1967:
Greg Youtsey replaces Errol Lisonbee in "The Generations," a quartet with Wayne Newitt, Doug Latislaw, and Chuck Pepitone, that has been together since 1965. With professional stage coaching and management from
Wayne Collins and Dwight Squibb, they become a very successful local band for many years.
1968:
Larry Huntley leaves the band, "The New Syennes," and it becomes a quartet
with John Brown, Emmett Brown, Charles Peaks, and James Peaks.
1969:
JB, Charles, and Lonnie Napier form the trio "Dragon," managed by Dwight Squibb.
They do a lot of original material, much of it written by JB.
Lonnie leaves Dragon and relocates in LA.
JB, Charles and EB form the trio "Trilogy," also managed by Dwight Squibb.
1970:
Chuck Pepitone leaves The Generations making them a trio.
They announce a name change to "Stench" - but the name change doesn't stick...
Lonnie, who was now working at XERB Radio (home of Wolfman Jack, a big name in radio in the late sixties and seventies), contacts Trilogy and The Generations, sez they should send him some demo tapes, and he'd see what he can do with them. As Dwight also owned and operated Bonita Recording Studio, it was easy for the bands to record a few tunes each, which were then sent up to Lonnie.
The feedback from LA on these demos was the idea to have The Generations try recording the JB originals.
The Generations and Trilogy meet in the studio.
1971
The Generations learn a couple of JB's tunes, JB learns some of their covers, and in January they're off to GAI studios in Hollywood (owned by Wolfman) to record a demo that Lonnie will to take to a producer he knows, to see if JB's writing works with The Generations' vocals.
The Generations ask JB to join the band.
They re-name the band "Tacoma."
August 1971:
From that first demo tape, the newly christened quartet "Tacoma" hooks up with Lonnie's producer wannabe, Joe Harrelson. He signs them all up and has them come to a studio in LA for a session which is the first of many. Tunes recorded at this session include "Street Corner" and "Closed Doors" written by JB, and "You, Girl' and "Mother's Child" written by EB.
***************
November 1971: EB leaves for a two-year gig with Uncle Sam.
A glossing over of my impressions from a distance...
... this will be replaced by someone's better account of the facts
Encouraged by the opportunities and obvious potential of all these new associations, JB becomes a writin' fool, cranking out them tunes over the next several years. Wayne writes a few more tunes as well.
Studio time in LA! Lots of Tacoma tunes get recorded.
"The Whitneys Episodes"...
Wayne sez he's leaving the band and they bring in Jack Wride as his replacement. They work with two drummers until Wayne's departure, with Jack doubling on vibes and small percussion as well.
"The Latislaw Garage Sessions"...
Tacoma takes its first "bar" gigs: LedBetters, Jamaica Joe's...
And of course, (I think EB's high school pal Keith gets us this one) Pleasure, AKA Bump City!!!
Wayne changes his mind and doesn't leave, so Jack moves on (to "Colour").
September 1973: EB's back in town...
"Emerson Street House Sessions"...
1975:
Gene Barbic, one of the cheeses at Apex, takes and interest in Tacoma and books a few military-base club gigs... and that lasts for about a month!
Spring 1977:
Wayne again decides to leave the band, this time packing up and moving to Orange County.
Yil, Doug and JB ask EB to join the band. They bring in Carl "Stoney" Nelson to play drums.
A five piece now, the band doesn't go into the studio anymore - it's become sort of a top 40 group, throwing in the odd original tune when the crowd's not looking.
Fall 1977:
Wayne returns to San Diego and rejoins the band.
At last, they get back into the studio, doing some recording at Mama Joe's (Jo Mama's?) in LA for Joe Harrelson. They record one of Wayne's tunes, "Good Music" and a couple Joe has picked out - "One Way Ticket" and "Never Be Another."
1978:
A substitute drummer "sits in" on a gig that Wayne has opted out of for the reason of previous commitments.
That sub was
Keith Segal.
Because of shifting priorities, Wayne leaves the band again, replaced by Keith.
While playing an after-prom dance at the Parkway Bowl, the manager of the lounge, Park Place, hears Tacoma and hires them for a couple of weeks, five nights a week. This starts a new phase where the band becomes a full-fledged bar band. we all join the Musician's Union. Big Whooop...
During one of the stretches at Park Place, the band meets Robert "Bob" What's-his-name and Gary. Gerry? Garry? Peterson? I can't quite get the handle on their names. Their story, as they approach us, is that Robert wants to produce a local band, cut some records, see where it goes. Tacoma, becomes the target of the project. After ending their association with with Joe Harrelson, they sign with Bob & Gerry.
For the first session with the new production company, Tacoma flies to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to record at E.A.R. Studios. They record the "Listen" composed songs "Melainee" and "Last Goodbye" along with JB's "How Long Have We Waited" and tunes the management selects, "All Night" and "Business as Usual."
1979:
They fly back to Muscle Shoals for another session, recording Dan Seal's "Never Be Another" (again), a new version of JB and Doug's "On Your Way," and a tune everybody works on, "Dance, Dance, Dance."
1980:
Lasoo announces he's leaving the band to join another very popular
local group, "The Magic If."
Mike Thomas is hired to replace Doug.
Robert and Gary want to take one more shot at it - but this time, they book a local studio instead of flying back to Muscle Shoals. JB invests some of his own money for additional studio time, and at the sessions he produces his newest tunes, "Love Times Two," "Feels Like I'm in Love Again" and "Welcome Aboard."
1981:
Conflicts in the band reach a point where Mike leaves the band.
Yil and Keith reveal that they're leaving the band with him, to form "Prophet".
While EB goes on to form "Thumper," JB just calls it quits, and Tacoma becomes a memory.