The Daybreakers were an American garage rock and psychedelic band from Muscatine, Iowa, who were active in the 1960s. They became one of the most popular bands in their region which included the Quad Cities. Jack Barlow, a popular DJ and country music recording artist had them record songs for a planned single at Columbia Recording Studios arranged a contract with Atlantic Records, who released the group's single on their Dial label featuring "Psychedelic Siren" which included siren sound effects generated by a primitive electronic device. Though the song became a big regional hit in Iowa, Atlantic lost interest in the band and they made no further recordings. In the intervening years, their work has come to the attention of garage rock enthusiasts and has been included of several compilations.
The Daybreakers were inducted into the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
History
The Daybreakers were founded by keyboardist Max Allan Collins in 1966 in Muscatine, Iowa. Collins, a high school senior at Muscatine High School whose father had once a music teacher there, asked George Dunker, the school guitar teacher, to help recruit musicians for the group. Dunker recommended three junior high students who Collins found acceptable that would form the band's lineup: guitarists Mike Bridges and Denny Maxwell, and drummer Buddy Busch. Bridges would play lead guitar and Maxwell rhythm, with Collins on keyboards and lead vocals, though the other members would occasionally sing leads and harmonies. Collins' father helped the group work out their vocal style. Chuck Bunn, who had played in several other local bands joined on bass. The band rehearsed in the basement of Collins' parents' house. The Daybreakers quickly became one of the most popular groups in Muscatine. Other popular bands were the XLs, from Wilton and the Night People, from the Quad Cities area. In November 1966 when the Daybreakers won the Carnival of Bands competition, held at the Col Ballroom in Davenport. Max Collins, who still has the trophy, recounts: They had around 30 bands from all over the Midwest, including Minneapolis and Chicago. We won because we did a very different set from everybody else. We did some steps like The Raiders and wore gold sparkle shirts!"
The band became acquainted with Jack Barlow, a popular radio DJ and country music recording artist, who had been a music student of Collins' father. Barlow asked his A&R man, Buddy Killen to produce a session for the group for a single initially planned to be released for the local market. Collins played Killen six of the group's original songs, including "Psychedelic Siren". When performed live the band would use a siren effect generated by an electronic device (a primitive version of a synthesizer built by a college classmate of Collins') operated by rhythm guitarist Denny Maxwell. Despite the song's reference to psychedelia, none of the band members did drugs. According to Collins, "...The term 'psychedelic' was largely just a buzz word to the group, describing the sights and sounds of the era". Killen took the group to record at the Columbia Recording Studios, where they recorded "Psychedelic Siren" and four other numbers, including guitarist Mike Bridges' composition "Afterthoughts". Thom Hetzer was brought in top play bass at the session. Killen offered the group a three-year recording deal with Atlantic Records through its Dial label, who released the single "Psychedelic Siren" b/w "Afterthoughts" single in December 1967. Each of the group's members were signed to five-year songwriting contracts.