The Chosen Few

Hadji in front, Jack on bass, Rich on guitar
Hadji in front, Jack on bass, Rich on guitar
Carl Storie and Hadji
Carl Storie and Hadji
Steve "Hadji" Baba
Steve “Hadji” Baba
Carl Storie and Rich Burman
Carl Storie and Rich Burman

There were many bands named the Chosen Few but this one was from Muncie, Indiana. Some of them were students at Ball State, and were originally known as the Invincibles.

According to comments people have left below, original members of the group were:

Jack Hamilton – bass
Rich Burmann – guitar
Steve Baba (also known as Hodgie or Hadji Baba) – vocals
Steve Nephew – drums

John Cascella joined on keyboards in 1966, and the band changed their name to the Chosen Few in early ’67. Baba was their original lead singer, but Steve Nephew and Jack Hamilton also took turns on vocals. Carl Storie joined in late summer or fall of ’67, giving the band two lead vocalists and a boost to their stage presence. This combination was together for almost a year. At times Jack switched to piano or harpsichord while Hadji played bass.

Chosen Few Denim 45 It Just Don't Rhyme“It Just Don’t Rhyme”, released in May of ’67 is the first of four 45s they released on the Denim label, and the most rockin’. The guitarist’s snappy rhythm on the intro provides the hook as the singer tells the girl to get her head out of the clouds. Jack Hamilton handled the lead vocals on this song. The band liked it enough to record it a second time with fuller vocal tracks and heavier organ as the a-side of their third single, this time backed with a cover of “Lucille”.

“Don’t Say It” has a different kind of sound, rooted in 50’s r&b, featuring good horn arrangements and a nice bass line. “Don’t Say It” was written by Jack Hamilton, “It Just Don’t Rhyme” had music by Hamilton and words by Steve Nephew.

Chosen Few Denim 45 We Walk TogetherTheir second 45 has the folk-rock sounds of “We Walk Together” (a Jack Hamilton composition) backed with the solid pop number “Foolin’ Around with Me” (co-written by Hamilton and Nephew). Production was by Bill Michael.

Sometime around late 1967 or 1968, Rich Burman and Steve Nephew left the band, and Dave Bennett (guitar) and Dave Barnes (drums) took their place. Hadji Baba left and joined the Ritual as their vocalist. The band’s later work is more pop based, as evidenced by their fourth and last Denim 45, “Pink Clouds and Lemonade”, backed by a cover of the Supremes hit, “Stop! In the Name of Love”.

Chosen Few Denim 45 Foolin' Around With MeAfter leaving Denim, The Chosen Few released a 45 on the Talun label “Maybe the Rain Will Fall” / “Deeper In” which was picked up by RCA. The band signed to RCA for an album deal in 1969. Their self-titled LP continues the pop sound of their later 45s, adding horns to the mix, though some of the band was disappointed in how it turned out.

The Chosen Few evolved into the Faith Band, who released five LPs in the 70’s. By this time Jack Hamilton had left and was replaced on bass by Mark Cawley, leaving John Cascella as the only member who had been with the original Chosen Few in ’67. John Cascella went on to join John Mellencamp’s group until he passed away in 1992. Carl Storie is still active in music with his own group.

Thanks to Ann Likes and Gary for sending in the great photos of the group.

“Don’t Say It” written by Steve Nephew b/w “Melissa” by Jack Hamilton
The original entry I wrote has been corrected thanks to information from Jack and Cindy Hamilton and from comments below. Thanks to Jean-Pierre Coumans for the scans of “We Walk Together” and “Foolin’ Around with Me”. The Denim label also released the Jades “Come Back” / “Change My Ways”.

Updates: I am very sorry to report that Jack Hamilton passed away on September 26, 2021, after a brief illness. His obituary is online at Legacy.

Timothy Cox of 60’s Indiana Band Szene sent me this label scan of an early single from the Limit on Denim Records DS-1076, that predates the Chosen Few 45s. Did the group play live as The Limit, and are there any photos of this lineup?

Jack Hamilton (with polka dots), Rich Burman on guitar, John Cascella's legs and boots
Jack Hamilton (with polka dots), Rich Burman on guitar, John Cascella’s legs and boots
from left: Hadji, Jack, Rich and John
from left: Hadji, Jack, Rich and John
Rich Burman on guitar and Steve Nephew on drums
Rich Burman on guitar and Steve Nephew on drums
from left: Steve, Rich, John
from left: Steve, Rich, John
Carl singing, Steve Nephew on drums
Carl singing, Steve Nephew on drums
Carl and Steve
Carl and Steve
Rich Burman
Rich Burman
Steve, drummer of the Chosen Few
Steve
Carl, Rich and John
Carl, Rich and John
from left: Steve Nephew on drums, Rich Burman guitar, Hadji
from left: Steve Nephew on drums, Rich Burman guitar, Hadji
Steve 'Hadji' Baba (aka Captain Schoolbus)
Steve ‘Hadji’ Baba (aka Captain Schoolbus)
1969 promo photos (thanks to J. for this scan and the LP cover below)
1969 promo photos (thanks to J. for this scan and the LP cover below)

The Shade “All Is Gone” on Twilight

A real obscurity here. I’m not sure where the band was from, but the label was based in Commerce, Texas, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas.

“All Is Gone” is a monster of a song, with a spooky organ sound and unrelenting snare beat. The loud mastering leads to some distortion in the 45. The songwriting credits go to Humphrey – Bates, who I suppose were band members.

For the A-side they went with a safer bet, a good cover of “Big Boy Pete”. The Olympics had the big hit with this song, but judging from the Shade’s arrangement I think they probably picked this up from Paul Revere and the Raiders first album.

Their producer was Mike Stanglin, who told me, “My family owned the Twilight Skating Rink in Pleasant Grove section of Dallas. The Shade was a very good band that played there for the “sock hops” that I was in charge of. Roy Clark was the lead singer, who later called himself Royce Clark to keep from being confused with Roy Clark the country singer. I went to college at East Texas State University in Commerce, TX, hence the Commerce address.”

The Shade 45 was recorded at Sumet Studio (the first one) in Dallas. Mike had produced a couple other 45s prior to this, and continued releasing records on Twilight into the late 70’s, including a rap single by FBI…Fresh Brothers International. As for the Shade, they seem to have disappeared.

The Burlington Express

The Burlington Express from Topeka, just west of Kansas City, released an excellent double-sider on the Cavern label from Missouri in 1967. Members of the band were Greg Gucker, Blair Honeyman (replaced by Bruce Lynn), Eric Larson and Mike West.

Greg Gucker wrote most of their material including “Memories”, though Mike West co-wrote “One Day Girl”. Michael Chapman, guitarist for the Bluethings produced their 45 on Cavern, and also played lead guitar on the unreleased song “If I Were Free”. The address on the label, 16400 E. Truman Rd, Independence is the location of Cavern Studios.

Besides the Cavern 45, at least eight demos have been discovered. A version of the Byrds’ “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better” is competent, but their take on the Yardbirds’ “Stroll On” is spectacular, and suggests they were an excellent live band.

Bruce Lynn wrote to me:

I played bass for the Burlington Express from 1966-1970 when we ended the band. I took Blair Honeyman’s place and sing lead on “Stroll On” and “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better”. I was in the band when we opened for The Who in 1968.

Four later demos, “Mr. Destiny”, “If I Were Free”, “Black Hearted Woman”, and “Listen Closely”, were recorded at Audio House studios in Lawrence in August 1968. These display psychedelic touches, but with the band’s fine pop sense and fuzztone intact. “If I Were Free” is an intense song that uses horns to good effect. Check them out at Audio House’s website.

A 7″ Audio House acetate contains a cover of the Blues Project’s “I Can’t Keep from Crying”, but I haven’t heard that yet.

Another group called the Burlington Express recorded a brooding song called “Comin’ Home” b/w the maudlin “A Girl” on the Roach label, but they’re supposed to be a different group altogether – songwriting credits list D. Gray, G. Niebur and J. Turner.

Lil’ Henry and his Soul Express

Not garage, Lil’ Henry and his Soul Express is a Texas soul/funk act that I’m posting because I can’t find any information about this record anywhere.

“Baby” repeats the same couple of themes for its two and a half minutes, but does so with soulful energy. The flip side is a more laid-back piece called “Girls”. Both songs are credited to H. Gentry, so his name may be Henry Gentry.

The Ride label was located in both Dallas and out in L.A. at some point, and may have been one of Mel Alexander’s labels. The publisher, Little “m” Music is a Dallas company, and that’s all I can tell you about this.

There’s also a Little Henry and the Laveers 45 covering “Georgia on My Mind” and Jesse Hill’s “Whip It On Me”, on the Laveer label out of San Antonio. As you can see from the comments below, most agree that Henry Parilla, aka Little Henry Lee is not the same person as Lil Henry from the Ride 45. It sounds like a different singer to my ears.

The Riddles

The Riddles, from left: Wes Dobson, Ron Fricano, Lee Adams and Rick Harper
from left: Wes Dobson, Ron Fricano, Lee Adams and Rick Harper

The Riddles were all from the well-to-do western suburbs of Chicago, around Elmhurst. Members were:

Patrick Harper – lead vocals and lead guitar
Lee Adams – vocals and bass
Weston Dobson – rhythm guitar
Ronald Fricano – drums.

The Riddles Quill 45 It's One Thing to SayThey recorded a cover of the Searchers hit “Sweets For My Sweet” which made the charts on Chicago stations WLS and WCFL in April of 1967, but it’s the b-side that I dig, the very cool original “It’s One Thing To Say”, written by Pat Harper and Wes Dobson. Edgewater music publisher Peter Wright often placed records with Mercury Records, so the 45 was released locally on Qull and with national distribution on Mercury.

The Riddles were frequent guests on the local Chicago TV program Kiddie A-Go-Go. They played a benefit concert with the New Colony Six in Grant Park on September 27, 1967, then disappeared, probably off to college to avoid the draft.

Thanks to Chris S. for sending in the photo of the band, and to Jim M. for alerting me to the interview with Jack Mulqueen of Kiddie A Go go by Phil X. Milstein. Mercury promo photo sent in by John ‘Nusound’.

Riddles Mercury promo photo

The Starlites “Wait For Me” on Zap Records

The Starlites released this one 45 on Zap, a Nashville, Tennesee label affiliated with Belle Meade Records.

The 45 labels list them as the Starliters, but the R is crossed out on at least some copies, so they’re generally known as the Starlites. They were a mystery group until comments came in from Steve Dodson and lead guitarist Alan Wait. The band was from Danville, Illinois.

Members were:

Alan Wait – lead guitar
Harold Hannon – rhythm guitar
Ron Meeker – sax
Jim Crystal – drums
Steve Ransom – keyboards

“Wait for Me” was written by Alan Wait. Though repetitive, the song features a frantic fuzz guitar solo. The flip is “You’ll Never Find Me”. Alan comments below that Vickie Porter wrote the lyrics for both songs.

Gene Vanderport comments below that he played keyboards with the Starlites after the single.

There’s no connection to the Starliters who have a 45 “I Cry Alone” (written by Lloyd Faust) / “Don’t Ever Leave Me” on the 4 Sons label from Paris, Tennessee.

Does anyone have a photo of the group?

The Six Deep


July 1966, Crown Room, King Edward Hotel, Beaumont
Beaumont’s Six Deep formed in 1966, combining local country and r&b influences with contemporary folk and British Invasion sounds. Their only 45 on the De-Lynn label is one of my favorite Texas records of all time.

“Girl It’s Over” has a cutting quality to the vocals and guitars that epitomizes the best in garage music. “I Must Go” is a gentle song with a fine harmonies and a succinct, Byrds-like solo.

Original members were guitarist Ken Hitchcock, bassist Bob Welch, David Bishop on lead guitar, Roger Koshkin on keyboards, and Bill Donley on drums. Soon after forming, Dave Everett replaced Bishop and Paul Box replaced Roger Koshkin. Jim Keriotis joined, playing guitar and sharing vocal duties with Ken Hitchcock.

In Beaumont the band played gigs at the Rose Room in the Hotel Beaumont, the King Edward Hotel’s Crown Room, and the Red Carpet Lounge on Gladys St. and opened for bigger acts like the Moving Sidewalks, SJ & the Crossroads, the Cambridge Lads, the Basic Things, the Barons, the Critters and the Clique. They toured around east Texas and across the state line, playing teen clubs like the Box in Tyler and the Puppy Pen in Louisiana.

On Thanksgiving, 1966, their manager, Jack Crossley, set up a recording session at Robin Hood Brians Studio. One source for this story, Mike Dugo’s long interview with David Everett and Ken Hitchcock, contains a detailed account of their recording session that I recommend. Ken Hitchcock wrote “Girl It’s Over” and co-wrote “I Must Go” with Bob Welch.

When I spoke to Bob Welch about his later band, the Mourning Reign, I asked him about his time with the Six Deep:

As to my reflections on Six Deep. Now, that was something. As the interview with Ken and David states, Southeast Texas has always been particularly rich in musical talent and somewhat unique – it was/is oil country, Beaumont being the site of the Spindletop gusher in the early 1900’s that – the area of interest lies along the Gulf Coasts of Texas and Louisiana and is populated by an interesting and often dangerous mix of southern rednecks, dirt poor blacks, a small but growing number of Mexicans, and Cajuns of various ethnic blends. The Cajun influence on the music in that area is stronger than you might imagine, primarily because anyone who could manage to lay a dollar bill on the bar without using a stool to do so could get a drink in Louisiana. Hence, just across the river were bars and nightclubs that were like flames on a candle for Texas teens eager to explore those mysteries. Several of those clubs, LouAnn’s, the Big Oaks, and others became meccas for the big name R&B acts of that time and so the music was always hot.

If you’re at all familiar with Cajun cuisine, you know that a staple of that diet is gumbo – a rich stew made by browning flour in oil until it reaches the color of deep walnut, using that to saute’ aromatic vegetables (onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper) and adding lots of water to form the base – then throwing anything and everything else available into the pot to give it character – fish, fowl, sausages, roadkill, whatever – then fortifying it with spices designed to clear the sinuses and thickening it with okra and filet, a fine powder made from grinding dried sassafrass leaves. Gumbo is often ladled over rice and best washed down with liberal amounts of beer. This dish along with jambalaya, or dirty rice, is soul food at its finest and is not a bad metaphor for the music in the region. So, we had heavy influences of swing, hillbilly country, blues, zydeco (which at that time was just called coon-ass), swirling all around us. We spiced all that up with folk music lyricism and rocking backbeats and got Six Deep.


Bob Welch

Ken and David are still two of my dearest friends.. our time as bandmates was too brief, but the friendships have endured, in part due to the intensity of the experience we had together and the joy we shared performing and drafting on the magic that was the mid-60’s. We were average musicians at best, but more than adequate to do respectable covers of a wide range of styles that were popular plus creative enough to put our own mark on tunes in a way that pleased the audiences wherever we played. Not many bands at the time were confident in or capable of doing original material worth beans… we’d often announce them as being cuts off a new album from so and so (name your favorite band)… just to see what would happen… more often than not… we’d get requests for replays…Looking back on it, and even comparing to today’s bands, the Six Deep was blessed with strong vocalists and performers that could get a crowd on its feet. Ken was just out there, way ahead of the times in terms of freneticism. He really shone on material from the Stones, Yardbirds, or the uptempo Beatles songs. The other thing a little off-beat he would do was male-sung adaptations of female tunes… Dusty Springfield, Skeeter Davis, etc…, no one else was doing that. Jim Keriotis was our R&B singer… holy moly was he a monster on Otis Redding, Mitch Ryder, James Brown, anything of that ilk… the women all loved Jimmy… he was typically the most busy after the shows. Together we were able to do all the harmonies, so Byrds, Hollies, Springfield, etc., were all in the repertoire. We had it all… it was a great little band.

Probably the high point for the band was getting to play at a small festival in Houston on same venue as Mothers of Invention, Canned Heat, Country Joe and the Fish, and other name acts of that time. While we were just a fill-in act, it was an incredible opportunity for a bunch of fresh punks from Beaumont.

Jack Crossley made tapes of the band live and in rehearsal, but no one knows his whereabouts. After the band broke up in 1967 Bob Welch and David Everett formed Mourning Sun, while Ken Hitchcock went on to the short-lived 1984 Revolutionary War Band.Read more about the Mourning Sun on Garage Hangover here. Also check out Six Deep’s website and the aforementioned interview by Mike Dugo. Thanks to Ken Hitchcock for the scan of the band’s business card, and to Bob Welch for his time in talking about the band. Thanks also to Gyro1966 for the transfer of “I Must Go”.

January, 1967, top: Jim Keriotis, bottom from left to right: Bobby Welch,
David Everett, Bill Donley, Ken Hitchcock, Roger Koshkin

disraeli “What Will the New Day Bring” on Mantra Records

Disraeli Mantra PS Spinnin' Round

Disraeli Mantra 45 Spinnin' Rounddisraeli (spelled with a lower case d) self-produced four 45s from 1967-70, finding an original sound that was both accessible and psychedelic.

Band members were Steven Mathre lead vocals, Al Nelson lead vocals and saxophone, Thomas Stangland guitar, Roger Everett guitar and vocals, Steve Kernes bass, and Gene “Geno” Faust drums and vocals. Richard Keefer, who did a lot of engineering work for Oregon and southern Washington bands, also helped produce disraeli’s records.

disraeli Mantra 45 What Will the New Day Bring
Remastered monophonic version of “What Will the New Day Bring” due to DJs being unable to broadcast stereo records
When a copy of their third 45 came up for sale, the seller (I’m sorry, I don’t know who) wrote a good description of the group:

These handsome chaps all attended Astoria High School in the mid 1960’s…

Their freshman effort was “Tomorrows Day” b/w “Humidity 105”. People liked this record everybody bought copies, fellow students, people at the gigs, their relatives of which they had many and their relatives friends.

They had two frontmen, Steve Mathre and Al Nelson who both sang up a storm and played the tamborine so hard they had to wear gloves to keep from getting blisters. Al also played a mean tenor sax … They sold stock certificates to their friends and neighbors, got better gear went back to the studio and recorded another 45.

“What Will the New Day Bring?” and “Spinning ‘Round”, songs about a peeping Tom with a knife and coming home drunk with the whirlies for the first time respectively. The picture sleeve for this 45 was color and featured the band in matching red blazers out on the south jetty at the mouth of the Columbia, a popular spot to party and race cars not to mention neck etc. This record was supposed to establish disraeli. Both sides were predicted to be hits, it was recorded in stereo, a big deal in ’67 for a 45. The record got airplay and charted around the Northwest.

I remember seeing a billboard for the band in Portland Oregon in late ’67 it said:

disraeli….

listen

What Will the New Day Bring back cover
Back cover of the sleeve for What Will the New Day Bring

A band self-releasing a 45 with a color picture sleeve was unusual for the time, and to release it in stereo in 1967 is extremely rare.

45 releases:

Mantra 001 – Tomorrow’s Day (Stangland – Mathre) / Humidity 105
Mantra 113 – What Will The New Day Bring? / Spinnin’ Round
Mantra 114 – Say You Love Me (Stangland-Mathre) / I’ve Seen Her One Time (Stangland-Mathre)
Mantra 115 – The Lonely One (Stangland-Mathre-Wiley-McKune) / You Can’t Do That

Thomas Stangland mentioned to me that “There were probably 8-10 tracks recorded, but never released because of minor glitches or they just didn’t seem good enough.”

Disraeli Mantra PS Say You Love Me
Sleeve for their third 45

The Beatmen

The Beatmen were from Bratislava, which in 1965 was part of Czechoslovakia, but is now the capital of Slovakia. Original members were Marián Bednár (bass guitar), M. Bedrik, and P. Petro. Lead guitarist Stano Herko joined, but soon left to be replaced by Dežo Ursiny of the group Fontana, who sang and played harmonica as well as lead guitar.

In 1965 the Beatmen released two 45s almost simultaneously, becoming enormously popular in Czechoslovakia. Both records feature a Kinks-like r&b original on one side with a slower tempo song on the flip. All four songs are originals and sung in English, something bands in other East bloc countries probably couldn’t have gotten away with.

In 1966 they became the first one of the early East European beat groups to play in the West, with a concert in Munich, and even received a mention in Time magazine. After seeing them in Bratislava, Manfred Mann attempted to get the Beatmen on the bill of their upcoming UK shows, but the Beatmen were denied permission to tour.

The Beatmen emigrated to Western Germany, leaving Ursiny, who remained in Bratislava. With new guitarist Peter Eperješi, the band failed to find much success, and the Beatmen soon split up.

Ursiny formed the Soulmen in 1967, with Vlado Mally and Fedor Freso, releasing one excellent EP in ’68. Ursiny’s music went into a more jazzy and progressive direction after the Soulmen. He died from cancer on May 2, 1995, in Bratislava. After the Beatmen, bassist Marián Bednár joined the Braňo Hronec Orchestra for at least one single.

Thanks to Yag for the music and scans. Yag tells me that four tracks of the Beatmen from a radio performance also exist.

Beatmen 45 releases:

Supraphon 013842, 1965
Break It (D. Ursiny, P. Petro)
Let’s Make a Summer (D. Ursiny, P. Petro)

Supraphon 013843, 1965
Safely Arrived (M. Bedrik, P. Petro)
The Enchanted Lie (M. Bednar, M. Bedrik, P. Petro)

The Crusade “Psychedelic Woman” / “Fade Away” on Golden North

The Crusade are one of only two garage bands from Alaska that I know recorded (the other is the Pulsating Heartbeats from Anchorage). The Crusade came out of Sitka, and their 45 was released on the Golden North label out of Juneau in April 1967, produced by J. Allen MacKinnon.

“Psychedelic Woman” has a heavy guitar line and lyrics about a girl who’s “got big hips like a buffalo”! “Fade Away” is much more mellow. Both songs were written by Agafon Krukoff, who had a previous 45 on Golden North 101 in late ’66, a good version of “Walkin’ the Dog” backed with “Here I Sit in Alaska (Breaking the Legs Off Poor Little Self-Defenseless Crabs)” (credited to Dhon Cole). Anyone know who was on Golden North # 102?

Since writing about this 45, I heard first from Mike Murphy, brother of Dennis Murphy who plays drums on the 45:

Dennis Murphy was the youngest brother of myself. Dennis was 16 at the time. Dennis started learning drums from an old man in Sitka who was retired and played occasionally with groups at the Elks and Moose in the ’50s. Later Dennis studied with Bruce Golubier, the drummer with the Don Cole Trio, that was very popular in the ’60s and was the house band for a while at the Potlach Club, a popular club at the time and one of the few to have live music come up from the states. Bruce was an excellent drummer and Dennis really improved under his guidance.

The bands that I know existed in the 60s in Sitka were the Invaders, and the band had various names during those years of ’62 to ’64. The Moose Lodge had an auditorium with a stage above the bar, where they held meetings and activities. That was the first place my brother Pat and Eric Olsen started playing together and working up tunes by Lonnie Mack and Duane Eddy. Eric was playing a Gretsch guitar through a Sears Silvertone amp. Pat had a ’57 Fender Strat. The bass players were several, one of which was Joe Chicarri, spelling is incorrect, the drummer’s name escapes me. They were thee band at high school dances in ’63 and ’64.

Eric Olsen went on to police work in Sitka; Pat Murphy died in a car accident in Washington after high school and a short time in the Navy. Both graduated Sitka High in ’65. The Moose Hall auditorium is gone now along with the movie theatre and lots of other things.

I remember Agafon, but never met him. he was without doubt and incredible talent. Without any schooling or training, he was able to cover many popular tunes and was a teenage prodigy on the guitar for that time. The band was [originally] called the Pribiloff Trio because Agafon was from the Pribiloff Islands out in the Alutians.

Later when I returned to Sitka in the summer of ’67, after three years in the Navy, Dennis and I, drums and guitar, joined with Fred Stratton, bass, and Pat Stengal, lead guitar, to form a band that played several shows at the Centennial Building. We could rent the auditorium for $50 a night. some friends organized a light show to accompany the music. I don’t recall what the band was called. We played covers of the Grateful Dead, Cream, and others that were popular at the time. During this time, bands like the Wailers from Seattle came up and booked the auditorium and played shows. These were high level recording artists with expensive professional equipment. If I recall correctly, we were able to use their PA to open their show, which was a nice experience.

Dennis lives in Portland now and still plays drums, guitar and harmonica quite well.

Mike Murphy

Then I heard from Dennis Murphy himself:

I was just a beginner at drums. I had taken lessons from an old dude who was a friend of my dad, he taught me the rudiments when I was 11 or 12. I had another brother who is dead now, he had a band and I would study the drummers he had, watch em real close, and practice what I saw.

I was hired by Agafon in an audition for drummers when I was freshman in Sitka High School. One other guy tried and failed. These guys were all in college so it was real intimidating, to say the least.

The drummer had to leave town so they would take anybody to fill his place and there were not many to do so, or choose from. I had been commercially fishing with my Dad so he owed me something for that. They offered me the drumset the old drummer had been playing for $300.00 and I got my Dad to pay for it. It was a gold sparkle Slingerland four piece drumset with calf heads.

Agafon had already made a record on the same label called “Walkin’ the Dog”. So he knew J. Allen McKinnon from that recording.

We recorded that record in an auditorium up on the stage. It was a real strange place to do a recording but it was in the old days I guess you might say.

Dennis Murphy

Agafon Golden North 45 Walkin' the Dog
Agafon’s late ’66 single for Golden North
Agafon Golden North 45 Here I Sit in Alaska

The site for '60s garage bands since 2004