| The Squires
Original Members:
Patrick Coleman, ‘65 Drums/ Lead Vocals
Bill Nelson, RIP ‘67 Bass
Rick King, ‘65 Guitar
Dave Tadaro, ‘64 Guitar
Later Members:
Jim Moran, ’66 Guitar Replaced Dave in ’64.
Valentino Michael Scott (NAS), replaced Rick King Early ‘65
*Danny Royer, ’65 Sax was added in the spring of ’65
Randy Chilton, ’65 Sax, replaced Danny in the Summer of ’65 (After the
Centaurs)
*Foreign Exchange student from Switzerland
Publicity photo for the original Squires, with Pat Coleman (drums,
vocal), Dave Todaro (lead guitar, vocal), Rick King (rhythm guitar), and
Bill Nelson (base guitar)
Story by Patrick Coleman
The band known as The Squires was born in Coronado
California in mid 1964, with Rick King ’65 on lead guitar, Dave Todaro ’64
rhythm guitar, Patrick Coleman ’65 on drums, and Bill Nelson ’67 on
bass.
Our first real “gig” was for a private party at
the Hotel Del. I remember getting a call from my mother saying I needed to
run the Coronado Department Store on Orange to buy a short-sleeved Madras
shirts. I don’t even remember what we played that night… probably an
instrumental surf music… we really didn’t have much in the way of a
vocal repertoire at that time.
In late 1964, the CHS foreign exchange student was
Danny Royer from Switzerland. When I heard that he played the saxophone, I
immediately sought out to draft him into our band. He was a lot of fun, and
Danny fit in pretty well. You remember that these were “primitive”
musical times. If you had an electric guitar and knew F, G, and C.. you were
in a band.
We played local city and school dances and private
parties. In early 1965, James Francis Xavier “Ortho”: Moran bought
Fender guitar and amp, learned F, G, and C and he took Dave Todaro’s spot
at Rhythm Guitar. Next, Cal Scott (a sailor for NAS North Island) was
introduced to the group, and he took over Lead Guitar from Rick King. “Scotty”
also introduced Keyboards into the group and added in on background vocals.
Patrick Coleman sang most of the leads, with Bill Nelson adding background
and some lead work.
Next thing you know, we were playing more gigs about
town and about the Bay area. Our musical focus had shifted to Motown and the
British Invasion.
At the end of the 1965 school year ended, Danny
Royer had to go back home to Switzerland. Randy Chilton, late of the
Centaurs, took over on Sax for the rest of the summer.
The summer of ’65 was like a movie. We had a
regular engagement every Saturday night at the North Island Downwind Club
(The Centaurs were there on Sunday nights). We played Navy private parties
and City sponsored dances. We went everywhere… band and equipment in a
1959 Volkswagen van that my brother let me use for that summer. I lived with
James Moran and family that summer. All we did was go to the beach, admire
the ladies, surf, and make music. We even cut a demo record at recording
studio. At the end of the summer of ’65, it all ended. The Vietnam War was
still raging. Patrick, James and Randy had to go off to college in far way
places. Bill had to finish high school. And the Navy took Scotty to another
phase of his life.
Randy Chilton became a university professor in
Illinois. Jim Moran retired as an elementary school teacher right here in
Coronado. Jim still surfs, rides his bike and plays music. Patrick Coleman
lives in San Jose, CA and is nearing retirement. He has a law enforcement,
teaching and insurance background and he actively plays drums, keyboards and
guitar at church and retreats with some “Old Fart” bands. Val Scott’s
whereabouts are unknown. Billy Nelson led a short life, passing away a few
years after high school
The Squires are but a chapter in the surpsising rich
musical heritage from the small town of Coronado Ca. We had a magical time,
and I’ am sure that we all treasure the experience of being part of the
Coronado Rock ‘n Roll history.
Patrick
Coleman then;
and more recently....
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