Which band IS really America's Greatest (rock & roll band)?

Damn initforthemusic, that’s quite a lot of favorites you got there! You must have gone through your record collection, taking notes ;-) .

Some of your nominees have a special meaning to me. The Chocolate Watchband were local San Jose heroes when I was a kid, and I saw them live many times. Even closer to me, their original lineup included Jo Kemling on Vox Continental organ and Rich Young on bass. I auditioned for a group that was forming in the Spring of ’65, that group consisting of Jo and Rich, along with Jo’s younger brother Chuck, whom I went to school with. Chuck and I were Freshman at Cupertino High, Jo and Rich were at Foothill College. I and another drummer auditioned, and I was chosen. That other drummer was Pete Curry, who now plays bass (he also plays guitar, and is a working recording engineer) in Los Straitjackets.

We worked up a set of British Invasion covers (I was assigned the task of singing "Help") and were about to start playing out when The Watchband, also just forming, stole away Jo and Rich! So ended my first band-to-be. The Watchband also stole their drummer Gary Andrijasevich from a Cupertino Frat Band named The Squyers, and I ended up being Gary’s replacement in that band for about a year, playing teen dances at High Schools, youth clubs, etc. Lots of Chuck Berry, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Animals, Surf, etc. songs.

Gary Andrijasevich was also at Cupertino High, but a couple years ahead of Chuck and I. On the day of The Watchband’s first live show in the Summer of ’65, Gary became ill. Pete Curry subbed for him (with no rehearsal), doing a fine job. The Watchband played around the Bay Area for a few years, and can be seen in the Roger Corman teen exploitation movie Riot On Sunset Strip, doing their shameless Rolling Stones imitation. When they broke up (around the end of ’67, I believe), Andrijasevich and Watchband lead guitarist Mark Loomis started another band, named The Electric Tingle Guild. I saw them live only once, and they were great, doing all originals. MUCH better than The Watchband.

Say, being as you obviously are into Garage, are you hip to The Lyres? My favorite in that genre, a great live band. I saw The Sonics in L.A. not that long ago (they have reformed, with three original members). Not as good live as The Lyres, but their records are killer!