Category Archives: Washington

Calliope (featuring Danny O’Keefe)

June 1, 2024 Nick Warburton Leave a comment

Photo may be subject to copyright (from Pacific Northwest Bands website). Left to right: John Simpson, Danny O’Keefe, Clyde Heaton and Paul Goldsmith.

Very little is known about Seattle rock group Calliope so Garage Hangover would welcome any additional information in the comments section below

Lead guitarist, singer and writer Paul Goldsmith formed the group after his previous band The Emergency Exit disbanded in late 1967. He also recruited Clyde James Heaton (b. 13 July 1949, Seattle; d. 2 November 2005) and drummer Paul Simpson.

Heaton had previously been a member of The Dimensions while Simpson had worked with The Bumps.

According to singer/guitarist and writer Danny O’Keefe (b. 20 May 1943, Spokane, Washington), he was the last to join (see our interview below).

O’Keefe had worked as a solo artist for several years and, like his colleagues, issued some previous recordings.

The band signed to Buddah Records around June 1968 and recorded a lone eclectic LP in Los Angeles, which was issued around November/December that year. They also opened for Cream and Iron Butterfly at the Eagles Auditorium in Seattle.

O’Keefe dropped out soon after the LP’s release to establish a prolific solo career and bass player Luther Rabb (b. 7 September 1942; d. 21 January 2006), who’d worked with Goldsmith in The Nitesounds and The Emergency Exit joined. Rabb, incidentally, had been a sax player in Jimi Hendrix’s early group, The Velvetones.

When the band fell apart in 1969, Goldsmith subsequently played with Soldier and wrote “Southern Celebration”, which was recorded by Genya Ravan.

Heaton apparently played with The Sunday Funnies while Simpson worked with Christopher. The drummer tragically died in a plane crash in 1973.

Rabb meanwhile recorded with Ballin’ Jack and West Coast Revival. He also later worked with War and Santana.

Garage Hangover would welcome any more information plus photos, which we will credit.

Nick Warburton interviewed Danny O’Keefe by email on 31 May 2024 about his time with the group.

Prior to the formation of Calliope in 1968, you’d been working as a solo artist and had recorded quite prolifically – a 1966 LP on the Panorama label and a clutch of singles for Piccadilly. Your songs had also been covered by other artists, such as “Blackstone Ferry”, which The Daily Flash recorded. Most, if not all, of these recordings subsequently appeared on The Seattle Tapes LP and tracks like “Baby” and “Graveyard Pistol” sound like they were recorded with a band. Did any of the other soon-to-be members of Calliope appear on any of these recordings?

Danny O’Keefe: No. Calliope was a band that Paul Goldsmith put together with Clyde Heaton and John Simpson. They needed a singer and I needed a gig. I hadn’t known them before I joined the band.

The LP that you did for Buddah Records only lists the four of you, but I understand that bass player Luther Rabb, who’d worked with Paul Goldsmith in his previous bands, was also involved with the group?

Danny O’Keefe: Luther Rabb joined after I left the group, and wasn’t involved in the Buddha recording.

I have read somewhere that Calliope was very well received on the local Seattle live scene. Did you play extensively in Seattle and the Washington state before landing the record deal with Buddah Records and were there any shows that stand out, perhaps opening for better known bands?

Danny O’Keefe: I think we opened for Iron Butterfly and I notably threw out a lid’s worth of joints to the audience before we started. We also opened for Cream on one of their last shows. Both shows were at the Eagles Auditorium. I think we were only together for a few months before we got the Buddha deal.

How did the deal with Buddah Records come about? It looks like the LP came out around November 1968, so I guess the recording sessions took place that summer?

Danny O’Keefe: Denny Rosencrans was a local record promoter who took an interest in the group, largely because he was Paul Goldsmith’s friend. He contacted Neil Bogart at Buddah who came out to see a performance at the Seattle Center, I believe.

What can you recall of the recording sessions? Buddah is a New York label, but I presume they didn’t fly you to the Big Apple to record? Also, it’s a very eclectic album that showcases a huge breadth of styles. Did the final product reflect what you all envisaged for it from the outset?

Danny O’Keefe: The recording sessions were produced by Lew Merenstein for Buddah. I don’t remember the name of the studio but it was a well-known studio in LA that Jimi Hendrix had recorded in. I don’t remember much about the sessions, of which there were three, I think. I had throat problems during the sessions and have always felt my vocals could have been much better. I didn’t like the recording when it came out, as it wasn’t really what I was interested in at the time, and I quit the band after I heard it. I went back to LA (from Seattle) to pursue a different route and eventually landed on Atlantic Records.

You were clearly a very prolific writer, even during this period, but only two of your original songs (and two from Paul) appear on the LP. How did you come to choose “The Rainmaker’s Daughter”, which had already been demoed and later surfaced on The Seattle Tapes, and “Atlas” and what were they about?

Danny O’Keefe: I liked “The Rainmaker’s Daughter”. It was only a demo on The Seattle Tapes, which were never intended for release except for a couple of singles. “Atlas” was a performance song and was the number we closed our sets with. “Atlas” was always assumed to have been about the Ayn Rand book. When those who uphold the world shrug their obligations the Earth becomes chaotic. “The Rainmaker’s Daughter” was from a short story by Hermann Hesse. Both early attempts to learn the craft of songwriting.

Did the band members have any say in the choice of covers, which, in themselves, are quite varied – everything from a raunchy version of “Hound Dog” to brilliant interpretations of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” and Lee Michaels’ “Hello, Hello”, the latter released as a US and Dutch single?

Danny O’Keefe: The material was picked by Paul Goldsmith. Again, I was only the vocalist in the band, which was Paul’s.

From this writer’s perspective, the production on the LP is very punchy and the arrangements are dynamic; I particularly love the horns and strings on “Atlas”. What role did Lewis Merenstein have on the final recordings?

Danny O’Keefe: He took the tapes back to Chicago and put the strings on and mixed the recordings. I had virtually no say in any of the production and, as I said, I quit the band when I heard the final recording.

By 1968, you’d already written and recorded such classics as “3.10 Smokey Thursday”. Did you record any more of your songs that were never issued at the time or perform them live? I heard rumours that a second LP was cut but subsequently shelved. Is that true?

Danny O’Keefe: I didn’t record any more songs for Buddha and asked Neil Bogart for release from my contract. He was hopeful I would stick around for another record, but I had other interests. I wasn’t involved in any recordings except those on the “Steamed” recording.

The back cover also credits your road manager. Was there any significance in listing him?

Danny O’Keefe: His name was Scott Strong, and he was a member of the band in every sense, and also a good player.

The LP came out late 1968 and one 45 was issued. Did you do much promotion of the release in Seattle or play elsewhere in the US or did the band pretty much fall apart as soon as the LP came out?

Danny O’Keefe: I left the band when the recording came out. The band persisted in the Northwest for a while, but eventually the members went their own ways.

What prompted the band’s split in early 1969 and did you keep in touch with the other band members, who all appear to have kept a relatively low profile in the aftermath?

Danny O’Keefe: John Simpson went to Alaska and worked in his grandmother’s bank. He was with his twin brothers (if I remember correctly) in a small plane that crashed in the Alaska bush. He tried to go for help but never made it. I don’t believe his body was found, but it’s a long time ago and I’m not sure of all the facts. I lost touch with the other members of the band. I’ve tried to find out what happened to Paul Goldsmith but haven’t been successful. I don’t think he’s still alive.

Fans of your music will probably be surprised that you worked with a heavy rock band in the 1960s, but when you look back at Calliope, what are your best memories of that brief period in your career?

Danny O’Keefe: A couple of shows at the Eagles Auditorium where I got to do a couple of “art rock” pieces, and smoking a joint in the stairwell with Clapton when we opened for Cream in an afternoon show. Other than that, as I mentioned, it was just a gig and I left as soon as I had other prospects.

Categories: Jerden, Spokane, Washington

Harold Horn “Dew B. Dewey” on Jerden

April 21, 2021 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

Harold Horn was born March 6, 1933 on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, MT. He served in the Army from 1950 until 1953, including ten months in Korea. Returning to Spokane, he became a professional musician around Spokane and in Coeur d’Alene.

He played guitar with Bobby Wayne and the Warriors, appearing on their only single on the LJV label, “Sally Ann” / “War Paint”. He also sang a fine lead vocal with the group on “Long Lean Baby”, which was only released in 2005 on the Sundazed EP ’55 Spokane Rockabilly!

Bobby Wayne would produce Harold Horn’s only solo release, “Dew B. Dewey”, a pop song set to a thumping beat with horns and cooing female backup vocals. The flip was the Little Richard standard, “Miss Ann”, a simpler production of acoustic guitar backed by another pounding drum beat.

Bobby Wayne (Robert Wayne Snyder) and Don Weise wrote “Dew B. Dewey”, published byBurdette Music Co. and released on Jerden 750 in 1965.

Harold Horn would lead his own bands during this time. One notice in the Spokesman-Review from June 13, 1964 gives the name of the other musicians in his trio:

Patients at the Shrine Hospital for Crippled Children were entertained Friday with a two-hour concert of music donated by a Spokane band.
The three-piece musical group of Harold Horn played for the children in the hospital’s auditorium. Other members of the band were Jimmy Mitten on drums and LaCharlie Cook on guitar.

Harold Horn left music around 1966, not long after the Jerden single.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle profiled Harold on June 22, 1968, when he was social service coordinator with the American Indian Community Center. Headlined “Indian Aide Recalls Frustration and Depression: Now Helping His People” it is well worth a read.

Harold Horn died on November 24, 2016.

Categories: Oregon, Panorama, Washington, Westland

Buck & The Hunters / The Tragedy

January 28, 2020 Chris Bishop 3 Comments

The Blue Mountain Playboys – aunts and uncles of Buck played in this group

Jeffrey Harvey provides the story of Buck and the Hunters, who cut original songs for singles on Westland Records 15829/30 and Panorama 1004. “Without Your Love I’m A Nobody” has a wild desperate sound to it, unfortunately the youtube video is made from an off-center copy.

Buck Hunter was born into a musical family in Beaverton, Oregon in 1946. His aunts and uncles on his mother’s side played in a western swing group called The Blue Mountain Playboys, who at one time toured with The Sons Of The Pioneers.

Buck started playing music at age 13 and after a stint in the U.S. Navy, he formed Buck & The Hunters in Cove, Oregon in 1965 at the age of 19.

After winning a local battle of the bands competition, Buck & The Hunters were signed to cut a spec record for the local Westland label.

“The Train Is Leaving Me Behind” b/w “Without Your Love I’m A Nobody” was recorded in a basement studio in the Kennewick, Washington area and achieved significant airplay in the Washington, Wyoming, Oregon, and Idaho radio markets.

The band members at the time of recording were:

Buck Hunter – lead vocals / guitar / songwriter
Dan Aguilar – lead guitar
John McClay – bass
Dan Ross – drums

After the release of “Train” on Christmas Day 1965, the band spent 18 months touring the Pacific Northwest, playing armory dances, state fairs, high schools, and clubs, and opening for such Northwest luminaries as Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Wailers, The Kingsmen, and more.

A fun story Buck shared with me about the Hunters’ touring days goes like this: The band was booked to play a high school dance in John Day, Oregon on a Friday night. Buck and the boys were traveling to the gig in two separate vehicles, when they came upon an active blasting zone on the interstate.

The state was using dynamite in the area for construction purposes, and after the first car carrying half the band made it through the blast zone “We all hear this big boom! Sure enough, we look back and saw a landslide had cut off all the traffic – including the second car with the rest of the band in it!”

Buck and two other band mates continued on to John Day High School to find that the dance they were booked to play was the school’s prom. “We ended up playing with three guys that night, and were asked to come back the next night with the full band. They held two proms so our entire band could play!” recalls Hunter.

Buck & The Hunters disbanded in 1967 when a few members went off to college and Buck moved to Everett, Washington. It was there he met his wife in the same year, and the two were married within months.

Buck took a nightclub residency gig as a solo folk act, doing a supper club show at a local restaurant/lounge called Kay’s Rice n’ Bowl. Here he opened for such artists as Pat Suzuki and The Four Freshman.

After putting in his time at the club, Buck and his new bride formed The Tragedy with four other players. The group went on to win a “contemporary folk music battle of the bands” put on by The Pat O’Day Show, broadcast on KJR radio in Seattle at the time.

An A&R man from the Pacific Northwest stalwart label Panorama signed the group to a one-disc deal and “The Entertainer” b/w “Unfaithful Love” was recorded. The Tragedy then toured, opening for such acts as Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts and The Turtles.

After Buck’s father was diagnosed with cancer in 1969, he and his wife became born again Christians. They went on to write, record, and tour as a duo, preaching the gospel in churches around the country until 1985.

In 1992 Buck began hosting a nightly radio show that was broadcast from the floor of The Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas. The program lasted until 2002, and in that time Buck met and interviewed thousands of artists including James Brown, Little Richard, Willie Nelson, Martha Reeves, and more. He also told me that the actress Betty White was an avid listener to his program and would call in on numerous occasions to co-host the show with him!

To say that Buck has lived an interesting and full life would be an understatement. He is still active in the business space and currently resides in Kuna, Idaho with his wife of 50+ years.

I asked him about the psychedelic sound of his two 45rpm releases, and if that was an intentional artistic choice or not. His response? “I was always looking for my own original sound.”

Article by Jeffrey Harvey.

Categories: Spokane, Washington

The Chambermen of Spokane

August 29, 2016 Chris Bishop 2 Comments

Many bands tried their hand at “Louie Go Home”, an original by Paul Revere and Mark Lindsey released as Paul Revere & the Raiders’ second Columbia single, “Louie Go Home”, in early 1964.

Some of the best versions are the Mussies of South Haven, Michigan who cut it on Fenton, the Fugitives of San Antonio on Alamo Audio, and the Missing Lynx of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, who have it on the flip of “Hang Around” on United Sounds 100.

One of my very favorite versions is by the Chambermen, a sextet from West Valley High School in Spokane, Washington. Their version of “Midnight Hour” on the flip is good too.

Lanny Beck wrote to me with information on the band and the photos seen here:

We started playing together in 9th grade, winning a talent show contest, which encouraged us to continue through high school. Don Hines [lead vocals, rhythm guitar] was with us in the early years along with Pat Teague – bass player. Steve Myers joined our band shortly after Steve Mauss, sometime around ’66 or ’67. Jim Reiter later replaced Pat. The members of the band: John Conant, drums; Jim Reiter, bass and lead vocals; Steve Mauss, saxophone and lead vocals; Steve Myers, keyboard; Lanny Beck, lead guitar.
We won the Spokane Battle of the Bands in 1967 and recorded “Louie Go Home” and “Midnight Hour” at Spokane Recording Studios. Steve Mauss sang lead vocal on both sides of our record. This was the only record that we made, which was promoted by the local radio station, KJRB, for winning the battle of the bands. We played at many high school and college dances throughout the Spokane and north Idaho region.

I assume production on the record was by Larry Wacholtz of 4111 Willow in Spokane, whose name is on the label.

John Conant and Don Hines have since passed away.

Thank you to Lanny Beck for answering my questions and providing the photos included here.

Categories: California, Longview, Los Angeles, Modern, Oregon, Portland, Star-Bright, Washington

Star-Bright Records discography

March 12, 2016 Chris Bishop 4 Comments

I’d appreciate any help with this discography.

Star-Bright 3051 – The Wilde Knights – “Beaver Patrol” (Dey – Brown) / “Tossin’ and Turnin'”
Rich Brown, vocal on both songs. S-1-866/7

Star-Bright 3052 – The Wilde Knights – “Just Like Me” (Dey for Tinadele Pub. Co. BMI) / “I Don’t Care” (Dey-Brown) Rick Dey vocals on both songs, S-1-864/5

Star-Bright 3053 – Bruce (pseudonym for The Niteriders) – “I Got My Mojo Workin'” / “La-La-La”

Star-Bright 3054 – The Niteriders – “Satisfaction Guaranteed” (Doak) S-1-868 / “Whatever’s Right” (Johnson, Doak, Sells)

Star-Bright 3055 – The Niteriders – “With Friends Like You Who Needs Friends” (Doak) S-1-871 / “Just Call on Me”

Star-Bright 3056 – ??

Star-Bright 3057- Thornbush Ripple IV – “Room With a Crew” Part I / “Room With a Crew” Part II (Anonymous – McCoy for Tinadele Pub) S-1-874/5

Paul Johnson produced all the Star-Bright singles.

The Wilde Knights formed when the draft took Ray Kennedy, lead singer of the Furys, who had two fine r&b records on the Lavender label. Furys member Rich Brown ( lead vocals, guitar) and Roger Huycke (drums) added Rich Dey from the Vejtables as a second lead vocalist and Dean Adair and changed the band’s name to the Wilde Knights.

The Furys had originally been based out of Longview, Washington, but the band’s live circuit brought them up and down the west coast, so perhaps it’s not surprising the Wilde Knights cut their two singles in a studio in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles for release by a brand-new label based in a small coastal town in southern Oregon.

“Beaver Patrol” is an instant classic, featuring lead vocals by Rich Brown. Their second single on Star-Bright, also from 1965, features the original version of “Just Like Me” written and sung by Rich Dey. The story goes that Paul Revere heard the song and bought it from Dey for maybe $5,000. It became a monster hit for the Raiders in December 1965, while Dey seems to have died young, circa 1970. The full story of the Furys/Wilde Knights and their later incarnations is best told in Greg Shaw’s liner notes to the 1984 Voxx LP compiling their recordings.

The third release on Star-Bright is one I haven’t heard, an artist called Bruce doing “I Got My Mojo Workin'” / “La-La-La”. Bruce is supposed to be a pseudonym for members of the Niteriders, who would have the next two singles on Star-Bright in 1966. I know very little about the Niteriders but their two singles are fantastic. The group may have come from Portland, Oregon. “Satisfaction Guaranteed” b/w “Whatever’s Right” came out in early 1966 followed quickly by their second release “With Friends Like You Who Needs Friends” b/w “Just Call on Me”.

I can’t find any copyright registrations to Niteriders member Doak, whose name appears on the Niteriders song writing credits, but I have found a copyright registration from June of ’66 for “Satisfaction Guaranteed” by Donald Richard Keefer. Rick Keefer would produce singles by Genesis, the King Biscuit Entertainers, and American Cheese, all bands with roots in the Furys or Wilde Knights. He had a few early copyrights in 1965: ‘Hurt So Good”, “I Saw Sloopy” and “Soul Searchin'”. It’s conceivable he was a part of the Niteriders.

The Los Angeles label Modern Records released “With Friends Like You Who Needs Friends” under a pseudonym, the Composers, and also put out the Wilde Knights “Beaver Patrol”, supposedly without the band’s knowledge. The Modern releases, along with publishing by Tinadele Pub. BMI suggest a strong Los Angeles connecton for Star-Bright Records.

I haven’t found out what Star-Bright 3056 is, but Star-Bright 3057 (on a purple label) is the Thornbush Ripple IV “Room With a Crew” Part I / “Room With a Crew” Part II, a novelty release featuring a not very funny recitation of what’s supposed to be an asylum inmate, spoken over a bluesy guitar, piano and drums backing.

Star-Bright Records: six or seven releases, four of which are essential garage. Not a bad average!

Categories: Julian, US, Washington, Wenatchee

The Chargers

April 15, 2011 Chris Bishop 25 Comments

The Chargers came from the central Washington state town of Wenatchee, like Billy and the Kids. Steve Barone was 16 years old when he played lead guitar on the Chargers single on Julian Records, “Taxi” / “I’m So Alone”, released in October 1966. Steve plays some great lead on Steve Nelsen’s original “Taxi” with its super-cool lyrics. The girl’s going to leave so he might as well just call her a taxi and get it over with. “I’m So Alone” is one of the better downer songs of the ’60s, with a neat sliding guitar riff towards the end of the break.

About a year after the single, they recorded three more songs in Spokane that have so far been unreleased. I’ve only heard short excerpts of each. “Need Your Love” sounds a lot like “Taxman” but has its own charms. “You Got a Hold” has a great distorted guitar opening. “In the News” might be my favorite, with it’s heavy tom-tom opening, fine organ playing and interesting rhythm changes. All three of these deserve getting a proper release on CD or vinyl, I hope it happens soon.

Steve Barone wrote to me in detail about the band:

I am the lead guitarist and vocalist for the Chargers. I was born in 1951, and my earliest memories are of watching my dad play with his bands, and by five years old was playing his instrument. In junior high, I had a little group called The Hustlers. One guitar, one drummer, and five singers! We had the chicks screaming when we played Beatles songs at assemblies and dances … how naive they were.
Then I met Ron Kinscherf, Curt Dorey, Tony Morgan and Steve Nelsen. They had a band The Undertakers with Larry Youngblood (passed on) singing, and they were very good; the Hustlers didn’t have a bass man. We did a “battle of the bands” … they even had a coffin to haul equipment in! I was so impressed with them, and they with me, that I quit the Hustlers.
Early lineup of the Chargers, March 1966
L-R, standing: Don Sandstrom, Larry Roller and Curt Dorey; kneeling Tony Morgan and Steve Barone
Steve and Ron were part of the Undertakers but Tony, Larry, and Curt formed the three-piece Chargers, then I joined. Larry Roller was lead singer in the beginning but he liked ripping off stuff, like other people’s cars, so we axed him. There was also Don Sandstrom, who sang as well.
Don and Larry are both [in the talent show clipping]. That is because Don had just joined the group. He hadn’t been at the talent show but joined before the picture so there he is. Then Ron replaced Larry, then Steve Nelsen joined later on keys.
We actually let Don into the band because he was the only one with a driver’s license and would drive us all around in his mom’s Corvair … and usually with one or two of us in the trunk as that was a very small car! Especially on drive-in nights! One other friend, Phil Dorschak, had a ’58 Chevy with a tri-power 348 and a big trunk. We always gave him a few beers if he would help haul the equipment for us. I don’t know where he is and haven’t seen him since 1968.
Don quit after a couple years, leaving us a five-piece for the duration. Me on my 1963 Tiesco art-deco Japanese guitar and Silvertone twin-twelve amp, playing lead and singing, Ron on his red Lyle guitar and Paul McCartney vocal stylings, Steve Nelsen on the Farfisa keyboard, Curt Dorey on Fender Mustang bass, and Tony Morgan on drums. Toward the end of the band Tony quit, and was replaced by Jerry Riley on drums. He was the absolute best drummer ever.
We played all over, every high and junior high school dance we could handle, plus Yakima, Bridgeport, Spokane, all over except for the Seattle area. We weren’t ready for that yet.
Steve Nelsen and Ron Kinscherf lived on the East side. Me, Tony, Jerry and Curt lived on the West side. When we played at either high school, or junior high, we had fans in either case. The town didn’t matter much to us, but Billy & the Kids were all living with their folks in East Wenatchee so they had a “town loyalty”, as it were. Billy & the Kids didn’t go over that well at Wenatchee High … we ruled there, and played for nearly every dance from 1966-68. Especially after the record came out. But on the East side, Billy & the Kids had the edge. We always enjoyed the competitive nature of it, but were all brothers and respected each other a lot. I do give them credit, they took it a lot further than I ever did, and now Bill and Bob Burns have a group called “The Called”! Christian stuff of course.
The Chargers won a talent show in 1966, first prize being recording time at Julian records. We were excited, to say the least. We packed up the trailer and headed for Spokane one Friday afternoon. We went to some restaurant for dinner and cruised around town for a while, trailer proudly in tow. Nobody knew who we were then … but that was about to change. After settling in at a motel; the band in one room and the manager and his wife in another, we commenced to “hootenanny” and light farts all night long. After they shut the power off, we continued to sing and light farts in the dark!
In the morning, all fucked up from not sleeping, we headed to the other side of town, and pulled in to an unassuming, plain-looking building. Inside were many rooms and corridors, all full of amps, wires, speakers, etc. I was in heaven. We proceeded to lay down all the instruments at once, and got the songs down fast, albeit with a couple small mistakes that we left in just because. Then we went into a booth and did the vocals. All this recorded on reel-to-reel, very primitive even then.
When that hit the street, and went to #3 on the local survey the first week, we were gods. How overwhelming it is to hear your songs on the radio! We played at virtually all the big dances after the record came out.

The Chargers: Curt Dorey, Steve Nelsen and Tony Morgan; seated: Steve Barone and Ron Kinscherf — Standing, from left: Curt Dorey, Steve Nelsen and Tony Morgan; seated: Steve Barone and Ron Kinscherf
Photo courtesy Steve Barone

I have one old picture of the band in our suits, in a frame. We took many poses, in the house, in a tree, on another part of the roof, and gathered around our trailer that had the logo and a crazy horse on the sides. I don’t know where these photos ended up. It must have cost a lot; it was a professional photographer, and we took a LOT of shots.
Q. I notice Ron looks to be left handed and playing with a right-handed guitar turned upside down. Is he really left handed, or was this just for the photo?
Ron was intrigued with Hendrix but only for the photo was the guitar reversed unfortunately. That would have been something though! Sorta like I painted the “Vox” logo on my Silvertone/Tiesco guitar. Nobody ever knew but the band.
The story of “I’m So Alone” is a book in itself. I met Carl Hunt in 1963, at Pioneer Junior High. My neighbor, Jerry Highfill and I played guitars together a lot, and thus entered our first talent show playing a couple Ventures songs, and a tune called “Bulldog”. We caused pandemonium; nobody suspected I could really play and was actually “cool”. I looked like Fearless Fly; skinny, horn-rimmed glasses and clothes my mom picked out. But when Jerry and I won that first show, I suddenly had a lot more friends. Carl was way cool, smoking on the corner in his leather jacket, just being next to Carl made you cool.
He had one of those Silvertone guitars with the amp in the case. I never would have dreamed it, but Carl wanted to learn how to play, and all through junior high he was my body guard more or less, in exchange for guitar lessons. I spent the weekend at Carl’s often; his mom always fed us and let us smoke in his room, and occasionally we would smuggle in a few beers too. We had a few tunes down, and were joined by a drummer, Jerry Riley, in 1964. One night at Carl’s house, he said he had a new song, kind of a ballad. Then he started playing the two opening chords to “I’m So Alone” and started the plaintive vocal. I knew he was on to something, and before too long we sounded like the Everly Brothers on the chorus. But then I got asked to join the Chargers, formerly the Undertakers, and I spent a lot less time with Carl. Jerry joined the Chargers as well.
When the Chargers decided to record our first single, we already had “Taxi” on our playlist. But we needed a “B” side. So I remembered Carl’s song. I played it, and everybody liked it right away … and we ended up recording it. I never gave Carl credit for it though, and always felt a little bad. I didn’t see him much so I never knew if he was upset about me claiming his song. I did refine the lyrics but the music is all Carl.
Around 1976 I spoke with a man who was a former detective, and he said Carl had committed suicide that summer. I had not seen him since 1968.
You can sure tell in “I’m So Alone” that there is a Farfisa screeching away (man I hated that sound). We did an outdoor gig and it got so hot it just freaked out. The notes would go up and down and it finally pooped clear out. We got it fixed and jammed on. Later with Double Image, Steve got a B-3.
Ron Kinscherf, Steve Nelsen and I were always coming up with ideas for songs. Some were ok, most sucked, a lot of them were rip-offs of the Beatles or the Wailers songs, and all were eventually forgotten but for the five recordings. I spent a lot of time at Ron’s house in those days, and we would jam for hours on end.
We released the record, and in early 1968 went back, older and wiser, doing “You Gotta Hold”, “News in General” and “I Need Your Love”. With the three tunes in the can, the band split up before it was pressed. Only the masters and copies remain. By some miracle, of course, as Ron ended up with the masters at first. His stepdad was the manager. He ended up with at least 300 copies of unsold records, and used them for skeet. The rest of us were quite pissed when we found out where all the records went, but it was too late. I do have a copy, one I gave to my mom, and she gave it back to me just before she died. So it is priceless to me now and never sees daylight.
Eagles Hall, 1967 poster
One summer day, Ron and I went to a department store with a friend named Dale. He was, unbeknownst to us, a compulsive kleptomaniac. He would fill his trenchcoat with stuff and go unload it in the car while we were looking around the store. When we discovered how easy it was to rip stuff off, I tried to hork Jimi Hendrix’s first album and got caught by store security. After the cops came, and my folks came to get me from them, my guitar and amp were locked in a closet and I was forbidden to play music until I graduated the following year. This put an end to my membership in the band. They tried to carry on with replacements but it just didn’t work.
After I actually showed some remorse, worked hard at school and for the first time ever, made the honor roll, I got my guitar back. Then I hooked up with Dick and Jerry Riley, Bob Herron and Rick Troppman and formed “Subtle Difference”. We were cutting-edge, with a keyboard (Hammond B-3 and Leslie), two hot guitars and Jerry was one hell of a drummer. Rick was, and is, one of the best bassists I ever knew. We did Vanilla Fudge and all the hot psychedelic stuff.
Too bad it was the time of drugs, partying, Viet Nam and thoughts of marriage … all this combined to send all five of us in different directions. By 1969, the smoldering remains of the Chargers was officially put to rest.
Ron moved to Tacoma to play new wave, Tony and I joined the Army, Steve Nelsen joined “Double Image” with the Burns Brothers in Seattle, Curt Dorey went to work at Alcoa on the night shift. Jerry Riley overdosed on 96% pure heroin (from VietNam) in 1971. RIP old pal.
I moved to Tacoma in 1979, and played with Ron in “Kicker”, a three-guitar and keyboard band that specialized in AC/DC, Molly Hatchet, Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd. I also did time with Wakefield Manor and No Cheese Please … check them out on pnwbands.com. I left Tacoma in 1982 and never looked back.
Ron and I are the only ones still performing. I am in “Trio Deluxe + 1”, an oldies band ( the +1 is a sax player), “the Steamers” (check ’em out at lakeboys.com) and the church worship team. So I am heavily involved but in Wenatchee, also heavily poor. This town does not have a very supportive music scene, I have to spread it thin to stay working. But I will keep playin’ that rock and roll … until I die.
If there’s one thing I pray to never lose, it is my memory of those crazy times with that first “successful” band. This past October, on the occasion of Curt’s 60th birthday, we all got together, even some of our old “groupies” were there. I brought my Strat and Ron brought his bass and another guitar. We howled at the moon from 3pm until after midnight, and would not have stopped then except the neighbors complained. I still can’t believe we remembered all those old songs. But we are NOT going to get the band back together!
Steve T. Barone aka Bonehead

Thanks to Doug Shirk for his help in making this article possible.

The Chargers: Tony Morgan, Ron Kinscherf, Steve Nelsen, Steve Barone, and Curt Dorey — clockwise from left: Tony Morgan, Ron Kinscherf, Steve Nelsen, Steve Barone, and Curt Dorey (holding Ron’s guitar)
“My guitar is still sunburst … sort of. When I bought this ugly guitar, it had long cutaways which I took off with a hacksaw and made it a teardrop. The edges of the cuts still show raw wood in the pic. Then I painted it Krylon sea blue and hand-painted psychedelic stuff, along with boobs and snatches, all over it. I still have this guitar!”
Photo from the cover of Teenage Shutdown “I’m Down Today”

Categories: Bellevue, MTW, Washington

Keith Kessler

September 22, 2010 Chris Bishop 18 Comments

Keith Kessler picture sleeve Don't Crowd Me / Sunshine Morning

Keith Kessler’s “Don’t Crowd Me” is an anthem to garage-punk fans, with a sound to match the intensity of the lyrics: “Inside looking out, got no place to shout … I’m locked inside this place, problems I can’t face, I’m getting out breaking free … don’t crowd me! / My soul is cramped and bare, there’s freedom I can’t share … my independence crushed, don’t crowd me, give me air, give me time …”

Keith Kessler recorded “Don’t Crowd Me” at Kearney Barton’s Audio Recording Studio at 2227 5th Avenue in Seattle in 1966, using musicians from Keith’s group, the Impulses.

The Impulses formed in Bellevue (just across Lake Washington from Seattle) in 1964 and included Michael Elliot on lead guitar, Jack Joseph on rhythm, Keith on keyboards and vocals, Jim Simmons on bass and Lew McCall on drums. After the session for “Don’t Crowd Me”, Doug Holloway replaced Lew on drums. The Impulses split around 1967 and Keith joined Calliope for a time but left before they signed to Buddah.

“Don’t Crowd Me” wouldn’t be released for two years, and it was only with some luck that it was issued at all.

During the summer of 1968, Mike Wing, a Bellevue musician and aspiring record producer, liked one of Keith’s original songs “Sunshine Morning” enough to set up a publishing company and finance the recording, pressing and promotion of the record. Keith’s 1966 recording “Don’t Crowd Me” filled in for the b-side, and they released the record and sleeve in August. “Sunshine Morning” didn’t hit, but “Don’t Crowd Me” deserves to be ranked among the top examples of the tough Pacific Northwest sound.

My friend and fellow record collector Gregor Kessler (no relation to Keith) asked Keith about this record and his career in music:

I wrote “Don’t Crowd Me” back in 1966 during a period of general turmoil. Vietnam War. Seemingly mindless, rigid authority by government. Suffocation. A need for freedom of thought and action. Dissatisfaction. Frustration.
That was the backdrop.
Although I was with the Impulses at the time, this was never an Impulses song. We did play it at some of our gigs, but the late 60s and early 70s dance styles made it difficult to dance to.
Guitar on “Don’t Crowd Me” was Mike Elliott (also in the Impulses). I let him go wild on his solo in the middle of the song. My last contact with him was many years ago when he was a studio musician in Los Angeles.
Jim Simmons was on bass (also in the Impulses). He was respected for a creative, rapid walking movement. Although he wasn’t James Jamerson, he was very likely the best in Seattle.
My brother Kent sang back-up. We’d sung together throughout our youth. He wrote a number of songs that I always felt would be hits if he pushed them.
Both Kent and I recorded at the MTW studio (Mike Wing), along with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. They obviously made the most of their talent.
The sleeve: “Sunshine Morning” was intended as the “A” side – sort of a Young Rascals light-weight, mellow 60s song. So the photo was taken at Golden Gardens State Park in Seattle to suggest waking up and enjoying a new morning. Although it was covered by two bands on separate recordings, it was basically not that exciting and lacked traction.
The “B” side – “Don’t Crowd Me” – got the airplay and, oddly, was popular with late Boomers and early GenXers. It was included (without permission) on a number of punk rock albums. Only one group – The Flying Saucers – asked for permission to record it. When I said “Of course”, they told me that there were at least 15 versions recorded by different bands across the country, and they sent me a tape with several versions. I have kept that very interesting tape, as wells as the Flying Saucers’ vinyl 45 version.
What caused the break-up of the Impulses? It’s incredibly difficult to keep musicians together. I was offered an opportunity to work with a newly forming band of the top musicians in the Pacific Northwest. Each of them had been with a band that had successful records. They were all extremely talented, and it was an amazing experience. The band – Calliope – worked day and night while I was trying to also attend college and raise a family. Ultimately, I left and was replaced by Danny O’Keefe who later had a popular hit – “Good-time Charlie’s Got the Blues”.
For what it’s worth, I chose law school over rock-n-roll, and am a trial attorney today. But in the process, I became addicted once again to playing rock music, and ended up doing a lot of writing, working with exceptional musicians from Alaska. We made no recordings, but, given their incredible talent, I thoroughly enjoyed the year that we spent together. Ultimately, as expected of musicians, we exploded, and most of them returned to Alaska.
Keith Kessler, September 2010

Mike Wing added this history in consultation with the Kessler brothers:

“Sunshine Morning” was recorded in June 1968 at Audio Recording’s 5th Avenue studio in Seattle, with engineer Kearney Barton at the controls and me in the producer’s chair. The musicians on the session were:
Keith Kessler – vocal, keyboards, songwriter, named artist
Kent Kessler – backing vocal, keyboards, chimes
Jack Joseph – bass, trumpet, arranger
Doug Holloway – drums
Leonard Olive – violin
We pressed up copies of the record with a photo sleeve and sent them to every music-oriented radio station in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. We got airplay on a number of the smaller stations, but unfortunately not in the larger markets like Seattle, Portland or Spokane.
The promo guy at a Seattle record wholesaler liked the record and pitched it to his contacts at RCA Records. I followed up with them a number of times hoping to work out a master licensing deal, but they eventually backed out citing the lack of major market airplay.
Meanwhile, a contact in London pitched the record to the Beatles’ newly formed Apple label. I was hoping for a master licensing deal for the UK or Europe. But to my surprise they asked about a publishing deal for the record’s flip side, “Don’t Crowd Me,” for possible use by their new group known as Badfinger. [Cool!!] Unfortunately, the deal never came together.
“Don’t Crowd Me,” was recorded at Audio Recording by Keith and his band at the time, the Impulses, in 1966. I was not involved with that session. Years later it was discovered as a punk/garage classic, but by that time neither Keith nor I were involved in the music business. I’ve always felt honored by the underground popularity of the track even though my involvement was limited to picking it as a flip side.
While there have been a number of cover recordings of “Don’t Crowd Me,” there is only one cover of “Sunshine Morning” that I am aware of. That was by New Era on their Observation album (the track can be found on YouTube).
Notes by Mike “MTW” Wing, January 2015.

Thanks to Keith Kessler and his brother Kent, and to Gregor for bringing this article together.

Categories: Lavender, Longview, NWI, Washington

The Impacts

December 26, 2007 Chris Bishop 34 Comments

The Impacts of Longview, Washington

One of several bands called the Impacts in Washington state, this group was from Longview, a small city along the Columbia River, a half-hour’s drive north of Portland. Original members were Ron Baldwin and LaDonna Lockman on vocals, Bruce Farquhar on guitar, Dick Sayles keyboards, Bill Uhlig bass and Spook Brusco on drums.

By the time of their first 45, Dan “Spyder” White and Steve Green had replaced Sayles and Brusco, respectively, and LaDonna Lockman had either left the band or was only appearing at their live gigs, as she isn’t on any of their recordings.

They recorded their first 45 at Northwestern Inc., the legendary Portland studio where the Kingsmen cut Louie Louie, and paid the studio to press it on its NWI label. “A Little Bit More” is a fine original, and may have helped get them signed with Pat Mason, a major booking agent in the Pacific Northwest.

“Leavin’ Here” is an Eddie Holland song on Motown that became a staple of live acts like the Who and the Birds in the UK, but in the states was less often covered. The Impacts probably learned it from Jimmy Hanna & the Dynamics’ version on Bolo.

Compared to the frantic pace of the UK groups who recorded “Leaving Here”, the Dynamics and the Impacts versions take a much more languid approach. The Dynamics make it work with swirling organ fills and horns responding to the vocal lines. The Impacts start off well, with a sharper sound than the Dynamics, but the band somehow fails to generate the energy to make this work, especially on the chorus.

Impacts Lavender 45 Green Green Field Once signed with Pat Mason, the Impacts started releasing records on his Lavender label, and recording at Bob Gibson’s Ripcord Studio in Vancouver, WA.

“Green Green Field” and “Don’t You Dare” show a much more confident and accomplished band. Like “A Little Bit More,” these two songs are originals by Dan White (Robert Douglas White on the BMI registration).

After this record they changed their name to the Impact Express and released three additional 45s on Lavender in progressively pop stylings. I’d feature “I’m Gonna Change the World” if I had a copy, but by “Sunshine Day” they sounds like a completely different band.

45 releases:

The Impacts:

A Little Bit More / Leavin’ Here (NWI 2006)
Don’t You Dare/Green Green Field (Lavender 2005)

The Impact Express:

I’m Gonna Change The World/ You Get Your Kicks (Lavender 2006)
Sunshine Day / Don’t You Dare (Lavender 2007)
A Little Love/Fly With Me (Lavender 2008)

Photo from PNW Bands

Categories: Century Custom, Pasco, Washington

The Pastels

December 19, 2007 Chris Bishop 15 Comments

The Pastels from Pasco, WA

Pastels Century Custom 45 What Can I Say From Pasco in south eastern Washington State, near Kennewick and the Oregon border, the Pastels formed in 1964. Original members were:

Dale Anderson on guitar
Mark Gage on keyboards
Ron “Arjai” Jones on guitar and bass
Red Elder on drums

They became one of the bigger draws in that part of the state, playing shows at Richland Roller Rink and other venues, and appearing occasionally on local TV.

This original lineup of the band released three 45s between the fall of 1965 and the spring of ’66. All were recorded at Ron Jones’ family house by a Century label agent.

Pastels Century Custom 45 Circuit Breaker The first of these is the upbeat “Why Don’t You Love Me” b/w the slower “What Can I Say”. It did well enough locally to have a second pressing. Their second 45 was “Circuit Breaker”, demonstrating a darker sound, probably influenced by other Northwest acts like the Sonics.

Their third 45 is their best, at least to me. Fast and danceable, “Mirage” is an intense four minutes of music! Things slow down considerably for the flip, “Where Is the Answer”, a good, idealistic song but a little repetitive at over about four minutes long.

Pastels Century Custom 45 Mirage Frank Hames wrote on PNW bands.com:

I was in The Pastels from 1966 until the summer of 1968. I played keyboards. The guitar player was Dale Anderson who was eventually replaced by Larry Rogers sometime during 1967. The other guitar player who also doubled on bass is Ron Jones. Red Elder was the original drummer and was replaced by Larry Horne from Richland in 1966. The first keyboard player was Mark Gage from Pasco. I replaced the second keyboard player who was Don Clauson. Ron Jones’ father, Don, was our manager and produced our recordings.
The Pastels were very well organized. We each had several professionally designed costumes, individual voice coaches, a paid account at a local barber shop in Pasco as well as individual college fund bank accounts.
In 1967 we played the Teen Fair in Spokane where we were forced to join the union. We opened for The Vanilla Fudge there. Other bands on that show were Harpers Bazaar, The Chambers Bros, and Glen Campbell. Our PA system that was designed and built by Don Jones ended up being the house PA because it was so good. We worked almost every weekend and played all over the northwest.

In an interview with 60sgaragebands.com Frank Hames discussed recording with the group:

I joined the band after these recordings [the three 45s] were released. I did record with the band subsequent to the singles. All the Pastels’ recordings were done in the band’s rehearsal room in the band house: The Jones’. Don performed all the engineering and everything was cut on a consumer stereo recorder.
I recall recording eight or ten songs that were never released. There were many original pieces written and dragged on the stage. Most didn’t last long. Dale Anderson was the primary composer.
The band ended when Ron graduated from high school and went away to college. It was in the summer of 1968.

Red Elder and Mark Gage left the band in 1966 to join the Rock n’ Souls, who won a big area Battle of the Bands sponsored by KALE and later released one 45, Not Like You / Got No Love on Rich Tone.

Red Elder and Arjai Jones later formed the Backward Door with Billy Blair, and later added Larry Rogers as well.

Sources include: PNW Bands.com, and Mike Dugo’s interview with Frank Hames on 60’sgaragebands.com.

Categories: Bremerton, Jerden, Panorama, Washington

The Raymarks

October 16, 2007 Chris Bishop 17 Comments

The Raymarks formed in 1962 in Bremerton, Washington, across the Puget Sound from Seattle. They began as the Orbits, changing their name twice, first to the Galaxies, and in 1964 to the Raymarks. They embody the Pacific Northwest sound – playing tough organ-based r&b numbers with a heavy rhythm section with little or no British Invasion influences.

Their first 45 is a stomping version of “Work Song”, my favorite cut by the band. The flip, “Backfire” is a good instrumental. Mike Spotts wrote most of the band originals, including their second 45, the pounding “Louise”, which was mistakenly released under the name the Paymarks.

Their last 45 is another fine garage number, “I Believed”, again written by Spotts. The Raymarks also had several good songs that went unreleased at the time, including “Walking Down the Street”, “Feelin’ No Good”, “Hard Times” (which uses the same rhythm as “I Believed”) and an untitled piece.

Members included Mike Spotts on keyboards, Ken Huff and Chuck Snyder on guitars, Greg Pettit and Terry Carter on saxophone, Larry Trudeau bass, and Terry Selvidge on drums. Like the Wailers (whose live album At the Castle features singer Gail Harris), the Raymarks’ live shows included a female vocalist, Gail Davies, who is not on their studio recordings.

Chuck Snyder went to the Tacoma group the Noblemen in 1964. Ken Huff and Terry Selvidge were drafted in 1966 which spelled the end for the band.

Anyone have a photo of the group?

Sources include: The PNW Bands site.

The site for '60s garage bands since 2004