Klockwork Orange - Aug. 1968

August 1968, and four bands are competing at Indiana Beach - Battle of the Bands. So why did just one band get a mention? The world may never know, but now we know of the "Klockwork Orange" and the members.

Blair Austin,
Mike Bishop,
Chandler Sammons,
Robin Raub,
Dan Evard,
and Scott Hoffman.

Introducing the "Klockwork Orange". And now if we could just get an update on how the battle went!

Anne and the Henchmen 1966

Sometimes the formula is... find a period newspaper clipping and run with it.
Presenting for your amusement:
Anne & the Henchmen, January 1966.
What can we deduce from the photo? Anne Hall is the singer, and maybe in charge of wardrobe and make-up. Ducan (Duncan?) Williams is the drummer, Mike Schevrer is gripping that bass. Moving on to Bob Stavton, posing with a cute little fender, and that leaves Dave O'Guinn, maybe looking for his organ or perhaps peeved that Anne took his singing gig.
It's all speculation, but we're glad they performed and maybe someone will check in!

Minutemen - 1966 Chatrand High School

Imagine in early 1966, there are about 800 bands in Indianapolis alone. Many were around for as long as a cup of coffee, and some had revolving doors of musicians. So any evidence of existing is important, and that's why tonight we bring you The Minutemen - hailing from Chartrand High!

The Minutemen won 1st prize at the variety show competition in late 1965. The photo appeared in the Indianapolis Star on Jan. 8th, 1966 (Elvis' Birthday!) with about 20 other bands listed.

Left to right:
Dave Stonehouse
Steve Stonehouse
Tom Arnold
Phil Eaton

Any of these guys go on to bigger or better things? As always, any info is delightfully received.

Now for the other 799 bands...........

Boys Next Door - Reunion show - Sept. 19th 2015

Short notice - but it slipped thru the cracks here at 60's indiana band szene central command. Spread the word! And think a good thought for the memory of Steve Drybread. Look forward to meeting new friends there.

The Clan - 1967-71

Wonderful contribution to our sister site on facebook. The Clan - from Northwest High School, just south of 34th St., Indianapolis. Even so kind as to have the names of the team included.

The Clan:
Chris Gossett - guitar
Dave Mason - drums
Barry Christy - vocals
Stewart Daniels - guitar
Dennis Dooley - guitar

Nothing else at this point, but as always - bravo for giving it a go!

Fugitives - Bloomington

Sometimes it's nearly impossible to find these bands. Let's examine the "Fugitives". No shortage of Fugitives - there is the Indianapolis band we already exposed. Another Fugitives hailed from LaPorte. But best info says that this 45 is left from a Fugitives out of Bloomington, Indiana.

What evidence can I provide?  Just conjecture and circumstantial. Local legend has The Fugitives from Bloomington. I can cite a 1966 Indiana University yearbook showing co-eds dancing to the Fugitives (yet not showing a photo of the band). And lastly, Mike Markesich, the guru of research and the author of "Teenbeat mayhem", cites the band as from Bloomington.

Oh hell, let's hear some songs! The proper side is a cover of Charlie Rich's "Lonely Weekends", done well but nothing to write home about. Flip that 45 over and behold - another cover tune - Ike Turner's "Sticks and Stones". If you are going to play the college circuit, probably better to do the top 40 rather than your own tunes.

Ok team, let's find these guys and give them their due!

Sands of Time - Brazil

Presenting the "Sands of Time" from Brazil. Where is Brazil anyone from Indianapolis might say.  Brazil is just east of Terre Haute and on the 70 corridor running to St. Louis.

The Sands of Time are:
Dennis Tilley,
John Stough,
Rick Wetnight ,
Dana Farless,
Jack Lawrence,
Tim Paullus,
Gary Ooley.

Gigs in early '68, and no info on how long they lasted, give them a hand just doing it!

I always have a soft spot for the cool logos on the bass head!

*Thanks Robert for the photos and info!

The Maude Meuller Incident - Columbus

 1968 was the year of  many things, Vietnam still raging, Martin Luther King and  Bobby Kennedy assassinated, "Hair" opened, and Iron Butterfly released "In-a-gadda-da-vida".
Guess what band brought "In-a-gadda-da-vida" to Columbus, all glorious 18 minutes of it? Yep, The Maude Meuller Incident. Complete with the requisite color wheel - strobe lights - and dry ice!

Shown in the surviving flyer for the band (thanks Mike!):

Mike Fox
Rick Thompson
Jeff Wilhite

All were previously of the Bushmen presented earlier.

 While looking thru the notes, I noticed a 1964 ad for Ricky Thompson and a local (still there!) music center.Tom Pickett's is still operating and a nice place to visit for your guitar needs, and I have many!

International Grapefruite 1968

The names Herb Crawford and Ron Matelic are well known to Indiana Band Szene as members of "Sir Winston & the Commons". But they mysteriously appear here as writers of the unknown "International Grapefruite". The 45 is from 1968 and is obviously from Indianapolis. Is the Grapefruite a band that they lent a song to, or is the involvement more than that? The flip is penned my William H. Duke. Has a familiar ring to it, but........

Let's hear the tunes, and maybe that will ring a bell.

Every Night

Naptowns Alive People

The "naptown" tune name-checks many high schools and local scenes in and around Indy. See how many you can recognize.

Pure Ounce - Bloomington

We don't have much info from Bloomington, although it's a college town with some topnotch music venues that have been around for some time. Maybe I'll get to the newspaper archives and get some names and start the ball rolling. Hell, maybe someone else has done it and I haven't ran into them yet. But anyway, focus, focus.......

When you name your band "Pure Ounce", there can be little doubt as to the musical and "other" influences that may have been in play. The band hailed from Bloomington, and recorded a lone 45, on the Trump label out of Louisville.

This beat-up 45 has many redeeming qualities. The previous owner "Lisa" like to document her 45's, bless her heart. Behold the b-side - Open your Eyes, Lisa scribbled 1969 under the Trump script. Lisa also tells me that Jerry Chastain was the singer. Lisa writes Danny Mullis is also part of the band, and on the A-side - Lisa declares "Lisa & Danny", and something else I can't make out. But hey, it's helpful.

PRP pressing info shows that this should be a 1970 release, although info is pretty sketchy, it may be 1969, and the music style would fit that. Jerry Chastain is close, it was Jerry Chasteen - lead guitar and vocals. Terry Kluesner - vocals and keys - is also confirmed in the band. Danny Mullis (and that could be misspelled also) may have been a member or just Lisa's squeeze at the time.

The 45 have a good vibe, solid guitar work from Jerry, Terry give the keys a tasteful showing without going into the noodling psych mode. The vocal harmony is a bit weak, but if you were listening to a band called "Pure Ounce", you may have had found some "enhancement" anyway!

Jerry & Terry, w/ Don Crum and Dave Kluesner, released an LP in 1975.

Showtime - everybody's favorite part - let's hear some songs! 

Beyond Reality / Open Your Eyes

Enjoy the offering, comment if you can, and thanks to all who have stayed with us all these years. We started in February 2007 and look forward to getting the bands their due in 2015.

Epics - Dixie and the Power & Light Company - Greenwood

From the hamlet of Greenwood, just south of Indianapolis, emerge the Epics. The Epics were well versed in the hits of the day - Beatles - Iron Butterfly - Steppenwolf - Creedence - Cream - Three Dog Night, and other top 40 tunes of the moment.


The Epics:
Chuck Billingsly
Lee Robison
Paul Holeman
John Lampson,
and Bill Roberts joined soon after.
The Epics competed in the usual fare of the day - State Fair battle o' the bands, and even the Johnson County Combo Clash. Sadly the Epics never recorded.

Flash forward to 1969, and the band makes a major change in direction. Bill's father was a pastor for the church the boys attended, and with a nudge from Dixie, the Epics morphed into a christian garage band. Paul and John left soon afterwards, and drummer Rhonda Fleming was recruited. The newly christened "Dixie and the Power & Light Company" recorded two lp's for our listening pleasure.

I'll include one song of "Jesus Garage rock" here, as I think it's the most significant with Bill and Lee sharing writing chores.

Help Me

Give the boys and gals a hand, and if you know or suspect anything about the Epics - don't be afraid to comment!