Biography
One of several noteworthy ensembles on the mid-'60s Southern California surf circuit, Adrian & the Sunsets enjoyed only a brief existence yet attracted a devoted cult audience long after their moment had passed. Fronting the group was Adrian Lloyd, born in Cornwall, England, whose family moved to the United States and established themselves in Long Beach, California, once he reached the age of 15. An admirer of drumming bandleaders such as Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, Lloyd began playing drums while still in high school; upon graduating in 1960 he was already performing with a local rock outfit known as the Outlaws, a name unrelated to the later country-rock ensemble.
In 1962 Lloyd became a member of the Rumblers, the combo responsible for that year's instrumental hit "Boss." He departed the Rumblers in 1963 and immediately tried out for a new band assembled by businessman and self-described entrepreneur Bob Sheets. Lloyd secured the position alongside guitarists Ron Eglit and Clyde Brown, bassist Dick Lambert, and saxophonist Bruce Riddar. Although the unit was originally intended to be called the Sunsets, Lloyd's seniority—he alone among the members had passed 18—led to his appointment as leader, resulting in the name Adrian & the Sunsets. The group also collaborated with singer Bobby Forest, who was never an official member; Sheets reportedly intended to launch Forest toward a film career that ultimately failed to materialize.
Placed on salary by Sheets, the musicians performed at dances and teen clubs before recording the album Breakthrough for the entrepreneur's own Sunset label during the summer of 1963. Although issued on multi-colored vinyl in hopes of attracting buyers, the LP achieved only modest sales despite ranking among the stronger independent releases from the SoCal surf scene, and neither of its extracted singles—"Breakthrough" b/w "Cherry Pie" nor "Justine" b/w "She Treats Me Better Than You"—managed to chart. Disillusioned with their business dealings with Sheets, the band disbanded after roughly 11 months.
Over time, however, Breakthrough became one of the most prized collector's items among enthusiasts of classic surf music. Adrian Lloyd subsequently issued several solo singles, among them the scarce garage-rock track "Lorna," appeared with the Playbacks, and performed on the California supper-club circuit into the early 1970s. Ron Eglit later played bass in Dick Dale's group and produced various surf-revival acts. In 2013 Sundazed Records reissued the Adrian & the Sunsets album, appending a selection of rare unreleased solo recordings by Lloyd as bonus tracks.
In 1962 Lloyd became a member of the Rumblers, the combo responsible for that year's instrumental hit "Boss." He departed the Rumblers in 1963 and immediately tried out for a new band assembled by businessman and self-described entrepreneur Bob Sheets. Lloyd secured the position alongside guitarists Ron Eglit and Clyde Brown, bassist Dick Lambert, and saxophonist Bruce Riddar. Although the unit was originally intended to be called the Sunsets, Lloyd's seniority—he alone among the members had passed 18—led to his appointment as leader, resulting in the name Adrian & the Sunsets. The group also collaborated with singer Bobby Forest, who was never an official member; Sheets reportedly intended to launch Forest toward a film career that ultimately failed to materialize.
Placed on salary by Sheets, the musicians performed at dances and teen clubs before recording the album Breakthrough for the entrepreneur's own Sunset label during the summer of 1963. Although issued on multi-colored vinyl in hopes of attracting buyers, the LP achieved only modest sales despite ranking among the stronger independent releases from the SoCal surf scene, and neither of its extracted singles—"Breakthrough" b/w "Cherry Pie" nor "Justine" b/w "She Treats Me Better Than You"—managed to chart. Disillusioned with their business dealings with Sheets, the band disbanded after roughly 11 months.
Over time, however, Breakthrough became one of the most prized collector's items among enthusiasts of classic surf music. Adrian Lloyd subsequently issued several solo singles, among them the scarce garage-rock track "Lorna," appeared with the Playbacks, and performed on the California supper-club circuit into the early 1970s. Ron Eglit later played bass in Dick Dale's group and produced various surf-revival acts. In 2013 Sundazed Records reissued the Adrian & the Sunsets album, appending a selection of rare unreleased solo recordings by Lloyd as bonus tracks.
Albums