Photographic Evidence

[DanStokes]

I got an amazing surprise yesterday and decided to share it here as we have so many music fans. The story is that my HS band decided to play a gig as a going away party for a classmate - her folks (in that era probably her Dad) got a job closer to the Detroit area and they were moving from Milford to (IIRC) Farmington Hills. Anyhow, we did the gig in her folk's basement and she just recently came across these pics that her brother took in October of 1964.

This was the full band including a buddy who was trying to learn the bass at the time. I'll let them remain unnamed (though I know all their names) as I don't have permission. The tall blond guy in the front center played lead and sang beautifully and went on to do some things in music though he eventually made his living in education.

I'm pretty well obscured in this shot - even little brothers are drawn to the guitar player. But that IS me on the drums.




And a side shot. Again, her bro was not out to record me for posterity but it's a great drumstick action shot.



I can't tell you what a joy it's been for me to get these pics. An old man reminisces......

Dan

[studemax]

I want the Western Auto the blond guy is strumming.

[Monster]

A few classmates formed a four-piece band in Junior High and I heard them jamming at a neighbors. I told them that they weren't bad and I could be their manager, to get them jigs around town. I didn't get the job and they went on to obscurity, gone by 10th grade.

[DanStokes]

I want the Western Auto the blond guy is strumming.

Shortly after this pic the 2 guitar players went out and bought matching Gibson SGs - an SG Jr. for the rhythm player and the blond guy got a full SG but w/o wammy. I wonder if they still have them.

BTW - the blond guy rarely "strummed". He was a rocking player and really helped us all figure out what to do. The kind of guy who could play the opening to "Johnny B. Goode" while talking to his girlfriend about where they were going after practice.

Dan

[pdub]

I can't tell you what a joy it's been for me to get these pics. An old man reminisces......

Dan

Super cool stuff Dan! My boss man for some years had a photo of his band back in the 60's. It was a bought glamor shot they had made hoping it would be on the wrapper of their first single that they never made. They had the bell bottoms and the huge medallion necklaces, the whole psychedelic smear going on. He's one of those guys who aged differently I guess. He had the photo and said, "Pick me out." Nope, can't do it. He pointed out which one he was and no, that's still not him. I was never convinced. At least the front of your face in the flying drumstick photo looks like you.

And dangit Dan now you're gonna make me dig out the VHS tapes from the Main Street Blues Band and see if they still play. Like Superman tells me sometimes when he's making fun of me being retired, "What else do you have to do?"

[67 Malibu]

That's great that someone found pictures. I don't believe that any pictures exist of the band that I was in back in those days. I do still have the same Vox Lynx semi-solid body that I played then. Everyone but me is still in that same town. Above or below ground that is. I did get word a couple of years ago that our rhythm guitar player, who went on to a career at UPS, had died from lung cancer. I am surprised that he is the only one considering that we all smoked like freight trains.

[Teddyzee]

Must feel great to find those pictures!!!

At a recent gig of mine, the singer from my first band appeared with his wife. It had been many years since I saw him, what a treat! (Still the same girl he was with when we were 20!)

[DanStokes]

That's great that someone found pictures. I don't believe that any pictures exist of the band that I was in back in those days. I do still have the same Vox Lynx semi-solid body that I played then. Everyone but me is still in that same town. Above or below ground that is. I did get word a couple of years ago that our rhythm guitar player, who went on to a career at UPS, had died from lung cancer. I am surprised that he is the only one considering that we all smoked like freight trains.

That Vox has to be worth a few $$! Every time I look up the value on my Rickenbacker 4001 I'm astonished. I paid $400 and something for it in 1976 and I remember having sticker shock but it's now worth several times that.

Dan

[67 Malibu]

I always wanted a Rickenbacker 12-string but couldn't afford it. I would have settled for a Rickenbacker 6-string but couldn't afford that either. Your 4001 is worth more than either of those today. Probably made fewer bass guitars. I was just thinking about the old band today & how, in 1964, we had 3 music/guitar dealer stores in a midwestern town of only 12,000 people. Amazing to me. One was a Fender dealer. One a Gibson dealer. And the other had Vox guitars & Kustom amps. All sold different brands of drums, pianos & organs & a variety of accessories. Microphones, records, sheet music, etc. I paid for my first guitar, a Harmony solid body, by washing windows & scoping snow for the Gibson dealer. I have never forgotten the manager that gave me that deal. Been back there many times in the last ten years & all of those stores are now gone.