In January 1966, Stebbing was given an import copy of a Changin' Times album by Philips A&R man John McCready and he immediately tagged the track "How Is The Air Up There?" as a possible song for a local band. The La De Da's performed a demo, resulting in them cutting a recording and signing to Zodiac for both management and production, with their recordings distributed through Phillips. They recorded a series of hits through 1966–67, which are now regarded as classics of '60s R&B.