Despite great crowds and our rapidly growing fan base, things were simply getting too weird at the Broken Spoke - even for our loose standards. There were a few nights when Wayne didn't show up, but someone would always be there to run things in his absence. We were being approached by a lot of people who were asking heavy questions about Wayne, his business, and whereabouts. His creditors were becoming fixtures around the club. We didn't want any trouble, so we stayed out of the way when those people were around.

During the calm before the impending storm, we frequented several clubs in the area on our off nights looking for a fallback gig. While making those rounds we made a lot of new friends on the local music scene. One of the first groups we befriended was Beltline, featuring a future band mate, Don Reeder. Don's wife Marilyn Reeder was the photographer who took our first promo shots during a photo shoot at the Broken Spoke.  Many of her pictures, including those of the Desperados, were featured in local music magazines during the 70's and 80's. 

On the evening of  September 3, 1976 we showed up at the Broken Spoke for our usual Friday night gig - only to find an empty parking lot and the doors padlocked shut. In those days it was typical for weekend house bands to leave their equipment set up at the club during the week. Unfortunately, all of our equipment was now locked inside the Broken Spoke and we had no idea where Wayne was!

We had no choice but to sit and wait for someone to show up. We thought there may be a chance that Wayne was simply running late, but eventually we had to face the fact that nobody was coming. The club had been shut down and nobody told us. We spent the evening in the parking lot hanging out with the regulars, and trying to figure out where Wayne might be. Through the front window we could barely make out the shapes of our pa and instruments in the dark room. At least he hadn't taken off with our equipment. 

Wayne didn't show up the next day either. Our focus shifted to finding a way to get our equipment out of the Broken Spoke. Meanwhile, Jerry called Dunes owner, Bob Speights, and told him of our situation. Bob had heard us when we'd sat in with other bands at the Dunes and really liked us a lot. Bobby Crown's band had moved elsewhere and a band called Sundown, fronted by Jimmy Ellis, was currently playing there. Bob said he'd give us a two week run to see what we could do. We had a gig, but no equipment.

Legally, we didn't have a leg to stand on until we could find out Wayne's whereabouts. We'd called every jail and hospital in the area, but nobody had seen him. Then we found out that he was in the first place we'd looked; he was in jail for allegedly running guns illegally. They'd just overlooked him somehow the first time we'd called looking for him. 

The breakthrough for getting our equipment back came when I remembered that the jukebox and pinball machines inside the Broken Spoke were leased from an area vending company owned by a friend of a friend.   I called him up and explained our situation. He agreed to come and unlock the door (he had a key!) but only I would be allowed into the club to retrieve our equipment - one piece at a time!

It was raining on the night my new best friend unlocked the door to the Broken Spoke. There was a feeling of espionage in the air. Even my dad got into the act by renting a U-haul trailer for us to use. Because of possible legal problems, we had to hide out of sight until the vending company guy gave us the high sign. Then everyone snapped into action!

Dad backed the trailer up to the club's front door and the other band members were on hand to help out. As per our agreement, I was the only one allowed inside. The power was off so my only light was from a flashlight. It took a while, but I managed to carry out every amp, drum, keyboard, and pa speaker without help. Once I got things to the door, the other guys loaded them into the U-haul. Everything was present and accounted for, and we were extremely relieved!

The rain had picked up by the time we made the short drive from the Spoke to the Dunes Club, but the rain didn't bother us. We were happy to have a chance at landing the house gig at the Dunes. Soon the equipment was set up and the rain was wiped off. We hooked everything up and played our first song at the Dunes, only nobody was there but us to hear it. You'll just have to take my word for it; Man! It sounded SWEET!

Biz card from Dunes Club. The club was in a dry area so you had
to have one of these cards to buy alcoholic beverages there.

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