About Us

The AFTERFLASH Legacy Project is a dedicated effort by the band’s three surviving members to preserve, honor, and document their impact on lowa’s rock and roll scene from 1969 to 1971. Formed during the summer of love, the self-taught teenage group built a reputation playing high schools, college campuses, ballrooms, and street dances, blending Billboard hits with rich psychedelic influences. Their original composition, *”Leave Myself to Die,” and “Cookbook”-a track rediscovered in 2025 and featured as the Lead album track on ‘Brown Acid – The Twentieth Trip’

reflect their lasting musical footprint. Though the band went their separate ways, they reunited in 2017 playing to a full house in Bend, Oregon, proving their legacy still resonates.

However, they carry the memory of their bassist, Chris Theobald who tragically passed in1979. Now. through archival preservation and renewed recognition, the AFTERFLASH Legacy Project seeks to

Celebrate their contribution to lowa’s rock history and secure their rightful place in the lowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame!

Founded during the summer of love, in 1969, AFTERFLASH emerged as a force in Iowa’s rock and roll scene. With raw talent, fearless ambition, and a deep passion for music, the self-taught, self-managed** teenage band built a reputation that would endure far beyond their brief but impactful time together.

From high school gyms to college campuses, grand ballrooms to street dances, AFTERFLASH electrified audiences across the Midwest, delivering both Billboard hits of the era and deeply immersive psychedelic compositions that reflected the transformative spirit of the late ’60s and early ’70s.

Among their accomplishments was the release of a 45rpm record featuring their original composition, Leave Myself to Die, alongside Cookbook, a track from Cleveland’s underground band The Damnation of Adam Blessing*. Decades later (54 years), in March 2025, Riding Easy Records, a Los Angeles label, re-discovered “Cookbook,” selecting it as the lead track for their twentieth installment of the Brown Acid series—an homage to long-lost gems from rock’s golden age.

Though the band ultimately went their separate ways, their bond never faded. The surviving members reunited for a triumphant performance in 2017 in Bend, Oregon, proving that their music, their energy, and their spirit still resonated with a new generation of listeners.

However, their journey has also been marked by loss. AFTERFLASH has carried their legacy forward without their bassist and dear friend, Chris Theobald, who tragically passed away on May 26, 1979. His memory remains an integral part of the band’s story, shaping the legacy they now seek to preserve.

Founded during the summer of love, in 1969, AFTERFLASH emerged as a force in Iowa’s rock and roll scene. With raw talent, fearless ambition, and a deep passion for music, the self-taught, self-managed** teenage band built a reputation that would endure far beyond their brief but impactful time together.

From high school gyms to college campuses, grand ballrooms to street dances, AFTERFLASH electrified audiences across the Midwest, delivering both Billboard hits of the era and deeply immersive psychedelic compositions that reflected the transformative spirit of the late ’60s and early ’70s.

Among their accomplishments was the release of a 45rpm record featuring their original composition, Leave Myself to Die, alongside Cookbook, a track from Cleveland’s underground band The Damnation of Adam Blessing*. Decades later (54 years), in March 2025, Riding Easy Records, a Los Angeles label, re-discovered “Cookbook,” selecting it as the lead track for their twentieth installment of the Brown Acid series—an homage to long-lost gems from rock’s golden age.

Though the band ultimately went their separate ways, their bond never faded. The surviving members reunited for a triumphant performance in 2017 in Bend, Oregon, proving that their music, their energy, and their spirit still resonated with a new generation of listeners.

However, their journey has also been marked by loss. AFTERFLASH has carried their legacy forward without their bassist and dear friend, Chris Theobald, who tragically passed away on May 26, 1979. His memory remains an integral part of the band’s story, shaping the legacy they now seek to preserve.