PHOTO GALLERY - BANDS AND ARTISTS

Doug Smith writes: "Mike...love the website. I was wondering if I could suggest an addition of a band I was in from Austin 1966-1969? We were The Eternal Life Corporation. We had regular gigs at the Jade Room, New Orleans Club, lots of frat parties, and played S.A. a few times, including The PussyKat Club. Bands who played similar venues at the time included The Wig, Lavender Hill Express, 13th Floor Elevators, Strawberry Shoemaker, etc. We placed 2nd in the Austin Aqua Festival Battle of the Bands one year. We were kind of unique at the time because, along with myself as lead singer, we also had a girl singer.

Originally formed by college students in the University of Texas-Austin dormitory, Brackenridge Hall, The Eternal Life Corporation became a popular club and party band in the late 1960's. Originally called "The Organism" the band wore white Levi jackets, sleeves cut off, and a logo sewn on the back that looked like an amoeba. Their very first gig was at a swimming pool party at a near-campus apartment complex and the net pay for the night was "nada". (Free food and beer though!) Later the name was changed and the ELC took on the Eqyptian symbol of eternal life, the ankh, as it's logo

The "nada" quickly became regular steady paying gigs at popular local clubs including The Jade Room and The New Orleans Club, as well as countless appearances performing at on and off-campus fraternity parties and various other public appearances in and around the state that showed a uniqueness in the band. Their set list included a broad range of musical genres, from psychedelic to soul. In a typical 2 to 3 hour gig, sets included not only the music of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Rolling Stones, 13th Floor Elevators, The Who, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Cream, Young Rascals, Steppenwolf, Jefferson Airplane, and The Beatles to name a few, but also Aretha Franklin, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett, and The Bar-Kays. This was made possible by the band's makeup which including both a male and female lead singer and instrumentation that went beyond guitars, bass, drums, and keyboard but also included at times the electric jug, trumpet, and harmonica.

Founders Charlie Cobb (rhythm guitar), Don McQuarie (keyboards), Robert Jackson (lead guitar), Ken Miller (bass), and Doug Smith (vocals, trumpet, harmonica, tambourine, electric jug) recruited local drummer Bob Powell and Austin High School student Tricia Johns (vocals). "Trish" could belt out tunes such as Aretha's "Respect" and "Chain of Fools" as well as the Airplane's "White Rabbit" with a mighty and awesome voice that was not indicative of her petite size. When Bob Powell left the band, another local high school student, Bill Thomas, became the band's new drummer.

In 1967, ELC entered the Austin Aqua Festival Battle of the Bands held at the Municipal Auditorium, made the finals, and placed second behind San Antonio's The Spidels. Other groups in the competition included Austin's Strawberry Shoemaker, Georgetown Medical Band, and Leo and the Prophets. Also in the KONO-radio sponsored contest were San Antonio's The Chaynes, Temple's The Dissenters and The Reasons Why, and Corpus Christi band Liberty Bell. The following year, ELC served as the host band for the event. In 1968, during HemisFair, the band performed at San Antonio's PussyKat Club.

The armadillo handbill announcing ELC's appearance at a free concert in Austin's Wooldridge park in 1968 introduced the famed poster artist Jim Franklin's very first armadillo. Later that would become his trademark as he designed many, now highly collectible, armadillo posters including those for Big Brother and the Holding Company, Steve Miller Band and Muddy Waters, as well as album covers for Shiva's Headband, Commander Cody, and Freddy King. Franklin was one of the founders of Austin's famed Vulcan Gas Company and his armadillos were the inspiration for the name of the infamous Armadillo World Headquarters. The Woolridge Park handbill is featured in the book "The Art of Rock from Presley to Punk".

Contributed by Doug Smith