A group formed in Waco 1971-1972 with Buzz Gilleland from The Society and Gary Anderson from Kandy Kolored Konspiracy.
In the photo of Warlock left to right are: David Hall-Drums and vocals, Buzz Gilleland-Keyboards and vocals, Mike McKissack-Bass, Gary Anderson-Guitar and Lead Vocals.
"This band covered The Beatles including the entire “B” side of Abbey Road, The Moody Blues, Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young, Badfinger, Santana, etc. We disbursed in 1972."
Thanks again to Buzz for information on this band.
A band that Buzz Gilleland was in before joining The Society. Circa 1965-66.
Members: Dick Gimble - Lead Guitar & Lead vocals, Buzz Gilleland - Rhythm Guitar and Keyboard, Wally Proctor-Bass, Fred Knapp-Drums.
"Milestones: Placed second in city wide battle of the bands held at the Raleigh Hotel in downtown Waco. Competed with The Knights Bridge Quintet, The One-Way Streets, and others."
"Covered bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Monkeys, etc. The band members wore white turtle neck shirts, white pants, blue blazers, and black Beatle boots. We mimicked Paul Revere and the Raiders heavily with synchronized steps and kicks while performing."
Thanks to Buzz Gilleland for the details on this band. No known recordings.
A psychedelic group that was formed in Waco 1969 in the wake of The Society and various other local groups disbanding. This group only lasted for about a year.
In the photo of Edison Expansion left to right are: Gloria Evans, Ron Evans-Bass, Roy Walker-Lead Vocals, Debbie Rogers, Jack Rogers-friends, Buzz Gilleland-Keyboards, Bill Gammage-Drums with girlfriend.
From Buzz Gilleland:
"This band played a lot of Rock and Soul music and covered The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Cream, Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, etc."
"The band was regularly accompanied by our existing light show produced by Gillian and now Erick Knapp. (Fred’s younger brother) Psychedelic images were now projected on a 10 X20 foot screen behind the band."
Member lineup was:
Roy Walker – Lead Vocals, Buzz Gilleland – Keyboard, Alan Schornack – Lead Guitar, Ron Evans – Bass, Steve Stewart – Drums. Later on Alan Schornack and Steve Stewart left the group and were replaced by David Blanton – Lead Guitar and Bill Gammage – Drums.
Formed at Richfield High School in 1965, The Society began as an R&B cover band called The Malibus.
Not long before changing their name, original drummer Mick Fick was replaced by Andy Lifland.
Contrary to a rumor printed in TX garage record reference guide Journey To Tyme, Hot Tuna drummer Sammy Piazza was never a member of the group. Sammy was from Waco originally, was a close friend of The Malibus, and would occasionally sit in with the group.
The band was managed by a young UT Austin college student named Hal Moore. Hal would often bring the latest records to the bands practice to draw up ideas for unique cover choices or original material.
Upon first watching the 13th Floor Elevators live at the New Orleans Club, Hal rushed a copy of the bands "You're Gonna Miss Me" 45 up to Waco to show the guys the NEW sound. It inspired the boys and they put together an original song called "High & Mighty." This song, with its bold changes, fuzz guitar, and psychedelic lyrics, was just barely written when they got in touch with local DJ Glenn Daniels in the summer of 1967.
Guitarist John Callon was moving out of state just before going in to record, and remembers having to borrow a guitar from a friend since his had already been packed away in the moving truck!
Paying Glenn up front for studio time and pressing of their soon to be 45, the band knocked out the new song in only a few takes. This wasn't without its hitches, all the while Glenn protested and repeatedly asked the band to turn down. Their amps were so loud that Daniels couldn't get an undistorted sound from the band!
As was typical with teen garage bands going into the studio, they hadn't prepared a song to put on the B-side of the record. Buzz Gilleland then stepped forward and showed the guys a sketch of an unusual but catchy instrumental song he had been crafting. Working out the arrangements on the spot, the talented group quickly knocked out the song in a few takes.
The band got approximately 500 copies of the "High & Mighty" single and sold most of the pressing through local record shops. Though the song was a strong one and could have elevated the bands status, they never played it live and it barely charted on local radio.
By this point, the lineup had changed drastically and the new single no longer represented who the group was.
"High & Mighty"
"Summer Sunset"
The band could often be seen playing live at the Red Carpet Inn on the Old Dallas Highway outside of town.
A local soul band would usually start out the night followed by The Society, who would typically play from midnight to as late as 4 AM.
Their live show included a psychedelic light show put on by their buddy Jimmy Lloyd, and home-made Super 8 videos of the band goofing around town projected on them while playing.
Austin, Dallas, Houston, and even Marlin were regular towns for the band to play in.
They went as far as playing live shows in Oklahoma and Louisiana.
Band Lineup during 45:
Andy King - bass
Andy Lifland - drums
Jerry P. Utley - vocals
John Callon - lead guitar
Lee Ellingson - guitar
Buzz Gilleland - organ
Other Members:
Mick Fick - 1st drummer
Skipper Olson - bass (after Andy left)
Kent Tillman - guitar (after Lee and John left)
Harold Hutchison - organ (after Buzz left)
Thanks to all the members of The Society and Hal Moore for taking their time to share memories of the group.
For details on earlier and later bands related to The Society, check my upcoming entries on The Shadows, Huntington Complex, Grass, Yer Own Back Yard, Edison Expansion, and The Warlocks.
Post Script... Buzz Gilleland added this information about the band:
"After the release of the record, John Callon, Andy King, and Lee Ellingston left the band and were replaced by Tommy Christian – Lead Guitar, Chuck Stanley – Bass. An interesting tidbit; Tommy Christian drove a 1955 or ’57 purple Pontiac hearse and wore a Catholic’s priest’s robe at our gigs. On a couple of occasions Sammy Piazza filled in on drums for Andy Lifland."
"This band played a lot of The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, Cream, etc. and was frequently accompanied by Fred Knapp showing 8mm color videos of the band during our performances. This then developed into a cool light show produced by my wife to be, Gillian Barkworth and Fred Knapp. Special effects were created by manipulating small glass slides filled with food coloring and glycerin in 2 Argus slide projectors, various artwork being projected, spinning color wheels, mirrored reflections, and a home made strobe light."
The Waco teen music scene in the 60's was a vibrant one which had a surprisingly large number of bands for a town its size. It also featured three major recording studios (Mark VII, TRC, and Goodson Mckee Recording Service) which gave the bands plenty of options to record and release their wild ideas into the world.
Without a doubt, the two most popular groups during this time were The Knights Bridge Quintet and the The Morticians (formed just a year or so earlier than KBQ). Though the two bands had a friendly admiration, it goes without saying that they also were in steady competition to win the attention of the towns youth.
From L-R: Back row is James Smith, Jerry Echols, Harold Hutchison. Front row is Mickey Williams then Jimmy Jones
Band Member Lineup:
Jerry Echols - drums
Mickey Williams - lead guitar
Butch Sherman - rhythm guitar (1st)
Jimmy Jones - rhythm guitar (after Butch)
Dick Gimble - bass (briefly before James)
James Smith - bass and vocals
Harold Hutchison - organ and lead vocals
The Knights Bridge Quintet was formed in 1965 by Midway High School Sophomores. Midway High at the time was an affluent school on the South West side of Waco, a prime locale for an upstart of teenage garage band hopefuls.
The group originally formed under the name The Bishops with bass player Dick Gimble (son of legendary fiddle player Johnny Gimble). Improvising for the cause, Dick played his bass lines on a normal 6 string electric guitar since he didn't yet own a real bass.
Soon after, James Smith won the favor of the band and replaced Dick due to his ownership of a real Hofner viola "Beatle" bass!
The band soon donned a full set of Vox amplifiers (again like The Beatles) and a Vox combo organ.
Practicing in the living room at drummer Jerry Echol's mothers house in the Woodway neighborhood of Waco, the band became a live force to be reckoned with.
Like most garage bands of the time, the live show consisted of a repertoire of all the top rock hits of the time. Songs by The Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks, Animals, Troggs, Zombies, Doors, etc were typical in the bands set.
They would play regularly at all the live venues around town including The Westview Skating Rink, Act V Club, Velvet Park, and so on.
Things heated up when the guys were given the opportunity to open for Gary Lewis & The Playboys at one of the cities biggest venues: The Heart Of Texas Coliseum. Some involved even recall Lewis and gang were booed off stage in favor of the Knights Bridge to return to the stage.
The touring radius for the band grew to include San Antonio, Austin, McGregor, Valley Mills, Marlin, Groesbeck, Tyler, Dallas, Houston, etc.
KBQ live at Westview Mall Sept. 1966
On a particularly ill fated jaunt down to Austin, the band decided to wear a set of wigs borrowed from Jerry's dad's hair salon. The tough crowd instantly began to heckle the group and made fun of their outfits. A stunt pulled by Harold where he hid behind one of the bands amplifiers and simulated the Recorder flute solo on The Troggs "Wild Thing" with his voice further agitated the ridicule. To make matters even worse, before heading home defeated, the band left their payout money for the gig on top of the cars front dashboard. When they started driving back to Waco with their windows open, all their earnings flew out the window! They quickly pulled over, scrambled out of the car, and tried to recover what money they could alongside the road.
1st pressing of "Sorrow In C Major"
A first place award at a battle of the bands event at the Westview Skating Rink in 1967 hosted by Chuck Harding (Of TRC recording studio and label) won the band its first official recording session. Soon after, the band were on its way to Tyler, Texas to record with the great Robin Hood Brian at his Robin Hood Studios.
The band tackled the one original song they had at the time, a moody mid tempo psychedelic gem called "Sorrow In C Major." After completing it, the band realized they needed another song for the B-Side. They improvised an upbeat instrumental track based on a 12-bar progression complete with party sounds from all the members hollering and whistling along. They humorously decided to name it "Hits Don't Come Easily," after a sign that was placed above the control booth in the studio.
The 45, originally released as a no-label independent release (with Chuck Harding's publishing co. printed on the label) quickly became a regional hit and won the band even more local fame. Other area bands such as The Zeljians (another Mark VII recording group who I will detail soon) and McGregor's own Bad Seeds began to cover the song live.
A 2nd pressing on Chuck Harding's TRC label also exists, though details on this release are just about unknown.
Ultra-rare TRC pressing of the single
This caught the attention of local KBGO DJ Glenn Daniels, who had the band come in to his Mark VII garage home studio for another session to produce an alternate B-Side.
Though the band members memory of this recording is hazy, it indeed produced the excellent dreamy "Love Of A Different Flavor." This song gave bassist James an opportunity to utilize the trumpet playing skills he had learned in the high school band.
By this point, original guitarist Butch Sherman had left the band to join the Marines and Jimmy Jones was brought in to play guitar rhythm guitar.
Daniels reissued the bands single, this time on his own Mark VII label, cutting the original B-Side and adding the new recording made at his home studio.
The single sold well in McLennan County and continued to bolster the bands reputation.
"Sorrow In C Major"
"Love Of A Different Flavor"
"Hits Don't Come Easily"
Only a few shorts months later however, the band would come to an end as its members graduated from high school and moved away or pursued college. By the summer of 1968, the band was no more.
Jerry joined and continued to play off and on over the years with the Quintet's rivals, The Morticians. He still plays with the group to this day.
Harold Hutchison joined a later incarnation of local psych band The Society before moving to Houston and joining Southwest Freeway. After that, he moved to NYC and joined a band called Topaz who released an LP. He also ended up in the cast for the original version of the wildly popular play "Hair!"
Jimmy also continued playing in bands, playing with Roky Erickson and the Resurrectionists in the early 80's followed by Waco soul legend Sherman Evans. He currently plays music in several groups, including one which features his wife on vocals and daughter on keys.
Mickey married his high school sweetheart just after graduation (they're still happily together!) and moved around Texas before finally settling back in the Waco area.
James served in the Navy (during Vietnam) after the band folded. Upon his discharge, he stayed in San Diego, California and became a member of a 70's rock band called Tillman Thomas.
Special thanks to Butch, Jerry, Mickey, and Jimmy from the original band. Also thanks to Linda Havis Smith for her help, and everyone else who was willing to share memories or info on the group.
Stay tuned for (the first time ever!) the full Mark VII and Waco garage band story. Ill be posting details as I get time to write it out and put it all together!
A little known band I was unable to locate for any further details. It appears that they recorded at Gene Huckleberry's Barre recording studio. Song titles on their (only?) 45 are "How Can I Try" and "You're Gonna Love Me Too."
Sounds like a group who straddled the line between lounge and light garage rock. These guys were also probably a little older than the average teen-aged rock band.
4-09-12 UPDATE:
"The original group from L-R: Billy Moeller, Mike Mueller, Ronnie Williams, Gary Shepherd, and Steve Brandt. All were on the record except Nicky Arriaga played drums instead of Billy Moeller."
Original band member Mike Mueller emailed me recently and provided news clippings, pictures, and details on the bands history.
The band formed circa 1967 while drummer Nicky Arriaga was still in 8th grade and the rest of the band was just starting high school.
They got their start backing up a night club vocalist named Grady Wilson several times a week at the local Holiday Inn circuit.
Eventually the band split off on their own and in the summer of 1968 they went in to Gene Huckleberry's home recording studio to record one of their original songs.
As the classic story goes, the band had not prepared a song for the B-side. They came up with "You're Gonna Love Me Too" on the spot.
The band had 300 copies pressed up on Gene's Barre label imprint and sold most copies at shows and local record stores. The single got a fair amount of radio airplay on Victoria stations KVIC and KNAL.
At one point, Texas heroes The Clique invited the Five Jades to do a session at the International Artists labels recording studio. The band were turned away though due to their lack of enough original material.
As the band progressed into the 1970's, they became one of the most popular groups in the area and began playing six nights a week on a regular basis!
"The final group. Mike Mueller, bass – Gary Shepherd, trumpet and vocals – Russell Hosey, lead vocals – Candido Alonzo, lead guitar and vocals – Mike Rippamonti, guitar and vocals – Ricky Williams, drums."
The original band lineup was:
Billy Moeller - drums (but Nicky Arriaga played on the 45)
Ronnie Williams - guitar
Michael Mueller - bass
Steve Brandt - vocals
Gary Shepherd - trumpet
Interestingly enough, Ricky Collins (see the entry for "Clancy") and Marvin Baker of The Zebras were both early drummers for The Five Jades.
Mike Mueller's earlier band circa 67 was called Love Street and featured both Ricky Collins and his older brother Keith Collins.
Note the intriguing band lineup: Winds Of Change, Under 21, Glass Stairway, Love Street.
A mystery 45 from Victoria I found one day when I bought some old jukebox distributor stock there last year.
I was instantly captivated by the records off-kilter "lost" sound and cryptic lyrics.
I tried in vain to find the "Ricky Collins" credited as the songwriter on the record. After speaking with members of local band The Zebras, I did get this helpful info from Robert Wuest. Robert played with a drummer in a later band whom was most likely the same musician behind this very 45.
"That must have been Ric and I suspect it would have been a project where he played all the instruments. He was plenty capable of doing that. Ric married Jan Schuneman (I think) when they were both very young... like 16 or seventeen.
I never heard about those recordings but it has to have been the same Ric Collins... Not only is "Jan" a big hint, but so is "Clancy".
"Nowadays Clancy Can't Sing" was (if I recall correctly) a Buffalo Springfield cut... probably sung by Stephen Stills. Fever Tree (the band we opened up for) did a great version of that song on their first album and Ric loved their version. In fact, Ric's voice was VERY similar to the lead singer's for Fever Tree, Dennis Keller.
This is past the Victoria scene, but in the early 80's while James was playing with the Gathwright Brothers in Austin Ric and I and Charlie Shroyer had a little band and we practiced at my house on Shepherd Lane in Austin. That band never got out of the living room, though, and at some point Ric got frustrated and disappeared and shortly thereafter Charlie was involved in a serious automobile accident that left him unable to sing. In fact, he could barely talk. He was an amazing talent and also a product of Victoria."
Listen to both sides of the record:
"She Is"
"Touch Of Jan"
Ric, if you are out there reading this, drop me a line! Id love to hear the full story behind this thing...
