Mojo's Mark IV - Courtesy of Terry Hill
Mojo's Mark IV
aka:  The Chosen Few ('66),  Initial Shock ('67-'69)
Missoula, Montana
1965 - 1969

Members
 

George Wallace* ~ Lead Guitar
William "Mojo" Collins*  ~ Guitar, Vocals
Steve Garr* ~ Bass
Brian Knaff* ~ Drums, Vocals
Rocky Lieble ~ Organ
Rick Richter ~ Saxophone
 

* Performed with Initial Shock

Image courtesy of Terry HillThe band reorganized late in 1966 as The Chosen Few, then later changed the name again to The Initial Shock.   The reorganized band included George Wallace, previously lead guitarist for The Vulcans.

The Initial Shock moved to San Francisco in 1967 and became one of the leading bands of the Bay Area underground rock scene, eventually breaking up in 1969.    Bill "Mojo" Collins continued in the music business and is currently a popular singer/songwriter based in North Carolina.   Brian Knaff formed the Good Music Agency and later the Talent Buyers Network and is a successful talent agent.
 

Terry Hill, September 2011
 

The Initial Shock were one of many bands who moved to San Francisco in 1967, but were more or less alone insofar as having been the only band who moved from Montana. Apparently the group was from Missoula, MT and featured members of local groups The Chosen Few and Mojos Mark IV, and at least one member was assigned to an Air Force base in the area. When the Air Force commitment was over, the band decided to move to San Francisco to be where the action was.

The  Initial Shock released two singles, but no albums.  The first, "Mind Disaster"/"Its Not Easy" (BFD 036), was recorded in Montana and released in 1966. The second, rarer single "You Been A Long Time Comin'"/I Once Asked" (BFD 2022) was released in 1967. I know nothing about the record label nor details of the recordings.

The Initial Shock was well regarded by those who were there at the time, although unfortunately the only live recorded evidence that circulates (to my knowledge) is an excellent 4-song piece of an Avalon Ballroom concert from 1968. It reveals a driving, bluesy sound, but its hard to know how representative of their material it might be. Members of the group were

George Wallace-lead guitar
William "Mojo" Collins-guitar, vocals
Steve Garr-bass
Brian Knaff-drums, vocals

While relatively little is known about the Initial Shock, they played a number of interesting shows in the Bay Area from 1967-69.

Rock Archeology 101
 


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Last Update:   23 September 2011
Credits:: Terry Hill, Rock Archeology 101

Band # 2898