April 7, 1967 (Merced)
New! 8/29/11 I was able to locate copies of the Modesto flyer and I am working on getting quality scans of it. show was headlined by Love,The Doors, Eisage from Modesto and Infinity from Turlock. Held at the Modesto Skate Arena.
Merced Music 
I was sixteen at the time. Myself and the rest of the members of the group were still in high school.
The local promoter,Vincent Lavery (VJ productions) was our manager at the time.
Two months prior to the gigs on the poster , we opened for the Doors in Modesto Ca at the Ice rink.
They actually weren’t the headliners on that bill.
Love was the featured act.
The Doors of course stole the show. They blew everyone, including Love, right off the stage.It was interesting to see the looks on the 13 year old girls in the front row watching Jim hump the Microphone stand. They looked intrigued and horrified at the same time.
On that gig the local music store provided all the amplification.
They set up Vox Super Beatle Amps and vocal amplification.
In that day that was the priciest stuff you could get.
I recall during the last part of “The End”, Robby picked up the amp head and dropped it to the ground.
The spring reverb in those amps would produce a thunderlike effect when you did that.
The owner of the music store was at the front of the stage screaming/pleading for him to stop.
Kind of funny.
The Turlock gig is a bit fuzzy to me but I remember the Merced gig .
In Merced, Morrison was pretty much as drunk as possible and the other 3 looked as though
they smoked some very good stuff or were on Acid.
The venue was the American Legion hall and it had, I believe, a baby grand onstage which belonged to the hall.
On one number, in a full rage of chaos Jim jumped on top of the grand piano (which of course didn’t belong to him)
and started stomping on it with his boots. a total wild man in a frenzy.
Completely unleashed…….
I thought to myself, wow …….can he really do that?
Apparently so……he was doing it and no one was stopping him.
Prior to the gig Morrison was slumped in a folding chair and I complemented him on the look of their album cover and I also said that I couldn’t find it in too many stores.
He only spoke two words to me………………………….”YOU WILL”.
Their performances on those 3 gigs were outstanding.
Val Kilmer and the rest of the actors in Olivers Stone’s “The Doors” movie really nailed it as they captured the whole vibe at that time.
A few months later “Light My Fire” zoomed up the charts and they became mega famous.
I saw them at the Mount Tamalpais and by then they had rows of Jordan amplifiers of which they were endorsing.
Jim was just TOO drunk to be coherent, and they pretty much sucked at that gig .
They were not in sync at all…… Kind of sad…….
People were raving about them and they never got to see them in their true element.
It’s funny how they sounded better using our equipment versus their brand new gear of their own.
Anyway ..that’s about all I remember…..
I’m glad I got to witness them in their prime though………………..
Tom Aragon
http://soundclick.com/tomaragon
Thanks Tom!
I was a “horrified and intrigued” 15 year old girl in the front row at those Merced Doors’ shows. The concept of that beautiful, dark-haired man out front in black leather pants (with apparently no underwear) was just about too much for my 15 year old virgin heart, mind, and body! I stood there, totally mesmerized. I could not look away, even when my boyfriend was talking to me…so he left! I had no idea I was witnessing rock history, all I knew for sure was I wanted to be there for every note, every sight, every smell. And so I was.
I saw your Turlock gig. I had already seen the Doors at the Fillmore. Great night at Turlock Fairgrounds. I remember your lead singer had a sore throat so he was sucking on green lozenges all night (Chloraseptic?). So when he sang, he had this green tongue. Nice effect for those weird times. I am glad I saw Morrison before he became to consistently drunk. I saw him at the Fillmore again a few months later and he was useless. His manager and Bill Graham were at the foot of the stage not far from me, yelling at Morrison to sing or do something besides wave the microphone cord like it was a snake. Manazerk finally started singing and that seemed to alert Morrison as to what he was supposed to be doing. Ironically it was their opening song of the set: “When the Music’s Over”.
The Kids we played with them Jim was wild but not out of control wild. 4 months later at Mt.Tamalpais , I thought Jim had taken it too far sadly…..it only got worse
Any info about Bob & Mona Caywood?
Sir,
Please see “The Merced Bands” for a couple of pics of Bob.
I’m still considering whether I will add Mona.
Hey Michael
Am thoroughly enjoying the Merced music chronicles that you have organized so well and published for all to see and reflect on. I was at many of the valley concerts Doors, Quicksilver, Airplane, Big Brother, Moby Grape, Grassroots, Charlatans, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Mojo Men and others but the one that made the biggest impression on me was my first real rock concert with Them, Love, and Leaves in Modesto. We traveled form Merced in a black hearst that was purchase from the Reinero’s by Ms. Baker-Alice and Kathy Dalrymple’s mother. The motley group included Renee Reinero, Kathy and Alice, Steve Gosset, Marv Greenley and I think Steve Walsteadt. As I remember Marvin could not get a ticket so he sat in the car all night smoking cigarettes and making comments about everyone being a fag.
I was really young at the time and hadn’t even started ‘turning on’, so I didn’t know what to expect. The venue was a theater with individual seating and no real open space for dancing or moving around so everyone sat politely in seats and watched as the bands performed. The first groups were great, sounded like their songs on the radio and we sat in our seats and ‘rocked out’. But when THEM came on it was a different vibe. They had a lightshow and Van Morrison moved all over the stage, unlike the previous bands and they had a flute player that made their sound unique even ‘trippy’ when compared to the others. I basically sat in my chair mesmerized and experienced my first ‘natural acid’ high and walked out saying they were weird. On the ride home the comments ranged from “they’re ahead of their time” to “I think they were ‘smoking grass’ or were ‘on drugs’ or something”.
It’s amazing how the first of anything real good leaves a lasting impression. That first concert wet my appetite for all the great music that came after. And I’m grateful that I was able to enjoy that era of music and live to talk about it 40 years later. Thanks again for keeping those memories alive through mercedmusic.wordpresscom.com
Chao,
Mike Kennedy – Many thanks for bringing all of this information together. I get emails asking me if I had this group and that group – Please allow me to name all of the groups that VJ Production brought to the Central Valley – as I remember -: The Doors – four times, – Eric Burdon and the Animals, Love, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Sam the Sham and the Pharoes, The New Breed, Them with Van Morrisson, in concert at the Strand Theater in Modesto, 23 July, 1966 with: The Immediate Family, The Ratz, The Canadian Fuzz, The Nimitz Freeway, Peter Wheat and the Breadmen, The Grassroots,……. also The Kitchen Sink, Charlie Musslewhite’s South Side Sound System, Infinity, Hair, The Plastic Explosion, The Horizontal Trip, Mothers Harvest, Moby Grape, The Flaming Groovies, Sunday Punch Blues, – Walt Trinidade, The Lavender Hill Mob, Roosters, Mourning Reign, The Collage, Mother’s Harvest, Bo Diddley, Michelle and the Mademoiselles,Thee Sixpence, Janis Joplin, (Lights by Ben McKenzie) Good Togther Happy Times Band, Question: Was “Brown Eyed Girl – The New Breed?, and others – help fill in the missing – thanks! And of course for me it all started with a band from Castle Air Force Base called “The Eckos” And of course Richard DeLong, Jamie Murdock, C.O. Williams, (Jim Parber, Campi, incredibly tallented poster makers – and M. Kennedy – Spiritual Adviser.!!!!!)) all helped to make it happen – And of coursed The Record Rendezvous on 17th Street in Merced, and Julio’s mens clothing store, and Cecily Muratore – Records by Twilight, McHenry Village, Modesto, as soon as I send this message I know I will remember other bands and individuals who helped make VJ Productions a small part of the California music scene from 1965 to 1968. Peace and friendship to all Vincent J. Lavery A.K.A. V.J. Incidentally a band in Dublin has asked me to manage them – I am meeting with them shortly to see if they have what it takes to enter this very ruthless business.
Hi Vince, long time no see. This is Andy Derrick. Greg Gaffney and I lived in the apartment below you on I believe H street. I was also in the Ekos with Bob Kaywood and Greg for a short time. I still have a poster My cousin Randy Mitchell did for you – The Doors as Aqua Sign 722-1812, I can post. I still remember the red parachute you had hanging in your living room.
Oop-s~! I forgot The Strawberry Alarm Clock what else? V.J.
How about the Music Machine? (Talk Talk)
Hello All: Yes “The Music Machine.” Particular memories: I will never forget “the first” light show brought into Merced. The operator mixed his oils from the balcony of the Legion Hall – I will never forget the faces on the young peoploe as they walked in and saw the Legion ablaze in colors. There was one young couple – 15 or 16 years old -and as they walked in they held hands and stood in the doorway of the hall for at least two minutes beofe they moved. Any other memories? Vincent J. Lavery, Dublin
Infinity opened for Music Machine at that gig……..the guys were very friendly…..We actually already did Talk Talk and I think they found that somewhat amusing……great song and a great overdrive tone on the bass which was missing during their performance. I asked them about that and they said the pedal was custom made but blew up prior to that gig….we all laughed….
The Electric Prunes?
I was at almost all the these concerts and when I tell the younger generation today they can’t believe this ever happened in the little town of Merced, great memories and I do remember the Big Brother concert in particular as I watched Janis Joplin sing, I knew I was witnessing something great. Jim Morrison was chugging whiskey back stage and was an untamed force. What a time for us then. Thanks for reminding me what greatness I experienced so long ago.
As you know, my Dad, Greg, recently passed. He left behind so much great art, and I spent so much time in his home digging around for these posters. Thank you so much for posting them! I’m not sure how many times in my life I have heard the story of my Dad hanging out with The Doors. Many, many, many!!!
I would love to have copies of the posters. Believe it or not we actually had one at one time, not sure what happened to it. There must be some out there somewhere.
OK…so at the first Doors show, I was elbows on the stage next to a guy who I don’t remember. When they were playing The End, (I think), Jim was back in the shadows squirming around as the music grew and thundered. When when the big scream was due, Morrison ran forward, slipped on some spilled beverage, slid like a baseball player and planted the heel of his beatle boot right between the eyes of my neighbor. He was knocked back, but came up grinning. If memory serves me right, Morrison finished the song laying on the stage, his face a few feet from mine. I had no idea I was witnessing rock and roll history…but a few months later I was wearing a v-necked sweater with a single string of beads, along with my valour hiphuggers from Julio’s.
What about the Count Five at the Italian American Lodge? Also, the Goliwogs (later Creedence) had a tune “Brown Eyed Girl” I remember them being upstaged by the opening act, Crystal Syphon.
Hey Les, I definitely remember you, Greg Parle and the other members of your excellent band Sea of Grass. Your Atwater-based group and mine The London Fog both played at a Battle of the Bands outside of the Castle AFB Teen Center. Your drummer Bob Schrieber was the older brother of our lead guitarist and vocalist Jimi. Our other members were Billy (a.k.a. Chuck) Busic bass, Eric Rasmussen percussion, John perryman rhythm (his older brother Danny played in Nimitz Freeway) and me keyboards (and my older brother Mike played bass for the Scimitars.) The London Fog also opened a VJ concert for Count Five like you guys, but ours was at the Italian American Hall in Merced (small world, isn’t it?!) Speaking of small world, in the last London Fog concert we ever played, Mike Cobb played lead guitar and Norman Orr sang vocals. I too remember that Dooor concert in Merced… Morrison sure put on quite the show! Good to hear from you, Troy Burke
Troy,
Yes, speaking of a small world: I was 12-13 at Castle A.F.B. during that time. (My dad was the brigadier general and division commander at Castle.) I was a guitar player. Had a cheap Guyatone electric guitar and Guyatone amp in 1967. No real band at that age but I ‘jammed’ with kids in our family room that was a former garage. One kid was a drummer named Russell Parr. Younger than I, maybe 11 at the time. Google him. Russell is a famous DJ and comedian now. Such a great time; so young and totally getting into the growing music scene.
Anyway, I was at that battle of the bands with London Fog and Sea of Grass. I, of course, remember Mr. Schreiber ran the teen club. (He loved that trampoline!) I remember Jimmy (Jimi?) Schreiber, his son, as a pretty decent guitar player. He probably was 17 or so at that time. Remember him being sorta small? Maybe…it has been 50 turns of the calendar now here in March 2017. (Thought he was to join some semi-famous band…like The Electric Prunes? Vaguely remember his father bragging on something to that effect.) Moving on to a related note, I saw my first ‘real’ rock group in Merced in the spring of 1968…Eric Burdon and The New Animals. Awesome time and memory, including the violin player’s vividly purple Converse tennis shoes. Atwater/Merced were happenin’ towns fifty years ago.
We left Castle in August 1968 for Taiwan and by October 1968 I had my first band, doing our first gig ever (also at a teen club) in January 1969. Our name? London Fog! You were influential! We knew 12 songs and dragged ’em out! An awesome start, as I have played and sang in bands ever since (although my last gig was in December 2013). Defining theme and activity of my lucky life.
John Des Portes
Tucson, Arizona
I was in a band out of Atwater not yet mentioned at the time of the Merced American Legion Hall Doors concert, “The Sea of Grass.” We did a lot of shows for Vincent Lavery, including opening for Sopwith Camel at the Legion Hall and Count Five at the ice skating rink in Modesto, during my tenure in 1966 and 1967. Musicians were Bill Robinson (guitar, keys, vocals), Gregg Parle (guitar, vocals), Bob Schreiber (drums), and myself, Les Lizama, on bass and vocals.
We we in the wings stage right at the Legion hall during the Doors April 1967 show, possibly as “backstage guests” of Vince, since we were one of “his” bands. Morrison was electric…I had never seen a performer crawl up on the gear and leap, literally, OVER Manzarek’s keyboard to the stage.
After graduating from Awater High, college in Santa Barbara, and a year in Canada with the band “Bro,” I made it back to California, settled in the Bay Area, and my next performance, and, possibly, next visit, to the Merced American Legion Hall was during my stint with Eddie Money in 1976, before he signed with Bill Graham.
I remember the graffiti “Sea of Grass” in dripping white paint on an ancient concrete block off the road to Exchecker dam. It was there for years…maybe still is. Sparrow told me he did it.
You are right, Steve, our guitarist, Gregg Parle, was one of the co-conspirators on that piece of grafitti…meant to honor our Atwater-based band, which lived about 1965 to 1968. Bill Robinson on guitar and keys, Bob Schreiber on drums, and me on bass rounded out the group, with Mike Cobb picking up the bass duties when I went off to UCSB in the fall of 1967. Gregg was particularly proud of the location of the tag, which, as I understand it, was quite hard to reach, shimmying out on a ledge to get to that piece of leftover trestle, but was perfect for viewing from the road. I don’t suppose they are particularly worried about getting busted at this point, since we both just blew their cover. Atwater bands live on! :o)
Duh…sorry about re-stating the band data, readers… I wasn’t paying attention to the source of the thread. I’m not that senile yet!
Didn’t VJ Presents bring a few other bands to the valley that are not on his list?…like the Mojo Men, the Grassroots and the Leaves…
Last week – July 13, 2012m – a second cousin took me to the O2 in Dublin to see Paul Simon – packed out house 15,000 – at $120 a seat – (what recession?) They played two nights and then departed for England. Part of the show was the Graceland gig. My last concert in Fresno, California in 2005 was Crosby, Stills and Nash – I sat stage left up in the “gods” with my sign saying “No war in Iraq” for the entire concert – as Crosby was leaving the stage he gave me the peace sign – and walked off the stage – he returned and gave it a second time! The memory will live with me for ever. Talk to you soon. Vincent Lavery, A.K.A. —-V.J. Dublin, Ireland – Email: vjlavery@yahoo.com
Great Story Vince! Thank You so much for sharing……..
Tom Aragon
Probably my most notable gig was playing a spontaneous ad-lib drum solo the length of the long beach parade with greg elmore playing tom tom, lee michaels playing tuba or trombone, (he used to do both} and eddie rodriquez on trumpet back in 61.. the following spring we had a free band period in the afternoon as well as one before school started. so we used to jam. it was something mike olsen wanted to do. he would play guitar, greg elmore on drums, me on keyboards or drums, eddie rodriquez and melvin boyd on guitar. i was the first chair drummer but because greg was a year ahead and my best friend at the time, i stayed away from playing the kit because the concept of two drummers was unheard of at that time and i was a totally shy dude anyway. i already knew michael lee because he lived down the street from me growing up and he showed me how good he could play keyboards when he was still a little boy. something he hid from everyone growing up and all through high school. he was a musical prodigy he could play almost any instrument. i sat on that piano bench next to him in the garage they lived in and was totally amazed at how good he was. lee graduated ahead of us and was giving music lessons at the record rendevoux and started going pro. then greg and eddie formed the brogues and i remember greg talking about how lee might hook up with them.
instead the war hit, eddie went to nam and greg and gary cole went to the city as did i in the fall of 65. longshoremans hall was the place to go in those days and everyone was doing the beatles and stones. during the spring and summer of 66, things started picking up and city bands were getting some press in the chronicle. so in september of 66, i went to see quicksilver, janis, and the dead at the avalon and went to the avalon, fillmore, matrix, california hall every week thereafter. i saw the doors several times during this period and i can tell you that jim morrison was very laid back at the avalon. he really showed a lot of respect to the place which means he was very humble out front.. so when i heard the doors were playing in merced in the spring of 67, i had to come home just to check it out and to see if anything was happening in merced like it was in the city. i remember running into someone i knew who was hanging out with this girl named mona who had been partying with jim morrison either before or after the show. he invited me to this house on 140 with a tankhouse after the show and i met this mona person there and a few years later on haight street. that merced show was the best doors performance i had seen. jim really put on a show. the energy that night was unmistakable, the sixties had arrived to merced. i think that guy was marvin greenlee but i can’t remember for sure being fellow drummers, i used to run into marvin until the mid 70’s.
i could tell greg was having a hard time back in the day and i was there the first time lee played the fillmore. i could see how the scene at that time was just blowing his mind. something he didn’t need. he already was the real deal. jim and janis didn’t fare too well either. not everyone could handle the shift in identity. all these people are legends to me and not really much different from each other. janis was just like any girl from winton and jim was a military brat just like greg was as his dad was stationed at castle. so just be careful what you dream, it just might come true.
Richard, really enjoyed your article above..we ran very close to each other at the time, and I don’t remember being aware of it, other than I knew you from highschool, and knew Sybil and your dad.
American Legion Hall, Revisited
The stranger’s open hands
found mine
grasped them firmly
pulling me up
on to the backdoor landing
Clothed in black
leather pants
that hung low
clung to narrow hips
encircled by ovals of silver
Long-sleeved white shirt
hugged close to
masculine shoulders
several buttons open
down his chest
Restless curls
wandered his head
wild and free
settling on his collar
Intense cat eyes
almost golden
hungry with curiosity
took my temperature
With self-satisfied smile
he purred
“Hey Honey,
What ya doing here?”
Suddenly self-conscious
I mumbled something
about my old man
being in the opening band
“Too bad”
his lips pursed into pout,
showing me to a chair
That night so long ago at the American Legion Hall
hand in hand with a guy
whose name I can’t recall
lost in a universe of faces
on a darkened dance floor
one beam of light
shone on the Vee-Jay announcer
“ Time has come to welcome
here from L.A.
with their hit ‘ Light My Fire’
topping the charts
Let’s hear it for…The Doors”
Like a clap of thunder
the drums thumped solitary
as strobe lights flashed
the electric harpsichord played the intro
as the young man
in tight leather pants
leapt onto stage
like a panther
microphone in hand
It is only now
in the luxury glint
of recorded history
I realize how closely
I had come
to being devoured
Cindy Jones
Oh, my, Cindy…the temperature just went up several degrees in here. That was a perfectly poetic description of that night, beautifully composed, charged with youthful, wild, energy, and in ideal Morrison style. He was just that kind of magnetic warlock…and the guys felt it as well as the ladies.
I was there at Modesto Skating Rink….my friend’s mother owned the McHenry Music store, so she had a few tickets….we were so young, she came with us! Came to see Love, and since Doors came out before Love, we started to walk out before they started playing as we say they had no bass player! Then they started playing (forget what song) and we RAN back in just before we walked out the door. Couldn’t have been more than 100 people there! Blew us away….beautiful performance, got to hang with Jim and Desmore for awhile backstage……not drunk or too stoned……never forgot those memories
Hello: Sent 29 January, 2019 – to all of those young people (that is of course “young at heart”.) who attended V.J. Concerts in the Merced Legion Hall, The Italo-American Hall and the Merced County Fair Grounds and the Turlock Veterans Memorial and the Modesto Theatre and halls in Los Banos, Atwater, Le Grand, Modesto – The Pussy-Cat-A go-go” where the Eckos performed for the first time in the public arena. I remember packing the gear into the back of my old Chevy and hearing Gary Shover shout out loud – “This is our first major gig on the road.” And I am pretty sure once in Madera.
Greatest memories “The Doors” in Merced – 81 people in the audience, Janis Joplin, Bo Didley – Richard DeLong and friends (C.O. Williams.) brought Bo Didley – Sham the Sham and the Pharoes, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Ratz, Peter Wheat and the Bread Men, Joan Baez in conjunction with somebody else, Love, Van Morrison and Them, The Gollywogs, Infinity, The Young Rascals, Quick Silver Messenger Service, the all female band – O! the name slips me for the moment – I have a poster at home -will check it out and add later (four or five words in their name.)
I will never forget the first Light Show – brought in from San Francisco, the oils – the colours, a couple boy and girl 15 or 16 years old as they walked into the Legion Hall – I will never forget their expression as they looked on the walls and ceiling.
The police who could not quite figure out how prior to V.J. dances/concerts many dances ended up in fights after the beer was consumed and with V.J. productions all was quiet and friendship and harmony.
I never made any money on the concerts – I was not interested in doing so -as I recall the Modesto Concert with Love and Them – cost 6 to 7 thousand dollars – after bills paid I made $49.
Enough-
I am now 83 years old and hope that V J. Productions brought some joy and peace to your soul.
Your presence brought happiness to me – this I know.
Peace and friendship – and please get involved/organise in getting rid of you know who in 2020 (I can hardly say/write his name in this message.) out of the White House – what a nightmare.
Vincent J. Lavery
A.K.A. “V.J.”
Dublin, Ireland
Hello Vince, my memories of those concerts are one of my favorite of all, I loved them all and thank you so much for providing them. You also instructed my sister and I in catechism classes for our conversion to the Catholic faith. Glad to hear from you and God bless. Both Doors concerts in Merced and Big Brother with Janis Joplin were my favorites.
Sent 31 January, 2019 Dear Carol:
Truly great to her from you and read your memories.
Yes I remember teaching Catholic Doctrine to students on I believe it was Sunday morning at Our Lady of Mercy/Victory? Catholic Church in Merced.
A quick note.
My last class in which the priest – not Monsignor Peterson – came into the classroom as I was talking to the students.
I was telling the students, boys and girls – aged 15 to 18 that I found it rather difficult to believe that an all merciful God would send a young girl to hell to burn for ever and ever for eating meat on Fridays or send a young boy to hell for ever and ever for masturbating on Saturday.
I guess the visiting priest did not like my take on teaching Catholic Doctrine because I never got invited back again.
Love – peace and friendship
Vincent J. Lavery A.K.A. V.J.
Dublin, Ireland.
A great story. I’m so glad I am a product of that era, we were so fortunate to have lived and experienced the very best music ever by timeless artists whose music will live on far beyond our time here.
Take care friend.
You are definitively the Man with the vision many will carry to the grave and in the silence recast these memories
Vince. Glad to hear you are still alive and doing well. I spoke with Ray Manzarek not long before he died. He had little recollection of Merced. No surprise! Ha ha.
Sent: 30 January, 2019
Dear John:
Great to hear from you. I agree Ray Manzarek probably had little recollection of Merced – for two reasons – one when they performed the first gig in Merced at the Legion Hall they were known only in the Los Angeles area – “The Whiskey A-Go-Go” and “The London Fog.”
Some seven days after the performed in Merced – they went nation/planet wide with “Light M y Fire” and
another big hit which name escapes me at the moment.
I will leave the ~”second reason” up to your own imagination!!!!
Please tell me how you had contact with Ray and what your memories are. Sounds fascinating”.
I wrote him – after years trying to get an address – but he died a few months later.
Peace and friendship
Vincent J. Lavery
Dalkey, County Dublin
Ray split a bill with a slide guitarist named if all things Roy Rogers in a cool but very small venue in Redwood City named the Little Fox.
He held a Q&A after. He was pretty full of himself. I got to go in stage with them in Merced as the DJ who got fired for playing their album. I was playing it unauthorized by KYOS from an album a friend brought up. He lived in Venice and knew a few of them. Thought we were doing them a favor until Ross McGowan tossed me ! Lol
Vincent, nice to see your post. Haven’t been on this site for quite awhile. I played bass and harp in the London Fog when you managed the band. Played the Legion Hall shortly after the doors gig when we opened up for 13th Floor Elevator. Hope you are doing well.
Billy (Chuck) Busic
Hello Billy: Great to her from you. Sent: 28 May, 2019
I will be in Fresno from 17 June, 2019 to approximately 9 July, 2019. There is a reunion of students from Fresno State who were involved in protesting the Vietnam War etc back in the 60s and early 70s. Some good friends in the peace and justice community have purchased a round trip ticket for my visit – I cannot wait to meet up with them. How very kind of them. I returned to Ireland in 2006 – not the wisest thing I ever did but what the heck we are allowed one major mistake in a lifetime!!!!
If there is any way that a few of us from those music days in Merced could get together for an afternoon/evening during the above time frame – it would be great. I do not know how to start organising such a gathering from Dublin. Any ideas?
Peace and friendship Vincent J. Lavery A.K.A V.J. Dublin, Ireland Mobile: 011 353 85 777 3 999
I’m not sure I’m much help on a reunion set up but would love to spend some time visiting while you’re here. Maybe Billy knows how to reach some of these folks.
Sent from my iPhone
>
vince, so glad you are doing well! thanks for all the great memories. i try to explain to my kids how lucky we were to have such great music in little old merced and all the great musicians and artist that that came out of the area. thanks for all you did to entertain us on a weekly basis. god bless and good health.
Sent: 31 January, 2019.
Dear Chris: Many thanks for your wonderful message.
Yes – I doubt if any town across the United States of America with a population of 36,000 people as I recall, ever before or after had such national, local and international bands perform.
I recall going down to Los Angeles – and visiting that circular building that had, as I recall “CAPITOL RECORDS” on the top and visiting with one of the major label managers on the 18th floor – the higher up you went in the building, the more palatial the carpets and the furniture became as I descended by foot.
I told the giant promoter I wanted to sign “Eric Burton and the Animals” to perform in Merced, California. He looked at me and said: “WHERE?”
Chris we must never forget the 60s in the history of the United States will be/should looked upon as the most – devastating, awesome, frightening, unsettling, oddest, weirdest, violent, time changing, value changing, decade in the nation’s history. Needless to remark the decade of the 1860s also holds unique historical events.
Please keep in touch and share your memories.
Peace land friendship
Vincent J. Lavery A.K.A. V.J.
Dublin, Ireland
Well said Vincent. Hope to come to Ireland again one day. Hope you are still there.
Sent: 31 January, 2019
Hello John: Nobody hopes more than I do “that I am still t/here!!!!!!
Vincent
Ha ha. Last I saw you was at a mass in Fresno. I was with Grainne I’flynn at the time. You actually shushed us for talking too loudly. We probably had it coming.
I also hope to be “there “. Ahem
Sent: 31 January, 2019
Hello John: I do not know if I shared the following story with you and your friends over the years. If I did apologies.
After the first “Doors” gig in Merced I drove the four members of the band to their motel. Ray Manzarek was in the front passenger seat and the remaining members in the back seat. This was on 7 April, 1967.
Ray in a very low voice – so that the other three would not hear him – asked me if I would like to be the manager of “The Doors?”. He went on to say that Jim “needed a father figure because Jim did not get on well with his ‘old man’ and that I seemed like an honest type of person – would I consider being their manager?”. I said I would think about it and let him know at his next gig in Turlock. Ray closed with the following remark and I quote: “If Jim does not get a father figure soon he will be dead within five years.”
Jim died – 3 July, 1971. Four years later.
At the later gig I told Ray I could not because it would mean quitting College and I was 31 years of age and had to finally settle down.
I have often thought – “what if….?”
Vincent
Vince. You had shared part of that story before but not the car ride and Ray’s comments.
Last I saw Ray was with Robby in a gig in 2012 I believe. Not long before he died.
They had a Jim Morrison look alike who was actually much better singer and totally looked the part. Longing for the old days I guess.