MUSICAL INTERLUDES

Raised on Radio: 93 KHJ ruled the AM airwaves in early 70’s L.A., FM blossomed with the ‘Mighty Met’ a little bit of heaven 94.7…Crocodile Rock, Smoke on the Water, School’s Out, Sweet Emotion.  There was an inexpressible feel that the bass created, enveloping me in that bottom end.  Creative bass players were essential ingredients in all those great songs.  Cool Tunes Have Cool Bass Lines…

Columbia Record House: 12 albums for a penny…Bowie, Queen, ELO. Boston, Frampton, BTO.  Skynyrd, Heart, Zeppelin too.  Faces, Stones, of course The Who.  I Know What I Want To Do…

8/18/78: I am 17 today and it’s taken a while to save up the dough.  I’ve scoured the ads and drive to Venice to look at a hollow body Guild.  Nope, that’s not it.  Next stop, an immaculate Fender Precision Bass, the coolest most elegant instrument I’ve ever seen. I knew the very moment I saw that black beauty.  I’ll Take It…

Wings Over America: Paul’s bass is way out front, driving the band, simply great rock bass playing.  I jammed along, over and over.  John Entwistle’s thunder, Chris Squire’s ringing Rickenbacker, John Paul Jones’ Jazz Bass magic, Dee Murray’s tasty excursions throughout The Yellow Brick Road…Machine Head, Toys in the Attic, Cheap Trick, The Wall.  I Am Listening and I Am Learning…

Bassist Available: with some lessons under my belt and a slew of sweaty jams in my best friend’s garage  I set out auditioning with my brand new bad-ass white Rickenbacker, usually in way over my head.  On the 9th floor at the corner of Sunset and Cahuenga overlooking Hollywood I join a rockabilly (?!) band.  Although completely unfamiliar to me, my McCartney influence and my instincts serve me well.  They have a manager and I am soon onstage at the Whiskey, Roxy, Troubadour, Starwood, Madame Wong’s, The Palladium.  RCA signed the band.  I am in the recording studio.  I Am Rolling…

That Didn’t Last Long: OK, so the manager and the singer think they don’t need the band.  They hire a bunch of guns and re-record the tunes.  End of his story, but mine continues on…I go from one band to another attracted to keen writers and talented musicians.  Committed and creative I hone my craft.  Year after year I play every dive in L.A., record a stack of independent CD’s.  I Am Really Good…

I Want to Work: The Cinema Bar in Culver City served me well, many a good jam and many good cocktails.  Not enough dough though and that last set was brutal.  Odd that it took abandoning original music to make some money.  I auditioned and accepted the role in an Aerosmith tribute ‘Aeromyth’ and travelled all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America entertaining thousands, which Led to Zeppelin and Elton John tributes and the bass chair for ‘Rock Fantasy’ a classic rock show featuring some of the world’s best tribute singers.  Rock is Good…

First Class: George Lopez hired The California Kings, another group of stellar guys, to open his comedy tour with some good live music.  L.A. to Boston and points between.  Classic turn of the century theaters, modern performing arts centers, arenas, union stage hands and catering.  I could get used to this…

Coda: Fast forward past countless bands, demo tapes, Hollywood, CD’s in the attic.  I graduated the School of Hard Knocks many moons ago.  The paint on my P-Bass is worn to the wood.  It remains the coolest most elegant instrument I have ever seen.  Elton John, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith. The soundtrack of my youth became the soundtrack of my life.  Priceless…