1965 – 1969

I think we all know how impatient kids are. And when the Squires hadn’t been as “big as the Beatles” in two years together it was only natural for some members to want to try other bands. So in the fall of ’66 the City Squires disbanded for a few months. Roland and Tom left the band, and I came aboard from another Testa managed band, the Canterburys, where I was lead singer and played the sax and a smidgeon of rhythm guitar. Testa had plugged me as a bass player. Not only did I not know how to play bass, but I didn’t even own one! Testa knew very well I couldn’t play bass but thought Jim would accept me more readily if he thought I could actually do something. That was a gift that Testa had; He could sell fudgesicles to Eskimos. So I went out and bought a bass and faked it as best I could to help keep the band going until we could find a legitimate bass player. We then pilfered a keyboard player (Jerry Colvin), a bass player (Gus DeAngelo), and a drummer (Bill McCracken) from a band called the Set, LTD. I settled in as the lead singer, sax player, and front man and Jim and I began to write our own music.

Back (Left to Right): Gus DeAngelo, Jim Brickner, Jerry Colvin Front (Left to Right): Bill McCracken, Me (Greg Burnett)