Dynamic Apollos - South Bend

I love this job! Come home from work, fire up the e*mail and:

"They (Dynamic Apollos) were active in Indiana in the mid-60s and recorded this demo in1965 in Gary, IN. They eventually toured Europe and played the Star Club in Hamburg where the Beatles got their start."

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the Dynamic Apollos from South Bend!

Ned Farry - guitar
Albee Bearman - organ
Tom "Duck" Drake -  drums
Jim Alexis - bass and lead vocals

I'm checking any connection to the Apollos that recorded on Orlyn. Probably not, but worth checking out!
Special thanks to Mike Alexis for the heads up and tribute to his Dad's band!

Indiana Beach - Monticello, Indiana

The Indiana Beach amusement park was quite the szene in the 60's. Check out this slice of history, August '68, and look at the treasure of bands that performed there. For three bucks or less, you could be rockin' to the likes of the:

Cryan' Shames - Illinois band with hit record "Sugar & Spice" altho the flip "Ben Franklin's Almanac" is the superior tune! Several 45's released.

Stamp Machine - unknown

Iron Butterfly - San Diego, CA - a world away from Indiana in the '60's. In-a-gadda-da-vida could have been the whole set!

REO Speedwagon - Illinois - not the mid '70's powerhouse with Gary Richrath yet.

SRC - Scott Richard Case - Detroit - several 45's recorded

Rituals - unknown - common band name

Brand X - Could be one of two known bands. One recorded a great 45 on Steel-Breeze, two motown tunes from a Chicago(?) band, or an Indianapolis band that included Rob Swaynie


Guess Who - Canadian - if you don't know these guys, I can't help you.

Cavaliers - Several to chose from also. Could be the one from Greenwood.

Basooties - One 45 on Muffin - Gary, IN label. General wisdom is Indiana based band.

For $3 you could see Iron Butterfly AND REO Speedwagon - where have all the good time gone?

Thanks Brad Long for the flyer!

Swagmen - Mishawaka

1802 W. 6th Street Mishawaka, Indiana, the address of the short-lived Americana imprint. The band, The Swagmen, left plenty of clues on the label, but are so far unknown.

Who are "B. Trace - Wagner - Abrams - Phillips"? Brian Kough? Anyone? I have found many bands with much less to go on.

What I do know is that the a-side - "Mendocino" - was released by the Sir Douglas Quintet in December '68. Credited here to "Doug Sahn", maybe that wasn't the only typo on the label.

Mendocino - groovy cover, sounds like a talented bar band.
So Long Baby - original tune I'm guessing, interesting.

Fire up those brain cells friends, we have a band to find!