The Night Shift

[Lippy]

Yep, I love reading Cat's stories. Exciting stuff!!

[draglist]

Always had the horsepower, but now it's in a brand new Jerry Haas chassis instead of the old mild steel gig you were runnin'! bp

[WildcatOne]

All true, and thanks. Last night we played at the Portside Pub, on the north shore of Galveston Bay. We were out on the deck, there was a roof over us, but the Bay breeze was constant and humid throughout the night. We played from 8-12. The hot rod club was supposed to show up but only a couple of them made it out because it had rained earlier, big-time all over this area, and they don't ride in the rain or on wet roads, ever...night before last, Jeri, Pee Wee's wife, pulled me aside and she told me "I want you to give a try at playing "Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughan. The band knows it, Jimmy used to play it (I remembered him doing it when I was playing keyboards with the band last year) and it's a crowd favorite. I'd like to hear what you can do with that song..." Now, I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but around here, Stevie Ray Vaughan was and is still the man. You have to do a Stevie Ray Vaughan song and do it good if you can ever say your'e a lead guitar player, ya know. I said "I'll give it a shot, Jeri. Thanks..." So last night, Pee Wee took a break, the band played "Watermelon Man", the instrumental by Mongo Sangamaria I think his name was, and when we finished, Pee Wee was still getting a beer and talking to some folks...so I said OK, boys, "Pride and Joy" in E...a-one, a-two, a-one-two-three-four..." I nailed that song to the wall. My Telecaster twanged and shimmied and hit harmonics all over the place. I always knew how to play that song but I had never played it on guitar and sang it before then. I just did it automatically but I threw in every hot lick I could think of that would fit in it...when we finished, I saw Jeri smiling and clapping and I pointed at her and winked...Pee Wee came up to the stage and grabbed the mike and said "Big...Bad...John..." and I got more applause...I felt pretty damn good about it, but after we finished that night, Jeri said "John, when I asked you to do that song, I was kind of giving you a test to see if you could play as good as Jimmy...you outdid him at every turn, man. You played that song better than he did..." I was kind of embarrassed that she said that in front of the band...but instantly, the whole band all agreed with her and told me so...that felt so good I can't say...Jimmy Fulton left some mighty big shoes to fill in that band, but I passed "the test" with flying colors. "Pride and Joy" is back in the song list. I also gave notice to both Pee Wee and GRI that I'm going to be out of town the weekend of July 13. Life is good. WC1

[Rapid Randy Baker]

WC,,,you are the CAT!!!!! I am a big SRV fan, as he is 2nd only to ZZ Tpo in my favorite groups list!! Very Cool!!!

[draglist]

Great job, John. bp

[pro70z28]

Very Cool Deal WC

[WildcatOne]

I was able to get my digital camera working a couple of weekends ago. These pictures were taken at the Portside Pub, on the Northeast shore of Galveston Bay. I got a couple of shots of Pee Wee's newly-refurbished '56 Chevy, pulling the Coke trailer that the band's PA rides in, I got a nice shot of Ludwig overlooking the turbulent Bay, resplendent with DragList sticker, and I got a couple of shots of one of the Phantom Riders' '48 Merc classic in the dark, hope it comes out OK and does it justice...it's an awesome car...enjoy! WC1

[WildcatOne]

I'm off this weekend...I guess because it's Father's Day or something...so I've been making up some flyers for the Pee Wee Bowen Band. I need help with this one...what are those 2 people saying in that car? Cheers, WC1

[draglist]

Sweet! John, check your PM... bp