The Malcontents (or Mal-Contents) cut an excellent single in early 1967, “(I’m a) Roustabout” b/w “Motivated Action”.
Members were all Norwood High School students:
Larry Groves – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Bob Mathis – lead guitar, harmony vocals
David White – bass guitar
Jan Elstun – drums
Bob Mathis wrote “(I’m a) Roustabout”, and lead singer Larry Groves wrote the great guitar instrumental, “Motivated Action”. With one side appealing to garage rock fans and the other a winner with the surf and rockin’ instrumental set, this record is in high demand these days.
Issued on the band’s own GEMS Records label and pressed by Rite Record Productions, which was based in Cincinnati. The release number 18347/18348 would date it to late 1966, but early 1967 seems more likely – fellow Norwood High student Joe Morgenroth wrote a letter to the Enquirer published March 4, 1967 about the Malcontents upcoming record.
Notices show bookings at Granny’s on Lytle Ave in Elsmere, Kentucky for a show on Friday, October 28, 1966 opening for the Denems, and a show on Sunday April 2, 1967 at the Lakeridge with Ivan & the Sabres and the Missing Links.
The Enquirer’s Teen-Ager supplement featured Jan Elstun on its August 20, 1966 cover, with a short article inside noting the band played regularly at the Millstone in the basement of the Zion United Church of Christ and the Footprint, a teen club on Montgomery Road.
