SAN CARLOS MUSIC MAN WANTED TO BE A WRESTLER

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY BY DICK DRAPER / TIMES STAFF WRITER

John Dote' (accent over the "e") can rightly be accused of marching to the beat of a different drummer, because he owns that drum. Its rhythms are varied and complex, as is the man, his life of percussion of clashing cymbals and macho beats of snares and timpani - this man loves laughter and lives life to its fullest- accented by sensitive melodies and creative sweetness.

Music, It's the San Carlos man's very spirit, Gold Records, plaques and pictures of entertainers (including himself with the likes of Janet Jackson, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Miles, Carlos Santana and Abel Zarate) of Malo, adorn the walls of his home recording studio, where Dote' nurtures seemingly disparate, drifting syncopated sounds into life with passion and panache.

He's an arranger, composer, creator, the Theme Man who produced television's "Dynasty", "Charlies Angels", "Barnaby Jones", "Rockford Files", "M*A*S*H", and other shows' thematic tunes, and if you watch the old "Hawaii Five-0" series, listen for that lively drum beat dancing through it's theme song, and picture Dote's sticks flashing.

JOHN DOTE' ON HIS ALBUM COVER "A HERO FROM ZERO"

Dote' sport's some 22 pounds of massive Gold around his neck. "I wore these before Mr. T came along". His image took him straight to world-wide radio when he was discovered by Hollywood Disc-Jockey Rick Dees of KIIS Radio. Dees "challenged" Mr. T to a showdown on national radio, but there was no response. We're sure he got the message.

Every body laughs at his mockery, for John Dote' is the "loudest", for it's his nature to be visible and noticeable. Hence that dark brown Rolls Royce-Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini was the former owner and was used in the hit television series "Dynasty"-he drives; the over sized fur boots and coats; the huge, glittering rings on nearly every finger, all linked with memories (Liberace gave him one), colorful, unbuttoned shirts showing myriad chesthairs; and, his trademark, some 22 pounds of massive golden chains hanging from his neck.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH JOHN DOTE'

Dote' did wear those chains before Mr. T came along, but does admit he took his sartorial cue from none other than Liberace, whom he worked with in producing music for "This Is San Francisco" several years ago under his then Penthouse Records label. And wrestling is even "bigger" since he brought in Cyndy Lauper and Ozzy Osbourne to the sport. Which might have been the result of the song "Kisses" reaching number 9 on the local charts beating out Prince with "Kiss", which charted at number 10 during that same year.

WITH ALL his outward pizzazz and frivolity, however, Dote' has a serious side, video tape and celluloid, and if you find him sweating with weight and exercise, you can bet his cerebellum's doing some push ups and knee-bends as well.

JOHN DOTE' DISCOVERED IN HOLLYWOOD BY HOLLYWOOD HAMILTON

John Dote', (accent over the "e") who is officially in the history books of the "king of pop", Michael Jackson as well as sister Janet for his relentless radio promotion ability was originally discovered in L.A. by legendary radio disc jockey Rick Dees, Daily Dees, Dees Sleaze, and the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, the longest continually running hit music countdown in the world!

But it is "Hollywood Hamilton" who takes the credit for observing Dote' first pulling into the parking lot of KIIS Radio in his Rolls Royce completely airbrushed with the 1906 earth quake of San Francisco on the car. "John stepped out of his rolls pimped out and saturated in gold chains, huge diamond rings on every finger and graced out in white leather fur and even fur boots! This cat was a show stopper. He even walked passed my security guards when he entered the station and when they told him he needed to show his I.D., he flipped them off and kept walking.

All security was on notice. I loved it. I sent a radio call to my security to let him pass. I came to greet him personally and the man shined brighter than a christmas tree in grand central station. This cat had an image and he was pushing his album "A Hero From Zero" which is how he was dressed exactly like. Incredible. So I took him into the control room to meet Rick who just about fell off of his chair. Even the immediate staff were taken back by the presence of John Dote'." (Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton is an American radio personality. He is the host of the Weekend Top 30 Countdown and the Remix Top 30 Countdown heard in numerous cities in the United States and throughout the world on The Premiere Networks.)

Dote', who originally was scheduled to meet with the program director to air the lead off single "A Hero From Zero" was swept under the bus when Dees decided to promote Dote's image instead. He decided to interview Dote' on national radio and issue a challenge to Mr. T to call into the station and set a date for a "showdown" of who wears the most gold chains. Dees felt that some how with the station ratings, T would get word of it yet never called in. As a result, his image gained him more exposure than the album itself which reached number 9 on the contemporary Charts.