An early Shane line-up included Frank Myers (lead guitar, vocals ex-Deltas), Fred Zang (lead & rhythm guitar, vocals ex-Orange Wedge, Dr. Seuss, Cousin Fox), Jerry Schwoerer (bass, vocals), Graham Eckler (keyboards), and Bill Moran (drums).
The group started out playing British Invasion and contemporary rock at teen centers, frat parties, Squire’s Inn… They played a concert at Polytech on a bill with Expressway, Jake, and Jabez Stone.
Photo courtesy of Fred Zang
Zang left the band to join Queen’s Chapel, then later with Trigger Happy… Schwoerer stayed with Shane for another year or so then also joined Queen’s Chapel.
By 1972 Frank split from the band and auditioned to replace Mel Warfield in The 6th Hour. The band hired Frank and decided to retain the name Shane (as they felt The 6th Hour name was too long and Shane was only one syllable). At that time the new version of Shane consisted of Frank Myers (lead guitar), with 6th Hour members Mike Endres aka ‘Ajax’ (keyboards, lead vocals, sax, flute), Bill Heird aka ‘Garland’ (bass), and Steve Clark (drums), with Graham Eckler re-joining Frank and his new band in September 1972 on keyboards. At that point Endres (now going by ‘Ajax’ -Frank’s nickname for him) moved out front on lead vocals, sax flute, Mellotron, percussion).
In April 1973, Frank and Graham left to form another group. Replacing them were Ed Weber (Hammond, Rhodes, ARP Synth) and Jimmy Johnston (guitar, vocals).
They expanded their local bookings north into PA and south into PA and west into WVA including opening for concerts and headlining a couple as well as they had their eyes set on Las Vegas!
Appearances included a concert at Loyola College gym with Elephant’s Memory, and Bulldog on September 30, 1972.
Right: Myers, Eckler. Photo courtesy of Ajax Endres
Ajax recalled “In April 1973, Frank and Graham left and formed the group Rif-Raf with Rob Fahey. Replacing them were Eddie Weber (Hammond, Rhodes, ARP Synth) and Jimmy Johnston (lead guitar, vocals).”
“By the end of summer 1973, Mike Endres decided to go back to college and he was replaced with Bill Davis (guitar, vocals).”
“Six months later, the Rhapsody Club fire destroyed Shane’s equipment and it was a little while before they resumed their work playing clubs and other venues up and down the eastern seaboard and as far west as Iowa.”
“Incidentally, Shane was the house band at The Frigate when it burned down. Our equipment was not in it as we were playing out-of-state when that happened. This was just before Graham joined Shane and we were a four-piece. I know because I would climb up into where the B-3 was at the Frigate so I could play. Frank Myers at 6’7” and Bill ‘Garland’ Heird (later of Girard’s disco fame) at 6’8” had to take the ceiling tiles out of the raised, very small stage there!”
“Eddie’s chopped Hammond was in the Rhapsody Club fire as I remember Steve’s double-double set of Rogers drums were in it as well and he told me back then that he always hated the color, but it was his 1st wife’s choice! He then set about recovering them in his choice of color! LOL!!”
The band history continued through the 1970’s. They traveled to St. Louis, MO, and into Quebec, Canada. Bill Davis’s first wife spoke French and acted as the group’s interpreter as none of the band spoke French.
Bill Heird always played bass with The 6th Hour and Shane until Carey Ziegler joined and then they moved Bill to the lead singer spot. A later lineup featured Jim Johnston (guitar), Jim Liller (drums ex-Excursians, Seed), Carey Ziegler (bass), and Bill Heird (lead vocals)
Other members included Ed Weber (keyboards ex-Seed), Mike Reese (bass), Steve Dumler (bass), Joe Dyson (guitar ex-Chalet), Steve Bromwell (drums), Jerre Stermer (drums), Eddie Harris also played guitar with the group in late-’70s. By this time they were known as a Top-40 disco band The Disco Kids. They played local clubs as well as traveling to clubs in Canada, New York, Pennsylvania… Locally they were seen at the Rhapsody, Millstream, Georges 6408…
L-R: Bill Davis, Steve Clark, Bill Heird, Ed Weber. Not shown: Jimmy Johnston.
Myers later became the lead guitarist for the Beatles cover band the Blue Meanies. Myers, Zang, and Schwoerer later reunited as members of Stevie & the Satellites. Eckler went on to play with Iguana, Chapter IV, Paper Cup, and a wedding band with ex-Paper Cup guitarist Jim Theodore. Johnston later joined Trilogy, Harbor City, Keith LaMotte Band… Ziegler went on to Glass House, Carry On, Crack the Sky… Stermer went on to join Spring Fever. Dumler later became a member of Taxie. Dyson joined Whiskey River. Weber joined Toys (Sgt. Pepper) and in the ‘00s performed with band mate Jim Liller in Zig Zag.
Thanks to Fred Zang, Jim Liller, Ajax Endres.
