The Wild Kingdom: John Etheridge (drums), Glen (Robbie) Robertson (bass), Bruce West (vocals), and Mike Johnstone (guitar) Many is the time I’ve had a lead on a band that is obscure to me, which then gets forgotten in the avalanche of emails and comments I received from this site over time. I apologize for not following up in a timely manner.
Steven S. wrote to me a long time ago, 2008, about the Wild Kingdom, and though I corresponded with him, I neglected to post about the band, probably because they didn’t have any records to their name. Only recently have I noticed the connections to other bands such as the Mustangs and the Back Door, so I’ll add the photo and info he sent to me so long ago.
The Wild Kingdom were from the Peninsula (Hampton, Newport News) and used to play on the Southside at all the usual teen clubs.
The Swinging Machine and the Wild Wild Kingdom, at Hullabaloo, Newport News Daily Press, June 1968The band personnel were: John Etheridge (drums), Glen (Robbie) Robertson (bass), Bruce West (vocals), and Mike Johnstone (guitar). Johnstone was an extremely gifted player who enjoyed considerable acclaim among area musicians. Etheridge and Robertson wove a tightly solid sound, more like an R&B rhythm section than one might have expected from a hippie band in those days. West was a versatile singer and quite the showman.
At one point, they hooked up with Keith (of “98.6” fame) and toured as his backup band for awhile. They later morphed into “The Back Door” and continued playing at local clubs until they scattered to join various other local groups. They were the great unknowns in those days, being somewhat eclipsed by Swingin’ Machine. However, they were outstanding players and didn’t pay lip service at all to the “blue-eyed soul” genre that ruled the area back then. Their manager, Jim Tatum, also handled Bill Deal & the Rhondells – go figure!
Wild Kingdom and Back Door were a huge influence on many of us Southside garage punks. We ranked them above Swingin’ Machine, partly because they didn’t cover any radio hits, but mostly because they were the better band.
I don’t remember Wild Kingdom/Back Door surviving beyond 1969. At that time, Bruce West injured his leg in a motorcycle mishap and “retired” from the music scene. Robbie Robertson likewise dropped off the radar about then. Mike Johnstone & John Etheridge continued performing with various other area groups until at least the mid 1970’s. Some of the bands I recall were “Headstone Circus”, “Rooth”, “The Dubonettes”, and “Hot Cakes”.
To my knowledge, there are no recordings of the Wild Kingdom.
Jerry Harden published a brief memoir about Barnie’s in Buckroe Beach, VA that mentioned some of the bands I’ve covered, including Adrian & the Sinsations and Danny and the Delnotes. About the Wild Kingdom, he lists an additional member, Ray Witham, and writes that Robby Robinson [sic]: “was arrested on stage for wearing a sword as part of his costume”!
Steve Monaco and Bob Schlagel of the Back Door, 1967
Tina Monaco sent in these photos of the Rogues and the Back Door, two Hampton Virginia bands that didn’t make records but would have at least two members who would go on to Headstone Circus: Mike Johnstone on guitar and Bob Schlagal on bass.
The Rogues 1965-66, Hampton VA, from left: Tommy Clark, Bob Schlagal, Jimmy ?, Jerry ?, and Steve Monaco.
The Rogues ran during 1965 and 1966, and included:
Jerry ? – lead vocals Tommy Clark – lead guitar Jimmy ? – rhythm guitar Bob Schlagal – bass Steve Monaco – drums
The Back Door existed circa 1967 and included:
Bruce West Mike Johnstone – guitar Robbie Robertson Bob Schlagal – bass Steve Monaco – drums
Bruce West, Mike Johnstone and Robbie Robertson were also in the Wild Kingdom in 1968.
Tina wrote to me in 2025:
I am Tina Monaco, sister of Steve Monaco. He was a drummer for an incarnation of several bands from the 60s. The bands would practice in our garage at our residence on Big Bethel Road.
We were kids of a career Air Force father and our family retired in 1968 in Miami, Florida. Steve went on from there to marry his Lakenheath American High School sweetheart from our earlier days 1963-1965 in England. He became a commercial airline pilot for major airlines. He and Nancy are retired living in Arizona. I am retired as well, living in Lake Worth Beach Fl.
The Back Door, 1967 from left: Bruce West, Bob Schlagal (at top), Mike Johnstone, unidentified in white shirt, and Robbie Robertson at far right. Steve Monaco drummer not pictured.
The East Coastmen, from left: Don Newsome, Mike (surname unknown), Alan Partin, Spiller Anderson, Charlie Harbrook, Thom Clement, Dave Herndon, and Bob Kerwin. Photo submitted by the estate of Joanne Tluchak, Virginia Beach
The East Coastmen were not a garage band, but a revue or pop group with horns, listed in Billboard’s Campus Attractions issue of 1971.
Don Newsome commented with the names of the members, so I’ll add them here:
Don Newsome – Bass Mike (surname unknown) – Sax Alan Partin – Drums Spiller Anderson – Trumpet Charlie Harbrook – Trombone Thom Clement – Keyboards Dave Herndon – Frontman, lead singer Bob Kerwin – Lead guitar Gary Ricks – Trumpet, trombone
Personal Manager was D.C. Auman. They were booked by Attractions Ltd in Hampton.
Bob Kerwin sent in songs cut on a two track machine at D’Arcy Studios on 21st St in Norfolk, version of Ollie & The Nightingales “Girl You Make My Heart Sing” and Robert Parker’s “Barefootin’.
The East Coastmen, from left: Charlie Harbrook, Dave Herdon (wearing hat), Bob Kerwin, Thom Clement, Alan Partin, Mike (unknown last name), Spiller Anderson, and Don Newsome. Missing is Gary Ricks, trumpetThe East Coastmen, from left: Bob Kerwin, Spiller Anderson, Alan Partin, Charlie Harbrook, Dave Herdon, Thom Clement, Mike (unknown last name), and Don Newsome. Missing is Gary Ricks, trumpet
The Warlords, original band, from left: Sam Harrell, Terry Stead, Randy Hill, Roger Smith and Jack Ellis
Keyboard player Jack Ellis wrote to me about his three bands: the Warlords, who didn’t record; Hunger, who cut a rare 45 “Freedom Today” / “Buy Me” and an unreleased album; and the Spores who released an EP and have the lead-off track “Don’t You Worry” on Varulven’s 1983 compilation, Boston Rock-N-Roll Anthology.
The Warlords
Terry Stead – lead vocals Roger Smith – guitar Jack Ellis – keyboards Sam Harrell – bass Randy Hill – drums
Manager – Wilson Harrell
When I was 14 years old I got a Acetone organ for Christmas. It was a suitcase organ that you store the legs in the back and screw them in and set it up. When I told my friends at school (Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia), that was the beginning of the band. We all used Sears Silvertone amps (they were cheap and you could get them at the Sears store). We practiced at bass player Sam Harrell’s house.
His father Wilson Harrell heard the band and wanted to be the manager. He quit his paint salesman job and became our manager and booking agent full time. Wilson soon became the biggest talent booking agency in the area (Check Productions), covering the VA. Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Williamsburg, Richmond area and was booking hundreds of bands every week. Having a built in booking agency gave us an advantage over all the competition and the Warlords were booked solid.
Wilson brought in a singer named Pete to sing the soul and Motown songs for the fraternity parties, and Terry would sing the rock songs. Our first gigs were frat parties at Fraternity Row at William and Mary College.
There was a road with 10 to 20 frat houses where bands like Bill Deal and the Rondells and Danny & the Delnotes would be playing next door to us. During our breaks we would go down the Row and check out the bands who came from different cities and places and there would be all new bands the next week. All the other bands’ trailers, trucks and buses would be parked on that street. The Warlords had a white trailer painted like our business card so we would get gigs from people walking by and hearing the band. Soon we were playing college gigs from Norfolk to Richmond.
One night after a fraternity party gig someone crashed into our white trailer that was parked in front of Wilson’s house with all the equipment in it and destroyed the trailer and everything in it. The insurance company paid to fix the trailer and equipment. The band went to Chuck Levin’s Music outside of Washington D.C. and we bought 3 Vox Buckingham amps as a package deal. The drummer had Ludwig drums. My organ survived the crash so I still had that. We started with some kind of horn type p.a. and then upgraded to Vocal Master p.a. columns.
Warlords at the Hullabaloo in Newport News
Wilson became one of the biggest talent booking agency (Check Productions) in the area, covering from Nags Head, Va. Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg to Richmond. The Warlords played all the clubs including the military base clubs in Norfolk and Ft. Eustis. Wilson Harrell taught me the music business, without Wilson I wouldn’t be who I am. Wilson is the man who fueled the Tidewater Music scene and promoted hundreds of bands and gave them jobs in the music industry. Wilson and Sam are no longer with us.
The Hullabaloo picture is with a guest guitarist from The Wild Kingdom who played the gig with us.
Unfortunately the drummer Randy’s father pulled him out of the band. He was replaced by Bobby Pinner.
The Warlords with statue of Lief Erickson at The Mariners Museum, taken January 28, 1968, from left: Bobby Pinner – drummer, Sam Harrell – bass, Jack Ellis – keyboards, Roger Smith – guitar, Terry Stead – singer
Hunger
Terry Stead – lead vocals Robbie Robertson – guitar Mike Hanson – guitar Jack Ellis – keyboards Scott Tribue – bass Stan Eury – drums
After the Warlords I started a new band called Hunger (1970) based out of Newport News. Our biggest competitors The Swinging Machines and The Wild Kingdom were gone and I ended up with Robbie Robertson from The Wild Kingdom as one of Hunger’s guitar players.
Hunger’s rare 45 “Freedom Today”, recorded at Richmond Sound Stages for winning the WTVR Radio 1970 Battle of the Bands
We were playing in Washington D.C. when we got a record deal with Paul Simon’s studio in Nashville. After Nashville, Hunger went back to Newport News where we did the Va. Beach, Nags Head club circuit, plus outdoor concerts with Grand Funk, Poco, and any festival that needed a band. The 45 is rare. There were only 200 pressed that went to the band family members and friends (gone instantly).
We were still booking gigs with Wilson Harrell. Wilson got us a deal with the USO Show circuit for the military to fly to Cuba and Puerto Rico to do clubs and concerts at Gitmo and Roosevelt Rds. These gigs would be for a week at a time (a vacation in paradise). Playing gigs was my job and paid very well. I also played with the Norfolk Aliens for a short while.
Hunger, from left: Scott Tribue, Mike Hansen, Terry Stead, Robbie Robertson, Stan Eury and Jack Ellis
The Hunger band equipment was massive. Wilson taught me if you look big you are big.
Keyboards:
Hammond C5 (CV) with 122 leslie speaker cabinet Baldwin Electric Harpsichord Hohner D6 Clavinet Wurlitzer Electric Piano Mini Moog Model D
Keys amp system: 4-Fender Showman cabinets which I bought used and replaced the speakers with Electrolux SRO (4-15”s) and JBL (4-15”s). I would stack 2 each on their sides making a wall behind me.
On top of that were two Marshall amps (1-100 watt and 1-50 watt). Yamaha board to mix instruments and send them to the amps, 2 mics on the leslie.
Mike Hanson – two Fender twin reverb amps with 2 Fender Bandmaster extension cabinets (8-12” speakers all together), cherry sunburst Gibson Les Paul guitar.
Robbie Robertson – two Fender Band Master amps (4-12”speakers), brown Gibson Les Paul with Fender neck he built himself (not sure if strat or telecaster neck, had a small headstock).
Scott Tribue: Ampeg bass amp with extension cab.
Band PA: Two Voice of The theatre bass cabinets with JBL 15” speakers, JBL horn with 2440 compression driver on top on each side/, 2-Crown power amps on each side. Don’t remember the board (some kind of English board had a British flag emblem on it).
We had a bread truck with the sliding front doors that could carry all the equipment and two roadies to drive it and set up the equipment. All equipment was paid for from gig money since none of us worked. We later bought a school bus that we painted dark green and gutted, turning it into a camper. We left two bus seats up front on each side, built a wall to block off the sleeping section (3 bunks on one side and 2 on the other) another wall to section off the equipment in the rear.
Every time we went through the Norfolk tunnel we had to pay for a bus toll which was very expensive. The toll guy told us if we put in a stove and propane tank we would classify as a camper, so we went to the junk yard and bought a gas stove and an empty propane tank and hooked it up. It was all for looks and didn’t work. Our tolls were now $1.75 and the toll guy would get on the bus with his flashlight every time and check it out.
We would take turns driving from Washington D.C. to Georgia so you could sleep if you wanted or if we were playing more than one night we could crash for the night or party in the bus. When the equipment was in the club the back of the bus was huge. While on the road we would run into the Allman Brothers, Cactus and other bands doing the same circuit. All the bands would stop at The Jolly Roger right before the Norfolk tunnel for a beer and we would always stop to see who was in. Someone always had to stay with the bus so it wouldn’t be stolen with all the gear in it. It was usually someone who was sleeping.
The Spores, from left: Mike Debellis, Paul Mudarri, Jack Ellis, Donny Prevost, Ken MacDonald, and John Cristoferi
The Spores
Donny Prevost – lead vocals Paul Mudarri – lead guitar Ken MacDonald – rhythm guitar Jack Ellis – keyboards Mike Debellis – bass, replaced by Joe Evans John Cristoferi – drums, replaced by Dennis DuBre
The whole time I was playing I was still training as a classical pianist (since age of 6). While in Hunger I came in 2nd place at the Va. State Classical Competitions and in 1978 decided to move to Boston to further my studies at Berkeley College of Music where I got my diploma after four years.
While I was in school I joined the Spores, a rock band in Boston and I’ve been busy ever since. When I joined they were already playing steady so I just walked in ready to go. Their business organization was top notch. They had a red moving truck and an unbelievable rehearsal situation. One of the guys lived in the studio, it was huge. It use to be a gym that went out of business that the band picked up the rent. It was two stories with office rooms, showers, a huge changing room with lockers, a lounge and a full kitchen.
The manager was Jim Higgins who was in charge of a concert sound system company and the PA system was twice the size of Hunger’s. The PA was so massive the road crew would build a ramp system from the truck to the stage and wheel everything in. The sound man Jeff Karlson knew his stuff and worked concerts for the rock star bands.
One thing the Spores did that my old bands didn’t was record every show from the house mix. We would listen to each show the next day after the gig in the office of the studio as a band and improve on the show. I have two big bins full of cassette tapes. Also whatever big bands were using our PA we would record them too. I have tapes of Robin Lane and the Chart Busters, Orchestra Luna (great band, very novel), The Dead End Kids, The Verdict, maybe The Stompers and The Fools. These bands don’t know these tapes exist, we just threw them in the bins and moved on.
We were getting recording deals and working for Don Law Productions. We would get the albums recorded but couldn’t close the deal with the record company. We had a deal with Hirsh Gardner from the band New England who produced our album. They toured with Kiss and the deal was with their management company in New York. Alda Nova got the deal and I don’t blame them, that was a great song for the radio. I got the album done for free and pressed it myself in New York. Same thing with the Hunger album. I signed the deal but it never got off the shelf, so I got the album for free and pressed it myself.
The Spores only lasted til 1983 with over 100 originals recorded and thousands of hours of live tape, the quality is excellent.
After that I played in other bands, some really big, some not, sometimes three bands at a time. Lots of studio gigs (worked with Stones producer Jimmy Miller on an album project). In 2000 I did another album with the Spores in my home studio which came out pretty good and another in 2005 which was never finished. The singer and songwriter Donny got cancer and died and we never finished it.
I’ve had two more recording deals while in Boston and during Covid I’m working on another album in the studio.
The Nite Liters horn section at D’Arcy studio, from left: George Resto, Harrel Baker and Danny Kelly.
Don Faulk and Harrel Baker wrote the A-side of the Nite Liters excellent single on Sounds International 631, “Set Me Free”. D’Arcy Sounds Studios‘ publishing company Twenty Grand Music belatedly registered copyright on over 20 songs including “Set Me Free” on April 3, 1968. Since this seems to be the earliest release on Sounds International, the single likely dates a year or two earlier.
Danny Kelly of the Nite Liters wrote to me about the group and sent the photo seen above:
I did play trumpet with the Nite Liters along with George Resto and Harrel Baker on sax and also rhythm guitar. Bobby Schnell on drums, Joe Fromel on keyboards and vocals, Donnie Faulk on bass and vocals, and Steve Keith on lead guitar filled out the rest of the band.
We all went to Hampton High School. Danny and the Del Notes went to Newport News High School which was a real rivalry in every sense.
We recorded an original titled “Set Me Free” and covered “The Harlem Shuffle” in D’Arcy Studio around the time Danny and the Del Notes did their record. We were both on the Sounds International label. Our 45 aired locally on AM and played on a few juke boxes. We only had 500 copies made.
Before George and I were recruited into the band, the Nite Liters played in the battle of the bands at the Peninsula Auditorium.
I remember playing with Dennis and the Times at the Peppermint Beach Club in Virginia Beach. The best times were when we were the house band at the Hullabaloo Club in Newport News, Va. We even tried getting into some psychedelic music there. That was really crazy.
There were other good times like when a couple of members including myself went down to North Carolina to get a dj Russ Spooner to play a demo tape on the air. We recorded that also at D’Arcy studio.
As of right now, we’re all still alive and kicking. Steve, Bobby and myself are the only ones still in the area. George and Joe are up in northern Va., Donnie’s somewhere out west and Harrel is music director with a group in Hawaii. He was a surfer back when we were at Hampton High School. I’m retired from the USPS.
Poster for Adrian and the Sensations at Nags Head Casino, March 22, 1969, submitted by Richard Dawes
James Shott wrote to me about a group he was in during the late ’60s, Adrian’s Sensations, or Sinsations. James wrote:
I played in a band called either Adrian’s SInsations, or Adrian and the SINsations (it was called both by audiences) in the Hampton/Newport News/Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. People knew me as “Smokey.”
The SINsations was a very good band, and played a good bit at the Peppermint Beach Club, filling in for Bill Deal and the Rhondells when they were gone.
Adrian Brandt played keyboards, Wayne Beckner played guitar, Joe Smith played drums, Jean Lynch sang, Jim Williamson and I played trumpet, Mike Minguez and Tom Gallucci played tenor sax, Dickie Dawes and David Champagne played trombone (at different times), Curly (can’t remember last name) played bass for a while and then another bass player, too. Gary Church was a singer in the band before Jean Lynch.
The Sinsations business card listing Gary Church on vocals with phone numbers for Adrian Brandt and Wayne Beckner
The band was quite good. We played soul, but also the top tunes of the day. Somewhat like Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power, the Sinsations employed elements of jazz into the arrangements.
We spent a good bit of time in Virginia Beach at the Peppermint Beach Club, and played in clubs in Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk, and also played military bases. The horn players were music majors in college, and the rhythm section was mostly self taught, but quite good. Jean Lynch was a very thin girl with a big voice; sounded like Aretha Franklin.
I was in the band from either late 67 or early 68 until I was separated from the USAF (Jim Williamson, David Champagne also in AF, Mike Minguez in Army). I believe the group continued to work for a while after that, but lost contact with the guys.
I’d like to get some feedback from other members and anyone who heard/saw the group.
Thank you to Richard Dawes for sending in a photo of the rare poster of Adrian and the Sensations at the Casino at Nags Head and the scan of the Sinsations business card..
D’Arcy Studios was started by Warren Miller, who had cut “Everybody’s Got a Baby But Me” / “Say You’ll Be True” for United Artists in 1958. In 1964 Miller had a label called D’Arcy with two country releases, one each by Charlie Wiggs and Jesse Travers.
In 1966 Miller started D’Arcy Sound Studios in Norfolk, and Sounds International seems to have been the house label for the studio.
About half the label’s releases were soul, of which the Sheepherders is most in demand. The Nite Liters and Del-Notes are good blue eyed soul.
The Rude Awakening is garage, the Outcasts single is heavy organ-based rock. The Common Wealth has been described as folky rock. The Holmes Brothers singles are country.
In 1968 Miller started using a new label, Nottingham Disc Co., which continued the last two digits of the numbering system (for example, changing from Sounds International 640, 641, 642 to 849, 850, 851 for Nottingham Disc Co). Nottingham 853 and 854 read “D’Arcy Studio Center” on the labels instead of “D’Arcy Sound Studios”.
The Journey Back’s single on Nottingham Disc is much sought after, and New Directions “Springtime Lady” is also very good. I haven’t heard the Russ Spooner or Mark III singles yet.
Around 1970 Miller changed the name of the studio to simply Studio Center and began a new five-digit numbering system beginning with “50”. He revived the Sounds International label for at least two releases in a 70s rural rock style.
Twenty Grand Music BMI published all original songs on Sounds International and Nottingham Disc Co. About two dozen songs were registered on April 3, 1968, including “Set Me Free”, “Only Love”, “Old McDonald”, “I Love You”, and “I Wish I Was Home”. Also registered that day was Danny O’Brien’s “Don’t Leave Me Girl” which the Del-Notes had released on Top Cat Records 968.
Sounds International and Nottingham Disc Co. discography: Any help with this discography would be appreciated.
Sounds International 630 – Dean & the Dominants – “‘Copter 23” / “Lost and Found” (both by Sgt. Oscar Capps) Sounds International 631 – Nite Liters – “Set Me Free” / “Harlem Shuffle” Sounds International 633 – Gentle-Men – “Only Love” (Wilson) / “Old McDonald” Sounds International 634 – Rude Awakening – “Certain Girl” / “Fortune Teller” Crane SI 635 – Chuck Mooney With The Arkansas Travelers – “I’m Going Home” / “Jail Bird” Sounds International SI-636 – The Del-Notes – “I Love You” / “I Wish I Was Home” Sounds International SI-637 – DeWayne Mack – “I’ll Never Be Your Only Love” / “The Kind Of Love” Sounds International SI-638 – The Sheepherders with Bubba Bailey – “If You Ever Need Me” (Jones, Lowder, O’Sullivan) / “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” Sounds International SI-639 – The Outcasts – “While I’m Here” / “Spell” (J.G. Heisler, Twenty Grand Music BMI) Sounds International SI 640 – Elsie Strong “This is the Last Time” (Gene Casey) / “Ask the Lonely” (William Stevenson, Jobete BMI) Sounds International SI 641 – Holmes Brothers – “September Love” / “Splendor of Love” Sounds International SI 642 – Pop Tops featuring Roy Hines – “I Want to Make It With You” (Hines, Weaver, Leibman, Esenberg, Barthlow) / “I Can Live” Sounds International SI 643 – ? Sounds International SI 644 – Holmes Brothers – “Searching Eyes” / “It’s a Big Big World” Sounds International SI 645 – Ronnie and the Progressive Society – “Chain of Fools” / “Twenty Five Miles” Sounds International SI 646 – Elsie Strong – “You Better Tale Time” / “Shades Of Green” Sounds International SI 647 – ? Nottingham Disc Co. 848 – Russ Spooner with the Sheep Herders – “We Got That” (Bobby Moore) / “The Truth” Nottingham Disc Co. 849 – The Journey Back – “Synthetic People” / “Run Away Baby” (L. Burnell, B. Sutton publ. Twenty Grand Music BMI) Nottingham Disc Co. 850 – New Directions – “Springtime Lady” (L.H. Jones, publ. Twenty Grand Music BMI) / “Swlabr” (arranged by Chip Golden III) Nottingham Disc Co. 851 – The Machine – “Hey Grandma” / “Roll With It” (S. Miller) Nottingham Disc Co. 852 – George and Judy – “That’s No Way to Ask You” / “Looking For Me” (1969) Nottingham Disc Co. 853 – Mark III “Gigolo” / “39-21-46” (Norman Johnson) Nottingham Disc Co. 854 – Plague – “Brighter Side” (T. Charauros, J. Burcham) / “Cherry Road” Nottingham Disc Co. 855 – George and Judy – “Pocketful of Promises” / “Love Is the Key”
The following releases have a different numbering system and credit “A Product of Sound Center, Norfolk, Va.” on the labels:
Nottingham Disc Co. 50104 – New Directions – “Lalena” / “Them Changes” (1970, Capitol custom matrix #s ZB-737/8) Aim Records 50108 – Windfall – “There Is a Shadow in Here” / “Workers” Fuo Records 50112 – Colonists (Richmond Virginia’s All Girl Band) – “Evil Ways” / “Aimless Lady” Sounds International 50116 – Common Wealth – “Circles” (Carl Brody) / “It’s Over” (Phil Liebman) Sounds International 50120 – Franklin Freight Train – “Full on the Hill” / “Loving What You Can” (Seale-Leighton-Mahl-Seale) Gent’s YGB Records 50124 – “WDJ – THF Prince Of Soul” – “Invitation To Love” / “Funky Loving”
Thank you to Matt Beck for his videos of the Plague 45 on Youtube. Also thanks to Max Waller, Marty Key and J.D. (Ologist) for their contributions to the discography.
The Del Notes (photo from the Peninsula Garage group)
The Del Notes came from Newport News, Virginia. Danny O’Brien attended Newport News High School and formed the group at school.
Early members included:
Danny O’Brien – vocals and keyboards Tom Clark – guitar Earl Howard – guitar and vocals Ronny Methany (also written as Ronnie Matheny) – bass guitar Dickey Moore – drums
Danny O’Brien of the Del NotesThe Del Notes recorded their singles at D’Arcy Studios across the James River in Norfolk, VA.
The first included two original songs, “Don’t Leave Me Girl” by Danny O’Brien b/w “I Been Thinking Lately” by Earl Howard, released on Top Cat 968. Twenty Grand Music registered copyright on “Don’t Leave Me Girl” in April of 1968 along with 20 other songs. The single likely was released earlier than that date.
Earl Howard of the Del NotesFor their second single on the Sounds International label, Danny O’Brien wrote a great blue-eyed soul song “I Love You” b/w another Earl Howard ballad “I Wish I Was Home” which a commentator said was written for Ronnie Matheny who had been sent to Vietnam.
Twenty Grand Music BMI published their original songs.
Danny O’Brien periodically revived the Del-Notes over the next few decades. Later members included bassist Garland Reece, guitarist Fred Ordonio and drummer Randy Jackson.
Earl Howard was killed in an auto accident on May 16, 1991. Dan O’Brien passed away on December 4, 2003.
The photos seen here Tom Hudgins submitted to the Peninsula Garage yahoo group some years back.
I don’t know of any other releases on this Top Cat label, but D’Arcy Sound Studios and Twenty Grande Music publishing show up on many releases on the Sounds International label.
An early photo shows Earl Howard and Ronny Methany jamming with members of the Nite Liters, including Steve Keith on rhythm guitar, Harrell Baker on lead guitar and sax and Donny Falk [Faulk] on bass guitar. The Nite Liters had their own single on Sounds International, “Set Me Free” / “Harlem Shuffle”.
Ronny Methany and Earl Howard of the Del Notes jam with Steve Keith, Harrell Baker and Donnie Falk of the Nite Liters.
The Mustangs backstage with the Byrds from left: Mike Clark, Larry Hutcherson (partially hidden), Mike Johnstone, Jim McGuinn, Paris Aiken (with glasses), Norm Lawrence, Brad Tinglehoff, Rick Farrar, and Chris Hillman (with back to camera). Photo credited to Bob Scott.Mustangs business card and caption to the Byrds and the Mustangs backstage photo
The Mustangs in the photo above consist of:
Larry Hutcherson – vocals Mike Johnstone – lead guitar Paris Aiken – drums Norm Lawrence – bass guitar Rick Farrar – rhythm guitar
Brad Tinglehoff was the roadie for the group.
According to the Tidewater Virginia Hippies site, other members of the Mustangs included Steve Swenson and Ronnie Hall. I don’t believe this group released any records, and if there were any unreleased recordings, I haven’t heard them.
Mike Johnstone went on to play with Headstone Circus, whose recordings circa 1968 were eventually released by Shadoks. Paris Aiken joined Dennis & the Times, and later played drums with Billy Joe Royal on his recording of “Down in the Boondocks”.
James Mrdutt sent in the photos seen here and reported that Paris passed away on December 24, 2009.
Thank you to Mike Johnstone for correcting the mistakes I made in transcribing the IDs for the photo.
Kevin Longendyke found this excellent band photo in Richmond, Virginia and was trying to determine who the band is. Chandler Edmunds wrote in with information about the group:
The band’s name is The Earthquakes from Virginia Beach. Drummer is Chuck Martak. Middle guitar player is Doug Christdon. Right guitar player named Ric (that’s all I have), and the other guitar player remains unnamed.
I understand these guys were in a bad car accident in 1966 and one may have died. Doug got seriously hurt in the accident but survived. I don’t think they were together long enough to get a record out.
Stamped on the back is “Clifton Guthrie”, who was a fine photojournalist in the South Norfolk, Virginia area (see this link for a few of his images).
Thanks to Chandler for finding out about the Earthquakes.
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
