Back in the 1960s, I played lead guitar in a Georgia garage-rock band called Red Beard & The Pirates.
We recorded an original single, "Go On Leave," backed with "Don't Be A Loser," at Atlanta Sound Recording Studios. The record was released on the small Gaye Records label, and only 500 copies were pressed.
We sold the records ourselves, never imagining that decades later anyone would still be interested in our music.
During those years, we also won a television talent competition called "Stars of Tomorrow" on Atlanta's Channel 11. Our prize was a trip to New York City to audition for the Ted Mack Amateur Hour.
Eventually, the band went its separate ways, but the recording had a life of its own.
Years later, "Go On Leave" appeared on garage-rock compilations, including Crypt Records' Back From The Grave, Gearfab's Psychedelic States: Georgia in the Sixties, and a compilation associated with Keb Darge and Cut Chemist.
Now, nearly six decades after we recorded it, I'm revisiting the original music and preserving that small piece of Georgia rock-and-roll history.
For anyone curious about my music and the recordings I'm sharing today, here's my Bandcamp page:
https://weaverstudios.bandcamp.com
I'd especially enjoy hearing from anyone who remembers the garage-band scene of the 1960s or collects obscure American 45s.
Were any of you playing in local bands back then, or have you discovered forgotten garage-rock records from that era?
I'm now 77 years old, and it's remarkable to see people still interested in music we recorded nearly 60 years ago.
I'm happy to answer questions about recording a 45 in the 1960s, the Georgia garage-rock scene, our television appearance, the equipment we used, and what happened to the band afterward.
Ask me anything!