Home | Index | Search Introduction | What's New | Thanks | Links


North California Groups : D

The information on the North California Groups pages was compiled by Gray Newell based on research by: Alec Palao, Corry Arnold, Ben Chaput, Joey Dryfka, Mike Dugo, Ross Hannan, Vernon Joynson, Gray Newell, Stephane Rebeschini, Obert Sonsten, Jason Sweitzer Bruce Tahsler and Max Waller.

These pages were originally made available on the North California Groups website which, unfortunately, no longer exists. The pages are provided here as an archive of that site and are currently being updated at irregular intervals.

The information is presented alphabetically by group name:


Group name : A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ

DAEMON aka The Demon Lover/Demonlover

Mary Gannon - Vocals
Peter Sessions - Guitar
Bard Dupont - Bass
? - Drums

A Bay Area group that was formed in 1966. It originally featured Mary Gannon on vocals, who was replaced by Michelle Sevryn when Gannon left to play bass with The Ace of Cups. Bard Dupont played bass and also managed the band had previously played in The Great Society. Dupont, Sessions and Sevryn went on to The Venus Flytrap.



DAISY OVERKILL

Little is known about this band except that they lived on the same converted ferryboat as the Blue Cheer.



DANCING FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT

Naomi Ruth Eisenberg - Vocals, Violin
Tom Glass - Bass
Mark Pierce - Keyboards
Dennis Reed - Guitar
Wayne Thibault - Drums

Out of Berkeley, they recorded 4 tracks at Sierra Sound Labs for an e.p. that was never released, but this drew them to the attention of Bill Graham who signed them to his Millard Agency. They played gigs supporting Santana, The Grateful Dead and Ten Years After as well as standing in for It's A Beautiful Day on a few occasions. They also have the distinction of playing the first Star Trek Convention in 1968, where Naomi Ruth Eisenberg played the set with a busted crotch seam on her bell bottoms! Tom Glass had previously played with The Jazz Mice and provided music for The Congress of Wonders comedy troupe. Naomi Ruth Eisenberg later sang back up with Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks.



DANDELION WINE

Kaja Doria - vocals
Dan Parrish - guitar, vocals
Jack Eskridge - guitar, vocals
Steve Wilson - bass, vocals
Andy Kennedy - drums

CD Dandelion Wine, World In Sound, 2009

From Oakland and in existence from 1968 to 1969, Dandelion Wine featured former members of Strawberry Window. Kaja Doria had previously been vocalist with Frumious Bandersnatch. They recorded an obscure EP in 1968, which has been compared to a cross between the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. World In Sound released some archive recordings in 2009.



DAY BLINDNESS

Felix Bria - Bass Organ Vocals
David Mitchell - Drums
Gary Pihl - Guitar

1969 Day Blindness - Studio 10 DBX101 LP

From Jefferson High School, San Mateo, Day Blindness formed in 1968 when Felix Bria and Gary Pihl recruited drummer Roy Garcia from The Dimensions. Over the next few months they played all over the Bay Area and toured as a support to Sly And The Family Stone. In 1969 Dave Mitchell came in as a replacement for Roy Garcia and they album was recorded at Studio 10, and featured long meandering guitar and organ numbers that drew influences from both The Doors and Iron Butterfly. The record didn't make much impression and the group split, Pihl later playing with Boston and Sammy Hagar in the 70's.



DEED OF SHAME

Appeared on 9.24.66 Veteran's Memorial Hall, Oakland with the Friendly Stranger, Motley Crew and Iron Butterfly, and on 9.30.66 at the California Hall with the Universal Joint and the Friendly Stranger. No further information is available at the present time.



DEEP WATER

Dave York - vocals
Rob All - drums
Tom McClendon - guitar
Dan McClendon - bass

From Stockton, and originally called Silicon Cubicle, they became Deepwater in mid 1967. With their own studio they produced demo recordings that were instrumental in getting them offered a Japanese tour, unfortunately they didn't get to take the offer up. They later changed their name to Thunderwing.



DEEPWATER TOAD

No information is available for this group at the present time.



DELPHIC ORACLE

From Redwood High School. Played the Battle Of The Bands at the Ark Sausalito with other Redwood groups; Wrong Way, Mainline Prosperity Blues and Blues Majority on Jan 22 1967.



DENVER OVERLAND PONY EXPRESS

No information is available for this group at the present time.



DEVIL'S KITCHEN

20/03/69 at the Avalon Great Highway with Big Brother & The Holding Company and Kaleidoscope and 19/04/69 Sonoma Fairgrounds with Sir Douglas Quintet, Bicycle and Gentle Dance.



DIESEL DUCKS

A late sixties jam band from Marin.



DIRECT DESCENDANTS

John Rosenstock
John Torre
Ted ?
Marc?
Gort?
An S F group, circa 1966. No further information available at present time.



DIRTY FILTHY MUD

Kyle Hunter - drums/vocals
Roger Sabine - guitar/vocals
Jim Thorsen - guitar
Art Doran - organ
Gary Kennings - bass
Mark Minzyk - drums
"Len" (nln) - synthesizer

The Forest of Black/Morning Sun Flower, Worex R-2340, 1968, 45

From the Berkeley/El Cerrito area, and comprised of former members of the Baylanders; Kyle Hunter, Gary Kennings and Roger Sabine, the Third Half; Mark Minzyk, the Sewer; Kennings and Art Dolan, and Tempests; Jim Thorsen. They recorded the outrageously tripped out 45 at Sierra Sound Labs in Berkeley. More recordings were made but subsequently lost when Hunter, suffering from a bi-polar condition, threw the masters away. Titles of some of the lost recordings include Jumping Like a Jellyfish and The Love Candle. There was also reputed to be an extended 11-minute version of the Forest of Black.

Thanks to Gary Kennings.



DIXIE PEACH

L. Gurule,
D. Liotta,
V. Guittard,
D. Lopez,
G. Smith,
K. Newkirk,
J. Waxman,
J.Butler
From Richmond.



THE DONNYBROOKES

Terry Gifford - vocals
Rick Eittrem - keyboards
Larry Pindar - bass
Pat Sheridan - drums
John Tipton - lead guitar
Jim Ladd - rhythm guitar

You're Gonna Cry / Time Will Tell, Golden State 608, 1966

The Donnybrookes formed in 1966 in Fairfiled. By early 1967 they had become Stone Henge an outfit that eventually evolved in to the Maze, although by then only Eittrem remained from the original line up of the Donnybrookes.



DREAM MERCHANTS

Rattler / I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time - London 45-Lon-1015 1967
No further information is available for this group at the present time.



DRONGOS

Todd Anderson - Vocals, Electric Piano, Tenor Sax
Michael Friedman - Bass
Alec Axt - Drums
Bruce Clausen - Lead Guitar
Arnold Levinson - Rhythm Guitar

45 Under My Thumb/If You Want To Know White Whale 235 1966

After the split of The Answer Todd Anderson and Michael Friedman teamed up with some other Berkeley High musicians to form the Drongos and continued to play the East Bay scene. They recorded the cover of the Stones hit at Golden State Recorders, but went their separate ways when it didn't make the impact they had hoped.



DRUIDS

Cool, Calm And Collected / Sorry's Not Enough, MNO MNO-101, 1966

A San Jose folk punk outfit, their 45 was released in March 1966



DRUSALEE & THE DEAD

R. Drew Sallee (Drusalee) - vocals
Ernie Apadaca - guitar
Gordon McCollom - saxophone
John Piper - keyboards
Bob Rathbun - bass
Bob Kovic - drums

Lily/Exodus, Varden 303, 1966

From Yuba City, Drusalee & the Dead started off as Drew Sallee and the Vampires in 1963, and had an act that fully exploited the horror angle both on and off the stage, incorporating a coffin, a hearse and other macabre touches. True to form Lily, the A-side to their sole 45, was inspired by a character from the TV show the Munsters. They split up in 1966. Appropriately, Lily can be heard on the 2009 Frantic Records CD; Up From The Grave.



DUTCH MASTERS

Bob Buccelli
Steve Bayard
Tom Mullenix
Dennis Brown
Tony Costa

A folk-rock band from Monterey, they have one previously unreleased cut from 1966 titled "In My Way" on the Big Beat comp Good Things Are Happening. They later became Transatlantic Train.


Last updated December 2008