The Other Band - part2

Here's a couple of stories about that nameless band I played with in Escondido back in 1969.

First: We were over at other Pete's house practicing one evening - just the bass player and the 2 guitars... It was getting dark so we lit some candles... Now - as I mentioned in my last post Pete's house had beveled and leaded glass everywhere. And we were in a room that had a couple of "glassed" double doors, a bay window and mirrors on some of the walls - so the candlelight was reflecting all around us.
We had our amps turned down low and were playing Cream's "Strange Brew" (much slower than the recording) and singing along softly: "She's a witch of trouble in electric blue. In her own mad mind she's in love with you"... (I love those lyrics.) And everything melted away but the music and the candlelight... I was completely absorbed by it - at one with it - it was awesome :-)

I guess it should come as no surprise that this is among my most vivid memories. Making music by firelight is as old as humanity itself - it goes to the very core of our being. It's only very recently that anyone would think of themselves as "not good enough" to make music... And what a shame that is... Music is so magical...

The second story is actually a couple of stories about the same gig - a dance at the Escondido YMCA in the fall of 1969. It was an excellent gig for 2 reasons: There was actual money involved - and a lot of people showed up for it (more on that later).

OK... This was shortly after Santana had recently released their first album - and I really didn't understand the immense popularity... I'm not saying it wasn't good music or Carlos wasn't a good guitarist. His playing (in my opinion) was just a bit trite in comparison to Clapton, Hendrix and Page.
So - when the band decided to add "Jingo" to the play list I said I'd just sit it out... I mean - it had a cool beat and all, but the music wasn't any more complicated than the lyrics (which consisted of the words Jingo, Lo and Ba)... But since Jack and Pete seemed to really get off on playing it I figured whatever...
They launched into Jingo midway through the gig... Everyone stopped dancing and gathered around the stage hollering and clapping in time to the music... By the end of the song the crowd was screaming and cheering... And I'm sitting there thinking "You have got to be kidding me!" It was the high point of the evening - and I was totally mystified :-)

Next - I should mention that at that point in my life I had stopped telling people I played in a band. That's because it doesn't really convey any specific skill like (for example) bench pressing 300 lbs or dunking a basketball... I mean - the worst garage hack on the planet plays in a band just as much as Paul McCartney does... So I figured I'd just leave it to fate. Eventually one of my classmates would spot me at a gig, word would get around and fame and fortune would follow :-)

A bit more background: Sometime during that summer I made myself a 30 ft guitar cord. That gave me enough slack to hop down and get "personal" with the young ladies who were dancing close to the stage. I really enjoyed that and it didn't even seem to piss off their boyfriends :-)
BTW: I always played barefoot. I think I did that more to stay relaxed than anything else. I really was a completely different person when "performing". But I'm slightly digressing :-)

At some point during the gig I got down off the riser and was doing a guitar solo when I realized that the guy standing right by me (staring intently at my hands) sat next to me in English class... Now - I'm sure there were other classmates there - it's not like there was anything else to do in Escondido back in the day - but he was one of the few I ever talked to...

We had English class first thing Monday morning after the gig and here's how the conversation went with the guy next to me:

Me: So - what did you think?
Him: About what?
Me: The band.
Him: What band???
Me: At the YMCA? Saturday night?
Him: Oh ...Yeah - they were great! ... So - were you there? I didn't see you...

And that was the last gig I ever played in Escondido.