Friday Knights Page 6
3. (Unknown Title) Some drive in, Somewhere
1974
The only thing I can remember about the night we all piled into Paul’s Ford Ranchero one drunken night to see a movie, was absolutely nothin’. Nothin’, no title, no nothin’ except for one little thing. My friend, and future brother in law, Steve Carey and I each failed to call shotgun in time to get decent seats. We both ended up not being able to see the movie because the only place we could fit was to lay down in the back of the station wagon. All we could do then was continue to down our beers while everyone else enjoyed whatever movie we all came to see. Steve and I got restless and began for some unknown reason, to make loud B-E-E-E-E-E-E-P sounds, until Paul told us to KNOCK IT OFF!, which we immediately did.
ALL THINGS MUST PISS, OUR LAST HURRAH
Feb 1974?
I’ll never forget the day when Paul and Cory announced to me the Knights we were through and the two of them were going to form a new and better band of their own.At the same time, Cavan was selling his house, and in the immortal words of Bobby Fuller who once sang, Our race was run, I was devastated. My dream was shot. I was shocked, furious and any other adjectives you want to add, and it was directed to anyone and everyone. I think it’s safe to say aside from Rick, everyone was mad at everyone for one reasoning or another.
Even Cavan,who was still trying to help us was getting lots of the blame! It was about this time when I along with Cory began rewriting the words to Ringo Starr's version of Bye, Bye Blackbird, which Paul would later add a few finishing touches to. It was the comedy relief we all needed and we sang it together for hours on end and we toasted one another.
BYE, BYE CAVAN!
Pack up all our amps and gear,
We’re gettin’ the hell outta here!
Bye, Bye Cavan!
Now we’ve found another place
But to you, that’s disgrace!
Bye, Bye Cavan!
You would never respect or understand us,
All those hard luck stories you would hand us
So we’ll pack our bags and turn out the lights,
We won’t be coming back tonight!
Bye, Bye Cavan!
So if you ever need a lift
We’ll be happy to drop you off at the bridge!
Cavan, Bye Bye!
Cavan did nothing wrong, but we needed a scapegoat, so we were admittedly cruel here. I’m sorry for that now and we all still love Cavan, his heart was always in the right place,
Somehow after we had all left the idea came up for us to do one final farewell performance in Cavan’s living room, and good ol’ Cavan happily agreed to it! Knowing this would be our last time together, we invited everyone and anyone who had a pulse...This was going to be as we would say a real hoop-dee-doo, and that it was - we packed the place inside and out, there was barely any room for us to set up our equipment, but we squeezed in just like a hundred or two other people did. Nevertheless it was time for us to go from Cavan’s as well as a band. After all these years I could only remember one verse and the chorus, but leave it to “Dad” to remember the rest!
Friday Knights’ Reunion
March 15, 1974
The Ides of March was a very special day for me because not only were all of my friends and family with me to enjoy my wedding and bride, Sylvia, but during the reception, the wedding band allowed The Friday Knights to use their instruments so that we could have a totally unplanned, one song reunion. The song was the one I was known for, the first one I ever sang and the one I’ve done in every band I’ve ever been in, Blue Suede Shoes, it was a spectacular feeling being with the boys I loved so much, one last time.
I loved and missed The Friday Knights who were all reunited at my wedding!
One Last Time
1976
By this time I had been married for a couple years and in a new band, Zeus, with my tried and true music partner, Quanah who I started The Friday Knights with two years before. The plan was for us to kick off our new band at a party at my house in grand fashion. Not only would Zeus open the show, but we would be followed by my new magic act, The Magical Marvels of Professor Quay, not to be outdone by the headliners, a reunion of the The Friday Knights, who hadn't played together since my wedding over two years earlier. Yes, both Paul and Cory were back, and I was really excited for all of these reasons especially to have my favorite bandmates back for the first time! Zeus actually sounded pretty good, as we were the first act and hadn't really started imbibing yet. By the time Quay’s marvels were finished marveling we were all (except of course for Quanah) on our way to bubbly land. Red wine was the drink of choice with me and I continued our drinking tradition of yelling, RED EYE! after each swish. Somehow I got through my magic tricks and jokes pretty well as I recall. That wasn't too hard because a magician that I once admired advised me to practice drunk, so I followed his advice. By the time it was time for the Knights to take the floor we barely made it through Fresh Garbage before Cory fell off his drum stool and passed out. Well the show must go on so we winged as a trio with Quanah on drums which was his first instrument, and he could rock! So it was up to Paul to not only remember how to play the songs, but he had to do both rhythm and lead at the same time. All I remember was us doing The Beatles’, I Saw Her Standing There, which was an extra big challenge as we had never even done that song in the band when we were together! Oh well all good things must end and this was ours, and a splendid time was had by all!