How many musicians here?

[xs650mike]

Playing again

Pat, you'd be surprised how fast it comes back. I laid off for about 5 years once. When I started playing again I found I had a whole bunch of new licks...seems the subconscious mind keeps playing even if you don't. 10-15 minutes a day and you'll have your callouses back in a week or two.

[Parr8hed]

played percussion in high school and college. mostly marching band stuff, some rock and jazz on the drumset. in 93 joined the navy and picked up a guitar and never looked back. I now own a Takemine acoustic, a Fender Strat, and a Samik acoutsic that I only take camping or out on my boat. I have played in a few bands mostly rock and alternative but am most at home just by myself playing and singing Buffett in front of a campfire with a cold beer. The more of the cold beer, the better I sound!!!!

[TopCatGr58]

Well, my mom loved how the guitar sounded, and got me some lessons when I was about 12 y/o, did it for a few months, but wasn't really into music then...hormones hadn't kicked it Then little league came around, and that was that! Later, I got into music more, but just never made the time ! Several years ago which was several DECADES later I decided to try to learn the piano, took lessons and got an old used upright, farted with that for about 1.5 yrs. My driving goal was to get decent enough to learn how to play "our" wedding music, the love theme from the Christopher Reeve movie "Somewhere in Time", the piece is formally known as :Rachmaninoff, 18th variation from a Rapsodie on a Theme of Paganini !

I was able to learn a moderately simplified version only 3 pages long...hated playing by reading music, preferred memorizing, but the brain cells just don't want to work like they used to. I was able to learn it to play it for IIRC our 10th anniversary, but after that, realized that I would NEVER develop the skills to be able to play it by ear like I could have IF I had started as a child/young adult. So....now I just sit back and enjoy hearing others display their wonderful talents and skills, knowing the time, effort, dedication it takes to become a good performer!

Let there be ROCK!
T.C.

[xs650mike]

Originally posted by Parr8hed
in 93 joined the navy and picked up a guitar and never looked back.

I picked up guitar casually when I was 17 but I really learned to play in my spare time (LOL) while in the Navy. Started playing folk and blues professionally in coffee houses within weeks after leaving active duty in 1963.

[planedick]

Music lessons

My mom was a pianist and insisted I take lessons early. I went to first grade not knowing how to write my name, but I could read music and play the piano some. I hated it and in the second grade I took up trumpet lessons and really enjoyed music then. In the 5th grade I was good enough to join the school band, in the 8th grade I joined the Pennsylvania State Legion marching band, went to many parades and we won lots of awards. During the high school years I was able to play the French horn, Baritone, Corenet and trumpet in the high school band. In the Army I played lead trumpet in the 48th Infantry band and led a small 5 peice band on Friday and Saturday night in a night club in Dirmstein Phalz, Germany, 1959 - 1961. Really long time ago. I don't play anymore, lip is really out of shape and can hardly make a sound on a trumpet now. LOL Play a harmonica sometimes now.

[Materi]

I started on my sisters Silvertone which she got for Chistmas one year...we both got pretty good on it. Tenor Sax in HS Band, and also played the Rythum (sp?) guitar in a couple of different bands in HS. Sort of let it drop in college, then along comes kid #1, etc... and I hadn't gigged in several years, though I always kept my old accoustic around, and I never sold my gigging gear, though it took a beating over several moves. In 95 I got a job at a large coal mine here in Wyoming, and made friends with a guy whose background in music was similar to mine. Well, we started jamming, and I eventually switched to bass. A lady at the mine informed us that her husband was a drummer, so we started playing with him as well, and against our better judgement, started to do a few local weddings, etc. We kept practicing intensely, won a talent contest, and our 60 minutes of fame came when we got to open for Gary Pucket one night and then Mary Wilson (I think of the Supremes) for several thousand in Deadwood S.D. After that we were up to about a gig a week, and it started to feel too much like work to us, so we cranked it down a few notches. We still do probably six or so gigs a year and still get together to jam and practice and learn new songs. Our shows are pretty unique because you might hear a set of Hank Williams Sr, followed by a nod to Metallica, then the Eagles, Lynard Skynard, Waylon and/or Willie, Bruce Springsteen, and the Beatles, and then maybe some Emmy Lou Harris (The guitarists wife is an awesome singer too), The Fix, BTO, or Van Morrison.
We can kind of taylor the show to what the audience is into.
I am especially proud of my 17 year old daughter who has become an accomplished drummer, and has won several awards and competions. When she was 12, we were watching "Free-Bird" a tribute to Lynard Skynard and she turned to me with big tears in her eyes and said "Dad, that's when the music really died, didn't it?" She is a little put off by the kids in her school and the state of music because as she puts it..."Nobody wants to hire bands for the dances and stuff because they all want to listen to M&M and Fifty Cent and crap like that, so we always have to have a DJ, and they don't even carry any real music with them, and everybody would boo if they dare play any real classic rock." I hope that trend turns around soon.

I currenty own a Fender DG10CE accoustic electric, an old Yamaha accoustic, a 78 Gibson Marauder (anyone remember that one?...I bought it to jam with in high school because there was a picture of Paul Stanley of Kiss playing one in the guitar shop)
A Fender BG-32 Accoustic Electric Bass, an old Upright with a fishman installed, and the love of my musical life is a candy apple red Fender Deluxe J Bass. I play through a pair of daisy chained Peavey SS TNT BW 150's though there is some Ampeg gear that is winking at me. I know, I know....I really need to switch to tubes.....Man, I got wound up in this thread, huh?

[Czekus21]

Materi,,, Mabee we can hook up this year around rally time. You have a few Guitars so I'll leave betty-Lou at home. I missed ya the last couple of rallies.

[xs650mike]

Hey Materi...

That's the kind of posts I was hoping for when I started this thread. You left out the name of your band though.

Your post reminded me that I never listed my gear or any details of my musical career. This might get a little long, sorry, after all 43 years is a long time.

After leaving the Navy in '63 I started playing on the folk scene in LA. Was fortunate to run into Tennessee bluesman Brownie McGhee who taught me how to fingerpick blues and how to play with other musicians. Relocated to San Francisco and started playing electric guitar in a surf band in Berkeley as well as playing folk in bars and coffee houses. (No Virginia, espresso wasn't invented in Seattle by Starbucks!)


In '64 hooked up with the Charlatans, the first (some say) psychedelic band in San Francisco. I'm packing the ivory-handled Colt in this pic taken at the Gold Leaf bar of the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, NV c. 1965. That's Dan Hicks with the rare old Model 92 Winchester 32-20 carbine.


At the Avalon Ballroom, SF w/Rickenbacker 12-string c. 1967.


Cover from CD of our old recordings.


In '69 started a hard rock band called Loose Gravel. We played Bay Area bars and biker club parties for about 7 years.


In late '76 joined Flamin' Groovies just in time for their Europe tour, played and recorded with them until the early '80s. Clowning backstage somewhere in France 1976, note can of Heineken...


Onstage at Le Pavillion de Paris, 1976...


Got fed up with the music biz in the early '80s, tired of the road too...not conducive to family life. Got a day gig and quit playing altogether for about 5 years. Started playing again part time doing solo acoustic gigs.


Not as active these days (bad health) but still doing some gigs and recording. Play locally on occasion with Lake County Blues Band. Cover of our demo CD...


A couple of business cards:




A discography downloaded from the net:
MIKE WILHELM:
See also the Mike Wilhelm Discography Track Listings:
http://www11.brinkster.com/groovies1/Wilhelm.html
and the Charlatans Tape Survey:
http://www.lysergia.com/LamaWorkshop/lamaCharlatans.htm
-----------------------------------------------------
The Charlatans - "The Shadow Knows"/"32-20"
(1965, Kapp 779)
The Charlatans - The Charlatans
(1980, Line [Germany] LMS 3025AN, 1965 recordings;
?, Eva Records 12004)
The Charlatans - unreleased 1966 Kama Sutra album
(1979, Groucho Marx Records [Italy];
1983, Eva Records 12017 [titled 'Alabama Bound'])
The Charlatans - Radio Spot
(1969, DJ promo 7", Philips 34)
The Charlatans - "High Coin"/"When I Go Sailin' By"
(1969, Philips 40610)
The Charlatans - The Charlatans
(1969, Philips 600.309;
1995 [CD reissue], One Way Records OW 31442)
Mindrocker Vol.3
(1982, various artists, Line LLP 5140)
(The Charlatans="32-20" and "The Shadow Knows")
Nuggets Vol.7: Early San Francisco
(1985, various artists, Rhino Records RNLP 031)
(The Charlatans="Codine" [unreleased version])
The Autumn Records Story
(1986, various artists, Edsel Records ED 145)
(The Charlatans="Codine")
California Christmas Vol.1
(?, various artists bootleg, Penguin Records [Italy])
(The Charlatans="Jack O'Diamonds")
The Charlatans - The Charlatans
(1989, bootleg of early recordings, no label details)
The Charlatans - Live 1967-Reunion 1991
(1995, Steppin In Society Records, bootleg,)
The Charlatans - The Amazing Charlatans
(1996, Big Beat CDWIKD 138)
The Charlatans - Roaring 20's
(?, bootleg of early recordings, Honkey Tonk HTR-847/11)
Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968
(1998, various artists, Rhino Records 75466)
(The Charlatans="Codine")
Loose Gravel - "Gravel Rash"/"Don't Flash Out (Keep Flashin' On)"
(1980, Dynamo Records DYR 45009)
Light Up The Dynamite
(1980, various artists, Dynamo Records DYR 33004)
(Loose Gravel="Gravel Rash" and "Blue Skies & Sunshine")
Loose Gravel - "Gravel Rash" + "Grand Illusion" [unreleased song]
(?, U.A. Records [UK]; double 7" acetate)
Loose Gravel - Frisco Band
(1982, Fan Club 001)
Loose Gravel - "Frisco Band"/"Waiting In Line"
(?, no labels)
Loose Gravel - Gravel Rash
(1984, New Rose Records FC001)
Loose Gravel - Thanks For The Memories
(1992, Bucket-1, 1975 demos & 1976 live)
Mike Wilhelm - Wilhelm
(1976, United Artists/ZigZag UAZZ1; 1971-72 recordings)
Mike Wilhelm - Mike Wilhelm
(1984, New Rose Records/Fan Club FC003CD)
Mike Wilhelm & The Frisco Jammers - Mean Ol' Frisco
(1985, New Rose Records Rose 70)
Pile Of Hits vol.II - Radio Sampler
(1986 promo, various artists, New Rose Records Free 008/Hit 2)
(Mike Wilhelm="Chimes Of Freedom")
Mike Wilhelm - Junko Partner
(1990, New Rose Records 422394)
Rock'n'Rose
(1990, various artists, New Rose Records Rose X)
(Mike Wilhelm="Chimes Of Freedom")
The Bob Dylan Songs
(1992, various artists, Polyphon [Germany] 515 585-2)
(Mike Wilhelm="Chimes Of Freedom")
Mike Wilhelm - Wood And Wire
(1994, New Rose Records Rose 337/422457)
More Bay Area Blues: a Collection of Contemporary Blues Songs from
the San Francisco Bay Area Vol.2
(1996, various artists, Taxim Records TX 1022)
(Mike Wilhelm="Blues Medley Take 1")
Mike Wilhelm - Live In Tokyo At Dead Heads Land Yukotopia
(1997, P.S.F. Records [Japan] PSFD-85)
Characters
(1997, various artists, Last Call Records 302212)
(Mike Wilhelm="Me and My Uncle")
New Rose 1980-2000
(2000, various artists, Last Call Records 3062302)
(Mike Wilhelm="Chimes Of Freedom")
New Rose Story
(2000, various artists, Last Call Records 3062312)
(Mike Wilhelm="Me & My Uncle")
The Charlatans - From The Red Dog To Straight Street
(2003, bootleg, produced by "Seven Stories"

Some of this stuff is available from www.barnesandnoble.com

[Materi]

Originally posted by Czekus21
Materi,,, Mabee we can hook up this year around rally time. You have a few Guitars so I'll leave betty-Lou at home. I missed ya the last couple of rallies.

Absolutely!!

The business is a little more stable now than when we tried to meet last time and I have a little more free time in August. We'll jam until the sun comes up!

[Materi]

Hey Mike,

Wow... Though I already knew a lot of your history, I was wondering when you were going to reveal on this site. Thanks for sharing the great pictures and stuff with us. How about some stories from the road, etc...

Keith

[Targetman]

Good post,
I was in a band in my late teens in Kitchener Ont.
Nowdays it's just a hobby, y'know an outlet like riding the bike.
When you're playing music, or riding, nothing else matters at that moment.
It's therapeutic.

Got this new toy a couple months ago.....

Also have a cheap CBDrums acoustic set at a friends house since I can't use them here in the apartment.

This was my fathers Ibanez concord. Don't know what year it is, has to be almost as old as me though. He lost the tips of three of his fret fingers in an accident and passed this guitar on to me. Sad.


This is my cheap YAMAHA Pacifica. I'm amazed at the quality of cheap guitars these days.

[xs650mike]

Yamaha makes good stuff, motorcycles, guitars, drums, amps and stereos. Drummer in Lake County Blues Band has an electronic kit, nice, just dial up the kit you want. He uses some real Zildian cymbals though.

That Ibanez is a maple sort-of copy of a Gibson Dove. Bet it sounds good, maple guitars project to the front really well.

I gotta find some pics of my instruments, I've got 'em somewhere.

[jeffe]

Play Electric bass and wife is a drummer. Play weekly at church

[Targetman]

Hey, Mike.....
I wonder if you might be persuaded to let us hear a couple of those songs from your demo album.....
Pride and Joy, and Nadine?
I'd sure like to hear them.
Maybe you could post a link to them or something?
Please?

[xs650mike]

Well if I had a website I could post a link but I don't. Actually my favorite tune on that demo is Nadine, we were really cookin' on that one.