The Quests (American band)

The Quests
Above from left to right: Jim Nixon, Neil Turmell, Bob Dengate, Joe Suchocki, Bob Fritzen, and Lyle Hotchkiss.
Background information
Origin	Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Genres	Garage rock
Years active	1964 (1964)-1968 (1968)
Labels	Fenton
Past members	Bob Fritzen Joe Suchocki Bob Dengate Jim Nixon Jerry Szyszko Neil Turmell Lyle Hotchkiss

The Quests were an American garage rock band formed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1964. Recording for Fenton Records between 1966 and 1967, the group released three singles in their career. Although the group was hampered by a lyrical controversary surrounding one of their tunes, they achieved regional popularity among their teen fanbase with the original songs "Scream Loud" and "Shadows in the Night". Since the Quests' disbandment, their material has been well-documented on garage rock compilation albums and prompted surviving members to occasionally reunite.

Formed in 1964, and motivated by earning a hit record in Michigan, the Quests were composed of Grand Rapids Junior College students Bob Fritzen (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Joe Suchocki (rhythm guitar), Bob Dengate (bass guitar, vocals), Jim Nixon (keyboards) and Jerry Szyszko (drums). After practice sessions on the college grounds, the band made its debut live performance to a sold-out crowd at a local teen dance club known as the Pit. Fritzen recalled the Quests "were primarily seen as a group that could perform a wide variety of the recent sounds of that time, both instrumentally and vocally". He also credits the Beatles and the Beach Boys for the band's vocal harmonies. Shortly after the band's first few gigs at the Pit, Szyszko gave up on drumming and sold his kit to Neil Turmell, who replaced him at the position.

In 1965, the Quests recorded demo tapes for Fenton Records, which consisted of three original compositions penned by Fritzen: "Secret Love", "Look Up to Me", and "Scream Loud". While the band was satisfied with their take of "Scream Loud", they were less impressed with the other two songs, and sought a way to bolster their sound. They recruited Lyle Hotchkiss, the former guitarist of the surf rock instrumental group known as the Stingrays. Almost immediately after the acquisition, the Quests entered Great Lakes Recording Studio in Sparta, Michigan, where record producer Dave Kalmbach recorded the group's debut single. The record featured Fritzen's "Scream Loud", coupled with "Psychic", an Instrumental written by Hotchkiss during his stint with the Stingrays. Upon its release in March 1966, "Scream Loud" received substantial support from Michigan-based deejays, and peaked at number two on the regional charts.