Teen group formed by classmates at Leland Jr. High School in Bethesda. The group formed in order to perform for the 7th grade talent assembly in February 1958. The audience went nuts and this began a musical career of several notable regional musicians. The original group featured Blaine Smith (guitar, vocals), Bob Oberlander (piano), Don Shook (sax), and Alan Guitheim (drums). Within a year they added Bill White (bass), and there were a couple of other fellows who were in and out of the group.
The Galaxies played a few teen events but were too young for a serious schedule. They recorded some demos in D.C. that were never commercially released. A few acetates were pressed by Capitol Transcriptions with the titles “Scouba,” “At the Party,”, “Is You from Nairobi?” and “Train to Siberia.”
After three years the Galaxies split up in December 1960.
Smith, Oberlander, and White were later with the Newports. Smith’s other groups include the Resumes, Sons of Thunder…
