This is a story that I cannot keep to myself especially with you other hopeless romantics out there. Yes... GUILTY. Some in the music industry have chastised me because of my love, emotion, passion and zeal for the history of music while others have applauded it because they too share the same love I have. Regardless of which camp you belong to, I hope you enjoy my TRUE story -
Playing as a sideman to such great talents, I have been given opportunities that may have otherwise gone by the wayside as unattainable. I thank you musicians for those great opportunities.
I have held in my hands one of the precious Fender Basses once owned by Keith Ferguson. I have held in my hands the black Robin Bass that Tommy Shannon played with Stevie in the late 80's and on "Live Alive." I have played the Gibson Firebird guitar that Joey Molland of Badfinger played on "No Matter What" and his 1956 Gold Top Les Paul that he played on many of their APPLE & Warner Brothers recordings (it was Badfinger who gave me my introduction into the music industry by taking me under their wing in the mid 1980's.) I have stood in the hallway of Elvis' trophy room and gawked 16 different times at the seemingly miles of Gold & Platinum Record awards. I have been in the same room with Beatles, Blues legends and historical music figures. I have played the Helena King Biscuit, I have played in clubs on Beale Street and once got a private tour of The Legendary SUN RECORDS Studios, found a backstage pass to an after show party of THE WHO in the trash can at Arrowhead Stadium (as a sidenote - years later, I stood at John Entwistle's feet where the Bass was so loud it was feeding back! He had his concert hall set-up in a small club. Like an idiot I forgot to bring earplugs. Until evening the next day I still couldn't hear a thing except this gawd awful high pitched "wooooooooooooo." Where I thought to myself..."I must be going deaf...the last thing I ever heard was John Entwistle's Bass piercing and rupturing my eardrums".... my next thought was...."Cooool!". I saw one of Albert King's final performances, I saw Brian Wilson front row, Paul McCartney 3rd row, I have had Albert Collins hush me from onstage, I had Bonnie Raitt do the same in front of 16,000+ people opening for SRV! (hip indeed! Ahhhh, what memories - that Recob boy... completely out of control he was) and stared in awe and wonder at the Golden Bow atop The Concert Gebow in Amsterdam, Holland.
And I once saw the TEXAS Tribute in 1988 at The Dallas Hard Rock Cafe of the Buddy Holly Display on loan from Maria Elena and wept when I saw his glasses. Sobbed like a baby. Forget the '57 Fender Strats...I just lost it when I saw the glasses.
Buddy Holly transcended 5 years before I incarnated to planet Earth (no...I don't think I'm the re-incarnation of Buddy Holly so don't go there) but all my life as long as I can remember, I have always had a deeply rooted love and strong affinity to Buddy and his music as since I was 12, and I have publicly professed this. I became friends with Topeka, Kansas Oldies DJ legend LOUIE LOUIE in the late 1970's. There was even a radio promo used for KEWI-AM of banter between LL and myself at 13 testifying that I was the "Biggest Buddy Holly Fan in the World." I guess the station thought it was cute. In high school I thought I was the "cat's meow" because I was one of a few in Topeka who owned THE COMPLETE BUDDY HOLLY box set on LP at the time being sold for a monumental hefty price for a kid.
In 1995 while on tour with The Gary Primich Band, we drove from Minneapolis to Des Moines down I-35 and passed Clear Lake, Iowa with me clawing the windows like a kid screaming his lungs out at Wal-Mart because he can't have the new Spiderman Doll, unsuccessfully begging the band to go back. My point of interest was The SURF BALLROOM where Buddy, The Big Bopper & Richie Valens on the final day of their lives played their last show as part of THE 1959 WINTER DANCE PARTY TOUR. As long as I can remember, I have wanted to visit the SURF just to see it and walk inside and "feel the vibes" and have fantasized about standing on the actual stage where Buddy sang PEGGY SUE & THAT'LL BE THE DAY for the very last time. Where Richie Valens sang LA BAMBA & C'MON LET'S GO for the very last time and where The Big Bopper verbally spoke the words "Hello Baaaaaaaaby! This is The Big Bopper speaking!" for the very last time on this planet. Texas Blues legend Anson Funderburgh once expressed to me his feelings after The Rockets played THE SURF which was either the night before or a few earlier for the first time when he told me. I was in awe.
Fast Forward to June 7th, 2007 - A lifelong dream realized.
Lisa & I were enjoying dinner when out of the blue I get a phone call from Randy McAllister (2002 Grammy Nominee) asking me to fill in on Bass the next night June 8th. "Sure Randy...where?" His response..."Clear Lake, Iowa...The Surf Ballroom double bill with Miranda Lambert."......Me: "Where'd ya say?" Randy: "The Surf...Clear Lake." -
I said..."Would I whaaaaaa?....Will I Whaaaa?....Ohhhhh Baby....You knooooow what I like!"
19 hours later, I find myself standing on the stage at THE SURF just overwhelmed with complete joy. We had to rehearse the tunes just like Randy told the crowd..."Patrick had 4 hours to learn the material...we called him last night and we had to go over the tunes during soundcheck." Applause! I didn't forget WHY I came to Clear Lake and we took care of the music and played the show. It went well! The Band consisted of Randy McAllister, Matt Woodburn, Joe Savage & Brian "H Bomb" Ferguson (my rhythm section partner & Drummer w/ Mike Morgan & The Crawl.)
However...., once done with the soundcheck and later, after the show, I found myself drawn to my dream. I found the original stage section and stood upon the spot where I felt most certain the Band stood Feb 2,1959. Visions of Buddy, Waylon, Tommy Allsup & Carl Bunch came to my mind as I tried to transport myself back in time. Gazing out across the hall it looked like it could have been in 1959 even though directly straight from the stage are these replications of Buddy Holly's face from the GIANT lp cover. Buddy is ever present there. As I am thinking to myself as I gawk at it all:"Dang Buddy..." All alone on stage, I hear this faint accappella reverberated voice sing.... "we-a-hell the little things you-hoo say and do...make me wah-hant to be with yoo-a-hoo - Raaaave On - it's a crazy feeling!".... It just chilled me to the bone. Whoah! No foolin'.
A few minutes later after the band ate, it was time to get ready for the show.... the show kicks off in 45 minutes. Right before the doors opened, there wasn't anywhere to appropriately change my clothes as our dressing room was occupied by female family guests. So I jaunted off to the "little Bass players room" and changed there. Doo-ed up the hair...sprayed it and pomped it up! "Cooool Daddy...yeah!" So.... almost being stage call I recounted to myself that these bathrooms look just like "old-timey pissholes...urinals and all."
The following occured exactly as it happened...just the facts.
Tending to my pre-show bladder relief and as I am looking up checking things out with heavy thoughts of Buddy Holly on my mind seeking connection, over the years (as I am a spiritual zealot always feeling spiritually guided by transcended musicians with Buddy being one) I have often focused upon certain musics and aspects of music while in meditation, knowing that some things that seem impossible, find a way to manifest themselves to those who are cosmically attuned. Maya keeps the world shrouded to the real truths. Thosed hipped to my jive here will find no problem understanding what I am saying.
So...focusing on my 1 activity, all alone in the mens room at THE SURF, my back to the door...., I feel a friendly swat to my glutomus-maximus which caught me at a suprise! A sort of, "Have a good show Recob." I turn around to see which member of Randy's Band playfully swatted my buttocks only to find the room still completely......EMPTY! The strangest chill over came me (confirmation - if you will) that something cosmically had just occured. We have all heard stories in our lifetimes about people saying that "In my moment of need, I felt the hand of an Angel on my back or on my shoulder" that just left me with a feeling that some ultimately "cool & hip" presence let themself be known to me.
Fact is.... I knew what it was... do you?
All the way back from Iowa I toyed with the idea of writing the story of last night like this but, with a few embellishments. One of which was when I looked back to see who smacked my plank, I saw a green and grey astral apparition of Buddy Holly. I thought..."Nope, that's dumb." So instead, I have just decided to tell it to you straight.
That's what happened. Straight up!
And as Buddy would say......"Well, All Right!"