Show us your "Rock Band" Days

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 13 Mar 2017 10:03 am

No Frank. There's a funny story about this gig: We were asked to play support for a then very well known singer/ songwriter from Austria, Wolfgang Ambros. Maybe you remember his hit "Schiehfahren" from your days over here.
The set-up you see was mostly his. We played through our own sound sytem. Which must be also around the stage. His soundman told us we could use Wolfgang's PA if we wanted, he'll just has to ask him, no problem. He returned and said it would cost us 500 Deutsche marks, so we refused. Later his guitar player's amp gave up it's ghost and he asked if he could loan my AC- 30. I should have charged him 500 marks, but I didn't

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Mar 2017 6:31 pm

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 15 Mar 2017 8:26 am

Here's mine.

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 15 Mar 2017 10:10 am

Joachim,

I thought you guys had quite a lot of gear for a local
rock band. We played through little amps with one or two 12 inch speakers and the adults thought we were loud...

Nice picture, Andy. I started on a uke when I was 6 or 7, gradually move from there to a 6 string guitar. My dad had a Gibson Melody Maker which I could reach the neck on by 9 or 10 years old.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 15 Mar 2017 10:16 am

Larry, as I stated a few posts above the equipment belonged to a well earning singer from Austria. Nice catch, though!

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 15 Mar 2017 5:15 pm

Good one Andy

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 16 Mar 2017 5:38 am

Larry Lenhart wrote:1965, The Valiants ( I drove a 64 Plymouth Valiant..haha)

Anyway, I loved that Fender Jazzmaster...bought it used in '63 for $220 and it must have been a late 50s model, not sure when Fender starting making them, but I literally slept with that guitar...wish I still had it ! We had two Sears Silvertone piggy back amps.

We thought we were pretty hot stuff playing on the local radio station for a commercial. We had great times tho.

Looks like a Silvertone 1484 "TwinTwelve."

I have one of those, best sounding amp I own, so long as I do not use the onboard reverb. My uncle's band used to play thru it back in the 60s-70s.

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 16 Mar 2017 12:39 pm

Here's a picture from 1971. My band "King Apathy" We toured up and down the east coast playing country, folk rock. Hopefully, I can fimd more. Oh.. I'm in the front, second from the right.

Jay Keuper · Post by **Jay Keuper** » 17 Mar 2017 3:36 am

All these pictures are wonderful! Lots of fun to read the descriptions, hope they continue!

Wayne Galtier · Post by **Wayne Galtier** » 19 Mar 2017 6:57 am

Larry,

I will humble myself and risk posting this picture from 1962. I was in a band called "The Crowns". That's me on the left kneeling with the tenor sax. We played all rhythm and blues and rock and roll. Otis, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, etc. Great band and fabulous horn section!! My earlier years were playing sax with bands and I formed a band when I was in the Air Force 1966-1970. I have a picture of that one also. It was called the "Seagrams 7" We played clubs in San Antonio and clubs on base at Randolph, weddings, parties etc.
I will try and attach a pic of the Seagrams 7 also.

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 19 Mar 2017 5:09 pm

Nice pictures, Wayne. I always liked the "Chicago" sound with horns. My dad was a school band teacher/director and played all the band instruments. He used to play in prom bands and he would have a trumpet, alto sax, and clarinet all on a stand at the gig. He would switch off and play some on each instrument.
I played baritone horn in school and now own a valve trombone but seldom play it. There used to be lots of sax in rock from the 60s.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 23 Mar 2017 5:08 am

https://www.facebook.com/dusttodigital/ ... 276995821/ lol

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 23 Mar 2017 4:08 pm

Joe,
I never saw a banjo rock band until today. Are you one of the men in the picture?

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 24 Mar 2017 5:48 am

Joe Casey wrote:https://www.facebook.com/dusttodigital/ ... 276995821/ lol

Love the bass banjo. For the sideman who likes to stand out.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 24 Mar 2017 7:36 am

Larry just a couple of years before my time..Not that much tho.

Brooks Montgomery · Post by **Brooks Montgomery** » 24 Mar 2017 8:06 am

1972. Not sure if I was smoking something, or picking my nose. Wish I still had that VW camper!

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 24 Mar 2017 9:29 am

All that remains...

George McLellan · Post by **George McLellan** » 10 Apr 2017 12:16 pm

I'm on the right playing bass. This was at the Duluth National Guard Armory sometime around 1963.
Geo

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 10 Apr 2017 4:45 pm

Brooks, was the VW your band bus? Tell us more...
George, tell us about the Titans. You had some serious gear and matching stage wear. Did you have some songs that were on the charts back in the day?

George McLellan · Post by **George McLellan** » 11 Apr 2017 4:07 am

Larry, a few are on you tube, The Noplace Special, Reveille Rock, Summer Place, Surfers Lullaby and maybe some others. The "Special" did chart nationally. Ace Records in London picked up "Skokian and Crying in the Rain" which they included in the CD with "The Ventures, Fireballs, Champs" and several other bands from back then.

I just sold that bass, it served me well and the amp was a great bass amp, but a little low for power at the levels we played at back then. I went to a Dual Showman with 2 15" D140 JBLs. Now that was power.
Geo

Michael Holland · Post by **Michael Holland** » 22 Apr 2017 9:18 am

circa 1974, my band Badge (yes, named after the song) playing the quad at DeKalb Community College. Playing a 1963 Gibson SG Custom triple pickup.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 7 May 2017 10:39 am

My sister sent me this photocopied picture of my first band in Franklin MA. I don't remember the name of our group but we had to be in 7th or 8th grade.

Jimmy, the lead guitar, lived on a dairy farm. He subsequently bought a new (in'63 or'64) sunburst Strat. I hope he hung on to it.

Russell was our drummer, We practiced at his house and Jimmy's - he was killed in Viet Nam in the early '70's. His sister Janet was our biggest fan and go-go girl.

Mark on rhythm guitar was our sex symbol; I played bass. Dennis basically hung out - I don't even remember Terry ...

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 7 May 2017 11:12 am

Wayne Galtier wrote:.

Two trumpets, a tenor and a baritone is the perfect small horn section. If the budget called for six I'd add a trombone and another tenor.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 9 May 2017 10:44 am

Here's a pic from my band, "The Country Buskers" from 1993, playing one of the big Bike Festivals north of Vienna. Lots of Country-Rock and Blues stuff we played at those gigs.

Kind Regards, Walter

Mike McBride · Post by **Mike McBride** » 7 Jan 2025 6:55 pm

1981 at 4H Talent Show.

2024 at Green Street Pub.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Show us your "Rock Band" Days

O to be 18 again