Thursday, October 25, 2012

The mission of ROCK PILGRIMAGE has always been to document the quests rock & roll fans undertake to commemorate their love for THEIR MUSIC. Here's a ROCK PILGRIMAGE that hits mighty close to home: DUANE STRAUB'S 2010 QUEST to get a vinyl copy of the Atlanta Rhythm Section's album, BACK UP AGAINST THE WALL, signed by all the members of the band who performed on the album.

Hi Ronnie,
  Can you PLEASE call me. Can I PLEASE meet up with you to sign a vinyl copy of BACK UP AGAINST THE WALL? I got Paul's signature and I'm on track for Buddy & JR's. Still working on Dean, Robert & Barry. All you guys signed a copy for my brother-in-law in July 1973 at the Ashgrove in L.A., but he lost it years later. This is a gift for him. He's been good to my sister for 37 years so I'm putting a lot of effort into this. I'm in Tennessee only until the 22nd. I can come your way Friday through Sunday this weekend before my job takes me back to California.
GREATLY appreciate your consideration.
Duane Straub


ROCK PILGRIMAGE -THE ARS QUEST 2010 - 2011 -- First Installment 9/25/11

This story is too long - I'll never get it done if I don't do it in installments!!

"Alright! Now it's STAR TIME; let's get down to the basics. That's right! Well, in our last show, I gave a big introduction and all and… That's pretty exciting. But tonight, on this second show, let's look deep into the artistry of this man. It all started in a small town… No, no, no!! I'm not going to go into that! Please welcome from Washington DC, Mr. Root Boy Slim!" -- Bob Greenlee, introducing Root Boy Slim's second set, 69th Amendment Tour, Albany NY, 9-28-91

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_Boy_Slim

Bob Greenlee & Root Boy, backstage, Grog & Tankard, WDC 9-91

Well it did actually start out in a rather small town… After Congress got involved and pulled the rug out from under my 28 year employment, I found myself on the road doing radiation work, at this point in the small town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Twenty-five hundred miles away from home, what did I have to do for Thanksgiving?? Well my coworker, Lindsay, was going to visit her aunt and uncle, Ginger & Jim, in Alexandria VA, nearly 500 miles from Oak Ridge, and not far from Washington DC. Heck, I've got a bunch of friends in Washington DC, all of whom I met through Root Boy Slim, so I invited myself to Dick and Linda Bangham's for the Thanksgiving weekend. That timing worked out rather nicely, as my friend, Ron Holloway, was playing the day after Thanksgiving with Deanna Bogart. Deanna played with Root Boy Slim years ago; a multi-award winning musician, I never had a chance to meet her or see her perform, so what luck!


The morning after a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with Lindsay, Jim, & Ginger, I headed to Dick & Linda's in Silver Spring MD. I hung out with Dick and Linda, generally shadowing them around while they worked or immersing myself in the innumerable cultural artifacts & oddities about their home. I took a little walk with Dick down by the creek at the end of their property in the chilly weather. With comp'd tickets & backstage passes in hand (Dick's been a friend & associate of Deanna's for years & creates her CD covers) we headed to the show at the Weinberg Center for the Performing Arts in Frederick MD. Fabulous show, everything I expected and more!



Duane & Dick



Deanna & Ron

I arranged ahead of time to hook up with Joe Lee - some might say the *infamous* Joe Lee - and he was going to take me to meet Butch Willis at the "home" where Butch is a patient. But Joe bagged out on me; he lives a few hours out of DC now and couldn't leave his 2 dogs out in the cold weather - nor leave them unsupervised in the house. I really did want to meet Butch. I've admired Butch's rather bizarre recordings for sometime. Well, if I couldn't hook up with Joe & Butch, I guess the next best thing is a trip to Joe's Record Paradise to pay homage at the Root Boy Slim shrine - and the store itself! The shrine, created in the early 90's by Patti Paul for her husband Frank, features a pair of Root Boy's unwashed boxer shorts, left at my home the day after the 1990 baptism of my son, Clark (Root signed on as Clark's Godfather). Perusing the used vinyl, my ARS rock pilgrimage began - there in the bin was a copy of the Atlanta Rhythm Section's double LP re-release of the first two albums…




Root Boy Slim Shrine at Joe's Record Paradise, Silver Spring, MD



Source of the Boxer Shorts! Look REAL closely, you'll see them against the baseboard near foot of the bed



Clark & Slim

LP receipt!!!! I'll find that receipt yet!!!



Of course, the cover wasn't signed by Mike McCarty at that time!

Returning to Oak Ridge after my fun-filled fabulous weekend in Washington DC, I started to think about my brother-in-law, Larry's, autographed Back Up Against The Wall LP that he had lost years ago. I started thinking maybe I can re-create that album for him… Gee, I'm not that far from Georgia, I wonder if I could find the guys from ARS and have them sign this album?? Thinking quickly turned into action - a feasibility study!! So I started searching the 'net, trying to find the guys. I sent my sister, Sue, an email and told her about the exciting idea I was working on turning into reality:

From: Straub Duane
Subject: you won't believe...
Date: December 3, 2010 9:14:16 PM PST
To: Gomez Susan

...what I've been up to **most of the day** for Larry... I got a box at the post office & was going to send an ARS vinyl LP (I picked up in WDC last weekend) - same as the CD you already got - to replace the autographed one he lost yrs ago.

Was thinking about the trip I'm taking next weekend to visit an old army buddy in Anniston Alabama, and I figured I'd detour through Doraville and take a picture of where Studio One (ARS' studio) used to be & send it to Larry (I found the address on the web a couple weeks ago). Then I thought - HEY, maybe I can find some of the ARS guys on the web and get them to autograph *THIS* LP.

I stopped wrapping, starting searching the web, found Buddy Buie, the manager/songwriter, called, got his wife & she gave me his email address to make my request. Now I'm waiting to hear back & see if I can go down his way next week end - or heck, in a rental car tomorrow, get his autograph on the LP, and maybe he can give me some contact info for the other guys and they might sign as well? Heck, I'll drive all over to get them.

I think there's a fair chance of hooking up with him, he's a couple hrs south of my friend. BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE!!! :-) I went online and -incredibly- found & purchased the *exact* same LP Larry had - the individual album !! (The CD you got & the vinyl LP I have in hand are "combo" releases of both the 1st & 2nd albums, and do not have the original artwork.)

So I'm scared as crap that the guy will get it to me from New York by wed, or thurs at the latest, AND that I will somehow have it in my HANDS by crack of dawn Friday, since it will not fit in my mailbox here, so I don't know it they leave it on the floor of the apt building mailroom (where it might disappear), give me a notice to pick it up, or what!! Arghhhhh!!!

Oh well, Larry deserves it, right??!!?? :-)

Burn or file this msg so he don't see it. I figure if I can't get all this together, I'll just have Kathy sign the names!! HA!!

BTW, I've been thinking more about the 1st xmas item in the email I sent other day, the "vintage" Super Reverb amp cover. I'm really wanting that now, & it is just up there for anyone to buy on ebay- there's only one available. If you think you guys, with contribution from Mom & E, can get it for me ($84 total cost), please do asap before someone else scarfs it up. If you don't think so, please let me know asap so I can scarf it up myself! :-)

OH, one more thing - Buddy Buie's address is at "mac.com", Apple's email service. So I told his wife I've long been involved in the Mac community & she said they were totally Mac at their place. In the email, I sent this:

BTW, when Gloria gave me your email address, I mentioned I've been deeply involved in the Mac community for years. I've been Macworld Conference Faculty 8 times, and January 27th will be the 11th year I'll be performing with my Mac industry "luminary" friends in the Macworld All Star Band. Our lead guitarist puts on the Macworld Expos, our keyboardist is Macworld magazine editor Chris Breen, on rhythm is Bob LeVitus, author of over 50 Mac books, and others.

Here's a pic of me with my "Rev. A iMac Bass" (those are original 1998 "Rev. A" iMacs on the pickguard) from last year's gig:


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Buddy Buie was easy to find, heck, he has a business & needs a web presence, so I called his office to ask if he'd sign this LP, and followed up with an email. :-)


From: Straub Duane
Subject: A special request for Buddy
Date: December 3, 2010 2:11:09 PM PST
To: Buie Buddy

Hello Buddy,
I just spoke with someone in your office, maybe your wife, Gloria? My name is Duane Straub; I met you 2 nights in a row in July 1973 at the Ash Grove in LA - remember me?? Ha! (We gave the guys a HUGE beer mug the second night, a few years later Robert said it was still in the back of the studio - maybe he was just being nice.)

My brother-in-law *had* a copy of Back Up Against the Wall autographed by you and the ARS the second night - we sat in the front pew at stage edge - JR was the greatest rhythm player I'd ever seen!

Incredibly, he lost that album years ago - he used to take old LPs to the swap meet - he NEVER would have sold it, and can only imagine it mistakenly got mixed in with swap meet LPs. :-)

Fast-forward 15-20 years, I'm temporarily working in Oak Ridge TN. Last weekend at (my friend) Joe's Record Paradise in Washington DC, I picked up the vinyl re-issue of the first 2 ARS LPs - gee it would have been gold if I'd found Back Up Against the Wall itself...

I was wrapping it up today to mail to Larry, my brother-in-law, in Long Beach CA, and was thinking about my planned trip next weekend to visit a friend in Anniston. Larry & I are such die-hard fans, I figured I'd detour through Doraville and take a picture of where Studio One used to be & send it to Larry (I found the address on the web a couple weeks ago). Then I thought - HEY, maybe I can find some of the guys on the web and get them to autograph *THIS* LP.

I stopped wrapping, starting searching the web, & here I am wondering if I can come down your way next week - or heck - I'll jump in a rental car tomorrow (I have no wheels here) - and get your autograph on this LP. And maybe you can give me some contact info for the the other (original/Ronnie) guys and they might as well? Heck, I'll drive all over to get them.

Sorry, didn't mean to go on so long... Larry is also getting the CD release of the first 2 LPs - I ordered that before finding this LP.

BTW, when the nice lady gave me your email address, I mentioned I've been deeply involved in the Mac community for years. I've been Macworld Conference Faculty 8 times, and January 27th will be the 11th year I'll be performing with my Mac industry "luminary" friends in the Macworld All Star Band. Our lead guitarist puts on the Macworld Expos, our keyboardist is Macworld magazine editor Chris Breen, on rhythm is Bob LeVitus, author of over 50 Mac books, and others.

Here's a pic of me with my "Rev. A iMac Bass" (those are original 1998 "Rev. A" iMacs on the pickguard) from last year's gig:


Thank you for your consideration,
Duane Straub

I'm off work Friday-Sunday, ready to jump if you can help me out.

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Larry had his Back Up Against The Wall LP signed in July 1973 when the ARS played two nights in a row at the Ash Grove in LA.


One thing leads to the next, so to truly duplicate Larry's LP, I thought, I wonder if I can find an original copy of Back Up Against The Wall?? I went onto eBay, and HOLY SMOKES, there was a copy of Back Up Against The Wall with a buy it now price of only $8.95!!! I believe some people have paid over $100 for that LP!! My fingers were shaking as I submitted to buy it now.






I hadn't heard back from Buddy, but I was headed to visit an ex-Army buddy in Anniston AL, about 2.5 hours from Buddy, in just a few days, so I had the album fast shipped to me so I'd have it in case Buddy came through for me. It cost more to ship the LP than it did to purchase it! :-) The seller was a great guy and sent it off to me with a leap of faith, the rush postage costing more than he'd estimated and more than I'd paid him. I had to have it delivered to the property manager's office because I only had a tiny mailbox in my World War II Manhattan Project era apartment. The manager's office would be closed before I could get there from work, so I made special arrangement with her & picked it up just in time, the night before I would head to Anniston before dawn…

-------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Thanks, re: ARS LP
From: Straub Duane
Date: December 4, 2010 6:39:22 PM PST
To: expressrich

Thanks for calling Rich, & thanks in advance for sending the LP off quick delivery.

This is a present for my brother-in-law who lost his copy years ago.

BTW, you know about the late Root Boy Slim? From WDC, he had a great following in Albany late 70s thru early 90s.

Regards,
Duane

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


I followed up with Buddy again via email, and sent off a help request message to Robert Register who I discovered in my ARS contact search as mention of ARS members show up frequently in his blog. My two ARS LPs carefully protected, and my ARS contact search findings in hand, I hit the road for Anniston in my rental car with hopeful anticipation that Buddy would reply to my emails or return my phone calls in time that I could swing by his place on this trip to AL.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Straub Duane
Subject: Re: A special request for Buddy
Date: December 6, 2010 7:51:59 AM PST
To: Buie Buddy

Hi Buddy,
Hopefully you've seen my (sorry, long winded) message sent Friday evening. It just keeps getting better on my end -unbelievably - I found a copy of Back Up Against The Wall on eBay and I'm having it overnighted to me.

Will I be able to hook up with you Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to have you sign it? Are you able to give me contact info on the other guys or pass my info on to them?

I'll only be in Tennessee for one or two more weeks.

Appreciatively,
Duane

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Straub Duane
Subject: ARS & my quest
Date: December 8, 2010 6:36:30 PM PST
To: Register Robert
Bcc: Gomez Susan

Hello Robert,
I am on a quest, making some progress, yet concerned I may fall short of my goal - in what is likely a one chance shot:

I would like to get Buddy & ARS' (circa 1973) autographs on a copy of Back Up Against The Wall. I'm pursuing this as a gift for my brother-in-law; I've spent hours and hours on this, but he's worth it - he's been good to my sister for over 37 years now.

The background & current status is this: In July 1973 my (late) brother, future brother-in-law, Larry, and I saw ARS two nights in a row in a teeny club in Los Angeles called the Ash Grove. On the second night, Larry had the band and Buddy sign his Back Up Against The Wall LP. Some years later, 15 to 20 years ago, Larry lost that album.

I live in California (as do Larry & my sister), but I'm on temporary work assignment in Tennessee. I'm headed to Anniston AL this weekend to visit an old ex-army buddy & thought I'd go a few hours out of my way just to get a picture of where Studio One used to be so I could send it to Larry, showing him this is where it all happened! :-)

Then, a couple days ago, I miraculously found and bought a copy of Back Up Against The Wall on eBay & had it overnight delivered to me. Then I commenced HOURS of searching the web (6 days now) trying to find contact info for Buddy & the guys. I spoke with Gloria, sent an email to Buddy, then spoke with him today. He says while he's happy to sign the record, visiting guests this weekend preclude him from doing so. He asked me to call him middle of next week to see if we might get together next weekend.

I briefly spoke with JR's wife just a couple hours ago and left a message for him. I've left a message with "Willie," the contact (in New York) for the band Robert apparently is playing with, Street Survivors. I have spoken with or left messages with a SLEW of Ronnie Hammonds, D. Daughtrys, and Barry Baileys (whodda thunk there are at least *3* Barry Baileys within 50 miles of Atlanta who play guitar???), and found only an address for a Paul Goddard in Norcross.

I don't expect you can share contact info for the guys, at least without prior permission, but please do if/when you can. Can you share my quest with them & give them my contact info?

There are sooooo many more nuances & ways that ARS music has resonated with Larry & me and been intertwined in each of our lives. I'd love to share lots of it with someone like you who might care, but for the sake of not going on longer than I already have... I hope just this small part of my story will resonate sufficiently with you and the guys such that they'd allow me the opportunity to drive all over heck to meet up with them to sign this LP. Hopefully not too much of an imposition, but if it turns out so, I will at least not be kicking myself in the rear for years to come for not having asked, especially when it seems the planets are perfectly aligned for this endeavor to simply fall into place.

With much appreciation,
Duane Straub,

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Register Robert
Subject: Re: ARS & my quest
Date: December 8, 2010 9:44:16 PM PST
To: Straub Duane


Duane~
I have the email addresses for Buddy, Robert, Paul & Dean. I know J.R. but I've never met Barry or Ronnie. I also have the email address for Mike McCarty who did the cover art.

I am forwarding this to them. That's about all I can do. I hope those 5 reply to your email.
This is a worthy endeavor & I wish you luck in getting your autographs.

best,
Robert Register

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Next installment:
me n daoust pic
Paul
ash grove emails & link to ARS performance
more, more, more!!!!!!

posted by robertoreg at 6:42 AM

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