Category Archives: Anchorage

The Pulsating Heartbeats and the Hartbeet Band

Hartbeet Band Golden Gate 45 Wait Till Then

The Apostol brothers, Eddie, John, and Paul, formed the Pulsating Heartbeats in their home town of Anchorage Alaska.

The Pulsating Heartbeats were:

Eddie Apostol – guitar, vocals
John Apostol (Raphael Apostol) – guitar, vocals
Paul Apostol (Raul Apostol) – drums
Frank “Skip” Konte – keyboards, vocals

Originally known as simply the Heartbeats, the group rehearsed in Betty Poeschel’s garage, and recorded in Betty’s Record Den.

As the Pulsating Heartbeats they made one very rare record, “Anne” / “Talkin’ Bout You” on Pace Setters Internationale 007 1/2.

John Apostol wrote “Anne” and co-wrote “Talkin’ Bout You” with Eddie. A local DJ, Ron Moore produced. I believe Pacesetters was a booking agency run by Poeschel and Ron Moore. The address on the record was 425 East 5th Avenue in Anchorage.

The group toured throughout Alaska, and also performed at rallies for Mike Gravel’s failed run as Congressman in ’66.

Heartbeats join union to play Mike Gravel’s campaign rally in Fairbanks, July 1966

Skip Konte left the group. He would move all the way to Tampa, Florida, joining the Blues Image in 1967 and co-writing their hit “Ride Captain Ride”.

Emerson Crivillo took Skip’s place on the keyboards. Eddie Apostol was drafted, leaving the band as a trio.

Hartbeet Band Golden Gate 45 Run Around KindThe group played in Hawaii and probably California as well.

In 1967 they went to Leo Kulka’s Golden State Recorders in San Francisco to cut a single as the Hartbeet Band. John and Paul Apostol wrote “Wait ‘Till Then” while “Run Around Kind” is credited to Apostol – Crivell [sic].

The Hartbeet Band single saw release on Golden Gate Records GG-1263 in small quantities, and is very rare now. The labels list Golden Gate’s publishing wing Guard Music Co. but I cannot find copyright registration for either, or for “Anne” / “Talkin’ Bout You”.

Lisa Wheeler found a demo of “Wait ‘Till Then” and wrote about the group for her site Elk Bugles.

The demo lists Pacesetters Custom Recording Studio.

I believe the Heartbeats / Hartbeet Band ended their touring around this time and returned to Anchorage. Eddie Apostol returned from service and the band would continue to play locally.

Most of the above videos above were made by one of the Apostol’s sons, and feature cool photos and info.