The San Francisco Sound - Mike Wilhelm

[shamustwin]

Yeah, "Where's The Money". Great. Played it to death. Gotta find a CD of it.

Thanks, Kira.

[radiognome]

Are the Charlatans featured on the Nuggets series?

'Codiene' is on Nuggets, Volume 7, Early San Francisco - I believe it is the same version added to the CD reissue of the 1969 Phillips album, and it is the version recorded for the Kama Sutra label.

The version on The Amazing Charlatans comp is either a different take, or an edit of the same take, as it deletes one verse, but adds a different one. I do not know of a version with all of the lyrics (written by Buffy Saint Marie) together.

John

[kiramdear]

John, thanks for that! My cursory search came up empty but you obviously know what you're talking about.

I've got the re-issue "Amazing Charlatans" which was long overdue. I didn't know Mike in his Charlatan days and never heard these tracks until this year. But I knew Mike and I knew the record must be great.

Mike's got at least 4 solo albums that I know of, including live in Japan. I'll be putting up some samples soon

Wow, John, stick around; It would be nice to share more of your knowledge of the topic which I'm guessing is considerable

Yeah, "Where's The Money". Great. Played it to death. Gotta find a CD of it.

Thanks, Kira.

Jerry, it's at amazon for 8.99

[radiognome]

Thanks, Kira - I will stick around.

I got into the Charlatans in the early eighties when I lived in the Bay area. I have never met Mike, but it would be nice to talk to him, as I have had a few questions over the years. I (among many others) consider them the 'Seed' (to pinch the nickname of their Red Dog poster) of the San Francisco psychedelic sound.

The Red Dog documentary is terrific, but anybody interested in it should be on the lookout for the original VHS version, as it has material that was removed from the DVD version due to copywrite problems.

To add a bit a of fuel to the who-was-the-first-Bay Area-psychedelic argument, a founding member of the P.H. Phactor Jug Band, here in Portland, stakes very credible claim to that title, and it would be interesting to get him and Mike together to reminisce.

John

[kiramdear]

I'll bet they know each other already.

You can send Mike an e-mail from the link on his fan site that I posted. He's a very nice guy and will most certainly respond to a fan note.

You give me good incentive to make the next post about Mike very soon

[octagon]

Cool thread,I remember having a copy of the 1st LP by the Charlatans at record store I worked at about 30 years ago.Rare album,it came from a huge collection we bought from 2 guys that were college DJs in the 70's.



I got one great record for myself out of that collection The NightCrawlers LP with "The Little Black Egg"

The vid below is disabled so use this link instead

Do you think they played Rickenbackers?

I just posted the vid because it is a picture of the cover of the Nightcrawlers LP.

[kiramdear]

That's cool Mitch. Sounds like a rick in the mix there too.

Well, I've been procrastinating ending this thread but today I have no excuses because I found some great vids of Mike playing solo around the period of 1978 to 1981. This was right after Loose Gravel broke up.

I'm sorry if some of the previous links got pulled. When I discovered that some were gone I set out to recoup the files here:

http://web.me.com/kiramdear/Galerie_Kir ... atans.html for Charlatans vids
http://web.me.com/kiramdear/Galerie_Kir ... ovies.html for Flamin' Groovies vids
http://web.me.com/kiramdear/Galerie_Kir ... lhelm.html for Mike solo vids

Following his six-year stint with the Flamin; Groovies, Mike continued in his solo work. Around 1990 he released his 1971 solo album as one disk of a two disk set called Mike Wilhelm with new studio tracks comprising the second disk. He also recorded a double album of 12-string fingerstyle music called Wood And Wire. Later he went to Japan to tour and record a live album which was released as Live in Tokyo. I haven't got to chat with him about those albums yet but I'll bring it up in our next exchange.

To backtrack a second with an interesting point: Mike's joining the Flamin' Groovies signaled his release from the Bill Graham curse. I saw the Groovies back up Patti Smith in Berkeley in 1078, the first time Mike walked onto a BGP stage in seven years.

I believe I mentioned earlier that Mike is currently playing with Bottle Rock Blues and Rhythm Band which is based where he now lives near Clear Lake CA.
BRBRB was featured during the official Halloween celebration of the City of San Francisco which was held at the new ball park downtown. Here are a couple of pics.




In his own area of the world, Mike seems to have found a routine that suits him. He's got very little left to prove to anybody. Describing himself as semi-retired, I can just bet that he's happy kicking back with his lovely wife in all that natural beauty, leaving the porch when he feels like it to go and give the locals a night or two of butt-kicking R&B entertainment. But don't count him out completely. He'll be back out with some of his old mates for a prestigious gig amidst San Francisco's rock royalty again before you know it

[guitman]

Mike played six and twelve string guitars, a huge Gretsch hollowbody and a Rickenbacker 6-something series solidbody 12. It looked like a 620/12 to me, mapleglo with black plastic IIRC.

Hi all, Mike here.

My Rick 12 is a 450. When I got it, it had been spray painted yellow (over fireglo). Pickups, pickguard were yellow. Ugh. I stripped it and made new pickguard from black acrylic (plexiglas). Finish is rubbed linseed oil, like a gunstock.
For a time I played it as a 6 string and even added a vibrato tailpiece. I also converted it to stereo wiring.

I love the simplicity of the 450 design. I used mine (as a 6) on the live cut "Slow Blues" on the Wilhelm LP. Slide guitar on this cut is Chris Wilson playing another 450. Rhythm guitar is Dennis Corso playing a 360 six. 3 Ricks!

You can get a look at my old stage rig and guitars on my website http://mike-wilhelm.com. On the right side, if you move your mouse over the top button (mp3s) complete details of the photo will appear and when you click on it a larger pic will appear.

Hope you all find this info interesting and useful.

[242_foxtrot]

Welcome to the forum Mike. In Feb. of this year I was lucky to find a copy of Lose Gravel's 45 Frisco Band/Waiting In Line. Just loved it! I've been a fan of The Charlatans, since I first read about the band. The fanzine was "Cream Puff War". One of my favorite Big Beat releases is, The Amazing Charlatans. Also, I'm a huge Flamin' Groovies fan. For a time I was in a tribute band called Teenage Confidential. I consider you truly an amazing guitarist. Thanks for joining and once again welcome!

[kiramdear]

Hey, Mike! Fantastic to have you on board. I was hoping you'd join us.

[guitman]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Was just thinking that I used my 450/12 on tons of Flamin' Groovies cuts, Ladyfriend (an obscure Byrds Cover, only appeared as flip side of a Byrds single) which has 3x 12-strings, my 450, Chris Wilson on a Gretsch and Cyril on a 360. I think George Alexander may have been playing his 4001 (?) bass. 40 strings! Most of the time when the Groovies used 12s we used 3 at once. River Deep Mountain High, both studio and live. Don't Put Me On, Take Me Back, Feel A Whole Lot Better, Please Please Me, Paint It Black, 19th Nervous Breakdown, etc.

[kiramdear]

Mike,

I'm sure you still have your 450/12 but is it in good shape? I remember last time we wrote that you mentioned that it needed repair.

[guitman]

Just got the neck repaired, now I have to string it to make it playable.

[kiramdear]

Happy to hear it.

Hey, I just noticed that the links I posted earlier don't work now. Sorry about that, folks; I'll get that fixed ASAP.

Mike, would you have any links or photos you want to post for us?

[guitman]

Ok kiramdear...

3 pics, DeArmond Starfire Special.


'54 Gretsch Country Club taken at Chet Helms' Memorial, Golden Gate Park, 2005, onstage with the Charlatans. Drummer is Greg Elmore of Quicksilver Messenger Service.
.

Goldstar Recording Studio, LA, Flamin' Groovies sessions. My 450/12, Gretsch and Bigsby equipped 360. Fender amps w/D series JBL speakers. I still own and use the '65 Twin Reverb bought from Jerry Garcia in '66.


Link to website, lotsa photos & mp3s. http://mike-wilhelm.com