(San Diego scene veteran Gary Ra’chac, singer-songwriter and radio personality and current producer of “Vince Martell Rocks America,” shares photos and memories of an encounter between two notable personalities.)
Here are some photos (by legendary soundman Bill Blue) from the golden days of San Diego’s Community Concourse’s Exhibit Hall concerts. Shows by groups like Country Joe and the Fish, Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and Cream were quite inexpensive, and given the fact the security was less than tight, I was able to finagle my way backstage on a regular basis. It was in fact where I first met The Who, and ironically The Vanilla Fudge ( with Vince Martell). (Editor’s note: These photos of Country Joe and the Fish and the Mothers of Invention date from April 12, 1969, according to the San Diego Concert Archive.)
The last time I saw Frank Zappa was 10 or 11 years later, on April 4, 1980. A friend of mine brought him to a “Scene” promotions party club owner Jerry Herrera and I threw at the Spirit Club. Frank had just finished a show at the Sports Arena when I got a call at the club from journalist Larry Skuse, who told me he and Frank wanted to come down. I said, “Cool” and hung up.
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A half-hour later Jerry Herrera came to the press table and told me there was someone at the door who was asking for me, and that he claimed to have Frank Zappa with him. Now I must add that this was right at the time Frank had cut his hair off, and he wasn’t his recognizable self , but, when I walked outside, there he stood in that small, dimly lit parking lot with his bodyguard and Larry.
Turning to the club owner, I pointed to Zappa and said, “Yeah, that’s Frank, and that’s my friend from the L.A. Times. They’re with me.” Herrera very reluctantly turned to the doorman, and taking his ink pad stamped the backs of Frank’s and Larry’s hands. But it seems that is where the club owner’s generosity ended: As the three were filing in behind me, Herrera turned to the bodyguard and said, “That will be five dollars.”
— Gary Ra’chac
More from Gary Ra’chac:
you forgot to add:
“…because he was just that much of a douchebag.”
>>you forgot to add:
“…because he was just that much of a douchebag.”
Kevin: I believe that qualifies as “subtext.”
Heh.
I was at that Sports Arena show with Paul Howland’s brother, Danny -- and the stunning Ms. Tammy West.
“And on Stunt Drums… Mr. Vinnie Colaiuta!”
I am very pleased to finally find out the date of these photos, the location, and who the actual photographer was. My father, Lowell George was in the Mothers Of Invention at that time.