Page "John French (musician)" Paragraph 2

Around 1964, he played and recorded with Merrell and The Exiles, a band led by Merrell Fankhauser and featuring Jeff Cotton on guitar.

French and Cotton joined Mark Boston in another band in 1966, never recorded, called Blues in a Bottle.

Bill Harkleroad aka Zoot Horn Rollo joined later ; thus the nucleus of the Trout Mask Replica band was formed.