Teen rock group. Tempus Fugit began at the home of Steve Renehan (lead guitar, vocals) for a party/jam in the fall of 1968. Fellow Mt. St. Joe freshman classmate, Robbie Gordon (drums) and Rob’s oldest friend, Poly sophomore Mike Endres (organ, lead vocals) were there, along with Mt. St. Joe sophomores Bill Brooks (rhythm guitar, lead vocals) and Rick Carey (bass, vocals) all joined in on the jam that would become Tempus Fugit (Bill’s suggestion for the name). Playing a lot of Beatles, Stones, Animals, Cream and Doors for CYO’s and other dances, swim club events and parties.
After several months, Steve had to step away from the lead guitar reins. Mike’s Poly classmate, Joe Savikas took over on lead guitar and some lead vocals and expanded their repertoire with more songs from Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Steppenwolf, etc. Around this time the band came under the Harvey booking group.
Summer of 1969 Joe wanted to move on. Dave Valente came in to play lead guitar which lasted a few months when he left and took Rick (bass, vocals) to form a group named Bear. Around that time (fall, 1969) the Royal 5 + 1 obtained the organist from Phylum. Mike Adams (bass, vocals) and Jim ‘Mel’ Warfield (lead guitar, vocals), both from Phylum and old neighborhood friends of Robbie and Mike, joined along with a manager, Joe McColgan, to get more bookings in places like the Dixie Ballroom (Gwynn Oak Park), Club Venus, and others.
By spring 1971, Mike Adams and Mel Warfield left the band to form Warbow with Dave Lawson on drums. At the end of high school in 1971, Mike Endres and Bill Brooks left the band. Mike was asked to join Warbow that summer and stepped up to become their lead singer, flute and organist.
In September of 1971, Warbow dissolved and Mike joined The 6th Hour in their night club group, replacing a female singer. The bass player, Bill ‘Garland’ Heird’s mother-in-law had a tenor sax that she gave Mike to play which he does even today. Together with Steve Clark (drums, vocals) and Jim ‘Mel’ Warfield (lead guitar, vocals), they continued as The 6th Hour to play as the house band at the Club 175, Keystone Stone Room, along with the Annual Heart Fund Telethon. They were being booked by Marmic Productions which took them to the Eastern Shore many times.
By the end of summer 1972, Mel decided to move on and Frank Myers took on the reins of lead guitar and lead vocals. With that, The 6th Hour became SHANE.
Valente later with Fragile, Crescent…
In ‘00s Ajax is still singing and playing bass for Just Us, Lew Keyser’s band out of Carroll County “still having fun. Like he tells everybody, never stop playing!”
Band history and business card thanks to Mike ‘Ajax’ Endres.
