Where the blacktop turns to blue...
Foto by Izze Kaukonen
Thanks to Gretchen Peters for the foto caption. Check out Lilies Of The Field. Love her writing!
In the last week the worm has turned and Spring has more than sprung. Mixed metaphor, I know but it said what needed to be said. In the last week, the hardwood trees have gone from no leaves to being completely greened out. Beautiful! I’ve been getting some range time and riding time while I’ve been home and life is indeed good. Our daughter, Izze, has two more weeks of school and she’s already for summer camp… and even though her seventh grade year is not over yet… she’s already talking about eighth grade. My son, Zach, is finishing his second yer of college and time is indeed marching on.
Here at the Fur Peace Ranch we are getting ready to host Happy Traum and Woody Mann. It is also Happy’s 80th birthday. Happy birthday Happy! You always were the man! When I grow up, I want to be just like you. Check out Happy and Jane’s Homespun Site. Saturday night Robin and Linda Williams will be playing at the Fur Peace Station. I love these guys and it will be an honor to have them here in Darwin, Ohio!
Will beautiful weather in the offing for the weekend, a bike ride is more than tempting… but guitar first. With choices like that, what’s not to like.
I thing I’ll wander over to the Kitchen to see who has showed up yet.
Onward!
@ Johno
Remember the three white neon W’s of the Westinghouse logo, just into Queens from the Midtown Tunnel? They could be entrancing, under the right circumstances. But like the Captain said, you could get behind a toilet bowl flushing if your were high enough.
I remember coming out to daylight and I remember that my ears were always ringing the next day. There must have been some Sunday night or weekday shows because I remember a bunch of us in school walking around saying “what….what”! Or else we were still having hearing issues on a Monday after a Saturday night show
The Academy/Palladium when Tuna played there back in the 70’s was pure psychedelia. The halls between shows were like a Salvador Dali painting. It was a time and place that will never happen again. You had to have been there. I remember coming out after the late show at 6am – the sun was coming out. Driving home through the Queens-Midtown tunnel was a real trip. I was going about 30 mph. Thank goodness it was Sunday morning. Those were the days.
The Academy was renamed the Palladium. I don’t remember Pavolov’s Dogs.
Commack was a free for all for sure. I do remember a 7 hour HT show there..How did the band play so long? I know how I made it that long.LOL..The Palladium on 14st in NYC also was a crazy place too back then..Thank goodness we made it, a lot did not..
@Dan
I recall the Commack arena in the mid 70s. T’was a bit of a dump. Cash grab opportunity for the landlords and promoters. hey, western capitalism at work. Bring the kids in, keep the cops out. Free for all. Chaos, anarchy. Was the band you are thinking of called, Pavlov’s Dogs? I was there for one Tuna or Starship show w a band called Pavlov’s Dogs. How appropriate a name for the scene they were a part of.
Thank God we survived…
“Pugna Bonam Pugnam et cresce.”
@Brian Doyle
I couldn’t agree with you more Brian. Since the 60’s & early 70’s it’s been all greed, all the time.
We could we currently witnessing the long awaited (by some anyhow) backlash to the corporate, winner take all mentality that was ushered in 1980.
Thank God we still have a majority in this country with a semblance of morality and empathy.
Those that do, need to stand up and be heard.
@eaglesteve
They played a lot at Commack. I remember one show where Happy The Man opened, much to the dismay of Tuna fans.
eaglesteve, I believe I was at that show in Commack. The opening band was booed horrifically, the guitar player told the crowd that they had to play 6 songs, as a bottle whizzed by his ear he then added that they would make it quick
Danger came in many forms in the 70’s. I remember walking down to NYC’s Academy of Music’s steps to the men’s room, and on every single step down to that den of iniquity there was a someone selling something different. The room itself was generally insane, packed with guys and gals having a Wild Time indeed. These were the times of early and late shows. Cost? $5.50 per show. Early started at about 9 PM, ended at 12-1. Place emptied out with most going across the street to Glancy’s bar. Back inside the Academy about 45 minutes later. Late show starts at about 1:30 AM and ends about 5-6 AM. Walking out the front doors, one had to literally step over people. It was truly insane.
Commack Arena, Commack NY, summer time, mid-70s. An old skating rink with virtually no air conditioning. Some band I can’t remember opened; people immediately starting throwing beer cans and bottles; they soon departed. When the Captain came out he was pissed and admonished the crowd. From then on it was fine.
Went to a Jethro Tull concert in the late 70s and they had Livingston Taylor as an opening act. As much as I like him the crowd did not,poor choice for an opening act for Tull..Anyway sitting 16 row at Madison Square Garden people started throwing stuff because they did not like Taylor. Well I got hit in the head with an empty pint bottle of Jack Daniels. I was very bloody to say the least. They took me backstage to an ambulance and got to see the band getting on stage. Heard 2 songs from inside the ambulance. And got to spend 3 hours waiting at Bellevue Hospital till they sewed me up..No fun…
Nice catch Izze !! Ride Captain Ride !! One love
The only real danger I can remember at a rock show in the 70’s was at Pink Floyd Madison Square Garden (76 – 77?) where some assholes were tossing M-80 fireworks in to the crowd…It was like a combat zone birrage and I was cringing hoping one wouldn’t go off on my head…
My personal perspective? Entry to Jorma’s show at Melbourne was like airport security with cops and guards etc…I don’t know if that is because Florida is like a free fire zone as far as politics with shootings etc…I’m not sure how much real threat is involved? I seem to remember those 70’s shows as being relaxed and cool and more importantly affordable…The 70’s were also the shift to the corporatization of rock and bleaching of the political element that made the 60’s what they were…There’s no doubt “safety” has been abused in order to satisfy government objectives with self destructiveness via drugs aiding the process…Wild and dangerous – perhaps, but you left off the “and free” part…We’ve done something wrong if tickets are $2000 and once the original generation fades I think we should take another look at rock and bring it back to its grass roots…America too…Time to solve the problem that led to this instead of answering it with a police state…
@Brian Doyle
Hello Brian… I was at that Tuna show. The sheriffs were running all around that place. Glad we all made it home safe. T’was “general admission”. I have a good brother and friend who also was a hired “security guard” at that show. He recalls Jorma, Jack and Steeler walking off to their transport vehicle and my friend Joe had some kind words of encouragement for them as they left.
Those were wild and dangerous years. The late Tom Wolfe, God bless his soul, coined the phrase the “Me Generation’ and the 70s were certainly that and a whole lot more. Thank God we survived. Jorma’s shows now are so much more in line with sanity and safety. “In this world I’m living in, I see the light.” God bless the Children of Zion.
I called an old friend back in my Rockland County New York homeland and mentioned seeing Jorma in Melbourne close up and he proceeded to tell me how he managed to get a stage security job for Hot Tuna at Rockland Community College in 1974…Said they needed some local hands to keep people from jumping on the stage and him and another good running buddy of mine back in the regrettable but were still the best time of my life days got the job…Larry told me he got to hang with Jorma and Jack for a 1/2 hour under ain’t in no hurry circumstances and even had a smoke with Jack…So I mentioned to Larry that I had to see Jorma at Melbourne in order to catch him once in my life…and in the conversation I mentioned Jorma hanging with Tower Of Power and Larry said he had seen Tower of Power just around that time and eventually we figured out that we were both at that same venue and he took the left fork to see Tower Of Power and I went right to see Jorma and we were at the same show and didn’t know it…I’ll be damned…
Peace
Love All Ways
Happy Boithday Wavy
Ride on Jorma !! Enjoy ..Peace
Happy #82 to Wavy Gravy
It is truly a curse to have Jorma and Jack out there playing electric when fate and your life schedule keep it from happening…
johno, thanks for the tourism reminder, been looking for a place to beat the south florida heat for the summer, a cabin in the Adirondacks (bike in tow) sounds like a great idea
jorma, wishing all the ladies at the ranch had a happy mothers day
Most people don’t realize how big and beautiful New York State is. We have Niagara Falls to Montauk Point and everything between. Next weekend I’m going to the Finger Lakes. I absolutely love it up there. There is close to 100 wineries in the region. The countryside is stunning and the wine is delicious. I always come back with a couple cases for the summer. Great place to go for the weekend.
Looking forward to riding upstate NY this weekend.
Ride Jorma! Ride!
Jorma when is the next Jorma /. Hurl dinner show at the Ranch?
The range time is always fun
But as it warms up the scooter rides are eterhal.
Always amazed at night how the temp drops precipitously as you drop down to a bottom or ride past a creekbed.
It always wakes you up.
The ride always touchstones Roger Mcguinn ,ballad of easy Rider
Who could ever forget Billy’s salute?
RIP-Dennis Hopper, he’s a guy I wished I could have had a beer with and brain picked for an hr.
Once again Jorma, your inspiration resonates through my soul.
Guitar first, then riding.
As time goes by, it becomes clearer that it’s oh so essential to do the things you love, which make you happy. Many do not have the luxury to do so.
I’m blessed have a new life in Fla doing volunteer Frisbee shows/classes in the local elementary school. And got paid for an assembly there as well. My girlfriend fronts a real good band, and I’ve managed to play out a little myself. Love, life, and the pursuit of happiness!
I love the photo, and hope y’all have a great weekend at FPR!
Nice, enjoy and be safe…
🙂