I’d like to ask for a moment of silence on behalf of my sister Sylvia in honor of the great Leslie Gore. My favorite song that you recorded was the B-side of “That’s The Way Boys Are”, called “That’s the Way The Ball Bounces”, which was an early Marvin Hamlisch composition. Both sides of the record’s titles started with “That’s The Way” but I was entranced by your vocal on the B-Side. You were beautiful, you were great, and we never forgot your wonderful music. May you rest in peace.
My pick for Racer of the Week is Rodney “Hot Rod” Rezentes from Hilo, Hawaii. Hot Rod’s “Just Plain Blown Crazy” Top Alcohol Dragster is the foremost example of Sportsman drag racing excellence on the Big Island. The blown big-block Chevy car sits on a Hadman chassis and has set performance benchmarks for the last few years in Hawaii, with Rod also driving a Fuel Altered at selected events. Rod is on the board of directors of the Hawaiian Drag Racing League, and he is the 2014 IHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series champion. His home track at Hilo, Hawaii was named IHRA track of the year in 2014, and he is also the track champion. That Chevy engine makes a ton of power, and from watching the videos that are posted online of his best runs, it appears to me that he isn’t about to give up his position any time soon. He’s been at the top of his sport for more than the last 10 years, and he’ll keep going into the future as long as his foot can slam the pedal. Rodney “Hot Rod” Rezentes exemplifies the spirit of Hawaiian Sportsman Racing, and I’m proud to feature him tonight. Good luck, safe racing and best of times in the future, Rod.
I’m open for suggestions from all Sportsmen Racers for Racer of the Week, folks. I keep the roster full for about a month or so in advance. The criteria to be selected is fun and easy to produce, and for no cost you or your favorite Racer gets worldwide ink. Feel free to message me at John R. Bockelman on Facebook, you can email me at
pctalent@sbcglobal.net, or message me on my DragRacersReunion.com page. I’ll be happy to work with you, and y’all will join a very special group of folks who deserve the recognition and have put in the effort to succeed in drag racing. I hope to hear from you soon.
It seems fitting that while I’m talking about Hawaii tonight, I should finally get around to talking about one of my musical influences who died there in 1997 in the heroic rescue of his 12-year old son. Randy California was given his last name by Jimi Hendrix in 1966 when Randy Wolfe was playing guitar in Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in Greenwich Village. The band was starving but they were great…more than great, actually, and when Chas Chandler whisked Jimi away to England to form the Experience, Randy decided to move back home to California and put his own band together.
His stepfather, Ed Cassidy, was in his 50s and had a 30-year career behind him as a jazz drummer, but when he heard Randy playing his new music, he offered his services as the drummer for the band he was forming. When Randy accepted Ed’s offer, it was in my opinion a stroke of genius, one of many that he had, as the band Spirit featured some of the most creative yet rock-solid drumming of any band, ever. The two remained partners throughout Randy’s career and life, and I can’t imagine hearing a Randy California song without the great Ed Cassidy playing his unique style behind him.
Randy was responsible for several classic albums, beginning with Spirit’s first album, into their second great outing, The Family That Plays Together, through the masterpiece that was The 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, which not only reached unimaginable heights of beauty and vision, but also produced nightmarish images of the dark side of rock music and the hippie myth.
Although they wouldn’t have another record like that one, their music continued to thrive, and from the album “Feedback”, which Randy and Ed recorded with the Stahley brothers after some of the members of Spirit split and formed Jo Jo Gunne, the song “Taurus” from that album is recognized as having been used by Led Zeppelin as the opening guitar licks in their song “Stairway To Heaven”. Spirit performed “Taurus” when Zep opened for them on their 1969 tour. The litigation in that matter is still ongoing. Speaking of Jo Jo Gunne, Mark Christopher Andes, the bass player who joined that band with Jay Ferguson, both of whom were in Spirit with Randy, went on to join Heart in the 1980s and played on several Heart albums and hits. He lives in Houston now, and is a session man at SugarHill Studios. I met him a few years ago at the SugarHill 60th anniversary CD release party. The Citykings played a song on that CD.
Anyway, one late afternoon in 1975, I was in my one-room flat in darkest Montrose, which my friend Scott Blair named “One Alley Center” and I heard a band a half block away playing a Spirit song…”I Got A Line On You”. I thought, damn, they’re nailing it. Sounds just like ‘em! Then they started another Spirit song, “Fresh Garbage”, and I decided to stroll over to the Texas Opry House and check these guys out. Much to my amazement, it was Randy California and Spirit, and they were rocking the joint! Cost 5 bucks to get in, and it was the best money I ever spent. I got to see the master up-close and in person play his best with Ed Cassidy on drums and Barry Keene on bass. They were absolutely fantastic, and it was this band who was touring in advance of the recording and release of what I consider to be the greatest rock ‘n roll album ever recorded, “Spirit of ‘76”.
I got my copy of this album from a cut-out bin at the neighborhood record store, and from the first note to the last, I was hooked on it. Everybody could say an album came along that changed their life or at least influenced their outlook, and I’ve had a few of them over my years, but Spirit of ’76 completely turned my life around, and I made some very significant changes to my career, my lifestyle, and yes, my Spirit. I’ll never forget the contribution that Randy California made to my life. It went deeper than it did with others, but I found my spiritual touchstone with that record and it was him who created it.
Randy lived in Hawaii, mostly, until his untimely death in 1997 at the age of 46, when he drowned after saving his 12-year-old son from being swept away by the strong current.
Along with Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Holly and Gerry Rafferty, Randy California became an immortal being in my life and he will forever be an immortal Spirit.
Y’all be sure to tune in tomorrow evening at 7 PM Eastern on Racers Reunion Radio for Racing Through History. It’s a Goat Rodeo you don’t want to miss. Thanks, I’ll see y’all next week.