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Jack Stiles showed Bob
Gingrich a few guitar chords in 1963 and with two
old archtop F hole acoustics, with Lucky Stiles on
bongos, we progressed into electric guitars and
real drums. We actually played a few family parties
before Dave Schmuhl offered to buy a bass and amp
if we'd show him how to play it. A few months later
the Beatles hit the scene and we hooked onto the
idea. We played all over Toledo, Swanton,Wauseon,
Adrian, Bryan, BG, every weekend. We entered the
1964 Toledo Battle of the Bands and after four
Sunday competitions, we were chosen as the winners
over 25 local bands. WOW ....nearly 40 years
ago.
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Personnel:
Jack Stiles - Guitar , Vocals
Lucky Stiles - Drums
Bob Gingrich - Lead Guitar
Dave Schmuhl - Bass
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Influences:
Roy
Orbison, Chuck Berry, Beatles, all British
invasion
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Setlist
Sample:
Eight Days A Week, No Reply, Mean Woman
Blues, I'm a Loser , Ticket to Ride ,
Matchbox , Cry Just A Little, Ferry Cross
the Mersey, I Feel Fine, Little
Children.
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Equipment:
Silvertone twin 12 amps, Fender,
Rickenbacher and Danelectro guitars,
Slingerland drums, Electrovoice mics,
Bogen P.A.
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Rehearsal
Space:
Jack and
Lucky's basement . Their folks were great
and had a lot of patience.
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Band
Vehicles:
1960
Chevy, 1962 Corvair, 1956
Mercury
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Fashion
Statement:
Beatles,
British invasion
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Best
Gig:
Battle of
the Bands, Toledo Sports arena 1964 -
WINNERS.
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Gig
from
Hell!:
Morenci
High School winter 1965 . We were
traveling in two cars to play a dance 40
miles away, taking separate routes,
managing icy roads and heavysnowfall.
Arriving an hour and a half late for the
dance, and within minutes of each other ,
we exchanged stories of sliding off the
road into ditches , one tow truck, one
flat tire,and a gym full of disappointed
teens. We set up and played the rest of
the dance without a break....realizing we
also had to drive back home.
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Last
Gig:
Swanton
Colliseum...member and name
change.
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Comments:
Finding " The
Mods 1966 " ( Imitations band ) within the My First
Band links led me to contacting Larry Smith ,
founding member and bassist. We spent two weeks
exchanging memories and filling gaps. The Mods came
in second place in the 1964 Battle of the
Bands...and went on to take first place as the best
Toledo band in 1965.
We'd like to mention just
a few of the other great Toledo bands from
1965....The Prophets , The Rogues , J.J.and the
Jammers, and Connie and the BluBeats . We knew her
as Connie Little before she went out into the world
and became the great Ruby Starr. We miss
you.
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