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This is were I got my first indoctrination to the underground music scene. I was 17 and was in awe of everything I saw and it was so cool and different to me, an Alice in wonderland rabbit hole of fantasy and stark reality. John Kessler introduced me to this Max’s scene as he was doing the production management there at the time and he needed someone to fill in some nights to set up the bands and shows. First I started just setting up the mic’s and rolling up the mic cords when the bands finished. Before you know it I was at the mixing board mixing bands during the weekdays when John was doing something else. I really took to mixing and working with the bands as I was starting my first band myself and it gave me some great exsposure to many different types and genres of music I really was not exsposed to before. As time progressed I started to fill in on the weekends mixing more headline name bands of that time frame. Didn’t really realize at that time when I mixed the Ramones that they would become an influence in the punk rock scene. I really thought they sucked, when I was trying to mix them at sound check and Johnny & Dee went over to their amps and ran their hands over all the volumes and tone knobs to 10. I was like, “what the fuck”, how are you suppose to mix this. I turned to John and he said to me, ” just put the vocals and drums up as loud as you can without feedback and sit back and that’s the mix”. I got to work with a bunch of name bands at that time that were all on the cusp of making some headway in the music business. As said, the Ramones, Blondie, The Dead Boys, Mink DeVille, David Johansen, John Collins Band among other bands that were great but didn’t make it, or should I say just did not get recognized at that time. What a blast for a 17 year old living the rock and roll life style to the fullest.

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At 17 was starting to live and breath the moment

 

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This video was a first mix of the song so there are some parts that will sound a little bit different then the final mix on the CD – Test Drive  “RAW”. These video’s I have produce have been a home grown art form in stop motion format. Pictures and moments that are meant to ingrain and make a mark on the brain, like having a flash of light and when you close your eyes you still see that flash.

Japanese Tiles – (Japanese Lady with Dark Eyes)                                                     Composed, Performed and Video imagined by Al B.

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Now that we had the recording where do we go to press and get artwork for the cover? On Long Island at the time in 1981 there was a small record pressing company called PRI. They would do small run vinyl at about $1500 – small run to them was about 500 45’s. In which was pretty inexpensive considering the pressing and the cover sleeve print full 4 color press. Also when I went in to talk to them about the pressing, I figured let me ask them if all 4 songs could be pressed on a 45. Never thought that they would say yes as I never heard of a 45 with 4 songs, but as said they said “YES” so 4 songs on a 45 was going to happen. We hired a friend of a friend, a student artist Brain Patrick Murray to design the front cover for $50 and I took the picture for the back cover of a lampshade store in Franklin Square. Andy Blinx put the “Not Sold Separately” sign into the back cover picture and the lettering and credits. There you have it, the artwork was done for the sleeve cover.                                      Let the presses ROLL!

Go to the Music Drop-down

Click on Lampshades to Listen to the music from the 45! 

lampshade cover                                                               lampshade back cover

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It took us about 4 sessions between 2 weeks to complete the recording’s. Lot’s of fun, it really was an experience that I will never forget, if I can remember anything at all (lots of drugs and alcohol). There was also some instruments in the studio that was at our disposal, Piano, Vibes and some percussion items. We recorded the masters on 2″ tape reels  – Do these exist anymore?

All said and done, “The Lampshades” recorded at Radio City Music Hall, that in itself was a moment in time that few get to do. As so many celebrities, famous artists, and the Rockettes (in which I really never understood the fascination) except they are all hot chic’s and their leg kicks are amazing, went through those doors of that famous iconic theatre.

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This NOT a Rockette!!
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Don Hunnerburg at the Radio City Studio Mixing Console 

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After playing the Bar scene for a few years we finally had enough cash to start on the 45′. Andy Blinx a good friend, fellow musician and artist had an in at Radio City Music hall with the engineer Don Hunnerburg. So we took some of the bar cash equity to record 4 songs at the Radio City studio’s shooting to do a 45 record on our own. We invited John Kessler along to help with the production on the mix. We had the mindset to record 4 songs and pick the best 2 to put on the 45 and release. Out of our repertoire of about 12 originals at the time, we picked the best 4. They were, Kangaroo, Space Trot, Banana Rock and Situation. The recording sessions began albeit from 12 midnight until 4 am. That’s the time we could get for about next to nothing in cost as the studio was vacant at that time slot.

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Pete playing Vibes -Gary & Andy Blinx (in the back) watches

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We started playing the Long Island Bar circuit in the late 70’s. We did cover’s of just about everything and a few originals here and there. Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Car’s, Elvis Costello, Devo, Doors, The Knack and anything that was new and hot on the radio at the time. You know, what people were into at that moment in time to make us relevant playing to the Friday and Saturday bar folks having a night out and to a lot of drunks. As previously blogged, it paid the bar tab and we started to squirrel some cash aside as our goal was to produce our own 45 record to release and see where it would go. Some of the places on Long Island we played at were Wooden Ships, Good Times, Camelot Inn, The Belmont Inn, Uncle Bobs, The Little Club are just a few of the many bar/clubs I can remember playing – there was so many back in the late 70’s early 80’s.

Post cards sent out by Long Island Bar Uncle Bobs

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We are very saddened to share the news of Glen Campbell’s passing. The following post was shared on their Facebook page: It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and legendary singer and guitarist, Glen Travis Campbell, at the age of 81, following his long…

via Bidding farewell to Glen Campbell and my list of his Top 10 songs — Music Junkie Press