Psychedelic Jukebox: [1966] The Outcasts - Set Me Free

 In the unruly mid-sixties, when beat bands on both sides of the Atlantic dominated the dance floors, a band from Manhasset, Long Island, made a brief but emphatic statement: The Outcasts—not to be confused with groups of the same name from Texas or Belfast—released their second and final single on Decca Records in 1966. The B-side, “Set Me Free,” is now considered a minor treasure among garage and freakbeat collectors—a sonic fragment from a rebellious liminal space between Mod, Garage, and Psychedelia.

The Outcasts consisted of an unusually large seven-member line-up, including Mark Foley (rhythm guitar/vocals), Bruce Williams (lead guitar), Bob Martin (drums), Brian Whelan (bass), Chuck Thatcher, Paul Brokan, and Jimmy Williams—the latter contributing keyboards and backing vocals. Unlike the often stripped-down sound of many garage bands, The Outcasts featured a relatively complex instrumentation—without sacrificing their raw energy. “Set Me Free” appeared as the B-side to the single “You’d Be Surprised” on Decca 32036. The song blends driving, uncompromising garage beat with lightly psychedelic organ sounds—a tone clearly influenced by British freakbeat, yet fused with the directness of American garage rock. The vocals push forward, the guitar cuts sharply—an unpolished raw gem with hook potential that captures the nervous energy and spirit of the times.

“Set Me Free” is not an isolated expression—it is emblematic of a micro-revolutionary subculture that, in the mid-60s, scratched away at the commercialized image of pop from the inside out. In suburbs and small towns across the U.S., teenagers were forming bands in garages and basements, drawing inspiration from British acts like The Kinks, The Who, or The Yardbirds—but with more feedback, DIY attitude, and grit. On Long Island, close to New York City, musicians were influenced both by the rising British Mod style and the raucous American garage sound. Freakbeat—a British hybrid between beat music and psych-pop—found an audible echo in The Outcasts’ sound. They seemed like a missing link between early Who and The Seeds—between American aggression and British finesse. This scene was short-lived, but its impact is still felt today in proto-punk, lo-fi rock, and indie garage.

Though The Outcasts never achieved commercial success, their work lived on among collectors. Their material resurfaced in the 1980s and '90s on various retro compilations, including the split album Meet The Outcasts / The Mod Sound Of The Arkay IV. Modern podcasts like Outskirts.FM and collector series such as The Freakbeat Scene continue to introduce their songs to new listeners. The track “Set Me Free” has been rediscovered on YouTube and digital platforms—mostly by fans who dig deeper than the standard rock canon. For these listeners, The Outcasts represent a pure, unfiltered sound—raw, honest, and untamed by pop industry templates.

The Outcasts left behind no extensive discography—but a lasting impression. Their song “Set Me Free” stands as an exemplary document of a rebellious music scene, one that moved between subculture and mainstream, youthful exuberance and early stylistic hints of what was yet to come: punk, new wave, and the indie spirit of future decades. For collectors, music archaeologists, and fans of genuine 1960s garage rock, “Set Me Free” remains a gritty anthem of freedom—precisely because it came from the garage and never went back.

Sources:

1. https://garagehangover.com/outcasts-2/
2. https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/the-outcasts-9
3. https://www.discogs.com/artist/3774506-The-Outcasts-14
4. https://www.discogs.com/release/3229718-The-Outcasts-Youd-Be-Surprised-Set-Me-Free
5. https://www.discogs.com/release/17870140-The-Outcasts-4-The-Arkay-IV-Meet-The-Outcasts-The-Mod-Sound-Of-The-Arkay-IV
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY4M0B8YZ50
7. https://lowest-common-obamanator.blogspot.com/2009/04/trash-ure-trove-of-garage-music.html