my checkered past
For weeks I’ve been noticing little things and thinking, “I should blog about that,” and then never do. One of the things I’ve been thinking about is posting some MP3s of unreleased material from bands I’ve been in. It only seems fair that if I’m shooting my mouth off about music all the time that you, the reader, should have some idea where I’m coming from.
This morning I got an email from a DJ looking for local band material to use for an upcoming radio show. I had been thinking about uploading one of these songs anyway, so it’s an excuse to go ahead and do something to snap out of the no-blog syndrome I’ve been stuck in.
Incidentally, the DJ is Barry Lee and you can hear his broadcast this coming Sunday at 1 pm on KKFI, 90.1 on your FM dial. Or you can stream it from kkfi.org.
The first cut is from a band I was in for many years, the 4 Sknns. We recorded a number of times, but nothing has ever been released. This track is from a live album recorded over Thanksgiving weekend 1992 at Blayney’s in Westport, a bar where we played regularly for many years. It’s a tiny little basement bar, with a ceiling maybe seven feet high at the most, and if there are a hundred people there it’s very crowded.
If I remember right, this was recorded by Chris Bauer on his 16-track machine, and probably mixed by Guido and Chris. Personnel are: Guido Toledo, guitar, keyboards and vocals; Gary Charlson, acoustic guitar and vocals; Richard Streeter, bass and vocals; and me on drums.
Medley from Tommy (I’m Free, Pinball Wizard, We’re Not Gonna Take It, See Me Feel Me) running time 9:06, 14.8 MB file
The other cut is from a band called Everyday People. In early 1989, after cutting the basic tracks for The Rainmakers’ third album at Cherokee Studio in Hollywood, the rest of the band went to Austin for overdubs and I went back to Kansas City to rest and relax a couple months. So of course I started a band (actually I needed the money). I got Gary and Richard from the 4 Sknns and my girlfriend at the time, Sharon, to play some gigs around town. We were horribly uncommercial, because we only did songs we liked—stuff like Jules Shear, The Bears, The Reivers, Let’s Active—you get the idea. Or more likely, you don’t. We didn’t care, we just played the shit out of some really good songs.
This was recorded to my little 4-track cassette Portastudio (live sound by Rick Starr), so it’s not surprising the mix leaves something to be desired. I don’t even know who mixed it—it’s entirely possible I did at some point. Richard found the cassette and I digitized it into Pro Tools.
What I particularly like about this track is that, again in Blayney’s, with maybe 40 people there, Gary sings like he’s in front of a stadium crowd. Plus, it’s one of my favorite songs from the first Translator album.
Personnel: Gary Charlson, electric guitar and vocals, Richard Streeter, bass guitar and vocals; Sharon Ward, acoustic guitar; me, drums. Can you tell I had spent the previous six months playing to a click track? Those drums are in time, for better or worse.
Everywhere I’m Not running time 4:08, 6.8 MB file
Comments
Thanks for sharing. :)
Posted by: Ellen | June 14, 2006 05:08 PM
Pat,
I'm going to post a link to this to the KS & KC Genone Rockers newsgroup. Thanks for making the music available. Can a 4sknns CD be next???
Posted by: Bill Lee | June 15, 2006 07:59 AM
Loved the songs. Been wanting to hear something by the 4sknns forever, the only Rainmakers related band that I have heard at least a snippet of. Any more going to be forthcoming?
Posted by: Rik | June 15, 2006 08:28 AM
Pat,
You need to do this more often. Always up for unreleased vintage stuff from the KC area. Thanks!
Posted by: razor | June 15, 2006 08:54 AM
Wow, I didn't know anybody still read this blog....
As for a 4 Sknns CD, the idea surfaces every once in a while, but who knows if we'll get it together?
Guido has all the master tapes (this is from cassette) and even has a record label, Grownup Records. But it's a lot of work to put together a CD.
When Gary checked into booking a 4 Sknns reunion gig earlier this year, there was very little interest from any of the clubs for hosting it. So we figured our time has come and gone....
Oh, and thanks, Bill, for posting to the mailing list!
Posted by: Pat | June 16, 2006 01:42 PM
Those were fun to listen to!
Posted by: Andrea | June 17, 2006 12:57 PM
Thanks for sharing these tidbits of your past. Years ago, I had a nice board tape of a 4Sknns tape from Blayney's (1985?). That's been lost to the mists of time but now I have reminders of those days to keep me company here in Thailand...
Posted by: Mark Jochim | June 28, 2006 06:17 PM
Thanks, Mark. That's an interesting blog you have!
Posted by: pat | June 28, 2006 07:29 PM
I would dearly love to get my hands on any kind of recording of the 4SKNNS. I was there, at Blayney's every Wednesday, every St. Patrick's Day in the 80s, chugging Coors Light, eating pizzas from the vendor outside in Westport and dancing my arse off with my friends. We had some times, back then. All we cared about was the music and the unique way the 'Skins' covered the songs I was too young to have remembered. But now, my memories are of Guido and Gang and how he and his band of offbeat musicians helped me through some very bad times in my life. I live in the Rockies now, but I would go back to KC any time and hear my favorite band--not because they are the best but because they had an attitude now past, of just livin', playin' and having a hell of a good time with the last golden age in rock. If the SKNNS ever and I mean ever do another gig, please let me know and I will be there. Much respect to Renee and all the old gang I have lost over time. I miss you all.
Cheers,
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff | November 16, 2006 09:18 PM
Jeff, I'll email you offline about getting you copies of the 4 Sknns stuff I have.
You may also be interested in the 4 Sknns reunion gig, at Blayney's in Westport February 3, 2007. I'll have more details on that as we get closer to the time.
Posted by: pat | November 23, 2006 10:58 AM