Saturday, October 31, 2009

Is that a clown suit you're wearing?

This really should be listed as "funny clothes I have worn on a gig." Besides styles that have changed over the years such as giant velvet bow ties, ruffled tuxedo shirts and bell bottom tuxedo slacks, I have had my share of clown suits worn on gigs.

One of the first I can remember wearing was a green army jacket with a green and gold shoulder cords on the left epaulet. We were a polka trio named the "Golden Emeralds". Clever wouldn't you say?

I was a young drummer of 14 playing with high school seniors. We had to wear red sleeveless 3 button sweaters. We looked like the Osmonds.

One leader didn't have us wearing anything funny but he made name tags for us. They had the name of the orchestra, my name , and my instrument (drums) under my name. Don't know why but I got paid well. I guess he was going for that restaurant waiter look that was so in back then.

I worked in a night club with a lead singer who thought it would be funny if he sang the song "Baby Face" while I wore a gorilla mask. He probably stole the idea from Tony Bennett.

Same band, same leader...he bought us blue woven knit Eisenhower jackets and slacks. The pants had no zipper or pockets. Thankfully I was much thinner back then. I was told these puppies were "professional" stage wear.

Yes... I have worn lederhosen on a gig and I am most proud.

I have also worn a powder blue dinner jacket!

Oh yeah...almost forgot. I once had a gig at 7:30 in the morning where the band was to march in and disrupt a corporate sales meeting in Silicon Valley. I was instructed not to shave, wash or comb my hair, and to wear a bathrobe with long black socks and house slippers. I added a lit cigar for a classy look. The look on the faces of the poor shlubs in the meeting was priceless.

Cowboy hats, boots, Nehru jackets, vests, bowler hats, lighted bow ties...ah...good times my friend...good times. Actually, now that I think about it, I have never been asked to wear a clown suit!
cn

November Birthdays


Blink 182's Travis Barker Nov. 14th 1975

Roy Burns Nov. 30, 1935

Sunday, October 11, 2009

October Birthdays


October 3, 1962 Tommy Lee









October 7, 1953 Tico Torres
October 11, 1936 Billy Higgins
October 25, 1924 Earl Palmer
October 25, 1962 Chad Smith
October 26, 1938 John "Jabo" Starks
October 26, 1976 Aaron Spears
October 30, 1951 Trilok Gurtu
October 31, 1939 John Guerin

October 17, 1909 Cozy Cole