Chicago garage combo the Bachs formed in the fall of 1965. Singer/bassist Blake Allison and guitarist Mike DeHaven first collaborated in a high school group called "the Phases" -- DeHaven later played with lead guitarist John ("Ben") Harrison and drummer John Babicz in another teen band, the Apollos. In time, Allison also joined the Apollos, and following the addition of singer/guitarist John Peterman, the quintet renamed itself the Bachs. Gigging steadily across Chicago's North Shore area, the group also performed in Battle of the Bands competitions, once beating the fledgling Amboy Dukes, led by guitarist Ted Nugent. Although Allison and Peterson proved a prolific songwriting duo, the Bachs never recorded any commercially released singles -- they did, however, privately press 150 copies of a 1968 LP, Out of the Bachs. Comprised of 12 Allison/Peterson originals, and recorded in one day for $400.00, the album is something of a Holy Grail for garage collectors, prized for its sheer scarcity, as well as its fuzz-laden psych-punk sound. With its members poised to attend college, the Bachs split in April of 1968. ~ Jason Ankeny