Scantlings

I was 18 years old.
The bass player was 18 years old.
The other three guys were all 15 years old.
We entered a "battle of the bands". 60 bands entered. We won.
Our PA was those two horns you see powered by a Dynaco amp.
That's me playing my big, Gibson Super 400 thru a Fender Concert amp. Clearly we are not very good, but we were kids and we had enthooziazm. I made enough money with that band to pay for my own college. No stinkin' government loans for me. We travelled all over the PNW. All over. Imagine today, sending your 15 year old out on the road with a rock band. Terrifying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_AgImu9 ... r_embedded

Ah yes, life on the road!!

I go to parties sometimes until four
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybody's so different I haven't changed

Still digging:
Here's my next band the SPRINGFIELD RIFLE ( we were always loaded). I was not yet a member of the band when we made this recording. They just asked me to come in to play twleve string guitar on a couple of tracks.. So I played and I sung back up and after the session they asked me to join the band, providing I agree to switch to bass. This song was out first of many regional hits and was recorded in Seattle on either a three or four track recorder. I forget. It was the '60's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H5frbdc ... detailpage

Cool Bob. You guys were in a battle of the bands and beat out the Sonics? If I recall they were a top NW band those days. Was that one of the KJR, Pat O'Day battle of the Bands?

Now the Springfield Rifle I remember well as they were THE band to have at our High School Dances. Brings back memories of the Optic Nerve Light Show (who'd a thunk a Jesuit high school would have a psychidelic light show?) and dancing with Linda, and Pam and Ann and Martine and well never mind. I think I mentioned in another forum how I would help set up and tear down for those dances and how, though I did not know you at the time, I recognized you later on in life as being from the band. Thanks for the flashback.

Joe:
No, the Sonics came along when I was in the Springfield Rifle. We played with them at Lake Hills Roller Rink a couple of times. The battle of the bands we won was held at the Orpheum Theater in conjunction with a movie staring The Dave Clark Five. I entered the band to see how we would stack up against other local bands. It was a Pat O'Day promotion. It was an elimination battle with an applause meter to gauge the winner each night. In the final round it was The Bandits against George Washington and the Cherry Bombs. We prevailed. George Washington and the Cherry Bombs thought they were Paul Revere and the Raiders. We thought we were the Rolling Stones. You are who you think you are. Cool always conquers silly. In 1964, working two, three hour weekend nights, I made over $500 a month. In the summer time when we would play often 5 different gigs in a week, travelling all over the PNW we made very good money. My parents wouldn't pay for my college but I didn't need them to. You can't change the past and if you could I wouldn't change that part of my past.

Tigger wrote:Ah yes, life on the road!!

I go to parties sometimes until four
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybody's so different I haven't changed

Life's been good to me so far.

that's really awesome, Bob

LarryHoward wrote:

Tigger wrote:Ah yes, life on the road!!

I go to parties sometimes until four
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybody's so different I haven't changed

Life's been good to me so far.

I can't complain but sometimes I still do.

What's that phrase... ? "Better not quit your day job ?"

Great tune.... shades of Dave Davies tearing up the frets.

Irie:
Dave Davies was an early influence.

I remember Springfield Rifle as well from way back in the day, and dancing on Friday or Saturday nights with them playing, at Shoreline HS and the dance hall by Butler, a couple blocks west of 99 behind Parkers dance hall.

http://pnwbands.com/springfield.html

Boomer:
I had a call last night from Merrillee Rush (Angel of the Morning). Quite a surprise. We talked old band stories for an hour. She invited me to a get together at her ranch where a gaggle of old PNW rockers will gather. Hard to pass that up.

She's awesome. I had such a crush on her back then.

Joe:
Didn't we all?

That's sounds like it would be a blast, Bob!