NB: (2) Misprinted as by Paymarks. From Bremerton, Washington, they played a pretty standard sort of R&B with lots of raw guitar and organ. They were originally known as The Orbits and changed name to The Galaxies in 1962, but this had to be changed again in 1964 when they learnt of the better-known and similarly named Tacoma-based band. Their first record was a re-make of Cannonball Adderley's Work Song. Their finest moment, though, was probably Louise, a pretty standard R&B howl. The band ended when Huff and Selvidge were drafted in 1966 but Spotts went on to form The Icemen and was later in The Wailers and Crome Syrcus. Greg Pettit also went on to play in Superband. Can anyone confirm if Gail Davies is the same vocalist who had a country music career during the seventies to date? Compilation appearances include: Louise on Northwest Battle Of The Bands, Vol. 2 - Knock You Flat! (LP & CD), Northwest Battle Of The Bands, Vol. 1 (CD), Highs In The Mid Sixties, Vol. 14 (LP) and The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 5; Louise and I Believed on History Of Northwest Rock, Vol. 2 (CD); Work Song on Highs In The Mid Sixties, Vol. 16 (LP); Hard Times (prev unreleased) on Northwest Battle Of The Bands, Vol. 2 (CD). (Max Waller/Darryl F. Riffero)
The Raymond John Michael Band (RJM), named by its founder Ray Graffia, Jr. was formed in 1969 when Graffia left the New Colony Six. They recorded three singles (or more?) on the Ivanhoe and London labels, and disbanded in 1971. In addition to Graffia the band included two of further original New Colony Six members, Craig Kemp and Chic James. RJM's sound was heavier than the NC6, yet retained the harmonious sound of the former group. Let There Be Love was written by the Bee Gees, and Rich Kid Blues was penned by Terry Reid. Unreleased RJM tracks includes such songs as Gwendolyn, Bobby And Georgia, I Confess (a new version of the NC6 classic!), I Can't Believe That We're Alone, I Never Dreamed, People In Search Of and Splendid Friends/Dining In Film. No albums were released, and to my knowledge, none of these songs has been compiled. (Byron Stewart)
NB: (1) Sometimes known as 'The Black Album'. Reissued on OR Records (OR 002) 1994. This ultra-rarity is strictly speaking outside the time-span of this book but sounds like it's from the early seventies. The group came from New Orleans and the album was recorded in their living room, with nothing remixed or overdubbed. The high energy album with psychedelic tinges had a limited reissue (500 copies) in 1994. The reissue contains an insert with some information on the group. They also recorded a second album, which has never been released and the master tapes are apparently burned. A single did appear from these sessions but I don't have the details. (Clark Faville)
A West Palm Beach, Florida outfit whose Get Yourself Together is full of lots of psychedelic sitar and fuzz. They were previously known as The American Beetles and may also have recorded as The Queen City Show Band. Their other 45s are pop/ballads of minor interest here, but Let's Call It A Day Girl was a minor hit. Compilation appearances include: Get Yourself Together on Garage Zone, Vol. 2 (LP) and The Garage Zone Box Set (4-LP). (Max Waller)
Previously known as The Triumphs (with a couple of 45s on Barclay), this Reading, Pennsylvania, outfit was forced to change their name to Pat Farrell and The Believers when it was discovered that this moniker was already in use. This 45 was duly reissued on Diamond D-236. Gotta Find Her can also be heard on Psychedelic Unknowns, Vol. 3 and is a bouncy ditty but really not in the psych or garage genres. The flip is a slow crooner ballad!! (Max Waller)
A campus band from the University of Missouri's Engineering School at Rolla. In My Grave can also be found on Monsters Of The Midwest, Vol. 4 (LP). Its best point is some enthusiastic guitar work.
From the Suffolk area of Virginia. Their debut has a pre-Invasion flavour, coupling a cool saxy frat-jerker with a slow last-dance ballad. They updated their sound considerably for the follow-up which was picked up by Cameo Parkway. Do That Thing is a natural progression from She's A Queen, still retaining a frat flavour but incorporating beat and dance elements and relegating the sax to a background role. Of most appeal here is 1-A, a moribund folk-rocker with swirling keyboards on the theme of the Vietnam war, destruction and death - reaired on Aliens, Psychos And Wild Things (CD). Latterly the band included bassist Steve Hicks who'd move on to the Hustlers, a Sandston, Va. outfit who changed their name to Short Cross around the turn of the decade. (Max Waller/Brent Hosier/Dr.Simon Trent DSU)
NB: (1) contains two tracks by The Readymen: Shortnin' Bread and Disintegration.
The Readymen, from Minneapolis, weren't the only rock 'n' rollers willing and able to slam into the old folk/children's song Shortnin' Bread but their version is the most gone. Perhaps it's got something to do with the air in Minneapolis that makes people sing with such a raw growl as can be heard in The Trashmen's Surfin' Bird and The Novas' The Crusher. Compilation appearances include: Shortnin' Bread on Pebbles Vol. 4 - Various Hodads (CD) and Born Bad, Vol. 5.
An example of one of the numerous Jefferson Airplane clones that blossomed as part of the 'West Coast sound' replete with Grace Slickesque vocalist stridently belting it out, especially on the uptempo flip. Sea Of Reality is a very slow atmospheric dirge with suitably tiresome lyrics. (Max Waller)
A sixties punk outfit from the San Francisco area. Basically we're talking an amalgam of psychedelia and punk, with Excitation similar in style to The Music Machine and Miles Beyond having some neat chops and changes. There were rumours of a retrospective album of their material but I can't confirm that it appeared. Another Rear Exit, presumably from the Wisconsin area, had a 45 Thinking Of You/Summertime on Cuca (1527). Compilation appearances have included: Excitation and Miles Beyond on Psychedelic Moods - Part Two (LP & CD), 60's Punk E.P., Vol. 3 (7"), Boulders Punk EP Box and Crystalize Your Mind (CD). (Max Waller)
Based in Temple north of Austin in Texas, this group was managed by a Waco businessman Carl Sachs who tried hard to promote their 45, but due to a small pressing and limited distribution it never took off. If the 'A' side was an unmemorable ballad, the flip was a 13th Floor Elevators-influenced rocker. The band split in the Autumn of 1967 when Schwertner left to fill the vocal spot in the newly formed Lavender Hill Express. Later still he was reunited with Dolan and Inman in Plymouth Rock. In the short-term Inman, Dolan and Miller played in a blues trio called Feast Of Stephen which later evolved into South Canadian Overflow. Compilation appearances include: Don't Be That Way on Acid Visions - The Complete Collection Vol. 1 (3-CD), Austin Landing, Vol. 2 (LP), Texas Flashbacks, Vol. 1 (LP & CD), Flashback, Vol. 1 (LP) and I Was A Teenage Caveman (LP). (Max Waller)
A Chicago-based outfit. All I Really Need Is Love, a lighthearted punk thrash, can also be heard on Back From The Grave, Vol. 2 (LP), Garage Kings (Dble LP) and Highs In The Mid-Sixties, Vol. 4 (LP).
This was a different outfit, from Syosset, Long Island who formed at Syosset High School. Their first two 45s were great dynamic pop-punk, sorta Monkees-style garagey-pop. Al Stegmeyer's younger brother played bass in the Billy Joel Band between 1975-1990. Compilation appearances have included: One More Time on Teenage Shutdown, Vol. 11 - Move It! (LP & CD). (Max Waller/Steven Becker)
A Tucson, Arizona band later known as the Revelation. Dark Side, taken from an acetate (it's unknown whether a 45 was released) can be heard on Think Of The Good Times.
(Max Waller)
An interesting and rather imaginative Pittsburgh-based act judging from this album. There's lots of interesting string arrangements, Kiki's seductive vocals and for the most part strong material, although side two becomes more experimental. Obviously not for garage fans, but if experimental psychedelic/progressive rock is your niche this minor collectable may be of interest. Kapner had previously played with Group Image and was later in Country Joe and The Fish. Ilene Novog and Ernie Eremita were later Novie and Ernie in Chunkie, Novi and Ernie, a late seventies Los Angeles-based band. This latter act released three albums on Warner Bros which are reputedly very eclectic and progressive in nature. (Vernon Joynson/Stephen M.H. Braitman)
NB: (1) reissued in 1971 on Avantgarde Records (135). An obscure and minor psychedelic collectable. The original Lefevre Sound and Avant Garde reissue, which appeared a few years apart include some different tracks. (Clark Faville / Anuj Goyal)
From Columbus, Ohio, this band also recorded a demo of The Nightcrawlers' Little Black Egg. Their cover of I'm Not Your Stepping Stone has also resurfaced on Boulders, Vol. 2 (LP) and the Boulders Box Set. (Max Waller / Ben Knepper / George Gell) |
