VIKINGS, The

Homebase: Tacoma, WA
Stats: 1958-61
Misc Notes:
Ray Michelsen ~ Guitar, Vocals
Gene Erickson ~ Guitar (1937-2012)
Pierre "Pete" Ouellette ~ Guitar
Bill Arnold ~ Bass
Bill Waddle ~ Piano
Don Densmore ~ Saxophone
Fred Taylor ~ Drums, Vocals

SEE ALSO:
1.) MICHELSEN AND THE VIKINGS, RAY

In 1959 the Vikings recorded at Tacoma's Metro Recording Studio. An original acetate disc included these songs: "Come Dance With me"  - "Plastic Coat" /  "Honky Tonk" - "Lucille."

From The Sonics Wikipedia page (and other sources): "Local star Ray Michelsen became the band's singer after having sung with several other popular bands on the local scene. [Sonics guitarist] Larry [Parypa] began looking for a drummer to replace [Bill] Dean, who he felt was uncommitted to the band, and found Bob Bennett playing in a band called the Searchers, with keyboardist Gerry Roslie and sax player Rob Lind. Ray Michelsen was looking to leave the band, so the Parypas hired Bennett, Roslie, and Lind, and let their previous saxophonist [Tony] Mabin go."

"The Vikings were formed by a lady named Betty Fyfe to play at the Lake City Teenage Club in late 1958 (Lake City is near the Veterans hospital by American Lake in Lakewood). There were eight or ten guys that auditioned and five were chosen from that group including me. It's been a long time so my memory of the complete list of the five is a little foggy. I do remember the lead guitar was Pete Ouellete and 2nd guitar was Gene Erickson. Gene and I have kept in contact all these years and he lives in Kettle Falls, WA. There was also a bass guy named Bill [Arnold] and a piano player, Bill Waddle. Bill went on to greater things and ultimately played in nightclubs and pianos bars in Tacoma and Seattle for many years. From time to time we also had a sax player whose name escapes me [Don Densmore]. And of course I was the drummer.

"About that same time, the Wailers were formed and three of them, Rich Dangle, Johnny Greek, and Mark Marush went to Clover Park High school in Lakewood, the same school I attended. Of course they went on to bigger and better things and achieved national notoriety. We would play around the area at lot of the same places the Wailers played and occasionally we would sit in while they were on their break and they would sit on on our gigs. Anyway, we played around Tacoma and Lakewood and didn't make much money but had lots of fun. About midway in 1960 people started to go different directions, college, military or 'real' jobs and the band slowly disintegrated. However, it was a great time for all of us, kept us out of trouble, and will be in my memories forever.

"As a footnote, I met my future wife at one of those dances at the Lake City location. In fact I think the building is still there. I did a few gigs from time to time over the years but I guess I'm sort of retired from active percussion. My brother-in-law, Chuck Curry, did play drums for a group from Renton called The Mystics from about 1963 through 1965. He is a few years my junior and while I was dating his sister, got him interested in percussion. He followed through and a few years later played with the Mystics. We still have our drums and from time to time fool around a little bit in his house with our gear."

Fred Taylor, September 2008 correspondence with pnwbands.com website, (courtesy of webmaster Sam Carlson)

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