Rave On Archives
July 6, 2000
Speiser Fraud!
Western Maine was rocked on June 7th when it was announced that not only would there be no local performances by former Men at Work drummer Jerry Speiser, but that the skinsman from Oz never had any intention of setting foot in our fair state -or country for that matter! It seems both western Maine and Mr. Speiser are the victims of what will no doubt go down as rock's greatest hoax.
Local promoter Gar Larson became suspicious when he was unable to contact Mr. Speiser's manager Theodore "Tud" Ogelsby after submitting a $10,000 deposit for the tour. " I'm (Expletive deleted)," Larson said. "That (expletive deleted) has essentially taken the food out of my children's mouths, ruined my career and taken a big ol' steaming (expletive deleted) on my face."
Oglesby in Fall of 1999
Ogelsby was apprehended on June 14th in Canton, Ohio and charged with fraud. He faces similar charges in Montana, Vermont and West Virginia for taking deposits and failing to deliver appearances by Garry Puckett and The Union Gap, Duran Duran, Hitler's father's remains and the cast of South Park.
When contacted at his home in Melbourne, Australia Speiser expressed bewilderment at the situation. "What the (expletive deleted) is Western Maine," he asked.
Rave On Editor Hit By Car
Rave On is saddened to announce that longtime editor Perry Shepherd was seriously injured last week when he was struck by a hit and run driver. The incident took place during the the first annual "Dollars For Dylan" charity car wash in the Golden Memories record store parking lot in Shiptown. The event, organized by Shepherd, was staged to collect money for little Dylan Timmins, son of recent western Maine success story Bob Timmins. Dylan and his mother Rhonda were left penniless when Timmins abandoned them and moved to the Boston area with local artist Naomi Russell.
Shepherd was struck from behind by a white Dodge Shadow being driven by car wash volunteer Leon Hepleper of Stonebridge at around 1:35 pm. "Poor bastard never even saw it coming," said eyewitness Julie Drake of West Hoover. "I was just about to eat a handful of the free popcorn shrimp they were giving away when I hears this 'ka-doozsh' followed by a loud thump - the guy was blown right out of his flip-flops."
Shepherd is hunched over in blue shirt moments before the accident
Paramedics were on the scene in minutes and took Shepherd to West Hoover Memorial Hospital where he was placed in traction. He suffered a broken leg and wrist and a torn pelvis. A search is underway to locate Hepleper who is thought to be in the vicinity of Canada. West Hoover police chief Craig Trempkin had no comment on rumors regarding the possible involvement of Bob Timmins in the crime.
News and Notes
Bob Timmins has been hard at work on his first album, and it’s without his longtime backing band The Bob Timmins Band. And apparently Bob is planning some doozy. "I’m putting out a three CD set called PORTRAITS. It’s a concept album, which is something that I’ve always wanted to do. The story is about a boy named Robby, who grows up to be a famous rock star, and it goes into how he deals with the trials and tribulations of fame, like his greedy wife and his jealous bandmates. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t just a little autobiographical."
Timmins hopes to mount an extensive national tour behind the record. "I’m not gonna half-ass this either," he told RAVE ON. "I’m gonna pull out all the stops – a percussionist, horn section, black choir, explosions, lights, lasers, the whole deal. It’ll be comparable to Pink Floyd’s THE WALL tour." Timmins hopes to record the album and hit the road immediately after landing a major label recording contract in the next two weeks.
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After a long absence, "toilet rock" is back on the western Maine scene. A trio out of West Hoover called TURD BURGLAR have been making quite a bit of noise of late. "Our shows are so fucking outrageous, it’s not funny," drummer Tighty Whitey told RAVE ON. "Going apeshit is our number one priority." With songs like "Pink Piston" and "Two All-Beef Patties, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Cheese, Pickles, Onions and a Sesame Seed Bun (That I Just Wiped My Ass With)", they shouldn’t fail to shock and offend audiences – which is exactly how they want it. "Man, I just want to make people laugh, make them puke, whatever," singer Vomitus Toilet Seat added. "We’re so outrageous!" Look for a debut CD-R from the band CREAMY S*IT SOUP, later this year. The band promises that it will include their "outrageous" covers of the Britney Spears hit "Oops… I Did It Again" and the theme from the television program SURVIVOR.
TB's Tighty Whitey
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WHHK, "The Hard Rock of Western Maine and More" has changed formats yet again. Re-christened "Lutheran Folk 99.7", the format consists of "popular contemporary and classic Lutheran folk hits from the last fifty years," according to new program director Keith Wailen. "It will fill a void that has been screaming for a station to call their own." This is the fifteenth format change for WHHK in the last six years, which has been known as "Punk 99.7", "Funk 99.7" and "Extreme Classical 99.7" before switching to a hard rock format in March.
The Maine Event
by
Perry Shepherd
First things first, I want to just let all you faithful readers out there know that old Perry isn’t writing this column in my usual manner – sitting at my desk with a hot cup of tea and three Drake’s Swiss Rolls. I’m actually in the Crab Lake Memorial Hospital, laid up in bed, dictating it to my old friend Justin Roykerhark (formerly of The Switch). Justin is lending a hand because I got hit by a car at the Dollars For Dylan charity car wash that I organized to help out Rhonda Timmins put cereal and milk on the breakfast table for little Dylan Timmins. To tell you the truth, I’m not sure who or what hit me, but I remembered being loaded into the back of the ambulance wearing flip-flops, shorts, and an old t-shirt. I was also very sudsy at the time. Not that it’s an important detail, but I’m just starting to get my memory back and every detail I can come up with helps me piece things back together. [I’m editing out about fifteen minutes of Perry talking about how his back has been bleeding – Justin]
One of the things that’s been easing the pain is the western Maine scene’s ascendance to national prominence, as determined by the folks at THE NATIONAL ROCKER magazine. It seems that our little slice of paradise was ranked #404 on the "Top 500 Scenes Across America" poll. Considering the fact that we’ve never made a scratch for the last twelve years, it won’t be long before we’re giving stalwarts like Chicago and Eastern San Antonio a run for their money. Look out, America – western Maine is coming at you!! [Perry just blacked out – we’ll resume the column when he wakes up – Justin]
I guess I’m as hurt as anyone else over the word that a visit from our esteemed colleague from Down Under turned out to be nothing more than a fraud. For the sake of the scene I’d like to apologize if people think I hyped the man’s arrival too strongly before checking out his "manager's" credentials. It’s just that when I heard that Jerry Speiser was heading our way, I got transported back to the day the CD Submarine got in the first shipments of CARGO. Actually back then it was called Platter Puss – they had this sign that was shaped like a giant cat. I remember the mayor of Tillsbury actually requested that the sign be changed – he felt that the sign could either be neon pink or have the giant cat on it, but couldn’t be both. That’s so funny. I remember a cat I used to have when I was little. His name was Whiskers, but I liked to call him Brad, after Boston’s brash bellower Brad Delp. (Perry faded in and out of consciousness, recalling childhood memories while he got his hospital gown changed – Justin]
Oh, where were we? Yeah, I’m sorry about the whole Speiser thing. I can’t remember anything like that happening, not since that guy came through town about fifteen years ago claiming to be Todd Rundgren' s father. But since I took the biggest hit from the Speiser con – Tud Oglesby stole my car and my rare collection of Hard Rock Café memorabilia – if I can forgive and forget, anyone else should be able to. You know what’s funny? That each place calls a sandwich something different. Some people call it a "submarine sandwich", others refer to it as a "hoagie", I’ve even heard it called a "grinder". I wonder if we western Mainers are the only ones to call them "Dudleys"? I doubt it. If you ask me, America won’t be united until we get a standard word for the sandwich figured out. Hey, if we can do it with the hamburger, which was actually called "handburger" by Southerners because it fit into your hand easily and was eaten by picking it up with your hand and bringing it up to your mouth. [I can’t keep doing this – Justin]
June 5, 2000
Aussie Rock Legend To Settle In Western Maine
June 5th Stonebridge, ME
Save-Way might want to stock up on Vegemite, beets and Fosters beer. Western Maine was turned on its ear last week when legendary Men At Work drummer Jerry Speiser came to Stonebridge for a sold out gig at The Borderline Brew Pub. Speiser sent heads reeling when he announced that he and his band The Working Stiffs would be relocating to the Stonebridge area!
"I've been hearing about western Maine since the Business As Usual tour," said Speiser over popcorn shrimp and fries at The Warf in Marshton. "I could never get the guys to agree to play in this neck of the woods. They only wanted to do the big towns." Speiser's first exposure to the delight's of western Maine came when he was hit in the face with a Radar Brothers demo tape as he was leaving the stage at Mass's Great Woods Amphitheater in 1985. "At first I was mad as a quaka in a snake pit," laughs Speiser. "But then I was blown away by the sounds on the tape. I tried to get those guys on the second leg of the Cargo tour but Colin and Greg wanted that douchebag Patty Smythe. Fuck, I'm getting mad just thinking about it."
Speiser plans to base his group out of Stonebridge with an eye on reestablishing his reputation as a rock drummer par excellence. "I didn't play drums for ages after the break-up. I taught a course on business strategies for a few years. When I grew tired of that I knew it was time to put on my sweatbands and muscle shirt and get back behind my kit. I kept hearing how Men At Work were still massive in the States so I thought, 'why not give it a go?' Why not in rock and roll central -western Maine?"
Speiser and The Working Stiffs have a new CD out called "Who Can It Be Down Under?" It's available at Record Rob's in Marshton, The CD Submarine in Stonebridge and Golden Memories in Shiptown. The band's tour dates are as follows:
June 6 Stonebridge ME Borderline Brew Pub
June 7 West Bedford ME Chowder Town
June 8 Bentonton ME Spanky's
June 9 West Hoover ME Venue to be announced
(*This will be the culmination of West Hoover's Jerry Speiser Day Celebration)
June 10 Stonebridge ME Borderline Brew Pub
News and Notes
Who’s that punk band that’s been making an unholy racket at places like VW Hall 32 and Weaver’s? It’s none other than western Maine’s own THE TROUBLEMAKERS. Never heard of them? Not surprising, but you’ve no doubt known these guys through many of western Maine’s progressive rock bands. Lead singer and guitarist Charlie Walsh (Prism, Through the Door Boldly) stated that, "punk is a new and exciting music that’s fun to play. It’s a real kick! Mike (Mike Nancee, drummer for Leonine Masque) lent me a tape of some punk tunes. He thought that maybe we could re-interpret a couple of the songs in a prog-rock style, but I really got excited by the sounds that I heard." Walsh and Nancee brought in fellow artisans Claude Roman (Serpent, Revelation) and David Simmonds (Trident, Revelation [not the same Revelation as Claude’s]) and The Troublemakers were born. "The music is fun to play. It really lets me shut my mind off", Nancee stated. "Hopefully we can organize some sort of punk festival like the ProgFest that we hold at Chamberlain Lake every year"
Troublemaker's bassist David Simmonds
The confusion over the announcement that CSNY will be playing an acoustic concert at Ray’s Clam Palace has been cleared up. The show has been re-listed as Clark, Saltzman, Newlinberger and Yud. "We honestly never gave a thought to the fact that our initials were the same as theirs," Gar Newlinberger says. "Unfortunately the management at Ray’s has a no-refund policy about advance ticket sales. That’s completely out of our hands." "It’s not like people are going to be short-changed by our fucking act," Roderick Saltzman added. "Horace (Clark) and Tab (Yud) have been working their fucking sacks off to make this band work." Saltzman also stated that the original CSNY "take it up the ass" compared to their own mixture of rock and light acoustic funk.
Roderick Saltzman
The West Hoover Palladium for the Finer Arts will hopefully be reconstructed soon, town authorities announced. The concert hall was burned to the ground in an electrical fire last month. For now the West Hoover Players have been moved to West Hoover Middle School, and the West Hoover All-Star Country Jamboree Party has been discontinued indefinitely.
West Binghamton club goers were treated to a prima donna act not seen around these parts since Graham Nash's 1987 performance at Sutter's Saloon, when Bob Timmins Band frontman Bob Timmins walked offstage in the middle of the band's third set at Stoney's in West Binghamton last Thursday...and didn't return. Word is that ever since Timmins and Co. received best band honors from Rave On readers, its leader has been, in the words of one anonymous source, "walking around like he's God's gift to western Maine." Timmins' life seems to have been thrown into disarray soon after the award was announced. "Bob really thinks it's going to be all limos and blow-jobs from here on out," says another source close to the band. "He split from Rhonda (Timmins' wife of 18 years -they have a 6-year old son, Dylan), shaved his beard, got tinted contacts, bought a convertible , painted the words "Onwards and Upwards" on it, and has generally been a complete dick-shine to just about everybody in western Maine."
BTB circa Dec '99. Pettigrew is third from left. Timmins is at far right.
Timmins apparently was displeased with the performance of longtime BTB drummer Stan Pettigrew during the group's rendition of "Mustang Sally." "Bob just turned around, kicked Stan's bass drum over, unplugged his guitar and walked offstage and out the door with Naomi (Russell, West Hoover artist and playwright and Timmins' new love interest)," said an eyewitness. The band, sans Timmins, completed the set but cancelled the next evening's performance at The Borderline Brewpub. Timmins was unavailable to comment on the rumor that he will be teaming up with new western Maine resident Jerry Speiser.
The Maine Event
by
Perry Shepherd
First things first – let me take this opportunity to welcome the very esteemed Mr Jerry Speiser to our humble neck of the woods. I think it’s exciting to have an artist of the magnitude of Mr Speiser coming our way – it really gives the scene the shot in the ass that its needed lately. What with a few of the ugly incidents that have surrounded the scene, it’s a breath of fresh air to have a man with class and dignity arrive on the scene. Memo to Bob Timmins – you could take a few lessons from Mr. Speiser in the "handling fame" department. No offense, Bob, but you haven’t achieved one half of what Jerry has accomplished in his life, and he’s handling his massive fame just fine. Like I always say, take a page from someone who’s gone before you and succeeded. And if Jerry Speiser hasn’t succeeded in the music industry, than I guess nobody has.
The other incident that has given our fair scene a black eye of late involves Dan Muchampico, the bassist and backup singer for local pop/rock act Cherry Tree. From what I heard, Dan was arrested for aggravated phone harassment of something like twelve people. Apparently he kept calling people to talk dirty to them, saying some pretty unspeakable things. Now a friend of mine works on the force and actually saw transcripts of what Dan was (allegedly) saying to these people, and it’s sick stuff. On one call he told this man he was "whipping his pole to the terror in your voice" and told the guy that he wanted to "whitewall his moustache", whatever that means. Dan’s in jail right now, and apparently Cherry Tree are on indefinite hiatus and their track from the upcoming WHHT compilation CD has been removed. My two cents? I’ve always felt that people should do whatever it takes to get them off, but not if it involves hurting or harassing innocent people.
I was also horrified to hear that the Vermont music paper THE VERMONT ELECTRIC GUITAR was sending one of their "writers" up our way to attempt yet another hatchet job on our scene. Nice try, fellas, but take your act somewhere else. Or better yet, why don’t you try and get your own scene going yourselves? Oh no, it would be so much easier to rip apart a scene that’s close by and seems to be doing everything right while your scene sinks into the quagmire that is Vermont. Jealous much, guys? Instead of coming up to western Maine and trying to rip us apart, here’s an idea – come on up, bring a pad and some paper, and make notes on how you can duplicate our success in your neck of the woods. Look, the main thing is the music – I’d like nothing more than to see each and every town have a booming music scene comparable to ours. Even a cesspool like Vermont.
On a final note, I’m proud as punch to announce that I’ll be hosting a charity pancake breakfast and car wash over at the Chowder Hut next week, The money goes to a great cause, so I think you should all come out and support it.
Until next time, feel the beat!
Perry
May 23, 2000
**Rave On readers poll results are in!**
Bob Timmins Band reigns. Top Flight on wane.
In a surprise upset, Rave On readers have voted The Bob Timmins band western Maine's premier musical group. "I'm on top of the world," remarked a jubilant Timmins speaking from behind the counter at Strings & Things music store in Stonebridge. "All the work Stan, Rog, Earl, Ted and i have put in finally paid off."
What makes this first place showing so remarkable is that although formed in the mid-80's --TBTB had been relatively inactive for the past ten years. The band, known for its letter-perfect renditions of classic Stones, CCR, Beatles and Clapton numbers as well as originals like "Mary Lou" and "I've Got Your Love," reformed in early 1999 and quickly shot to the top of the western Maine music scene.
"I hated breaking up the band in '89," Timmins said. "We did really well for years: we toured all over Maine and even made it into Vermont a couple times. Stan was having trouble at home and I was unable to keep up with the needs of my guitar students. The road, man it's way harder than it looks."
What, then, was the impetus for reforming TBTB after so many years? "I ran into Earl and Ted at Spanky's in Bentonton in December of '98 and we just got to talking," he says. "We realized we needed to rock and roll again. Simple as that." But, one member was a little harder to convince. "Stan was still married to Rhonda, and she was --how can I put this delicately --not so enthusiastic about the group's reformation. She was actually dead against it," says Timmins. "Turns out this was the final straw for ol' Stan. He told her to suck it. Imagine that -after 15 years- he just says, 'Later on, I'm gone'. He's my hero."
While the band's intense touring schedule (they once played three shows in one day: the opening of the Greerson Shop-Rite in the morning, a wedding in West Bedford in the afternoon, and a three-hour set at The Borderline Brew Pub later that night) garnered them many fans in '99, there is no doubt in Timmins' mind just what event won them the RO readers poll: "We just killed when we played with Steppenwolf last fall at the Maple Frolic," Timmins crows. "People were losing their shit when we launched into 'Layla,' and they were ours by the time we finished 'Maggie May.' It 's kind of like when Hendrix played at Monterey and was launched into superstardom. I feel like it's our time now."
This feeling of elation is not being felt by the members of Top Flight (above). The band that so ruled western Maine just two years ago has recently watched its star fade. The group placed sixth in this year's poll, coming in behind TBTB, Zenith, Blues For Hire, Paul Clemmons and The Upshot, and Whirled Peas. "I don't know what to say," confides TF bassist and singer Ronny Johnston. "Things are not going well for us, it seems like western Maine is just down on show bands. I think it's time to retool." Top Fight was the hands-down winner in the RO readers poll only two years ago.
NEWS AND NOTES
Local cover band THE MAMAS AND PAPPAS are currently being sued by the oldies act the Mamas and Papas. The West Hoover quartet has been ordered to cease using the band name immediately, or face the threat of a major lawsuit. "This lawsuit is completely without merit," notes Georgio Pappas, the band’s founder. "Nobody could possibly confuse us with them. We only do, like, four of their tunes in our act anyway". Georgio notes that he came up with the name when he met the Hale sisters, Anne and Sugar, four years ago. "Those two can sing circles around pretty much anyone, including Mama Cass and Michelle Phillips". Pappas has mentioned that he would be interested in challenging the Mamas and Papas to a battle of the bands to settle the name dispute.
One of the most exciting performers on the western Maine scene today is the ALBAR ALBABLAR DUO, a band comprised of Albar Albablar Senior and his son Albar Albablar Junior. They relocated to the area from their native Turkey seven months ago. "I heard so much about the western Maine music scene in my homeland, but I have to say that it is even better than I had imagined it could have been. It’s a blessing to be here!" The band combines the light classic rock sound of the Eagles and CSNY with traditional Turkish music.
Yet the band is torn by a strange dynamic – Albar Albablar Junior is interested in adding a speed-metal flavor to the band’s sound, but his father is not interested. "This wimpy shit doesn’t cut it anymore. I want to add a dash of Entombed or Sarcophagus, but my dad isn’t biting. Whatever."
The West Hoover Palladium for the Finer Arts burned to the ground after a performance by folk act the TRAINJUMPERS. An investigation is pending, but to date no members of the band have been indicted.
The Maine Event
by
Perry Shepherd
Editor
Before I get started, let me just say that there’s no way in hell that any band with a sense of decency and self-respect should ever play ChowderTown again. If you’re looking for a bite to eat, it’s a good enough place, sure, but when it comes to catching a show there, forget it. First of all, you can barely see the stage from most of the seats in the room due to all the fish netting hanging off the walls. Secondly the staff security consists of one guy named Don who is as big a jerk as there has ever been. Maybe he doesn’t know who I am or know the column – doubtful – but he should show more respect to audience members who want to slip backstage and say ‘hi’ to the bands. And finally the sound system stinks. When I tried to catch a few of my fave acts a couple weeks ago – THE BOB TIMMINS BAND, FAT TUESDAY and BOURBON STREET – the sound was so muddy that you couldn’t tell the singing from the drumming. And the bass was so loud that the walls actually shook – loosening a wooden lobster trap mounted to the wall and crashing it near my head. Nice move guys, see if you’ll ever get my concert dollar again. Not likely.
Look out below! The legendary English band THE CATHERINE WHEEL will be bringing their act to our neck of the woods. They’ll be playing at The West Hoover Palladium for the Finer Arts next month, with locals MISTER PIGGY opening. It should be an awesome evening – I can’t wait!!
Speaking of Mister Piggy, Del Hasselbrink, formerly of Mister Piggy, has released a new cassette of demos. It’s called "Four Track Mind", and contains a lot of the new stuff that Hasselbrink has been working on over the last five years. Die-hard fans of early Mister Piggy will note an "unplugged" version of "There’s No Turning Back Now" and a new winner called "Can’t Stop Rock And Roll". Hasselbrink is hoping to get these songs to record labels in New York and Los Angeles, with the hope of landing a recording contract.
MOJO CHILD are considering making the move to New Hampshire. I know I’ve stated before that I shouldn’t and wouldn’t editorialize about bands’ futures here, but I’m gonna break my promise. Guys, I don’t think you should do it. Not yet, at least. You’ve been together for what, four years? That’s nothing in the world of music! Your chops are awesome, sure, but remember that you’re taking a chance by going to NH. Not that this is gonna happen to you guys, but I’ve seen my share of bands leave Maine for the big time of New Hampshire or Vermont (can you say Pop A Wheelie?), only to come back to Maine with their tails between their legs. So take my advice – stay here in Maine. You’ll be better off for it, and you’ll thank me later.
Until next time, keep the rock side rock and the cool side cold!