Dang, Brian, you've really been there done that, eh? Very cool. Did you get a chance to play with or meet any interesting or famous people way back in 64-65-66? At that time I was living on Sullivan St in Greenwich Village (around the corner from the Viallge Gate, one block from Cafe WA etc etc) and as a kid was probably passing Bob Dylan and Joan Baez on the street without know it (or caring for that matter).
In the spring of '64 I was in 5th grade and vainly trying to resist the irresistable wave of Beatlemania. In the fall of '65 (I think) I made my "professional" debut when 3 of us 7th graders played to a packed auditorium in a Jr High School talent show. We did "Satisfaction", Please Please Me" and "I Need You". I had some sort of bargain basement (literally) electric guitar and played through half of an old suitcase-style reel-to-reel tape deck. The other guitar player had something equally cheesy.... and the drummer (whose parents bought him anything he wanted) had a brand-new full-on top-of-the-line Ringo-style pearloid Ludwig drum kit.
We must have been a pretty comical sight. {sigh}
Strings and Picks
Yes Kent I did the rock and roll, blues guitarist thing for about 12 years before I got inducted into the corporate world full time. It was fun being a musician while it lasted. Yes I got to rub shoulders and play venues with lots of famous and semi famous people. My first guitar was a Hofner Les Paul Gold Top style guitar. My second was a 1963 Rickenbacker FG 375. I added a 1964 FG 360/12 in 1966. They were played through a JMI Vox AC30 with a Treble Boost circuit. In 1967 I bought a 1959 Les Paul Jr and converted it to a two pickup Les Paul Special. I used that guitar for our Cream set.
So yeh, been there and done that.
So yeh, been there and done that.
“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
The Biggest gig that I ever did? Hmmm. The best venue was probably the PNE Gardens in 1975. It holds 1500 people. We opened for Rory Gallagher to a packed house. It was fun to play my adopted home town with the "Irish Wizard". He was a much admired blues legend in Ireland the UK and Europe. A truly great guitarist and showman.
The biggest in terms of capacity was the PNE Pacific Coliseum a 16,000 seat venue. We played there a couple of times.
The biggest gigs in terms of exposure were live shows on CBC-TV and on BCTV in 1966. Also probably the Grey Cup on CBC-TV in 1966 ranks right up there too for national exposure.
Among the many notable shows we did, we also played a week at the Cave in Vancouver in 1966. Wayne Newton was there the week before us and The Supremes the week after.
I don't know John Hammond BTW.
The biggest in terms of capacity was the PNE Pacific Coliseum a 16,000 seat venue. We played there a couple of times.
The biggest gigs in terms of exposure were live shows on CBC-TV and on BCTV in 1966. Also probably the Grey Cup on CBC-TV in 1966 ranks right up there too for national exposure.
Among the many notable shows we did, we also played a week at the Cave in Vancouver in 1966. Wayne Newton was there the week before us and The Supremes the week after.
I don't know John Hammond BTW.
“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
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jingle_jangle
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I saw the Kinks at the PNE Pacific Coliseum back in '81. Killer concert to a packed house. It's the way I'll always remember them.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
― Kurt Vonnegut
Great band the Kinks. I was out of the music biz by '76. I made a short return in '80 and left for good the same year. The corporate world had a big hold on me by then.
An acquaintance of mine started a small production company in Vancouver in the early 70s. I helped him on a part time basis (for about 18 months) to manage the booking side of the business. Basically I loaned him my good will that I had built up in the industry. We booked a lot of big name acts into the Coliseum the Agridome and the Gardens. It wasn't as much fun as playing but it was a close second.
My acquaintance turned out to be someone that I had never met before if you catch my drift. So I excited the scene. Shortly thereafter he booked Nazareth and then witheld their equipment from them under the terms of a contractual non-performance article. They wrote a song in late 1975 about their experience. It was called "Vancouver Shakedown" I got out just before that gig and subsequent legal mess.
An acquaintance of mine started a small production company in Vancouver in the early 70s. I helped him on a part time basis (for about 18 months) to manage the booking side of the business. Basically I loaned him my good will that I had built up in the industry. We booked a lot of big name acts into the Coliseum the Agridome and the Gardens. It wasn't as much fun as playing but it was a close second.
My acquaintance turned out to be someone that I had never met before if you catch my drift. So I excited the scene. Shortly thereafter he booked Nazareth and then witheld their equipment from them under the terms of a contractual non-performance article. They wrote a song in late 1975 about their experience. It was called "Vancouver Shakedown" I got out just before that gig and subsequent legal mess.
“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
Brian.... personally I think its time for you to reform a little band and play around some clubs and such.... as you know better than I do, it's hard work, you wont make any $ to speak of and sometimes can be a pain in the arse .... but it's good for the soul.
“The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it.” ....H. L. Mencken
I agree Kent that music is good for the soul. That's why I keep at least one or two guitars in my office at all times.
As far as playing out again. It has crossed my mind a few times. Local musicians have tried to coax me into playing gigs with them on either a full time or as a "special guest", I suppose in the hope that I will get the urge to play to an audience again.
Would I like to play out again? Yes if I could get a bass player and a drummer like I had in Pegasus, I would do it. Musicians like them are few and far between. We had a very special bond on stage. We knew instinctively what the other was going to do and created a sound mosaic that complimented their creation. They especially were brilliant during my guitar solos. They made the audience forget that we were a three piece band. Its hard to replace something like that. When we disbanded it was one of the contributing factors to me leaving the "biz" at the top of my game.
Don't get me wrong I'm not an elitist. I don't think I am any better than anyone else, because the fact is I'm not. It's just that when you have been a part of creating music so satisfying it is hard to imagine that sort of magic could happen twice.
Aitch and I will indeed make some musical magic next September when he comes to visit. In the mean time I am having fun writing and creating music on my little home studio. Now that is a lot of fun.
Thanks Kent for trying to light a fire under me. I do appreciate your thoughtfulness.
As far as playing out again. It has crossed my mind a few times. Local musicians have tried to coax me into playing gigs with them on either a full time or as a "special guest", I suppose in the hope that I will get the urge to play to an audience again.
Would I like to play out again? Yes if I could get a bass player and a drummer like I had in Pegasus, I would do it. Musicians like them are few and far between. We had a very special bond on stage. We knew instinctively what the other was going to do and created a sound mosaic that complimented their creation. They especially were brilliant during my guitar solos. They made the audience forget that we were a three piece band. Its hard to replace something like that. When we disbanded it was one of the contributing factors to me leaving the "biz" at the top of my game.
Don't get me wrong I'm not an elitist. I don't think I am any better than anyone else, because the fact is I'm not. It's just that when you have been a part of creating music so satisfying it is hard to imagine that sort of magic could happen twice.
Aitch and I will indeed make some musical magic next September when he comes to visit. In the mean time I am having fun writing and creating music on my little home studio. Now that is a lot of fun.
Thanks Kent for trying to light a fire under me. I do appreciate your thoughtfulness.
“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein