Mike Butler sent in these photos and wrote to me about his band, the Xployts. Members included:

Berl Bartz – vocals
Mark Sherrill – guitar
Mike Butler – guitar
Ned Moore – bass
Warren Moore – drums

The Xployts played in the Inland Empire area of Southern California from 1965 through 1969. We started as a surf band then moved to a cover band for top forty songs, and ended up as a blues band.

We played local high school dances, proms, street dances, teenage night clubs, and a local concert venue named Swing Auditorium. Swing Auditorium was the first place The Rolling Stones played when they arrived in the United States in 1964. We played a couple of gigs with the Whatt Four and The Light.

I worked at Chauncey Romero’s House of Note in Redlands after graduating from Redlands High School. Chauncey is still a friend. 

We broke up in 1969 when three of us were drafted. The draft caught up with us before we could record.

I’m still in touch with our drummer Warren and our bass player Ned. Warren still has the drum head with our band’s name.

Mike Butler