Left to right: Harvey Mandel, Paul Lagos, Victor Conte, Randy Resnick

Don, Paul, Larry and Randy started jamming in Paul's basement. Paul Lagos had the energy to put together the band, whose other  original members were Larry Taylor on bass and Randy on guitar. Taylor was already famous for bands he had been in, such as Canned Heat and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Resnick had been playing in other bands with Lagos and had developed an innovative (remember,  this was in the late 60's) tapping/hammering style.

Harvey Mandel was asked to join the group having played with Lagos and  Sugarcane in Mayall's band, the idea being he would attract better  label interest.

Taylor got tired of Sugarcane's antics and constant lateness, and dropped out. Victor Conte, who had played with Randy in Common Ground in Fresno was called in to replace Larry. Victor went on to play with Tower of Power and the Herbie Hancock Monster Band, after leaving PFDA. And then there was Balco...

Lagos was able to convince John Hammond to sign the  PFDA with Epic, and in 1972, a live album "Choice Cuts" was recorded at the Fresh Air Tavern in Seattle Washington.