how many times were you in the wrong place right time for a shot at fame
lets here the old stories heres mine
i was 14 or 15 and i was practicing on my red, pearl kit when this trumpet player who lived a few doors down from me came over and said we have a new band working out some songs, i can show you some stuff would you like to join us i said no, im was really a big ego nut so i said no to the one of the best bands ever CHICAGO duh what a idiot at least thats what he said .........Cooked Egg
I don't really know how many possible connections I've missed, but I know of one possibility that I didn't pursue.
A little pre-story. Sometime around 1976, I was rehearsing for a short time with Dean Chamberlain, his girlfriend Martha Davis, and a few other folks. I made recordings of those rehearsals and soon understood why my youthful overplaying wasn't welcome.
A few years later, maybe 1979, someone answered one of my perpetual ads in local papers & magazines. They said 'hi, we're the Motels, we're gonna play around L.A. for a year or so, then get a record deal. Would you like to audition?' I had no idea it was some of the same people I'd played with earlier, and I'm sure they didn't know it was me. But I turned them down. I got another call from a different member a few weeks later, and turned them down again.
Well, they did play around L.A., and they did get a record deal!
Happily, my career with Al has long outlasted the Motels heyday, and that drummer's chair.
Bermuda
I rented a house in Austin,Texas in the early 70's. My roommate had a friend who needed a place to stay for a few weeks, along w/ his wife/girlfriend?. It was Rocky Erickson of the 13th Floor Elevators. At that time he was in & out of the Austin State Hospital on a regular basis, as an inmate in the psychiatric ward. He was a great guy w/ extreme mental problems, a clear victim of acid & fame, saturated w/ prescription drugs & living w/ a stiff Thorazine shuffle. The Elevators has since passed into psychedelic history, & Rocky was working on some new songs. We jammed on acoustic guitars on a daily basis. He was clever, had a knack for pop hooks, & was weird. We played his songs, "A Bad Night for Alligators", & "Two headed Dog", I thought he might be ready for a comeback at that time, but he moved on & didn't reform a group until many years later. ( I never saw a person before, chain smoke doobies, lighting one joint w/ another, every waking moment.
Was playing with punk band in Denton called last rites, quit to join an 8 pc funk band, Mike Malinin took my seat, they opened up for the goo goo dolls a few times and when they needed a new drummer they called Mike, the rest is history! Also got an offer to audition for Brave Combo after Mitch Marine left, but I had moved to Houston where I stayed, Mitch went on to play with tripping Daisy, Smashmouth and now with Dwight Yaokum. Great guy and bad ass drummer!
