"THE ENFIELDS" / "THE FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY" - "THE ENFIELDS" / "THE FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY" (NEW ENGLAND 60s GARAGE 1966)

The history of "The Enfields" begins in 1964 in Wilmington, Delaware, when "Ted Munda, "Gordon Berl" and a kid named Rick had a group called "The Playboys".
At the same time and acted in the same area another group, "The Touchstones", playing key Surf with members "John Bernard", "Bill Galery", "Robin Eaton" and "Charles Jenner".
In a way these two bands joined with "Ted Munda" and "John Bernard" guitars, "Bill Gallery" bass guitar, "Gordon Bell" on drums and "Marc Morgan", vocals.

All that remained was to choose the name; because it was influenced by British Invasion "The Enfields" choose the name from the famous British rifle in the city Enfield.
"The Enfields" created quite a lot of interest locally with their Beatles-like harmonies and some nice minor chord guitar work.

The Enfields: A "In The Eyes Of The World" / B "In The Eyes Of The World" Richie 669, 1966

"The Enfields" released their second single (A "In The Eyes Of The World" / B "In The Eyes Of The World", Richie 669, 1966 was the first one) "She Already Has Somebody" / "I'm For Things You Do", Richie 670, 1966, was a polished minor-key Folk-Rock tune with some fine guitar work from "John Bernard", and already "The Enfields" had become Wilmington's top band.

The Enfields: "She Already Has Somebody" / "I'm For The Things You Do", Richie 670, 1966

The follow up single "You Don't Have Very Far", was a quieter, reflective ballad but the flip, "Face To Face" was one of their finest moments with a compelling Beatles' "Taxman" riff.

The Enfields: "Face To Face" / "You Don't Have Very Far", Richie 671, 1966

It may seem like a slim legacy, but "The Enfields"' output stands considerably above the norm of the hundreds of other comparable American regional 60s Garage Bands of the time, due primarily to "Ted Munda"'s fine melodic songwriting, heavily influenced not only by "The Zombies" but by "The Beatles" and "Beau Brummels".


The history of "The Enfields" finish somewhere at the end of winter in 1967 after the last single "Twelve Month Coming" / "Time Card", Richie 675, 1967 failed to chart.

The Enfields: "Twelve Month Coming" / "Time Card", Richie 675, 1966

Upon the demise of "The Enfields", "Ted Munda" quickly formed "Friends Of The Family" with "John Rhoades" and two former members of another local band "The Turfs", ("Wayne Watson" and "Jimmy Crawford").

In May 1967 they entered the "Virtue Recording Studios" in Philadelphia to record a six song demo, which several labels (including "Kama Sutra Records") expressed an interest in but none would actually release.
On July 24, 1968 during "The Philadelphia Music Festival" at JFK Stadium "Friends Of The Family" shared the bill with "The Who", "The Troggs", Mandala and "The Pink Floyd".

But an attendee reports that rain began during "The Pink Floyd"'s set, and there were no provisions to cover the stage, and the show was abruptly halted.