|
NEWSLETTER OCT 1972
From the editor:
Hi! Sorry the fan club
newsletter is so late. We realize that it's been more than a month
since the last one, but hopefully this letter will put you up to
date with what's been happening to SKOGIE AND THE
FLAMING PACHUCOS.
Sincerly, Marie.
As you know, Rick was in Europe during the latter part of June. When he returned there was a lot of work to be done, so the group practiced long hours and played a couple of afternoon gigs on the downtown mall. SKOGIE also appeared on KSTP-5 on July 19th. It was a good show. They were back in shape in time for the T.V. audience, and their fans at the Minneapolis Auditorium where they played for the musicians' union that evening.
With all the work the band had in those summer months, they had extra money to spend on some new equipment. Probably the most important addition was the Phase Linear. "The Phase" is an expensive power-packed gizmo that lets us hear the vocals more clearly and with no distortion. See if you can understand the words better at the next gig. I can hear the difference.
About two weeks ago the P-5 played to an almost full house at Coffman Union for the University of Minnesota Welcome Week activities. It was a long gig and we heard things like the Beatles Medley and a lot of old rock and roll tunes. Kind of fun songs we don't hear at every concert.
Last week a strange thing happened to SKOGIE at the Northeast Community
Center. Their last song, "Ram It!" was interrupted by a policeman. The officer felt it was getting too late and he didn't like Big Jim's angry singing one bit. He stormed up on stage and tried to get Jim to stop. Jim ignored him though, and went on singing. The cop continued, and finally forced him to stop. Jim threw his mike stand down and walked offstage angrily. To avoid a confrontation, the rest of the band had to stop playing also, and the dance ended. The crowd milled around, and left slowly because they couldn't believe it was over. It was a bummer for everybody, especially Big Jim.
These past few weeks'
practices have been devoted to recording tapes for the band's new
manager, David Zimmerman and Bernard Productions. It's a long, hard job, but so far the tapes are sounding really good. I know the work they've put into these tapes will push them closer to the records we've been waiting for. Of course when the recordings do come out, I guess the midwest won't have Skogie to themselves anymore. Hopefully the boys will decide to locate themselves here, and we'll be able to see them as often as we did before they hit the international scene.
Individually, there have been things happening too. Denny, Al, and Mark live together in the house that Mark's family moved out of. It's a big rambler with a walkout porch and a huge yard. Only problem is they don't have much time to take care of the lawn. Once in a while Al gets up enough energy to mow the grass and water the garden (made up of one flower and a million weeds).
When Allen 's not gardening he's practicing. He's added another drum to his set, and is probably pounding away as you read this. Once in a while he finds time to watch Star Trek, Al and Denny's favorite show. Last week Al wacked Mark's car into Denny's volkswagen after Denny had just said, "Watch out for the little yellow car!" The damage was minimal, and it was funny to see Al watch himself back into the car. I guess Mark's not much better after two accidents, three tickets, and an appointment to appear in court next week. .
Denny has been busy looking for paintings and pieces of art to decorate the new house. Lately he's been talking about getting a pet cockatoo (It's some kind of bird). Also a floor-to-ceiling cage for the livingroom. Another candidate on Denny's pet list is a boa constrictor. I really can't picture a nine-foot boa slithering around the house. The bird gets my vote. Denny's also been working on his chess game, and it seems like everybody gets challenged to a game at least twice a day. Mark claims he can beat Denny anytime, but I don't know. Jim seems to be the man to beat.
Mark recently celebrated his eighteenth birthday with his roommates, a few friends, and his family. His family filled the refrigerator with enough coke and pizzas to last him a month. His younger sister gave him some new blankets and bedding, and one of Mark's biggest fans gave him a green velvet suit. It'll fit right in with the rest of his flashy wardrobe.
Rick gave himself a haircut a few days ago. It's just like his old one but a bit shorter. His hair grows so fast tho, you probably won't notice the difference. As usual, he's writing new songs and buying about a hundred albums a week. He's got a new key chain toy that he's constantly fiddling with. He doesn't drive, so he doesn't have any keys to put on it. That's Rick for you.
Jim also got a haircut that's now in the growing out stage. It looks sort of like a lion's mane, and it fits his "Ram It" personality perfectly. Jim's new glasses look really good too. When Big Jim's not arguing with police, he's busy with the band's business matters, practicing, and romping around town at night.
Wingo, the mad electronic wizard, is having a great time with all the new band equjment. It seems like his brain functions in terms of watts. He's always working on something mechanical. At the next gig, stop back and say hi to Wingo. He's the muscular blond kid at the control panel.
That sums up almost all that's been happening these past few months. The band will be on the road the rest of October, but will appear November 12th in Minneapolis at One Groveland, 19th and Nicollet. Hope you can make it.
See you, Marie.
P.S. If you haven't heard "Goodbye Nemours" the song Rick wrote when he got back from France, you really should get down to Groveland to hear it. It's my favorite song, and I bet a lot of you will like it too.
P.S.S. We at the SKOGIE AND THE FLAMING PACHUCOS Fan Club wish to thank all the people at Minneapolis' Washburn High School for the riotous reception they gave the group at their homecoming dance. SKOGIE played a short assembly concert in the morning, and a dance later that evening. At the dance, they were mobbed by 350 enthusiastic fans. Some equipment was even damaged, and at the end of "Heartbreak Hotel" the people carried Rick away on their shoulders. It was one of the most fun jobs SKOGlE has played. Thank you!
P.S.S.S. Be sure to see the
offer on SKOGIE's new T-shirts. They've got the band's logo in crisp black
and white on the front. And the fand clu members get a special discount.
Hope to see you with your T-shirts at Groveland....
|
