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"The Secrets evolved from Gary Apple's backup band, who toured in 1978 to support his Monument album The First One's Free. Sometimes the band would open the show for Apple by doing their own material. According to the group it was a valuable experience, giving them time to play together and a regular salary. Monument eventually withdrew their tour support, so Apple and the band had to return to Kansas City.
About four months later, three members of Apple's band got back together and started playing the Kansas City area. "We didn't really have a name then," says vocalist/guitarist Brent Hoad. "We changed it each night." Hoad was a veteran of Lawrence's Mud Creek and Millionaire At Midnight. He was joined in the Secrets* by lead guitarist Steve Davis (who replaced Kevin Davis), bassist Norm Dahlor and drummer Pat Tomek. Steve Davis and Norm Dahlor had played together in Nation.
The Secrets* released a 1979 single on Kansas City's Titan Records. Only 1000 copies of "It's Your Heart Tonight" b/w "Get Your Radio", two Hoad songs, were pressed and were quickly gone. The Secrets* were a good match for the power pop record company, but the one single is all they ever did for Titan.
The band had a song on KY102's "Homegrown 1980" album. A couple of years later, the Secrets* did another single and an album for Canada's Quality label. In the band's six year history, the only personnel change was when Tomek left to join Kansas City's Rainmakers and later the Bombpops. Randy Miller replaced Tomek on drums.
In 1983 Davis and Dahlor played together in another band called the 4Sknns, and in 1987-88 they were both in True Stories. At that time, Davis was playing in the Crayons, too. He's now portraying George Harrison in Kansas City's Beatles tribute band Liverpool. Dahlor, who is also a veteran of Shooting Star, went on the road with ex-Styx member Tommy Shaw. Most Wednesday nights, Norm can now be found playing with former Rainmakers Bob Walkenhorst at Malloy Brothers Irish Pub in Kansas City's Westport area. A few years ago, Brent Hoad was playing lead guitar, piano, mandolin and fiddle in the K.C. country band Ronni Ward and Cowtown. Since 1998, he and Norm Dahlor have played with the very popular Kansas City Celtic band the Elders. While playing with the Rainmakers, Pat Tomek began a computer graphics company that takes up most of his time these days, but he still finds a little time to play drums. He played behind Lawrence's Kelley Hunt about ten years ago."
Bill Lee in "Kansas rockers-The first generation"