a role in the 1958 sci-fi film, The Hideous Sun Demon which was directed by Tom Boutross and Robert Clarke.

Music and record producer

Hilder had a prolific output as a producer in the surf genre. He's mentioned and referenced in books such as Surfin' Guitars: Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties by Robert J. Dalley, and various other surf music related publications. He is also credited with bringing the surf sound to a host of independent California record labels in the early 1960s. According to Who Put the Bomp magazine, Hilder was responsible for more local surf music being recorded and released than any other individual. Years later his status as a producer in the surf genre was acknowledged in a 1995 issue of CD Review. Records released on other labels such as Del-Fi Records and Challenge Records credit Hilder as either orchestra leader, publisher, or writer. He had also used the pseudonym of Mark Hilder.

1950s to early 1960

In the late 1950s, Hilder worked for the Kent and Modern record labels. His time at Modern Records gave him contacts he could use in the music business. In 1959 having left the Kent / Modern organisation, Hilder would form CT Records, which would be his first record label. Two singles were subsequently released on CT. In time to come he would take advantage of the surf music craze. Hilder would become involved with Billy Watkins, Jesse Belvin and Charles Wright. With the assistance of Hilder, Wright penned "You're Unforgettable" for Billy Watkins. Released in 1959 on the Challenge label, it was backed with a Robert Hafner composition, "Rendezvous". It was given a B+ rating by The Cash Box in its October 17 issue. It was also a prediction that month by Billboard to do well, and became a local hit year. Hilder was also involved in the release of Rickey Agary's rocker single, "Everybody Needs Someone". Agary was backed by the Mark Anthony Band. The two part single was released on the Bel Canto label in 1959.

1960s

; The Revels
In 1960, his Impact label had its first release. The record was "Church Key" by the Revels, released on Impact 1. Hilder's association with the Revels began in early in 1960. One day, the Revels were at a Chevrolet dealership in San Luis Obispo, playing for a March of Dimes benefit. Hilder had come into town to promote two artists of his, Billy Watkins and Charles Wright. He was looking for a band to back them while on tour. Norman Knowles wanted him to think about using the Revels as the backing band. Not that impressed, Hilder didn't consider them. However he left his business card. The second time Hilder came into contact with the group was in the summer of 1960. The group had driven down to LA to record at a small studio located on the corner of Santa Monica and Western for what was their second recording session. The session wasn't going coming along that well so Knowles decided to ring Hilder to come over, and with his experience help them out. Soon Hilder arrived with his partner and songwriter, Robert Hafner. Hilder's attention was focused on guitarist Dan Darnold's playing around with the vibrato bar of his guitar. Hafner helped with a melody centering around the vibrato's hook. An arrangement was put together and later the title "Church Key" was given to the musical piece. Barbara Adkins who was Hilder's girlfriend provided the giggles on the recording. Hafner brought some other tunes with him, one of which was "Vesuvius". The band learned it there in the studio and recorded it. Not having a label of his own at the time, Hilder and Norman Knowles started their own company as partners, splitting the costs as well as the profits. In 1960, the group released "Vesuvius" bw "Church Key" on Tony Hilder's CT label. Then it was later released on Impact, this time with "Church Key" as the A side.
Hilder helped with much of the writing and arrangement for the 1961 film, The Exiles, a docu-drama about urban Indians from L.A. and with garage rock music provided by The Revels.
; Other acts and recording ventures
In 1962, Hilder attended a practice session by Rendezvous Ballroom regulars, the Rhythm Rockers, and heard them doing their version of a song he held the rights to, "Church Key". They would have two singles released on Impact, "Moment Of Truth" bw "Frogwalk and "Church Key" bw "Passion". In late 1962, he reached out to a group called the Latin Knights in a bid to get them recorded. He did several sessions with them in the studios in L.A. He later changed their name to the Charades and signed them to his label. Two songs were released on Impact, "Sophia" and "Christina".
In 1963, he produced the album The Winners Of The 18 Band Surf Battle, which was released on the GNP Crescendo label. It included titles by the Rhythm Kings and Dave Myers & the Surftones.
In 1966, represented by attorney Al Schlesinger, Hilders company Anthony Music was involved in legal action with Del-Fi records, filing a $122,000 Superior Suit over breach of contract, fraud and money owned. This was over royalties not being paid as per an alleged agreement for the masters of various albums. This included recordings by The Centurians, Dave Myers and the Surftones, the Sentinels and an LP Battle of the Surf Bands. Also in the same year, Hilder approached Myron Fagan a playwright-director for information. He urged Fagan who was nearly 80 to pass on his knowledge of the CFR, Illuminati and its new world order plans so it could be preserved. In 1967, the result was an album called The Illuminati CFR. According to the book by Mark Jacobson, Pale Horse Rider: William Cooper, the Rise of Conspiracy, and the Fall of Trust in America, it was recorded at a studio where Hilder normally recorded the surf-rock groups. It was released as a 3 record set that Hilder produced.

Anthony Music & Impact Records

Anthony Music

Hilder's music publishing company Anthony Music AKA Anthony Music Corp was based in Hollywood, California. The company handled releases such as "Commanche" / "Rampage" by the Revels, and their earlier release, "Church Key". Lil' Ray and the Premiers were another act to have the same. Others include, Emmett Lord, the Charades, Ray Agee, Bob Linkletter and the Sentinal Six.

Impact Records

During the 1960s, Hilder oversaw Impact Records, a Los Angeles-based record label. One of the functions of Impact Records was to be an outlet for masters that Hilder couldn't release on other labels. Much of the material released by the label was from local aspiring artists and bands. It was announced in the May 8, 1961, issue of Billboard that Hilder had put Dean Zook in a position to head the label's Midwest Radio-TV promotion. From his base in Denver, Zook's first efforts were concentrated on the promotion of the Revels' single which had been featured in the 1961 film, The Exiles.
The Revels, a local Californian band, had been around since 1957. They had four singles released on the label from 1960 to 1962 which included the single they were best known for, their 1960 hit "Church Key". The single was distributed nationally by Liberty Records but was issued under the banner of Impact to keep the identity of the label. Another artist that had a release on the label was Latino singer, Little Ray Jimenez in 1962 with "Shake! Shout! & Soul!" bw "Soul & Stomp". Other artists included Shorty Bacon, and the Charades. Another artist to have a release on the label in 1962 was Rue Barclay who had been recording since the late 1940s. The following year Barclay appeared in a low budget film, The Skydivers. One album that Hilder produced for his Impact label was Shake! Shout! & Soul, which was recorded live at Santa Monica's 2nd Annual Surf Fair. It featured Lil Ray, The Original Surfaris, Dave Myers and the Surftones, the New Dimensions, Steve Korey and the Virtue Four.
Robert Hafner also worked on compositions with Hilder and for artists on Impact. Both Hilder and Hafner had previous involvement with their roles in the film The Hideous Sun Demon which was released in the late 1950s.