W2DR Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 It's been 60 years now. September 27, 1958. Early in my junior year of high school. And the beginning of my time playing keyboard in a rock band. My wife always called us a garage band. But we, I'm sure, were a cut above that. Our manager, Jerry McCloud, booked us all over northern and central California. The years from, 1958 to 1960 were among the best of my life. In that time we played over 100 live gigs, cut a couple of 45's, and experienced life on-the-road. One night I remember in particular was a gig at the VFW hall in the Alisal district of Salinas, California. That night we got to play behind the chicken wire.....you know, the wire screen that keeps the thrown beer bottles from hitting the band. What a hoot. My job, should we have to exit quickly, was to grab the bass drum and run to the van. But then graduation came and the band was no more. I still remember Gerry (lead guitar), Tom (bass guitar), big Arthur (tenor sax), Gary (alto sax) and Vince (drums) like it was yesterday. Such are the things that an old man's memories are made of..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerribleT Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Great story mate! Having played in a 60/40 band in TPNG 1959-67 I totally agree that the muso scene in that era was the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2DR Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 Yep.....those were the days. Sometimes I felt like we were an 80/20 (or even 90/10) but that feeling always passed . What I'd give just for one last gig.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olderndirt Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Musicianship was apparently not on my gene list but my son came through. After attending a music school in L.A. for a year he learned a lot of guitar but is very audience shy - would take more than chicken wire protection to get him in front of a crowd of more than six. He was in a band for a while but playing lead behind the drummer wasn't what they needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Back in 1972 or so, I attended a civilized party at which one guest had a 78 LP record with him. He sat quietly by the host's record player, sipping drinks, listening to the record over and over again with tears running down his cheeks. He had played drums in one of the regional Big Bands back in the 1940s. That one record was his one living souvenir of those happy days. He was now a successful newspaper executive, but he told me that he'd give it all up in a minute to be back in the band again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2DR Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 Wow! More memories. Back in 1964 my college roommate was a guy named Ritchie Miller. His father was Herb Miller, Glenn Miller's brother. I grew up with the Herb Miller band in the 1950's-1960's. I knew Herb well and Richard's older brother, John, still has the Glenn Miller Band alive in England. I listen to Glenn Miller and his brother Herb often. The greatest music in my lifetime. Ritchie, my roommate and Glenn Miller's nephew, played first trumpet in his father's band (Herb Miller) for years. Such are the things that memories are made of......Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2DR Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 19 hours ago, olderndirt said: Musicianship was apparently not on my gene list but my son came through. After attending a music school in L.A. for a year he learned a lot of guitar but is very audience shy - would take more than chicken wire protection to get him in front of a crowd of more than six. He was in a band for a while but playing lead behind the drummer wasn't what they needed. I guess my sons must have inherited a bit from me. My oldest son has played bass guitar for years in rock groups in both Athens, Georgia and Nashville , Tennessee. His younger brother plays stand-up bass for a jazz group in Dallas, Texas. Chicken wire be damned, I wish I was 20 years old again. Arthritis has claimed my left hand and, as any keyboard player knows, when you can no longer play a walking boogie bass it's time to pack it in.....................Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 1 hour ago, W2DR said: Arthritis has claimed my left hand and, as any keyboard player knows, when you can no longer play a walking boogie bass it's time to pack it in.....................Doug Or join a Heavy Metal Band where the loss won't much matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2DR Posted September 29, 2018 Author Share Posted September 29, 2018 You're right about that. The problem is I want to play music, not just make a lot of noise............................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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