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North California Groups : K

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These pages were originally made available on the North California Groups website which, unfortunately, no longer exists.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

KAK

Dehner C. Patten - lead guitar, vocals
Gary L. Yoder - acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Joseph D. Damrell - bass guitar, sitar, tambourine, vocals
Christopher A. Lockheed - drums, tabla, harpsichord, maracas, vocals

Kak Epic 26429 1968

Formed in Davis, with Yoder and Patten from The Oxford Circle and Damrell who had previously been in Group B, Kak spent most of 1968 in San Francisco.



KANDELS

Gonna Get Better / Change The Way You're Living (Coast Recorders Acetate)
I dunno where Coast Recorder is... but just in case it's in the Bay
area....



KARPETBAGGERS

Randy Tamberg - bass, vocals
Chris Nakano - lead vocal

The Fire I Feel / Watch It Rain - Tri G 202/3 Mar 1966
From Walnut Creek.

We recorded 4 songs, only two of which were released as a single 45 (The Fire I Feel and Watch It Rain). Actually, none of us have a tape of the other two songs. All members of the Karpetbaggers are still living. The group consisted of Chris Nakano (Lead vocal) Greg Hallet ( later as Jon Greg of Little John on Epic) vocal, Randy Tamberg, electric guitar and electric bass and vocal, Jim Learn, 12 string guitar and Chuck Kaiser, drums. Our manager was Trig Richards who had previously been manager to Little E and the Mello Tone Three (Candy Apple Red Impala). We played all the top dance clubs in the Bay Area including The Galaxy ( home of the swim by Bobby Freeman)and The Off Broadway in San Francisco. Denher Patten was never in the group. The only Walnut Creek notable that I know of was Skip Spence of the Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape. I met him a few times at his home when he was in high school. He was a great guitar player in his early teens. Sierra Sound Labs was the studio that Country Joe and the Fish recorded the early recordings.



KAYNINES

45: Angel Eyes / That Ain't Right - Amber 3352196?
From Sacramento.



KEE-NOTES

Mike Brandt - Guitar
Cliff Maurer - Guitar
Dick Instness - Keyboards
Danny Curler - Bass
Brea Berry - Drums

45: Please Don't Tell Me No / Quit Changing Your Mind (Esar 115/6) Dec 1965
From the Folsom/Fair Oaks suburb of Sacramento. When the Kee-Notes split up in 1966 Mike Brandt went on to The Psy-Kicks and Brea Berry joined the all girl group The Svelts, who became Wild Honey and then Fanny.



KENNY AND THE MODADS

45: Magic Lamp / Magic Lamp Pt.2 Bay Town 24 (Baytown 024?)



KENSINGTON FORREST

Bells / Movin' On ( Bay Sound 6901)May 1967
From Millbrae.



KEN KESEY

EP: The Acid Test (Sea 5) 1966
LP: The Acid Test (Sound City 27960) 1967



KIDD AFRIKA

Jim Lilly - bass
Donny Marrow - drums
T.J. Politzer - guitar
Larry Ryan - guitar
Brian Steiner - percussion

Kidd Afrika formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1967. After high school graduation, the band moved to Tacoma in 1970 and then to Seattle in 1971. Kidd Afrika remained based out of Seattle until their break-up in 1982.



KILTS

45: Do It With Me / Don't Hang Up (Diplomacy 18) 1965



THE KIX

George Castillo - Guitar
John Sharp - Vocals, Guitar
Sid Cunningham - Bass

Formed from the remnants of St George And The Dragons in late 1967. They recorded some tracks at Bill Rase Recording Studios two of which, I'll Wait For You and What Would Life Be, are included on The Big Beat Sounds Of Young Sacramento CD.



JEFF KNIGHT

45: Oo-Poo-Pa-Doo / Cry For Me ( Baytown 009/10)1968/9



KNIGHT RIDERS

Ryan Clark - Lead Guitar
Virgil "Butch" Daniels - Guitar
Mike "Mad Dog" Lentos - Drums
Jay Mierly - Vocals
Rodney Pierce - Bass

From San Carlos, they auditioned for Autumn in 1965 and recorded several tracks that were not released, including the one that they are most well known for, "I". They split up in 1966 shortly after the Autumn deal led nowhere.



KRIYANANDA

What Is It For? / Peace (Hansa 202 )196?
"Religious pop".



KWANE AND THE KWANDITOS

Seem to have been active from 1970/71. They opened for Sawbuck (with Ronnie Montrose and Mojo Collins) and Malo (with Jorge Santana) at the Fillmore West on 6/29/71 (last week of the Fillmore).


Last updated December 2008