Views the "Master Bates and the Beat Boys" daze.
What can I say? I was a member of Master Bates and the Beat Boys. For anyone that knows, that pretty much says it all. Of course, I was only 20 at the time, and from what I remember a complete pain in the ass that the rest of the Boys had to struggle to put up with. I was lazy, disrespectful, argumentative and almost completely unwilling to grow the fuck up.
But I could play a pretty mean bass…..
But that’s about all I had going for me, I guess. I have a pretty low opinion of myself during that time, and unfortunately as the years went on, that opinion only gets lower. But that’s a tale for another time. I think the matter at hand is my experience, memory and thoughts about the Band and its members.
To begin at the beginning, I was pretty freaked about college in 1983. My funding was running out, it looked dim that I could get another loan, and getting a real job was out of the question. I could barely attend class between bong-hits, let alone actually work. So, I did what any prototypical slacker would do in that situation- I decided to join a band. I remember coming across an ad for bass player in Fremont. I think it even mentioned something about acoustic bass or upright bass, and that it was an all-original band. I felt like it was a bit out of my league, but I answered anyway. Turned out the ad was placed by Jeff Yost and Christopher Martin, and Jeff lived right down the street from me on South Street. Cool! No commute issues.
I might have been a bit nervous when I showed up for the audition, but there was something about Jeff and Chris that put me at ease right away. The guys were about 10 to 15 years older than I was, but at the time I pretty much idolized the hippie generation that I had just missed by a handful of years, so I thought it was pretty cool just to be hanging with them for a while. Oh yeah- Jeff produced a joint and a beer. That’s what got me to relax…
Anyway, I don’t remember much about the audition aside from the fact that I could actually read music, which seemed to impress them. Fremont Ross had a pretty prestigious music program at the time, and I was a product of that program. I may have sucked on any legitimate level, but I did come out of there with some solid fundamentals. In any case, they whipped out some sheet music of a David Bowie song. As I recall, the bass line they had me sight-read was nothing more than a major scale in eighth notes, so I ripped right through it. I may have grimaced slightly to make it look tough, but apparently Fremont bass players in rock bands aren’t known for their reading ability- with the one possible exception of Joe Bates, my chief competitor in the orchestra. Fucker could PLAY a bass, you know what I mean? I’m just lucky he didn’t know about the audition. With his name and all it would be him writing this as a member and me writing some fan-boy piece.
I think I got the gig on the spot. We discussed plans and money and stuff, but all I was thinking at the time was, as long as they kept me supplied with weed I’d go along with anything. I’m pretty sure that’s what I said, too.
I came down to Fremont from Bowling Green a couple of times before the end of school for practice. I don’t think we had the Classic line-up yet. I think Guy was on drums at one point, and some other dude on guitar (dude- sorry I can’t remember your name. I was REALLY stoned at the time).
Just before I officially dropped out of school, Jeff and Chris invited me out for a beer. They had an awkward look on both of their faces, and they were really nice about it…., but they asked me to leave the band. Something about them thinking I’d leave the band once we got on the road. I’ll let Jeff comment on why, if he even remembers. For me though, it was a big deal. It was too late to sign back up for school (at least, that’s what I thought at the time). So, I just moved back in with my parents, smoked dope, drank cheap beer and sold my dad’s old coin collection for more dope and beer.
After a few weeks, Jeff called me up and asked me to join up again. I jumped at the chance, and at this point I met the Classic Line up with John and Andy (George). These guys were closer to my age, and we seemed to hit if off OK, although I was always intimidated by Andy. But the sound, that I’ll never forget. The sound John and Andy brought to the Beat Boys was amazing. I might not have known how to talk to Andy, but his drums seemed to match my bass like a Siamese twin. To this day, I have never come close to having the same musical relationship with a drummer that I had with him. And John! I don’t think I ever truly appreciated his playing until this past December (05), but even through the haze of smoke that was my brain I knew that he was a REAL guitar player, Marshal half-stack and all. Chris added an agility, depth and versatility to the project that I think we always missed after he left
__________________________
I swear- I think about this band every day now.
Reading stuff from John, George and especially Al bring back memories that I forgot about completely, or I look at them from a different angle.
2 things I don't think anyone has mentioned yet that I think really stand out in showing how much of an influence Big Al and Jeff really had on us are worth mentioning.
The first was that bizarre roadtrip to Cincinatti when we went to that weird party for the Elvis Brothers (at 5th Floor recording Studio). The fucking Elvis Brothers! They had this insane record deal for an album that, quite frankly, we're probably the only people in the world who even remember their name. A total Stray Cats/Elvis rip-off with a little bit of the Ramones thrown in for whatever reason. I think all of their last names were Elvis (Bow of the head for Dee Dee Ramone RIP). This is the type of thing that none of us would have even thought of going to. Only Jeff or Al could have come up with that trip. I'm pretty sure it was Jeff's idea, but Al, as usual, made it all happen. Anyone remember all of us eating at Denny's, and then skipping out on the bill? I was pretty freaked that we'd get busted, but unless I was stoned I was always freaked anyway.
The next thing was anther roadtrip to Clevelnd where we saw Queensryche (sp) open for Twisted Fucking Sister. I remember we laughed at Queensryche for being an Iron Maiden rip-off. Except the rod-iron drum kit was pretty damn hot! And in those days, Twisted Fucking Sister fucking ruled. They blew or heads off with an amazing show. I remember Al going nuts at 'Beast' Mendoza knocking the shit out of his bass neck, giving it a whack! on the power chords. Stupid as hell, but it worked. I remember Al trying to get me to do it on stage, and I thought I broke the neck (it just loosened the truss rod).
Those were some damn good times, when we hung out as a band. Jeff was always big on that. Al made it happen.