Uranus and the Five Moons was a Rock ‘n Roll concept born (late one night) during the Fall of 1963 at the Foss Hill dormitories at Wesleyan University. Legend has it that the idea (and name) came to Sam Nigh, Bob Runk and Duncan Holaday during a break from their studies "in the midnight hour" as it were.

The band went through a number of variations from 1963 to 1967, but Sam, Bob and Duncan remained at the core of The Moons concept. From the beginning, the band fashioned themselves around the Classics of 50’s and 60’s Rock ‘n Roll borrowing liberally from the likes of Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Rufus Thomas, Barry and the Remains, The Young Rascals and a few blues men like Paul Butterfield and BB King.

At their peak, Uranus and the Five Moons was "just a damn good party band." They were at their best at fraternity parties like at Psi and DKE at Wesleyan and at the DU house at Williams. By 1965, The Moons had developed a great following on "the college circuit" playing up and down the East Coast at places like Princeton, Yale, Harvard Mount Holyoke, Smith, Williams and Amherst (among many others).

There were some casualties along the way, however. In 1965, Dick Calo, the very talented original drummer, left Wesleyan to join the Peace Corps. Duncan Holaday, the blues soul of The Moons, needed some rest, and took the ‘64/’65 season off. In need of a bass player and a drummer, the Moons reached into the unusually deep Rock ‘n Roll resources of Psi U. Ken Marburg (a guitar playing pre-med student) became the drummer, and Dave "Boog" Cain took over on the bass. Both had been charter members of another Wesleyan/Psi U band called "Lord Leaner and the Wild Roots" which also included such legends as Captain Bill Machen, John Howell and Tom Craig.

By the end of 1966, Ken Marburg was off to medical school, and Dave Cain chose to pursue other, more sophisticated musical interests in Delaware and at Wesleyan. In a moment of panic, Wilford "Boom Boom" Smith, possessing no musical ability whatsoever, was drafted as the new drummer, and Duncan Holaday, well rested after his time off, was redrafted and took over on vocals and blues harp.

At this point, somebody pointed out that The Moons were bass-less. Remembering that Felix Cavilieri (of The Rascals) could play the bass with his feet, The Moons decided to have Runk play the Bass with his left hand! The Moons bought a used Fender Rhodes (keyboard) bass from Sam Ash and strapped it to Runk’s left hand. To say the least, Bobby was now fully engaged in the musical process of The Moons. >>more>>