Thoughts...
In the fall of ’68, while a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, I met David, and we played together in a short lived blues band, Mrs. Wigg’s Cabbage Patch. This was the first band I played in without Beau being beside me on bass guitar! I was also introduced to the lovely and evil “mary jane,” and indeed saw things in a different light. Lads..help me here please..they say if you remember the 60s, you didn’t live through them..and I SWEAR..while I remember there was an early WAX, with Sue Hamlin (guitar, vocals,) Ned Earley (Limits, drums), and Steve Morris (flute,)…I absolutely have now idea how the “magical” formula of Rob, Rick C. (Chief), David, Beau, and myself all formed…and of course with managers John Kalodner and Billy Sisca…HELP..where are my brain cells?
I do not use the word “magic” lightly..WAX was indeed a magical combination of talents and personalities. We loved the music! It was all about the music. We rehearsed all the time. I loved that. 5-6 times a week in the back of the shoe store. Wrote songs like crazy. And it seemed in no time we were playing every major venue in Philly..to huge crowds.
It was working..we were stoned, happy, having great shows, great parties, and still managing to stay in college, and most amazingly, Beau was doin his job in the US Army!
So many memories float thru when I stop and focus..first gig on a flat bed truck playing for a political candidate..thru the streets of mostly African American North Philly..playing our progressive art rock..not exactly the funk brothers. Then the Electric Factory with John Mayall, Manfred Mann, Flamin Groovies, and Playhouse in the Park with Everly Bros, Byrds. Fairmount Park, Rittenhouse Square. FM powerhouse WMMR loved the band, and I’ve become lifelong pals w David Capps (Cassidy on the air.) WAX even wrote and performed music for an NFL Films TV special on the San Francisco 49ers, and Cassidy was narrator! We were Philly’s faves it seemed. My dreams for sure.
We were a band..selling water ice on 3rd street to make extra money, working at Billy’s
Record store/used fur coat shop in Sansom Village. Crazy..yeah..remember Billy driving his van ON THE SIDEWALK downtown to get to Lloyd Remick’s office in time to sign papers. Bob Crewe pulling up in his limo outside the shoe store to hear us..and offer us a deal on the spot!!! Living in NYC where we started recording the ill fated and never finished first album at the legendary Record Plant.
I prefer to remember the great music and great times we had, and to rediscover the music and reconnect with everyone on this project is definitely a high point in my life..as one of our song titles says..ON AND ON!
