the Spirit | The Che Underground

Frank Zappa vs. Jerry Herrera!

December 14, 2017June 16, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

(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.

Cardiac Kidz with Blood on Fire

September 4, 2011May 7, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

(The Cardiac Kidz’s Jim Ryan recounts his band’s recent performance to support Gary Heffern’s return to San Diego, including new collaborators and material.)

After a Penetrators reunion show the Sunday before, Gary Heffern appeared once again at the Casbah for his CD release show to debut “Gary Heffern & Beautiful People” and his San Diego all-star band “Blood on Fire.” Those of us who came prepared were able to take not only the show home but the CD from this consummate artist, now living in Finland.

Sean McMullen’s words and images from the Penetrators reunion!

Here I am over 30 years later, remembering my last performance with Gary when the Penetrators, the Cardiac Kidz and the Standbys played the Spirit night club in 1980.

After getting the call from Gary that he would like the Cardiac Kidz to open the show, I was on the move. The boys digging the opportunity and me looking forward to seeing Gary again, I knew this show had to be special. Gary is a special guy.

Setting ‘Blood on Fire’

September 4, 2011April 23, 2011 by Mmrothenberg

(On April 6, a group of San Diego music veterans backed local hero Gary Heffern when he returned from Finland to play the Casbah. Joe Piper recounts the 34 years leading up to his own part in the gig.)

Life’s funny…

When Gary Heffern’s Blood On Fire took to the Casbah stage earlier this month it was, for me, more than just an opportunity to play with some truly outstanding musicians who just also happen to be a group of the greatest guys you could ever hope to meet. It was more than a chance to take part in what is possibly the most enjoyable project I’ve ever worked on. It was all that and more — it was a chance to take care of unfinished business.

Che echoes from the Alps

December 14, 2017September 15, 2010 by Mmrothenberg

(Rolf “Ray” Rieben of Feathered Apple Records describes how the San Diego underground reached Basel, Switzerland, and shares his cache of memorabilia from the Che Cafe and other points southwest. Stay tuned for much more of Ray’s trove from the Tell-Tale Hearts, Crawdaddys, Howling Men and more!)

I was working as a record salesman in Switzerland when the first Crawdaddys LP (“Crawdaddy Express”) on the German Line label had hit the market. Most of the Bomp! catalog was licensed to Line Records from Germany. Line Records had the best possible distribution, since because they were connected to a major label. They’ve helped to make The Crawdaddys and some of the other bands from Greg Shaw’s Bomp label famous over here in Europe.

“Crawdaddy Express” rates as the first modern ’60s garage LP ever made (after probably The Flamin’ Groovies). It was first advertised on the back cover of the July 1979 issue of Goldmine magazine. The sound was very British: wild raving rnb like the early Kinks, Downliners Sect, or the The Pretty Things, but undoubtedly influenced by Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and the likes. There’s even a few cool northern soul ballads featured on both of their LPs, too. These four fine young lads from San Diego knew what they were doing, they had the right spirits, and they could deliver in authentic ca. ’64 – ’65 style, too. It was exactly the type of brand-new LP that I was hoping for.

Flyers from the Mendoza Collection

January 1, 2011July 9, 2009 by Mmrothenberg

(Bart Mendoza of Manual Scan and the Shambles contributes a selection of flyers from his capacious archives.)

1. One of my infamous paste-&-cut flyers, this one for Julie at 2581, when I helped promote a batch of shows in 1983 1988 — you can probably tell the numbers are from an old calendar.

I collected photos, and friends gave me old magazines to cannibalize into quick flyers, though this one is from my collection of vintage TV-show stills. That’s a pretty diverse calendar, from the Event to Claude Coma, with stops at the Nephews; Outriders (with Rick Wilkins); and Berkeley combo the Birminghams; as well as lots of others.