THE FUGS FAMILY TREE - SHOWS LIST

This story is the work of Bruce Ceriotti. Help in putting this together has been provided by Ed Sanders, Jonathan Kalb and Kenny Weber, to whom I'm most grateful.


THE YODELING SOCIALISTS (ca. OCT 1964 - ca. NOV 1964) / THE FREAKS #1 (ca. NOV 1964 - DEC 1964)

1) James Edward 'Ed' Sanders vocals, guitar, organ, sex-organ, harmonica, maracas

2) Naftali 'Tuli' Kupferberg vocals, farto-phone, brillo box, finger cymbals, tambourine, various percussion instruments


THE FREAKS #2 (DEC 1964 - JAN 1965) / THE FUGS #1 (JAN 1965 - FEB 23, 1965)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Kenneth 'Ken' Weaver drums, bongos, congas, maracas, vocals


THE FUGS #2 (FEB 24, 1965)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Bill Szabo amphetamine flute, recorder

February 24, 1965: Peace Eye Bookstore, 383 East 10th Street, Lower East Side, New York City, NY with The Holy Modal Rounders "Grand Opening"

The Fugs' first gig (and only with the line-up #2). The show was taped.  

THE FUGS #3 (FEB 25, 1965 - MAR 7, 1965)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Steve Weber vocals, guitar

5) Peter Stampfel vocals, fiddle, banjo, guitar, harmonica

February 27, 1965: Gallery 111, 111 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY

The Fugs' second gig.

THE FUGS #4 (MAR 8, 1965)

1) Ed Sanders
2) Tuli Kupferberg
3) Ken Weaver
4) Steve Weber
5) Peter Stampfel
6) Aulden Jay 'Al' Fowler amphetamine flute

March 8, 1965: East End Theatre, 85 East 4th Street, New Yor City, NY

The Fugs' third gig (and only with the line-up #4).

THE FUGS #5 (aka #3) (MAR 9, 1965 - JUN 2?, 1965)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Steve Weber

5) Peter Stampfel

March 29-30, 1965: East End Theatre, 85 East 4th Street, New York City, NY

April 5, 1965: East End Theatre, 85 East 4th Street, New York City, NY

Spring 1965: Izzy Young's Folklore Center, 6th Avenue at West Third Street, New York City, NY "Grand Opening Party"

Spring 1965: unknown venue, Baltimore, MD

June 12 and 19, 1965: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight shows)

Two different 'Village Voice' newspaper Ad exists for this shows, the first listed the line-up of the band as: Tuli Kupferberg, Ed Sanders, Ken Weaver, Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber, while the second listed the line-up as: Tuli Kupferberg, Ed Sanders, Ken Weaver and blues guitarist Bill Barth (!?).

THE FUGS #6 (JUN 2?, 1965 - OCT 7, 1965)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Steve Weber

5) John Anderson vocals, bass

6) Vincent 'Vinny' 'Vin' Leary vocals, guitar, harmonica

July 3 and 17 and 24 and 31, 1965: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight shows)

ca. July 1965: Andy Warhol's The Factory, 231 East 47th Street, Midtown Manhattan, NY with The Holy Modal Rounders

Members of The Fugs and The Holy Modal Rounders performed en masse for one of Andy Warhol's impromptu portrait reels while Billy Name photographed their in-house performance. It is unknown how long this film is or whether it still exists. A still taken at the time of the filming by Billy Name shows the band members as John Anderson (bass guitar), Steve Weber (rhythm guitar), Ken Weaver (conga drum), Vinny Leary (guitar), Tuli Kupferberg (tamborine) and Ed Sanders (maracas). Footnote: The Fugs also performed at The Factory many, many times during this year, but I don't know exact or approximative dates.

Summer 1965: Film-Makers' Cinematheque, New York City, NY with The Falling Spikes

The Fugs used to play at benefits with a group called The Falling Spikes, and together they'd be called 'The Transcendetal Simulematic Orchestra'. They'd play the background music for underground movies and light shows on dancing people. The Falling Spikes eventually became The Velvet Underground.

August 7 and 14 and 21 and 28, 1965: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight shows) 

August 22, 1965: Village Gate, New York City, NY "A Benefit"

September 4 and 11 and 18 and 25, 1965: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight shows)

September 24, 1965: Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY with Eric Andersen, Theodore Bikel, Oscar Brand, Guy Carawan, Chambers Bros., Len Chandler, Barbara Dane, Rev. Gary Davis Jack Elliott, Logan English, Freedom Singers, Gale Garnett, Ronnie Gilbert, Greenbriar Boys, Fanny Lou Hamer, New Yorld Singers, New York Ramblers, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Pennywhistlers, Earl Robinson, Pete Seeger and many others "Sing-In For Peace! - An All-Night Singing Protest Against The War In Viet-Nam" (afternoon show)
The Fugs (without Steve Weber that missed the gig for unknown reasons) were not billed (or billed as "many others") in the gig's ad.

September 24, 1965: East End Theatre, 85 East 4th Street, New York City, NY "A Benefit for The Fugs!! - Cross Country Vietnam Protest Concert Tour" (evening show)

September 26, 1965: Bowery Poets Coop, 2 East 2nd Street, New York City, NY "Fugathon! - benefit for the Fugs' Cross Country Vietnam Protest Caravan"

September 30, 1965: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight show)

October 1, 1965: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight show)

THE FUGS #7 (OCT 8, 1965 - NOV 1965)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Steve Weber

5) Vinny Leary

October 1?, 1965: Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew Street, Allentown, PA (cancelled)

October 1?, 1965: Frank Hoffman's house, Bloomington, IN "private party"

October 1?, 1965: James Dean's grave, Fairmount, Grant County, IN "outdoor show" (cancelled)

CBS-TV, Channel 8 Indianapolis, wanted to film The Fugs performance but the show was cancelled at last minute because the band was so late.   

October 20, 1965 (approximate date): The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA "audition"

The Fugs' then driver and future member, Lee Crabtree, sat-in on piano with the band during the (failed) audition.

October 21, 1965 (approximate date): Coffee And Confusion, 1339 Upper Grant Avenue, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

October 22, 1965: Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA with Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Paul Krassner "The Fantastic Four VDC (Vietnam Day Committee) Campus Benefit"

October 29, 1965: The Orb Theater, 1470 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA

October 31, 1965: Raped & Strangled Art Gallery, 883 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA "Opening Night"

November 5, 1965: 2000 Life Sciences Building, University Campus, Campanile Way at Harmon Way, Berkeley, CA with Allen Ginsberg, Country Joe and The Fish "Folk-Rock-Mantra"

November 6, 1965: San Francisco Mime Troupe's loft (aka Calliope Warehouse), 924 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA with Jefferson Airplane, Sandy Bull, John Handy Quintet, The Committee, Lawrence Ferlinghetti "Benefit For SF Mime Troupe (Appeal Party I)" 

THE FUGS #8 (aka #6) (NOV 1965 - DEC 1965)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver
4) Steve Weber

5) Vinny Leary
6) John Anderson


THE FUGS #9 (DEC 1965 - SPRING 1966)
1) Ed Sanders
2) Tuli Kupferberg
3) Ken Weaver
4) Vinny Leary
5) John Anderson
6) Lee Crabtree piano, organ, flute, percussion

7) Pete 'Bomb Eyes' Kearney vocals, lead guitar

December 14-16, 1965: Cafe Au Go Go, 152 Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY with Richie Havens

December 17-26, 1965: Cafe Au Go Go, 152 Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY with David Blue, Blues Project

December 24-25 and 31, 1965: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight shows)

January 1, 1966: The Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place, New York City, NY (midnight show)

January 21, 1966 - May 1?, 1966: Astor Place Playhouse, Lafayette Street, New York City, NY with Albert Ayler, Jeanne Lee, Ran Blake, Sun Ra and The Solar Arkestra

early 1966: 'The Les Crane Show', TV Show, Los Angeles, CA

March 31, 1966: Village Gate, New York City, NY with Velvet Underground and Nico "April Fool Dance & Models Ball"

THE FUGS #10 (SPRING 1966 - JUL 1966)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Vinny Leary

5) John Anderson

6) Pete Kearney

June 12, 1966: Town Hall, New York City, NY

THE FUGS #11 (JUL 1966 - SEPT 1966)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Vinny Leary

5) John Anderson

6) Jonathan 'Jon' Kalb lead guitar

July 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

August 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

September 2-3 and 9-10, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

THE FUGS #12 (SEPT 1966 - DEC 1966)
1) Ed Sanders
2) Tuli Kupferberg
3) Ken Weaver
4) Lee Crabtree
5) Vinny Leary (I do not know if he was still in the band at this point)
6) Stefan Grossman lead guitar

September 16-17, 23-24, 30, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

October 1, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

November 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

December 2-3, 9-10, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

December 4, 1966: 'The David Susskind Show', TV Show, New York City, NY "Liquor, Sex, Dope: The World Of The Fugs - Part I" 

December 4, 1966: Action House, Island Park, NY with Velvet Underground, Nico, Mothers Of Invention, Timothy Leary, Andy Warhol, The Seventh Sons, The Godz, The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las, The Left Banke, Lenny Welch, Terry Knight and The Pack, The Vagrants, Brian Hyland "Freak-Out '66"

The Fugs was advertised but maybe they don't played.

THE FUGS #13 (DEC 1966 - APRIL or MAY 1967)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Lee Crabtree

5) Allan 'Jake' Jacobs vocals, lead guitar, sitar, bells, vibes

December 16-17, 23-24, 30-31, 1966: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

early 1967: 'The Les Crane Show', TV Show, Los Angeles, CA

January 13-14, 20-21 , 27-28, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

February 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

March 3-4, 10-11 , 15-18,  22-25, 29-31, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

March 9, 1967: Irwin B. Clark Memorial Gymnasium, S.U.N.Y. (State University of New York), 345 Main Street, Buffalo, NY

April 1, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

April 6, 1967: Community Arts Auditorium, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

April 9, 1967: 'The David Susskind Show', TV Show, New York City, NY "Liquor, Sex, Dope: The World Of The Fugs - Part II"

April 14, 1967: Panhandle Park, Golden Gate Park, Oak Street at Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA with Country Joe and The Fish "free afternoon show"

April 22, 1967: Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley, CA

April 24, 1967: Panhandle Park, Golden Gate Park, Oak Street at Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA with Country Joe and The Fish "free afternoon show"

THE FUGS #14 (APRIL or MAY 1967 - SUMMER 1967)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Jake Jacobs

5) Geoff Outlaw bass

May 12, 1967: Stock Pavilion, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI with Allen Ginsberg

May 14, 1967: Strosacker Hall, Case Western Reserve's campus, Cleveland, OH with Allen Ginsberg "benefit"

May 18, 1967: Village Theatre, 105 2nd Avenue, New York City, NY

May 31, 1967: Crystal Ballroom, 1332 West Burnside at N.W. 14th Avenue, Portland, OR with Family Tree

June 1-4 and 7-11 and 14-18 and 21-25 and 28-30, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

July 1-2 and 5-9 and 12-16, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

THE FUGS #15 (SUMMER 1967)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Jake Jacobs

5) Geoff Outlaw

6) Danny 'Kootch' Kortchmar guitar, electric violin, vocals, organ

July 17-24, 1967: Back Bay Theater, Boston, MA

August 2-6 and 9-13 and 16-20 and 23-27 and 30-31, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

August 22, 1967: Tompkins Square Park, Avenue A & 7th Street, New York City, NY "free evening concert"

THE FUGS #16 (SUMMER 1967 - NOV 1967)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Geoff Outlaw

5) Danny Kootch

September 1-3 and 6-10 and 13-17, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

October 15, 1967: Village Theatre, 2nd Avenue & 6th Street, New York City, NY with Phil Ochs, Eric Andersen, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Paul Krassner, Archie Shepp Quartet, Jeremy and The Satyrs, Barbara Dane, Matt Jones, Burton Greene, Richie Havens, Charlie Mingus, Tim Rose, Moondog & Strings, Joe Frazier, Paul Knopf, Bill Frederick, Elaine White, Bob Fass (M.C.)  

October 21, 1967: flat bed truck, parking lot, Washington D.C. "Exorcising the Pentagon"

THE FUGS #18 (NOV 1967 - ca. NOV 1968)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver
4) Danny Kootch

5) Charles 'Charlie' Larkey bass

6) Kenneth 'Ken' Pine vocals, organ, guitar 

November 24-25, 1967: Grande Ballroom, Detroit, MI with Gang (24), Ashmollyan Quintet (24), MC-5 (25)

November 26, 1967: Grande Ballroom, Detroit, MI with Billy C. & The Sunshine "John Sincair Defense Fund"

December ?, 1967: Crystal Ballroom, 1332 West Burnside at N.W. 14th Avenue, Portland, OR

December 21-24 and 28-31, 1967: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, NY

January ?, 1968: Psychedelic Supermarket, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA

February 2-3, 1968: Family Dog, 1601 W Evans Street, Denver, CO with Leopold Fuchs (The Fugs cancelled) 

February 3, 1968: Avalon Ballroom, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Electric Flag, Mad River, 13th Floor Elevators 

February 11, 1968: Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA with Eric Burdon and The Animals, Eire Apparent 

February 19, 1968: Cinderella Ballroom, Appleton, WI 

February 27, 1968: outside the front gates, S.U.N.Y. (State University of New York), 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, Long Island, NY with Country Joe and The Fish, Pageant Players, Soft White Underbelly

March 6, 1968: Anderson Theater, 66 2nd Avenue, New York City, NY with Country Joe and The Fish, Rhinoceros "Spock's Flocks - War Resistors Benefit"

March 29-31, 1968: Grande Ballroom, Detroit, MI with Sly & The Family Stone (29-31), MC-5 (29, 31), The Psychedelic Stooges (30)

April 5, 1968: unknown venue, Cincinnati, OH "Arts Festival"

April 6 or 11, 1968: Family Dog, 1601 W Evans Street, Denver, CO

April 12-14, 1968: Avalon Ballroom, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA with Ace of Cups, Allmen Joy

 

April 26-28, 1968: Kaleidoscope, 6230 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA

May 3, 1968: Crystal Ballroom, 1332 West Burnside at N.W. 14th Avenue, Portland, OR with Kaleidoscope, Lights by Dr P.H. Martin's Magic Medicine Show

May 4, 1968: The Lemon Tree, Eugene, OR with Kaleidoscope, Hammond Typewriter (advertised but canceled)

 

May 7, 1968: Falkoner Center, Copenhagen, Denmark with Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, The Nice "Ekstra Bladet Poll Koncert"

May 9, 1968: Konserthallen, Liseberg, Gothenburg, Sweden with Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, The Nice

May 10, 1968: Folkets Hus, Kongreshallen, Stockholm, Sweden with Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, The Nice

May 13, 1968: unknown venue, Lund, Sweden with Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After

May 31 - June 1, 1968: Fillmore East, 2nd Avenue, New York City, NY with Moby Grape, Gary Burton Quartet

July 25-27, 1968: Psychedelic Supermarket, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA

August 16-17, 1968: The Bank, Torrance, CA with Mt. Rushmore

unknown date, 1968: 'A Whole Scene Going', BBC TV Show, London, UK

The Fugs lip-synched: "Crystal Liaison".

THE FUGS #19 (ca. NOV 1968 - FEB 22, 1969)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Ken Weaver

4) Ken Pine

5) Bill Wolf vocals, bass

6) Bob Mason drums

December 30, 1968: Grande Ballroom, Detroit, MI with Popcorn Blizzard

February 7, 1969: Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh, PA with Velvet Underground, Grateful Dead

February 20, 1969: Rice University, Houston, TX

February 21-22, 1969: Vulcan Gas Company, Austin, TX

The Fugs' last gigs.

THE FUGS #20 (JUN 9, 1984 - 1984)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Vinny Leary

4) Steve Taylor vocals, guitar

5) Coby Batty vocals, drums

6) Mark Kramer bass, keyboards

June 9, 1984: Bottom Line, New York City, NY

The Fugs' first reunion gig.

unknown date, 1984: unknown venue, Berlin, Germany

unknown date, 1984: unknown venue, Copenhagen, Denmark

unknown date, 1984: unknown venue, Oslo, Sweden

unknown date, 1984: unknown venue, Zurich, Switzerland

unknown date, 1984: unknown venue, Helsinki, Sweden

THE FUGS #21 (1984 - 1985)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Vinny Leary

4) Steve Taylor

5) Coby Batty

 

THE FUGS #22 (1985 - JUL 12, 2010)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Tuli Kupferberg

3) Steve Taylor

4) Coby Batty

5) Scott Petito guitar, bass, keyboards, synthetizer

+

6) Amy Fradon backing vocals (she sang with them only on Aug 13-14, 1994)

7) Leslie Ritter backing vocals (she sang with them only on Aug 13-14, 1994)

unknown date, 1986: Bottom Line, New York City, NY

unknown date, 1986: Socialist Scholars Conference, New York City. NY

 

unknown date, 1987: Bottom Line, New Yor City, NY

 

unknown date, 1988: Byrdcliffe Art Colony, Woodstock, NY

 

early 1989: unknown venue, Philadelphia, PA with  Allen Ginsberg "AWP Convention"

 

May/June 1989: New York Palladium, New York City, NY "Abbie Hoffman Memorial"

 

August 1989: Byrdcliffe Art Colony, Woodstock Valley, NY

August 13-14, 1994: Byrdcliffe Barn, Saugerties, Woodstock Valley, NY "The Real Woodstock Festival 1994"

unknown date, 1994: unknown venue, unknown city, Italy

unknown date, 1994: unknown venue, unknown city, Sweden

unknown date, 1994: unknown venue, unknown city, Copenhagen, Denmark

April 7, 1997: Magazzini Generali, Milan, Italy "Suoni & Visioni Rock Festival"

Summer 1997: unknown venue, unknown city, Italy

 

Autumn 1997: Wolf Trap, Washington D.C.

 

May 1998: Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City, NY with Patti Smith, Philip Glass, Natalie Merchant and many others "Allen Ginsberg Memorial"

 

August 14, 1999: Byrdcliffe Barn, Saugerties, Woodstock Valley, NY "The Real Woodstock Festival 1999"
The show was filmed.

 

THE FUGS #23 (JUL 13, 2010 - PRESENT)

1) Ed Sanders

2) Steve Taylor

3) Coby Batty

4) Scott Petito

THE OTHER HALF DAY-BY-DAY STORY

This story is the work of Bruno Ceriotti. Help in putting this together has been provided by Randy Holden, Craig Tarwater and Mark Schroeder, to whom I'm most grateful.

1966

The Other Half is formed in Los Angeles, Southern California, by Jeff Nowlen, Geoff Westen, Larry Brown and Daniel 'Danny' Woody.

THE OTHER HALF #1 (1966 - SEPT ??, 1966)

1) Jeff Nowlen vocals, harmonica

2) Geoff Westen vocals, rhythm guitar

3) Larry Brown bass

4) Daniel 'Danny' Woody drums

mid-late September 1966
Randy Holden, ex Sons Of Adam, joined The Other Half a few days after declining to filling in for Jeff Beck on a The Yardbirds gig at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on day 7.  

THE OTHER HALF #2 (SEPT ??, 1966 - SUMMER 1967)

1) Jeff Nowlen

2) Geoff Westen

3) Larry Brown

4) Danny Woody

5) Randy Holden vocals, lead guitar

October 1966

The Other Half released only in US their first single: "Mr. Pharmacist / I've Come So Far" (GNP Crescendo 378).

ca. November 1966

The Other Half released only in US their first and only extend play: "Mr. Pharmacist / I've Come So Far / It's Too Hard (Without You) / I Know" (Vogue International 18112).

Friday-Saturday, January 6-7, 1967: Avalon Ballroom, 1268 Sutter Street at Van Ness Street San Francisco, CA

The Steve Miller Blues Band and Quicksilver Messenger Service were also on the bill. Randy Holden was invited to jam onstage with Steve Miller on at least one set in each of the shows.

February 1967

The Other Half released only in US their second single: "Wonderful Day / Flight Of The Dragon Lady" (Acta 801).

Sunday, March 26, 1967: Elysian Park, Los Angeles, CA "Easter Sunday Love-In"

The Daily Flash, Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Clear Light, The Rainy Daze, The Factory, West Coast Pop Experimental Band, Flamin' Groovies, Steve Miller Blues Band, Sopwith Camel (canceled), Iron Butterfly, The Turtles, The Nazz, Grateful Dead, The Seventh Son, Firesign Theatre & New Generation, were also on the bill.

Friday, May 19, 1967: Valley Music Theatre, 20600 Ventura Boulevard, Woodlands Hills, CA with Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Iron Butterfly

July 1967

The Other Half released only in US their third single: "No Doubt About It / I Need You" (Acta 806).

Thursday-Sunday, July 13-16, 1967: Avalon Ballroom, 1268 Sutter Street at Van Ness Street San Francisco, CA

The Charlatans (13-16), The Youngbloods (13-16) and Wildflower (16) were also on the bill.

Summer 1967

Danny Woody left the band and was replaced by Ron Saurman.

THE OTHER HALF #3 (SUMMER 1967 - SPRING 1968)

1) Jeff Nowlen

2) Geoff Westen

3) Larry Brown

4) Randy Holden

5) Ron Saurman drums

Thursday-Sunday, August 17-20, 1967: Avalon Ballroom, 1268 Sutter Street at Van Ness Street San Francisco, CA

Quicksilver Messenger Service (17-20) and Melvin Q Watckpocket (20) were also on the bill. Former Sons Of Adam's drummer Randy Carlisle filling in for Ron Saurman maybe in these shows or maybe in the below shows.

Friday-Sunday, September 15-17, 1967: Avalon Ballroom, 1268 Sutter Street at Van Ness Street San Francisco, CA

Youngbloods, Mad River and North American Ibis Alchemical Co. were also on the bill.

Friday-Saturday, September 22-23, 1967: Western Front, 895 O'Farrell Street at Polk Street, San Francisco, CA

Freedom Highway (22), Peace (22), The New Delhi River Band (23) and Mad River (23) were also on the bill.

Tuesday-Sunday, September 26-October 1, 1967: The Matrix, 3138 Fillmore Street, Marina District, San Francisco, CA

Frumious Bandersnatch (29-30, 1) was also on the bill.

Friday-Saturday, October 20-21, 1967: Western Front, 895 O'Farrell Street at Polk Street, San Francisco, CA

Blue Cheer and Wildflower were also on the bill.

Tuesday-Wednesday, November 7-8, 1967: Family Dog, 1601 W Evans Street, Denver, CO

Jefferson Airplane was also on the bill.

Friday-Saturday, November 10-11, 1967: Family Dog, 1601 W Evans Street, Denver, CO

Sons Of Champlin was also on the bill.

March 1968

The Other Half released only in US their fourth single: "What Can I Do For You / Bad Day" (Acta 819).

May 1968

The Other Half released only in US their fifth and last single: "Oz Lee Eaves Drops / Morning Fire" (Acta 825).

May 1968

The Other Half released only in US their first and only album: "The Other Half" (Acta 38004) (tracks list: "Introduction / Feathered Fish / Flight Of The Dragon Lady / Wonderful Day / I Need You / Oz Lee Eaves Drop / Bad Day / Morning Fire / What Can I Do For You: First Half - The Other Half"). The album was recorded in one week in some small seriously lacking studio in Hollywood the previous year with the old line-up with still Danny Woody on drums. Soon after that same year, the album was re-released by a different label (Vogue International) and with a different cover. The album was released again a year later only in Germany with a different cover as "The Other Half Of Underground". The albums was released again as "Mr. Pharmacist" (1982) and with five bonus tracks: "No Doubt About It", "Mr. Pharmacist", "I Know", "It's Too Hard (Without You)" and "I've Come So Far". Finally the album was released again in England in 2004 with his original title.

Spring 1968
The Other Half appeared, lip-synched 'Oz Lee Eaves Drop' and 'Bad Day' in a go-go club scene, on the first episode titled 'The Teeth of the Barracuda' of the 60's classic cop television show 'The Mod Squad' premiered on ABC on Tuesday, September 24. For whatever reason, the cameraman / editing didn't have their singer Jeff Nowlen in it, so he actually wasn't seen on the aired scene.   

Spring 1968
Randy Holden left the band and was replaced by an unknown guitar player (not Craig Tarwater, as has been rumoured for years).

THE OTHER HALF #4 (SPRING 1968 - 1969)

1) Jeff Nowlen

2) Geoff Westen

3) Larry Brown

4) Ron Saurman

5) ? lead guitar

1968

The Other Half relocated to Mill Valley, San Francisco, California.

1968

The Other Half recorded their second, but unreleased, album titled: "The Other Half And How To Get It".

Thursday, January 16, 1969: Pauley Ballroom, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA "Support the Oakland 7 Benefit Dance"

Mad River, Steve Miller Band, Mint Tattoo, Frumious Bandersnatch, Allmen Joy, Little John, The Lamb, Cleanliness and Godliness Skiffle Band and Chet Helms (MC) were also on the bill.

Friday-Saturday, January 24-25, 1969: Winterland, Post Street at Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA

Moby Grape, It's A Beautiful Day and Tim Hardin were also on the bill.

1969

The Other Half broke up.

THE FENDER IV - THE SONS OF ADAM STORY

This story is the work of Bruno Ceriotti. Help in putting this together has been provided by Randy Holden, Jac Ttanna, Michael Stuart-Ware, Craig Tarwater and Johnny Legend, to whom I'm most grateful.

1959

Guitar God Randy Holden (b. July 2, 1945, Pennsylvania, US) began his musical career in Baltimore, Maryland, when he formed a rock-r&b cover band called The Iridescents with Carmine Palumbo, John Larkins and Ray Hales, the latter died of a heart attack at 29 years old. It was a really great band, live on stage. Very, very energetic, did a variety of material from blues-based artists, such as Ray Charles things and James Brown things and early Chuck Berry things, in that kind of vein. Very powerful band onstage. The band played mostly gigs for Baltimore deejay's (like Johnny Dark and Les Alaxendar) who seemed to like to book them every weekend at local shows they did. They also played the Marine Base in Arlington every other weekend (the Marines loved them, and all the beer you could drink!). The band also recorded some songs on a quarter inch tape studio and a couple of acetates were made, but they wear out after a couple of days, so now there isn't any surviving copy as far as Randy know.

THE IRIDESCENTS (1959 - SUMMER 1963)

1) Randy Holden guitar

2) Carmine Palumbo bass

3) John Larkins drums

4) Ray Hales vocals

Summer 1963

The Iridescents broke up when their drummer John Larkins fell in love and couldn't focus on music anymore. That was a catastrophe. One afternoon, after his father just bought him a new double bass drum kit, he threw them from the second floor, and they knew it was over. Soon after Randy formed a new surf rock band with Joe Kooken (b. December 4, 1941, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, US), Michael 'Mike' Port and Sonny Lombardo. They call themselves The Fender IV because Randy hustled a deal with 'Fender' to get free equipment in exchange for free publicity.

THE FENDER IV #1 (SUMMER 1963 - NOV 15, 1963)

1) Randy Holden vocals, lead guitar

2) Joe Kooken lead vocals, rhythm guitar

3) Michael 'Mike' Port vocals, bass

4) Sonny Lombardo drums

Sunday, November 16, 1963
The Fender IV loaded up a ‘59 Volkswagon and headed west. The fully loaded Volkswagon had a top speed of about 50 miles an hour, so it took them five days to make the trip to Los Angeles, Southern California. Randy moved the band there in order to play for a more receptive audience. They left behind their fifteen years old drummer Sonny Lombardo because he was too young to take off on his own to go to California with them.

THE FENDER IV #2 (NOV 16, 1963 - DEC 1963)

1) Randy Holden

2) Joe Kooken

3) Mike Port

Thursday, November 21, 1963

Their van broke the day they hit town, and by the time they got it fixed and paid a month’s rent for a room, they had $8.00 left. They bought $8.00 worth of canned soup, and went looking for jobs and a new drummer.

Thursday, November 28, 1963

A struggling unknown actor picked The Fender IV up hitch hiking, and took them to all his wealthy friends homes in Hollywood Hills, Bel Air, for Thanksgiving dinner.

December 1963

The Fender IV found a new drummer named Bruce Miller in a music store, and somehow a conversation came about, they were looking for a drummer, and Bruce was a drummer. Bruce was a very casual guy, smiled a lot, very sure of himself, and mechanical like a diesel. He didn't play necessarily hard, but dead on, could do all the fills with expertise. The role fit him perfectly, reliable as a diesel, and he had a good heart. Somehow they met a booking agent, his name was McConkey, 'McConkeys Talent Agency'. An elderly gentlemen. Very nice character. Seemed like he was in the business his entire life, and was tired, but he got them a gig.

THE FENDER IV #3 (DEC 1963 - ca. MAR 1964)

1) Randy Holden

2) Joe Kooken

3) Mike Port

4) Bruce Miller drums

ca. January 1964: unknown recording studio, Los Angeles, CA
The Fender IV recorded four instrumental tracks: "Everybody Up", "Malibu Run", "Highway Surfer" and "Little Ollie". All the songs were produced by their then managers Bill Doan and Ozzie Smith and were later released posthumously on a Randy Holden's album titled: "Early Works '64-'66 Featuring The Fender IV - Sons Of Adam" (Captain Trips Records; March 1997; re-mastered and re-issued as "Sons Of Adam - Bytes" on Guitar God Records 2007).

ca. February 1964: unknown recording studio, Los Angeles, CA
In the course of shopping around their above instrumental demos, The Fender IV and their managers Bill Doan and Ozzie Smith met record producer Russ Regan, who really liked the band and got them a deal with 'Reprise Records'. Soon after the band went to the studio and, with Russ as producer, they cut "Mar Gaya (instrumental)" and "You Better Tell Me Now". Both tracks were later released posthumously on a Randy Holden's album titled: "Early Works '64-'66 Featuring The Fender IV - Sons Of Adam" (Captain Trips Records; March 1997; re-mastered and re-issued as "Sons Of Adam - Bytes" on Guitar God Records 2007).

ca. March 1964
Bruce Miller was drafted into the army a couple of months or so after he joined them (he also decoded to get married, and the drums became a lost passion for him). They really hated to lose him. Then Randy had a brainstorm remembering Earl French back in Baltimore. He phoned Earl to ask if he wanted to come out and be their drummer. Earl leapt at the chance. It was a great reunion, as they known each other for several years, and Earl showed Randy song rock rhythms on guitar when he was first learning many years before. Earl was a natural talent. He could play anything, and do it well. He was one of those rare guys who just had soul. He felt music, and it just came out of him. Singing is what he loved most. They bought him a drum kit on credit, somehow they managed that, but Earl was absolutely utter rhytm dynamic, powerful, and a very small guy, but he played those drums so damn good the band was instantly doing what they did like no one else could do. Earl was the magic that pulled it all together, and the audience loved him.

THE FENDER IV #4 (ca. MAR 1964 - ca. APR 1964)

1) Randy Holden

2) Joe Kooken

3) Mike Port

4) Earl French drums

ca. April 1964

Earl French became home sick after a month or so, and longed to go home (he missed his girlfriend). Finally he said he decided he was going back to Baltimore. They pled with him not to go. They were tearing the house down where ever we played. But Earl had something in him that missed home in Baltimore. Its kind of odd but for some reason most of the people who are from Baltimore never leave there, or if they do, they go back. Its really quite strange. Some time after, they met a new drummer in a clothing-shoe store selling shoes, his name was Keith Kestler, and he claimed he could play everything they asked him. They told Keith where their next gig was, and to show up. He did, but they were astonished. He couldn't do anything he said he could. A was a he-man kind of character, but quite short, lot of pride, imagined himself as a ladies man, but could not play the drums for love or money. They were getting bookings for small clubs from their agent, but the drummer was killing them. Randy wanted to fire him on the spot, but then they would have no drums at all. Keith stayed with them for almost a year, but he never really fit in, because Randy intensely disliked playing with him because he had no clue what Randy was doing. Keith was really pretty good, and a hard worker, but they already looked like the Rolling Stones, and he looked like a model for a chewing gum ad. (!!).

THE FENDER IV #5 (ca. APR 1964 - MAR 6, 1965)

1) Randy Holden

2) Joe Kooken

3) Mike Port

4) Keith Kestler drums

1964

The Fender IV released only in US their 1th single: "Mar Gaya / You Better Tell Me Now" (Imperial Records 66061).

Friday, October 23, 1964: 'The Drop In', Hawthorne Recreation Center, Hawthorne, CA

The Fender IV played in this club as house band every week for months, on a Friday night dances hosted by famous deejay and voice actor Casey Kasem. At those gigs they would play their shows and sometimes back up guest artists. Supposedly tonight they backed Dick and Dee Dee and after the show the duo asked them if they wanted to back them up for a gig with The Rolling Stones at Long Beach Auditorium on Nov. 1.

Sunday, November 1, 1964: Long Beach Auditorium, Long Beach, CA
Dick and Dee Dee (backed by The Fender IV) played, third on the bill, an afternoon gig with The Rolling Stones, during their 2nd American tour. Jimmy Clanton, The Spats, The Vibrants and The Soul Brothers were also on the bill. The Fender IV were not on the bill and probably they were not even paid. Their future drummer Michael Stuart was in the audience and he knew immediately that he wanted to be in the band although at that time he was already playing with another local rock band called The Vectors.  

Friday-Saturday, January 1-2, 1965: The Mirage, Santa Monica, CA

Sunday, January 3, 1965: The Cliff House, Los Angeles, CA

Tuesday, January 5, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Wednesday, January 6, 1965: 23 Skidoo, 2116 Westwood Boulevard, West Los Angeles, CA

Thursday, January 7, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Friday-Saturday, January 8-9, 1965: The Mirage, Santa Monica, CA

Sunday, January 10, 1965: The Cliff House, Los Angeles, CA

Tuesday, January 12, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Wednesday, January 13, 1965: 23 Skidoo, 2116 Westwood Boulevard, West Los Angeles, CA

Thursday, January 14, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Friday-Saturday, January 15-16, 1965: The Mirage, Santa Monica, CA

Sunday, January 17, 1965: The Cliff House, Los Angeles, CA

Tuesday, January 19, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Wednesday, January 20, 1965: 23 Skidoo, 2116 Westwood Boulevard, West Los Angeles, CA

Thursday, January 21, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Supposedly tonight The Fender IV met rock n'roll singer Sir Walter Raleigh (aka Dewey Martin, future Buffalo Springfield's drummer) and he hired them as back-up band for a month tour under the name of 'Sir Raleigh and The Cupons'. He told them he would send them plane tickets. They didn't even really believe him until the place tickets arrived about a week later along with the records of the songs he wanted them to learn that he was going to sing.

Friday-Saturday, January 22-23, 1965: The Mirage, Santa Monica, CA

Sunday, January 24, 1965: The Cliff House, Los Angeles, CA

Tuesday, January 26, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Wednesday, January 27, 1965: 23 Skidoo, 2116 Westwood Boulevard, West Los Angeles, CA

Thursday, January 28, 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA

Friday, January 29, 1965: The Mirage, Santa Monica, CA

Supposedly tonight The Fender IV not played because they flew to Seattle, Washington, for the start of their tour with Sir Walter Raleigh.

Saturday, January 30, 1965: World Fair Pavilion, Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, WA

Sir Raleigh and The Cupons first gig of the tour. The Cupons did three songs then Sir Walter Raleigh came on and did three songs with them. When The Cupons first took the stage there was another set of drums on stage. They thought it was for the next act or something. They didn't really pay any attention to it. Then, about halfway through their second song the crowd started really going crazy, and the groove got way better. They looked around and there was Sir Walter Raleigh on the drums with this big grin on his face. They didn't even know he played drums. He only played during their songs. He came out front for his songs, and he never played drums again on the entire tour. He was always out front. The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, The Viceroys, The Sonics, The Astronauts, Jimmy Hannah, Terry Black and The Dynamics were also on the bill.

February 1965

The Fender IV released only in US their 2nd and last single: "Everybody Up / Malibu Run" (Imperial Records 66098).

early-mid February 1965: unknown venue, Seattle, WA
Sir Raleigh and The Cupons played for a couple of weeks in a unknown club.

mid-late February 1965: unknown venue, Juneau, AK

Sir Raleigh and The Cupons played for a couple of weeks in a unknown club.

ca. Sunday, February 28, 1965

Sir Raleigh and The Cupons return to Los Angeles when the tour ended. Sir Walter Raleigh tried to talk The Fender IV into leaving Randy Holden, and continuing with him as 'Sir Raleigh and The Cupons'. Keith Kestler was the only one who wanted to do it. He lobbied Joe Kooken very hard to make that change. He knew Randy intensely disliked playing with him, and, by this time he wasn't very fond of Randy. So it was the perfect solution for him. And there was a lot of money involved. Joe never gave it a serious thought, but Keith tried very hard to get him to make that move.

Friday-Saturday, March 5-6, 1965: The Mirage, Santa Monica, CA

Supposedly on Saturday night, Michael Stuart (b. Paul Michael Stuart-Ware, July 29, 1944, Texarkana, AR) was again in the audience and Donna Port, Mike's wife, told him the band were unhappy with their drummer Keith for his lack of drumming skills. Through Donna, Michael met the band after the show and he asked to try out for the band.

Sunday, March 7, 1965

Randy and Mike jammed with Michael Stuart at his parents home in Ladera Heights, a very quiet, upscale suburban L.A.'s neighbourhood. After running through a few tunes, they sat around and talked for a while. Then, in a minute, Randy looked up and told Michael that they want him as their new drummer and Michael said yes!. Soon after they moved into a big house together in Pacific Palisades.

THE FENDER IV #6 (MAR 7, 1965 - ca. MAY 1965) /

THE SONS OF ADAM #1 (ca. MAY 1965 - AUG 7, 1966)

1) Randy Holden

2) Joe Kooken

3) Mike Port

4) Michael Stuart drums

ca. March - May 1965: The Mirage, Santa Monica, CA
The band played in this club as house band every week on Fridays and Saturdays for months.

ca. March - May 1965: The Mirage, San Fernando Valley, CA
The band played in this club as house band every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for months.

ca. March - May 1965: 23 Skidoo, 2116 Westwood Boulevard, West Los Angeles, CA
The band played in this club as house band every week on Wednesdays for months.

ca. March - May 1965: Cisco's, Manhattan Beach, CA

ca. March - May 1965: The Cliff House, Los Angeles, CA
The band played in this club as house band every week on Sundays for months.

ca. March - May 1965: Warehouse IX, 2214 Stoner Avenue, West Los Angeles, CA

ca. May 1965: The Beaver Inn, Westwood, CA
One night, when the group was playing in this real popular bar close to U.C.L.A., they got word that famous Hollywood record producer named Kim Fowley was coming down to check them out, and he would be bringing some friends with him. The band don't know who Kim Fowley was, but they left Kim's name at the door. The next night Fowley walked in and at the break, he met them over by the edge of the stage and introduced himself and told them he liked the group and he thought he could get them some work in Hollywood. Then he said The Fender IV was a dog shit name and he suggested The Sons Of Adam as new name for the band. And then he left.

ca. June 1965: unknown little recording studio, off Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
The Sons Of Adam were hired as back-up band for a studio session with old black jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist named Bulee 'Slim' Gaillard. Slim and the band recorded just a couple of tunes including a new version of an old Slim Gaillard's novelty hit that he had in 1945 called: "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)". Originally done to a "boom-chink" beat, The Sons laid down a real hard core rock and roll foundation and Slim sang the song in a rock and roll style. The band got paid for the session, and never heard anything more about it. They don't even know if this tunes came out as single, but, if it did, they don't think their name would be on the record. By the way, Slim Gaillard lip-synched this new version of "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti-Put-Ti)" on a episode of the Los Angeles' TV show 'Shivaree' broadcasted on Saturday, July 31.  

ca. July 1965 - ca. March 1966: Gazzarri's, 319 N La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
The Sons Of Adam played in this "go-go nightclub" as house band five hours a night six nights a week (Tuesday-Sunday) for almost a year.

ca. July 1965 - ca. March 1966: Gazzarri's On The Strip, 9039 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA
The Sons Of Adam played in this "garage-rock nightclub" as house band every week on Mondays (five hours a night) for almost a year.

1965
Ever since the Long Beach gig with The Rolling Stones, Dick St. John had been in on-and-off negotiations with Randy to manage and produce the group. Dick and his partner Mike Post had been doing some preliminary recordings of The Sons Of Adam over in the garage studio Dick and Dee Dee used to record their stuff, and the group had been doing some hanging out over at Dick's house in Santa Monica, the one he shared with his mother. Problem was, like a lot of the people who had designs on the future of the group, Dick and Mike kept trying to turn the group into somrthing they weren't, something they knew they could never be. Dick even overdubbed his voice onto one of the demo cuts the group did over at Dick's garage studio in Santa Monica. Dick saw The Sons Of Adam as a way to shoehorn himself into the new rock scene tht was taking over popular music. It finally got to the point where Dick and Mike didn't want to invest any more time or money into the group without them signing a contract. Dick had mentioned a few times that he expected them to sign one pretty soon; so one night Randy called Dick up on the phone and gave him the bad news that they weren't interested. Dick was real upset about it. He was yelling and screaming that they had wasted his time.

1965

Famous director Sidney Pollack saw the group one night and decided to cast them as the club band that would appear in a black and white film he was about to begin, featuring Anne Bancroft and Sydney Poitier, "The Slender Thread". They shot their part on an enormous sound stage (section "C") at Paramount Studios, in Hollywood. Sydney Poitier wasn't scheduled to appear in their scene, therefore they didn't see him at all during the two or three days they were on the set, but Anne Bancroft was there the whole time. They didn't actually play when they were filming. The group had gone into the Goldstar studio in Hollywood and recorded the sound track (pressed on acetate that was in possession of Michael Stuart for years before he threw it away!) a few days before their scene was shot, so all the extras were dancing and gettin' down to a record, while they pretended to be playing, because it was supposed to be a real smoky nightclub. They even got billing in the closing credits for this film, even if actually other people's music was dubbed in (kind of insulting it was, because what they recorded was much better than the squeeky-clean crap they substituted!!).

December 1965

The Sons Of Adam were invited to the premiere of the film "The Slender Thread" in a unknown Hollywood's theatre.

December 1965
The Sons Of Adam released only in US their 1st single: "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day / Take My Hand" (Decca 31887). The single was produced by Gary Usher and was recorded at L.A.'s 'Columbia Studios'. Both songs were also released posthumously on The Sons Of Adam's extend play titled: "Sons Of Adam" (1980; Moxie 1032) and on Randy Holden's album titled: "Early Works '64-'66 Featuring The Fender IV - Sons Of Adam" (Captain Trips Records; March 1997; re-mastered and re-issued as "Sons Of Adam - Bytes" on Guitar God Records 2007).

1965 or 1966: unknown recording studio, Los Angeles, CA

The Sons Of Adam recorded two tracks: "I Told You Once Before" and "You Make Me Feel Good", which were later released posthumously on a Randy Holden's album titled: "Early Works '64-'66 Featuring The Fender IV - Sons Of Adam" (Captain Trips Records; March 1997; re-mastered and re-issued as "Sons Of Adam - Bytes" on Guitar God Records 2007).

January - March 1966: Cinnamon Cinder, 4401 Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA
The Sons Of Adam played in this club for a couple of months as house band. Every Wednesday night was "guest star" night and they would serve as the back-up band for whatever star showed up on Wednesdays. Glen Campbell was the guest star one night. Dick and Dee Dee was also the "Wednesday guest star" during their final week at the club.

ca. February 1966
One night, after walking out of Eatin' Affair, a small restaurant across the street from the Whisky a' Go Go, on 8958 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, Michael Stuart and Mike Port were approached by a couple of guys that stopped them and ask them if they would like to do an ad for Leslie Speakers Corporation, for fifty bucks a piece for a couple hours work the next morning, over in Palos Verdes, CA. They accepted the offer and the next morning they all met over in Palos Verdes near a field of yellow flowers and Michael and Mike and two other guys tey never met before, posed for some pictures, collected fifty bucks and then went home. A few months later Michael Stuart saw the ads in Wallichs Music City, a record and instrument store at 1501 Vine Street, Downtown Hollywood, on posters and cardboard supports with pamplets. In these ads the four guys were presented as a real rock band (but they weren't!) called Beasts of the Field (a phrase taken from the Holy Bible!!).

ca. February 1966: RCA Studio "B", RCA Music Center Of The World, 6363 Sunset Boulevard, Downtown Hollywood, CA
The Sons Of Adam recorded two tracks: "You're A Better Man Than I" and "Saturday's Son", using Stones' engineer, Dave Hassinger, and their studio. Gary Usher was the producer.

March ??, 1966: Bido Lito's, 1608 North Cosmo Street near Selma, Downtown Hollywood, CA with Love

Friday-Saturday, April 8-9, 1966: Fillmore Auditorium, 1805 Geary Boulevard at Fillmore Street, Fillmore District, San Francisco, CA with Love, The Charlatans

Friday-Thursday, April 22-28, 1966: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, CA with Linda Clark & Randy Meek

Friday-Saturday, April 29-30, 1966: Avalon Ballroom, 1268 Sutter Street at Van Ness Street, San Francisco, CA with Grass Roots, Big Brother and The Holding Company (cancelled)

Friday-Saturday, May 13-14, 1966: Avalon Ballroom, 1268 Sutter Street at Van Ness Street, San Francisco, CA with The Blues Project, Quicksilver Messenger Service

ca. June 1966: RCA Studio "B", RCA Music Center Of The World, 6363 Sunset Boulevard, Downtown Hollywood, CA

The band recorded two unreleased tracks: "Feathered Fish (1° version)" and "Hey Joe", using Stones' engineer, Dave Hassinger, and their studio. Gary Usher was the producer. The song "Feathered Fish" was wrote by Arthur Lee of Love.

ca. July 1966: Losers North, Los Gatos, San Jose, CA

The band rented an apartment in San Jose for about one month, because they were hired to play at a local club called the Losers North, for one or two week. The Losers North was owned by the Macarelli Bros. They were both Italian gangsters very high up in the San Jose mafia. By the way, for Randy Holden this gigs really sucked because the owner, typical of clubs, demanded they turn down, but the rule for him was "Never Turn Down!". In the history of the band, they were loud, louder than any American band of the time. They had a big following that loved what they did that volume was exciting to them. Anytime they turned down as club owners would demand, the audience lost interest and drifted away, and the club owners would start losing money immediately, no beer sales, no one dancing to move the beer out of their systems, and they'd be fired, and the audience would follow them to the next club, they'd play loud, the club owner would be making money hand over fist, with lines around the block three deep, just to get in to hear them, then the cycle would start again, turn down, audience gets bored, they turn back up, audience comes back,they get fired, go find another gig, and the club would go out of business. It was a regular event. Same thing at the Losers North, from which they got fired after three or four days, because Randy basically wouldn't play and just stood on stage with his ear pressed up against the speaker of his amp, because he hated playing quiet bar background music and he rebelled lime hell. The band, beginning with Joe, always wanted to turn down. Joe was afraid they'd run out of gigs to play, and be out of work, Randy instead was more afraid of getting trapped in a bar rut never able to rise above it and generate excitement. The audience reaction to them playing loud and exciting told the truth!!!. Meanwhile, also during their stay in San Jose, Michael Stuart and Mike Port saw lead guitarist Craig Tarwater played at the Losers North one night with a pickup band, and they both thought it would be nice to have him in place of Randy, because they were both fed up with the latter, who had become very hard to work with at that time for the reasons mentioned above. Michael and Mike also told Joe Kooken about their idea of replacing Randy with Craig, and so Joe the next night went him too at the Losers North to see Craig playing. Then, Michael, Mike and Joe, asked Craig Tarwater if he wanted to join their band, and after the latter said "of course!", Joe went to Randy Holden and told him that they were moving on without him as soon as they finished their gigs already set earlier.   

July 1966
Sons Of Adam released only in US their 2nd single: "You’re A Better Man Than I / Saturday’s Son" (Decca 31995). Both songs were also released posthumously on Sons Of Adam's extend play titled: "Sons Of Adam" (1980; Moxie 1032) and on Randy Holden's album titled: "Early Works '64-'66 Featuring The Fender IV - Sons Of Adam" (Captain Trips Records; March 1997; re-mastered and re-issued as "Sons Of Adam - Bytes" on Guitar God Records 2007).

Friday, August 5, 1966: Longshoremen's Hall, 400 North Point, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA with Bo Diddley

Saturday, August 6, 1966: Avalon Ballroom, 1268 Sutter Street at Van Ness Street, San Francisco, CA with Bo Diddley

Sunday, August 7, 1966: Longshoremen's Hall, 400 North Point, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA with Bo Diddley, Little Walter

That night the band told Randy to turn it down (the acoustics in the hall were horrid, it was a cement and steel dome, and the sound just bounced off the cement and crashed back into itself endlessly), but Randy's rule was "Never turn it down!". When the guys argued against him, that was the ultimate mutiny, and he said thats it, he walked away and never turned back. Randy didn't really want to do that. That was his band, but you can't compromise with that which you do best. After the gig Randy packed his gear in his car and drove home to L.A. and told his then wife what had happened, and it was over, and she agreed with him that going the direction of the club route was a dead end and it seems he was the only one who saw that (soon after Randy joined The Other Half after declining to filling in for Jeff Beck on a The Yardbirds gig at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Sep. 7, 1966).

Monday, August 8, 1966

In San Jose, Craig Tarwater (b. Leslie Craig Tarwater, December 3, 1946, Walla Walla, WA) officialy joins The Sons Of Adam and with him as their new lead guitar player, they going back to Los Angeles. As soon they arrived in L.A., Craig Tarwater changed his name to 'John Simmons' (he paid twenty bucks for that guy's (the real John Simmons!) ID so he could obtain a California ID, a social security card, to play in night clubs) and also, but not for the same reason, Joe Kooken changed his name to 'Jac Ttanna' (or 'Joe-Jac' as Mike Port used to call him).

THE SONS OF ADAM #2 (AUG 8, 1966 - ca. AUG 28, 1966)

1) Joe Kooken (aka Jac Ttanna)

2) Mike Port

3) Michael Stuart

4) Craig Tarwater (aka John Simmons) vocals, lead guitar

Tuesday, August 9 - ca. Sunday, August 28, 1966

With John Simmons in the band they evolved into one of the first jam bands. They improvised like crazy every night. They played maybe at the Whisky a' Go Go, The Hullabaloo and Bido Lito's in Los Angeles, and also maybe in a beer bar (The Flying Jib?) in Redondo Beach. Supposedly also around that time (or maybe one month later), Iron Butterfly guests at the band's home for sometimes.    

ca. Monday, August 29, 1966

Although the new line-up was very good musically, they weren't making any money, so Michael Stuart left the band to joins Love because the latter threw a lot of money at Michael to get him to joins them. He was replaced by Randy Carlisle (ex The Yellow Payges), a very young drummer with a lot of potential.  

THE SONS OF ADAM #3 (ca. AUG 29, 1966 - JUN 18, 1967)

1) Jac Ttanna

2) Mike Port

3) John Simmons

4) Randy Carlisle drums

October ?, 1966: Bido Lito's, 1608 North Cosmo Street near Selma Avenue, Downtown Hollywood, CA

Wednesday, October 19 - Sunday, October 23 and Wednesday, October 26 - Sunday, October 30, 1966: Whisky à Go Go, 8901 Sunset Boulevard at Clark, West Hollywood, CA with Love (19-21, 23, 26-30), Buffalo Springfield (22)

ca. November 1966

The Sons Of Adam released only in US their third and last single: "Feathered Fish (2° version) / Baby Show The World" (Alamo 5473). The engineer and producer of this single were both so bad that Jac Ttanna and Lee Michaels eventually went into the control booth to straighten things out, and John Simmons played both guitars parts. Both songs were also released posthumously on Sons Of Adam's extend play titled: "Sons Of Adam" (1980; Moxie 1032).

December ?, 1966: Bido Lito's, 1608 North Cosmo Street near Selma Avenue, Downtown Hollywood, CA

January ?, 1967: unknown venue, Dallas, TX

Saturday, March 4, 1967: Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA with Love, Jackie Lee, The Renegades

unknown date, 1967: The Hullabaloo, Earl Carroll Theater, 6230 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA with The Yellow Payges

Sunday, June 18, 1967 (approximate date): The Hullabaloo, Earl Carroll Theater, 6230 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA with Moby Grape, Shadow Legend and (possibly) The Yellow Payges 

When it was time for them to go on, their drummer, Randy Carlisle, could not be found, and Moby Grape drummer Don Stevenson offered to sit in for him. Moby Grape guitarist Jerry Miller sitting in for a song or two too. Randy showed up in the middle of the set, but Jac Ttanna was so disgusted with him, he didn't let him play. Don was great, and Jerry and Craig made a wonderful guitar combo so they had a lot of fun and went out with a very good show. Sons Of Adam broke up right after this gig. Jac Ttanna and Mike Port go to form Genesis (Mike one year later played briefly in Steppenwolf too), Randy Carlisle joins The Other Half and John Simmons joins The Daily Flash.