Wanderers Warrior 45 Don't Pity Me

The Wanderers (Montana)

The Wanderers with Chan Romero and Kostas
The Wanderers “with Chan Romero and Kostas right after the recording session for ‘Don’t Pity Me'” – David Day

Collin PruitWanderers Warrior 45 Don't Pity Me sent in scans and transfers of a very obscure 45 on Chan Romero’s Warrior label, Warrior L-140, The Wanderers “Don’t Pity Me” / “Give Me All You Got”. It sounds like 1965 or 1966. Collin and I agree that “Don’t Pity Me” is fine, low-key garage. The pressing is noisy even though the record Collin found was near mint.

“Don’t Pity Me” was written by D. Day, and the flip by Day and J. Newstrom.

In June 2013, drummer Jan Cahill wrote to me:

The Wanderers got together in the early fall of 1965.  All of us were high school students (seniors) and I was contacted by David Day (he attended Billings West with me although I did not know him) as he heard I was a drummer and he wanted to put together a rock band. I cannot remember how he knew Danny Barnhart (Danny was our bass player and he lived in Laurel and attended high school in Laurel). Jerry Newstrom was a guitar player that I had heard of but really did not know all that well until we started practicing in … you guessed it … Danny’s garage.

We practiced for about two, maybe three months, and then began playing various weekends in and around Billings. We almost always had two nights a week which included the following places in Billings:  What’s Happening, Lake Hills Golf (teen center in basement of club house), Shrine Auditorium, the Pub … and quite a few teen dances in Red Lodge, Laurel, Bozeman, Roundup, Lewistown, Deer Lodge, Butte, Great Falls, Plentywood (once 30 below zero when we played there), Columbia Falls, Powell, Wyoming, Thermompolis, Wyoming, Casper, Wyoming, Miles City, Montana. For the most part we barely made enough money to pay the rent on the halls, security, and gas for travel. A “good” night would provide each of us $20-$30 each after all expenses. A “bad” night and we had to chip in a few dollars to cover costs. BUT WE HAD A BLAST PLAYING!!

We were one Billings’ top teenage rock bands along with other bands such as the Frantics, Peter & the Wolves, Sound Establishment, Imperials.  I am sure there other bands but I cannot remember their names.

Wanderers Photo Teen Town 66
“This one is at Teen Town “66” with Kip Sherman (Kim’s Brother) in the line up.” – David Day

Our major claim to “fame” as a teenage rock band was the fact the we won the “State Battle of the Bands” at the Yellowstone County Fair in the summer of 1966.  I believe we beat out fifteen other bands from all over the state to be #1. I still have the plaque presented to the band from Governor Tim Babcock that evening.  Each band played two songs and if my memory serves me correctly we played “Paint it Black” and “Ticket to Ride”. After we won we were then able to play one more song and I think it was “Walk Away Renee”. The grand finale was for all bands to perform “Gloria” which was the loudest (up to that time) I had ever heard bands play. There were several thousand spectators who watched all of the bands play throughout the early afternoon until the final performances in the early evening.  It was one of the most exciting times (probably the MOST exciting) of the Wanderers.

The Wanderers Warrior 45 Give Me All You Gotrecord was recorded in a local studio which explains the rather tin quality. I think we had 500 copies pressed. We recorded the songs in the thought that the Wanderers would be the next “Beatles or Rolling Stones”. Obviously that did not happen.

I have recorded several other 45’s with two different bands and those recordings were done in professional studios in Vancouver, Washington and Lubbock, Texas. I still have one of the records (Bobby Dann & the Generation Gap) but the other record has long ago disappeared (Gary Mundon Band). Unfortunately I do not have any pictures or posters from the Wanderers. Those that I had have long ago disappeared and the only reason I still have the plaque is that I somehow was smart enough to give it to my parents after the Battle of the Bands and my mother kept it all these years. I found it when I was going though her stuff after she passed away three years ago.   

Eventually I left the Wanderers in early 1967 to join a road band that was on the Nevada circuit and make more money … a whopping $110.00 per week plus motel room. David Day moved to California and  he eventually split up with Rick Mars and stayed with Whitehorse while several other band members formed Motley Crue. You can see their history by going to the Motley Crue website and you will see pictures of David Day.  

Jerry got married and I think stopped playing and I have no clue what happened to Danny and Dennis Devlin.  I talked with David Day about a half dozen years and he was still playing and was also a producer.

I played music professionally for another fifteen years on a steady basis in the area of country-rock and continue to play about two – four times a month.  I had the pleasure/honor of playing with Wynn Stewart, Rex Allen Jr., and one night with Ray Price (his drummer was sick and Ray needed a drummer to play a concert in Great Falls, Montana, in the summer of 1975). 

Bobby Dann and the Generation Gap performed at the J Bar T (Great Falls, Montana) between 1970-1976 and we always took three months off to perform in Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Canada.  We played the Calgary Stampede, Edmonton Klondike Days, Carson City, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Fallon, Ely, Winnimucca, Gardenerville, (all in Nevada) but never in Las Vegas.  We (Bobby Dann) also had our own nationally syndicated television show (1972) that ran for eighteen weeks.

It was a great time for all of us and one that I will always remember with great affection. 

Jan Cahill, 2013

See the Warrior page for more info on the label.

The Wanderers – Don’t Pity Me
The Wanderers – Give Me All You Got

Thank you to David Day for the photos seen here, which Dave Martens forwarded to me in October, 2014.

Wanderers Photo Final Lineup 1967
Final lineup of the Wanderers, 1967
“The final lineup with me doing what I still do, guitar and keyboards. Dennis Devlin and I are just weeks from joining up with the Frantics.” – David Day

11 thoughts on “The Wanderers (Montana)”

  1. That record did come out in 1966. It did really well and I was noticed by the Frantics.
    In early 1967 I gave up the Wanderers and Joined the Frantics. When our record came out we had become just Frantic.
    We played with ‘The Who” “Young Rascals” Steve Miller” “Jethro Tull” ” “The McCoys”and many more.
    I got to Jam with Jimi Hendrix,and I was nearly drug off stage by a drunk “Jim Morrison”
    While in New York I got to meet Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
    After “The Frantics” I led a group called “WhiteHorse” where the now “Motley Crue’s” guitarist
    Mick Mars Came From!
    David Day

  2. Hello, David,

    A bit off point here, maybe. I was with the Frantics (drums) 1966-67, then faced the choice of continuing school or “making it,” as Max put it. Always wondered what happened to Kim & the rest. Even though we weren’t in the band together, good to know a bit of your path, David.
    Ed McLuskie

    1. Hi Ed,

      I’d love to chat with you about The Frantics. I’m in contact with most of those guys and would love to hear about your experiences. Did you play on the “Route 66” 45?

      1. Dave; I didn’t Play on Route 66. I joined the Frantics in Early 1967.
        I believe that came out in 66. The Frantics broke up in late 1970,
        and by 1972 I was in Whitehorse. I brought in Kim Sherman in the Group Early 1973 but he didn’t adjust to a commercial working band and going back on the road.
        I hired Mick Mars (Then Bob Deal) in late 1973. He was so co operative
        and wanted a working band so bad he fit right end and stayed loyal to the End of Whitehorse in 1978. That same loyalty has kept Motley Crue together!
        David Day

      1. Hi David–I had totally lost track of this web site. Thanks for clearing up a date. It would be great to have a picture. I just sent Dave Martens a raw tape of us live–today (Nov 2 2014) he posted it on his website. So I hope you enjoy it. –Ed

  3. I was the Leader of the Wanderers, Jan was my drummer.
    I saw Jan Cahill’s post and thought you might be able to give
    me his e-mail or Phone. I lost contact with him.
    Thanks; David Day 818 360-4769

  4. I am doing the Chan Romero story would love to talk to David Day or any of the Wanderers in regards to the recordings you did at the Warrior Studio in Montana, I want to add the scene of you guys recording “Give me all you got” plus any thing you can remember about Chan or other recording artist from the Warriors label? – Bronz

  5. In the Air Force in 71 to 74 in Great Falls. Always loved the nights at the J bar T with Bobby Dann and the Generation Gao. Lots of good music and good times!

    1. Jack – can you tell me about nights at the J bar T with Bobby?
      This is a long shot – but I was adopted at birth in 1962 to a wonderful couple who were great parents, loving and supportive. I found out in my 40’s that my dad was Bobby Dann. My mom was Darlene Long and they met in Thermopolis when his band came through town around Christmas 1961… That is what I’ve been told. She passed earlier this year and just today I thought to do a little internet research and look up “Bobby Dann”. Found this page. My mom saved one of his albums for me all those years. It is the “Bobby Dann at the Red Barn” album.
      Anyway – I hope Jack Smith see’s this – i would like to get his thoughts about my dad Bobby Dann. (my mom never told him about me, fyi) I might find & meet him one day…but not ready for that yet. Just looking to see if I can locate anyone who knows of him.
      Thanks!

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