The Outcasts (Texas band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1963 in San Antonio, Texas, United States |
| Defunct | 1968 |
| Headquarters | San Antonio , United States |
| Products | Garage rock music, singles, compilation albums |
The Outcasts were a garage rock group originating from San Antonio, Texas, active between 1965 and 1967, during which they released five singles. Their most notable songs include "I'm in Pittsburgh (And it's Raining)" and "1523 Blair." Various compilation albums have since reissued their work. As noted in the Ugly Things compilation annotations, this ensemble is the most prominent band named The Outcasts from the mid-1960s era, eclipsing other groups with the same name from places like Manhasset, New York.
Early history
Formed in late 1963 in San Antonio, The Outcasts were originally established by Buddy Carson, Rickey Wright, and Denny Turner. By the end of 1964, Jim Carsten and Jim Ryan joined the lineup, which remained stable until their fifth single when Galen Niles took over guitar duties from Turner. In 1964, Turner created the band's distinctive logo along with their slogan "Music from the OUTER LIMITS," drawing inspiration from the sci-fi television show The Outer Limits. This branding was featured prominently on their stage attire and business cards.
Their initial mentorship came from Mike Post, who would later gain fame producing albums for The First Edition and composing iconic television themes for series such as Law & Order, The Rockford Files, and Hill Street Blues. Post wrote and produced their debut single and also recruited The Outcasts to serve as the backing band for folk artist Jimmy Carlson and actor-musician Jimmy Hawkins during live performances.
Career
Band member Denny Turner described The Outcasts as embodying all elements typical of a successful rock group at the time: they had multiple managers—Sally Senter and Major John Carson—featured go-go dancers in their shows, maintained a fan club with its own newsletter, and enjoyed a dedicated following. Their gigs at military clubs earned them opportunities to open for Herman's Hermits in both San Antonio and Austin. In 1965, they were invited to perform in Houston alongside The Beatles but declined; this slot was subsequently filled by the Five Americans.
In May 1966, The Outcasts performed alongside the 13th Floor Elevators (with ticket evidence preserved) and appeared at Texas Teen Fairs where they shared the stage with acts including Lou Christie, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Peter and Gordon, and The Rolling Stones.
The group frequently participated in Battle of the Bands competitions, often finishing in first or second place. In 1966, during the height of garage rock’s popularity, they won a statewide contest surpassing numerous other Texas bands. Texas has remained a significant contributor to garage and psychedelic rock anthologies; notably, five out of twenty-three volumes in the Highs in the Mid-Sixties series focus exclusively on Texas-based groups.
Break-up and further activities
The Outcasts disbanded in 1968; that same year founding member Buddy Carson passed away due to complications related to hepatitis.
- Denny Turner continues his involvement in music by writing and recording songs. He owns Denny's Guitars—a vintage guitar shop located on northern Oahu—and works as a multimedia artist and music educator operating from his home studio.
- Jim Ryan serves as a public school music teacher in San Antonio and manages Braindance Ink, a multilingual music production company specializing in educational songs, dances, and games rooted in folk traditions.
- Galen Niles played guitar with notable Texas hard rock outfits Homer and Ultra throughout the 1970s. Ultra’s recordings were reissued by Monster Records (2000) and Vintage Records (2010), while Homer’s album was released through Gear Fab Records (2012).
- Jim Carsten transitioned into law enforcement, holding a position as county sheriff before moving into security consulting.
- Rickey Wright died in a car accident in 2000.
Other Groups Named the Outcasts
Since the mid-1960s, the name "The Outcasts," in its various spellings, has been frequently adopted by rock bands, with at least ten groups using it during that era, leading to considerable confusion.
A common misunderstanding involves the 1960s ensemble from Manhasset, New York called The Outcasts. Their recordings were reissued by Cicadelic/Collectables prior to the Texas band's releases. In the mid-1980s, Cicadelic issued three archival albums from this New York band: Meet the Outcasts! (primarily unreleased studio tracks), The Battle of the Bands Live! (a split album), and Live! Standing Room Only, a concert recording from 1967. Later, in 1993, Collectables re-released these albums on CD, adding bonus tracks such as "Society's Child" and "Get It On." Key songs include "Don't Press Your Luck," "I Didn't Have to Love Her Anymore," "Nothing But Love," "Set Me Free," along with distinctive renditions of "Walk On By" and "Gloria."
Another band named The Outcasts contributed backing tracks for Linda Pierre King, who appears on the Texas female garage rock compilation We Had the Beat / The Heartbeats & Other Texas Girls of the 60s. However, liner notes incorrectly attributed these backing performances to a San Antonio group, while King hailed from Houston. Gallant Records—the label that issued the final single by that Outcasts band—was also based in Houston.
Songs
The 1995 anthology I'm in Pittsburgh and It's Raining (a 15-track release on Collectables) excludes the group's debut single, Nothing Ever Comes Easy b/w Oriental Express, which liner notes describe as "below standard." Neither track has appeared on compilations. Band member Jim Ryan described the A-side as a gentle ballad featuring an arrangement by Mike Post, while the B-side is an instrumental surf piece with Asian influences.
I'm in Pittsburgh (And it's Raining) exemplified garage rock’s raw authenticity and simplicity. It was their most prominent single, receiving national radio exposure and charting in San Antonio, Houston, and Austin. The lyric mentioning a Pittsburgh subway was factually inaccurate and negatively impacted sales there. The title line was inspired by dialogue from Mountain in the teleplay Requiem for a Heavyweight. This track was included on the inaugural Pebbles compilation and was acclaimed as a "blistering punk-rocker" reminiscent of the Pretty Things at their prime.
The song has been extensively covered by various artists, notably Pittsburgh’s The Cynics in 1990; other cover versions were recorded by the Flies, the Vibes, and the Go-Devils. Its original recording was bootlegged in Amsterdam in 1977 under the name the Kicks to attract new wave audiences.
The group's last single, 1523 Blair, opens with a fast-paced guitar riff and features an intense tempo paired with cryptic lyrics. The title refers to Doyle Jones's studio address in Houston. Critics described it as "jarringly experimental" and emphasized its brief length as a key aspect. This track influenced the British psychedelic act Blair 1523, whose only album was released by Bomp! Records in 1993 after their disbandment.
Throughout their career, The Outcasts experimented with multiple genres: protest music ("Price of Victory"), blues ("Sweet Mary"), instrumentals ("Come on Over," "The Birds"), and ballads ("I'll Set You Free," "Everyday"). They also performed covers of standards like "Smokestack Lightning" and "Route 66."
Band members
- Denny Turner – lead guitar, autoharp
- Buddy Carson – keyboards, harmonica, percussion, vocals
- Rickey Wright – drums
- Jim Carsten – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Jim Ryan – bass guitar, vocals
- Galen Niles – lead guitar (took over from Denny Turner on the last single)
Retrospective albums
(Main reissue labels include Cicadelic and later Collectables)
- Music from... the Outer Limits! Texas Punk Vol. 2; Cicadelic, 1984; features 6 tracks; split-LP alongside The Esquires
- Texas Punk Vol. 3 - The Sights and Sounds of an Era; Cicadelic, 1984; contains 4 tracks plus contributions from various artists
- I'm in Pittsburgh and It's Raining; Collectables Records (#COL-0591); CD released in 1995 with 15 tracks
Singles
- "Nothing Ever Comes Easy" backed with "Oriental Express"; Outcast Records
- "I'm in Pittsburgh (And it's Raining)" backed with "Price of Victory"; Askel Records
- "I'll Set You Free" backed with "Everyday"; Askel Records
- "Route 66" backed with an alternate version of "Everyday"; Askel Records
- "1523 Blair" backed with "Smokestack Lightning"; Gallant Records
Compilation albums
| Song | Year | Album | Format | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "1523 Blair" | 1979 | Acid Dreams | LP/CD | |
| 1982 | Texas Punk Groups From the Sixties, Volume 1 | LP | ||
| 1986 | Mayhem & Psychosis, Volume 2 | LP | ||
| 1991 | Sixties Archives, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| 1993 | Songs We Taught the Fuzztones | LP/CD | ||
| 1998 | Ya Gotta Have Moxie!, Volume 1 | CD | ||
| 1998 | Teenage Shutdown! I'm a No-Count | LP/CD | ||
| "The Birds" | 1984 | Texas Punk: 1966, Volume 2 | LP | |
| 1993 | Acid Visions - The Complete Collection, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| 2002 | Acid Visions, Volume 6 | CD | ||
| "Everyday" | 1984 | Texas Punk, Volume 3 | LP | |
| 1993 | Acid Visions - The Complete Collection, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| "I’ll Set You Free" | 1966 | Texas Punk: 1966, Volume 2 | LP | |
| 1993 | Acid Visions - The Complete Collection, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| "I’m in Pittsburgh (And it’s Raining)" | 1978 | Pebbles, Volume 1 | LP | |
| 1980 | Flashback, Volume 2 | LP | ||
| 1984 | Texas Punk: 1966, Volume 2 | LP | ||
| 1986 | Texas Flashbacks, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| 1993 | Acid Visions - The Complete Collection, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| 1998 | Green Crystal Ties, Volume 8 | CD | ||
| 2002 | Acid Visions, Volume 6 | CD | ||
| 2005 | Uptight Tonight | CD | ||
| 2007 | Garage Beat '66, Volume 7 | CD | ||
| "My Love" | 1984 | Texas Punk, Volume 3 | LP | |
| 1993 | Acid Visions - The Complete Collection, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| 2002 | Acid Visions, Volume 6 | CD | ||
| "Route 66" | 1984 | Texas Punk: 1966, Volume 2 | LP | |
| 1993 | Acid Visions - The Complete Collection, Volume 2 | CD | ||
| 1998 | Green Crystal Ties, Volume 8: Stomping Garage Band Legends | CD | ||
| 2002 | Acid Visions, Volume 6 | CD |