Peakaboo & His Boys formed in the early 1950's and performed a gritty and unhinged style of rock and roll . Details about the inception of the band are scant at best, but it is well-documented that Peakaboo was the only member of the band to sing and play an instrument, a cheap Harmony guitar fed through a small Gibson GA-5 amplifier. The rest of the band, known lovingly as his "Boys," performed child-like peakaboo gestures combined with loosely choreographed dance routines. Peakaboo's cantankerous nature towards journalists and promoters undoubtedly hindered the group's progress, but they developed a small and loyal following, ultimately landing an opening slot for Buddy Holly & The Crickets on a 1957 tour of the United Kingdom. Stanley Forsythe Codine, a writer for the British music publication, Record Mirror, conducted a telephone interview with Peakaboo following the band's arrival in the UK. Peakaboo refused to meet with him in person despite the close proximity of his hotel to Record Mirror's London office. Many details regarding the Boys were revealed, including their names and offstage roles as members of the band's touring unit:
Rhubarb: Peakaboo's favorite boy. At the time of the interview, Rhubarb's had recently suffered an allergic reaction to a snake bite. His doctor wired his jaw shut to prevent him from biting off his tongue.
Leroy: Hot-plate cook. Virtually nothing more is known about Leroy aside from his affinity for bacon grease-based giblet gravy.
Jenkins: Designated as the band's bus driver based solely on his experience as a young man operating a wheel-loader on his father's construction sites.
Jefferson: Technically not a "Boy" according to Peakaboo due to his penchant for white wine. Jefferson was an accomplished pianist and, more importantly, responsible for cleaning the band's bright blue and yellow uniforms on a bi-weekly basis. Unsurprisingly, Jefferson's piano skills were never utilized by Peakaboo during live performances or on recordings.
The band's UK tour was put in jeopardy when Codine revealed that there was a warrant issued by the Kansas City police department for the arrest of Rhubarb, who was accused of murdering an audience member with a screwdriver following a performance at the Reno Club earlier that year. Although four dates were completed without incident, Peakaboo & His Boys failed to appear for a show in Leeds and were subsequently replaced by Buck Clayton and His Harlem Gentlemen as the opening act for the remainder of the tour.
