Basooties - Valparasio

There are bands that become legends, for better or worse, and there are bands that should have been remembered as darn fine bands.
The Basooties are largely forgotten and that is a shame. We will try to rectify that situation, as our readers (about 300 a week!) appreciate quality!

 
Suspected band members:
Will Jenkins - lead guitar
Terry Handley - lead throat
Dennis Maloney - drums
Jerry Carden - rhythm guitar / vocals
Danny Evanoff - keyboards / vocals
Jerry Wheat - bass

The Basooties recorded a great 45 in '67, with covers of Curtis Mayfield, and Frank Zappa. Many bands covered soul and R&B tunes  ( grab your woman, it's slow dance time!) but, I don't recall any Zappa tunes being on the radar.

Click on the tunes to enjoy!

I'm So Proud
You Didn't Try to Call Me 

Bonus treat!
Will Jenkins has a youtube video of the b-side( You Didn't Try To Call me) featuring some band photos and some video! Highly recommended!

Special thanks to Jason and his Indiana 45's website for the band member names!

Swingin' Stingrays - Elkhart - Fujimo

Somewhere in Elkhart - just east of South Bend, a band spouted and bloomed - The Swingin' Stingrays! Before the British Invasion sound, the frat - Blues Brothers - soul type of thing ruled. Great for dancing and getting that "special" girl.
The Swingin' Stingrays released one 45, and "perhaps" a second.....

Tom Tom
Teen Queen

There may also be a second 45 with "Searchin'" and "Big Fat Woman", but alas, I don't have it.

And up for more input / debate: the members:

Wilbur Richie is certain, sadly he passed away in the early 80's.
Rex has been fingered as Maze, Mays, and most recently, Masterson. 
Paul, Pat & Rick (in the 1965 promo pic) remain unknown. The Swingin' Stingrays reportedly formed in 1958 and lasted until at least 1968 as evidenced by the Top Deck newspaper ad, circa August 68'.

60's Indiana band Szene team, you have been very good at filling in the blanks, and I need help here. Let's get these guys the due they deserve and get some recognition here!

Thanks to the late Bill Wagoner (of US Male - Warsaw, IN) and Terry Turner for the inspiration and tunes!

Blues Inc. - Ft. Wayne 1966

Did you ever think that the band you were watching, maybe even bought the 45 because they were so good that night, might be lost to time? It happens, quite a bit actually. Presenting the Blues Inc., hailing from Ft.Wayne. 

All we have is this one ad - Nov. 4 1966. Never heard of Bojrab's Hall before or after. But the band did leave us one fantastic moody, minor key 45.

Tell Me Girl

Get Off My Back

Another Ft. Wayne band that made the trek to Cap Studios in Portage Michigan, the Olivers being the other, with record #1022, just before the Blues Inc.. Wise and Shoaff are the writers names, publishing by Westhaven, same as the Olivers, hence probably thru the label.

This is too good to be forgotten..........any clues (real or imagined) welcomed!

Amoris Arma - 1967

Little to go on here fans. The Amoris Arma. Amoris Arma = Loving Arms?
This is an ad from Pizza King in New Haven, Indiana, circa mid '67. . New Haven is just southeast, or maybe a suburb of  Ft. Wayne.

And as we say, this friends, is all I know. Also playing there at the Pizza King were the Beat Generation, and the Collection.

Anyone?

The Boys Decision - 1967 Ft. Wayne

Swingin' back to 1967 - Ft. Wayne, Indiana! There once was a band known as the Nu-Trons. The Nu-Trons begat the Boys Decision.

Jack Peterson - guitar
Steve Inscoe -
Butch Rodemeyer - lead singer
Glenn Druhot - drums
Dave Robinson - guitar

Pretty interesting group of guys just for the playing and getting gigs in a crowded 1967 Ft. Wayne market. But add to the resume this nugget....

Nov.24th, 1967 at the Swinging Gate, the Boys Decision was the warm-up for The Who! That's right boys and girls, the Who played in Ft. Wayne at the Swinging Gate. The Boys Decision played rock and soul so they must have filled in just nicely. Talk about pressure, dang.

Someone, somewhere has to have some photos of the Swinging Gate. I'm told it may be gone now, but there has to be some record of it!

Sounds Unlimited - Indianapolis

 The Sounds Unlimited was truly a tale of two bands that shot across the Indiana sky and is fondly remembered by fans who requested some info.

In the beginning there was a band, and it was good. The Sounds Unlimited strove for the english beat and a definite change in the look of most bands in the mid '60's. Most bands of the day wore suits and ties to the gigs, but few had to be louder, more colorful, have longer hair, and (gasp!) play songs that weren't on the radio! Shameful as it was, the band stood out in Indy.
Wayne Wilson - drum
Phil Brandt - lead guitar
Steve Foster - rhythm guitar
Ken Mahlke - bass- voice

While most local bands were in the early Beatles mode, the Sounds concentrated on the Yardbirds, Who, and Kinks. The Sounds opened for the likes of  the Byrds, Mitch Ryder, the McCoys, and Sir Douglas Quintet.

The Sounds recorded a few songs in Chicago and Philadelphia, some to be used for an audition for the Monkees TV show that was coming up, that ended up on a Sundazed 4 song EP. Fuzz and interpretation was the formula, and it lasted until November 1966.

Four Score made a name for itself when they won the Young America band contest at the State fair in '66. Terry & John Talbot, Ted DeLang, and Bill (Will) Brecht were soon in a studio recording with Jim Koss and Skeet Bushor (Boys next door) writing and producing. Somehow that recording became credited to the Sounds Unlimited, Bill and Ted were out, and  the band was now:
Steve Foster
Wayne Wilson
Terry Talbot
John Michael Talbot

New musical direction, short hair, and changing times. Mid '69 was the last show for Sounds Unlimited, as the Talbot boys morphed into Mason Proffit, a country rock outfit.

Hear the Sounds Unlimited:

Little Brother  - vocal Bill Brecht
A Girl as Sweet as you - John Michael Talbot

I'm fairly sure the Sundazed 45 is still in print, so I can't share it here.

There is more to the story, so stay tuned!

Chalets - Shelbyville 1966

Set the wayback machine to August '66 and the formation of the Chalets is complete.
"If I had a noseful of nickels I'd sneeze a fortune your way" was featured in an original song offered by The Chalets. Sounds like a band we must get to know!

Featuring:
Mike Davis - drums
Don Isgrigg - lead guitar
Kim Greene - singer - rhythm guitar
Tom Brenton - keyboard
Rocket Murphy - bass

Looking at the Chalets resume we see:

August '66 the band placed first in the Marion County Battle of the Bands -
First at the Decatur County fair -
Fourth at the Shelby County fair -
Second in the Combo Clash for the Danny Thomas Leukemia Foundation appearing on Channel 6 TV -

The Chalets played in Indianapolis, Greensburg, Rushville, Edinburgh, Bloomington and other surrounding towns.

The Chalets had hopes of cutting a record, with original tunes: noseful of nickels, love is the gutter, and it's worth a lot. Hoping as always we'll get to hear these tunes............

***super duper thanks to Fred Dickman for the photos and the Chalets for making it happen!***