MRambler’s Archives #1…..
Since we’re all not getting any younger, and I did receive a fairly good reception to Posting one of songs performed by one of the bands I used to be in, I thought I would, every week or so, Post a different song that hasn’t been heard by almost anyone but myself that was recorded in the early ’70’s…. The band in the spotlight of this archive is the “Wolfbrand Band”…. Four poor boys with little equipment, but, I think we were one of the best local bands around….. The members were: Tom Wasinger – Vocals, Guitar, Lead Guitar, Piano, Mandolin, etc. Tom could play any instrument and went on to make instruments and winning at least two Music Emmy Awards for playing and producing, Roger Harrison – Vocals, Bass Guitar, Guitar. Roger and I still play and record new stuff at our own pace, Larry Cobble – Vocals, Drums, percussion. Unfortunately, Larry is no longer with us, and Me! – MRambler – Vocals, Guitar, Slide Guitar, Harp. Still having fun playing after all these years…..
The song, dug from deep in the Archives, was recorded live at a gig on May 30, 1974….. Here’s “Wolfbrand Band’s” version of “The Beatles” – “One After 909“… Tom on Vocals, Guitar, and Lead Guitar – Roger on Vocals and Bass – Larry on Drums – and Me on Guitar and Slide Guitar…. We always tried to put our sound to any cover song we did.. I think you’ll find this a bit different than the Beatles, and, hopefully, at least as enjoyable as the original…. Â If you like the song and/or if you would like to hear more from the Archives (You name it – from Neil Young, to King Crimson, to Alice Cooper, to Robert Johnson, etc), Let me know….. Â Thanx!….
October 26th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
I vote for more.
I wish the sound was better….did pick up the voices which were great.
October 26th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
I vote for more and maybe a King Crimson in memory of Debra. She really liked King Crimson. Although she was really into newer music Bush, Counting Crows, etc. If she was still with us she would vote for more too.
I liked it although it was a little honky tonk but after all that was the style around here back then.
October 27th, 2011 at 1:05 am
yes more please
October 27th, 2011 at 8:59 am
Thanks for all the support for more…. Anon, are your speakers bad?…. The reason I ask is that I thought the vocals were sort of buried in the mix…. I admit there is lots of reverb because it was in a school cafeteria style room and the recorder was about 100 feet back from the stage….
Robo, we were going for a Country Rock sound,although, at that time, in OKC, most clubs wanted Hard Rock….. So-o-o, you will see, in later Archives that we did play some R’n’R in “Wolfbrand Band”, but, since you made a request for “King Crimson”, I’ll skip to a track from “Terraplane” for the next Archive called, “Lark’s Tongue in Aspic” from KC….
Here’s a bonus for all of you, especially Anon…. Here’s another “One After 909 05/04/74” that was recorded at a gig a little over three weeks before the other one…. As J.J., being a drummer, will tell you – You sometimes rush songs when you play live…. Well, Larry, our drummer, was off to the races on this cut…. If you notice it’s the same arrangement as the one in the Post, only it’s about 20 or so seconds shorter and Roger even introduces it!…. Anon, you should like this one as far as hearing all the instruments/vocals… It’s just the Daytona Speedway version!…. Enjoy and Thanx again for the support…. I’m enjoying this and I hope you are too!……
October 27th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
I like the fast version. In 1974 I was 10 and in California, I had no idea of the music any where much less in OKC.
October 27th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
Oh ya, I’m enjoying this and I hope you continue!……
October 27th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Another beer bar keep. When’s the next set?
October 27th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Thanks for the compliments, Gentlemen….. I talked to J.J. a few minutes ago, and he said his phone browser was giving him fits – as in NOT WORKING…. He said he tried to post three different comments and the only one that got through was the short one (comment #3 above)….. I guess I’ll let him get away with that excuse (Ha!)……
Did you like the faster version, Anon?…. I’ll post another one up early next week – Don’t want to burn everybody out too soon…..
FYI – Spent most of the day with Roger in his bedroom-sized studio….. We had 4 tracks finished on a song we were working on the last time I was there…. After listening to it back, we decided that the tempo was too slow, so, we dumped it and started from scratch…. We laid down seven different tracks (2 vocal, 2 guitar, 1 bass, 1 lead and slide guitar, and 1 syth-drums), did a rough mix, burned it to CD, and I’m getting ready to listen to it after I finish this comment….. Hopefully it will still sound as good as we thought it did a few hours ago….. I think that’s cool – We did a complete song from start to finished mix in one session and it was a lot of fun….. I’ll post it if I’m halfway happy with it to get your opinions….. Again, Thanks for the support……
October 28th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
A bit fast. I would guess this was the last number in the set after a couple of beers and everyone had to hit the can.
October 29th, 2011 at 9:01 am
Yep, Anon, it was close to the end of the night…… We played 4 songs after “One After 909″….. Larry was “Booked and Bound to go”, but we slowed him down for the rest of the night…..
I hate to sound like the old man who brags about walkin’ 20 miles in the rain to go to school, but, the musicians these days have got it made….. The clubs I’ve been to lately a group only plays ONE (1) 45 minute set max…. They usually have two or three bands that share the instrument set-up…. Back when we were playing (Here I go!), you had a start time of 8:00 pm or 9:00 pm and played until 1:00 am!….. That’s Four (4) or Five (5) 45 minute sets!…… You definitely had to have lots of material worked up, although we would throw in a jammable song at the end of each set that would run at least 10-15 minutes….. Something like “La Grange” that they could Boogie their brains out to, and also wear them down so they wouldn’t bitch if we took a little longer on break….. If you played in a band in Oklahoma, you earned every penny you got, and, believe me, it wasn’t much – But it was fun, and I’m overjoyed that I had enough sense to record most of our gigs…. The problem is I just didn’t even think of bringing a camera along….. I guess film and processing was just too much of an added expense…. Those were the days…..
March 13th, 2014 at 9:21 am
MT, ur the bomb sir,love ur blog/website peace EC