[1] Members Danny Kimball (drums) and Briant Smith (lead guitar) were friends since childhood, and influenced by the material originating from popular musical acts in New Orleans.

[1] The two regularly attended performances by local bands such as Sonny and the Blue Diamonds and the Boogie Kings, and, upon the onset of the British Invasion, began jam sessions in their neighborhood.

[3][4] At a gig in November 1965, the Bad Roads were joined by the River Rats' vocalist Buz Clark, who assumed the role as the group's permanent singer.

As a result, the group opened for more prominent acts such as the Music Machine, Sam the Sham, and Question Mark and the Mysterians, while breaking several attendance records in the region.

The band's second single included cover versions of the Kinks' "Til the End of the Day" and Them's "Don't Look Back", and was released in early 1967 on their self-produced Rain Tyre label.