The Swamp Rats
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Founder | Terry Lee (manager) |
| Headquarters | McKeesport, Pennsylvania , United States |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, albums |
The Swamp Rats were a garage rock ensemble originating from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, a suburb near Pittsburgh. They achieved regional acclaim primarily through singles that often featured cover tracks and are acknowledged as pioneers in the proto-punk genre, which has led to multiple reissues of their work.
History
The band initially formed as The Fantastic Dee Jays in 1964, founded by Denny Nicholson, Dick Newton, and Tom Junecko. Their manager, WMCK Radio DJ Terry Lee, exercised significant influence over their repertoire, image, and equipment choices. Focusing on British Invasion covers, they cultivated a local fan base and released their debut single "Apache" backed with "Fight Fire" in March 1965. Bob Hocko joined as vocalist and drummer for later releases, which included original songs such as "Get Away Girl." The group produced a self-titled album in early 1966 before disbanding.
Following this, Terry Lee assembled the Swamp Rats with Newton on lead guitar, Dave Gannon on drums, and Don Schreiner on guitar. Under the St. Clair label and Lee's production, their first single featured a heavier, punk-infused sound with a cover of "Louie Louie" backed by "Hey Joe." Hocko returned as lead singer and bassist Paul Shalako joined for their second release, "Psycho" backed by "Here, There, and Everywhere." While Gannon continued as the live drummer, he did not participate in further recordings. Hocko’s intense vocal style on "Psycho" highlighted the band’s aggressive approach. The Swamp Rats released several more singles through St. Clair that gained local popularity and performed frequently at Lee’s dance venues with varying lineups.
Despite their regional success, disagreements emerged regarding the scarcity of original compositions and Lee’s restrictive control over songwriting. Newton departed in early 1967 and was succeeded by Joe Guido, who contributed guitar and bass parts during recording sessions before officially joining the band. Guido also re-recorded some bass tracks initially laid down by Shalako due to concerns about his proficiency. After Lee was replaced by Nick Cenci as manager, the group signed with Co & Ce Records to release their final single, "In the Midnight Hour." When Guido moved to Canada to avoid military conscription, Nicholson returned for two last performances before the band dissolved in mid-1967.
In 1979, a resurgence of interest in garage rock led to the release of Disco Sucks!, a Keystone compilation featuring singles, reunion demos from 1972, tracks from Hocko’s band Galactus, and unreleased material. Although it saw limited distribution, it rekindled attention toward the band. In 2003, Hocko released Disco Still Sucks! on Get Hip Records credited to “Bob Hocko And The Swamp Rats,” encompassing nearly all singles along with outtakes and original songs. Their track "I'm Going Home" was later sampled by Black Lips on the 2007 album Good Bad Not Evil.
Don Schreiner passed away in 1998.
Bob Hocko died on October 16, 2003, at age 54.
Dave Gannon passed away on October 6, 2014, aged 67.
Dick Newton died on January 9, 2018, at age 69.