Let me Dive into Max’s Kansas City

on August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

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.

image2 (4) — At 17 was starting to live and breath the moment

Recording at Radio City Music Hall

on August 21, 2017August 21, 2017

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.

model sexy kicking — This NOT a Rockette!!

image3 (7) — Don Hunnerburg at the Radio City Studio Mixing Console

The Shades does the Bar circuit

on August 9, 2017August 9, 2017

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

The Lampshades

on July 12, 2017July 12, 2017

The lampshades went through many band mates until it’s final 5 was established. The first true band set up was myself, John Donnelly, Pete Fagiola, Gary Citro and Robbie Nichole’s. We wrote a few original songs but the majority of the music was cover music. The covers that we played were very eclectic, from Pink Floyd to the B52’s, Devo and the Doors.

At 17 was starting to live and breath the moment

Robbie Nichole’s

John left the band and new member Kenny Kern joined us. Kenny was an extremely versatile musician and is a really great guitar player among the other instruments he could play he also sang very well. We continued to dabble in some original music but embarked on doing 3 sets of cover music so we could play the Long Island Bar circuit and earn some cash. Not too long into playing at some Long Island hot spots like Wooden Ships, Uncle Bob’s Rocking Fun House, Camelot Inn and some place in Massapequa in which right now the name eludes me. Soon after we started playing the circuit we had to part ways with Robbie, as he was tough to get along with and really was not a good musician or should we say his musical taste’s didn’t taste very good. Now to find another guitar player in comes Jim Tucker. Jim was a good solid rhythm man and could also sing. This group of 5, Ken, Jim, Gary, Pete and me started writing a bunch of original tunes. Still playing covers in bars and a few colleges to get cash, we began to integrated some of the original pieces into the sets. 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.

image1 (6) — Don and John at the console

Being that Andy got us the inside track to record at Radio City, the only caveat was that we had the studio from 12 midnight to 4am. Needless to say what we did to keep up – was something called sex, drugs and rock & roll! Thank-you Mr. Blinx!