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North California Groups : W

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These pages were originally made available on the North California Groups website which, unfortunately, no longer exists.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

GARY WAGNER BLUES GROUP

I Can't Go On Without You / Save Your Love (Major Sound 101)1965
From Stockton, Gary Wagner was also a member of The Chosen Few who had one 45 on Autumn Records.



THE WAKEFIELD LOOP

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



WALKING FLOUR

Skip Hilliard - Guitar
Duane Temme - Drums
John "Mojo" Griffith - Bass
Bob Barone - Keyboards
Scott Goodman - Guitar, Harmonica

Hoochie Coochie Man / I Want To Be Your Driver
An unreleased Esar 45 from early 1967.

From Sacramento, Skip Hilliard and Scott Goodman were previously in The Second Generation. Walking Flour also went by the names The Flowering and The Revolving Screen Door. They also recorded a 45, "Canada", as Henzog.



WAPHPHLE

Brian Barmby - Bass
Jack Giere - Vocals, Keyboards
Rick Jagla - Drums
Glenn Strawn - Lead Guitar
Mike Lillman - Guitar

45: Goin' Down / I Want You To Be My One And Only - Elektra 45616 1967
From Sacramento and comprising of former members of the Marauders



THE WARLACHS

Carl Ontis - vocals
Jim Pryts - lead guitar, vocals
Craig Robison - rythm guitar, vocals
John Stemmer - bass, vocals
Gary Maas - drums, vocals

A British Invasion influenced combo from the Napa Valley who had evolved from an earlier Napa group called The Strangers. Playing a mix of Yardbirds and Rolling Stones R&B numbers they were a popular local attraction from 1965 to 1966. Ontis would go on to form Project Hope.



THE WARLOCKS

Jerry Garcia, - lead guitar, vocals
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, - organ, harmonica, vocals
Bob Weir, - rhythm guitar, vocals
Dana Morgan Jr. - bass,
Bill Kreutzmann, - drums

The pre Grateful Dead ensemble, circa 1965. Dana Morgan went on to The Electric Company. They were briefly known as The Emergency Crew when recording demos for Autumn Records.



WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW

Page Brownton - vocals
Paul Sussman - vocals guitar
Bob Inwood - vocals bass
Greg Simmons - vocals keyboards
Chris Simmons - guitar
Rick Tedeschi - guitar
Jim Bush - drums

From San Jose, circa 1967.



MELVIN Q WATCHPOCKET

Appeared at the Golden Sheath Bakery, Berkeley 02/10/67 with Country Joe and the Fish and Big Brother & the Holding Company.



BOBBY WATKINS & FIRE

Flight To Cuba / Soul On Ice - Baytown 013/4 1969



WE FIVE

Small World / You Were On My Mind (A&M 770) 1965
Cast Your Fate To The Wind / Let's Get Together (A&M 784) 1965
Somewhere Beyond The Sea / You Let A Love Burn Out (A&M 793)1966
Somewhere / There Stands The Door (A&M 800) 1966
The First Time / What's Goin' On (A&M 820) Oct 66
High Flying Bird / What Do I Do Now (A&M 894) Dec 67
It Really Doesn't Matter / Walk On By (A&M 1072) 1969
Never Goin' Back / Here Comes The Sun (Vault 964) 1970
Catch The Wind / Oh Lonesome Me (Vault 969) 1970
Rejoice / Backstand Dancer (Verve 10716) 1973



WEATHERVANE

4-4, 5-4 / My Original Blue Jeans - Plamie 1026-A2 Feb 1968
From Modesto



WEIRD HERALD

Saratoga James / Just Yesterday - Onyx 2202 1968

From San Jose



WELCOMING COMMITTEE

Don Branch - keyboards
Mike McEvoy - guitar
Dennis Poggio - drums

Don had previously been in the Napa valley group The Styx.



WENDY AND BONNIE

Larry Carlton - Guitar
Randy Cierly - Bass
Bonnie Flower - Vocals
Wendy Flower - Vocals
Jim Keltner - Drums
Mike Melvoin - Keyboards

Genesis - Skye 1006D 1969

Sisters Wendy and Bonnie Flower recorded this folk psych album when they were 17 and 13 years old respectively.



WEST COAST DISTRIBUTORS

Girl (I Love You)/ The Games - Jam Cha 301 1968

A soul group known previously as the Jay Walkers.



WEST COAST NATURAL GAS

Chuck Bates - Lead Guitar
Dave Burke- ?
Kep - Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Labrache - Drums
Kris Larson - Guitar
Steve Mack - Lead Guitar
Pat Craig - Vocals

Go Run And Play / A Favor - San Francisco Sound EU-2048 1967

Originating in Seattle, the group moved to San Francisco and joined the Matthew Katz stable of recording artists where they became one of the versions of Indian Pudding & Pipe.



WEST WINDS

You Know I'll Miss You / What ... (incomplete title) (Enith 1269)1964/5

From Sacramento previously the Tri-Lites, later known as The Looking Glass.



PETER WHEAT & THE BREAD MEN

Bob Birdwell - Guitar Bass
Roger Kennedy - Vocals, Guitar
Terry Reisman - Drums
Dave Wheeler - Guitar
Barry Houk Ld - Guitar
Chuck Tedford - Keyboards
Dale Radcliff - Keyboards

All The Time/Baby What's New - Amber 6657 1966

From Fremont, they started out as The Tarantels before changing their name to Peter Wheat & The Bread Men.



WHAT-EVER'S RIGHT

Tomy Hartman
Bill Harper
Jeff Myer
Steve?

From Richmond, Hartman and Myer were also in the Raven. Myer went on to drum for Savage Resurrection.



WHEATSTONE BRIDGE

Passing By / One Way Bridge (70-285/6)

One of several releases under this name, some of which could be by the same group.



WHISPERING SHADOWS

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



WHITE LIGHTNING

jake lee | JANDGPERFORMANCE~AT~AOL~DOT~COM I had the most popular unrecorded hippy band in s;f;from 1967 till1969; We played everywhere from the"Garden of Earthly Delights"to the Avalon,Family Dog at the beach Longshoremans Hall,opened and played regularly at Music at MUIR BEACH and at the Matrix ;Anyone remember? My bands name was "WHITE LIGHTNING";



WHITE HAVEN PILLOW

Wreck It/Music Man - MTA 142 (PROMO) 1968

From Hayward CA. Essentially the latter day line up of the "Just Six"



WILD HONEY

June Millington - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Jean Millington - Guitar Vocals

From Sacramento and originally known as The Svelts, the Millington sisters later changed the bands name to Fanny. Wild Honey recorded some demos in 1969, which were included in the Rhino Handmade Fanny box set.



THE WILDFLOWER

S H Ehret
Tom Ellis
M McCausland
Marc McClure - Guitar
Ted Schnider - Congas ?

Baby Dear/Wind Dream - Mainstream 659 - 1966

Contributed four tracks to the Pot Of Flowers album, both sides of the 45 along with Coffee Cup and Jump. Marc McClure later worked on Ron Elliott's solo album and the Beau Brummels 1975 reunion album. Wildflower appeared on a now lost TV show from 4/8/67 recorded at KPIX-TV studios in SF, luckily the audio survives but not in the greatest quality. They perform an absolutely amazing track titled "Please Come Home."



WILD ONES

A Marin County band with no known releases



WILDWOOD

Plastic People / Swimming - Magnum 420 1968
Free Ride / Wildwood Country - Magnum 421 1968

From Stockton.



D.WITHERSPOON & THE FUTURE

Handful Of Love / Cry And See - Frantic CR-2139/40

From Yuba City/Marysville, north of Sacramento.



WOMB

Karyl Boddy - piano, guitar, vocals
Ron Brunecker - drums
Rory Butcher - Percussion, vocals
Christopher Johnson - bass
Roluf Stuart - saxophone, flute
Greg Young - guitar

Womb - Dot DLP 25433 - 1969
Overdub - - Dot DLP 25959 - 1969



DON WRIGHT & THE HEAD SET AKA The Head Set

Draft Dodger Blues/Why Did You Lie? - Spectre 137/8) 1966 (Esar subsidiary)

A studio only group from Sacramento, Don Wright was formerly with the Opposite Six. The b side of the 45 is on Big Beat's Sound Of Young Sacramento CD.


Last updated December 2008