Towson based rock and blues group. Members of the Moss included Denny Romans (lead guitar), Bob Benbow (drums), Roger ‘Budge’ Durrett (rhythm guitar), Lennie Jones (bass, harp). The group later added lead vocalist Gil Watkins. Additional sit-ins included stints by Jeff Drinkwater (vocals – also with JD & the Chasers, Heard), and Jim Holford (guitar – also of the Spectres).
The group played blues and rock and roll. Seen at the Bluesette, the Red C in Towson, and winner of a Battle of the Bands at the Hampden Teen Center. Around this time Romans also performed in a duo with guitarist Greg Kihn.
(Demian Bell)
Jones went on to join Urch Perch. Romans (Dennis Tobell) was originally from Chicago but grew up in Baltimore, then Ohio, then California where he played with a California band called the Rogues. After leaving The Moss he went to England. Mick Jagger recommended him to a band called The Attack. Romans played briefly with the Attack and lived at the Rolling Stones mansion in Hampstead. Denny’s next move was to Boston where he joined the Barbarians whose songs “Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl” and “Moulty” charted nationally on Laurie Records. He became lead singer for the group and toured nationally with the them. During this time Denny also did some recording with Van Morrison. In 1969 Denny returned to Baltimore and formed the group Maypole.
