It was the early 60's. Dennis got his 1st guitar from Melody Music within a few days after Christmas, after everyone heard what Roger and I got. Exactly when Steve got one. I'm also not sureor if Dennis even had an amp to go with his guitar, or if Steve too for that matter at the beginning. I Think Not. You know, none of us were RICH at that time. But we had passion and wanted to move forward somehow. Dennis and I were in 2 little groups before Steve got involved. Surf music and the like.

I don't recall the band member’s names of our 1st little band. I remember that Dennis' mom drove us there though. I also don’t recall all of the 2nd little group members that played with us at the Rainbow Girls Club. But the first gig ever was at an A&W on Imperial. This is where my memory falls short a bit. Dennis may be able to help with this time era.

Then a bit later, when Steve got a guitar, the 1st “all cousin” band was formed. The 1st gig was in Lomita, CA. where Steve lived at the time. We played a Teen Post and he played out of an old, heavy, stereo console that belonged to his dad. I do recall going to Olsen Electronics to find adapters so that we could hook an instrument to it. Music set list is beyond me here.

Steve soon moved to the back house on 130th St. in Hawthorne where the Hageman girls (cousins) lived before they moved to 4052 132st (front House). I do remember practicing and making chord charts for everyone. We had a method for adding songs to our set list. They’d say “Here's the record Larry, figure it out”. I did not mind at all, for I was learning so much by doing it. Our neighborhood friend, Herb Oldenburg, had every popular record at that time and he would let us borrow some when we needed something. Plus what we bought from Melody Music. We would sometimes go to Melody Music’s sheet music section and when nobody was looking, one of us would read the chords off of a sheet of music that we wanted to learn, as another one of us would copy them down. There was a grey haired guy who ran that department forever! I can’t recall his name now. I need to Meditate a bit to try to remember how we progressed from here. Again any recollections from anyone of this time Period to help me out here would be good. To be continued.

The “start-up” music gear started to appear. The 1st amp was a new Black Face Fender Super Reverb with 4 - 10" speakers. I wish I still had it! Followed by a trip to Sears for Dennis’ new Silvertone 6 - 10" Speakers. Did you, Dennis, even have a bass guitar before the amp or was it not until after? Then the Mics. A Shure 664 and a Shure 676. Plus 2 stands with heavy grey bases. I still have one of the stands. Go figure. I think it’s the only surviving piece from back then that I know of. Then the used Fender 1962 Sunburst Jazzmaster. Think I traded one of the Silvertone setups. Steve had some guitar. I have no Idea what it was. Well that's what we had to get us started and we made it work, somehow! No PA. We had enough inputs. That may have given us that overdriven “Saturated Groove Sound”. I think we may have had 1 other cheap mic as well. Then a bit Later a Fender Band Master 2 -12" Speakers was added. Plus, some junky Fuzz Tone thing. To this day, in my wallet, I have a picture of the Vox Buckingham with the Super Reverb and the Jazzmaster and my Selective Service Card (1A) plus my social Security Card that we got when Dennis and I rode our bikes to Century Blvd Office to get. I was 11 Dennis was 10. How's that for crazy! Oh Well!

Larry Nelson

In The Beginning