Brandes joined the Mystery Machine in the early 1980s, performing alongside Rusk again, along with Mark Zadarnowski (the Crawdaddys, the Shambles), and Bill Calhoun and David Klowden (both of later of the Tell-Tale Hearts). The band only played three shows before splitting, though their song She’s Not Mine was released on Voxx Records’ Battle of the Garages Vol. 3. in 1983.

Brandes next co-founded the Tell-Tale Hearts, which local writer Bart Mendoza described as A 1960s-influenced punk/rhythm and blues band, with Calhoun and Klowden, alongside Mike Stax (later of the Loons/the Hoods) and Eric Bacher. Considered among the leaders of the garage-rock movement, the group even appeared in People magazine, but surprisingly, save for a short jaunt to Springfield, Missouri, they never toured. They did, however, sign with Voxx Records, though the later ’80s saw the original line-up of the group splitting.