Teenbeat Club

The Teenbeat Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, located at 4416 Paradise Road, is believed to be the first U.S. nightclub that catered exclusively to teenagers. [ Teenbeat Club publicity brochure, published by Miller and Austin in 1964, states: The Teenbeat Club at the time was believed to be the only teenage night club in the United States that was designed and built from the ground up specifically for teenagers]

The club was opened in 1962 by Steve Miller [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Miller_%28columnist%29 ] and Keith Austin, [ [http://www.therockfiles.net/aboutus.shtml The Rockfiles - About Us - Keith Austin Rockfiles Host ] ] both 19 at the time and Las Vegas High School graduates, [1962 Las Vegas High School yearbook, "The Echo"] where they were members of the 1962 Las Vegas High School Broadcasting Club. The Teenbeat Club ceased operation in 1968. [ Steve Miller Biography, http://www.stevemiller4lasvegas.com/biog.html]

The club grew out of the dance concerts Miller and Austin promoted, featuring live KLAS Radio broadcasts from the Knights of Columbus Hall and the National Guard Armory in Downtown Las Vegas. [An LP compilation album of the 1962 KLAS Radio broadcasts, "The Teenbeats, Surf Bound" (ED 220) was released on Norton Records, under the auspices of Miller and Austin, New York, NY, 1991 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Records] [ "Surf Bound," live, http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,253810,00.html ] [Linna, M., and Miller, B., Editors,"The Teenbeats", Kicks Magazine #7, Norton Records, Publisher, 1992, op cit. http://www.nortonrecords.com/kicks.html ] [The weekend dances Miller and Austin promoted started in 1961, Norton Records ED 220 liner notes, op.cit.] The broadcasts featured The Teenbeats, a local Las Vegas surf music-influenced band. [ Surf Bound LP track listing Norton Records (ED 220), http://stevemiller4lasvegas.com/NORTON.html ] [Norton Records liner notes, op.cit.] When the Teenbeat Club opened, The Teenbeats were the house band featuring vocalist and rhythm guitarist Don Frassa, [ Emory University Law Library Record Labels Collection, compiled by Gordon, T., http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/t/teen1500.htm] lead guitarist Larry Chernoff, bassist Lyle Smith, drummer Gary Karr and Jim Logue on tenor sax. [Norton Records, (ED 220), op. cit.] The Lords, a local rock band, featuring Fred Cole, sharing lead vocals with electric organist Hans Grebner (Johnny The German), played the Teenbeat Club frequently from 1963 through 1964 [ The Lords released one single, "Ain't Got No Self Respect", a 7" RPM, on "Tell Records", Mike Tell Productions, Las Vegas, NV] as did The Coachmen featuring pianist Michael Dean Wesley. [Michael Wesley Biography, The Coachmen http://scarabhouse.com/homepage/Sassyclass-theband/MichaelWesleyDean/MichaelWesley.html]

Miller and Austin co-produced 45 RPM singles from 1962 to 1966. The first, by The Teenbeats [In 1961 and 1962, The Teenbeats, alternately spelled "Teen Beats and Teen-Beats" recorded two other 45 RPM records; their first as the "Nevagan's", on the "X-P-A-N-D-E-D" label (X-101), Downey Music, titled "Russian Roulette" on the "A side", and their second, written by Chernoff, was recorded by "The Teen-Beats" on Chollie Wright's "Las Vegas Strip Records" (S-102), (which was located at 416 W. Bonanza, Las Vegas), titled "Live Like A King" on the "A side", b/w "Mystified ", featuring Don Frassa" on vocals and guitar, Norton Records ED-220, op. cit., and Emory Law Library Record Labels Collection, op. cit. ] [The Teen-Beats/Nevagan's three 45 RPM record labels are shown on Norton Records (ED 220) LP cover jacket, Ibid.] titled "Surf Bound", was written by Larry Chernoff and recorded on Teenbeat Records [In 1962, "Teenbeat Records" was located at 109 S. 3rd St., Suite 302, Las Vegas. 1966 recordings were pressed with the "Teenbeat Club Records" label, Ibid.] [Norton Records (ED-220) album cover, depicts a photograph of the early "TEENBEAT RECORDS" label, Ibid.] . In the mid-1960s, three LP albums were recorded live at the Teenbeat Club on La Brea/Sutton Records: [Known alternately as La Brea Records and Sutton Records, mfg. by Apex Record Corporation, 1023 North La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, CA] The Goldtones, "Live"! "At The Teenbeat Club In Las Vegas", (LS 8011), featuring Randy Seol, Wayne Purvis, Ken Naylor, Al Doss, Mike Peters, Steve Green and Cindy Mac; [ The Goldtones (featuring Randy Seol), "Live at the Teenbeat Club" album cover jacket http://www.groovytunesday.com/descriptions/music/goldtones.html ] The Starfires, "Teenbeat A Go Go", (LS 8018), featuring Chuck Butler, Dave Anderson, Jack Emerick, Freddy Fields and Sonny Lathrop; [The Starfires, live, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4WxlLGfN0I&feature=related] and The Sentinals "Vegas Go Go", (SSU 338). Southern California surf rock bands which played the Teenbeat Club in the early 1960s [ Dalley, Robert J., "Surfin' Guitars: "Instrumental Surf Bands of the Sixties, Surf Publications, Azusa, California, USA., 1988, and "Surfin' Guitars:" Instrumental Surf Bands of The Sixties, Dalley, Robert J., Popular Culture, "Ink", Second Edition, ISBN 1560750421, 1996 ] included the Marketts, [Alternately spelled Mar-Kets, see Dik de Heer reference (29.)] "Surfer's Stomp" and "Out of Limits", [ "Pulp Fiction", Music Corp.of America (MCA, Inc.), movie Collector's Edition, available on CD, 2002 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulp_Fiction_%28soundtrack%29 ] The Lively Ones, "Surf Rider," [Ibid., "Pulp Fiction", 1994 movie soundtrack #15 ] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lively_Ones, ] The Routers, "Let's Go (Pony), " [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Routers ] [Dik de Heer "The Routers and Marketts "(Mar-Kets)", This Is My Story", http://www.geocities.com/shakin_stacks/routers.txt] Steve Miller Biography, op.cit.] The Challengers, "Surf Beat", [ The Challengers, Dalley, Robert J., "Surfin' Guitars", op. cit., and "Surfbeat LP track listing, 1963, http://music.yahoo.com/release/103712] [The Challengers (at the Teenbeat Club), Dalley, Robert J., op. cit., http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.instromania.net/ART/ART_C/CHALLENGERS%2520The.php&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=5&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bchallengers%2Bteenbeat%2Bclub%26hl%3Den ] and Chevell's, "Let There Be Surf". [ Chevell's (at the Teenbeat Club), Dalley, Robert J., op cit., http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.instromania.net/ART/ART_C/CHEVELLS%2520The.php&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=4&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Drock%2Band%2Broll%2Bvegas%2Bteenbeat%2Bclub%26start%3D30%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN] [Chevell's, "Let There Be Surf", appears in "Cowabunga"!: "Surf Box", (72418), Disc 3, Track 6, Rounder Records, Los Angeles, CA, compiled by Austin, James, et. al., 1996] . The Templars appeared in two International Scout advertisements taken in front of the Teenbeat Club marquee [ Built by Las Vegas neon sign maker, Bill Gulbranson, 4416 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, "Teenbeat Club" marquee http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/teenbeatclub/ ] [Young Electric Sign Company, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YESCODesigners] ["Shindig at the Teenbeat Club", Wisconsin Historical Society, two color photographs in archives featuring The Templars astride an International Scout convertible pickup truck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Historical_Society] .The Bitter Sweets of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, also appeared in the mid-1960s [The Bitter Sweets, Teenbeat Club Publicity Photo, 1966 http://pnwbands.com/bittersweets.html ] .

In 1966, Miller and Austin co-produced two other 45 RPM singles, on Teenbeat Club Records, "It's Your Time", and "Little Girl" on the B-side, (TB 1006), [ Listed as Top 100 Rarest 45 RPM Singles: (#68) http://www.finerecordingstudio.com/g45/?r=0 ] by The Weeds, a local Las Vegas band, [Recorded live at the Teenbeat Club 4416 Paradise Rd., on a one-track recorder; Fred Cole interview with Mike Dugo, copyright, 60sgaragebands.com, [http://home.unet.nl/kesteloo/lollipop.html] ] and a cover of the Rolling Stones, "Get Off My Cloud", backed with "Red Roses For A Blue Lady", featuring Charlie White Eagle, (TB 1004), with musical accompaniment and background vocals by The Weeds. [Fred Cole, "Unknown Passage, The Dead Moon Story", A Film by Jason Summer and Kate Fix, Magic Umbrella Films, LLC, released on DVD, 2006 http://www.magicumbrella.com/ ] [Fred Cole Discography "The Cole Mine"http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/7980/dmcolemine.htm] .

The Weeds [The Weeds"Just Colours" LP, 1968; Wayback CD re-release, 2007 http://shop.mtv.com/The-Lollipop-Shoppe-Garage-Punk_stcVVproductId13997333VVcatId420985VVviewprod.htm ] were frequent performers at the Teenbeat Club from 1965 through 1966, featuring Fred Cole, a vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, who later gained success in the groups The Zipper, The Rats, Dead Moon and Pierced Arrows ["Unknown Passage, The Dead Moon Story" op.cit ] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Cole, op.cit.] [Pierced Arrows, formed in 2007 http://www.piercedarrows.com/] Other members of The Weeds were lead guitarist Ed Bowen, rhythm guitarists Ron Buzzell and Dennis Wynne, bassist Bob Atkins, and drummer Tim Rockson. [Fred Cole Interview with Mike Dugo, 60sgaragebands copyright, op.cit.] ["It's Your Time", 45 rpm, Behemoth Records 1987 re-release, Las Vegas, NV, includes the insert of a photograph of The Weeds and Scatter Blues together, identifying band members by name, c. 1966]

The years 1966 and 1967 saw a renaissance of local Las Vegas electric rock, folk rock and blues bands in the Las Vegas Valley. The Scatter Blues played the Teenbeat Club regularly which featured vocalist and blues harpist Piers Munro, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bill Rosevear, bassist Scott Devitt and drummer Rich Lowrey. Other frequently appearing local bands appearing at the Teenbeat Club in the mid-1960s were the Present Tense featuring vocalist Christopher Michael Hallman, bassist Michael Selinsky, ["Las Vegas: An Unconventional History", American Experience, Public Broadcasting System (PBS), aired nationally November 14-15, 2005; DVD released by WGBH Television, Boston, MA, 2006 http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:wvNPYc2YXM4J:www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lasvegas/filmmore/filmcredits.html+Michael+Selinsky&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us] lead guitarist Bob Lilley [Son of Peggy DeCastro of the "DeCastro Sisters" singing trio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeCastro_Sisters] , rhythm guitarist John McDonnell, electric pianist Dennis Prell, and drummers John Baker and Jim Gannon. ["Las Vegas Through The Generations", "A Pictoral Review", Las Vegas Review-Journal, Publisher, Compiled by Fleming, Kolberg and Downey, Sherman R. Frederick, editor, "The Present Tense", p. 94, 1995] [http://www.lasvegashistorybooks.com/Generations.htm Ibid., "Las Vegas Through The Generations," book cover] The Sioux Uprising, featuring lead vocalist and guitarist Gregory A. Waller, [Waller, Gregory A., Editor, "Moviegoing in America", http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=-uDrSrWWq9EC&dq=gregory+a+waller&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=4oXDvheZWg&sig=yRPSUCli0Eh3uiqUQ5MVuK6Ey-c] bassist Steve Armstead,guitarist Michael Murray and drummer Scott Wolfe; Nobody's Children and the Misty Souls were other Las Vegas regulars to play the Teenbeat Club during this time period. Notable Hollywood, CA area bands which played the "TC" included Love with Arthur Lee [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Lee_%28musician%29] "My Little Black Book", "Orange Skies", and "7 and 7 Is" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_And_7_Is] (with the Scatter Blues as their opening act). [New Years Eve Scatter Blues and Love with Arthur Lee concert, Dec. 31, 1966] The Outsiders, "Time Won't Let Me" and Hamilton Street Car. The Standells "Dirty Water", from San Luis Obispo, CA were also frequent performers.

From 1962 through 1966, Miller and Austin hosted the "Teen Beat Club Television Show" on KLAS-TV, [KLAS-TV Saturday afternoon time-slot] [ List of television shows set in Las Vegas] Channel 8, that included live weekly interviews and dancing, patterned after Dick Clark's American Bandstand [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bandstand] . The live broadcasts featured such guest artists as Frankie Avalon, The Beach Boys, Dorsey Burnette, Vic Dana, Dick and Dee Dee, Trini Lopez, Wayne Newton, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Shillings, [ The Shillings http://books.google.com/books?id=TpmJhh2jTJ8C&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=teenbeat+club+vegas&source=web&ots=GWkgETsh4i&sig=-kdgtHLloCjS22z-O5OkQ6jtpds#PPA72,M1 ] Keely Smith, Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton and Timi Yuro. [Keith Austin Biography, op. cit.] From 1963 through 1968, Miller and Austin also promoted dance concerts held at the Las Vegas Convention Center that featured The Beach Boys, Sonny Charles and The Checkmates Ltd., Dick and Dee Dee, Jackie DeShannon, Tom Jones, Lou Rawls, Bobby Rydell, Neil Sedaka, Surfaris, Three Dog Night and Bobby Vinton. They also co-promoted the first Las Vegas appearances of the Grateful Dead and Santana at the Las Vegas Ice Palace in 1969. [Ibid., The Grateful Dead shared the bill with Santana on March 29, 1969, Live track list: http://www.archive.org/details/gd69-03-29.sbd.vinson.1764.sbeok.shnf] [Grateful Dead, Ice Palace Concert, http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/content/fileadmin/oldsite/2007/04/26/hadtobe.html]

The original Teenbeat Club building still stands, but it is now an adult topless cabaret, Club Paradise, located across the street and just east of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. [As of 2008]

Steve Miller later served as a Las Vegas City Council member from 1987 to 1991. He was inducted by the Nevada Broadcasters Association into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998. [Nevada Broadcasters Association]

Keith Austin relocated to Santa Barbara, California, where he continues his career in the recording industry as Executive Producer and Host of The Rock Files. [Keith Austin Biography, The Rock Files, Rockfiles, op. cit.]

ee also

* Surf rock
* Garage rock
* List of television shows set in Las Vegas

References

External links

*http://www.60sgaragebands.com © "1960's Garage Bands Interviews"
*http://www.classiclasvegas.com/ "Preserving Las Vegas History", Lynn Zook, ©2005 As We Knew It, LLC
*http://www.deadmoonusa.com/ © Fred Cole "Dead Moon" homepage
*http://www.indiana.edu/~cmcl/fmsw/facultyprofiles/gwaller.html ©
*http://love.torbenskott.dk/default.asp © "Arthur Lee and Love"
*http://www.lasvegasnative.us/vegas_lost.htm "© What Long Time Las Vegans Miss"
*http://www.lvstriphistory.com/ie/index.htm "Las Vegas Strip History", ©1999, Deanna DeMatteo
*http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7562320/ ©"Las Vegas Census", 1960s
*http://magicumbrella.com/ © LLC "Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story," DVD, ©2006
*http://members.aol.com/SurfPast/index.html ©Robert J. Dalley, Introduction, "Surfin' Guitars"
*http://www.nevadabroadcasters.org/ © "Nevada Broadcasters Association" homepage
*http://www.nortonrecords.com © Norton Records homepage
*http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lasvegas/ PBS "American Experience," "Las Vegas: An Unconventional History," ©2005
*http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/index.htm ©"Emory Law Library Record Labels Collection"
*http://www.reelradio.com/jeff/index.html Radio KENO 1460, Las Vegas," Coffee Jim Dandy" broadcast, 9/18/65, ©2007
*http://www.reverbcentral.com/ ©"Phil Dirt Surf Bands homepage"
*http://www.therockfiles.net © Keith Austin's "Golden Age of Rock and Roll Radio Special" homepage
*http://www.roadsidepeek.com/roadusa/southwest/nevada/vegas/index.htm © "Roadside Peek", Las Vegas
*http://www.stephenspress.com/lvbegan.html"Las Vegas As It Began, As It Grew", Paher, S., ©1971
*http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/results.asp ©"Wisconsin Historical Society" homepage
*http://yesco.com/ ©"Young Electric Sign Company" homepage
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWYdcYBJTv4&feature=related "Stacey Adams", Scopitone c. 1964 Dance Moves, with "The Exciters"