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the Runabouts


Cincinnati, 1964-6

The Runabouts were a greater Cincinnati teen band who lasted for a couple years. The band members were from the Deer Park and Sharonville neighborhoods on the north side.

The original version of the band was Mark Mathews (a high school sophomore at the time) on rhythm guitar, Tom Keen on lead guitar, Dave Hayes on bass, Larry Stephens on drums, Bruce Meyer on electric piano, and Mike Daly on lead vocals. The group played teen dances and private parties, and were sponsored by WSAI DJs Dusty Rhoades and Roy Cooper. The original band lasted for about 6 months.

Mark Mathews recruited his older brother David Mathews to learn bass, and two new members, Tom Morris on lead guitar and Glen Gerbus on drums, both from Deer Park, made up the new band with Mark and Mike Daly. They got a job as the house band at the Mods and Rockers teen club in Evendale. 

The band practiced at the Mathews' home and the teens father encouraged the group to record a 45. They recorded two songs, the moody instrospective "I Need Time" and a rockin' instrumental "The Chase". Tom Morris and David Mathews wrote the songs.The band recorded at K&S in Cincinnati and had 1000 copies pressed at Rite. The band chose Vox as the label name, in honor of the Beatles' famed Vox amps, which were a bit too expensive for the Runabouts. The band appeared on the Bob Braun TV show 'Five A Go Go" to help promote the record, which was distributed by the band and got some play on WSAI. 

The band broke up later in 1966. Mark Morris joined the Morticians.

Discography:
I Need Time / The Chase - Vox No # (Rite masters 15325/6), 1965