Members were:
Steve Maase – lead guitar
Gary Shouse – rhythm guitar
Rob Cardin – bass
Larry Kuck -drums
In August 1965 they released a 45 “Rod Hot Rod” / “94 Second Surf” on Larse 101, recorded at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, NM. The group’s manager Bill Sego, a DJ on KCLV in Clovis, wrote the top side “Rod Hot Rod”. This song has its fans but Steve Maase’s original “94 Second Surf” commands the most attention nowadays.
MGM picked up the single for a national release in November 1965. “94 Second Surf” is retitled “Door Banger” on the MGM 45, but there is a difference. The Larse single features a female vocal chorus on both sides, while the MGM leaves it off completely on “Door Banger” and cuts the vocal intro on “Rod Hot Rod” but keeps the rest of the vocals.
Larse was Bill Sego’s label but I don’t know of any other releases on it. Prior to managing he had his own single on the Nor-Va-Jak label “Down From The Clouds” / “Come Along Dolly”. When he ran for the New Mexico Senate he reissued “Doorbanger” on the flip side of a campaign message with the motto “We Go Sego” on the labels and sleeves.
Steve Maase joined Lindy Blaskey and the LaVells, playing the wicked lead on their Space single “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” (on the flip, “Would You Believe” Lindy shouts out “Hey Steve, would you believe …” after the guitar break), and on “You Ain’t Tuff” / “Let It Be”. In the early ’70s, Steve formed a band called Tala, and then played with Linda Cotton and Sparxx, among others, while composing his own music and becoming a well-respected music teacher. Steve Maase passed away on October 1, 2016.
Thank you to Lily Maase for sending in the photo of the King Pins and for informing me about her father’s career after the King Pins.
Hi Chris, this is Lily Maase (Steve’s daughter). I have a photo of the band for you if you would like it. You might like to know that Steve passed away in his home in Albuquerque on October 1st of 2016 and was a full-time guitarist and educator in the area from the Kingpins days until the day he died. There is a book coming out, that my father wrote and will be published posthmously, that will fill you in a bit on the history of the band. I am happy to send you PDFs of the chapter about the band when they are laid out.
I remember the Kingpins well! They had the best true beat so I took them and as so many do, put them through Norman’s Stufdo in Clovis N M. Buddy Holly and the Crickets were first, then came Wayland ,Roy Orbison, The McQuire Sisters ,Buddy Knox, all hit songs, oh and Bobby Vee
Mr Sego, a question: what was your source for “Rod Hot Rod”? It’s a note-for-note copy of “Höstdrömmar” by Swedish group Sven-Ingvars, released in 1961. And the song is an adaption of a classic waltz composed by Archibald Joyce in 1908, “Autumn Dream”. Claiming composer credits for – at best – coming up with a new title is … well, a grey area, no…? 😉
I’m not out to “get you” or anything, just would like to know how you got your hands on a copy of a Swedish release back in the early ’60s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ9lTN91y-I&t=24s
Bill! My father was trying to reach you at the end of his career. You are in his memoir/theory book a bit. Would you like a copy? If so please contact me through my website, lilymaase dot com if so 🙂