Over the years, so many of you have asked me to talk about my show business career. I've always resisted doing so. There are dozens of memories I'd rather not revisit. But, last night, I decided to read a favorite S.J. Perelman story. I took the book from the top shelf and out tumbled a 1964 photograph capturing me and Desi Arnez small-talking during a cocktail party at Danny Thomas' place.It made me realize that whatever small part in musical history I may have played, it's time I shared a bit of the fun times with my friends and fans. I dug out a few of the old LP's from the garage, shook off the dust, and decided to post them for you. I hope they bring back a few memories. They certainly did for me.
67 comments:
Did you ever get to jam with Weird Al Yankovic back in the day?
I heard he was quite the squeezebox player before he began his career in parody...
A very interesting blog you have here. I like it very much. And no need to defend my right to babble. I would do it whether it was legal or not. Laws are only strongly worded suggestions anyway.
I never realized you (or the accordian, for that matter) were so versitile. Forget about La Vie en Rose; I want a copy of that calypso album!
Hail Nickie...
How does one become a member of La Famiglia Goomba?
Greetings from
TITVS ADVXAS
(Tight as a Duck's Ass!)
I found "Moods for Moderns" at a yard sale, with "The First Family" by Vaughn Meader stuck to the jacket with some kind of syrup. The platter was fine. A spin on the hi fi really takes you back...you can almost smell leaded gasoline and wool mittens when you listen to your music.
I don't know what I would have done had it not been for your music all of those years ... Bless you maestro.
Sol,
I've always enjoyed Yankovic's work. I've never performed with the kid. He once auditioned for am all-accordion traveling roadshow I was putting together called ACCORDIONS ON THE HIGHWAY. Unfortunately, Disco had reached full popularity and the project fell flatter that a coal-scraper's stockpot.
MRMacrum, thanks for the visit. Stop by anytime.
Mike, everybody wants that Calypso album. We did a version of Tippy Tippy Tin that people still talk about today.
And thanks for using the classic spelling of ACCORDIAN. In about 1985, claiming they had invented the instrument, the Soviets decreed that the new official spelling to be аккордеон, or accordiOn. I hated the Soviets and I've tried never to give in, but it seems the entire Western world buckled to the ruskkies.
Hail Titus,
You have been added. I hope you'll visit often.
Oh, Nickie, you should not have told me this. I think musicians are SO sexy.
Thanks, Rhod. At the moment, in the background, I'm playing our 1959 HiFi recording of Besa Mi Mucho. I may have to get up and dance around the room.
And I tend to recall the aroma of pipe tobacco and knotty pine.
Growing up in Chicago, a party wasn't a party in my parents' house without an accordian player (and plenty of red wine)! Thanks for bringing up such great memories. And, really, I'm not sure there's a better song than FLY ME TO THE MOON!
Woody, thanks for the kind words. As my dear friend, the late Kay Starr would say to me: "Nickie, your music puts the iggle in my jiggle".
Sadly, Nickie has now left the bandstand.
Opie, I need to be loved for myself. You have no idea how tired I am of the accordian groupies. They're usually sad girls looking for just a taste of the glamour and hijinks of tinseltown.
Writer X, it's nice to know that my music was a staple when the entire X family gathered in the rec room.
That's sooo like the Russkie's wanting to take credit for invention of the ACCORDIAN! Why hell, any inner-city school kid will tell you it was a young African-American Community Organizer named Barack who invented it under the watchful eye of his typical white Great-Grandma,
Judy Tenuta!!!
I used to work with an older man who would regale us with stories of growing up in the 50's-60s and how you would be the "bees knees" if you could jam with an accordian.
Sad to say I didn't get it then- I do now. Thank you.
Gene, why do you continue to spout the official party line? I am saddened.
Chup, back in the 50's there were few beautiful women who couldn't be won over by a spirited rendition of Lady of Spain.
Gosh Nickie, you look pretty good in a dress! Oh wait, you must be the other person talking to Desi.
Nickie- LOL!
Great thread. My favorite part is the comment (by Opie) how musicians are so sexy, and then ... "Thank you, Rhod" being the next retort by Nick.
You need to get the rhythm of these comments, man!
Now that Nick has told of his accordian prowess, I feel unburdened. I didn't want to be the one to leak it.
If only Rhod will elaborate on his days playing synthesizer for ABBA.
The thought of what Corcovado might sound like on the accordian is too much for me. It would require a reasonable dose of acid to even comprehend--and I'm too old for acid anymore.
Quiet nights of quiet stars
quiet chords from my guitar
floating on the silence
that surrounds us.
Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams
quiet walks by quiet streams
and the window that looks out on Corcovado
oh how lovely...
It was a Mellotron, DC, an early synthesizer used to great effect by Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues.
Bjorn and Benny never learned how to use it - wrapped up in Spandex restricted movement. I did the studio cut and they dubbed it.
Now tell us about your days with the Grampa Jones Jug Band. How do you get inverse chords out of a jug?
nice nice!..I play a bit of geetar myself my friend!!:)
Chupa, I was an "older man growing up in the '50's and '60's", and we never said "bees knees"...we said "cat's meow".
Back in the day, I used to tango to the smooth Latin tunes of Nickie on the squeeze box with his band of strings and brass.
I'll tell you, many a memorable kiss was snatched from sweet lips (or vise versa) while Nickie played into the night.
Those were the days. I never heard a band that could instantly switch from an accordian rendition of Strangers In The Night to Roll out the Barrel the way Nickie's could.
Later, when Nickie grew his hair long for the 60's I saw him jamming on the Isle of White with Jimmi Hendrix and Johnny Winter - what a great trio they were. Nickie carrying the tune on the accordian while Jimmi stroked the guitar and Cross-Eye'd Johnny set his guitar down to pick up a cello and make the piece memorable.
You talkin' about the hyper-ventilatin' quartet from Hee Haw, Rhod?
Actually, I can play a jug and/or empty half-liter of Coke about as well as any one in these parts ... and that is saying something. It impresses small children the first time they hear/see it, any way.
Note, every one how the names of those metrosexual Swedes from ABBA just roll right off Rhod's keyboard. He doesn't jest about this weighty matter. I am going to hunt down some photos. I am thinking we might even have some pics of the three of them in leotards and some of them curly-toed booties.
Please don't do the photos, DC. I want to remember us as we were back then. Young, blonde and generally hairless where you don't want hair.
Fog-horning a bottle for kids always warmed them up for finger-pulling. Ah, their laughter is like the tinkling of bells; now it's just tinnitus.
LL, were you with Goomba in his psychedelic period?
Opie, next to that song is Alpert's "This Guy's In Love With You".
Proving once again that he did, in fact, spend time in the South, Rhod admits knowledge of the age-old tradition of "finger-pulling". To Yankees, this is a mere diversion or "warm up" for other entertainment. To those of us in the know, every good Jug Band has at least of couple of 'pullers in it -- i.e., popcorn, tenor and bass.
Rhod, I listened to that song intently when you mentioned it before. The lyrics are...powerful.
Great stuff Nickie. Maybe you can get those converted to MP3's and share.
In the meantime, here's a nice version of Malaguena that starts in this solo set medley at around 1:50, followed by a beautiful Greensleeves, preceded by Levee Walkin, and I know the tune at the end by can't name it.
Here She Blows
Oh Hell Nickie, Gave you the wrong link, tho that one's not bad either.
Here's the Real One
And that's the first tune I tried to learn on the guitar.
And here you are, man...making jack with the rest of us starving bloggers on the Internet. I hope to hell the residuals feed you, because, unfortunately, I got flooded last weekend and can't spare you even a waffling Obugger promise.
Opus, Have I told you my middle name is Wolfgang?
I already know that, Kid. That's why I hang out at your blog. ;-)
Opus! HA !
Opus. You want sexy, check out that link in the post above at Sept 30 - 6:12 PM
Shmoe, I look tasty in a pencil skirt.
DC, I was was under the impression he choreographed ABBA.
Cbull, you're also probably to old for Corcovado. Too much Jobim at your age makes the cholesterol soar.
Opie, my favorite was always WAVE.
Rhod, his musical pedigree includes washboard with The Jarmels.
Kid, Sensual. Definitely sensual--a delight to the senses.
Woman, I just know we could make beautiful music together. Just ask Kay Starr.
LL, don't forget the 1982 European Tour with Meatloaf and Alice Cooper.
Rhod, Herb Alpert isn't worthy to carry Jobim's cavaquinho.
WAVE. Now that is cool. I had heard the melody before, but I never knew the name. Thank you.
Bravo, Nickie! Bravo!
Nostalgia aplenty tonight...
When I was a little girl, at almost every large social gathering there was someone playing the accordion...
It would only take a moment... and then no one would be left sitting...
all were up and dancing!
Back in those days we enjoyed food with pleasure...
We drove miles to get 'real' Parmesan cheese.
We sang and danced ~ who needed aerobics?
What a gift, what a talent... and wonderfully shared with the world!
Kid, last week you told me your middle name is T-Bone!
Maria, thank you for your kind words. There are some people in this world who believe that accordians are only appropriate for Italian weddings or Prisoner of War camps.
Nickie, Last week, it was!
Nickie - I tip my hat to sir, I did not know your credentials, very cool......
Rebel, I'm tippin right back atcha!
Nickie has chosen to omit his bagpipe period. McGoomba's drum and pipe band played bar and bat mitzvah's, weddings and funerals.
I've never heard anyone play "Ain't that a Kick in the Head" and "That's Amore" the way Nickie can on the bagpipes.
When he piped into Hava Nageela and Hevenu Shalom It would simply bring tears to your eyes.
It makes me misty just thinking about that - hey Nickie, play Misty for me on the pipes - just one more time.
Because of THAT attitude, Goomba, I'll have to reveal that Jimmy Page said your work was:
"The missing link between noise and music".
It had to be said. Some people just get too big.
I like the idea of MP3; be the only guy on my block to have them on my ipod.
LL, time takes its toll on the body of any older man. If I were to take up the pipes again, I'd need to get my kilts lengthened.
Rhod, In California we call that Fusion.
TF, I'm considering having the entire library digitally remastered. Legalities prevent me from doing so immediately. Never-ending litigation involving an obese and overly-flatulent and over-rated former bass guitarist prevents me doing so sooner.
This entire post and comments made my day yesterday. I can't thank you enough. It had been a rough week and you guys make it fun.
You betcha, Ope!
LL, time takes its toll on the body of any older man. If I were to take up the pipes again, I'd need to get my kilts lengthened.
Nickie. I've had that problem for a loooooooooooooong time.
Kid, your problem is washing your rayon kilts in hot water.
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