Rock band from Ellicott City. In August 1966 they won the 3rd place ribbon at the Howard County Fair talent contest. The group went on to become one of the top bands in the county and was always in need of defending that reputation in a constant string of battle of the bands contests.
The original line-up featured lead vocalist Bob West, along with Roger West (lead guitar), Larry Boyd (bass ex-Knights), Bob Galardy (rhythm guitar), George Konstant (guitar), and drummer Clay Lucas. This line-up competed in several band battles put on by WCAO jocks Paul Rodgers, and Frank Luber at the Ellicott City Armory. They also battled at the Last Straw vs. the Eppics, Dimensions, and DJ & the Livelihoods, and won a battle at the Columbia Teen Center on September 9, 1967 vs. the Vandals, Pnerds, and the Viscounts.
Charlie Gilbert (ex-Viscounts) came aboard as drummer in late 1967 and Lucas switched to organ. The band won the Mt. Hebron High Hullaballoo with the Barons coming in second place. Gilbert was later replaced with Jay McCarthy (drums). Bob West also left and was replaced with guitarist / vocalist Dave Curtis (ex-Viscounts).
In 1968 the band followed the trend towards psychedelic music. Brent Woodall (former lead singer of the popular Mystics) joined the band. This line-up continued playing bars and teen centers. The band battled again at the armory on February 2, 1968 against the Society’s Children, Drawing Room Society, and the Blues of St. Orange. On February 16, 1968 they were featured on TV’s Ron Richman Show along with Billy Storm & the Tempests. In March they appeared at the Annapolis Armory as opening act for Gary Puckett and the Union Gap.
Once again, the band reorganized as Woodall departed and eventually formed the band Cherry Smash. The new line up featured Roger West and Clay Lucas with new members Bob Ross (bass), and Dave Reid (drums). This line-up was playing Judge’s September 26th, 1969 on the night door man ‘Lucky’ was shot.
Reid, West, and Lucas would all eventually become members of Cherry Smash. However, in the interim the band eventually was briefly known as the Wad, then later in 1970 as Ignoramous (Ramous).
