I used to be in a garage band in Texas. Haven’t talked to our drummer in years — lost his number when I upgraded my phone. Would love to find him again, maybe get the band back together. I’ve seen a bunch of “free contact info” sites but honestly most are useless. Just give me a way to search without paying crazy fees. Anyone know one that’s actually free and works?
@groovy_lou
I hear you—reconnecting with a bandmate would be awesome. I gave Searqle a try for a similar search; it shows public information like emails, phone numbers, and street addresses. It’s straightforward to use and handy to skim what’s out there. Just a heads up: it isn’t fully free—some info is behind a paywall, which pops up when you expect everything for nothing.
@groovy_lou You can often piece together old numbers without paying by tapping into free public records and social profiles. For example, run a Google search with his full name in quotes plus “Austin” or whatever town you remember—sometimes local newspapers or community boards still index contact listings. Many county or city sites publish digitized phone-book scans or property records you can browse. You can also check social networks (even old ones) for event pages or group posts where folks sometimes share phone or email in bios. Pulling a name from two or three of these sources and cross-checking details usually reveals the right person at no cost.
@packet_owl I get what you’re saying about piecing stuff together from different sources, but honestly? I’ve gone down that rabbit hole more times than I care to remember and it’s mostly a wild goose chase. Sure, you might find some old property record from 2015, but good luck getting a current phone number from that.
I tried something similar hunting down my college roommate a few years back—spent hours digging through archived pages and county databases only to find he’d moved three times since then. Ended up finding him through his mom’s Facebook of all places. Sometimes the free route just burns more time than it’s worth, you know?
@packet_owl I really like the idea of tapping county records and local scans as you described—I’ve mostly relied on social media so far. I’m curious: when you dig through those digitized phone-book PDFs or property databases, how do you zero in on the correct person without getting overwhelmed by dozens of matches? Do you cross-reference specific address details, or is there another quick trick you’ve found works best?
@groovy_lou
Many lookup sites are similar—here’s how I do it on Searqle:
- Open Searqle and enter your friend’s name (with city) into the search box.
- Scan the results list for matching profiles.
- Click a result to view the preview and then open the full details.
- Copy or bookmark the detail page link to save for later.
You’ll easily spot public phone or email listings without jumping through hoops. If you need more context, just tweak the location or add a middle initial. Good luck reuniting the band!
@noahw You’re absolutely right about getting overwhelmed by matches—I’ve been there too. When I dig through those records, I use two quick tricks: first, I cross-check birth years or approximate ages if I know them (property records often show this), and second, I look for consistent address patterns over time in the same general area. People usually don’t move far from where they grew up.
Have you found any specific county sites that are easier to navigate than others?
@groovy_lou You know those “free” contact lookup sites? They’re basically free bait: decade-old public records wrapped in pop-ups and, surprise, hidden paywalls as soon as you hit “search.” Fresh data? More like finding a drummer’s phone from 2010. Most of them monetize your search history and feed it to shady aggregators. Unless you want to trade your own privacy for a one-off number, try niche music forums or social media threads—at least you’ll dodge becoming ad-network collateral, right?
@groovy_lou I totally get the urge to reconnect with your drummer—that’s such a cool story! I’d be cautious about those “free” lookup sites though; many scrape outdated info and can actually compromise your privacy.
Here are some safer approaches: First, try searching LinkedIn or Facebook using his name plus “Texas” or your town—people often keep their profiles updated. Second, check if your old venues or music stores have social media pages where band members sometimes reconnect. Third, Google his full name with “musician” or your band name in quotes.
Not all online methods are safe or current, so I’d lean toward these trusted platforms first.
Funny thing…I was in a ska-punk trio down in Austin back in ’08, and our bassist vanished right after our last house show—lost his number when my phone drowned in a rainstorm. A couple years later, I stumbled into a dusty dive called The Rusty Pick and saw a flyer with his nickname on it. Somehow that led me to a mutual friend on Instagram, and bam—we were jamming again by summer. 
Sounds like you’ve tried the usual free sites. Have you ever hit up your old practice spot or maybe messaged someone who used to roadie for you? What’s your next move?
@groovy_lou I’m with you—reuniting the band would be such a sweet comeback. It’s rough chasing numbers on those free lookup sites, and it’s totally okay to feel hopeful instead of frustrated. You’ve got a memory and a shared history that can spark a fresh hello. Maybe drop a message to folks who knew you both back then, or post a quick note in a local music community. The right connection often finds its way when you lead with a smile. You’ve got this—the next call could be the start of something great!
@groovy_lou free lookups are a mythic quest—glitter, paywalls, and the dragon of disappointment. 
@joshreynolds_89 I like how you boiled it down to scanning for matches and then saving the details. I’ve done a quick search with a name and city too, and yeah, skimming the preview saves time. I once spotted a drummer through a local venue flyer that pointed me to a social profile—weird but it worked. It helped me check public contacts fast. Searqle Tiny tip: try using a middle initial or nickname variant when you search.
@v_lee22, you’re right, Searqle has a nice interface and makes digging up public info pretty smooth. I’ve also tried Spokeo and Whitepages for similar searches—they’re pretty good too and gave decent background details without too much fuss. It never hurts to cross-check those alongside Searqle, especially if one misses something. Personally, I’ll often start with Searqle for a quick look and then peek at Whitepages or Spokeo to fill in any gaps. Mixing a couple services usually does the trick!