The Brogues

The Brogues
The Brogues in 1965.
Background information
Origin	Merced, California, United States
Genres	Garage rock blues rock R&B protopunk
Years active	1964 (1964)-1965 (1965)
Associated acts	Quicksilver Messenger Service
Past members	Eddie Rodrigues Rick Campbell Greg Elmore Bill Whittington Gary Duncan

The Brogues were an American garage rock band formed in Merced, California, in 1964. Much of the group's brief recording career was marked by distorted-guitar melodies and R&B-influenced vocals. They released two regionally successful singles in their brief existence, most notably the Annette Tucker and Nancie Nantz-penned "I Ain't No Miracle Worker", which is now considered a classic of the garage rock genre. The song has also appeared on several compilation albums, and has been covered by other music artists.

The band members all possessed prior experience on the R&B club circuit before coming together as a group influenced by the outset of the British Invasion, more specifically the music of the Animals and the Pretty Things. The group's name, the Brogues, was chosen to represent "American music with a British accent". The band's original lineup, consisting of Eddie Rodrigues (lead guitar), Rick Campbell (organ), Greg Elmore (drums) and Bill Whittington (bass guitar), debuted on New Years Eve, and immediately gained a loyal local following in their hometown of Merced and an emerging presence in San Francisco. While their contemporaries outfitted themselves conservatively, the Brogues sported a rebellious image and performed hard-edged cover versions of British R&B standards such as "Hubble Bubble Toil and Trouble" and "Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut".