THE GENERATION GAP from Phoenix, AZ - "He'll Make A Fool Out Of You" b/w "Too Far Gone" (Plush, 215 — 1968)

by Achille Brunet

This really cool and rare single with a Beverly Hills, Calif. address got collectors confused for a while. Though indeed having definite ties with California as we'll see, The Generation Gap were in fact based in Phoenix, Arizona and moreover only took up that name with the release.

Let's start at the beginning with lead singer Greg Aitken from Needles. Needles is indeed a California city, but stands right on the Arizona border, placing it almost at exact distance from Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA.

Born in Chicago, Greg Aitken moved to Needles when he was 8 and attended Needles High School in the early sixties. In 1963, he was part of the saxophone section in the High School band The Bluenotes and toured other Eastern Arizona high schools in St. Johns and Holbrook playing proms. He won the John Philip Souza award on clarinet in 1964, also playing solo perfomances on sax, and kept up with the Bluenotes until mid-1965 when they recorded a souvenir LP "Blue Note '65" that was sold at local venues (but no copy seems to have surfaced).

(Needles Desert Star - Oct 27, 1966)

In Sept 1965, Greg relocated to Phoenix to attend the ASU. In 1966, he joined the In-Turns, a band formed by Central High student Glenn Rosner that was looking for a lead singer. The band included Greg's cousin Charlie Moss who also attended the ASU and introduced him to the band.

Glenn Rosner aka Gage Garnier hailed from Beverly Hills, CA and had probably moved to Phoenix with his father George who was a music director at the Phoenix Country Club. It's not shown on the picture but Glenn played organ. By 1967, he was considered one of the best organist in town at only 17.

Greg joined on lead vocals, sax and tambourine. Charlie Moss hailed from Las Vegas and played bass (but could also play a variety of wind intruments including trumpet). 

(1967 Central High School Yearbook)

Aside from Greg, Glen and Charlie, the band included two other members. One of them might be Alex Witzerman, who likely left the band quickly as he's no longer with the band by Nov 1967. Still he had the time to co-write the A-side of their future single, even if he was out of the band by the time of the recordings.

The other member should be either Brian Garno or John Bryant who were both members by Nov 1967. Brian Garno, the son Vic Caesar's saxman Lou Garno, was on drums but could play bass, guitar and other things as well. John Bryant took care of the lead guitar. Both attended Central High School with Glen.

(The Arizona Republic - May 7, 1967)

The In-Turns appeared mostly at the ASU, billing their sound as "semi-psychedelic" and playing many fraternity dances. The band rapidly achieved a regular following on the campus as one of the most popular band around. Greg also kept ties with Needles and brought the band back with him to play at the 1966 Homecoming Dance at Needles High in October.

In 1967, the band had the oportunity to audition for the Red Dog club in Scottsdale, thanks to Nooney Rickett whom they had befriended and who was a regular at J.D.'s. The club signed them for two months but the manager suggested they change name for Gage Garnier & the Filly Five. Even if Greg was the lead singer and that most articles put his name forward as most were published in his hometown, Gage Garnier was really the leader of the band so it makes sense that the band should take his name.

(The Arizona Republic - May 27, 1967)

It's under that name that the band started to play at the Red Dog from April 1967, often sharing the bill with Stan Devereaux and the Trendsetters until June, then playing a Halloween party at the Safari Hotel in Scottsdale. The sound of the band, originally more rock'n'roll, turned to Rhythm & Blues to fit the club audience.

Their popularity kept increasing and after a month of break, the band started to play Mondays at Mr. Lucky in West Phoenix from November, now playing as the Gage Garnier V. It seems Mr. Lucky had a habbit to shorten band names, i.e. Stephen McGlaughlin and Themselves (dedicated article coming) that became Steph and Themselves because the name wouldn't fit on the marquee! The reason was probably the same here.

(The Arizona Republic - Nov 12, 1967)

At Mr. Lucky, the band started to hit the big time, playing on the revolving stage (or "musical carrousel") downstairs to the club six nights a week for a couple of weeks until December, probably when Steph and Themselves were out of town since they usually had the job. The band also played all Manzanita-sponsored dances at the ASU, the College Inn, and regularly at the Memorial Union campus in Tempe.

Before leaving Beverly Hills, Glenn Rosner had become friends with Frank Kavelin (the son of legendary musician and record executive Al Kavelin) who had since become producer and arranger himself. 

When the growing local reputation of the band reached his ear, Frank travelled to Phoenix in January 1968 to get the Gage Garnier V on tape. To note only the A side was produced by Frank. Glenn Rosner produced "Too Far Gone" and the song does sound like it was recorded a little later at a different session.

(The Arizona Republic - Jan 20, 1968)

On Jan 20, the band announced "He'll Make A Fool Out Of You" should be out soon, yet pointing out it was "nothing like their club act" but rather "along the line of Paul Revere and the Raiders", then coming back to their original own sound with the In-Turns.

Frank likely drove back to California with the tapes. He may have tried to place them on labels there but the songs weren't picked up, leading to producing the single themselves on their own Plush Records.

The Generation Gap (the S is a typo)

(Needles Desert Star - May, 2 1968)

The timing of the release is a bit unclear. The master numbers date the pressing as late March but the release was only announced as "released this month" on May 2. The band took the opportunity of the release to change their name to the Generation Gap, planning it in advance, maybe keeping it secret until the actual announcement in May.

To add to the confusion, the guys weren't too sure about the new name at first. I take it that they still played as the Gage Garnier V in May 7 when opening for Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys at Borphy Prep gym. 

The band started announcing the name change during their performances, then backed up and published an ad on May 19 asking for better suggestions. But anyway, the name was already printed on the disc for at least a month. 

(The Arizona Republic - May 19, 1968)

Both originals were written in early/mid-1967. "He'll Make A Fool Out Of You", the A side, was co-written by Glenn Rosner and Alex Witzerman, who as mentioned had left by the time of the release.

For once, the fast track is on the A side. The song is cool, fast paced garage track. Some harp seems to be heard in the intro. Glen's voice is accompanied by vocal harmonies throughout the song. The organ bridge is also a great demonstration of Glenn's impressive play. The papers weren't lying when they said he was good! 

Here we have a young guy who despite honestly working and paying his taxes, has to give a piece of his mind to an older guy who constantly bothers and mocks him because of his clothes and hair and anti-war position.

...I own a barber shop

Pay my taxes too

Why don't you take what I give?

I can't understand you

[...]

Wear your hair too long

He'll put you on a spot

If you sing your own song

You're the man that you stop...

"Too Far Gone", the B side, was co-written by Greg Aitken and John Bryant. By the time of the release, John too had already left the band and been replaced Doug Irvine, a native from Santa Monica, CA who first played drums before a leg injury prompted him to turn to guitar. Doug would join Phoenix Junior College in September.

The song has great lyrics. It's a slower but solid number with a noticeable pounding bassline. Charlie Moss explained using a special speaker for extra treble boost and a muted board which allowed him to get a sound by touching the strings with one hand.

Try to sweep out the brain fog

Extricate your thoughts from the mind ball

But you can't even see

You're drowning in the sea of [agony?]

You lost your dynamic health

When you fell into the river of wealth

And you were finally pulled under

In the shame of your colonial plunder

You're too far gone

The fire of defiance is torn

So no other revolution will be born

And I can see on your face

There is no place for disgrace

As I look through the door of my tomb

I can laugh at the other's doom

I have experienced it all but seems unreal

A picture on the wall

You're too far gone

It seems to relate the dark thoughts of a man who lost touch with the world, having become wealthy and powerful by exploiting others, and whose answer to the people's protest is a violent repression. The narrator seems to be the laughing spirit of one of his dead workers. The dark imagery that emanates from the lyrics and its precise construction makes it a very good song.

The song is livened up with an irregular bip (to evoke the sound of a sputnik lost in space?) Not sure what the goal is but it's original.

(Needles Desert Star - May 2, 1968)

The band had brand new bright and colorful stage clothes made by a designer in Scottsdale to accompany the change of sound and name. By that point, the band was managed by George Laibe (also manager of Stan Devereaux, and Eclectic Mouse-a project of ex-Topsy Turbys' Steve Forman-a little later), who announced touring plans for the summer throughout the Midwest and in Alaska.

At the end of May, the band (billed again Gage Garnier V for whatever reason) rented two planes they filled with equipment and flew for a two-night engagement in Midland, Texas. They were back at Mr. Lucky six nights a week at the beginning of June, filling the gap left by Steph And Themselves who were starting to get national attention and were only a few months away from becoming the successful Cornerstone pop band.

(The Arizona Republic - July 21, 1968)

After seven weeks at Mr. Lucky, the band finally made up their mind and announed they were becoming the Generation Gap for good. Greg explained then that the new name fitted best their new style they billed as "musical rock", a restyled rock'n'roll with vocal harmonies and a wider variety of instruments like horns (that aren't in fact heard on the record). With many multi-instrumentists in the band, the aim was to be able to turn between instruments during the shows.

The band left again and toured in New Mexico and on the West Coast, ending the summer in Lake Tahoe on the Calif/Nevada border.

The release of the single had placed great hopes, and the band members had declared its success would define the future of the band. Unfortunately, maybe bummed because the single had not leveled to expectations, the band started to discompose. 

Some members likely refocused on studies and by October, the Generation Gap had regressed into a trio, playing around Scottsdale and Camelback, including once at a Benefit Celebration at Mr. Lucky. Greg took up leadership, having even lost former leader and once namesake Glen Rosner that was "supposedly trying to get into his own thing". That's the last we heard of him in the press.

(Needles Desert Star - Oct 31, 1968)

Having likely lost the job at Mr. Lucky, the trio started to appear more regularly at the Roc-Inn back in Needles. The band also hired ex-YOUR FRIENDS organist Gary Gilbert in November and started to perk up again, announcing working on a third recording.

In February 1969, keeping up with a good popularity in the Needles and Phoenix area, the band signed a four-week playing contract in Hawaii for the summer. One of the crowd's favorite was their arrangement of the Rascals' "People Gotta Be Free" among other popular songs.

An amusing fact is that in March, Greg Aitken attended a lecture of the Needles Marathon Association, not as a singer, but gave a speach to the teenagers on the actual concept of generation gap.

(Needles Desert Star - May 22, 1969)

The band appeared occasionally at the Roc-Inn and Needles High until May 1969, after what they left to Hollywood for recording, then presumably leaving for Hawaii from there.

That's the last we heard of the Generation Gap. The band likely disbanded after returning from Hawaii and the aforementioned recordings never surfaced.

Drummer Brian Garno joined a 10-piece band called Calliope in Dec 1969. He drummed on a dozen of LPs in the 1980s for several Arizona artists. He passed away in 2001.

Greg Aitken

Greg Aitken later released a power pop single in the early 1980s as "Greg Aitken & 360". He worked for the Sedona school district for the past 18 years, teaching music, weight lifting and special education until he passed away in 2011 at his home in Sedona, Arizona. He was buried in Needles.

Glenn Rosner stayed in the area and now lives (I think) in Cottonwood.

_______

Thanks to Mike Markesich and Mikael for additional information on this release.

THE VIOLET WING - "Hey Joe" b/w "Lasting Love" (Sound Gems, SGL-1010 — 1968)

by Achille Brunet

Known for their tremendous but scarce rendition of "Hey Joe", The Violet Wing was a garage/psych band from Phoenix, Arizona seemingly active from 1967 to 1968. Some members hailed from Scottsdale, AZ and possibly Glendale, AZ.

The group was formed by David Frankus (lead guitar and vocals), Larry Cagle (keyboard), Jim Vowell (bass and vocals), and Marc Romero (drums & vocals).

I didn't find much on the band members themselves apart from David Frankus who attended Coronado High School in Scottsdale, AZ in 1962 and 1963.

(The Arizona Republic - Sept 23, 1967)

The first gig I found was a show hosted by KRUX in Sept 1967, where they shared the bill with Bobby Vee, pre-Alice Cooper band the Spiders that had just changed their name to Nazz, Your Friends (discussed HERE) and Superfine Dandelion—among others.

By November, they were managed by Jerry Capp, who was part of the Teens Of Phoenix committee, formed to help Phoenix youth to find entertainment as there was according to them only one Teen Club in the Valley. 

(The Arizona Republic - Nov 11, 1967)

Capp joined forces with Chari Zellman who was the manager of Twentieth Century Zoo, and a Methodist minister and an attorney. The association aimed to help booking big venues and provide the teens in need with legal help.

However I don't know if they kept up with Jerry Capp for long as he's never mentioned again and didn't produce their single in 1968. The band also played after sports events at Washington High School in Glendale, AZ.

(1968 yearbook - Washington High School)

(Audio Recorders in Phoenix, 1964)

In early 1968, the band recorded at Audio Recorders in Phoenix and released one single on Sound Gems, produced by John Collins and Stan Butcher. TeenBeat Mayhem dates it from January but "Lasting Love" was only copyrighted in March so I'm not sure.

Stan Butcher was a local musician, member of the Wanderers from 1964 to 1967 (dedicated article coming soon), a band that played a Battle of the Bands with Floyd & Jerry and The Spectrum, and was also one of the owners of a coffee house on 16th street. I don't know who John Collins was.

Sound Gems had been one one of the labels of Presta Records owner Earl Perrin (with only one single in the mid-60s to my knowledge) but I'm not sure he was still behind the brand for the two 1968 releases. He passed away in October that year.

The A side is a very good cover of the Music Machine version of "Hey Joe" recognizable by its slower pace and parts of the lyrics added by Sean Bonniwells that differs from the usual version. Here the Violet Wing pushed the song to the threshold of Acid rock.

The flip side, "Lasting Love", is reportedly a garage original by the band with a good organ riff by Larry. TeenBeat Mayhem calls it "fast anglo-esque pop beat" but rates it pretty low. (I haven't actually heard that side so I'd appreciate a file)

The last gig I found was in August 1968 for the "113th Annual Roman Orgy" at the Desert Hills, in double bill with the Yellowjackets. The article points out that, unlike most Roman Orgies, ties were mandatory.

The only journalist to mention The Violet Wing seem to be Troy Irvine's section Swing Around The Valley, who kept a minute eye on the local rock scene throughout the 1960s. The Violet Wing possibly disbanded at the end of the summer. 

(The Arizona Republic - Aug 3, 1968)

(The Arizona Republic - Dec 29, 1968)

In December 1968, Larry and David were arrested on narcotic charges in a raid at a house on West Buckeye Road in Phoenix with eleven other people. I guess they were rapidly released as nothing more was printed in the press on that event.

Ironically, their manager Jerry Capp had written a vehement anti-drug piece in the Arizona Republic only a month prior. Drug issues then might have motivated Capp to drop the band earlier, and if the band still existed by that time, the incident was probably enough to end the deal.

(The Arizona Republic - Nov 22, 1968)

[extract, this is only the last paragraph]

Larry Cagle was locally successful in the late 80s/early 90s with the Larry Cagle band in Flagstaff, AZ. Jim Vowell, later going by the name of Edric Aziz, played with Phoenix ethnic music/rock band Traveler in the 2010s.

The Violet Wing reformed in 2015 as a 60s music cover band and played several venues including in Tempe, AZ. Jim Vowell has since passed away.

The reunited Violet Wing in 2015.

(Coronado High School

1963 yearbook)

YOUR FRIENDS - "Sun-Burned Idol" b/w "Rustic Patterns" (Sola, 14 — 1968)

by Achille Brunet

Your Friends was a garage/psych rock band from Phoenix, Arizona. Members were Michael Roe (bass and songwriter), Stephen Lewis (drums), Gary Gilbert (Vox organ), John Jeffords (vocals), and Tom Jonas (lead guitar).

Members attended Camelback High School in Phoenix. Stephen Lewis came from Scottsdale and graduated Judson School and Mesa Community College. John Jeffords came from Phoenix.

John Jeffords in 1962.

(the only sixties pic of a band member I found)

Your Friends probably formed sometime around 1966. The earliest gig of I found was in October. The band played on the grounds of St. Joseph Hospital for the Country Fair in company of other local High School rock combos.

In February 1967, the band played at the VIP in presence of label owner and promoter Jack Curtis, owner of Mascot and mostly remembered for producing the first sessions of pre-Alice Cooper band the Spiders.

Your Friends then opened in March 1967 for The Turtles at the agricultural building with the Spiders, the Bittersweets (of "In The Night") and the Young Men (of "Go!" that recently had a noticiable local success thanks to the A side "Two Many Times").

(The Arizona Republic - March 11, 1967)

(The Arizona Republic - Sept 23, 1967)

The band played a show hosted by KRUX in Sept 1967, where they shared the bill with Bobby Vee, the Spiders that had just changed their name to Nazz, Violet Wing (more HERE) and Superfine Dandelion—among others.

Armed with this success, the band was sponsored along with Floyd And Jerry by Vox at the Totem Department Store in Nov 1967.

(The Arizona Republic - Nov 2, 1967)

The band recorded their single at Loy Clingman's record studio in Phoenix probably in late 1967/early 1968. Clingman produced quantity of Phoenix artists at Viv-Debra Recording Studios, including the first Floyd & Jerry songs with the Door Knobs, and later set up his own studio. He also recorded Nazz's single "Lay Down And Die, Goodbye" in 1967.

Loy also penned the A side of the single, "Sun-Burned Idol", a decent garage pop track with a religious theme.

But Garage/Psych fans will be more drawn to "Rustic Patterns", a fine original penned by Mike Roe which is rather dark number with a cool organ break by Gary Gilbert.

The single was pressed by Phoenix custom pressing plant Wakefield Manufacturing established by Sydney Wakefield and released as the last single on the Sola label that also put out the great single "People" by The Outcasts. 

The single most likely came out in early 1968 and the band seemingly disbanded around that time, a member started to sell his guitars in February and April that year.

Gary Gilbert joined the Generation Gap (of "Too Far Gone", more HERE) in November 1968 in replacement of ex-leader and organist Glenn Rosner (aka Gage Garnier) that had left "to get into his own thing".

John Jeffords was later in Phoenix band Jett Back in the 1970s and the band later relocated to Detroit.

Michael Roe (1970s?)

AD GALLERY:

(The Arizona Republic - Oct 14, 1966)

(The Arizona Republic - Feb 4, 1967)

(The Arizona Republic - Feb 24, 1968)

(The Arizona Republic - April 1, 1968)

(The Arizona Republic - Nov 1968)

TOM PARSONS AND THE SPECTRUM - "Steal Your Heart" (Presta Records — 45-1009, 1966)

 by Achille Brunet

Tom Parsons and the Spectrum was a very elusive band, so much so no members outside of Tom were known, seemingly having left nothing else on the face of the earth except their fantastic organ-driven You Really Got Me-styled "Steal Your Heart"—up to now.

The band was formed as The Spectrums probably in mid to late-1965 by Tom Parsons, David Begley, Terry Brown, Bobby Sneeden (aka Bob Snead), and Mich Parker. Members attended West Phoenix High School in Phoenix, Arizona.

David Begley and Bobby Sneeden had been members of the Surf Beats in early 1965, and possibly before. Members were from Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix. 

(The Arizona Republic - May 15, 1965)

The Surf Beats were pretty popular and won a battle of the bands in May. They probably broke up when some members went to West Phoenix High in September and joined or formed the Spectrums.

The Spectrums rapidly stole the heart of the crowds. By the end of 1965, they were among the five most popular bands in the valley with hit recording band Floyd And Jerry, The Pendletons, "Sounds", and The Wanderers.

Drawing announcing the Camelback 

contest, Spectrums 2nd from left.

On December 10 that year, they attended the Save Camelback teen dance at the state fairground in West Phoenix, an event organized by The Teen Committee to Save Camelback Mountain, threatened since 1910 by urban development:

"Any closer, a five Battle of the Bands might shake old Camelback Mountain down to a sand dune. [...] After a week of frantic bookings and cancellations, rescues, and rebookings, the show has become something of a contest between five of the most popular bands in the Valley. They are playing the date for free, so that a maximum profit can be returned to the Foundation for the Preservation of Camelback Mountain." (The Arizona Republic - Dec. 9, 1965)

Senator Barry Goldwater, who helped with the cause, even played a few trombone notes to start the event. Floyd And Jerry opened and The Spectrums played fifth and last at midnight. The Arizona Republic described their presence on stage:

"They wear unlike satin shirts and tux pants and standard haircuts. Their strengths are instrumental improvisation and the emotional vocalizing of Parsons." 

(The Arizona Republic - December 9, 1965)

The rest of the article is also testament to tensions between the teens and the parents at that time, and the writer's exasperation:

"Today's detached, grown-up critics of rock 'n' roll might relax their extreme judgments by meeting, in person, some of the performers. Many are supervised by parents and sponsored by civic clubs. By and large, the kids are more tolerant of grown-ups than the grown-ups deserve." 

Followed by that first-class lesson in trends:

"Long hair and a hard beat and an electric mandolin and a dance called the monkey may not make much sense. But neither did the camel walk, red whoopee hats and orange spats, Helen Cane and "Boop-boop-a-doop," zoot suits, bell-bottom trousers, "'Yes, We Have No Bananas." Johnny Ray and "Three Little Fishes." and "Barney Google and His Goo-Goo-Google-y Eyes." If not an open mind, what's needed is an honest memory."

(The Arizona Republic - Feb 19, 1966)

I didn't find who won the contest, or if there was even a vote since charity was the main goal, but it might have motivated Floyd And Jerry, who started to play with The Counterpoints from the next month, to hire the Spectrums in their place for some gigs at the Tempo in February 1966, before coming back to the Counterpoints in March.

But the collaboration didn't stop there as it's around that time that Floyd and Jerry and Tom Parsons collaborated on a single by a band called The Choice. It was released on Sound Gems, distributed by Presta with the A side written by Floyd and Jerry and the B side a version of Parsons's song "Don't Listen To Friends". Not sure who plays and sings on it but it could be some early Floyd & Jerry material.

The two other Sound Gems releases date from 1968, but here the catalog number is different and matches those of Presta Records instead (45-1001) which would actually place it as anterior to all the other Presta singles, probably in 1965 or early 1966 (no Presta 45-1001 is known otherwise, starting only at 45-1002).

The single was produced by Eugene "Gene" Sturla from Scottsdale who was later a graduate at Mesa Community College. It seems to be his only musical credit.

Even if the Spectrums probably did not play on that one, the band's popularity likely led later in 1966 to their release on Presta Records, now that the contact was established, likely thanks to Floyd And Jerry.

Tom Parsons wrote both sides of the single. "Steal Your Heart" is a tough, decent garage track reminiscent of the Kinks' riffs and was only rediscovered in recent years as it was never compiled during the golden age of garage rock reissues. 

The B side is a new recording of "Don't Listen To Friends", and is a fine country/folk rock song that has been barely heard since. I'm not 100% sure but it's possible they re-used the backing track for the Choice version and had Tom sing a new vocal track on it.

(thanks again to Craig Roythorne for the file)

The label and the related company, Buena Vista Productions, were owned by Earl Perrin, producer and manager in Phoenix, AZ. Perrin came from Chicago but had attended school in Phoenix in the 1950s for health reason. He later owned several radio stations in Arizona from the early '60s, including the only 50,000 watt station in all Arizona. 

He founded Presta Records in 1963 and managed among others Bobby Barnett and Phoenix duo Floyd And Jerry who went national with their second single on Presta, which was then distributed nationwide by RCA-Victor. Presta issued a dozen of records between 1966 and 1968. Perrin also owned the Buena Vista Club in Safford, AZ. 

(The Arizona Republic - January 28, 1967)

The single was issued in September 1966 and was likely sold locally. But in January 1967, it seems the Spectrum was already in the rearview mirror for Tom who then played with a band called The Smile. 

Tom Parsons and The Smile played on January 29 at J.D.'s nightclub in Salt River Flats in Phoenix,—a club where Phil & The Frantics were the house band,—and shared the bill with Floyd And Jerry. The Mile Ends (of "Bottle Up And Go", 1966) from Tempe, AZ just South-East to Phoenix also did a happening at the door.

That weekend in Phoenix, you could have also seen the Bittersweets ("In The Night", "She Treats Me Bad"), the Young Men ("Go!"), and the Dearly Beloved ("Flight Thirteenth"), now ain't that cool!

The band then updated their name to "Smyle" and occasionally served as backing band for Floyd And Jerry in 1967 after the Counterpoints, which had backed them live and on their two first Presta singles had disbanded in August 1966 when two members were drafted.

(The Arizona Republic - May 24, 1968)

In early 1968, Tom Parsons left Smyle for local psychedelic band The American Way and became their lead singer. They apparently had some original songs but no recordings are known. In May, their gig at Pollet's Palace on Thomas Road & 29th street in Phoenix brought down the house.

An ad for Pollet's Palace with Tucson band the Missing Links.

(The Arizona Republic - Oct 27, 1967)

However, Tom Parsons apparently quarelled with the band, as he parted with the American Way a couple months later and went back to his previous band who had apparently kept playing with Floyd & Jerry, also as Tom Schultz and the Smyle.

"Tom Parsons [...] has split from the acid-rock combo and has rejoined his old Smyle friends. Tom will continue playing lead and supplying the back-up vocal."

(The Arizona Republic - July 21, 1968)

Soon, Tom Parsons left Smyle again and joined Tucson Soul band Stan Devereaux And The Trendsetters, only to split with them in October 1968 in the hope of starting his own band again.

I'm not exactly sure what happened and I lost track of Tom after that date. The band Smyle kept playing at least until 1969.

(The Arizona Republic - Oct 26, 1968)

Earl Perrin released singles on Presta until he passed away during Oct 1968 and the company disappeared.

One Tom (Tommy) Parsons collaborated with Lee Hazzelwood and Al Casey for a local single under the name of Slobo in 1984 and is credited on various Lee Hazlewood releases of the 1990s and 2000s, but I can't confirm he's the same one.

Against all odds, Buena Vista Production was reactivated in 2018 by Floyd Westfall, formely of Floyd & Jerry, and John Hesterman, former member of the 1960s Phoenix garage psych band the Grapes Of Wrath ("Not A Man" on Storm, and the unreleased at the time "Have A Good Time On Me"). The company based in Payson and Glendale, AZ stayed active as a publisher, manager, recorder, and counselor until 2025.