The Kickstands

In the early to mid-1960s, writer and producer Gary Usher assembled the Kickstands as one of his many studio-only ensembles, drawing on seasoned Los Angeles session musicians to churn out repeated collections of hot rod and surf material. Jerry Cole, Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer, Leon Russell, and Glen Campbell—all affiliated with the Wrecking Crew—supplied the instrumental core, while Chuck Girard took the lead on vocals for the bulk of the recordings. The sole official release under the Kickstands name, Black Boots & Bikes, appeared on Capitol Records and carried a noticeably somber tone compared with the brighter sunshine-and-surf emphasis found in most of Usher’s other productions. Numbers such as “Death Valley Run” and “Slow Ride South” remain especially rewarding listens for devotees of Usher and the hot rod/surf style.