The Daybreakers
The Daybreakers | |
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Origin | Muscatine, Iowa, U.S. |
Genres | Garage rock |
Years active | 1966–1972 |
Labels | Dial |
Past members |
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The Daybreakers were an American
The Daybreakers were inducted into the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.[1]
History
The Daybreakers were founded by keyboardist Max Allan Collins[2] in 1966 in Muscatine, Iowa.[3][4][5] Collins, a high school senior at Muscatine High School whose father had once a music teacher there, asked George Dunker, the school guitar teacher, to help recruit musicians for the group.[3][5][6] Dunker recommended three junior high students who Collins found acceptable that would form the band's lineup: guitarists Mike Bridges and Denny Maxwell, and drummer Buddy Busch.[3][5] Bridges would play lead guitar and Maxwell rhythm, with Collins on keyboards and lead vocals, though the other members would occasionally sing leads and harmonies.[3][5][6] Collins' father helped the group work out their vocal style.[3] Chuck Bunn, who had played in several other local bands joined on bass.[5][6] The band rehearsed in the basement of Collins' parents' house.[3] The Daybreakers quickly became one of the most popular groups in Muscatine.[5] Other popular bands were the XLs, from Wilton and the Night People, from the Quad Cities area.[3][5] In November 1966 when the Daybreakers won the Carnival of Bands competition, held at the Col Ballroom in Davenport.[3][5] Max Collins, who still has the trophy, recounts:
- They had around 30 bands from all over the Midwest, including Minneapolis and Chicago. We won because we did a very different set from everybody else. We did some steps like The Raiders and wore gold sparkle shirts!"[5]
The band became acquainted with
Despite their enthusiasm, on the way back to Muscatine the group heard Jimi Hendrix and the Doors on the radio and realized that their style of music might soon fall out of fashion.
In the early 1970s the Daybreakers evolved into group Rox.[3][4][5] They remained under the leadership of Collins but with Bruce Peters came to dominate musically as they moved in a more pop direction suggestive of late the 1960s Beach Boys and early Raspberries.[3][5] In the mid-1970s, Collins, Peters and Thomas reunited with Crusin', one of the first 1960s revival bands, which played with varying members, including Bunn and Maxwell, but always with Collins.[3][5] Collins also became a writer for the Dick Tracy comic book series.[4] Paul Thomas continued to play music until his death in 2004.[3][5] Peters and Beckey are also deceased.[3][5] The Daybreakers reunited with their original lineup on Aug. 30, 2008 Arnolds Park, Iowa for their induction into Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.[3]
The group was rediscovered by garage rock music fans in the early 1980s with the release of the Psychedelic Unknowns compilation.[3][8] Their song "Psychedelic Siren" also appears on Garage Beat '66, Volume 6: Speak of the Devil..., issued by Sundazed Records.[5][6][9]
Membership
- Max Allan Collins (keyboards and vocals)
- Mike Bridges (lead guitar)
- Denny Maxwell (rhythm guitar)
- Buddy Busch (drums)
- Terry Beckey (bass, guitar)
- Paul Thomas (bass, guitar, vocals)
- Bruce Peters (guitar, vocals, writer)
Discography
- "Psychedelic Siren" b/w "Afterthoughts" (Dial 4006, December 1967)
References
- ^ "Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame".
- ^ "Friends/Family/Fans of Max Allan Collins".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Beaudette, Cynthia (August 26, 2008). "Tribute to a Rockin' Past". The Muscatine Journal. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ^ a b c "The Daybreakers: Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag "The Daybreakers". Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Jarema, Jeff (2007). Garage Beat '66, Volume 6: Speak of the Devil. Cocksackie, New York: Sundazed Records. SC11186 - liner notes
- ISBN 978-0-985-64825-1.
- ^ "Various – Psychedelic Unknowns". Discogs. 1979. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ Leggett, Steve. "Various Artists - Garage Beat '66, Vol. 6: Speak of the Devil (Review)". AllMusic. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
Bibliography
- Markesich, Mike (2012). Teenbeat Mayhem (1st ed.). Branford, Connecticut: Priceless Info Press. ISBN 978-0-985-64825-1.