EASTSIDE BANDS - MICKEY & THE INVADERS/DYNA-MIGHT

                                   MICKEY & THE INVADERS

Band Members:

Mike James Aversa (Mickey) (guitar)
John Ortiz (sax)
Bobby Espinosa (keyboards)
Denny Robinson (guitar)
Linda Robinson (vocals)
Simon Casas (guitar)

Not Pictured:

Barry Ward (drummer)
Danny Lamont (drummer)



Originally called Mickey & The Cavaliers & hailing from  the Montebello/East Los Angeles area, Mickey & The Invaders were led by my cousin and guitarist/song writer Mickey Aversa. Mickey & The Invaders were another great Eastside band and Mickey's musical career spans over 50 years. A little known fact is that keyboardist, Bobby Espinosa started in this band and would later go on to play with El Chicano.

MICKEY AVERSA & HIS CAVALIERS:

Photos taken at KCOP-TV Studios "Hispanorama" television show

Don Verna (Drums)
Edward Matisoff (Sax)
Dale Irwin (Bass)
Nancy Maldonado (Singer)
Pat Richardson (Singer)
Mickey Aversa (Vocals & Guitar)
The band was very versatile playing surf, pop, rock, jazz and Latin music. The band was one of the busiest of the Eastside scenes playing almost every local venue including the Big Union Hall and East Los Angeles College.

In 1965 the band recorded "Land of Broken Hearts" and "Blast Off" for the Lap label (Lap 108). "Land Of Broken Hearts" (a great teener) was recorded by studio musicians and Mickey singing lead. It was intended to be the A side of the record but disc jockeys flipped it over and started playing the surf instrumental "Blast Off".

The musicians on "Blast Off" (written by Mickey) were Mickey Aversa (lead guitar), Simon Casas (bass), John Ortiz (tenor sax), Barry Ward (drums) and Denny Robinson (guitar).

You May Listen To Mickey & The Invaders "Land Of Broken Hearts" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7tb5zzulpM

You May Listen To Mickey & The Invaders "Blast Off" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amsVf5j1P8U&feature=relmfu

Later in 1965, the band would record "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" and "You'll Never Know" and released on the Yardbird label (Yardbird 8007). Both sides were written by Mickey Aversa.

You May Listen To Mickey & The Invaders "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGJ-y2gFZJU

You May Listen To Mickey & The Invaders "You'll Never Know" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXL5uuTHcHs&feature=channel&list=UL


In 1967, Mickey & The Invaders would win The Battle Of The Bands held at the Teenage Fair at The Hollywood Palladium.

At this time the band members included:

Mickey Aversa (lead singer, lead guitar)
John Ortiz (organ sax)
Barry Ward (drummer)
Simon Casas (bass, guitar, organ)
Mario Sasa (trumpet)
Sonny Lathrop (rhythm guitar)

They became the KRLA Roadshow band with disc jockey, Dick Biondi. Later they changed their name to the Mike James Quintet.

In 1969 Los Angeles disc jockeys Charlie O'Donnell & Humble Harve became the band's record producers and the band's name was changed to Dyna-Might.

DYNA-MIGHT

Dyna-Might was the houseband at Disneyland and became the houseband at Magic Mountain in it's innagural year.

They signed a two-year contact with MCA's Uni Records in 1969.

Their first single was "You Got Me Groovin'" and "Soul Has No Color" release on Januarl 1, 1970 for MCA's Congress label (Congress 6014)

You May Listen To Dyna-Might "You Got Me Groovin" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak4zKiroPn8

You May Listen To Dyna-Might "Soul Has No Color" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgQwlCq8rMs

Their second single was "Borracho" and "Need You" released September 1, 1970 on MCA's Uni label (Uni 55256). The voice you hear saying "Borracho" is disc jockey Humble Harv (Harvey Miller).

You May Listen To Dyna-Might "Borracho" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GOs30Ej5vk

Dyna-Might's third & final single was "Sunshine Goddess" and "Message To By Brother", produced as a joint project for Uni records and Warner Brothers Records. The record was released July 1, 1971 on the Uni label (Uni 55292).

In 1973 Dyna-Might produced and recorded "Fallin' In Love" and "A Rose By Another Name". "Fallin In Love" was written by an unknown group at the time, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. Dyna-Might's version was to be released on Playboy Records but the label opted to go with the writers. The record became a smash hit for Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds in 1975. Dyna-Might's tunes were pressed on the Dyna-Might Records label (Dyna-Might 101)

You May Listen To Dyna-Might "Fallin' In Love Again" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCORcFSda4I

The original group Dyna-Might disbanded in 1977 with Mike (Mickey) Aversa & John Ortiz joining Mike O'Brien & Don Hoover to form the Christian band, The Agape Brothers.

Original Mickey & The Invaders members Barry Ward passed away in June 2005 and  Bobby Espinosa passed away in February 2010. They are both missed.

Mike James Aversa (Mickey) currently lives in Orange Country, California.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MICKEY & THE INVADERS/DYNA-MIGHT PLEASE VISIT MIKE JAMES AVERSA'S SITE "AVERSA MUSIC" FOUND HERE:

http://www.aversamusic.com/

A FASCINATING & INFORMATIVE ARTICLE ON THE BAND IS POSTED ON MARK GUERRERO'S WEBSITE FOUND HERE:

http://www.markguerrero.com/37.php

ALSO PLEASE VISIT SIMON CASAS' SITE FOUND HERE:

http://www.simoncasas.com/

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes and for listening pleasure