For every successful band in the ‘60s (let’s say, for example, Neal Ford & The Fanatics) there was, assumingly—and at the very least—four or five Midnight Raiders. Inspired by the same rock star dreams that other, more talented bands dreamed, The Midnight Raiders unfortunately lasted a total of nine months. Due to the experience, guitarist Chuck Sears quickly realized that he wasn’t cut out for the music scene, but happily considers his time with The Midnight Raiders a learning experience.
An Interview With Chuck Sears
60sgaragebands.com (60s): How did you first get interested in music?
Chuck Sears (CS): The usual reasons. I wanted to be a big rock star, meet girls, get rich, meet girls, etc.
60s: Was The Midnight Raiders your first band?
CS: The Midnight Raiders was my first and only. We lasted about nine months.
60s: Where and when was The Midnight Raiders formed?
CS: In 1966. My buddy, Michael Grates, played drums. He asked me to be the rhythm guitarist. Trey McDonald was our lead guitarist, and Denny Wilhelm was bass. Larry "Fishhead" Trout would sit in on organ every once in a while, but he was never an 'official' member.
60s: How would you describe the band's sound? What bands influenced you?
CS: We were strictly a cover band. We really wanted to be the second coming of The Rolling Stones mixed with Neal Ford and The Fanatics. Neal Ford and the Fanatics were the top local group at the time. I used to run into them at various places.
60s: What was the Houston rock and roll scene like in the '60s?
CS: Wonderful! Neal Ford was tearing up the place. We had the old Catacombs Club, Sand Mountain Coffeehouse (which wasn't really rock, but they stretched it on occasion) and great places like that.
60s: Where did the band typically play?
CS: We played a total of three parties. We didn’t play clubs. We auditioned for a few, but we stank on ice. We predominantly played in my garage in Houston. Our friends knew about us, and that was pretty much it.
60s: What year and why did the band break up?
CS: In August 1966. Most of us went away to college. I filled in on rhythm guitar a few times for a couple of bands in Austin when someone got sick or couldn't make it, but that was it. I no longer publicly perform. I helped pay my way through college doing solo acoustic gigs at places around Austin, and occasional fill-ins on rhythm for local bands. Nowadays, I just pick up the guitar for fun and to sing love songs to my sweetie.
60s: How do you best summarize your experiences with The Midnight Raiders?
CS: It was a learning experience. It showed us real quick that we weren't as good as we thought we were and it served as an incentive to get better. I thought about doing some band work in Austin, but decided in the long run that the public music scene and I just didn't get along all that well.
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