1960s Garage Bands

Outcasts

Although he was with the band for only a year, Joseph Sherov made the most of his time with The Outcasts. Sherov and the group performed at many of the top hot spots throughout Greenwich Village, including Cafe Wha? and The Night Owl, and it was Sherov who provided some of the original material that the combo wrote and subsequently recorded. Those songs unfortunately were never released, but Sherov still considers his stint with the band as the best year of his life.

Joseph Sherov

An Interview With Joseph Sherov

60sgaragebands.com (60s): How did you first get interested in music?

Joseph Sherov (JS): My first encounter with rock and roll was listening to Elvis, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis in 1958 (when I was 12 years old), and later even to some early British bands that included Cliff Richard and The Shadows, in 1959-1962.

60s: Was The Outcasts your first band?
JS: The Outcasts was my second band actually. My first band played in the Village Music Hall, in New York's Greenwich Village in early 1965. It was called Charlie's Band. It lasted for only four months or so.

60s: Where and when was The Outcasts?

JS: The Outcasts were formed in 1965 at the Village Square in the park, close to Cafe Bizarre, in New York's Greenwich Village. The band members came out of Forest Hills, home of The Vagrants, who later became Mountain (Leslie West). The Vagrants were our main competition.

I met the other band members playing at The New York World's Fair (they had no name). Their lead singer, Mitch, was being drafted and they needed a singer. I happened to pass by the band shell that was set up in the Fair and I played harmonica and sang a few songs with them. It was instant love and we all decided to meet in the Village the very next weekend. The rest is history.

The band was Joe Sherov, singer and harmonica; Jack Malken, rhythm guitar; Andrew Benjamin; lead guitar; Steve Lichtman, bass guitar; and Bobby Diamond, drums.

60s: How would you describe the band's sound? What bands influenced you?

JS: Typical '60's rock and roll. We were influenced by The Stones, Dylan, The Animals and old blues.

60s: Where did the band typically play?

JS: Mainly in the Village, at Cafe Bizarre, the Village Music Hall, Cafe Wha?, the Night Owl, some bars and dives in Brooklyn, sweet 16's, and The Metropole Topless Bar in Times Square.

60s: How far was the band's "touring" territory?

JS: Very close to home and sometimes utilizing the Subway to get to our destinations.

60s: Did The Outcasts participate in any battle of the bands?
JS: I don't recall any battle of the bands, but I do know that while at the Cafe Wha? we had played on the same bill as David Frye, the comedian, and Jimi Hendrix.

60s: Did The Outcasts have a manager?

JS: Bobby Diamond's grandfather managed us. Bobby got him involved in promoting the band. I think he was connected.

60s: How popular locally did The Outcasts become?

JS: We became extremely popular and known locally in the Village.

60s: What were the circumstances leading to the band's opportunity to record?

JS: Marty, the owner of the Cafe Wha? at that time, decided to surprise us one day with a live recording. We recorded a live session at the Wha?, as well as a demo somewhere in Times Square. There was no label, as the record was only a demo and the songs included an original written by myself called 'Hey Little Girl,' as well as other songs including 'Empty Heart,' 'Eve Of Destruction' and 'Mr. Tambourine Man.' There are some tracks that are still on reel-to-reel tapes, as well as some tracks that have been converted to mp3.

60s: Did The Outcasts write many original songs? Who was the band's primary songwriter?

JS: Except for the two songs I wrote for the band, I do not recall any other original songs. (Note: In January 2009, an acetate appeared on eBay featuring an original written by Jack Malken and titled 'All The Troubles.')

60s: Did the band make any local TV appearances?

JS: No TV appearances were made.

60s: What year did the band break up?

JS: I left the band in 1966 and it lived on for a little while later. I left due to some disagreements with our manager. I do not know who replaced me, except for the fact that a keyboard player by the name of Dane Mygind was added to the band in 1966.

60s: Did you join or form any bands after The Outcasts?

JS: No.

60s: What keeps you busy today?

JS: I sell on eBay and I must say, it is a beautiful way to make a living.

60s: How do you best summarize your experiences with The Outcasts?

JS: It was the best year of my life.