The Conception came from Louisville, Kentucky, releasing only one single circa 1969 when the band were in their teens.
“Babylon” is an excellent cover of the Blue Cheer song from Outsideinside, featuring a heavily phased guitar break. “The Game” is an original by lead guitarist Charlie Day: a very different sound featuring acoustic guitar and harmonies.
Charlie Day listed the band members in a comment on youtube:
Bill Tullis – rhythm guitar and low harmony vocals Charlie Day – lead guitar and high harmony vocals Mark Zurlage – bass Jim Dant – drums
Mike Siebold was also in the group at some point.
Stuart Paine produced the single and also played Fender Rhodes on “The Game”. Paine released it on Perfection P-1001, and published “The Game” through Stuart Paine Music BMI.
Paine also co-produced the Waters “Mother Samwell” with Fred Baker as “A Paine-Baker Production”.
The Dystraction came from Reno, Nevada, its members were juniors in high school when they recorded their single in 1969:
Rick Yancey – lead guitar Rob Hanna – rhythm guitar Danny Herring – bass Scott Monroe – drums
Though young, they cut a great single of original hard rock on Coast Records 6969. Their connection to the Coast label out of Hollywood was Rob Hanna’s father, Bob Hanna, a member of the lounge trio the Esquires who had two releases on Coast. “Where Are We Now” is available on youtube, but I prefer the A-side, the slower and heavier “Wonder What Ya Feel”.
I’ve read the single had two pressings because the labels had songwriter Hanna listed before the band name, leading to confusion as to the group’s name. I haven’t seen the other version of this label, if you have a copy please contact me.
The Dystraction receive notices in the Reno Gazette-Journal, first on March 22, 1969.
Dystraction Releases Disk
The All-Reno youngster Dystraction hard-rock group has released its first record on the Coast label. Both sides of the single were written by the four-member group. “Wonder What you Feel” is the most popular song on the recording and the flipside is “Where Are We Now?”
The three Wooster High School and one Sparks High School students represented Nevada in Atlantic City last year after winning the state-side competition in the “Battle of the Bands.” Danny Herring plays bass, Rick Yancey plays lead guitar, Rob Hanna (son of Bob Hanna of the popular Esquires) plays rhythm and Scott Monroe plays drums for Dystraction. Terming themselves “Hard-rock” musicians, the youths will tour teen-age nightclubs in California and Oregon this summer with a probable engagement at the popular Sound Factory in Sacramento.
Then again on May 17:
For teen-agers only … a dance set to coincide with the Annual Custom Car and Boat Show at the Centennilal Coliseum May 16018. The Reno-formed, Reno-based Dystraction, featuring Danny Herring on bass, Rob Hanna on rhythm, Rich Yancey on guitar and Scot Monroe on drums, will feature new tunes of its own creation like “Where Are We Now,” “Wonder What You Feel” and “Nassar Blues.” The group should grow in prominence this summer with scheduled northwest tour.
On June 22, 1969 the Nevada State Journal covered the finals of the Reno area Battle of the Bands, with four winners going on to the state competition in Las Vegas the following week. The Dystraction was one of the winners, along with the Town Squires, Frog Rock and Jonathan Goodlife. The article included a couple of quotes from Danny Herring and a photo of the Jonathan Goodlife band, whose members were Jerry Werms, James Stipech, Steve Dunwoodie, James Mask and Terry Peterson.
Other bands in the competition included Chipped Beef on Toast, Wheet Straw Blew Grass, Chalk, Mr. Enzyme & the Electric Bean, Snow, and the Hellenic Invasions.
The Cosmic Tones, from left: Morris Ochoa, Vincent Hernandez, David Silva, Terry Williams and (kneeling) Alex Hernandez
The Cosmic Tones came out of Bell Gardens, CA, the same town as the Nite Walkers. They cut one single for the Discovery Records label, “Gonna Build Me a Woman” / “Hold It”. Discovery Records later released a cool single by the Missing Links. Like the Missing Links, publishing was through Jarhill Pub. Co, (an amalgam R. Jarrard and James Hilton, who are credited on the Missing Links single).
Members of the Cosmic Tones were:
David Silva – lead guitar Morris Ochoa – rhythm guitar Terry Williams – rhythm guitar Alex Hernandez – bass guitar Vincent Hernandez Jr. – drums
Bass player Alex Hernandez sent me a photo of the group and told me about the Cosmic Tones:
My name is Alex Hernandez and I played bass in the Cosmic Tones in Bell Gardens, CA. I had wanted to play the guitar since I was about 5 years old. My uncle Chris asked me what song I wanted him to teach me and I said “La Bamba” by Richie Valens. He taught me this song and it was the start of my playing.
When I was 13 I wanted to start a band so I started asking around and my friend Terry Williams was interested. He was 13 also and played rhythm guitar for us. My brother Vincent wanted to play drums, he was 14 years old.
We found David Silva who played lead guitar for us. He was a little older, he was 17 years old. We had a 5th addition in the band, Morris Ochoa and he was 14 then. He only stayed with us for about two months.
We all styled our hair back after ratting it up. We all used about a 1/2 can of Aqua Net hairspray before each play. After being together for about a month we had our first gig on Channel 34, a Mexican channel. We played an instrumental of “La Bamba” and it seemed to be a big hit.
We played songs such as “Whittier Blvd”, “My Girl”, “Land Of a Thousand Dances”. What a great time the ‘60s were. “Twist and Shout” was a favorite. We used to practice at any park that would let us, City of Commerce Park, Bell Gardens Park, Ford Park, and also at a park in Watts. We played at the junior high assemblies.
We also played in many battle of the bands and came in second at Ford Park out of around 12 groups. We played at the Cinnamon Cinder in Hollywood & at the Bob Hope telethon in Hollywood. We played at the Watts Festival and had a great time. We played at the White Front store in L.A. for two weeks after school to promote cerebal palsy research. We played at a teen club the Diamond Horseshoe in La Puenta, & for a CB club in Hidden Valley.
My dad Vincent Hernandez had us cut one 45 record, side A was sung by my brother, “I’m Gonna Build Me A Woman” and side B was an original instrumental.
Our rival band in Bell Gardens was the Nite Walkers. They were a real good group and we all went to school together. We always tried to be better than them and they wanted to be better than us.
The group broke up after about two years and I started playing the upright bass in high school. I joined the Army for 8 years in 1971, My brother joined the Army in 1969 and went to Viet Nam.
We lost sight of David Silva, and Terry Williams holds a jam session up towards San Diego weekly. I don’t know where Morris Ochoa went, My brother retired with the railroad and now manages a trailer park. We are all in our mid ‘60s now but I do know we still enjoy music every day. I retired with FedEx freight in 2013.
The last play I had was with my brother’s group the TCB Flash which is one of the best Elvis groups in southern CA. I sang and played four songs for New Years in 2016 at the Grove Theater in Upland CA. My songs were “House of the Rising Sun”, “Hang On Sloopy”, “Gloria” and “Wooly Bully”. Had a blast from the past and the audience seemed to really enjoy the show.
Samron Records had a great run, releasing only a handful of singles but all that I’ve heard are top-notch rock ’n roll. Thee Avantis’ “I Want to Understand” / “Nancy” on Samron S-103, recorded in late 1965, is one of the best.
“I Want to Understand” is the kind of single I never get tired of, featuring a neat guitar hook, solid bass and drum playing, the right amount of organ and great vocals. There are fine guitar and organ breaks, the entire song clocking in at 2:27.
The other three singles on Samron are:
Samron S-101: The Wizards “Don’t Trust A Man” / “Sad Little Girl” Samron S-102: Ognir & the Night People “I Found a New Love” (Nehring, Marusak) / “All My Heart” (Nehring, Molinaro) released October 1965
Samron S-104: The Five Flys “Livin’ for Love” / “Dance Her By Me”
Samron was run by Ronald Magazzu, and Sam Lesante was also involved. The first two singles listed Magazzu Productions in Hazleton, PA, while the label for the Five Flys changes the town to Coaldale, PA.
I’ve read Thee Avantis were from Scranton, but I found a notice in the Hazleton Standard-Speaker from March 5, 1966 listing the band for a Sunday Dance at the Fiesta Room in Hazleton, about an hour’s drive southwest of Scranton.
I only know the names of three members of Thee Avantis: Nick Fata on bass and Robert Schnessel who wrote both songs, plus Tom Flanagan. Magazzu Music Co. published both songs.
Thank you to Mike K and Mike Markesich for additional info on the label in their comments.
The Conductors, from left: Larry Borgess, Chad Fenstemaker, Skip Kreitz, Regan Meyer, Barry Hirsh, and Danny Brungard
The Conductors came from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, cutting the great “She Said So” as the b-side to their June 1966 single. Members were:
Larry Borgess – lead vocals Chad Fenstemaker – lead guitar Skip Kreitz – rhythm guitar Regan Meyer – bass Barry Hirsh – organ Danny Brungard – drums
Barry Hirsh and Larry Borgess left to join Prince Charles & the Royaltones. Mike Ranck replaced Larry until the Conductors split.
“She Said So” is a stomping fuzz and organ rocker written by Barry Hirsh, with taunting lines:
You gotta stay home and watch the kids tonight, Because she said so, But I wanna tell ya, Better sit up and say that everything’s not right, Because you said so.
You gotta break free, Stand on your own two feet, Stop doing things that you don’t want to do, Just because she said so!
The original A-side “Whatever’s In Your Smile” is light pop, but worth a listen, it too was written by Barry Hirsh, and features harmonies, piano and a lighter touch on the guitar.
Publishing was through Hi-Mar Music and Ronbeth Music BMI, both of which had other copyrights, most notably Ronbeth with the 7th Avenue Aviators “You Should ‘O Held On”.
The Conductors single came out on Dater DT-1303/4 in June, 1967. Dater was owned by Dave Chackler, and had one other single that I know of, the Soul Generation “I Can’t See You” / “Big Boss Man” on Dater DT-1301. The A-side has the Starlites doing a drier, stripped-down version of their classic on Bar-Clay, “I Can’t See You”. The label notes produced by Dave Chackler for Peter Warren Enterprises. The Starlites came from Reading, PA, 100 miles southeast of Williamsport, so I wonder how the Conductors connected with Dave Chackler.
Something Obviously Borrowed are another mystery to me. Their only single is a good two-sider, released on the same J.R.P. label as the Shadow Casters.
“Tell the People” is upbeat, with typical lyrics of the time (“Now is the time to tell the people, all about love”). D. Geinosky and L. Carr wrote the song; they were probably members of the band.
“Joan” is laid-back rock, with a feel something like Loaded-era Velvet Underground, the singer intoning “please come on home, Joan”. Writer credit is to the producer, James Ruff, but members of the Shadow Casters noted he put his name on one of their compositions, “Going to the Moon”.
James Ruff Productions probably paid for recording time and pressing of the single on J.R.P. 004, sometime after April 1968. J.R.P. labels list an address in Aurora, Illinois. Sandpiper BMI published both songs but I don’t see a copyright listing for either. The code TM 2665/6 indicates Chess Records’ Ter-Mar studio in Chicago.
Something Obviously Borrowed seems to be the only other release on JRP besides the Shadow Casters, and also seems to be rarer than their singles.
One instrumental, three releases, three different titles.
Herman’s Hermits “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in May of 1965, so a Hollywood studio owner rushed out a parody, “Mrs. Schwartz You’ve Got An Ugly Daughter” with the artist listed as Marty & the Monks, released on Associated Artists AA-3066. This version is on youtube if you want to subject yourself to it.
The much worthier side is the instrumental on flip, cut by a group that seems to have been totally unrelated to the musicians on the A-side. “Mexican Party” is a rocking take-off on “Money” that sounds like it was actually recorded live in the studio. There are whoops, shouts, lots of string bending, a ridiculous horn blast. It has a lot in common with the Pacific Northwest sound like the Moguls “Avalanche”, the Jesters’ “Alki Point” or even Don & the Goodtimes version of “Money”.
Barry Wickham pointed out in his comment below that “Mexican Party” had actually been released the year before as the b-side of “Distortion” / “Distortion Part II”, by the Distorters on Clark Records 364. K. Young, G. Connor, and T. Reed have writer credits, which would remain when the song was retitled “Mexican Party” and “Psychedelic City”. The Kevgreg producer credit suggests Kevin Young and Greg Connor, both of whom were frequent songwriting collaborators, often with Dorsey Burnette.
Johnny Faire (aka Donnie Brooks) must have owned at least part of Faire Music. It had been a going concern since 1959, when it published “Pure Love” by Jesse Hodges and Johnny Burnette, the top side of a Sonny James single in June of that year. After that Faire Music shows up in a couple Cash Box directories and a smattering of releases by Bobby Lee Trammell, Frankie Knight, Curtis Lee, Billy Storm and others.
Jesse Hodges is credited as producer on the Associated Artists release. Hodges owned Hollywood Sound Recorders and I believe he owned the Associated Artists label, which released about twenty 45s, including a couple of Hodges’ own singles. Not having a b-side by Marty & the Monks, he must have simply reused the Distorters recording.
Kevin Young, Greg Connor and T. Reed’s names do not appear on other Associated Artists releases as far as I can tell.
“Mrs. Schwartz You’ve Got An Ugly Daughter” had another release on Era Records 5037. “Mexican Party” aka “Distortion part II” is on the flip, but this time the title is “Psychedelic City”.
Both the Associated Artists 45 and the Era release have ∆-57190 in the deadwax, which dates the stampers for both 45s to June of 1965. I assume the Associated Artists was the original release. I have no idea when this “Golden Era Series” came out but 1967 wouldn’t be a bad guess, given the new, topical title.
My fellow WGXC deejay Jillian found a possible source for the band name in the obscure Marty the Monk cartoons of the 1930s.
I can’t find any specific info on the Nu-Trons. Spot Records came from Johnson City, Tennessee, but recorded groups from locations as far as Knoxville and western Virginia.
“I Told You So” (written by B. Frye) is a moody shuffle with a great r&b feel and fine lead vocal.
“From Now On” (written D. Bradford, G. Shell) has a slower tempo, with more prominent piano and a descending guitar line.
Released on Spot SP7-1123, the RCA custom press matrix S4KM-2012/3 dates this to early 1965.
June 2 show at Funway with a big lineup: Bobby Wood, Dale Ward, Judy Eggers (“Summer Boys” on Metromaster out of Knoxville), Billy Swan, the Malibus (She’s Gone” on Spot), The Loved Ones (“Surprise, Surprise”), Sweet William and the Stereos (“Bring It On Home” on Jed), plus Jami & Jay with the Soul Survivors, the Euterpeans, the Martiniques, the Perfect Strangers, the Escape Device, the Confederation “AND MANY, MANY MORE!”Spot was in operation for about ten years, from 1959 until about 1968, releasing a couple dozen singles in that span. The Nu-Trons may be the only ‘garage’ style single on the label. The Malibus “She’s Gone” is a good soulful James Brown type original by Boyle, Melton and Fielden. I haven’t been able to find the full names of the band yet, but the group was from Knoxville. They played a WKGN School’s Out Party at Funway with a dozen other groups, included Jami & Jay with the Soul Survivors. The Kingsport News also reported that the Malibus played Rogersville High School: “Jami, Jay, and the Malibus from Knoxville provided music for the dance.”
There’s a lot of sharp r&b on the label from Little Benny and Richie Weems & the Continental Five, and ’50s style vocal rock from the Rock-Alongs and the True Tones. Infinity’s “Ride on the Milky Way” is a western-tinged instrumental. Lonnie Salyer, who helped me with the discography below, has compiled a youtube playlist with 11 songs from the label, a good start for those interested.
The True Tones were Lanny Green, Neil Walker, Gerald Barber, Jay Henderson, Joby Wheat and Richard Way, out of Central High School in Knoxville.
Spot Records discography (compiled with help from Lonnie Salyer)
I’ve included prefixes because at least two numbers, 1123 and 1124, were reused with different prefixes.
SP-103 – Eddie McKinney And Belvederes - “Teen Town Hop” / “I’m Hooked“ (both by Bradford, Campbell, KO8W-0977/8, with picture sleeve)
SP-106 – Little Benny & the Stereos – “Drinking Wine, Spodie Odie” / “Mine All Mine” (M80W-8134/5, prod. Don Bradford, 1961)
1107 – Bobby Joe – “My Life I’ll Spend With You” (B. Tipton) / “Hellbound” (N80W-8467/8)
SP1108 – Reece Shipley – “I Counted The Raindrops” / “Too Big To Cry” (R. Shipley, Ronald Talley) (ZTSB 83092 SP-1109 – Paul Sutton – “Lucy” / ? (P4KM-3604) SP-1110 – The Rock-A-Longs – “Don’t ‘cha Know I Love You” / “Theme from the Beachcomber” SP 7-1111 – Wayne Boling – “Please Cry” / “What Kind of Friend Was He” (with picture sleeve, SO 1467/8) SP 7-1112 – Wayne Boling – “She’s Coming Home” / “Little Hit and Run Darling” (SO 1611) SP 7-1113 – Eugenia Anderson – “Soul of a Child” / “Send Down the Fire”
SP 7-1115 – The True Tones – “Lovin’ From My Baby” (Joby Wheat) / “Never Had a Chance” (J. Wheat, L. Green, R4KM-8431/2 SP 7-1116 – Jackie Bair & the Cubs, featuring Skip Lane – “Bare Hug” (Lane, Bair, Miller, Parker) / “You’re In Love” (Prod. by Don Bradford, RK4M-7113) SP 7-1117 – Richie Weems & the Continental Five – “That 8:30 Special” / “Making Believe” (RK4M-7262/3) SP-7-1118 – The True Tones – “Please Be True” (J. Henderson) / “Kiss Me Now” (J. Wheat), RK4M-7260, prod. by Don Bradford
SP7-1121 – The Tru Tones – “Little Hit and Run Darling” (Don Schroeder, Wayne P. Walker) / “La La La La La” (Clarence Paul), S4KM-1633/4
SP-1122 – Richie Weems & the Continental Five – “Tricks of the Trade” / “Natural Born Man” (S4KM-1706/7) SP-1123 – Richie Weems & the Continental Five – “Wild In the Night” (B. Bradford) / “Mine All Mine” SP-1124 – Little Ceaser & the Euterpeans – “It Ain’t What You Do It’s The Way How You Do It” / “Good Good Lovin’”
SP7-1123 – The Nu-Trons – “From Now On” (D. Bradford, G. Shell) / “I Told You So” (B. Frye), S4KM-2012/3 SP7-1124 – Lon Nave – “I’ll Think of You” / “Just Lookin’ Around” (Lon Nave, Harold Nave), TK4M-4056/7, 1966
SP-7-1128 – Kenny Springs & the Scat Cats – “Nobody Else But You” (K. Springs) / “Let Nobody Love You”, prod. by Don Bradford, TK4M-4722 SP7-1129 – Glenn Shell with Jackie Bair & the Cubs – “It’s Too Late” (G. Shell) / “Ain’t No One Woman Man” (U4KM-2575) SP7-1130 – The Malibus – “She’s Gone” (J. Boyle, E. Fielden, J. Melton for East Tenn. Music) / “Oop Poo Pa Do” (U4KM-4837, 1967)
SP-7-1132 – The Kool Kuzzins – “Love Can Be True” (D. Rose, B. Rose, M. Powell) / “Hey Little Girl” (1968) SP-7-1133 – The Infinity – “Ride on the Milky Way” / “Moon Gazer” (both by Charles Stafford & Gene Wheelon) W4KM-6546/7, 1968 SP 7-1134 – Little Caesar & the Euterpians – “Love Is A Beautiful Thing” / “I Can’t Stand It Together” (W4KM-)
Most originals on the label published by East Tenn. Music Pub, BMI.
The Kool Kuzzins came from Castlewood and Oakwood, Virginia and featured Danny Rose on lead vocals and drums, his brother Bill Rose on guitar and Mike Powell on bass & organ. The Kuzzins lived in the Tidewater during the summer of 1967, recording some unreleased sides for Frank Guida. After the band made their single at Spot, Danny Rose left to join Sound on Sound, based in nearby Grundy, VA, as lead vocalist. (Info from the CD Aliens, Psychos & Wild Things Vol. 2 on Arcania International.)
This was not the same label that released the Shytones or the Los Angeles label with the Poets and Effie Smith.
Thank you to Simon S. for finding clips of the Malibus 45.
The Surrealistic Pillar came from Lafayette, Louisiana and cut the classic “I Like Girls” circa 1967 or 1968. The names on the label, Eddie Smith and Ed Futch, were not members of the band, but Ed Futch is likely singing lead vocals on “I Like Girls” – he has become well known by his stage name, Eddy Raven.
The lyrics, what I can make out of them, are from a different era:
Sitting in a car, the tape machine is blaring, Watching all the girls, and digging the clothes they’re wearing.
When I see a mini-skirt, it drives me crazy, Cause all the time I’m watching, I’m thinking … maybe, I would find a girl that would say “surely”.
You could laugh at me, but never call me stupid…
[I wish I could make out the words of the third verse.]
Ed Futch, Eddie Smith wrote “I Like Girls” and Eddie Smith wrote the unusual instrumental, “Mexican Calliope” (rated a “2” in Teen Beat Mayhem!). La Lou Music BMI published both songs.
Though issued on Tamm Custom Series T-2027, this is a production of La Louisianne Records, which issued plenty of great singles, including Eddy Raven’s “Misery” and (for garage fans) the Rogues incredible “I Don’t Need You”.
A defunct website Turn Me On Dead Man had some info from one of the members of the band dating back to about 2003, but that person’s name is left off and only first names are given for the rest.
Well, the band started in 1965-+. We all went to school together or close to each other and somehow started playing together and then started a band. We used the name Kings Council at first, then took the name from a Jefferson Airplane album.
The band had six members with a light man and helper. I played bass. Ernie played drums, Benny played lead, Bubba played guitar, Rayburn sang, Glynn played lights and Clyde played tam, lights, and helped out.
We had Kustom equipment and a Hammond organ, so we could play stuff by Vanilla Fudge, Steppenwolf and other great bands.
I saw Eddie Futch[’s] (Eddie Raven) name listed, he is related to Benny. Eddie Smith is the one who got with us and taught us the song “I Like Girls.” He paid for the recording session and we sold about 200 copies. There is a couple still floating around. We used to play places like the Swing Machine, a college hangout. All I knew is we just had to play loud.
I just retired from the Lafayette Police Force after 29 years. In 1969 I went into the USMC and did my tour in VN [Vietnam]. Some members of the band went on to play in Sage. Benny is playing guitar in church. I have several guitars and play with Benny when we get together. The rest of the guys live around here [Lafayette, Louisiana] but me and Benny are the only ones who still play.
Rupe & the Jades came from Clifton Forge, Virginia, a town in Alleghany County. Rupe was Rupert Howard, who I believe was a number of years older than the teenagers usually making this kind of music.
Released on Rainbow 45-100, I originally thought this was a late ’60s pressing, but Max Waller pointed out it’s likely a King custom pressing from 1965.
“Listen to Me” is a good original song with a fine guitar solo. The writers were C. Burnett, L. King, R. Howard and D. Davis, all band members I assume.
Corky Burnett’s original “A Time For Us” is a ballad with a whistling intro, and includes laments against war and poverty.
Rupert Howard later played mandolin and sang for the Mountain Magic Band, whose 1978 album Blue Ridge Mountain Magic proficiently combines country, bluegrass and rock.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
The Conception came from Louisville, Kentucky, releasing only one single circa 1969 when the band were in their teens.
