Chapter 191
9/8/2008
The Jammer
Rock Band Groupie Phase
The Summer of 1974
Bumper Sticker: Inside every old person is a young person wondering "What the Hell happened!" And so it is that this 34 year time capsule is being broken open now. To wait another 34 yrs would be too late.
Had just met Kathy back then and her brother Pete Kanches and I helped move her into another apartment in Schenectady. Pete immediately became like a brother to me. After getting married, Kathy got Pete's new band "Peninsula" it's first gig at the bar where we lived in Leisureville (Valley View) Watervliet.
We played a minor league role as groupies following the band to Sunnybrook Acres, Lake George and the Ancient Mariner at York Beach, Maine - that I can remember. Pete created the Jammer Club in Caroga Lake, NY asking me to be the official photographer at the Grand Opening in 1974. He also played in the band there for a few years during the summers while still working full time at the General Electric Research and Development facility. Peninsula then generally dissolved as he had to bring in fresh acts for the following years until selling the place in 1983 just prior to the drinking age going to 19 then 21 years old.
It was like yesterday but also a LIFETIME ago.
anecdotes:
Pete & Dot got new windows installed on their house recently. The contractor said he got so wasted at the Jammer once he woke up the next day in a cemetery. That's when Pete informed him he found him passed out in a sleeping bag in the middle of the road as he closed up for the night. He moved him to the cemetery for safety.
Few Hells Angels attempted to get in but were discouraged. One had a glass eye with Harley Davidson etched in it. Another wearing the colors had a patch over one eye, a bull whip around his neck, and a knife hanging out.
I rode with Bill Mirabile to the club once, don't know if he had too much to drink or what, but as he burned out on his '70 shiny black Harley Sportster chopper with chromed extended front end and sissy bar he slid in the gravel and went down in the middle of the road. I didn't want to embarrass him by mentioning this, but the story has to remain historically accurate.
Bill says, "For historical accuracy purposes, I'm proud to say that even down on its side, I rode that bike to the end of its 30-foot skid on the pavement, and hit the kill switch to stop the rear tire from spinning when we came to a stop. Sparks flying all over the place, right rear tail light gone, right front foot peg bent back, clutch lever broken off, and new black Imron $500 paint job toast. Pulled out some copper wire from the tool kit, wired the cable back on, bent out the front fender, and off we went to our destination - a logging road in Speculator to camp for the night. The bike went down after hitting a large sand deposit in the middle of an intersection, because we were trying to get away from a couple of Hells Angels, who at the time were stealing peoples' bikes. After the crash, they came up to us and just wanted directions.
Great video. Viva La Windjammer.
Historical accuracy rules."
video notes:
1 Third date on Kathy's Schenectady apartment fire escape.
2 Ancient Mariner, York Beach Maine- "Best Job he ever had" one week gig, free lodging on the beach, free food (lobster), free beer, 3 sets a night 9-12, the packed crowd loved it, and they got paid- band van and 69 Triumph 500cc, Kathy and I groupies
3 Sunnybrook Acres, Lake George
4 Pete & Joan, they were in band called "Echo" before his Vietnam stint
5 barefoot girl
6 Jammer parklot- Opening night our '69 Chevelle Malibu parked up front
7 window- Pete's artist friend designed the logo
8 Pete's band "Peninsula" opens Jammer (1973-83) Caroga Lake, NY Specialized in Chicago, Creedence, Beatles, Stones.
9 wagon wheel decor fitting for old barn
10 Pete and Dot owners
11 more wagon wheels
12 opening staff- Mikey Vanwicklen, Disco Dave Rabowski (now in wheel chair-parachute accident), Eddie Emerich, Kathy Olmsted, John Simon, Dot Kanches, Pete Kanches
13 Kathy
14 Eddie on cash register- retired from GE, He & Donna , Pete & Dot, and I rode Triumphs and Kawasaki to Cape Cod- crashed (in a good way) at Dales in Taunton, MA. Second night snuck into abandoned drive-in for tenting. The rough ride jarred his exhaust pipes loose. I whittled a bolt out of a tree branch that lasted till home.
15 Mikey- stopped to touch base with him at Amsterdam Hannaford (manager). Everything was a fog, he said, but good times. Worked most of the years it was open.
16 Kathy & Dot
17 Eddie
18 Mikey
19 Kathy getting change, I remember those people, but forgot why
20 Kathy serving folks and baby sis Laura
21Joan Lafleche, lead guitar, vocals, fine musician
22 Joan, zoom
23 side shot of band at Lake George
24 Joan portrait
25 Pete, drums & vocals
26 Pete head shot
27 Pete balcony shot
28 Al Valducci, frontal serious about his music- his Dad offered college tuition, but he instead opted for the elite Hammond B3 keyboard and Leslie speakers
29 Al profile, loved the Beatles. At first gig dedicated Chicago's "Color My World" to Kathy and me.
30 Pete, showing versatility on trumpet
31 Pete trumpet zoom
32 Dick Sieverin, Dot's father- did the plumbing for the Jammer and I think hardwood floors
33 Pete between sets
34 Dot, brown eyed-girl and tireless worker, still hasn't forgiven me for taking them to tent in unlawful fire road of Turo, Cape Cod. I left early in the morning before cop hauled them into court.
35 Kathy
36 Pete on drums, showing strain of the night. We drank till late night hours then drove hour and half home over the country roads. Pete was able to grind it out for 10 years. Band disbanded after a few years playing at the Jammer as the crowd needed a variety of bands.
37 Pete drums end
Shermans Park originator link, interesting history and Caroga stuff