Road
Hazards
Every band
that spends much time on the road will face a steady line of annoyances
and hazards -- some large, some small. For most of our peak years we worked
out of our country home near Strathclair, MB, where I taught high school
for 30 years. Since our weekend and summer road gigs in Canada took us
as far east as Fort Francis, ON, west to the Peace River District, BC,
and north to Island Lake, MB, we spent long hours on the road with occasional
flights to the far north, USA and UK.
Some troubles on the trail were serious, but most were
just annoying: heatwaves, 40 below temperatures, fog, blizzards, ice, hail,
downpours, tent caterpillars, bugs, wildlife (deer, elk, jackrabbits, skunks,
birds, dogs, etc.), drunk and crazy drivers, occasional obnoxious fans,
road checks and speed traps, traffic pile-ups, vehicle breakdowns, flat
tires, band equipment failures, broken strings, laryngitis, flu and colds,
babysitter problems, clash with day-job schedules, finding gas stations,
dozing off and going through piles of sunflower seeds to stay awake during
the wee-hours return trips, long hours after the day job . . . missing
career opportunities because of commitment to the "day-job," and missing
important family events.
Bookings made a year in advance pretty much determined
our social life. On top of this was the major cost of music equipment and
keeping a trustworthy band vehicle, a few not-so-reputable managers, thefts,
vandals, double bookings, cancellations or poorly organized events, bad
acoustics, squabbles on the dance floor, over-exuberant fans, and stage
door Johnnies.
In hindsight these weren't really major problems at
all, but just part of the Grand Adventure. Our dedication to, and love
of music . . . and each other, overcame all of these mostly minor bumps
along our long and winding road.
Rockin'
and Roll Over
For our first cross-prairie Federal
Grain Tour, Russ Gurr purchased a long mobile home. This unwieldy unit
was towed behind a large rented truck, which also carried a water tank.
We were looking forward to setting up on each of the planned fairgrounds
in luxury and packed this home-away-from home with our stage clothes, provisions,
and a few of our instruments.
One of the band crew bravely volunteered to drive the
truck. We rode with him, noticing a lot of sway in the trailer behind and
that he was having a heck of a time controlling it. We got as far as mid-Saskatchewan
when the long trailer swerved wildly out of control and rolled into the
ditch. Shock and dismay!
Everything in the trailer was a mess. One side had
split open and my expensive Echochord tape delay system had slid out. The
metal case of the German-made Echo unit was now driven into the ditch clay
and was supporting the weight of the trailer. Russ called for heavy duty
help from his farm. . . we rented a more practical motorhome, and were
soon on the road to the next gig.
Bring
On The Sniffer Dogs!
or Intrepid Lynden Border
Guards Discover Stash of Two Cans of Chinese Fish . . . with the
Aid of Sniffer Dogs
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Another of our summer prairie tours had just wound up
in Red Deer, Alberta. We had been living out of the band coach and in our
own Ford Funcraft conversion van for six weeks, but decided to extend our
stay in the West a little longer. After the last gig we packed and headed
west to BC. Along the way we decided to make a quick morning loop across
the Washington border.
One of the topographic maps I'd used for topo interpretations
in my geography classes was of the Lynden area, which I had never seen
first hand. We also knew that Randy Bachman had a home and recording studio
at Lynden. So, we had two good reasons then to make a quick detour across
the border. We took photos of the countryside along the way, but to our
disappointment we found that Randy wasn't home, so we turned around and
headed back north.
Before reaching the Canada Customs entry we pulled
off the road for a late morning snack. Sue-On whipped up a quick
little feast. She cooked rice and opened two cans of Chinese Fried Dace
fish smothered in salted black bean sauce. We couldn't find a nearby garbage
can so we carried on to Canada Customs.
When the Customs officers asked how long we'd been
in the US we said a couple of hours. Red Flags! Suspiciously, they noticed
all our band stuff in the van and decided that we must have made a drug
run to the US. Bring on the sniffer dogs! The indomitable guardians of
our borders officiously boarded our vehicle with dogs in tow.
The dogs went nuts. They smelled the empty fish cans
in our garbage bin and became uncontrollable in their efforts to reach
this aromatic feast. The embarrassed and struggling officers realized that
their "drug bust" wasn't going too smoothly. They managed to pull the excited,
slavering beasts away from us and out of the van. They waved us through.
We were still a bit stunned by it all as we drove off. Looking into the
rearview mirror I could see the handlers still trying to settle down their
"well-trained" pooches. We missed seeing the Bachman studio, but were soon
on our way to even more adventures.
Ridin'
Shotgun
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Soon after Lewis Kaselitz and his family moved from Tennessee,
he realized his dream to host a country music festival: The Boggy Creek
Call of the Wild Festival. In the early days of this long-running festival
in the remote Boggy Creek area the crowds were greater than expected and
there wasn't always adequate security. There were many family groups, but
some of attendees, caught up in the music and fueled by their "mickey"
contents, answered the "call of the wild" and posed a bit of concern at
the night shows.
A number of times after our evening show I grabbed
a "Security" T-shirt and joined other volunteers to attempt some crowd
control. Safeguarding the cash receipts was always a concern. On the Mondays
following the weekend event Lewis usually invited me to ride with him to
the nearest bank. We made hurried trips over secluded roads while I literally
rode shotgun, holding Lewis' loaded firearm, with a large box of the event's
cash receipts on the floor between my legs.
Altamont
North
Lewis Kaselitz, concerned about
the crowd control problems presented by the rapidly growing attendance
at the Call of the Wild Festival, hired a motorcycle gang to provide security
on the show grounds and in the campground areas. These dedicated bikers
sometimes did their job a little too well and controlled a few of the more
rowdy drunks by bashing heads. Shades of the Rolling Stones problems at
the Altamont festival in California, but things never really got that crazy.
A few of the name bands from the US got a little too
friendly with biker security on their way through the distant gate and
made it to the stage a few hours late for their scheduled appearances.
When they did show they were rather glassy-eyed, but were ready to put
on wild stompin' shows.
Road
Kill
Considering the hundreds of thousands
of miles we've driven over the last 50 years we've been pretty lucky on
our road trips. On the Saskatchewan TransCanada HW we hit a large jack
rabbit which went through our grill and damaged the radiator. Our trusty
van has repelled attacks by an large assortment of wildife: skunks, armadillos,
road runners, crows, partridges, snakes, gophers, etc.
We've even hit three deer. The first was in a fog patch
that had engulfed a bridge we were crossing over the Little Saskatchewan
River near Elphinstone. Damage was minimal - a broken side mirror. The
second was on HW 10 at the Minnedosa junction. We were passing a truck
on the divided highway when the truck hit a deer and the carcass was thrown
up and onto our hood. The only real damage was a puncture hole in the hood
from the beast's antler. I had to do some fancy talking when the Autopac
insurance agent stressed that we weren't covered for flying objects. The
third deer attack was on the hill and curve by the Clear Lake Golf Course.
The deer was bounced into the ditch and there didn't appear to be any damage
to our van. Over the years, we've had a few near misses with Homo Sapien
jaywalkers, but we haven't hit any of those suckers yet.
Dead
Man's Curve
There's a curvy hill just past the
Clear Lake Golf Course that has given us a spot of trouble. We experienced
a foreshadoing of calamity there when a deer appeared in our headlights
one night resulting in a mild collision. Then, a year later, on our way
to a dance in Cowan, a sudden sleet and ice storm had turned the curve
into ice rink. I lost control and rolled the van. The three of us were
tossed around a bit but unhurt. The instruments in the van were so tightly
packed that nothing moved.
We phoned Kerry's brother who came to get us and to
retrieve the equipment. By the time he reached us our van was surrounded
by a pack of other vehicles that had joined us in the ditch. This was one
of only two gigs we never reached in 50 years. Our Cowan friends Ted and
Margaret, who had hired us for the gig, were very understanding. . . and
even helped ease our embarrassment over the "no show." Ted who raises bees
has a "license to kill" bears and later presented us with a gorgeous cinnamon
bear hide. This hide, head and all, is the first thing that visitors see
when they enter our home . . . it even found its way onto the cover of
our No. 12 CD.
The
Blizzard
We picked and sang. Crowd danced.
Wind howled and snow fell. We packed up in a raging blizzard and headed
south and then west into the jaws of the storm on Highway 3. Ahead was
total whiteout. I stayed on the road by straining to see the edge of the
highway on my side, while Sue-On shouted warnings from her side of the
truck.
Crystal City is five miles from Pilot Mound and it
took us an hour to reach it. We sought shelter at the Crystal City hotel.
. . all was locked up. One of the hotel residents had been locked out so
he crawled into the back of our crewcab with Kevin. Next we looked to the
local RCMP detachment for help, and Kevin called them from a phone booth.
The officer on duty was quite casual about the whole situation. We were
getting a bit desperate so Kevin asked, "Well, don't you have a jail you
could throw us into for the night?" The sleepy-voiced officer ignored this
suggestion and came up with the following solution to our problem:
"Park your vehicle and run the engine to keep warm. Roll down the windows
a bit." We huddled and tried to sleep till daylight when we struck out
again into the blizzard.
Birthday
Break and Entry
The January 11th blizzard of 1975
was one for the history books and a number of stranded motorists didn't
survive it. We were determined to reach home after being stranded for the
night in a hotel parking lot in Crystal City, but we had to fight for every
mile.
After about 25 miles the truck froze up and wouldn't
go farther. I left Sue-On and Kevin shivering in the cab and struck out
on foot into the maelstrom. I learned later that I had actually passed
two farm houses on my run, but the first thing I saw of civilization was
a road sign pointing toward the village of Mather. I turned north at the
intersection but found breathing very difficult. . . it was almost like
being in a vacuum with the icy wind and driving snow taking my breath away.
Eventually, I bumped into a school sign beside the
road and huddled beneath it in a snowbank for awhile to catch my breath
and to try to warm up. Carrying on, I stumbled onto an approach to the
school and broke a door window to enter the heated building. When I recovered
from rolling on the floor in agony from frostbite to my hands and face
I found a phone. I called what appeared to be a town number and soon the
Harms family came to the rescue. I directed them back to our Ford Crewcab
-- almost missing the interesection in the white-out. They took us in and
I celebrated my birthday that day under very unusual conditions -- but
we had to call off the wedding dance planned for that night at Inglis.
The next day saw sunshine -- they towed our vehicle
to Cartwright to thaw out in a garage. Later we gave the Harms family a
ride to Brandon where they were making connections to go to Hawaii. The
valley at Killarney was full to the top with snow so we had to take a very
round-about route. We made it!
Bottoms
Up!
A few of our gigs in Dauphin provided
some amusing adventures. One Saturday night we braved an early 40-below
cold snap to play for an RCMP Christmas party. The amps were wet from condensation
and the stage was very slick from the snow from our boots. We set up behind
a curtain while the diners finished supper and waited for our grand entrance.
As the curtains opened we went into action . . . but
my Beatle boots went into an uncontrollable skid and I ended up on my bottom,
holding my precious Fender Tele aloft. The audience were in shock. . .
didn't know if it was part of the act and whether to laugh or look concerned.
A tad embarrassing.
Where'd
they go?
We've played for many wedding dances
over the years, but one in Dauphin sticks in our memory. We went through
the usual wedding dance set list, but were a bit worried when no one danced.
The groom's party stayed on one side of the hall, while the bride's stayed
on the other. There were very few trips to the bar and very little mingling.
. . or dancing.
We took our final off-stage break around midnight,
but when we returned to the stage to play our last set we were met with
a somewhat shocking site. The hall was empty -- only the bartender was
left! We asked him if it was something we had done. He explained that one
side of the hall was mainly native trying to make a good impression on
the new in-laws. The other party was very religious and since after midnight
it was officially Sunday morning they felt they had to leave to observe
the Sabbath. All parties left. We packed up early.
Cardiac
Arrest . . . Teetering on the Brink
The backstage entrance to the upstairs
auditorium at the Dauphin Allied Arts Centre is via a narrow, steep, and
turning stairway. Our stage set-up has five very large PA speaker cabinets,
plus heavy amps, Fender Rhodes 88, synths, guitars, lights, drums and many
cases. We have nearly always worked as a trio so set-ups and tear-downs
can involve some very heavy lifting. Transporting all this gear up and
down constricted flights of stairs without roadies can be very taxing .
. and dangerous.
One night while carrying a large SP-2 speaker Kevin
was victim to a bit of a shift in the centre of gravity and teetered backward.
He slid down the stairs with the SP-2 monster riding his chest. Allied
Arts is really a top notch place to play -- once everything is in place
on stage -- and we eventually went on to have a great night. Kevin, although
a bit bruised and twisted, managed to do his usual super job on keys and
vocals.
We obviously hadn't learned our lesson because a few
years later Kevin's successor, Kerry Morris, was crushed by the same speaker
bin on the same flight of stairs.
Back
to the Drawing Board
The raising of our three kids through
the '80s decade took precedence over the international tours and recording
projects of the '70s. The arrival of Kerry Morris as a full-time member
of our trio coincided with our increasing interest in technology: the expansion
of our PA to a tri-amp system, recording facilities, click tracks, a stack
of synth keyboards and synth drums for Sue-On, Roland synthesizer guitars,
better lighting, and an improved equipment van.
The problem now became one of packing all of this gear
into a standard Ford Econoline van. We thought we had the solution. Kerry
constructed large plywood crates on casters which we designed to hold the
"dixie-cupped" drums, hardware, mics, cables, amp heads, lighting, and
stacks of albums for off-stage sale. Everything fit in perfectly. We congratulated
ourselves on this marvel of engineering inventivenes. But when it came
time to lift these mammoths into the van we realized that we would have
to make room for a forklift to hoist the suckers. Back to the drawing board.
Searching
for Gold
We played a summer dance in a country
hall in Saskatchewan's Qu'Apelle Valley. Following the gig we made the
long drive home, but had to awake very early next morning to escort a fleet
of school buses on a field trip back through Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Our school made a point taking the whole high school on major field trips
every few years.
While dressing I was startled to find that my Chinese
gold medallion embossed with my name in Chinese characters was missing.
I had worn this piece on a chain around my neck for many years. Assuming
it had fallen off in the change room of the hall the night before, we left
the convoy when we approached Regina. We looped around to the hall in the
valley to look for it.
There was no sign of the gold piece. Sue-On even
went to a nearby Chinese restaurant to inquire. . . asking in Chinese if
a piece of jewelry with Chinese characters had been turned in. Quite a
loss: the gold, plus the sentimental value of this gift from Sue-On. We
rejoined the convoy and carried on dejectedly with the tour.
We returned from our trip a few days later . . . and
crawled into bed . . . tired and still a bit down in the dumps. I was awakened
later during the night, however, by the jab from a sharp object under the
covers. Found! The episode seems rather inconsequential now, but at the
time I was pretty upset. . . and embarrassed.
Barf
Gig
In the years following our University
stint when we played Brandon pubs every night we tried to avoid bar gigs.
The Roblin Inn bar was an exception and we had some good nights there.
At the end of each night the bartenders proudly displayed the rows of empty
liquor bottles behind the bar -- casualties of a great party crowd.
One night, however, I was the casualty. Soon after
we started to play I became so sick I couldn't stay on stage. The manager
let me lie down and use the bathroom in one of the rooms. I tried to return
to the stage a few times, but it was no go.
Looking back I remembered that just before leaving
home I'd eaten some thawed and re-frozen ice cream and must have caught
food poisoning. This left Sue-On and Kerry on stage to do four shows -
drums and bass. Kerry didn't sing and although Sue-On had many vocals,
she could only sing the harmony parts to my songs. Luckily, local musician
Butch Fleury was in the crowd and came up to do a few numbers. This was
the only time I was ever too sick to not complete a gig. . . until then
I always believed that "the show must go on" -- Not.
Wedded
Blitz
Wedding dances were often fairly
predictable and tedious affairs -- but there were exceptions. A wave of
influenza hit both families involved in one of the wedding celebrations
we played. They were heavily doped with antibiotics, but were game troopers
and carried on with the ceremony and dance. We looked across the hall at
a mass of pale, sickly flu-stricken celebrants sprawled across benches
and chairs. Few of them had the energy to dance, using most of their energies
for regular rush trips to the washrooms. The janitor was left with a massive
clean-up job.
The
Dreaded Wedding Cake Ceremony
We had the pleasure of playing a
wedding dance for a musician friend. He was a dedicated musician and spent
most of the night guesting on our stage. The groom had a fabulous time
playing and singing, but the poor abandoned bride spent much of the night
crying on the shoulders of her parents. She perked up, however, when the
wedding cake was brought out and placed on a long folding table in preparation
for the cutting ceremony. Unfortunately, someone had not secured the folding
legs on the table and we watched in horror as the cake slid to the floor
and splattered. More tears.
The
Bride Hits the Deck
We played a wedding dance that started
off beautifully. The bride, although close to nine months pregnant, was
radiant in her long satin gown adorned with fresh flowers. For some reason
things started to turn ugly. The bride and groom exchanged heated words
over something in the middle of the dance floor. She shouted and screamed
and he hauled back and decked her. It was an incredible sight. The wedding
party restrained the red-faced and rather tipsy groom, while the bride
lay sprawled out on the floor. The poor girl was on her back with her very
prominent tummy protruding above her. Something right out the movies.
Kinsmen
Inauguration Brawl
One of the strangest gigs we've
played started off as a community celebration in recognition of its new
Kinsmen club. The town had worked hard to obtain permission to form this
new service club made up of loyal brothers who wanted to do marvelous things
for their community. Through the years we've always looked forward to playing
for this fine organization.
At first things went well. The crowd was exhuberant
and friendly and obviously in a celebratory mood. But as the night went
along things started to get a bit testy and the mood darkened. We never
found out the reason for the growing dissension, but a few hours into the
evening's dance a fight ignited on the floor. . . then another. . . and
soon the Kinsmen brothers and their guests were involved in a full knock
'em down, drag 'em out brawl.
We kept playing for awhile, hoping that the music would
calm the savage breasts, but eventually we, along with our instruments,
retreated to a safer location off-stage. It took an hour for calmer heads
to prevail and we then resumed the dance for another hour -- playing to
a much smaller and a more subdued crowd. I'm not sure if they were following
the Kinsmen motto: "Serving the Community's Greatest Need." Obviously some
communities have very different needs than others.
Parking
Lot Gladiators . . . Rain Barrels and Culverts
. . . and Three Man Electrical
Band
We have played such a variety of
gigs over the years, on so many different stages that occasionally the
unexpected happens.
Episode
1: One night we were playing a dance in a large rural community
centre when there was a stampede to the exits. Our first thought was that
there must be a fire or bomb scare, but we kept playing to the empty hall.
Sue-On looked at Kerry and me from her perch behind the drums and shouted
only half jokingly to us: "Was it something I said?" Gradually the dancers
straggled back into the building and we learned that they had all crowded
out to the parking lot to watch and goad on two local guys who were trying
to prove their manhood in a bout of fisticuffs.
Episode
II: We have played many arena shows and dances, and the acoustics
-- unless baffling has been added -- are often abysmal. Probably the worst
was a small culvert-shaped, steel arena in a small town south of Brandon.
We knew we were in trouble when someone dropped a plank to the cement floor
while we were setting up. The crash sent out reverberating echoes for about
eight seconds. We opened with a fairly soft and sedate song, but this started
which would be a steady stream of "Turn It Down!" orders during this song
and the ones to follow. By the end of the evening I was playing my solid-body
Fender Telecaster in acoustic mode with the amp's volume setting at zero
and Sue-On was doing a half-hearted pitter patter with brushes on her snare
drum.
Episode
III: Outdoor gigs have their own set of hazards. The sky had
cleared after some heavy rain showers through the day and we managed to
set up on a wide, but very narrow steel low bed trailer for a street dance.
When the power was hooked up and turned on sparks started to fly. Trying
to sing close into the mics resulted in jaw-rattling shocks. Spectators
who had crowded close to the stage for a better look at the band jumped
back in terror and appeared to be lit up like light bulbs. We refused to
carry on until the local electrician was called in to properly ground the
stage. There are some things that bands never think of including in their
contract riders.
SUN
AND STARS
www.hillmanweb.com/cards/roots/sun5all.jpg
The music that came out of Sam Phillips' Memphis Sun Studios
in the '50s was a fusion of blues, C/W, bluegrass, and gospel -- and was
largely responsible for our love of music and guitar. These rockabilly
songs and the the musicians discovered by Phillips played a major
role in the birth of the exciting new music form: rock 'n' roll. Through
the years Sue-On and I were fortunate to meet many of these music pioneers
and to see their shows in far-flung locations around North America.
Although most are gone now, their music and legacy
live on. Leaders of the pack were Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins,
Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison. Almost as important were the many back-up
musicians: Scotty Moore, Bill Black, DJ Fontana, Jordanaires, Luther Perkins,
Marshall Grant, WS Holland, et al. Getting to see some of these rock pioneers
was sometimes a struggle, which explains why the following vignettes are
featured in the Troubles On The Trail section of our Gig Notes.
1.
Sun Burst: Elvis
One of my major influences in
music had picked up many nicknames in the '50s: The Hillbilly Cat, The
Memphis Flash, Elvis and the Blue Moon Boys, The King of Rock 'n' Roll,
and so on. All these long monikers were eventually shortened to one name
. . . a name known around the world . . . Elvis.
My sister Bonnie worked for a travel agency in the
early '70s. When we told her we were planning to drive to Las Vegas after
our 1970 summer tour she obtained tickets to one of Elvis's shows in the
International Hotel. When we arrived in Tinsel Town we were suddenly immersed
in Elvismania. . . we soon learned that the whole town went through this
furor every time "The King" came to town.
On the night of the big show we queued for the late
night performance and naively followed the Maitre'd into the theatre without
tipping him. Everything about the show was fabulous from the opening strains
of Also Sprach Zarathustra through to the final curtain . . . even
though we had a rather dismal view of the stage. The somewhat arrogant
Maitre'd seated us near the back of the theatre, behind a post, and with
a table of over-excited Japanese tourists. Lesson learned. Ya gotta tip
the head waiter.
2.
Stars Behind the Sun ~ Once in a Blue Moon
www.hillmanweb.com/elvis/band/elvisbandall.jpg
We attended a special early '70s Elvis show in a much
more intimate Vegas showroom setting than that of the real Elvis show we
had just seen over in the huge International. Instead of the King's
big show band, with full orchestra and large array of backup singers, this
show featured the stripped down band that had backed Elvis in the '50s:
Scotty Moore, DJ Fontana and The Jordanaires.
Scotty, one of my guitar idols, played all the famous
Sun records echo guitar riffs. The Jordanaires sang the backup vocals we
had heard so many times on so many hit records in their perfect gospel/pop
harmonies. There was no Bill Black on doghouse bass -- he had died back
in 1965 -- but original drummer DJ Fontana and a fill-in bass player kicked
out the rhythms that had supercharged Elvis on so many tours of the Southland,
the Louisiana Hayride shows and his historic TV appearances all through
the '50s.
There were numerous authentic costume changes, the
vocals were right on for all the hits, and all the familiar moves were
there. For anyone who had come under Elvis's magic in the '50s this was
a dream come true -- a trip back in time to the glory days of rock 'n'
roll. There was only one small problem with this show. Elvis was played
by look-alike, sound-alike, move-alike tribute artist Rick Saucedo. . .
but. . . "It was a night oo-oo what a night, It was it really
was such a night."
http://www.hillmanweb.com/elvis/posters/scottyall.jpg
3.
Sun's Early Morning Killer Storm: Jerry Lee
www.hillmanweb.com/cards/roots2/jerryleeonstage.jpg
The Minnedosa Classic Rock Festival has been
a major event for prairie rock fans for many years. We've made a point
of attending many of the shows and have even served as a judge for the
battle of the bands. The slate of top-name acts that have appeared over
the years is impressive: CCR, April Wine, Steppenwolf, Lighthouse, Trooper,
Billy Idol . . . on and on.
One of the major draws for us was Sun Records legend:
Jerry Lee Lewis. He was to be the closing act and we were well-positioned
at the front of the crowd to await his appearance. It got to be well past
midnight and still "The Killer" was a no-show. Other bands filled in to
help pacify the rowdies. A real treat was the return appearance of the
British King of the Blues: Long John Baldry -- a major influence on all
the British Invasion bands of the '60s. Baldry's rich deep blues stylings
were augmented by the dynamic vocals of Kathi McDonald.
Rumours floated around that Jerry Lee had run into
customs and airport problems, that the lights at Brandon airport weren't
on so they had to fly on to Winnipeg, that he wasn't going to go on stage
until he was paid, etc. Our friend Bill Stadnyk shared the story of what
really happened:
"Jerry flew into Portage
la Prairie for some reason (maybe customs problems or weather conditions).
In any event our son, Jeff, had a limo service at the time and picked him
up at Portage and took him to the show in Minnedosa. Jerry asked him to
wait for him during the show, which my son did, then transported Jerry
to the Lakeview Hotel in Brandon. He then requested that my son pick him
up in the morning. Jeff said he had to work a mechanic job in the morning
and wouldn't be in his limo suit! The Killer said something like 'Ah don'
need no suit, I like the way you've handled things so just come an' pick
me up'! Jeff did and received a 100 dollar tip and Jerry signed the inside
of the limo for him! He indicated Jerry was a pleasure to work with."
Finally, sometime before dawn, his band set up and
the rock 'n' roll pioneer's entrance was met with tired cheers. The original
wild man of R 'n' R and his pumping piano burst into the act that had kept
fans jumping for decades -- the weary crowd came alive and soon there was
a "whole lotta shakin' going on" under the early morning stars.
4.
Tennessee Suns
The second Johnny Cash
Show I attended in my early years was in the old Brandon Arena. The
show started late as the troupe apparently had run into trouble with customs
at the border crossing. One of the vehicles had been denied entry and as
a result they didn't have all their costumes and instruments. I recall
that there was a communal Telecaster guitar that was passed around from
artist to artist.
From what I can remember, the show consisted of Johnny
and the Tennessee Three: Luther, Marshall and Fluke, the Statler Brothers,
Buck Owens without his own band (or his own Tele), Carl Perkins and I believe
Roy Clark, Gordon Terry, Bob Luman, Rose Maddox and a few more surprise
guests who weren't billed. It was really a make-shift show, almost like
a jam session at times, but the fans were all on board as the performers
joked their way through the obstacles and it turned out to be a really
entertaining show.
5.
Sun Sparkles and Falls: Diamond in the Rough
Roy Orbison played the Western
Manitoba Centennial Auditorium in the mid-'70s. Roy's early hits had been
recorded at Sun Studios. We were soon captivated by his familiar melodies
and soaring vocals, but sometime during the show we noticed that the diamond
from Sue-On' wedding ring was missing.
After the lights came on at the end of the show, we
spent a long time crawling around under the seats looking for the stone.
Sadly, Roy hadn't stayed around to help in the search . . . a difficult
enough search even without sunglasses. The search was fruitless -- a sad
loss, but we came away with unforgettable memories of a great show from
the Big O.
Black
Powder Explosions in Thunder Valley
We were invited to provide stage
entertainment at the Black Powder Shoot and Rendezvous at Thunder Valley.
This was a unique festival event held near Inglis, MB, which was promoted
as a family event, featuring a day packed with activities such as picnics,
tug-of-wars, buffalo meat cuisine, fireworks, etc. We set up our PA and
headlined the music entertainment, which also featured some of the best
local bands throughout the day.
The highlight of the festival, however, was the black
powder demonstrations and target shooting. Black powder is an early form
of gunpowder and dates all the way back to 7th century China and is usually
made up of combinations of a nitrate, charcoal and sulpur. The marksmen
were decked out in pioneer buckskins and they were armed with an interesting
variety of 19th century-vintage muzzle-loading firearms including muskets,
pistols and miniature cannons.
The day's events all went well, but the youngsters
seemed most excited about the promised fireworks display -- an attraction
very much in keeping with the black powder theme of the day. Everyone was
invited to gather in close to the stage. We were shocked and somewhat dismayed,
however, when we found that the fireworks had been set up right next to
our stage. Soon the audience and we were deafened by the nearby explosions
and were bombarded by wayward rockets, mortars, flares, and falling ash
which fell on our heads and instruments. We insisted on a halt to the show
until the explosives could be move a safe distance from the stage. An exciting
end to a very entertaining day.
What's
That Buzzing Noise?
We played an interesting afternoon
celebration gig at the Minnedosa Ethanol Plant and Distillery. This plant
is Canada's largest producter of ethanol distilled from local grain and
which is then blended into gasoline. At that time they also distilled whiskey
from the grain. We were surrounded by whiskey kegs and distillery equipment
in the warehouse-type building that we set up in -- sort of an Al Capone
and prohibition atmosphere.
Our show was videotaped for later TV showing and things
appeared to be going well, but we noticed an ever-increasing buzzing sound
through our PA system. Apparently the building was hooked up to a dirty
unregulated power supply. By the end of the night our Peavey 800 PA amp
was toast. We were booked that night in Virden so it meant a rush pack-up
and hurried trip to the next gig with no way to find a PA replacement.
Luckily the smaller monitor amp still worked and we got by somehow. A very
costly experience.
All
Balled Up and Out
I've always had tonsils and lungs
of steel and have had no trouble screaming endless rock 'n' roll songs.
It was a surprise then that I had some problems during a Friday night high
school grad dance at Notre Dame, but managed to get through it OK. The
following night was a different story, however. The usually dependable
pipes were gone -- nada! zilch!
We had been looking forward to this major gig at a
swank Winnipeg hotel ballroom: the Lieutenant Governor's Annual Ball. I
gargled repeatedly and swallowed a plethora of concoctions: Chinese elixirs,
old home remedies, and over-the-counter cure alls -- nothing worked. Our
vocals through each night's performance are usually broken into three parts:
Sue-On's solos, my solos, and duets. The crowd was in formal wear and were
expecting a classy polished performance. Sue-On gave it a game try. She
went through her entire repertoire, but for our duets she only knew the
harmony parts which sounded a bit weird. We were relieved -- and sorta
wornout -- when we finally got to the last dance at midnight.
Where
There's Smoke. . .
There was another time when Sue-On
was also victim of a voice problem. We drove to Pine Falls for a two-nighter
dance in a packed arena. This was forest fire season and we saw and drove
through numerous patches of heavy smoke on our way up. There to meet us
were a retired couple who had once lived in Strathclair. Sue-On who was
pregnant at the time mentioned that she had a craving for ripe, homegrown
tomatoes. Our friends delivered them to our stage before the gig. Their
thoughtulness was much appreciated and we got off to a wonderful start
and had a great dance.
Near the end of the dance the wind shifted and heavy
smoke from surrounding forest fires became quite noticeable. We breathed
acrid smoke in our motel room all night. By morning the visibility was
zero. . . and so was Sue-On's voice . . . and not even ripe tomatoes helped.
Kerry and Sue-On alternated on drums, bass and keys, while I sang and played
guitar solos for the partying stompin' crowd for five hours. A long night.
What
In Hell Was That!
Mixing two or more careers can somethimes
be stressful. Friday nights could be especially taxing since it was very
common to work all day in the classroom, jump into our equipment vehicle,
drive for three or more hours, set up all the gear, play for four hours
or more, tear down, and drive home again. We very seldom stayed overnight
anywhere -- preferring to get back home.
After about an hour of surfing the radio dial, we would
break out the Spitz sunflower seeds and on occasions when this munching
activity couldn't keep the eyes open it was time to pull over. The ritual
then was to jump out onto the road and start running, whether it be -40
or + 40 degrees, rain or snow. This usually worked, but late one night
while returning from playing a Great West Life Insurance Xmas party in
their headquarters building in Winnipeg I dozed off.
I fell asleep on a slight curve on the Yellowhead Route
and plowed into the ditch through snow banks. Sue-On and I both awoke to
see snow flying by on all sides, but I managed to gain control. By sheer
instinct I hit the accelerator hard and angled back up the slope, out of
the ditch and back onto the road. We carried on down the road and made
it home without further incident. Not a recommended way to cure drowsiness.
Band
in Stitches in Oil Town
We've played a number of good gigs
in Virden, MB over the years, but it's kind of fun to recall a few of the
embarrassing ones.
Episode
1: Split Leather Trousers
One time, long ago, we entertained at the Virden Legion
Club. I had just bought a pair of tight black leather trousers -- actually
imitation leather. They felt good. I felt good. After a few sets we started
to rock and I started to do my best Elvis moves. One giant stretch proved
to be too much for the seams to withstand. A sudden cool breeze was quite
welcome . . . until I realized that the stitches along the inside of both
pant legs had ripped open, leaving me with an ankle-length leather skirt.
Episode
2: Karate Kurtain Kicker
Years later, after Sue-On and I had earned our black
belts in Wado-Kai Karate, we joined our Sensei, Bruce Dunning, on the stage
of the historic Virden Aud to take part in a karate demonstration. We were
to make our appearance by bursting through the curtain openings to go into
a crouch for our first kata routine.
Bruce and Sue-On made spectacular entrances and stood
in position in the centre of the stage -- eyes darting to stage left wondering
what had happened to their fearless karatika comrade. Then everyone's attention
was drawn to the curtain that seemed to be tossing about in some sort of
turmoil. I had missed the opening and was tangled up behind the curtain.
The crowd was amused to see a figure in white gei finally lift up the curtain
and plunge -- backward -- into position onto the stage. To save face I
spun around and attacked the stubborn curtain with a flurry of karate chops.
The crowd was in stitches.
Episode
3: Born Too Soon
China-Li, our third child, was scheduled to be born
around Christmas time, 1985. When the Virden RCMP detachment asked us to
play for their Christmas party in the Elks Hall we noticed that it was
scheduled a few weeks before the big day, so we took the booking. But .
. .the baby came two weeks early. A few days before the gig some RCMP members
heard the birth announcement on radio and dialed a series of worried telephone
calls.
We told them not to worry. Chinese women are a hardy
breed, why they even work in rice paddies right up to giving birth. . .
and carry on with their field work right after. Sue-On, made it to the
gig, but slacker that she is she left the drums and keys to Kerry and Kevin
. . . and she propped herself up against a stool for the four hour singing
gig.
Medic!
Medic!! Medic!!!
Considering the many gigs we've
played and the many miles we've travelled over the past 50 years, it is
remarkable that we've avoided serious injuries along the way. There have
been a few minor maladies though, which have required medical assistance.
Episode 1:
Drummer in ER
While on tour in Saskatchewan, Sue-On experienced
something that all keyboard players dread -- a nasty, painful sliver off
the backdrop of our portable stage lodged itself under a fingernail. We
poked, prodded and jabbed, but our efforts only drove the timber deeper
under the nail. The finger got so painful that we stopped at Regina hospital
looking for a magical means of extraction. "This is going to hurt," warned
the doctor who proceded to poke, prod and jab with his pliars. Success.
Sue-On wasn't really in much of a mood to rejoice as he victoriously hoisted
and waved the bloody hunk of wood in front of her.
Episode
2: Stitches in ER
Bandmate Kerry Morris suffered a freak mishap during
a Hallowe'en costume dance in Benito, not far from the Call of the Wild
site. We three had finished the first set and Kerry attempted to whip off
his Fender bass to go into his break. Unfortunately the guitar strap caught
on something and the side of the bass clobbered him right above the eyes.
He fought to remain conscious while blood streamed down his face from the
wound. Two nurses in the audience rushed him over to the nearby medical
centre where they stitched and bandaged the cut. Remarkably, the dedicated
and resilient Kerry returned by the end of our long break to finish the
gig.
Episode
3: Pleurisy in the Studio
We were recording one of Sue-On's lead vocal tracks
in the last of our Free Spirit sessions at Winnipeg's Century 21 Studios.
She was suffering from a major chest cold and couldn't catch her breath.
Al Jones, producer of the Free Spirit project was an experienced physiotherapist
and suggested that she tighten a belt around her chest to ease the discomfort
somewhat.
The pain in her lungs became such that she did the
whole song by singing one word or phrase at a time -- engineer Colin Bennett
expertly strung all the bits together into a cohesive track. She was determined
to finish the song -- which she did. By this time she was in pretty rough
shape as I rushed her to ER. The doctor on call confirmed Al's diagnosis:
pleurisy. Whew!
Saga
of the Flaming Ludwigs
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We had the misfortune of playing for a social in Brunkild
on the same day that a local family had been killed in a tragic traffic
accident. . . a very sombre, sad and unresponsive crowd. So we pulled an
old R&R trick and set fire to Sue-On's drums (actually a stage light
had fallen too close to the side of the bass drum and set fire to the plastic
laminate).
As flames engulfed the drums the audience tried to
help avert a disaster by throwing beer and water on us. Finally a powder
fire extinguisher was brought in to blanket the drums, and the already
wet band, in white. While we slipped around in the swampy goo on stage
to assess the damage the crowd suddenly went wild and broke out of their
grief by leaping onto the tables and shouting hysterically for more.
We defied electrocution and fired up the amps . . .
and naturally our first song had to be "Smoke On The Water" : ) . . . The
rest of the night was a hoot. At the end of the gig the hall's janitor
arrived and looked in dismay at the mess on the stage. The poor man whined,
"What'd ya do that for?" We explained that it was part of our show and
we did it during every performance. Keith Moon would have been proud.
A few years earlier Sue-On had actually played
Keith Moon's drums during our Album 9 recording session at England's Guardian
Studios. The owner of the studio had been a friend of Moon's and made a
point of purchasing one of his surviving drum kits at a London auction.
Moon's spirit must have been with Sue-On during that night of the "Flaming
Ludwigs."
We later salvaged the Ludwigs by scraping off the char
and covering them with buckskin -- and put them back on the road. These
50-year-old Ludwigs sound even better now. True Story.
Bobby
Curtola Demolishes the Cantina Stage
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Popular Canadian singer, Bobby Curtola who I toured
with in the '60s, lived in Brandon for a few years in the early 2000s,
which made it possible for us to get together again after so many years
and to plan and play numerous Manitoba special events and casinos. Even
more fun were our numerous jam sessions at Ken Daniels' Cantina club. They
were always rockin' nights.
One night while really getting it on Bobby called his
manager and a business associate to the stage. We plunged into a loud and
raucous old rock song that everyone knew. Bobby and his two buddies shared
one mic and were having a great time belting out the lyrics and stomping
to the beat. The stage was bouncing from the weight of the three exuberant
singers.
Suddenly there was a loud "crack" and we looked around
to find the cause. The stompin' trio had partly disappeared. There was
a large hole in the stage where they had fallen through. Since no one was
hurt it really was a hilarious scene and all of us, including the embarrassed
singers, rolled on the floor in laughter. Bobby, always the great sport,
autographed the big chunk of stage, which was later hung in an honoured
place on the Cantina wall.
Luckily we had a camera on hand and Sue-On took
photos of the happy jammers. . . including son Robin who had joined us
on drums that night.
A
Whole Lotta Bull with Al Cherney
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We played the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair at the Brandon
Keystone Arena numerous times. One week we were booked to play in the Bull
Ring Amphitheatre, alternating with appearances in a larger display room
-- an interesting venue. The audience in the Bull Ring location sat in
seats rising up above us in an semi-circle. Between the amphitheatre seats
and the stage was an open area where show bulls were regularly paraded
around for inspection. The odour from the bull droppings was rather pungent.
What made this gig really special, however, were the
special guests that we backed. The headliners were well-known entertainers
from the Tommy Hunter CBC-TV Show: champion fiddler, Al Cherney and plectrum
banjo whiz - "Captain Banjo," Johnny Thorson. Al played many of his show
numbers in double and triple time, which demanded some special backing.
The rapid beat gave Sue-On a real work out on drums, but both guys were
really helpful and great fun to work with.
One afternoon, they even volunteered to look after
our newborn son before the sitter arrived, while Sue-On was setting up
her drums. We invited them for an after-show Chinese meal at Sue-On's family's
restaurant, which caused some excitement among the locals, since both entertainers
were very well known from their TV appearances.
All was going wonderfully well until we received a
call from our neighbour back home that our beloved Great Pyrenees dog ("Mariah
of the Plains" aka "Mya"), the pet we had brought back with us from a Montana
tour, had died.
Sue-On's Memories of the Gig:
That was a month after our son Ja-On was born (Feb 17)! We took Ja to the
arena where we were to set up, and Al Cherney babysat the infant while
I set up my drums. He looked so comfortable holding the month-old baby.
I've accompanied fiddlers playing Orange Blossom Special many times, at
double speed, but WHOA! Al's lightning speed on his fiddle did me in. It
was all I could do to snap in some beats for emphasis... This all followed
backing Johnny Thorson on his banjo express!
After the show, we took the gang
to my family's restaurant, Soo's, which we later bought and ran for 10
years, for a late supper. Al and Johnny told many stories over dessert
(actually a sucker candy usually given out to children at the restaurant.)
My brother Ken was thrilled to be sitting with one of his favourite entertainers
from the Tommy Hunter show, and to think his little sister was performing
with Al Cherny!
The
Singing and Yodelling Farmer
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Russ Clarence Gurr (December 23, 1918 - November 8, 2011)
-- Russ was a very successful farmer, but throughout his 92 years much
of his life revolved around music. He was a prolific songwriter and storyteller
and so many of his lifetime experiences and interests are reflected in
that body of work. He also mixed his love of the land and music and family
with a sincere social consciousness. Throughout the fifties he served as
the Progressive Conservative organizer for rural Manitoba. It was also
during this time that Russ's singing career blossomed and he became well
known across Western Manitoba through his regular performances on CKX-TV.
I first became aware of his talent through those performances
in the early days of television, little suspecting that in a few years
my future wife and I would spend many summers touring across the prairies
with him. These fair and exhibition show tours were sponsored by Federal
Grain Co. and later Eli Lilly Co. through the late '60s and early '70s.
We were all very proud to see him chosen to perform for Queen Elizabeth
II as part of Manitoba's 1970 Centential celebrations. We stayed in touch
through his later years, but our fondest memories are of the time we spent
on the road together. Russ was a superb entertainer and many generations
were touched by his talent.
We
Miss You Fellow Traveller
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Barry William Forman (July 30, 1943 - November 17, 2011)
-- Music played a major role in Barry's life. While still in Rivers High
School he formed the popular Country Gentlemen band that became well-known
through its many CKX Television shows, dances dates, Co-Op Neighbour Nights
and a multitude of other live appearances across Western Manitoba. This
band, with longtime friends and bandmates -- myself and Sue-On, and
Jake Kroeger -- evolved into the Western Union.
Barry went on to play bass and fiddle with us on 10
Canadian record albums and we travelled many thousands of miles together.
Three of these albums were acclaimed solo fiddle albums, one of which also
featured his nine-year-old son Kent. As part of our Western Union
band, Barry spent many summers touring Western Canada as part of Russ Gurr's
Federal Grain Train Show.
Following this, Barry, Sue-On and I went on to play
Exhibition Grandstand Shows in State Fairs and Rodeos across Northwestern
USA. Barry later teamed up with son, Kent, to work as a popular duet: the
Forman Fiddles. The duo represented Manitoba Tourism in a series of shows
across the US. Barry also worked closely with daughter Shauna in promoting
her successful music career. All through his music years Barry balanced
his love for performing with creating and running a string of very successful
Ford Dealerships: "Not That Far From You"
Memories
of Mick Sandbrook
On any long journey one meets
many friends and sadly, too little time is spent with special ones before
parting. One such friend was Michael Clive Anthony Sandbrook of Middlesbrough,
England. Unfortunately, he died too young at 61 years after a lengthy battle
with cancer. Musicians develop a special bond through their music and Mick
will be remembered for his camaraderie, generosity, and musicianship by
every musician who shared a stage or studio with him.
We met Mick near the end of our
first tour of England when he offered to drive our equipment van down to
London. We kept in touch over the next year during which time he lined
up musicians and studio time for our Newcastle sessions. He contributed
rock solid and inventive bass lines for that session as well as providing
harmony vocals.
Two years later he organized
a joint recording session for us at Guardian studios near Durham. This
time the contributing musicians were his band, Desperado, and again Mick
provided bass and backing vocals. Mick and his lovely wife Margaret generously
opened their home to us and our toddler son, Ja-On, and even lent us their
van which took us on trips all over the Isles.
We were so glad that they later
were able to visit us in Canada. Mick played bass with us on our summer
gigs. In more recent times they royally welcomed our son Robin who was
backpacking overseas. In 2007 it was a thrill to renew our friendship with
the Sandbrooks, revisit clubs we had played years ago and to see Mick and
his band in action again.
During Mick's three-year battle
with cancer, Margaret kept us up to date with reports on his ordeal. Mick's
long battle with the disease ended on September 23, 2013 -- a sad loss.
We'll miss you, old friend. To live in hearts we leave behind is not to
die.
Cure-Alls
Most musicians face a number of
medical problems along the trail. I had never been guest of a hospital
until my 60s. Then all hell seemed to break loose: ear operations and vertigo,
chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), radical prostatectomy
and 35 zaps of radiation for cancer, kidney stones, blood clots, eye operations
for dry eye, and heel spurs -- all in the space of 10 years. Sue-On even
had a mild heart attack after the death of her 101-year-old mother. But
none of this stopped the music -- the cure-all and the absolute best treatment
for all of life's twists and turns. We never stopped pickin' and music
carried us through it all. Guitars and song were always nearby. We owe
a special thank you to the very talented and generous Ron Halldorson who
cheers up everyone at the Winnipeg Cancer Clinic with his regular visits
with his guitar.
We've been so lucky to have kids so involved in health
care careers. Ja-On has the largest massage therapy clinic in Brandon,
and China-Li is an MD who has gone on to specialize in radiology. Son,
Robin, works for an IT company and has designed and promoted Websites for
many health service-related organizations. Through the years there have
been times when I could barely crawl to the stage. . . but, once things
start jumping, the energy returns and all maladies retreat. It's all the
religion I've ever needed.
The
Beat Goes On
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We were involved in organizing the Chinese Pavilion at
the Annual Lt. Governor's Winter Festival in Brandon for a number of years.
Although we didn't play too much music until the after-show parties, Sue-On
and I were very involved in the event. Many hours were spent planning the
food and merchandise areas, scouting and hiring entertainment, hosting,
setting up the sound system, catering the gala opening for dignitaries
at City Hall, and riding herd on the volunteers. The hundreds of photos
showcasing these events are featured on our Website.
Our venue at the Downtown Gallery Mall was filled to
overflowing each day with long queues waiting to gain entry. The food menu
featured Chinese fare and imported beer, the display room offered Chinese
art and merchandise for browsing and purchase, and traditional Chinese
music was heard throughout the area. The main attraction for most however,
was the large centre stage on which we featured a troupe of lion dancers
and musicians, martial arts demonstrations, acrobats, magicians, Chinese
singers and instrumentalists, fashion shows, folk dancers, jugglers, and
mysterious face changers accompanied by a variety of other entertainers
direct from China.
The last year we did this was particularly stressful.
The timing of the Festival coincided with another busy celebration event:
Chinese New Year. Dedicated volunteers were hard to recruit and the whole
event involved very long hours for months before and during the Festival
week. Immediately following WinterFest, Sue-On had organized, promoted
and emceed a major show in the Westman Centennial Auditorium, featuring
a company of touring Chinese entertainers. It was also at this time that
her beloved 101-year-old mother passed away.
The stress of all of this, culminating in her Mom's
funeral, resulted in Sue-On being admitted to hospital in Brandon and Winnipeg,
suffering from a mild heart attack. My amazing mate soon made a full recovery
and resumed her teaching duties at Brandon University within weeks.
We're glad to see that the Winter Festival carries
on as a successful annual festivity. We are disappointed however, in the
new Lt. Governor's decision to no longer endorse the celebration and to
have her name removed from the event. It had given the office a welcomed
presence outside the Winnipeg perimeter.
RCMP
and Canada Pride
We are saddened by the tragic murders
of RCMP officers in recent years. The lives of these protectors of our
society are threatened daily by extremists, terrorists, hardened criminals,
domestic disputes, druggies, drunks, senseless confrontations . . . even
routine traffic checks.
We have had a long association with the RCMP -- working
with the Musical Ride on our summer fair circuit during Canada's Centennial,
performing at their Regimental Balls and Christmas parties, depending on
their assistance during long fair parades, and trusting them to keep our
home safe and secure. Many of our friends and relatives are associated
with the force. A former musical director of the RCMP band even engineered
our Free Spirit recording session.
Sue-On's proudest association was being chosen as a
founding member of the Commanding Officer's Advisory Committee on Cultural
Diversity, "D" Division from July 1993 - December 2007 when she retired
from that role.
There were many highlights during these fourteen years
on the committee, but none can compare to the pride felt when she and the
Committee attended graduation at the RCMP Training Academy Depot in Regina
-- to be part of that incredible ceremony, to be a Canadian protected by
these dedicated men and women.
Too often, we take the dedicated service of these officers
for granted. Sadly, it takes tragic events to shake our apathy. We need
to give our heartfelt thanks to all the men and women in the RCMP, in our
local police force, and their families for their sacrifice. We need to
show our pride in them. They are not just the enforcers of the law; they
are a symbol of our country - dedicated Canadians working constantly to
make it a safe place to raise our families.
The
Day the Music Died
The closing of Ken Daniels Cantina
Club was a sad day for Brandon musicians. For two decades this unique building
was a haven for Brandon musicians and music lovers and we've shared many
anecdotes and photos of it previously in this Odyssey. It was the scene
of countless jam sessions, rehearsals, and get-togethers. After retiring
from Brandon University, professor Daniels and wife Faye were lured away
from the harsh Manitoba winters to warmer climes in the Niagara area. The
Cantina was sold and demolished to make way for a new home construction.
The final Cantina jam band line-up consisted of Ken, Ken Storie, Doug Matthews,
Jon Felgueiras, and myself. The five compadres gathered to raise a glass
and boogie the night away for one last time. The closing of the old Cantina
was, in some ways, akin to losing a bandmate and Sue-On and I have lost
so many of our band pals over the years: Barry Forman, Alan Jones,
Mick Sandbrook, Russ Gurr, Bobby Curtola, John Skinner, Ian Hunter, Paul
Druckers, John Whittingham . . . and so many more that we met in passing.
Keeping
the Drums Alive
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Sue-On has suffered a bit from the decades of drumming.
Sore hands, arms, shoulders, etc. are the price that many drummers pay
-- especially those who take pride in whalloping out a heavy backbeat.
In recent years she has been spelled off more and more by some of our music
buddies, but usually by our son Robin, who can fill in on drums or bass.
She's found it pretty hard to give up percussion entirely, though. This
was obvious when I saw her eyes light up when she discovered an excercise
program called DRUMS ALIVE. A search of YouTube shows how popular this
fitness activity is around the world. No drums are needed. . . only sticks
and an excercise ball on a riser. . . and of course, recorded music.
Sue-On has led these classes in a variety of halls,
gyms and churches, but mostly in the REACTIVE MASSAGE facilities -- our
son Ja-On's massage studio in downtown Brandon. I tag along as a roadie
to help set up the balls and play a variety of old-time rock 'n'
roll hits -- we even squeeze in a few of our own songs. The sessions are
a fun way to exercise and Sue-On leads the "drummers" (most people have
a secret desire to play drums <g>) through rhythmic routines which follow
the music.
Strange
Gigs
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Through the years we've played the usual venues of clubs,
halls, auditoriums, military complexes and arenas, but we've also run the
gamut through some rather unusual places. Some were a struggle and a challenge
. . . but all were rewarding in their own unique way:
Barn Dances ~ Haylofts ~ Railway Stations and Platforms
~ University and School Gyms and Auditoriums ~ Pubs, Bars, Beverage Rooms
~ Ballrooms in Luxury and not-so-luxury hotels ~ TV and Radio Studios ~
Remotes in Trade Buildings and Fairgrounds ~ Midways ~ University Dining
Halls ~ High School and University Classrooms ~ Chinese Laundries ~ Chinese
Restaurant Show Hall ~ Auditoriums ~ Telethon Locations ~ Country Halls
~ Arenas ~ Clubs and Messes in Military Bases in Canada and UK (all ranks)
~ Golf Clubhouses ~ Aircraft Hangars ~ Highway Service Stations ~
Karate Dojos ~ Agriculture Research Centre grounds for HRH Princess Anne
~ Shopping Malls ~ Casinos ~ Hospitals and Personal Care Homes ~ Service
Club Rooms ~ Churches ~ Flatbeds ~ Parade Floats ~ Exhibition Grandstands
~ Stadiums ~ Bandshells ~ Rodeo Stages ~ Military H-Huts and Messes ~ Horse
Barns ~ Car Dealer Show Rooms and Outdoor Car Lots ~ Dance Studios ~ Roller
Rinks ~ Parks and Gardens ~ Concert Halls ~ Paddlewheel River Boats ~ Dining
Halls ~ Hot Air Balloons ~ Outdoor Indian Pow-Wow Stages ~ Town Halls ~
Streets ~ National Parks ~ Mud Baths ~ Church Masses Indoors and On Outside
Stages ~ Stage set up in the middle of Winnipeg's Portage Avenue ~ Expo
67 ~ Indian Reserves ~ UK Workingman Clubs ~ Jam Clubs made of Straw Bales
~ Little Saskatchewan River Underwater Video Shoot ~ Huge English BBQ Barns
~ Strip Clubs ~ Malaysian Rainforest ~ Historic Forts ~ California High
Desert Resorts ~ Hayracks ~ Black Powder Festival Stages ~ Chemical Test
Plots in Grain Fields ~ Theatres ~ UK Discos ~ Armouries ~ Chicago Blues
Shacks ~ Royal British Legion Clubs ~ Royal Canadian Legion Clubs ~ Jails:
Male and Female ~ Maximum Security Penitentiary ~ German Army Stag Club
~ Outdoor Log Stage Complex ~ Thresherman Reunion Stages ~ Bull Ring Amphitheatre
~ CBC Network Television ~ Classic Pantages Theatre ~ German Oktoberfest
Stages ~ Atomic Energy Complex ~ Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature ~ Fibreglass
Manufacturing Plant (Macdonald's, canoes, etc.) ~ Reactive Massage Studio
~ On Sandy Beaches of Lake Winnipeg ~ Whiskey Distillery Warehouses ~ Oktoberfest
Big Top Tents ~ Beach Resorts ~ Blues Festival Stages ~ Mekong Delta, Viet
Nam ~ Shanghai Park, China ~ Retractable Stage over Hotel Swimming Pools
~ Community Clubs . . .
Recording Studios (Mostly 24 or 36 Track Facilities):
1. Portable Unit in Grain Exchange Building, 2. Converted Masonic Lodge,
3. Underground Coal Bin in Soho London, 4. Above a Newcastle Bingo Hall/Historic
Vaudeville Theatre, 5. Durham UK Converted Row Houses . . . all of these
in addition to a bevy of "normal" gigs -- many of which are described elsewhere
in this Gig Notes series.
