In the late 60’s my family lived in Oxford, Ohio. One Christmas, I begged for an electric guitar. I think I was 6 or so. My folks complied, and the big day arrived. As I tore through the other gifts, I started to worry that perhaps there would be no such present. Finally I got to an oblong box that seemed to be the size that could hold a guitar. Inside was a plastic guitar that was red and white, very small and sported nylon strings. It had the appropriate electric guitar shape. But the most important aspect in my mind was the fact that it came with an amplifier! Soon I would be terrorizing the neighborhood with far out tones and screeching leads. I would be just like the Lemon Pipers, mesmerizing vast throngs with winsome, dulcet chords.
My father, Carl, installed the Batteries, and we inspected the gleaming new rig. I had no knowledge what an electric guitar and amp set-up should be, but I had a hunch that this one was somewhat lacking.
Instead of a magnetic pick-up, the amplification came via a crude microphone that attached to the back of the guitar with 4 suction cups and wired into an amplifier the size of a Pop Tart box. It had a belt clip on it, and I recall running up and down the stairs gleefully strumming my new axe for about fifteen minutes until it quit working permanently. This tantalizing taste of household superstardom was enough to sow the seed, I was going to become a rock ‘n roller.
I didn’t get my hands on another guitar until about 1974. With the money I earned on my paper route, I put a guitar on lay-away at Positive Note music store next to the Oriental theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was Domino Californian, a Japanese copy of the Vox Phantom. It was cool beyond its $125.00 price tag. The owner of the store put up with my daily visits to handle my big purchase. When I finally made my last payment, I plugged the guitar in at the shop, and it hummed ferociously. At the last minute I purchased a different guitar, a more non- descript and functional Teisco and ran home. I guess an amplifier would have been nice, but I did not get one at the time. I still regret not buying the Domino.
I was a child of the 60’s, even in the seventies. Growing up in a commune had its advantages. Of all the assorted characters who lived with my family on Cambridge Ave. in Milwaukee, was a wonderful long hair by the name of Lee. Lee had an amazing stereo and a huge record collection. And a huge beer can collection. Lee would let me listen to records in his room on his Koss pro 4 AA headphones to my heart’s content. I would turn the phones up super high and fall asleep on his floor, with the likes of Deep Purple seeping out of the ear cups. Lee invited me to what was to be my first real rock concert. (not counting the free festival in Ohio where Janis Joplin circled in a helicopter for a half hour and decided not to play after all) The line up for the show was Slade with Brownsville Station in support. I think it was at the Arena.
We had our tickets, and I was worked up to a frenzy. Then I got very sick and had to go to the hospital. I was in my bed there the night of the show, still convinced I could go. That didn’t happen. Everytime I heard “Smoking in the boy’s room” on WQFM I was reminded of missing the show. This marks the beginning of my obsession with hard rock in general and Slade in particular. The trauma of being in the hospital morphed with the music and gave it an importance beyond face value. I ended up seeing Slade 4 times after that, and was never disappointed. Those days were great concert times. My pops would take me to these raucous concerts all over Milwaukee. And after a while I could go by myself. ZZ top, J. Geils, John Entwistle’s OX, The Marshall Tucker Band, Frank Zappa, The New Barbarians, Grinder Switch and lots of others. Also at that time Milwaukee’s Lake front had free concerts every week end at a place called the Alternate site. Cheap Trick Played there, and many other Midwestern acts as well. It was at the Oriental theater where I saw Slade for the first time. Also on the bill was Thin Lizzy, and they were riding the wave of their breakout lp :Jailbreak. I loved Thin Lizzy, But I was there to see Slade. I got so excited during their set that I attempted to climb into the P.A. speakers, and was summarily ejected from the building. Out in the alley behind the theater, I waited for hours until Slade emerged. They all had a guitar case in one hand, and a bottle of liquor in the other. I felt very important as they were compelled to set something on the ground to sign my autographs. Bless you Noddy!