This is Frickin' great. Seriously. It's the kind of story that folks like us live for.
-BUMP-
Newsflash: The guitarist from East of Underground has surfaced and has reached out to Wax Poetics. Details to follow.
It seems all is well that ends well. Here is the e-mail that the magazine received:
I would love to talk to you about East of Underground. I have no idea who Lou Perry is but he was never in the group. I was the lead guitar player from start to finish. My only guess is maybe he was the guitar player of the group Soap that we tied in the contest or maybe just a typical army screw up. I did go by "Lew" but not "Lou" and I was a SP5. I can probably give you enough history with detail to convince you I was the lead guitar player. I believe I still have the Stars and Stripes article about the competition and I am listed in that correctly. The other names all sound correct.
We were formed out of a Special Services Club in Augsburg Germany next to the artillery unit where some of the others and I were stationed. We were formed specifically to compete in the entertainment contest and to play in service clubs in Germany. The Special Services Director was a German named Hal. I was originally put in another group before joining East of Underground and I knew immediately it was going to be special. As soon as I heard the three singers I was blown away. The drummer claimed to have once played in James Brown's band and no one ever questioned it because he played so well it was believable. I played lead guitar on a Framus electric solid body on all but the Santana song which Gus had previously worked up as his own.
I received a reel to reel copy of the studio work when we got back to Augsburg but I'm not sure where it is but I'm sure I still have it somewhere. I had no idea the album was ever released even though they told us it would be released. I don't think I ever really believed it would be.
To set the record straight...we tied the group Soap for first place but a coin toss gave Soap the "winner's" tour and we got the "second place" tour. We were pretty mad at that point and there was some discussion in the group about not even doing the tour but in the end we did it.
Bobby Blackmon had a lisp and on going tonsil problems but he didn't want them taken out for fear of changing his voice. I can't remember if it was Larry or Austin that actually had an afro just like the one on the cover. He got away with it by compacting it enough to fit under his army cap. A colonel at the competition asked about his hair and Hal told him it was a wig and he believed it.
Before the competition Hal had arranged for us to go to a facility that stored wardrobe and allowed us to pick out some pretty outrageous costumes to wear at the competition. A big part of East of Underground was the stage presence that Bobby, Larry and Austin delivered. Fantastic showmen that knew how to get a crowd in to the music and the costumes only added to that presence.
We were from all corners of the country. LA, St Louis, Atlanta....and me...a white guy from a small town in Mississippi that had mostly played Beatle music. I tried to be a good ambassador for Mississippi but found it easier just to say I was from New Orleans where I had spent a good deal of time. We worked well together despite our varied backgrounds. Gus was the only other non African American and he was Hispanic...I think he was from New Mexico.
It has been fun thinking about those times and I hope I told you something of interest. I have enjoyed listening to the samples of the songs and have ordered the CD and the LP. I actually ordered them before I realized what was going on. I can't believe all the kind things that are being said and I thank you guys for re-releasing it. I had tears in my eyes as I was reading about the release and the reviews... it looks like some of the songs are getting air play. All of this has flooded me with memories that I cherish to this day.
It has been fun thinking about those times and I hope I told you something of interest. I have enjoyed listening to the samples of the songs and have ordered the CD and the LP. I actually ordered them before I realized what was going on. I can't believe all the kind things that are being said and I thank you guys for re-releasing it. I had tears in my eyes as I was reading about the release and the reviews... it looks like some of the songs are getting air play. All of this has flooded me with memories that I cherish to this day.
This is all wonderful news, and as Odub said, really is what people like us live for. It's so great that he is happy about the project. I would love to hear this guy play again and get a chance to say thanks. Great work Dante, it's all paying off.
dude finding out about his lp because of the RE-issue??
Just goes to show that the military is a branch of the government. Still, I was floored by this record, and am glad that at least one person involved is enjoying some recognition years after the fact.
It has been fun thinking about those times and I hope I told you something of interest. I have enjoyed listening to the samples of the songs and have ordered the CD and the LP. I actually ordered them before I realized what was going on. I can't believe all the kind things that are being said and I thank you guys for re-releasing it. I had tears in my eyes as I was reading about the release and the reviews... it looks like some of the songs are getting air play. All of this has flooded me with memories that I cherish to this day.
this is incredible. amazing work Dante and the rest of the crew.
what he said!
its just good to kno to that kno that guy made it thru the waar and gives hope that others in east of underground are alive an well . and charsih this memory as well..!! hopefully more continue to surface with their story
Newsflash: The guitarist from East of Underground has surfaced and has reached out to Wax Poetics. Details to follow.
It seems all is well that ends well. Here is the e-mail that the magazine received:
I would love to talk to you about East of Underground. I have no idea who Lou Perry is but he was never in the group. I was the lead guitar player from start to finish. My only guess is maybe he was the guitar player of the group Soap that we tied in the contest or maybe just a typical army screw up. I did go by "Lew" but not "Lou" and I was a SP5. I can probably give you enough history with detail to convince you I was the lead guitar player. I believe I still have the Stars and Stripes article about the competition and I am listed in that correctly. The other names all sound correct.
We were formed out of a Special Services Club in Augsburg Germany next to the artillery unit where some of the others and I were stationed. We were formed specifically to compete in the entertainment contest and to play in service clubs in Germany. The Special Services Director was a German named Hal. I was originally put in another group before joining East of Underground and I knew immediately it was going to be special. As soon as I heard the three singers I was blown away. The drummer claimed to have once played in James Brown's band and no one ever questioned it because he played so well it was believable. I played lead guitar on a Framus electric solid body on all but the Santana song which Gus had previously worked up as his own.
I received a reel to reel copy of the studio work when we got back to Augsburg but I'm not sure where it is but I'm sure I still have it somewhere. I had no idea the album was ever released even though they told us it would be released. I don't think I ever really believed it would be.
To set the record straight...we tied the group Soap for first place but a coin toss gave Soap the "winner's" tour and we got the "second place" tour. We were pretty mad at that point and there was some discussion in the group about not even doing the tour but in the end we did it.
Bobby Blackmon had a lisp and on going tonsil problems but he didn't want them taken out for fear of changing his voice. I can't remember if it was Larry or Austin that actually had an afro just like the one on the cover. He got away with it by compacting it enough to fit under his army cap. A colonel at the competition asked about his hair and Hal told him it was a wig and he believed it.
Before the competition Hal had arranged for us to go to a facility that stored wardrobe and allowed us to pick out some pretty outrageous costumes to wear at the competition. A big part of East of Underground was the stage presence that Bobby, Larry and Austin delivered. Fantastic showmen that knew how to get a crowd in to the music and the costumes only added to that presence.
We were from all corners of the country. LA, St Louis, Atlanta....and me...a white guy from a small town in Mississippi that had mostly played Beatle music. I tried to be a good ambassador for Mississippi but found it easier just to say I was from New Orleans where I had spent a good deal of time. We worked well together despite our varied backgrounds. Gus was the only other non African American and he was Hispanic...I think he was from New Mexico.
It has been fun thinking about those times and I hope I told you something of interest. I have enjoyed listening to the samples of the songs and have ordered the CD and the LP. I actually ordered them before I realized what was going on. I can't believe all the kind things that are being said and I thank you guys for re-releasing it. I had tears in my eyes as I was reading about the release and the reviews... it looks like some of the songs are getting air play. All of this has flooded me with memories that I cherish to this day.
man...reading that gave me chills. thanks for sharing that dante
Comments
Great stuff!
that is amazing.
Keep us updated.
Amazing stuff.
dude finding out about his lp because of the RE-issue??
Just goes to show that the military is a branch of the government. Still, I was floored by this record, and am glad that at least one person involved is enjoying some recognition years after the fact.
As good as it gets right here!
its just good to kno to that kno that guy made it thru the waar and gives hope that others in east of underground are alive an well . and charsih this memory as well..!! hopefully more continue to surface with their story
man...reading that gave me chills. thanks for sharing that dante
i kno asked a few other places.. but any chance for a re-up?