Howard Brodbeck
Today’s PebbleRock Band is PebbleCreek’s (PC) premier all-Creeker modern rock band that has been playing continuously in the west valley since 2013. PebbleRock Band’s current lineup has been together for two-plus years now, and includes PC residents Karen Peterson, keyboards; Ron Devine, guitar; Robert Rochefort, bass; and founder Howard Brodbeck, on drums. They are a seasoned group of professional musicians, and play a full spectrum of top rock songs from the ’60s to today and regularly perform at Roman’s Oasis, Augie’s Sports Grill, and other festivals, events, and venues on the west side.
But it wasn’t always that way. It started over 15 years ago in 2009, four years before PebbleRock had their first gig.
The seeds of the original “all Creeker” PebbleRock Band were planted in mid 2009 when Howard, a recent retiree to Arizona, met guitar player Morris Swan, a retired graphic arts professional who lived in the new Estrella community. Howard had played jazz and rock drums since he was 14, and was determined to learn acoustic guitar in his retirement. Morris was willing to help guide him. They met when Howard answered a Craigslist ad for a drummer for a band called Outback Blues Band based in Tonopah.
The enterprising pair were soon let go from Outback for signing band gigs closer to Goodyear, but not before the band learned, to Howard’s surprise as well, that Howard could sing and play drums at the same time. He and Morris became the band’s lead vocalists and fast friends. They immediately formed their own band, Desert Blues Project, recorded two CDs, and in November 2010 had their first restaurant gig at Augie’s Sports Grill in Goodyear, where they were the first live music to perform on Augie’s patio after previous performances at the Goodyear car show, Goodyear Ballpark, and Goodyear Park.
At the same time, the two men formed a successful acoustic guitar duo they named after their practice location, Morris’ Garage, or MG, and used the front grill of a ’75 MGB automobile as their logo.
The original PebbleRock Band started as a five piece ’50s and ’60s band built around two long time lead guitar players, and PebbleCreek residents Robert Hover and Ted Moran, who Howard met at a guitar jam. Morris Swan had taught Howard well in those early blues band years together. According to Morris, “The best way to get a band started is to start with songs the guitar players already know.” So that’s what Howard did.
PebbleRock’s first gig was on Augie’s Sports Grill’s patio in April 2013. They did not have a lot of time to prepare, but Howard was determined to have them perform at least once before everyone left for the summer, so they played mostly three- and four-chord oldies like “Folsom Prison,” “Authority Song,” and “Brown Eyed Girl,” as well as complicated surf music that Hover knew. They only had 21 songs prepared for the first gig but it was a smash hit.
Next month, PebbleRock Band grows and prospers.
Look for part 2 of PebbleRock Band’s history next month. Check out PebbleRock Band’s Facebook page for information about upcoming shows.