An Interview With Bob May and Michael Waggoner
60sgaragebands.com (60s): How did you first get interested in music?
Bob May (BM): Growing up in Kansas City, my mother thought I should play piano. They rented one. I didn’t like it. I took up the trumpet and liked it. I got into the high school marching band and saw that the drummers had more girls hanging around, so I took some drum lessons and became a drummer. I never looked back!
Michael Waggoner (MW): I got my first guitar when I was 12 although I had taken formal piano lessons starting at the age of eight--but did not like it.
60s: Who formed The Galaxies?
BM: Marty Klein along with David Chapman, David Sanders and I were all Southwest High School students so we knew each other. I joined as the drummer. Michael Waggoner came to the group later; I’m not sure when.
David Chapman was bass and vocals; Marty Klein was lead guitar; David Sanders played rhythm guitar and we all sang on certain songs as I recall.
MW: The Galaxies were an existing band when I joined up. Dave Chapman sang and played bass, Martin Klein was lead guitar, Bob May was the drummer and Dave Saunders played rhythm guitar. I played guitar and bass depending on the song.
60s: How would you describe the band's sound? What bands influenced you?
BM: We were an early ‘60s rock band…before The Beatles. We played some blues, pop, our own songs—dance music because we mostly played dances.
MW: Personally I like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Rick Nelson.
60s: What was the local rock and roll scene like in the '60s?
BM: The ‘60s in Kansas City was full of great bands. Many of us had friends in other bands and traded places sometimes, too.
60s: How far was the band's "touring" territory?
BM: We played at Kansas University in Lawrence, Kansas once. I also remember playing in Clinton, Missouri, which is where I live now. It’s down southeast of Kansas City.
MW: We played most high school and country club type parties/dances.
60s: Did The Galaxies have a manager?
BM: Marty was our leader…our manager. We all promoted the band.
MW: The band promoted ourselves.
60s: What were the circumstances leading to the band's opportunity to record?
MW: Dave Chapman wrote songs and so did I which is what led us to the Damon Studios.
BM: I’m not sure…I think the ‘Come Alive’ song is what got our wheels turning. I seem to remember that WHB, the top 40 station we all listened to, did play it some. I’m still bummed that Pepsi didn’t take it!
60s: As you alluded, 'Come Alive' was recorded with the intention of interesting Pepsi in the song…
MW: Pepsi threatened to sue us.
BM: They declined it. We could have helped them outsell Coke in Kansas City pretty quickly!
60s: There are some surviving Galaxies songs: 'Come Alive', 'Big Boss Man', 'Around and Around', 'You Don't Mean A Thing', 'Wine' and 'Not Fade Away'. Were any of The Galaxies recordings pressed as vinyl, or were they acetates only?
BM: You got me. I think acetates—the ones I have do have a metal inside them with the vinyl on the outside.
MW: There is no vinyl. I think there is also a recording of a song titled 'Well Alright' or 'It's Alright' that I wrote.
60s: Where did The Galaxies record?
BM: At Damon Studios in Kansas City. It was a small facility. We laid down the songs all together—no tracks, like today.
MW: The songs were very basic two-track recordings.
60s: Was Dave Chapman the primary songwriter?
BM: I think so, but maybe the others helped.
MW: Dave wrote songs and so did I.
60s: Did the band make any local TV appearances?
BM: Not that I recall.
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