When my girlfriend and I did our homework together in English class, our teacher spotted the similarity in our essay answers, and called us to her office after class. She informed us that we were "plagiarizing" and had broken the number one rule in writing.
So, we ended up having to write 500 times "I will not plagiarize". I was stripped of my position as editor, much to the delight of the upperclassman co-editor, and given a "D" in English. I never forgot that lesson as I continued to write throughout High School.
When the Beatles came along, my interest in writing shifted and I found that I was more passionate about music. I used to sing in church where I learned to harmonize. I loved the close harmonies of the Everly Brothers and learned all their songs.
My first "audition" was in front of the Everly Brothers when they played in our town. The bandleader who asked me to sing "All I have to Do is Dream", told me afterwards, " If you pick up an instrument, I can get you in a band". That's how I learned bass, because I figured it would be the easiest to learn and every band needed a bassist.
I was lucky to live in Appleton, Wisconsin, an area that thrived during the happening music scene of the 1970's . Gary Van Zeeland Talent booked bands throughout the Midwest, and later, internationally. Road musicians would come to the area because of his agency, which at one time was located across the street from me. I would often play with musicians from Las Vegas, California, and everywhere else.
The bands that made the most money were the "show" bands who played dance and sets with production numbers. That's what I enjoyed most and was the most successful with. I think the wide variety of music I've played is what makes me unique.
I learned jazz from a local veteran and exceptionally talented blind guitar player, Butch Chapman. I probably played with him the most over the years, much to the envy of many bass players. We usually performed as a trio called Bojan, although there were many incarnations of other groups.
I was "Bobbie Sox" in an old rock'n'roll group that featured an Elvis impersonator. Big Daddy and the Digs was a satire on the music of the 50's and 60's. It was more vocals than music, but the most fun of any group I played with. Although Harry "Elvis" Jay was the main draw, everyone in the group enjoyed some of the limelight. We did "one nighters", the most grueling being 30 nights in a row.
Then, I formed a "funk" band called Hot Cocoa, where I was one of two lead singers. Although it was my own band, I was ousted for "unprofessional behavior" when I became involved with the bass player. Since David was the funkiest bassist around, and there was already another lead singer, I was history.
The agency informed me of their new policy: "no relationships in the band - causes too many problems - this is business!"
The next day I walked into Gary Van Zeeland's and got a new gig with a lounge group called "The Big Apple". Their male lead singer was leaving and they needed someone to immediately take over. As was often the case with members coming and going in the working road bands, I had to simply step-in and do their existing material.
My favorite group was "Inner Circle". The keyboardist was writing a rock-opera entitled "Ophelia", which became the group's focus along with performing all-original material. Of course, the agency didn't care about original music; that was something you did in your basement.
The keyboard player was replaced by Danny Watson who was under contract to Capitol Records and had just ended a 10-year stint with Bob Seger. When he joined, he rearranged all the songs and added great vocals.
The group disbanded when Danny was called to record for Capitol. I never again played with a group that had so much synergy and potential. When we all went our separate ways, I felt lost. It was a dark period for me in which I did most of my lyric and poetry writing.
"Breezin'" was a jazz-rock group. My first audition was as a bassist. For some reason they didn't call me back. It might have been that I hadn't played bass in a group in over two years, and I was not prepared for their George Benson tunes and sophisticated horn arrangements.
I never met their female lead, but when she left the group, so did her boyfriend, the bass player. The guys in Breezin' must have been desperate because they wanted me to try out again. This was a year later and I'd done quite a bit of playing in the meantime. So at the audition as bass player and female lead, things seemed to click. I had come prepared this time because they gave me a tape to learn all the material. They were happily surprised because now each got a bigger slice of the pie. I was sad when we disbanded.
"Sassy" was a disco band formed by the agency to go to Japan. They were a good example of why it doesn't work to build a group with a bunch of strangers and expect it to gel. I was merely a fill-in lead while they were working-in their permanent male and female singers. I won't go into it, but it was a fiasco, and talk about fraternizing in the band!
There was a five-year period, when I went into the restaurant business, which was very successful with live music six nights a week. I would often perform in the club, and was also lead vocalist with a 16-piece Big Band called "The Dean's List".
My oldest daughter Rhonda became the accomplished musician in the family. She was first chair flute in Jr. High, as well as playing oboe, bassoon, and sax. In high school, she took up her teacher's instrument and was first chair trombone for three years. She was also a soloist in a classical vocal group called "Madrigals".
Before moving to Austin in 1984, I began playing crossover and progressive country. I was a big fan of "Asleep at the Wheel" even before coming to Austin. Shortly after moving to Texas, I joined a group called "Who's Driving", doing mostly country and western swing.
I accidentally found myself involved with a great group of area musicians, most notably Spencer Starnes, former bass player for "Asleep at the Wheel" and Michael Murphy. He's an engineer with his own studio (Bee Creek) where I actually got to meet Ray Benson and watch "Asleep at the Wheel" record.
I became a veteran at auditioning with bands. I never kept track, but I would guess about fifty. None even seemed to have the potential to go anywhere, let alone be the caliber of musicians I enjoyed.
My background was not known. I went through some hard times after that and lost my bass in a pawnshop. A musician friend who wanted me to play in his band actually got it out of pawn, but it soon returned and was lost. I was reluctant to play and didn't care for performing anymore. I eventually got another bass, but never actively pursued playing after that.
I was always around the Austin music scene, however, mostly because of my daughters, Georgia and Cherise, who were raised around musicians and always felt comfortable with them. They are involved with some of the most successful musicians in Austin and internationally.
I eventually channeled my musical passion into videography, mostly taping bands on the local scene, recording the likes of Jason McMaster's bands ("Dangerous Toys", "Broken Teeth", etc.), and a band called "seed", now called "color".
The only playing I did after that was with an original "roadhouse" band formed by songwriter Paul Mattox .
I then joined drummer Randy (Remo) Musumeci, who formed a group doing his own original songs. We only played one gig but recorded three of his songs before he moved back to California.
When Randy caught up with Brian Buel, an old friend and former recording engineer from the early days when Randy owned a San Jose studio, he learned that Brian was finishing his debut CD.
I met Brian last November when he and Randy came to Austin to sign-up for the 2001 South by Southwest music fest. From my sheer enthusiasm for Brian's album, "state of change", I decided to get involved with the promotion and distribution of his CD locally.
The band played three shows at Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar on 6th Street during SXSW, where I was privileged to join on-stage singing backup vocals. It was because of Brian and Jim Calire, that my latent ability to write was called upon.
When I was researching on the net, I found out about Jim Calire's former band, a 60's cult group called "Raven". Raven so moved me I felt their story should be told.
So now, this is how I've come "full-circle", starting out as a writer in Jr High School, then going on the road playing in bands, and now writing about bands. As it was so well put before "What a strange trip it's been!"
