The X-Terminators came from Oakridge, Oregon, a small town about 40 miles southeast of Eugene, OR. I don’t have this 45 yet (if anyone has a copy please write to me) but came across this article and thought I’d write about the band.
Members were:
Craig Sorseth – lead guitar
Doug Bates – rhythm guitar, electric piano
Frank Worth – bass guitar
Jerry Westling – drums
The group formed in high school in January 1964. About six months later they went to Century Custom Recording Service in Eugene and cut two great original instrumentals, “X-Termination” and “Wild Hare” You can find both on Youtube, but for some reason slowed down by roughly 10%.
An article in the Register-Guard from July 1964 says “the selections are two of ten [original songs] the X-terminators composed by ear, since none of the boys read music for the instruments they play.”
With two of the members going to college in the fall, it’s unlikely the band stayed together much longer.
What a nice surprise it was when my son Steve Bates sent me the link to this cool Web site. It’s a terrific idea, and I’m delighted to have this documentation of my old high school band, The X-Terminators.
Craig Sorseth and I founded the group in late 1963, adding bassist Frank Worth and drummer Jerry Westling. We recorded the “X-Termination” and “Wild Hare” 45rpm record in the early summer of 1964 (only 100 copies were made), distributing some to Oregon radio stations but selling most of them at dances that summer at the Union Hall where we performed weekly in little Oakridge, Oregon. Today those 45s are extremely rare collectibles. I still have one in mint condition, never played, and one that I’ve played but remains in near-mint condition. Sorry, but I won’t part with them.
Three of us — Craig, Frank and myself — managed to keep the band going for four more years on the University of Oregon campus. (We changed our name to The Apollos in 1965.) Never recorded another record but did manage to get pretty good before breaking up in 1968 upon the graduation of Frank and me from the U of O.
Only Craig kept performing professionally. He became a virtuoso singer and guitarist, and he still performs with outstanding rock and blues bands in the Eugene area. He also performs regularly in an acoustic duo with harmonica master Tom West, booked heavily at Eugene-area pubs and vineyards.
Frank, Craig, Tom West and I and still get together at least once a year for a weekend-long jam. This year’s jam is coming up Sept. 25-27 at Frank’s beach house in Oceanside, Oregon. Our wives serve as groupies and great cooks. (My wife and I, who were Oakridge High School sweethearts, spent our entire careers working in West Coast cities but retired back home here in Oakridge six years ago.)
Anyway, thanks for immortalizing The X-Terminators on this great new Web site. I can send some old/new photos of the guys if you’re interested.
Doug Bates
Oakridge, Oregon
Hi Doug,
It’s great to read about the X-Terminators. 100 copies would make this a very rare record, considering only some of those probably survive to this day. You can send photos to me at chas_kit@hotmail.com and I will add them to this page.
Thanks,
Chris
Hey Doug is Frank still around. I worked with you guys on electronic stuff. Frank and I copied a Sun amp and made an amp from scratch. Also made fuzz tone controller. Called them ‘AMP’ for Apollos Musical Productions. Also had you play at Coquille High from where I graduated from. Remember the nickname we had for you? Frank and I were best friends at Oregon. The Ducks are doing very well now, which is good to see. GO DUCKS!!!
Hi Doug, I would love to talk to you about your days with The X-Terminators. I am producing a non-commercial documentary about the History of Northwest rock n roll, 1957 – 1967. Can you message me at TVDirector@live.com? Thanks……………ck/Craig Kelly
I should have added this footnote: We had to replace Jerry Westling in 1965 when he went off to serve our country in the Vietnam War. He made it back home in one piece and is comfortably retired today in Eugene. Five years ago, at a Class of 1964 reunion here in Oakridge, the former X-Terminators performed for the dance party (using a drummer from one of Craig’s bands), and Jerry got to sit in on one piece: “Louie, Louie.”
Frank has retired from a long career as a senior engineer for the Bonneville Power Adminstration. Craig still works as an administrator for the City of Eugene. I am a retired newspaper writer and editor (google “Doug Bates” and “Pulitzer Prize”).
If anyone has any information regarding contacts for any of this band’s members, I would love to talk to them about the History of NW Rock n Roll, 1957 – 1967 documentary I am Producing. We are currently looking for original music to be used for this project and feel that Oregon needs to represented more. Please connect with me at 253.238.300 or TVDirector@live.com. Thanks…….Craig Kelly