23 years later, I got to hear my band's 4-track for the first time

[johnnie]

Back when we were wee lads we went into the recording studio to record a "demo" for getting gigs. It was Nov of 1983 and we went in and recorded the demo in a day. We did 6 songs. 3 covers, "We got to get out of this place/It's my life/Don't bring me down" Animals medley, "What I like About you" by the Romantics and "For your Love" by the Yardbirds. The other three were originals, but only one is worth a shit..lol. The one I was happy with was one called "Superannuation" I wrote it three days after John Lennon got assassinated at about 3 in the morning on one of my standard insomniac nights. I was 16.

Well, I have had the master recordings since then, but haven't heard them since the recording. I borrowed a 10" reel to reel tape hub yesterday and put the tape thru my Teac 34. I got to listen to this thing for the first time in 23 years and it made me smile.

I still play with the same guys that recorded that crap and so it was like watching an old video. I just thought I would share this with y'all because it was actually pretty cool to hear this stuff.

If you want to hear "Superannuation" go here:

http://www.echogrove.com/music/superannuation.mp3

You have to remember that I was only 16, I was filled with teen angst, I wasn't all together and it was 1980..lol. Yeah, some of the lyric is a little "childish", but it was how I felt.

We put this song on our first CD as a "hidden" track, but I talked about it in the liner notes. One of the coolest things about it was when a guy came to my studio and brought his son who happened to be 16. He said he really liked our first CD, but the song that really hit home with him was "Superannuation". He said he could totally relate to it. That was a proud moment for me. Here is a kid who was digging a song I wrote at his age over 20 years later.

This is what is called a "vanity post".

Here is also a pic from those days:




I'm sorry, I am having a rare "nostalgic episode". I will be over it soon. Thank you for indulging me.

[lizziegrace]

1. This is great.

Nostalgia's a good thing. A little Dylan-esque in the vocals. An early influence?

I'm glad you posted this.

Y'all were very good for 16 year olds. You're good compared to a lot of 40 year olds.

[johnnie]

2. Well, I was 18 when this was recorded

Although the vocal never changed. Yeah, I was huge into Dylan, and that wasn't cool back then..lol. Not for 14-17 year olds. When I was in high school we had a smoking lounge and we would all hang out in there and play music. Every time the guitar came to me it was like "Oh crap, here goes Johnnie with blues or some shit"..lol.

Thanks for the compliment. I can say that as the same guys, the band is one of the best I have ever heard. Not me, but the other three are so good together and they make me sound like I know what I'm doing.

[lizziegrace]

3. Amazing y'all have been together that long

Your playing must be intuitive now.

I was in band in HS and hung out with just musicians. You're right, in the late 70's/early 80's, Dylan and the blues wasn't exactly mainstream. It was Zeppelin, Kansas, Boston, Foreigner mostly for us in Memphis at the time. Guess that means you've always been a rebel.

[johnnie]

4. "It was Zeppelin, Kansas, Boston, Foreigner"

Same here. I used to play "Stairway to Heaven" out in that smoking lounge, but I did it like .. I don't know how to explain it. Almost like quick and choppy. I was a dick..LOL.

I don't know if it was really being rebellious, I just liked what I liked and I didn't give much of a care what people thought. I fell in love with music at a very young age and I didn't know what was considered cool or not and by the time I was aware of what was popular, I had already developed my tastes.

[pdx_prog]

10. Gotta love a Memphis woman!

I was pretty heavy into the music scene in Memphis from about 79 up into the 90's. Memphis always rocked very well...

[johnnie]

11. Love Memphis

One of my all-time favorite places to be.

[lizziegrace]

13. I know exactly where I was when I heard Elvis died

burned in my brain like the first moonwalk, the Challenger and others.

[pdx_prog]

16. I remember Elvis croaking.....

I was up in Dyersburg doing something that day. I remember the day the challenger exploded. I was at a concert at Mud Island the night before. Night Ranger and Tony Carey project I think.....went down to Television at 4th and Beal to see Eric Johnson. Closed the place down at 3 AM, an had a horrible hangover the next day.

[lizziegrace]

17. Is Mud Island still functioning?

It seemed to die when the pyramid was built. Don't even get me started on the pyramid.

[pdx_prog]

19. I have no idea....

Havn't been back there in many years......you have me wanting some BBQ ribs from the Rendevous now though....lol

[lizziegrace]

20. They'll FedEx them to you

I have a recipe for the rub that's similiar to the Rendezvous. Interested?

[johnnie]

22. I am

Best ribs in the Universe.

[lizziegrace]

24. It may take me a few days to find it

but I'll send it to you.




(I didn't mean to hijack your thread. )

[johnnie]

26. Oh, don't worry about it at all

You can hijack my threads anytime. At least I know it will get a few posts..lol.

Yeah, I would love to have the recipe if you can. That place was really good. I will say though that my favorite place was The Piccadilly. I love their chicken fried steak and their greens. I know it's cheesy, but to me it was really good food.

[lizziegrace]

27. I'd forgotten about The Picadilly!

The food was to die for (literally!)

Did you ever hear of Buntyn's restaurant near the MSU campus? That was my downfall in college.

[pdx_prog]

28. OMG!

I loved Buntyns! Best food in town. You never ran out of food in there. They were always coming around with tea and bread.....you ever knew who was going to be in there either. A lot of the newscasters ate lunch in there too.

[lizziegrace]

30. All the waitresses were, well, very gray

I don't think there was one under 65!

[johnnie]

29. I remember the name

I would have to go back to see if I was there..LOL. There was one place though that is known for their ribs down there and we went. I hate to say this but because we were white, they took forever to take our order. Then they didn't bring the food for a long time and people in the place were laughing. It was terrible. I have to see if I can find the name of the place.

[lizziegrace]

31. Unless someone took you there

you wouldn't know about it. It was near the fairgrounds, if I remember correctly.

I'd be curious to know which restaurant you were talking about.

I miss Memphis. Sometimes I wish I'd never moved away.

[johnnie]

32. What fairgrounds?

Liberty Land? Been there.

[lizziegrace]

33. Yeah. That's it.

All the waitresses looked like your grandmother and they had these rolls that were a meal by themselves. Lots of homecooked food.

Now I'm hungry.

[pdx_prog]

23. I had some of the rub at one time.....

Not quite the same though. I did have some Fedexed to me about a year ago......man they are good...

[lizziegrace]

12. I went to HS and college there

Wonder if we knew some of the same people?





edited to add:

Do you remember the old FM100 promo song? "My radio's pickin' up FM100. I hear Memphis callin' me home" ?

[lizziegrace]

15. PDX_Prog

Check your PM.

[lizziegrace]

5. In the photo

which one's you? The true redhead or the one next to him?

[johnnie]

6. Second from left

John is the redhead. He was here over the weekend recording with me. His hair is much shorter these days and not as red..lol.

Thanks for acknowledging this thread..lol, it didn't seem to do too well.

[lizziegrace]

7. No problem!

Nostalgia's a big thing for me right now. My daughter's in her second year in college and I just went through a bunch of old photos over the weekend. I don't know where the time's gone.

You've got something special in your music and your band. History and friendship that's lasted half your life. It's something most of us never find.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. My dear johnnie!

Wow, that was great! You sounded very young, and the band sounded good!

Thank you for giving this old lady a glimpse into your past......

I enjoyed it a lot!

[johnnie]

9. Thanks Peggy

Yeah, listening to that stuff really took me back. My first ever gig was in front of my whole school at 12 years old. I was a little freaked out by it. There were over 500 students and my band sucked.

It's funny thinking back on it all because no one really had bands back then at my age and I had to get the guys in my band from far away. I used to take the bus every weekend after school and ride it for over two hours to get together. I would stumble up on the bus with my guitar and amp and my bag with clothes and what not.

It was a 20 minute drive by car, but took forever on the bus. Then I would usually end up sleeping in the park on a bench or whatever because I didn't want to stay at friend's houses. In the morning I would take someone's newspaper off their driveway and go up and have coffee at the donut shop until someone woke up. That was all such a blast.

[tigereye]

14. that's pretty damn good for a bunch of high-schoolers!

I really like the piano/organ. And the drumming is nice, too. I know you cleaned up the production, but it's better/ cleaner than a lot of "amateur" stuff I have heard.

I love hearing music that people here have made....

[WCGreen]

18. Dude, you guys were so Cute, what with the flag and all...

Man I found out tape to get gigs a while back...

No one is ever gonna hear that....

[johnnie]

21. The flag

We were and are huge Who fans. That was a take-off of The Kids Are Alright when the Who were pictured like that with the British flag. That picture actually won an award. We called it "The Boys are OK". LOL

[lizziegrace]

25. Rendezvous Rib Rub

http://www.wchstv.com/gmarecipes/drybbqrub.shtml#rub

the recipe I have uses Old Bay Seasoning, but this one is from Nick Vergos himself.

[Shine]

34. Trippin' down Memory Lane, eh??

You guys sounded pretty damn good, considering how young you were. I love the flag shot, too.

What instrument do you play? My almost 13 yr old son plays drums and is starting to play with other teenagers in a cool "Be In YOur Own Band" class the local Parks and Rec dept has. I keep telling him that being in a band definitely increases one's "coolness quotient".

Good on ya, johnnie!

[johnnie]

35. I try to play guitar

I write mostly and "sing". Actually, I can play just about anything, but not well..lol. Keep supporting your son because eventually he will really like it.