I can remember John (Shetzer) calling me up one
day and saying let’s get some lunch, I got something I want
to talk to you about. So we're having lunch and he starts to tell me
about this offer he got to join this band “Master Bates And
the Beat Boys” and I remember saying something like
“What kinda fagots call themselves Master Bates and the Beat
Boys”? So he says, “Shut up and listen”
and goes on about the songs and how great he thinks they sound and how
good these guys are. So in the end I tell him “What the fuck
you waitin for, join them”.
So John's in the band awhile
and at the same time I am loaning some of my drum kit to Guyser to use
since he doesn’t have one, he was the first drummer in the
band, and all the while they are both telling me how great and cool it
is and so on. A couple more weeks go by and Guyser
brings back my gear
one night as he always did and he’s telling me he’s
going to quit the band but Jeff already has a new drummer lined up. A
couple of days later John calls me and he tells me “We need a
drummer, bring your kit and show these fuckers what you got”.
I really had no idea what to expect, I
knew John a long time and I had met Jeff once or twice. I had never met
Christopher or Scott before that night. So I arrive at Big
Al’s T-shirt shop, which is were we rehearsed for almost 2
years, and Jeff and Al are there and John, Chris and Scott arrive
shortly after. We talked briefly and then I began to set up and they
started to play the material for me. I can’t really recall
exactly what all happened then but I remember running through all the
songs a couple of times and just jamming about some. When it was all
over Jeff starts talking about a recording session that is scheduled
just 10 days from then. Then Jeff looks at me and says, “Are
you in?” and I said “Hell Yes!”
What can I say about these
guys…….Scott and I clicked and clacked from the
first moment, it was one of those cosmic connections, I loved his wild
and distorted sound and style. And Christopher, man this guy played the
most beautiful, clean rhythm, loved that Fender Twin. All the while
John is just letting loose on these solos and riffs, loud rock and roll
guitar! And Jeff sang these insanely beautiful lyrics about everything
you can imagine, and when he and Chris would harmonize it was like a
60’s flashback. And later when Wade joined, it was
like one great big guitar solo! “It could be big
brother”!
That’s my take on the
incarnation that I was a part of, it’s my story and
I’m sticking too it. There were so many adventures that we
had as a band, some good, some great, some not so great but I would not
trade any of them for anything in the world. It would fill pages upon
pages, hell you could write a book (that’s not a bad idea!)
to talk about them all at length. So I will just mention a few off the
top of my head before I tell my favorite:
The rooftop…”I
don’t wanna stop…”
The quarry…the pipe and
“Beauty and the beast”
The Other Half barn
party…..Karen (My ex-wife) falling through the trap door in
the loft.
Whiteman’s
grove…John and his beat boys knee pads, flying across the
dance floor...
But…..the top of the list,
the number 1 has to be the “Bloodbath” on Halloween.
Man! What a night, never in my life have I enjoyed a time like that.
I’m not exactly sure but I would say 400 people showed up, I
can’t recall the name of the hall we rented but it
wasn’t the biggest room in town. Live music (2 or 3 bands, I
can’t recall exactly), beer, food and a full costume ball.
There was black and orange crepe paper strung everywhere. And nobody
that was there will ever stop talking about the 5 1’ long,
2” thick joints that we pulled out for “"Buzz On"
”, the house lit up, literally, everyone went wild. Those 5
turned into 400 regular sized doobies, and before long it looked as
though everyone had one burnin'. I remember cleaning up so may roaches
that after awhile I just said fuck it and threw them back on the floor
and kept sweeping.
Well……these are
just some of my “Beat Boys” memories, maybe I will
write that book later. As I said, I would not trade them for anything,
I just remember, “It could be big brother!”
From George regarding a 2006 Beat Boys Live show
A "Beat Boys" show and a "Master Bates and the Beat
Boys" SHOW are two entirley different ideas. A show
could include any musician in the line up. A SHOW
would be all the original members. The last attempt at
a show failed misrably, not intended as a slam against
any one, it just was not a good show.
As much as I admire Gary and Ryan for their
musicianship I do not feel that they were able to pull
off the parts. Scott's and Christopher's shoes are big
ones to fill.
I am sorry if my opinion of that attempt to form the
Beat Boys with Weapons was a terrible idea in all
aspects of the music and time. Like mixing Paul Simon
with Metallica. Just not meant to be. I was offended
then as I am now of the idea. Jeff was not pleased
with the musicical style when Wade came into the band,
what were you thinking joining with Pete, Fred and
Joey? All three great players mind you, just not that
type of player.
If just a show is what you want to give people then
find a drummer, bassist and two guitar players and
teach them the material and put on a show. Maybe get
John and Joey to play guitars together again, I am
sure that John would be thrilled to do that again. If
a SHOW is what you want then you will do whatever it
takes to make it happen, same today as it was then.
I have always been and always be a "Beat Boy", and I
will always be one of Jeffs biggest fans.
George