Early in 1995 had an urge to do a reunion of crazies from the sixites who hung out at Jonah's Wail. Just seemed like it was time. A phone call here, a phone call there and the list started to grow. Funny how people drifted apart, but just enough of the chain stays connected to put many of the links back together. A mailing list program, a graphics program, a 24 Hr Copy center and things started going. From responses more phone calls - some blind calls as well. Some of the calls were a lititle strange - "I'm putting together a reunion of Jonah's Wail people and am looking for a guy who used to have a '36 plymouth with a nitrous bottle in the back with a hose to a face mask for the driver. Any of this sound familiar?" That's how I found Paul Z. 'Surprised I'm still alive?" said he. "Yes" said I.
Was shooting for July but things slipped - Dirt Cheap Productions rides again. When I actually got around to trying to get Jonah's Wail things got weird. The place was closed and more or less abandoned - chain link fence around it and weeds everywhere. With Roy Hoch's help I found the guy with the key and got in to check out the facilities.
Thre'd been some changes downstairs. The old pickle barrel tables were long gone but the hard metal folding chairs were still there. The old upright piana was still there but painted green. The kitchen where all that bad coffee and hot cider was made was the same. There were even some of the old brown ceramic cups. The back of the place had an area rug and a couple of soft old couches. Minor changes. Perhaps you can go back - at least for a while.
Oh the memories that came rolling back in waves. Andy Clausen doing one of his poems over there, Nick K. going after "the establishment" over here, Pat Simmons doing Cuckoo Bird where the stage use to be. And Jim Luft, now Jim Page doing one of his insane talking blues things right there. I could see Peter Grant coming in the door, guitar in hand ready to do a set. Over on the side I could hear Dennis Jay putting together another Dirt Cheap Production. I just knew that up the stairs and out in front on San Carlos, Beezer Bob, Chris Ivey and Brady would be hanging out, sippin' wine and hustling "chicks", maybe with a little motorcycle conversation thrown in for good measure. Was expecting to see Craddock come through the door, unzipping his black leather jacket and pulling his hair back.
It was really weird! Nice weird - but weird.
Acrossed the street was the duplex I lived in back then. More memories of all the strange things that happened there and people who passed through that place. Terry the Rent-A-Cop, Fred the Devil and his model girlfriend Tall Terry, Pappy, Priest and Weird Larry, Free-U-George and Ruben the Smack Freak - all those names and more went wizzing by. All those late nights of people hanging out, lots of music in the living room as friends noodled and doodled and went over their riffs - bouncing sounds back and forth and around and around while the black light illuminated the day-glo painted ceiling.Two latin families occupy the place now.
A reunion was definitely in order. But I'd have to fall back into an old and familiar role - dealing with "suits" in order to get there. You see, the Campus Christian Center was a non-profit corportation and corporations - even non-profit corporations - have at least one lawyer. Lawyers are some of the most conservative, paranoid people on earth and the one I had to deal with was no exception. "Can't do it. It's closed and the liability issues - well it just can't be done. We're negotiating with a buyer and the place is coming down soon. . . . yadda yadda yadda.".
In the past, the way to dealing with "suits" was to go above them or go around them. I knew where to find the guy with the key and Roy Hoch had an "in" with God. Somehow this thing was supposed to happen and it was just a matter of finding the right person to say yes. Roy pointed be to Pete Koopman, one of the original founders of the place and chairman of the board of the corporation. A few phone conversations and we were on our way.
More phone calls, more mailers and August 10, 11 and 12 was set. The phone bill kept getting longer but the conversations were all priceless. Some folks were living within a block or two of the Wail and some were in Minnesota, British Columbia, Eastern Canada, New Mexico, Mexico, Seattle, Connecticut, I mean scattered to the four winds. It was like a time warp - decades disappeared in seconds. It was great and the Wail thing hadn't even started.
Remeber the Jonah's Wail carved redwood sign that hung above the stairs to the Wail? Try finding something like that 25+ years later. But it was found and came in real handy later.
Two weeks before the start date we did a clean up crew day. Weeds flew, dust disappeared, bags and bags of leaves were filled. Toilets were cleaned, the sink scrubbed, the refrigerator aired out and utensils found. And the little old chapel was opened. Empty for the most part, an old piano in the back. And someone noticed the acoustics in the place. A lot of fine sounds would soon fill that space.
On the Thursday before the Friday start date Jerry Garcia died. Got more than a few frantic calls - "We still doing this - Jerry died you know." I only met the guy once, though I'd heard the Dead play on several occasions. If you were to pick a guy who'd be pissed off if people skipped a good time 'cause he died, I'd vote for Garcia every time. Jerry, wherever you are - you would have been proud - of the music, of the love and of the thing that happened.
So at noon on Friday we started drifting in. A cardboard sign went up on the gate and a "Reserved for Roy and Mary Hoch" got taped to the wall in the back parking lot over a "RESERVED" space..
Now if you're going to make noise, even a nice noise, in a residential area, it's always wise to invite the neighbors - they are less apt to call the cops if they feel like there a part of things. One of the neighbors was an Ethiopian family that had the restaraunt next door to the Wail. They were invited and they came, with their kids. The kids got into playing with all the other kids right away but the adults were a bit confused at first. But in no time at all they were Wail Again folks and had a ball. The Wail was noted for being inlcusive and the tradition continued. They particualarly enjoyed the Cherry Garcia icecream. Guess there aren't many Ben and Jerry's in Ethiopia.
Twenty eight years earlier, almost to the day, we'd celebrated Roy Hoch's 40th birthday at the Wail. Now we'd do his 68th birthday in style - cake and ice cream even. But what icecream? Why Cherry Garcia of course. So off to Ben and Jerry's went I. The kid behind the counter in the paper hat did his "can I help you - sir?" (Don't you just hate that sir and mam thing?). "You got any Cherry Garcia icecream?" The kid reaches for his scoop and heads for the Cherry Garcia container. "How many would you like/" he says as he starts to scoop. "Enough for a hundred and fifty" I say with a straight face. It was hysterical. He started to get the first scoop before it registered. I mean he stopped in mid scoop and his face went through all kinds of changes. When he looked up all he could come up with was "Dude, I don't think we can do that."
Now I hate to play adult but sometimes you just got to take care of busiiness. "Is there an adult I might speak with?" and there was. I explained what we were doing and what we needed. The manager went in the back and returned with a 50 pound box of Cherry Garcia - and he sold it to me for "church price". Paid the man and got back to the Wail, pretty sure they'd talk about the day some strange bearded bald guy came in and ordered Cherry Garcia for 150. It was like old times - blow a mind now and then just for fun and just in fun.
When I got back folks were showing up and it was old home week in the parking lot behind the Wail. I got my computer set up and started scanning posters, pictures and articles. You'll find the images all over this site. Musicians and singers found the chapel and very nice sounds started happening and laughter was everywhere mixed with conversation. Little kids were chasing each other around and having fun like only little kids can do. Coffee pots got fired up and ice chests materialized with cold drinks. And true to a Dirt Cheap Production, lined garbage cans appeared just where they were needed. Don't know where they came from or where they went later, they were just there. When they were close to full they'd suddenly be empty - magic!
Larry F called from Seattle. He wanted to come so bad and it was clear he needed to come, but funds were tight - just like in the old days. "No problem! Put it on a card and it'll get taken care of when you get here. Call from the airport and someone will come and get you." Two hours later he called.
Larry: "I'm at the airport".
Me:"OK, how do we know you?"
Larry: "I've got a beard."
Me: "AND?"
Larry: "And an ear ring."
Me: "AND?"
Larry: "I'm wearing an African hat."
Me: AND?"
Larry: "I'm a white guy."
Me: "OK we'll find you - hang out in front of the terminal. Will be
15 minutes max."
So Larry, now James, made it to the reunion, the hat was passed for his plane ticket and that was that. Last I heard, he was in South Africa learning how to be an "elder". But that's another story.
On Friday, as the sun set, amps, mixers and microphones were in place and oh the music! People who'd been singing and playing together for close to 30 years made it look so easy and effortless. Others hadn't seen each other in 20 years or more but fell in the groove immediately. I'm telling you - it was so FINE! Folks were jammin' here and there, conversations abounded and there were a lot of smiles and hugs. Handshakes just didn't seem adequate greetings. Hugs are way cool.
At about 2:30 the next morning the stragglers left and the lights were turned off.
At about 9:30 Saturday morning it started up again.
On Saturday night we had the birthday party for Roy. Remember I mentioned the Jonah's Wail sign? Well, it was found, cleaned up a little and presented to Roy as his birthday gift. It sits on his mantle at this very moment and that's right where it belongs. You've never heard Happy Birthday sung with so much feeling and Roy and Mary literally glowed. The cakes (one for Roy and a Thank You cake for his wife Mary) were cut and the Cherry Garcia icecream brought out. Calories were consumed - in copious quantiies. Then the "entertainment" cranked up again.
Louie Z and Andy Clausen did their thing that night. Before Andy started, Roy asked "You are going to keep your clothes on aren't you Andy?" (Andy, when the mood struck, used to do some of his poems sans clothes - once in the fountain out in front of Tower Hall on campus). I missed the performance but Louie Z video taped it, along with about 5 hours of the reunion. He's almost done with the final editing so check back periodically and I'll let you know where and how to get it. The pieces I've seen look real good. Louie also told me that Andy's in New York. Seems Allen Ginsberg, before he died, paid to have Andy's poems published. Will see if I can get some extracts and put them on this site somewhere. Check back on that one later.
The most unusual music of the event was a weird quartet - Pete Grant on steel, his wife Phylis on flute, David Anderson on acoustic guitar and Paul Sussman on - accordian! Until age 50, Paul was a closet accoridanist. Few people knew he owned one and even fewer knew he could play the damned thing. The airline had lost it between Canada and Las Vegas but he got it back for Saturday night. The quartet's sound was at first a little odd on the ear but once they locked in it was perfect.
Ralph Rudd did some nice mandolin stuff, between chasing his kids around, and Dennis Orwig, who came down from Oregon ,did some songs he'd written and he and Mary Lou Paul did an old Sunrise song called Wine and the Girl and the Country. He's starting to write more songs - after a 20 year hiatus. Am looking foreward to his tape. David Anderson did some songs from his then "soon to be released CD" (it's since been released - a year late but worth the wait - ask for Mad At the Moon at your local music store or got to the Hidden Waters Records site). John Urban did a few of his poems and Page B amazed more than a few people with how such a powerful voice can come out of such a skinny body. He's amazing. Check with Blue Rock Shoot in Saratoga cause he and the Browntones play there semi regularly - as do several other preformers you'd remember. Paul Z sat in on a few songs and left early - he was going sailing the next morning.
During a brief break from scanning old pictures, posters and newspaper articles I went downstairs to listen to some music. Sat down next to Chris Ivey, who'd come down from Sacramento on the bike he inherited from his dad. "Hi Chris" I says. "How'd you know it was me?" says he. "The eyes - eyes don't change." Chris is playing steel and now dobro in honky-tonks around Sacto and has been for quite a while. Roy and I tried to get him to stay but he had a gig to play the next day so - back on the bike and a midnight run to Sacramento. His answering machine usually has a steel riff on it and I call every once in a while to listen and then check in with him. He's really good.
Another weird thing happened at Wail Again!. Was pretty busy most of the time - but there were a few "breaks". On one of those breaks I found myself sitting at the back of the Wail on the couch with literally the first person I met when I came to San Jose. Her name was Bobby back then but had changed to Elaina somewhere along the way. A friend in my senior highschool class in Central America had gone to three years of high school with her in New Jersey. When he learned I'd be going to San Jose State he suggested I look her up. I did and we'd stayed in touch on and off through the years. So we're sitting on the couch and somewhere in there I was holding her hand. When I got up to go back to taking care of business I put her hand on my heart and off I went. A week later she sent an e-mail saying she would be down in the area (she lived in Sacramento at the time) and wanted to get together. Took her to Castle Rock, a magical place in the Santa Cruz Mountains - up off Skyline. We've been together since then. Sort of goes with my philosphy that "you do what needs doing and you get what you need when you need it".
Sunday was more kids running around having fun, more conversation, more laughs and more music. There were a lot of "do you remember the time that . . ." and "what ever happened to . . ." and "I just saw . . . . the other day and . . ." The chapel did what I think any "holy place" should do - provide a space in which people can get together and express pure joy - a lot of it with glorious music and voices. Dirt Cheap Productions at its finest - on a mission for God.
Someone came up to me and talked about how this must be a Dirt Cheap Production - the women's room was spotless the entire time - and there was always paper towels and toilet paper and the waste backet was emptied regularly and the sink was spotless. Someone saw that something needed doing and did it - no one knows who or when - it just got done. Who ever you are - thanks for keeping Dirt Cheap alive and well.
It's been a couple of years since I turned out the lights and locked the door of Jonah's Wail, perhaps for the last time - one never knows. Maybe parts of this web site will keep a little piece of the place going for a little longer. Maybe a visitor will get the buzz and want that sense of belonging to something right and good. To you I say - make friends with your neighbors, learn the names of the clerk at the grocery store, get involved with your kid's school, check in on the old widow down the end of the block, stop by the nearest park and pick up some trash, talk with your letter carrier, on the way to work let the guy frantically trying to get into your lane over and then smile and wave at him. If you do just some of these things on a semi regular basis things get a little nicer and you'll feel good. It can be habit forming. Not a bad habit to get into. Welcome - you're a Dirt Cheaper and a Wailer. Wasn't so hard was it?
If you've got some tales from that time and place, write 'em up and send them to me and I'll see where they can fit. If you've got some ideas about making this site easier to use let me know. If you've got picitures, articles etc. to conttribute please do. Can't guarantee they'll get on the site but will try.
charlieb@accesscom.com
Paul's on the left, me in the middle and Aaron
on the right
(the only time you'll see Aaron and "right" together - he's a
liberal
and I use the term with respect and admiration.
Blessed are the Liberals
for they are the ones who share