I grew up on a farm between San Marcos and Austin, Texas near the town of Uhland and attended grade school in nearby Kyle which was about six miles from our farm.My best friend at Kyle Elementary was Craig Connally and we continued to be friends throughout elementary school. The Beatles had come on the scene right about the time I was in third grade, and that year Craig and I formed a pantomime band called, "The Little Beatles" with two other friends from school, Jerry Holder and Greg Bell. I played the part of John Lennon and Craig played the part of Ringo Starr. The school had a talent show that spring and we entered the "Little Beatles" in it. We were up against a rival high school band called, "The Big Beatles" if you can believe that. They were probably a little more polished than we were (though we did wear Beatle wigs and black suits) but we had the "cuteness factor" going for us and we won the competition hands down. I'll never forget the popping of the flash bulbs going off as we played. I thought it was because we were cool; looking back now, I imagine it was because we were cute. We won $5 that night and I'm not sure how we split it up, but we were rich and famous now.
Right around 7th or 8th grade, Craig's family moved to San Marcos, and I ended up hanging out in San Marcos in my free time with Craig and his new "big city" friends.
When I reached 8th grade I got my first set of drums - a blue sparkle Sears & Roebuck set. The bass drum had a crest on the front head where you could paste your initials. I remember sitting down at the drums and being completely flabbergasted on how to play that many drums at one time ( I played bass drum in school band). After much effort and multiple listenings to the accompanying "How to play drums" 45 rpm record that came with the set, I finally figured it out and eventually got the hang of it.
Meanwhile Craig bought a "Framus" bass guitar and we hooked up with a fellow by the name of Mac Walling. Mac's father owned Walling's Creamery, an ice cream parlor that sat on the bend in the road across from where the Texas State University theater building is now. Mack played guitar and fancied himself as a sort of Jimi Hendrix of the instrument, even to the point of setting a bum spare guitar on fire at the end of, what else, Jimi Hendrix's "Fire."
We practiced at Mac's house and Mac became (or was) the leader of the band. I remember learning songs like, "Mustang Sally" with Mac shouting in the background to me, "Play louder! Play louder!" Many blisters were birthed during those rehearsals.
Our first gig was at Buda Junior High School in May of 1969 where I attended 8th grade. We had a contract and everything. It was signed, "Play all night, $30, Royce Swaim, principal." Mack named the band, "The Xperience." Our business cards said, "Soul, Rock and Pop for all occasions." I will never forget that first gig for as long as I live. I went from a "nobody" to a "somebody" overnight. I had my mother make my first stage costume for that evening. A white puffed sleeve shirt and vest with brown bell bottoms that had fringed around the cuffs. Mack wore black knee high boots, white pants and a long haired (not that long) wig.
That summer of 1969 I went to Florida to visit my grandparents for a couple of weeks. When I came back I had been replaced by another drummer and the band was playing "big time" clubs in San Marcos. I was crushed.
Craig gave me a call one day and told me about a new guitarist who had moved to San Marcos from Lubbock, Texas. He had heard that this guy was a hot guitarist and was looking to play in a band. Heck, I was looking to play in a band too, so this would work out perfect.
The three of us agreed to meet at a little market near Craig's house in San Marcos. I was killing time looking around the aisles of the little store when he came in. "Hi, I'm Barry." He had horned rim glasses like Buddy Holly and since Buddy and Barry were both from Lubbock, that made sense. We made a little small talk which I can't remember for the life of me and I guess we agreed to get together and practice. The band's name would be "Rock Reconstruction" and for me, this would also become the very root of the beginnings of Liberation Suite.
