Michael & the Messengers

Michael & the Messengers are best remembered for their frenetic garage-rock reading of the Reflections' "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet." The band's history is so convoluted it required a book, Gary Myers' Wisconsin rock history tome, Do You Hear That Beat, just to make some sense of it: Originally dubbed simply the Messengers -- there was never a "Michael" -- the group was founded in Winona, Minnesota in 1962 by Greg Jeresek (aka Greg Jennings), also featuring guitarists Greg Bambenek and Roy Berger, keyboardist Chip Andrews, and drummer Jim Murray. Winona's very first rock & roll band, the Messengers were also notable for their on-stage apparel -- matching olive-green blazers -- and quickly earned a devoted local following, releasing their debut single "My Baby" on the Soma label in 1965. Bambenek soon left the group to attend college, and with new guitarist John Cader, the group continued until Jeresek likewise relocated to Milwaukee to pursue his degree. There he formed a new Messengers lineup with singer Jeff Taylor, guitarist Peter Barans, keyboardist Jesse Roe, and drummer Augie Jurishica. On the recommendation of DJ friend Paul Christy, the group recorded a frenzied rendition of the Wilson Pickett classic "In the Midnight Hour" in their living room studio -- Christy then managed to get the single released on the USA label in early 1967, where it cracked the Top Five in Chicago. While opening for the Dave Clark Five, the Messengers were spotted by representatives from Motown, ultimately becoming the first white rock act signed to the label -- as such, they no longer had time or interest in touring behind "In the Midnight Hour," so Christy and USA hatched a plan to recruit a new touring lineup, hiring a Leominster, Massachusetts-based band called the Del-Mars,...