The Pandas started out as the Centurys, formed at Alamo Heighs High School in San Antonio in 1963.
On April 18, 1964, the San Antonio Light profiled the band with the headline Teen Musicians with Haircuts, noting they had $3,000 invested in equipment, and listing the lineup as:
Wink Kelso – vocals
Pat Wellberg – lead guitar
Bill Bellamy III – bass guitar
Tony Volz – rhythm guitar
Jimmy Taylor – drums
A May 13, 1965 notice in the San Antonio Light lists the same five members.
The San Antonio Express and News reported on June 27, 1965 about the band’s summer engagement outside Chicago, Illinois:
Half-way through a 10-week contract in Mt. Prospect, Ill, – a suburb of Chicago – are Jim Taylor and Pat Wellberg, who spent last winter studying at Alamo Heights High School, and Bill Bellamy, Tony Volz, Wink Kelso and Chip Stokes, all veterans of one year at Trinity University.
Members of the “Centurys,” a dance band … the boys were hired by Club Living, an apartment complex for young people in their twenties. During the week the boys are being kept busy cleaning swimming pools, mowing lawns, chauffeuring air line stewardesses to and from airports, and generally odd jobbing. But on Saturday nights they really “go to town.” …
Chip is their manager.
“This is going to be quite a deal,” the boys reported happily as they prepared to drive North. “As a band we draw an extra $300 every Saturday night!”
A November 18, 1965 article shows a change in drummers:
Wink Kelso – vocals
Pat Wellberg – lead guitar
Bill Bellamy, Jr. – bass guitar
Tony Volz – rhythm guitar
Eddie Phlager – drums (I’ve also seen his name spelled Eddie Pladger, or perhaps Phleger)
The Centurys opened for the Kingsmen at the Granada Ballroom. Unfortunately an extensive history of the Centurys early days by Bill Bellamy is now gone from the internet and not availabe on the Internet Archive. If anyone has archived all of mikesbandarchive.com, please contact me.
In late 1964 or 1965, the Centurys released a single on Mark, “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On” backed with a hot version of the Ventures’ “Gandy Dancer”.
The San Antonio Express and News of September 10, 1966, featured the Pandas and reviewed their history.
In March of 1966, “Mrs. Mel Adcock, who owns and manages Swingtime Productions and manages many top bands, auditioned the Centurys as house band for a new television program called “Panda-Monium,” to be shown in the Houston area.”
To fit with the TV program, the Centurys changed their name to the Pandas and in May cut a great single on Swingtime SW-1001/2 “Walk”, an original by Will Bellamy and Wink Kelso. The flip was a cover of the Beach Boys’ “Girl From New York City”.
By September, 1966, Galen Niles had replaced Bill Bellamy. Galen had been in the Minuets. On the great but defunct mikesbandarchive.com site, the Minuets were described as having the longest hair in San Antonio in 1965. Members included David Frazier on vocals; Larry Murphy, rhythm guitar & vocals; Galen Niles on lead guitar; and Charlie Shoenfeld on bass and keyboards. Jim Ryan wrote: “Galen was playing a great Chet Atkins Country Gentleman and tuned before every set by just listening to open strings. They opened a show for us in Austin and almost stole the show.”
The Pandas were now a quartet:
Wink Kelso – vocals
Pat Wellberg – guitar
Galen Niles – guitar
Jimmy Taylor – drums
The article continues:
Pandas Currently Among City’s Best
Last May, the Pandas released their first single under the Swingtime label, “Walk” and “Girl from New York City.”
A hit locally, a movie of the Pandas introducing the new tunes was shown in Houston and Dallas. The record really hit big in Florida and the lads were immediately offered guest appearances in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach and Miami – offers they couldn’t accept because of school.
Wink Kelso, vocalist is a sophomore at Trinity University … He plays guitar, drums and the organ and has taken formal singing lessons.
Pet Wellberg, who plays the lead guitar and 12-string with the Pandas, was voted “Most Talented” in his senior class last year at Alamo Heights.
Jimmy Taylor, a Trinity University sophomore … plays drums with the Pandas and can swing his ax to any tune and make it come out great.
Galen Niles, a Trinity University freshman … has two hobbies – playing the guitar and teaching the guitar.
Galen formerly played with the Pipelines and the Minuets, both popular local bands. His favorite nationally known band is the Yardbirds, a name he speaks with awe.
The September 17 article has a follow-up and different photo of the Panda, but I don’t have access to that image.
The Pandas wouldn’t last much longer.
Galen Niles would go into the Outcasts.
On October 15, 1966, the Express and News noted that Alamo Heights High School won a show by “Wink and the Pandas” on October 22.
In October 1967, Wink Kelso & the Kaleidoscopes appeared at the Casket in Kerrville.
On January 19, 1969, the Express and News had a long profile on Wink Kelso noting how he was singing the role of Paquillo in Offenbach’s La Perichole and also fronting the Kaleidoscope during his senior year at Trinity. Members of the Kaleidoscope at this point include Mike Lasley, Peyton Starr, Pat Mellberg, Scottie Melton, George Holcomb and Dave Sequin.
Wink says, “We’ve stumbled onto a new thing … using a guitar as a percussion instrument. It gives rhythm and blues a great drive.
On August 31, 1969, the Express and News ran a photo of Wink Kelso and the Kaleidoscope, noting they had returned from a summer tour in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Venture, Orange Grove, Long Beach and Tacoma. It lists the current members as Pat Wellberg on lead guitar, Mike Lasley on bass guitar and backing vocals, Steve Smith on drums and percussion, and Tito Morena and Dave Sequin on saxophones.
A 1973 article discusses Wink Kelso’s role in a rock adaption of Lewis Carroll, called Alice and Wonderland, and that just prior he had been in another group, Giant Smiling Dog.
Will Bellamy would play bass in Rachel’s Children.
More info or photos of the Centurys or Pandas would be appreciated.