Public Nuisance (band)
| Company type | Rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | David Houston, Jim Mathews, Pat Minter, Ron McMaster (as Moss & the Rocks) |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Sacramento , United States |
| Products | Rock music recordings, live performances |
Public Nuisance was a rock group originating from Sacramento, California, active between 1964 and 1970, initially performing under the name Moss & the Rocks. In 1965, as Moss & the Rocks, they recorded the track "There She Goes" for a single released by the local Icon label; this song was later re-recorded in 1966 for Chattahoochee Records. After adopting the name Public Nuisance in 1967, their music evolved to include psychedelic influences. A collection of mostly unreleased recordings made from 1968 to 1969 was eventually issued in 2002 as part of the Gotta Survive compilation. Since that release, their music has attracted attention from fans of garage rock and psychedelic genres worldwide.
History
The band that would become Public Nuisance started out in Sacramento in 1964 as an instrumental surf rock group called the Jaguars. Influenced by the British Invasion and folk rock movements, they incorporated vocals and transformed into Moss & the Rocks. The lineup featured David Houston as the main songwriter (handling guitar, keyboards, harmonica, and vocals), Jim Mathews on guitar, Pat Minter on bass and vocals, and Ron McMaster on drums and vocals. Their energetic live shows were notable for Houston’s occasional habit of smashing his guitar during performances.
Under the management of Gary Schiro—who also managed local groups New Breed and Oxford Circle—Moss & the Rocks won a battle of the bands contest that awarded them free studio time at Ikon Studios, a popular recording spot for Sacramento garage bands. There, they recorded the folk rock-inspired single "There She Goes" backed with "Please Come Back," engineered by Norwegian producer Eirik Wangberg. These songs were subsequently re-recorded for Chattahoochee Records. In 1967, the band changed their name to Public Nuisance.
In early 1968, they produced demo recordings that combined gritty garage rock with experimental psychedelic sounds and socially aware lyrics. The group gained popularity as a live act throughout California, opening for prominent artists such as the Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Sonny & Cher, and the Grateful Dead. They also recorded demos at Fantasy Records in San Francisco but did not secure a contract.
Schiro negotiated a deal with Equinox Records, overseen by producer Terry Melcher—recognized for his work with the Byrds and Paul Revere & the Raiders—with distribution handled by ABC/Dunhill. Between late 1968 and early 1969, Public Nuisance laid down enough tracks for a full album in Los Angeles. However, Melcher ended his involvement following distress caused by events related to Roman Polanski and Charles Manson, resulting in Equinox shutting down and shelving the band's recordings.
The group continued performing at venues including Fillmore West until their breakup in 1970. David Houston later pursued a career as a producer and keyboardist with new wave band the Twinkeyz before producing albums for Steel Breeze and Club Nouveau. Bassist Pat Minter died in 1994.
Public Nuisance remained relatively unknown until Frantic Records released their complete works on a double-CD anthology titled Gotta Survive in 2002, which also featured material from their time as Moss & the Rocks. Their track "There She Goes" appeared on compilations such as The Ikon Records Story – America's #1 Unsung Garage Label 1964-1966 (2015) and Garage Beat '66 Volume 3: Feeling Zero....
Membership
- David Houston – guitar, keyboards, harmonica, lead vocals
- Jim Mathews – guitar
- Pat Minter – bass guitar, vocals
- Ron McMaster – drums, vocals
Singles (credited as Moss & the Rocks)
- "There She Goes" backed with "Please Come Back" (Ikon 181/182, 1965)
- "There She Goes" backed with "Please Come Back" (Chattahoochee 703, January 1966)
Anthology
- Gotta Survive (Frantic, 2002)