Texas native Gaylan Latimer was a singer-songwriter who first recorded with a group called the Dawgs. The band consisted of four young gentlemen: Fred Arechiga on drums, Bobby Sharp on background vocals and acoustic guitar, Gaylan Latimer on lead vocals and 12 string acoustic, and a bass played by the name of Sammie, whose last name I was unable to unearth.

The Dawgs recorded one single on the Pic 1 label “Won’t You Cry for Me” written in early 1965. The B Side was “Shy,” a song Gaylan had written when he was in the 4th or 5th grade. This single was recorded at Gold Star Studio and produced by the famed Huey Meaux. Gaylan shortened his last name to Ladd, as a stage name, at Meaux’s request. After this record Meaux decided to refashion The Dawgs persona by billing them as Bob and Gaylon. Bob and Gaylon recorded for the Ventural label “Don’t Go in My Room Girl,” and “It Belongs To You.” The group had a very English, mop-top, beetle boot look. Using both compositions by Bobby Sharpe and Gaylan, Meaux promoted off a concept that Bob and Gaylon were a Texas/English band. Once executives at Epic records were convinced Bobby Sharpe was from Dover, England they signed the band.


Epic was falling in line to financially back Bob and Gaylon when Bobby Sharpe leaked to the Houston News he was not actually from England. This caused Epic to pull the plug on support for that band, who was hoping an authentic Texas/English group would compete with the British invasion. Meaux would later use this deceptive marketing strategy of creating a Texas/English persona when engineering and producing the Sir Douglas Quintet.

Now in Houston, Bob and Gaylon played all around town opening for many famed acts of the day like Jimmy Reed, Sir Douglas Quintet, Roy Head and B.J Thomas amongst many others. One night in the KILT (Houston radio station) waiting room, Gaylan, who was waiting for a ride home, became riddled with frustrations upon the thought of being forgotten. He wrote, “Think About Me”, a song that would turn out to be his biggest musical success. Freddie Fender covered the song and it soon became a hit on the MGM label.


The flip of the original version is a tough/garage song, which was written by Latimer as well. In this tune Gaylan screams out in dissatisfaction of a cheating female companion, “I can’t stand your loving ways.” In 1965 Latimer recorded a few songs in Meaux’s recording studio, Pasadena Sounds. At this session Latimer recorded “Smokey Places” and “The Painted Lady.” Meaux put both on his Ventural label. The single “Smokey Places,” turned some heads of MGM, which sparked “Her Loving Way” being released on a major label. Within that same year Meaux was arrested, leaving Gaylan in a tough spot.


Feeling disillusioned, and the fact that his engineer/producer/manager was in prison, he moved back to Waco. At this time he had no record deal and played with anyone he could. One group he played with was called The Silvertones, who recorded a few singles for the T.R.C. label in Chuck Harding’s recording studio. Gaylan, playing at various venues around town, summoned a few musicians in the Waco area and started playing as Gaylan and the Dawgs. Being that Gaylan had already played with other musicians prior to using the name; the band changed their name to Gaylan Ladd and the East Side Transfer.



Right around this time in late 1967 Meaux was released from prison. Meaux contacted Gaylan to lay down whatever he had. “Repulsive Situation” illustrated Gaylan’s frustration with his musical career. This tune contains a bit of Fuzz and slow repetitive melody, which summons a depressed sentiment that he was feeling at the time.

After this recording The East Side Transfer split and Gaylan joined members of The Silvertones to record under the name Heather Black. Heather Black recorded a few singles and a full length as well. After some personnel changes in Heather Black, the group took on a female vocalist who was Chuck Harding’s daughter, Glennis Harding. I was able to dig up a track, which Gaylan wrote and arranged called “You Better Find Your Way.” This single was recorded under Glennis Annette and the Confederates for the T.R.C. label. This single is chock full of reverb, laid over a layer of distant voices, conjoining to create an eerie pop number.


Gaylan later became a staff song writer for Meaux in the 70’s under the assumed name Emery Cambel, which he used to write tunes for Peggy Scott, Bobby Bland and Freddy Fender. He continued to record with Heather Black over the years.

I referenced Gaylan Latimer’s official website along with House of hits. I recommend any Texas enthusiast pick up this book. I now invite you to enjoy one of Waco’s finest, Gaylan Latimer.

LISTEN: Gaylan Ladd – Her Loving Way

LISTEN: Gaylan Ladd – Painted Lady

LISTEN: Gaylan Ladd and The East Side Transfer – Repulsive Situation

LISTEN: Glennis Anette and The Confederates – You Better Find Your Way

Neal Ford and the Fanatics were a 60s pop rock group from Houston, with a polished sound, which no one in the circuit could touch. They played every venue possible and practiced quite often at the Catacombs creating a real tight sound. Neal Ford and the Fanatics are well known for their hits on Hickory Records out of Nashville, however Neal Ford recorded a solo record as well. Neal Ford’s first band was called the Prisoner’s while he was enrolled in Howard Payne College. The short-lived group was made up of Ray Hildebrand and Kim Espy (who later became the male vocal portion of “Hey Hey Paula” of Paul & Paula). They later changed their name to the Ramada’s after the hotels, which at the time were just starting to open up around Houston. After the Ramada’s Neal formed the Fanatics, which later turned into Neal Ford and the Fanatics.


Neal Ford was born in San Antonio Texas, later moving to Houston as a boy and graduated from Jones High School. He attended Howard Payne College, where his music really took form. Fords favorite sport was pole vaulting in his youth, but really had passion for any competitive sport. His band consisted of: Johnny Stringfellow better known as “String” being their lead guitar player. String was born in Houston and went to Reagan High School. String only played with the group for a short time for he was drafted into the army. Next is Jon Pereles who was born in Miami Beach, Florida. The group called him “Big Jon,” he originally joined to play rhythm guitar, but seeing that String was drafted Big Jon became the lead player. From what I have read Jon’s writing portion of tunes was the reason the group went for more of a pop accessible route, after playing harder material in the early days. Next is John Cravey who was born in Memphis, Tennessee. John later moved to Houston to graduate from Spring Branch High School, continuing his education South Texas College. He was the drummer and writer of one of the groups toughest songs recorded “Pain.” Lanier Greig was the Keyboard player hailing from Houston and graduated from Memorial High School. Lanier is also known for writing some material from the group, most notably co writing, “Wait For Me” with Big Jon. Next W. T. Johnson was born in Galveston and also graduated from Spring Branch High School in Houston. “Dub” as the group called him was the bass player. The Groups Manager/Producer was Dick Ames hailing from Denver, Colorado. He moved to Texas to attend Texas Christian University.


I have picked four of this group’s singles to feature for this weeks Texas grooves. I normally only choose one or two, however this week have taken on a group with such a large recording history that picking just one selection would have been a daunting task.


Neal’s solo disc was put out on Pablo Records with “The Very First Time.” This track was written by Ford (like most of the fanatics tracks) and Kim Espy, First Time was recorded in 1964. Any listener will quickly realize this track is like so many slow early sixties cuts with an interesting keyboard section just over the horizon of the entire piece. I have chosen this one because it is an early representation of Ford.


Second I have chosen the Fanatics cover of the Zombies single “Woman.” I am a big fan of this cover for its raw rendition, which really gives Rod Argent a run for his money. This cut was never pressed until a small label released it in the 90s, Caped Crusader. It was recorded in 1966 plainly as the Fanatics, with its screaming organ intro to its driving fuzz and screaming harmonies, really gives a rise to the idea of an early punk scene that blasted out in the mid sixties.


The third choice is the most unusual track the group recorded. With almost a pre Ozzy Osborne/Alice Cooper talky and growling lead vocal, which summons a dark, frightening sound that is solidified by haunting laughter on the bottom end of the cut. This track was at first considered the plug side, however became over shadowed by flip “Gonna Be My Girl.” Here is the story in Fords words:

“Here’s the real story on “Shame On You”. I wrote the song around 1965 (I think). We recorded it at Jones Sound Recording in the Heights. The owner Doyle Jones and Mickey Gilley were the engineers. I took the tape to Nashville and got an offer from Hickory Records owned by Acuff/Rose Publishing. At the time they were very successful with acts like The Newbeats-”Bread and Butter”, Sue Thompson and other pop acts. The main song that they were interested in was “Shame On You”. If you look on the single you will see that it was released as the “A” side and was being promoted as the single until Joe Ford at KNUZ flipped it one day and played “Gonna Be My Girl” which was written by Jon Pereles. The phones lit up and KILT jumped on the flip side also and it leaped to # 1 staying on top of the charts for weeks. This changed the whole direction of our album and future recording efforts. Prior to that we were doing harder rock oriented music like “Woman”, “I Will Not Be Lonely”, “Pain” etc. “Gonna Be My Girl” took us to doing more of Jon’s compositions which was a much lighter pop/rock sound. I called it Hard Bubblegum. In retrospect, I wish we had stayed more in the original style. “I Will Not Be Lonely” was my original direction for us and the real me at the time. I never intended to sing “Shame On You” as you hear it on the record. It just developed to that in the studio. I’m totally shocked to see it on so many internet sites and on so many compilation CD’s. It and “I Will Not Be Lonely” are getting more play and recognition now than back when we did them.”

I would have chosen “I Will Not Be Lonely” for this post yet this record, like so many others is a bit out of my pocket book’s range, however if I dig up a copy I will post it here. Until then check out this site authored by Bill Thompson, it is a wonderful resource for this group.


Fourth I have chosen “Pain,” which is another early punk/rocker for the Fanatics, this time recording as Neal Ford and The Fanatics. Recorded in 1967 in Jones Studio in Houston for Hickory. This track features less of a raw sound with more melodic harmonies and much more of a pop sensibility than the prior two selections. The Theme of this cut portrays the image of a boy’s heart being cut in two by his lover and the PAIN he is enduring.

Now dig the sounds of Houston one more time!!!

LISTEN: Neal Ford – The Very First Time

LISTEN: The Fanatics – Woman

LISTEN: Neal Ford and The Fanatics – Shame On You

LISTEN: Neal Ford and The Fanatics – Pain

Corpus Christi was quite a breeding ground for early punk groups. Zakary Thaks has come to be what many consider as one of the innovators of Texas garage. Thaks came out of the demise of two groups The Marauders and The Riptides, which mostly played surf instrumentals. The members of the group were Chris Gerniottis (vocals), Pete Stinson (rhythm guitar), Rex Gregory (bass) and John Lopez (lead guitar), and Stan Moore (drums). Over the few years they were together, a few line up changes took place, members went on to play with other excellent bands including Bubble Puppy and Liberty Bell.
Zakary Thaks recorded for the local J Beck label along side The Bad Seeds. J Beck was owned by Carl Becker and his brother in law Jack Salyers, which came to create J Beck. Their first single was an original tune “Bad Girl” with a Kinks cover for the flip, “I Need You.” Bad Girl was recorded out of Jimmy Nicholl’s studio owner of Pharaoh Records. The second single, “Face To Face,” was recorded at Jones Studio in Houston in 1967. This was an eight-track studio, a far cry from the two-track studio used for their first single. Being an intense, tight group the Thaks were renowned for their live shows and would pack venues across Texas.

Since most of our readers here have heard of this group many times, and because of the abundance of information and plenty of interviews on the web, I am going to keep it short this week. I am posting this disc because I was able to catch the Texas Monthly showcase during SXSW, and Chris Gerniottis played with The Ugly Beats, I was blown off my feet. It was as if all the Zakary Thaks records were being played over the loud speaker. Gerniottis is as punk as ever with all the tone he had in 1966. I could not believe the sound that came off the stage that evening. Other groups in attendance that night were the Green Fuzz of Bridgeport, Mouse and The Traps of Tyler, Christopher and The Souls of McAllen, The Nova’s of Dallas and Kenny and The Kasuals of Dallas. The night was chock full of Texas Nuggets, who with out a doubt can still play and play with the fury they had in the mid sixties. If any one has not heard of this group please read this interview atT. Tex Hex, and if you can, check out Not Fade Away issue # 3, which is where I was able to score the scan below of The Thaks playing live in 1966.

LISTEN: Zakary Thaks – Face To Face

Today’s selection is a two part unhinged, proto-punk number from Ft. Worth, Texas. The Elite were a four piece, headed up by Rodger Brownlee on guitar and vocals, Eddie Deaton on lead guitar and Bob Barnes on bass, I was not able to dig up the name of the drummer as of yet. The groups recording of “My Confusion,” put them on the map in the Ft. Worth scene, along side the heavier acts of the day, Larry and The Bluenotes, The Cynics etc.

“One Potato/Two Potato,” a Texas take by the Paschal High School based group, borrowed from the “PAPA OOM MOW-MOW” theme from the Minneapolis group the Trashmen’s “Surfin’ Bird.” This track by no means is a cover, however borrows considerably from “Surfin’ Bird.”

The Elite were known for the their unusual stage antics including opening up for themselves, under a band alias, decked out in biker gear with Nazi helmets and sunglasses. They would stage a fight in front of their audience in which the other three members would rip off Bob Barnes clothes. They were also known for smashing their instruments and equipment, on stage, in the manner, The Who would have been doing in the same time period.

This disc is one of my favorites, with the trashmen take and then the instrumental on the flip with it’s top layer of thick, slow, greasy guitar work. These cuts pop up on the Ft. Worth Teen Scene comps. These guys are still around and in 2009 played the Ponderosa Stomp Showcase at The Continental Club, with The Excels. Dig it.

The footage above is from a short documentary that Norton Records put out in conjunction with their Ft. Worth Teen Scene in 2008. Teen-A-Go Go

LISTEN: The Elite – One Potato

LISTEN: The Elite – Two Potato

Due to a family engagement I was unable to post this past Thursday, so I am going to make a short post about a group in which I have been unable to find any real information. I have about five or six singles in the same boat, which I have been sitting on because of a lack of information and sources. I have been researching this group ever since I picked this disc up at the record store I work at Breakaway Records. I know the group is from Texas and the single “What To Do” was recorded in 1967. This track and the flip have popped up on a few comps, most notably Texas Flashback and I found a copy on popsike, but of course no real information about the group. I really enjoy this single for the recording on “What To Do” is very primitive giving this track a crude and raw feel. I love how the first line of vocals is almost inaudible. The flip “Worms” has much more of a later sixties blues influence with straight forward guitar solos. Hope you enjoy, by the way if anyone of our readers has any information about this record label or this group please comment or email us and I’ll post up your info and source you as well.

LISTEN: The Modulation Corporation – What To Do

Since we have not posted in a while, due to the holidays, and normally only give our readers’ record banter, I figured I would start us off with a short history lesson to bring home the rebellious tone of this weeks dug up rarity. In the fall of 1775, The United States Navy was established to intercept incoming British ships carrying war supplies to the British troops in the colonies. To aid in this, the Second Continental Congress authorized the mustering of five companies of Marines to accompany the Navy on their first mission. The first Marines that enlisted were from Philadelphia and they carried drums painted yellow, depicting a coiled rattlesnake with thirteen rattles, and the motto “Don’t Tread On Me.”

Coining themselves “The Outlaws” sums up the sound of this weeks selection of 60’s Texas garage. Kit and The Outlaws evolved from their previous name The Outlaws. Hailing from Dallas and led by Kit Massingill, they first recorded a single (Worlds Apart/Fun, Fame & Fortune) on the In Label, which was produced by the famed Tommy Allsup. After dropping this first record the group changed a few members to later record a fuzzed up version of Midnight Hour. This cover gave the group some international distribution by way of Phillips Records.


The anthem of rebellion on the B-side of this disc sparked my interest in this group. In 1966 the group recorded “Don’t Tread on Me” at Sellars Studios in downtown Dallas for Black Knight Records. After this recording session, the group decided to change their name from The Outlaws to Kit and The Outlaws, simultaneously signing a 5-year contract with Phillips. The original Black Knight pressings list the band name as The Outlaws and later pressings (scanned) read Kit and The Outlaws. Because the record contains so much force and fury, with the menacing vocals and fuzzed up instrumentation this disc has become known as one of the best punk singles of all time. The Outlaws gained some fame as they flew up the charts because of the Pickett cover, opening for the likes of Herman’s Hermits and Sunny and Cher. The group was a four piece: Kit Massengill on lead guitar, Joe Jesmer on drums, Jerry Colwell on vocals, and Alan Rafkin on bass. This single has survived threw the years and was even covered by The Cramps with different lyrics as “Nest of the Cukoo Bird.” I want to thank Chas Kit of Garage Hangover, most of this weeks post came straight from his site.

LISTEN: Kit and The Outlaws – Don’t Tread on Me

LISTEN: Kit and The Outlaws – Midnight Hour