CHAPTER 2 – THE GARAGE

The garage made refuge to exploit guitar and amplifier. Turn it on and turn it up. Influence friends and meet your neighbors.

Set up the drums and rally around a set list. The Midnight News made my first band.  Paying gigs offered roadie experience.  Set up the drums and run the set list.  Our first  gigs offered rewards more direct than warming the bench with the junior varsity basketball team. 

Band practice became similar to basketball practice. You learn the skills of your individual position in the role of total team performance.  The test of ability is performance. 

The band transitioned personnel with a name change - Land of Oz – and - first prize in the regional battle of the band. The Land of Oz gave opportunity to travel beyond the confines of an otherwise everyday and mundane routine.

Our travel included a week end of camping and music at a concert called Woodstock.  
Life would never be quite the same.   Country Joe and one – two – three – what are we fighting for?

I joined a New York state of mind and band Ma’s Apple Pie. We were a formidable foursome.  We covered a good set list that included, Santana, Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Steve Miller, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, and the likes.

These were certainly the early influences for any hard rock and roll band of the era.

Melody Maker -----------------Ontario Snow-----------Dixieland--------------Zoofeather