"I was sitting innocently in my dorm room at U of H, looking to
get in as much trouble as possible in late 1966, when my old high school
surfing chum, Clay Stewart, came by to tell me of a scene he'd fallen
into in S.A. that he was convinced I needed to be a part of. I'd written
some poetry, and my first song called "Day For Love", and Clay
explained some friends had formed a psychedelically oriented band playing
music the likes he'd never heard before. Jazz, folk, rock, and pre-Pythagorean
tunings all combined with great beatlesque harmonies. So much for college.
I cashed in the pre-paid tuition and was off to S.A..
I'll never forget the first practice I heard. It was in Bobby Grossman's
living room. I couldn't believe the sound. Don Harding leading the raga-rock
sound playing a Gretch country gentleman, Will (then Billy) Bellamy played
bass, Rex Foster played an electric 12 string, Clay Stewart played bongos
and congas, and Jimmy Newhouse played drums. The three part harmonies
were absolutely ethereal and Newhouse' drumming was really intricate.
He sounded like a small factory or something.
Soon thereafter Bob Lenz came in from U. C. Santa Barbara with a young
jazz singer named Kitty at the suggestion of Phil Krumm, who had the dubious
job of managing the whole famn damily. Lenz was a classically trained
product of two M.I.T professors, totally brilliant,but so high strung
there wasn't enough valium in production to keep him from losing it at
a moment's notice. He took my Day For Love song and arranged it bossa-nova
style, which worked perfectly. He left the group immediately after smashing
his Les Paul on the floor of a recording studio while attempting a perfect
1st take on some demo they were trying to nail down.I think Kurt Linhof
joined in at Jimmy's behest before the first, and probably most memorable
gig, the grand opening of Steve Perron's club" The Mind's Eye",
where they opened for The 13th Floor Elevators.
Other gigs included the Doris Miller Auditorium in Austin with the Conqueroo.I
think Will left for Cal. meaning to re-assemble there, but it didn't work
out. What did work out years later was the group Joker Moon, which he
and Don (then "Don Earl") Harding formed with Merrily Weeber,
but that is Will's tale to tell."
'Hi' to all who remember......."
_George Maillot, April 2002
FEB 28, 2010 - George adds more: I met Freddie Krc several years ago at Betty Berchelman's house party with freddie and Cam (I think). Absolutely blew his mind when I threw out The Children (lived with them in Houston in '71) and mentioned Cassell Webb who he sees in London from time to time. She's producing rock at Abbey Roads these days (or was those days). Think the conversation started with the mention of Roky Erickson and I let slip that Rachels Children opened for the Elevators at the grand opening of The Mind's Eye in S.A. (Steve Perron's psychedelic nite club here). When I got to the part where Tommy and Galindo had to crash at our place after the gig we were officially linked via the ether of that place in time. Can't remember if I shared this story with you before or not. Will stay in touch, george Maillot.