“The Way I Feel” / “Good Day” (Groovy Records GR-102) July 1967

It’s hard to imagine that a group called The 12 A.M. from San Antonio, TX were still playing and recording British Invasion sounds in the Summer of 1967. Yes! three years after The Beatles and other English beat groups conquered America there was a tiny enclave, perhaps only a house in San Antonio, still performing merseybeat sounds.

“The Way I Feel” is well known amongst ’60s garage fans because of it’s inclusion on Pebbles #5, the all punk version with the picture of the hanging teenybopper on the front cover.

For some odd reason that’s the only time “The Way I Feel” has reared it’s twangy guitar driven head above the ground. I don’t know why other compilers haven’t highlighted or for that matter tried to locate the group themselves for more information.

Nothing worthwhile has ever been written about the 12 A.M. so information is scarce. Someone must know something about them though and I hope one day somebody will read my blog post and respond with an update.

The flip side of the record is a Beatles-inspired rocker called “Good Day”. It’s got a good beat, with a decent tempo and is surely worth putting out on a comp?

No pictures exist online or in reference books of this long-lost Texas group who were seemingly devoted to The Beatles on their one and only record. The producer is even listed as A. Epstein, for Epp’s Music Co. Not only did they love the Beatles they loved their Manager.

Both songs written by J. Mendoza. Not surprising the record is now sought after and copies are selling for over $200 nowadays.