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This day-by-day diary of The Vejtables' live, studio, broadcasting, and private activities is the result of three decades of research and interview work by Bruno Ceriotti, but without the significant contributions by other kindred spirits this diary would not have been possible. So, I would like to thank all the people who, in one form or another, contributed to this timeline: Bob Cole, Bob Mosley, Ross Hannan, Corry Arnold, Perry Phillips, Carol Deck, Mr. Jones, Christopher Hjort, KRLA Beat, Oakland Tribune, Daily Independent Journal, Long Beach Independent, Van Nuys Valley News, The Daily Californian, San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Francisco Examiner, Sacramento Union, Sacramento Bee, Folsom Telegram, Cloverdale Reveille, Salinas Californian, Van Nuys News and Green Valley Sheet.
1964
The story of the Vejtables, one of San Francisco Bay Area’s lost but legendary rock bands of the 60s, begins in the San Mateo County when Bob Bailey (b. Robert Edwards, 1941/42), a former acting school student, and his friend Ned Hollis, a former organ player of a trio whose name no one remember, decided to form a Beatles-influenced band. The pair started searching the right musicians among the people who gathered around the Big Al’s Gashouse, a pizza-beer-entertainment joint in San Mateo. It was there that they find a guitarist named Bob Cole, formerly of The Franciscans, The Imperials, Dr Billy and The Interns, The Metrotones, and Skip and The Valients (as manager). “Bob Bailey and Ned Hollis had an aim for an English style band when they grabbed me,” recalls Bob Cole in an interview with the author on May 9, 2022. “Bob would keep people laughing - but you knew you were being pulled into their clutches. They had a plan and you were either on the bus or not on the bus. So when they first were courting me, we were suddenly running together. I remember going with them down to San Jose where the Ventures were doing a concert at an out-door baseball field. It was probably where San Jose does fairs and civic events. We were outside the fence in a parking area and could the band playing across the infield on a stage made into the stands. The stands and awning was green-painted wood over cyclone fencing. All very old style on flat ground. Parking lot too. It was a little chilly, I don't remember what month that was. Very quickly we were going around to rent equipment. I imagine this was running through the summer and fall.” The new recruit Bob Cole eventually found a solid bass player named Rick Dey (b. 1948), and then also a female drummer named Janet Ann ‘Jan’ Errico (b. Sunday, March 21, 1943, San Mateo County, California), a former singer with a band called Jean and the Ethics. “Jan Errico used to get drunk and sing Rosie & The Originals’ ‘Angel Baby’ along about midnight on Monday nights in Big Al’s Gashouse,” recalls Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “One night, she and her girlfriend were well lite by the bar near the entrance. I was with Rick Dey, and maybe Bob Bailey and Ned Hollis were there. She was yelling at the drummer in the house band and being generally obnoxious. I told her to go sit in which made her almost fall over from embarrassment; but she yelled and we egged her on and she eventually went back and sat down with a huge, popping smile at the ridiculousness of it all. She flounced around on the set - but I had the idea and told the rest we ought to think about getting her to drum. After all: a girl drummer! My new band-mates were as incredulous and she later was - but it quickly became an obvious vision for us all.” The leader Bob Bailey named the group the Vegetables and also asked to all the male members to went to live together at his house in Portola Valley, San Mateo County. “Bailey could keep everyone laughing,” also recalls Bob Cole, “but he was totally controlling and at that young age, his attitude eventually drove everyone away.” Anyway, in the end Cole, Hollis and Dey accepted the offer to live together and soon Bailey’s house was dubbed by them the ‘Vegetable House’ or ‘Vegetable Mansion.’ “Bob’s mother was a gourmand and she would provide two meals a day for $15 a week,” continues Cole. “Jan did not live there, but we set up in the front room and put 10 or so Beatles’ songs together in the first two weeks.” “Jan and Ned got together at some point and they later got married,” concludes Cole.
The story of the Vejtables, one of San Francisco Bay Area’s lost but legendary rock bands of the 60s, begins in the San Mateo County when Bob Bailey (b. Robert Edwards, 1941/42), a former acting school student, and his friend Ned Hollis, a former organ player of a trio whose name no one remember, decided to form a Beatles-influenced band. The pair started searching the right musicians among the people who gathered around the Big Al’s Gashouse, a pizza-beer-entertainment joint in San Mateo. It was there that they find a guitarist named Bob Cole, formerly of The Franciscans, The Imperials, Dr Billy and The Interns, The Metrotones, and Skip and The Valients (as manager). “Bob Bailey and Ned Hollis had an aim for an English style band when they grabbed me,” recalls Bob Cole in an interview with the author on May 9, 2022. “Bob would keep people laughing - but you knew you were being pulled into their clutches. They had a plan and you were either on the bus or not on the bus. So when they first were courting me, we were suddenly running together. I remember going with them down to San Jose where the Ventures were doing a concert at an out-door baseball field. It was probably where San Jose does fairs and civic events. We were outside the fence in a parking area and could the band playing across the infield on a stage made into the stands. The stands and awning was green-painted wood over cyclone fencing. All very old style on flat ground. Parking lot too. It was a little chilly, I don't remember what month that was. Very quickly we were going around to rent equipment. I imagine this was running through the summer and fall.” The new recruit Bob Cole eventually found a solid bass player named Rick Dey (b. 1948), and then also a female drummer named Janet Ann ‘Jan’ Errico (b. Sunday, March 21, 1943, San Mateo County, California), a former singer with a band called Jean and the Ethics. “Jan Errico used to get drunk and sing Rosie & The Originals’ ‘Angel Baby’ along about midnight on Monday nights in Big Al’s Gashouse,” recalls Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “One night, she and her girlfriend were well lite by the bar near the entrance. I was with Rick Dey, and maybe Bob Bailey and Ned Hollis were there. She was yelling at the drummer in the house band and being generally obnoxious. I told her to go sit in which made her almost fall over from embarrassment; but she yelled and we egged her on and she eventually went back and sat down with a huge, popping smile at the ridiculousness of it all. She flounced around on the set - but I had the idea and told the rest we ought to think about getting her to drum. After all: a girl drummer! My new band-mates were as incredulous and she later was - but it quickly became an obvious vision for us all.” The leader Bob Bailey named the group the Vegetables and also asked to all the male members to went to live together at his house in Portola Valley, San Mateo County. “Bailey could keep everyone laughing,” also recalls Bob Cole, “but he was totally controlling and at that young age, his attitude eventually drove everyone away.” Anyway, in the end Cole, Hollis and Dey accepted the offer to live together and soon Bailey’s house was dubbed by them the ‘Vegetable House’ or ‘Vegetable Mansion.’ “Bob’s mother was a gourmand and she would provide two meals a day for $15 a week,” continues Cole. “Jan did not live there, but we set up in the front room and put 10 or so Beatles’ songs together in the first two weeks.” “Jan and Ned got together at some point and they later got married,” concludes Cole.
THE VEGETABLES (1964) / THE VEJTABLES #1 (1964 - JANUARY 1965)
1) Ned Hollis rhythm guitar, 12-string guitar, organ, backing vocals
2) Bob Bailey lead vocals, tambourine, harmonica, percussion
3) Jan Errico drums, lead vocals, backing vocals
4) Rick Dey bass, backing vocals
5) Bob Cole lead guitar
The Vegetables - Jan Errico in 1964
1964: Big Al’s Gashouse, 4301 El Camino Real, San Mateo, California
After a couple of weeks of rehearsals, the Vegetables played their debut gig at Big Al’s Gashouse, performing a set of Beatles covers. “We immediately made our ‘debut’ on the open floor of Big Al's Gashouse,” recalls Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “The whole cute nature of it all, and the girl drummer thing made everyone instantly love us.”
1964
Through Bob Bailey, the band found a sort of manager named Murry Kravitz. “Murry owned a shoe store and dreamed about being the new Brian Epstein,” recalls Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “He gave us some jackets and I remember we rented some band equipment. Kravitz had rented out the San Jose Civic Auditorium and put together what he hoped would be English themed bands for a big show. We went over there and I remember al all black bar band was there with brightly colored clown wigs which they displayed sheepishly. They didn’t know whether this would pan out but they showed up as instructed. That gig fell through.”
1964
One night the band almost burned down the ‘Vegetable House.’ “We drove back and forth from Portola Valley and usually fell out around 4:30am,” recalls Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “One night we almost burned down the Vegetable House. I don’t know how it started but it got going in earnest when the storm blew the power out. There was something utterly outrageous about the plume of fire from a lit hair-spray can - an item we Beatles-era long hairs had plenty of. Whoever got blasted first, we were quickly running and stumbling in giddy laughter chasing each other with matches and hair-spray. We must have gone through a couple cases of hair-spray before the free-for-all went wild. We only got singed at first. Of course Bob innovated with a can of Black Flag Insect spray and two cans of hair-spray strapped together using bend-up coat-hangers that also held his Zippo lighter about a foot from the nozzles. A regular flame thrower. Undeterred, I edged along the hall and Bob was creeping around to face me from the front-room when Rick Dey came maniacally from his hiding place at us both. An explosion of fire ignited Rick’s underwear and he ran flaming through the dark, screaming. A blanket started up. It looked like he might set the whole place ablaze when Bob and Ned tackled him after his second broad jump over the living-room couch - and put him out. Another near miss at Vegetable Mansion.”
1964
The band changed its name to the Vejtables. “Another idea of Bob Bailey,” recalls Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “He liked conjugating the syllables.”
December 1964 - January 1965: Rich Romanello’s Morocco Room, 2010 South El Camino Real, San Mateo, California
“The Beau Brummels had done their beginning at Rich’s Morocco Room that year, and we opened there and headlined all through Christmas and New Years,” recalls Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “Tom ‘Big Daddy’ Donahue came down - we were the new up-coming ‘it’ band and he was wanting to sign us (I think I signed with Big Daddy as well). It was a magical time.” The owner of the club, Rich Romanello, was “a tall, suave, good looking Italian in flashy clothes,” continues Cole. “He and his partner ran around in his long red Cadillac Convertible with the white top always down. They were quite the sight. I was in the clamorous breakroom when Rich’s partner leaned down, looking over his High-Boy collar and said, ‘I’m an English teacher.’ I looked surprised at this seeming club snake. He counseled, waving his hand about, ‘Ya gotta have something to fall back on.’ Nodding, ‘Always have a fall-back’.” Every night, after the show, the band used to eat pancakes before returning home. “El Camino had a string of all night pancake eateries that filled to bustling capacity after Morrocco Room closed,” concludes Cole.
January 1965
Bob Cole left the Vejtables (he went to play with The InnSex or The InSexx (“the band ended before the name was established,” admits Cole), The In-Crowd, Lydia Pense, and many others) and was replaced by a new lead guitarist named Reese Sheets.
THE VEJTABLES #2 (JANUARY 1965 - 1965)
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Errico
4) Rick Dey
5) Reese Sheets lead guitar, backing vocals
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Errico
4) Rick Dey
5) Reese Sheets lead guitar, backing vocals
1965
Rick Dey left the Vejtables (he went to play with a lot of bands such as the Wild Knights, Hawk and the Randelas, Val Garay, Giant Sunflower, the Enemies, the Daily Flash, Merry-Go-Round, and Melton, Levy and the Dey Brothers) and was replaced with a new bass player bamed Ron Drucker.
Rick Dey left the Vejtables (he went to play with a lot of bands such as the Wild Knights, Hawk and the Randelas, Val Garay, Giant Sunflower, the Enemies, the Daily Flash, Merry-Go-Round, and Melton, Levy and the Dey Brothers) and was replaced with a new bass player bamed Ron Drucker.
THE VEJTABLES #3 (1965 - MAY 1965)
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Errico
4) Reese Sheets
5) Ron Drucker bass
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Errico
4) Reese Sheets
5) Ron Drucker bass
Friday, April 9 - Sunday, April 18, 1965: ‘Bay Area Teen-Age Fair,’ San Mateo County Fairgrounds, 2495 South Delaware Street, San Mateo, California
One show each day, from 6:00pm to 12 midnight only on April 9, and from 12 noon to 12 midnight from April 10 to 18. Also on the bill: The Beau Brummels (9), The Notables, The Opposite Six, The Bundles, Gene and the Ethics.
May 1965
Ron Drucker left the Vejtables and was replaced by a new bass player named 'Rank Frank' Smith, formerly of the Misfits.
One show each day, from 6:00pm to 12 midnight only on April 9, and from 12 noon to 12 midnight from April 10 to 18. Also on the bill: The Beau Brummels (9), The Notables, The Opposite Six, The Bundles, Gene and the Ethics.
May 1965
Ron Drucker left the Vejtables and was replaced by a new bass player named 'Rank Frank' Smith, formerly of the Misfits.
THE VEJTABLES #4 (MAY 1965 - NOVEMBER 1965)
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Errico (aka Jan Ashton)
4) Reese Sheets
5) 'Rank Frank' Smith bass, backing vocals
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Errico (aka Jan Ashton)
4) Reese Sheets
5) 'Rank Frank' Smith bass, backing vocals
May 1965: Coast Recorders Inc., 960 Bush Street, Nob Hill, San Francisco, California
Only a few days after ‘Rank Frank’ Smith joined them, the Vejtables signed with Tom ‘Big Daddy’ Donahue’s Autumn Records and headed into Coast Recorders to record their debut single, ‘I Still Love You / Anything.’ The topside was penned and sang by Jan Errico who, in the meantime, had taken the stage name of Jan Ashton as she felt it sounded more ‘British.’ The flipside was penned by Bob Bailey. By the way, that day the band also recorded an alternative version of ‘I Still Love You,’ which surfaced only thirty years later, in 1995, on the album: ‘Feel… The Vejtables’ (Sundazed SRC 11031).
Friday, May 14, 1965: Civic Auditorium, 99 Grove Street, San Francisco, California
Also on the bill: The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, Beau Brummels, Paul Revere and The Raiders, Russ ‘The Moose’ Syracuse (MC). The show, which started at 8:30pm, was presented by Bob Mitchell and Tom Donahue of local radio station KYA (‘Boss Of The Bay’). The crowd was estimated at 5,000.
Wednesday, June 23, 1965: ‘Debutante Ball,’ Burlingame Country Club, 80 New Place Road, Hillsborough, San Mateo County, California
The Vejtables provided live music entertainment during the debut dance Mr. and Mrs. John R. Metcalf gave to present their 18-year-old daughter Mary.
August 1965
The Vejtables’ debut single, ‘I Still Love You / Anything’ (Autumn 15), was released in the US. Later that year the single was also released in Canada (in September), Australia, and UK (on November 26).
Friday, September 24 - Monday, September 27, 1965: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, Alameda County, California
Saturday, October 2, 1965: ‘1965 Fall Spectacular,’ Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Street, Daly City, San Mateo County, California
Also on the bill: The Byrds, Sonny & Cher, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Shangri-Las, The Beau Brummels, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Glenn Campbell, The Castaways, Bobby Freeman, Charlie Rich, Roy Head, The Mojo Men, The Sunrays, The Tikis, The Toys, Johnny Holiday (MC). The show, which started at 8:30pm, was presented by Bob Mitchell and Tom Donahue of local radio station KYA (‘Boss Of The Bay’).
Saturday, October 9, 1965: ‘New American Bandstand,’ ABC TV, Stage 54 or 55, The Prospect Studios (aka ABC Television Center), 4151 Prospect Avenue at Talmadge Street, Los Feliz, Central Los Angeles (broadcast date)
Lip-synching 'I Still Love You', the Vejtables appeared on Dick Clark's New American Bandstand, a popular national television music and talk show which was aired on the ABC network every Saturday from 12:30pm to 1:30pm (East Coast) and from 1:30pm to 2:30pm (West Coast). Also appeared on this episode: Barbara Mason.
Saturday, October 9, 1965: Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J Street, Sacramento, California
Two shows, 6:30pm and 9:30pm, presented jointly by KROY, a local radio station, and Tower Productions Inc. Also on the bill: Herman’s Hermits, the New Breed, the Inlanders, and the John Rosasco Quartet.
Only a few days after ‘Rank Frank’ Smith joined them, the Vejtables signed with Tom ‘Big Daddy’ Donahue’s Autumn Records and headed into Coast Recorders to record their debut single, ‘I Still Love You / Anything.’ The topside was penned and sang by Jan Errico who, in the meantime, had taken the stage name of Jan Ashton as she felt it sounded more ‘British.’ The flipside was penned by Bob Bailey. By the way, that day the band also recorded an alternative version of ‘I Still Love You,’ which surfaced only thirty years later, in 1995, on the album: ‘Feel… The Vejtables’ (Sundazed SRC 11031).
Friday, May 14, 1965: Civic Auditorium, 99 Grove Street, San Francisco, California
Also on the bill: The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, Beau Brummels, Paul Revere and The Raiders, Russ ‘The Moose’ Syracuse (MC). The show, which started at 8:30pm, was presented by Bob Mitchell and Tom Donahue of local radio station KYA (‘Boss Of The Bay’). The crowd was estimated at 5,000.
Wednesday, June 23, 1965: ‘Debutante Ball,’ Burlingame Country Club, 80 New Place Road, Hillsborough, San Mateo County, California
The Vejtables provided live music entertainment during the debut dance Mr. and Mrs. John R. Metcalf gave to present their 18-year-old daughter Mary.
August 1965
The Vejtables’ debut single, ‘I Still Love You / Anything’ (Autumn 15), was released in the US. Later that year the single was also released in Canada (in September), Australia, and UK (on November 26).
Friday, September 24 - Monday, September 27, 1965: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, Alameda County, California
Saturday, October 2, 1965: ‘1965 Fall Spectacular,’ Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Street, Daly City, San Mateo County, California
Also on the bill: The Byrds, Sonny & Cher, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Shangri-Las, The Beau Brummels, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Glenn Campbell, The Castaways, Bobby Freeman, Charlie Rich, Roy Head, The Mojo Men, The Sunrays, The Tikis, The Toys, Johnny Holiday (MC). The show, which started at 8:30pm, was presented by Bob Mitchell and Tom Donahue of local radio station KYA (‘Boss Of The Bay’).
Saturday, October 9, 1965: ‘New American Bandstand,’ ABC TV, Stage 54 or 55, The Prospect Studios (aka ABC Television Center), 4151 Prospect Avenue at Talmadge Street, Los Feliz, Central Los Angeles (broadcast date)
Lip-synching 'I Still Love You', the Vejtables appeared on Dick Clark's New American Bandstand, a popular national television music and talk show which was aired on the ABC network every Saturday from 12:30pm to 1:30pm (East Coast) and from 1:30pm to 2:30pm (West Coast). Also appeared on this episode: Barbara Mason.
Saturday, October 9, 1965: Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J Street, Sacramento, California
Two shows, 6:30pm and 9:30pm, presented jointly by KROY, a local radio station, and Tower Productions Inc. Also on the bill: Herman’s Hermits, the New Breed, the Inlanders, and the John Rosasco Quartet.
Sacramento Bee (September 26, 1965)
Saturday, October 16, 1965: ‘Dance,’ unknown venue, Roseville, Placer County, California
Also on the bill: The Kee Notes.
Friday, October 22, 1965: ‘Where The Action Is,’ ABC TV, unknown location, unknown city, unknown county, California (broadcast date)
Lip-synching ‘I Still Love You’ and ‘Anything,’ the Vejtables appeared on Where The Action Is, another popular national television music show created and produced by Dick Clark and hosted by Steve Alaimo, which was aired on the ABC network every Friday from 4:30pm to 5:00pm. Also appeared on this episode: Peter and Gordon, Joan Campbell, Keith Allison.
Friday, November 5 - Monday, November 8, 1965: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, Alameda County, California
Oakland Tribune (November 5, 1965)
Early November 1965
The Vejtables’ second single, ‘The Last Thing On My Mind / Mansion Of Tears’ (Autumn 23), was released in the US. The disc, which was recorded at Coast Recorders Inc., was released also in Canada (in November) and Australia (in 1966). The topside was a cover of a 1964’s song by Tom Paxton (with Jan Ashton on lead vocals), while the flipside was an original penned by Marty Cooper, who also produced the single.
November 1965
Reese Sheets left the Vejtables and was replaced by a new lead guitar player named James Madsen ‘Jim’ Sawyers (b. Friday, May 18, 1945, Monterey County, California), formerly of the Other Side, and the Topsiders.
THE VEJTABLES #5 (NOVEMBER 1965 - MAY 1966)
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Ashton
4) 'Rank Frank' Smith
5) Jim Sawyers lead guitar, backing vocals
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) Jan Ashton
4) 'Rank Frank' Smith
5) Jim Sawyers lead guitar, backing vocals
Saturday, November 13, 1965: Women’s Gymnasium, Sacramento State College campus, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, California
The dance, which lasted from 9:00pm to 1:00am, was sponsored by SCC’s Ski Club. Also on the bill: Apollos.
Saturday, November 20, 1965: ‘Dance and Show,’ Corte Madera Recreation Center, 498 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera, Marin County, California
One show, from 8:00pm to 12 midnight.
Daily Independent Journal (November 19, 1965)
Sunday, November 28 - Sunday, December 12, 1965: The Nu Beat, 1836 El Camino Real, Redwood City, San Mateo County, California
Saturday, December 18, 1965: ‘December ’65,’ Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J Street, Sacramento, California
The show, which started at 8:30pm, was presented jointly by KROY, a local radio station, and Tower Productions Inc. Also on the bill: Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Mojo Men, Custer and the Survivors.
December 1965 (?)
The Vejtables’ first and only EP, ‘The Last Thing On My Mind / Mansion Of Tears / I Still Love You / Anything’ (Vogue INT. 18051), was released only in France. The picture sleeve extend play coupled together the band’s first two singles.
Early 1966: Coast Recorders Inc., 960 Bush Street, Nob Hill, San Francisco, California
Jan Ashton headed into Coast Recorders to record a solo single, ‘Cold Dreary Morning / Smile Smile Smile’, for Autumn Records. However, the single was eventually shelved when Autumn went under and their artist roster was taken over by Warner Bros. Records. At least the topside, ‘Cold Dreary Morning,’ surfaced twenty years later, in 1985, on the Various Artists’ compilation album, ‘Nuggets Volume Seven: Early San Francisco’ (Rhino Records RNLP 031).
Saturday, January 8, 1966: ‘Dance and Show’, Longshoremen’s Hall, 400 North Point, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, California
The show was presented by KYA Super Harlow A Go-Go. Also on the bill: Baytovens, Just Six, William Penn and His Pals. One show, from 8:00pm to 12 midnight.
Saturday, February 5, 1966: ‘Dance,’ Cloverdale Citrus Fair Building, Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds, 1 Citrus Fair Driver, Cloverdale, Sonoma County, California
The dance, which lasted from 9pm to 1am, was sponsored by Joe Lyons of Cloverdale Liquor store and Gary Mills.
Cloverdale Reveille (June 27, 1966)
Monday, February 7 - Thursday, February 17, 1966: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, Alameda County, California
Monday, February 21, 1966: Gymnasium, El Cerrito High School, 540 Ashbury Avenue, El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California
The show, which started at 8:00pm, was held to raised money for the El Cerrito High's student body assemblies fund. Also on the bill: The Group, KEWB disc jockey Gene Price (MC).
Friday, March 4, 1966: Rollarena, 15721 East 14th Street, San Leandro, Alameda County, California
The show was presented by Bill Quarry’s Teens ‘n’ Twenties.
Monday, March 21 - Saturday, March 26, 1966: ‘2 Big Bands Nitely - Battle of the Bands,’ Maida’s Bambu Village, 68 West Market Street, Salinas, Monterey County, California
Also on the bill: Roger Calkins and His Holidays. One show each day, from 8pm to 2am.
Salinas Californian (March 21, 1966)
Tuesday, April 12 - Monday, May 16, 1966: Drag' on A' Go-Go, 49 Wentworth Alley, Chinatown, San Francisco, California
The Vejtables played here from 9:00pm to 2:00am from Sunday to Thursday, and from 8:00pm to 2:00am on Friday and Saturday.
San Francisco Examiner (April 23, 1966)
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San Francisco Examiner (May 7, 1966)
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Friday, May 6 - Saturday, May 7, 1966: Winterland, 2000 Post Street at Steiner Street, Zion District, San Francisco, California
Also on the bill: The Mojo Men, The Hedds. One show each day, from 8:00pm to 12 midnight. The Winterland arena had a capacity of 2500, but the two shows drew less than 25 people each night!
Saturday, May 7, 1966
The today issue of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper reported that “The new sounds of the Vejtables are so good that Mercury Records has signed them up to record on a Phillips label.” Well, I don’t know what happened, but eventually the band never released (or even recorded to my knowledge) anything either for Mercury or Phillips.
May 1966
Jan Ashton left the Vejtables (she went to play with the Mojo Men) and was replaced by a another female drummer named Kristy.
THE VEJTABLES #6 (MAY 1966 - JULY 1966)
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) 'Rank Frank' Smith
4) Jim Sawyers
5) Kristy drums
Tuesday, May 31 - Sunday, June 5, 1966: CazBah, 21211 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California
Valley News (June 3, 1966)
Van Nuys News and Valley Green Sheet (June 3, 1966)
Friday, June 24 - Wednesday, July 6, 1966: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, Alameda County, California
July 1966
The Vejtables added a second rhythm guitar player named James Robert 'Bob' Mosley (b. Friday, December 4, 1942, Paradise Valley Hospital, 2400 East 4th Street, National City, San Diego County, California), formerly of the Frantics, the Hooters, the Misfits (later known as the San Diego Misfits), and Joel Scott Hill Trio with Joni Lyman.
THE VEJTABLES #7 (JULY 1966)
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) 'Rank Frank' Smith
4) Jim Sawyers
5) Kristy
6) Bob Mosley rhythm guitar, backing vocals
1) Ned Hollis
2) Bob Bailey
3) 'Rank Frank' Smith
4) Jim Sawyers
5) Kristy
6) Bob Mosley rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Sunday, July 10, 1966: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, Alameda County, California
July 1966
The lineup with two rhythm guitar players didn't gel so Ned Hollis left the Vejtables (he went to play with the Enemies).
THE VEJTABLES #8 (JULY 1966)
1) Bob Bailey
2) 'Rank Frank' Smith
3) Jim Sawyers
4) Kristy
5) Bob Mosley
1) Bob Bailey
2) 'Rank Frank' Smith
3) Jim Sawyers
4) Kristy
5) Bob Mosley
Sunday, July 17, 1966: Frenchy's, 29097 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, Alameda County, California
Monday, July 18 - Thursday, July 21, 1966: Drag' on A' Go-Go, 49 Wentworth Alley, Chinatown, San Francisco, California
The Vejtables played here from 9:00pm to 2:00am each night.
July 1966
Jim Sawyers left the Vejtables and went to play with Syndicate of Sound, and then Bogus Thunder.
THE VEJTABLES #9 (JULY 1966)
1) Bob Bailey
2) 'Rank Frank' Smith
3) Kristy
4) Bob Mosley
1) Bob Bailey
2) 'Rank Frank' Smith
3) Kristy
4) Bob Mosley
July 1966
'Rank Frank' Smith, Kristy (who left to have a baby) and Bob Mosley left the Vejtables (Mosley went to play with the Joel Scott Hill Trio and then Moby Grape). At that point Bob Bailey re-formed the band with Saul Lewis on vocals and organ, Arthur Penthollow on drums, Rolland Oeller on bass, formerly of Paul Steffen and the Apollos, and solo singer under the name of Roland Stone, and last but not least, an Italian-American singer and 12-string acoustic guitar player named Richard Fortunato, formerly of the Frantics, and the Preachers.
July 1966
'Rank Frank' Smith, Kristy (who left to have a baby) and Bob Mosley left the Vejtables (Mosley went to play with the Joel Scott Hill Trio and then Moby Grape). At that point Bob Bailey re-formed the band with Saul Lewis on vocals and organ, Arthur Penthollow on drums, Rolland Oeller on bass, formerly of Paul Steffen and the Apollos, and solo singer under the name of Roland Stone, and last but not least, an Italian-American singer and 12-string acoustic guitar player named Richard Fortunato, formerly of the Frantics, and the Preachers.
THE VEJTABLES #10 (JULY 1966 - JANUARY 1967)
1) Bob Bailey
2) Rolland Oeller bass
3) Saul Lewis vocals, organ
4) Arthur Penthollow drums
5) Richard Fortunato vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar
1) Bob Bailey
2) Rolland Oeller bass
3) Saul Lewis vocals, organ
4) Arthur Penthollow drums
5) Richard Fortunato vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar
1966: Golden State Recorders, 665 Harrison Street, San Francisco, California
The Vejtables headed into Golden State Recorders to record their third single, ‘Shadows / Feel The Music.’ Both songs were written by Bailey and Fortunato and produced by the studio’s owner and engineer Leo De Gar Kulka, aka ‘The Baron.’ Also at the same session, the band recorded another five songs penned by Bailey and Fortunato and produced by Kulka: ‘Hide Yourself,’ ‘Better Rearrange’, ‘Good Things Are Happening’, ‘Good Times,’ and ‘Time And Place.’ These songs surfaced in 1994 in the Various Artists’ compilation album, ‘Good Things Are Happening’ (Big Beat Records CDWIKD 133). A year later, in 1995, an alternative instrumental-only version of ‘Hide Youself’ also recorded that day surfaced in the band’s posthumous album, ‘Feel… The Vejtables.’ Last but not least, in 2001, ‘Hide Yourself’ and ‘Good Things Are Happening’ were released as the band’s posthumous fourth and last single.
"Feel... The Vejtables" album (1995)
January 1967
The Vejtables’s third single, ‘Shadows / Feel The Music’ (Uptown 741), was released only in the US.
January 1967
The Vejtables changed their name to The Book of Changes after 'Rank Frank' Smith re-joined them.
THE BOOK OF CHANGES (JANUARY 1967 - 1967)
1) Bob Bailey
2) Rolland Oeller
3) Saul Lewis
4) Arthur Penthollow
5) Richard Fortunato
6) 'Rank Frank' Smith
1) Bob Bailey
2) Rolland Oeller
3) Saul Lewis
4) Arthur Penthollow
5) Richard Fortunato
6) 'Rank Frank' Smith
Early May 1967
The Book Of Changes’ first and only single, ‘I Stole The Goodyear Blimp / Suddenly I’m Desperately In Love’ (Tower 337), was released in the US. The disc was recorded at Golden State Recorders and produced by Jim Marino. The topside was penned by an unknown author named T. Smith, while the flipside was penned by the band’s bass player Rolland Oeller. The single was also released in Canada later that year.
1967
The Book of Changes disbanded. Bob Bailey started a solo career, Richard Fortunato went to play with Fields, while Arthur Penthollow went to play with a rehearsal unnamed trio along with Steve Lalor on vocals and guitar, and David Brooks on piano.
Monday, November 5, 1973
Rick Dey died for overdose of laughing gas (nitrous oxide). “Rick and I were good friends for a quite a while but I lost touch with before he died,” regrets Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “It was a shame, he was a good guy and a good musician.”
1970s
'Rank Frank' Smith was assassinated in his hotel room at the Howard Johnson's motel in Mill Valley. "Frank Smith or Rank Frank as his friends called him was a true talent," recalls a friend of him who want to stay anonymous. "He played funky and chunky rhythm, and good lead too. He was a gas to hang out and play with. I played many club dates with him, his Fender Telecaster had a Humbucking pickup and a sustain switch built in to the guitar. Jeff Beck dug Frank and looked him up when he was in the Bay Area. He left behind many friends."
February 2021
The Vejtables’ posthumous fourth and last single, ‘Hide Yourself / Good Things Are Happening’ (Mojo-Bone Rekkids MB-06), was released only in the US.
Friday, April 30, 2021
Bob Bailey passed away at his home. "Bob received negligent care and got Sepsis. He had beat Covid already," points out his lifelong friend and former bandmate Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. "Bob was very bright. But there we are. This is what happens. He did not die from Covid. He was laid up and had bed sores - which should never have developed but only so because he was not attended to. They got infected and it ran to the bone. Covid was not a part of it. Not at all, not in any way."
The Book Of Changes’ first and only single, ‘I Stole The Goodyear Blimp / Suddenly I’m Desperately In Love’ (Tower 337), was released in the US. The disc was recorded at Golden State Recorders and produced by Jim Marino. The topside was penned by an unknown author named T. Smith, while the flipside was penned by the band’s bass player Rolland Oeller. The single was also released in Canada later that year.
1967
The Book of Changes disbanded. Bob Bailey started a solo career, Richard Fortunato went to play with Fields, while Arthur Penthollow went to play with a rehearsal unnamed trio along with Steve Lalor on vocals and guitar, and David Brooks on piano.
Monday, November 5, 1973
Rick Dey died for overdose of laughing gas (nitrous oxide). “Rick and I were good friends for a quite a while but I lost touch with before he died,” regrets Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. “It was a shame, he was a good guy and a good musician.”
1970s
'Rank Frank' Smith was assassinated in his hotel room at the Howard Johnson's motel in Mill Valley. "Frank Smith or Rank Frank as his friends called him was a true talent," recalls a friend of him who want to stay anonymous. "He played funky and chunky rhythm, and good lead too. He was a gas to hang out and play with. I played many club dates with him, his Fender Telecaster had a Humbucking pickup and a sustain switch built in to the guitar. Jeff Beck dug Frank and looked him up when he was in the Bay Area. He left behind many friends."
February 2021
The Vejtables’ posthumous fourth and last single, ‘Hide Yourself / Good Things Are Happening’ (Mojo-Bone Rekkids MB-06), was released only in the US.
Friday, April 30, 2021
Bob Bailey passed away at his home. "Bob received negligent care and got Sepsis. He had beat Covid already," points out his lifelong friend and former bandmate Bob Cole in an interview with the author on December 25, 2019. "Bob was very bright. But there we are. This is what happens. He did not die from Covid. He was laid up and had bed sores - which should never have developed but only so because he was not attended to. They got infected and it ran to the bone. Covid was not a part of it. Not at all, not in any way."
