a rock band - Echo Park - News

Bob Report

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700

So Rusty called me today and said that he and Jamie had laid down a NEW TRACK (finally), so I picked it up today and am working on lyrics!! Excited!!!!

Rusty Report 8/1/11

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Well...???
It's been a year & 3 months since we posted anything and what do we have to report?!?...nothing. Well, that's not entirely true. After a year and a half of moping around after losing Fish, we're talking to a possible replacement. It's been a long time coming, but there are a few things you need to understand. Most bands lose members, they post notices in music stores, in newspapers and on Facebook and the like, and they find someone else to play. We have had the good fortune not only to play with exceptional musicians, but forge deep personal ties and develop a brotherhood. Fish has been (and continues to be) at the center of that brotherhood since day one. Finding another bass player not only requires us to find someone with the chops, but a kindered spirit as well. Anyway, like I said, we're talking to someone. More later.
As far as the rest of us...Steve and Jamie continue to play with The Lucky Strikes. They're a wonderful Jazz/Oldies/Beach band that play in and around the NC High Country. Check 'em out if you get a chance. The four of us are very busy talking about all the music we're going to write for the next CD. Now if we'll just get off our collective ass and actually do some recording. Meanwhile Fish is sitting in Gainesville, FL sending me snippets of song ideas. He's gonna have our next CD written if I don't get it in gear!
Finally, we've had a lot of inquiries as to when we're gonna do "Tommy" again. We almost did it last April, but just couldn't get it together. Ensemble Stage was going to sponsor the performance and Gary Smith, Ensemble Stage's co-founder is pushing us to do Pink Floyd's "The Wall". When we get this bass player thing settled, we might just work up a double bill. We're that crazy and stupid (well I am anyway!). Heck...why not Quadrophenia...and JC Superstar...and Evita...and Madame Butterfly....and...and.....

Rusty Report 5/3/10

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Hi There!
There hasn't been much to report from EchoParkWorld lately. Fish came up to play Winterfest with us, it snowed 30 feet and we played to about 10 people. Thanks to all who braved the weather. It was a neat show. We played the whole CD with a couple of covers thrown in. We hadn't played Rosemond in eons. We've never played Mel live, so it was fun for us.
In other news...well...the is no other news. Since January we've all been taking care of other areas of our lives. Steve and Jamie have been playing with The Lucky Strikes, a local jazz group. If you hear of them playing anywhere, go check 'em out. They're really good. Jamie, Amanda and I have moved into a new apartment. We have enough room to set up drums, guitars and recording gear, so we hope to start making demos for new tunes for our second CD. I promise this one won't take 30 years. (I'll try to keep it under 10!)
To be honest, we're still scratching our heads trying to figure out what we want to do now that Fish is in Florida. There are several wondreful bass players we could call on. It's just hard to imagine anyone else in that spot, especially for me. I have a 30 year history with the guy. We developed a very tight musical raport, not to mention he's one of my oldest and dearest friends. He has sent some song ideas to me to play with, and I'm sure I'll send him stuff as well, which is to say he'll definitely be a presence on the next CD.
I sure have rambled on considering there's nothing new to report. It's just been a while since we said "hey!". Well..."Hey!". Stay tuned. We hope to get the ol' EP machine up and running soon.

And The Bass Player Is...FISH?!?

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Yep. Fish is coming up from Gainesville to do the Winterfest show on January 29 (this Friday). Being the procrastinators that we are, we waited a little long to ask someone to come in and learn our stuff and perform it at the end of January, so Fish agreed to come up and bail us out. We hope everyone can come out and see us (with the Fish Man) this Friday night for Blowing Rock Winterfest. Details are in the calendar section.

Rusty Report

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Well...Fish is in Gainesville and apparently he took the cold weather with him. Sheryl might just send him back up here! (at least until March or so). So I'm just sitting aroung wondering what to do about playing when I hear from Bob Miller of Ensemble Stage. For those of you who aren't familliar with Ensemble Stage, they are what used to be the core of the Blowing Rock Stage Company. They kicked off their new endeavor with a wonderful readers' theater production of "War Of The Worlds" last October 30 (Fish was in it! It was still good!) They also put on a fablous Christmas variety show. (Out of 3 scheduled performances, 2 were canceled due to weather. I'm sick of snow. I'm sick of cold. I'm ...oh yeah...) ANYWAYYY...Bob got in touch with me and asked if we would be intrested in doing a concert sponsored by Ensemble Stage for Blowing Rock's Winterfest. Concert? Nice Auditorium? Winterfest? Forget the small detail of not having a bass player. I said "sure". I knew we had to get back on the horse and I knew it would take all of 2010 if I didn't put a date in front of us. We'll announce who's playing bass soon. In the meantime, I hope y'all will plan to come out and hear us. We'll be playing the stuff on our CD as well as some of our favorite covers. I'm sure we'll sneak in some "Tommy" nuggets as well. Sooo...come on out. January 29, 8:00 P.M. Blowing Rock School Auditorium...WEATHER FREAKIN' PERMITTING!

Merry Christmas

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year!! Please do not forget the reasion for the season.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas

Tommy Venue Change

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Please help us spread the word! The location for Bill Fisher’s Farewell Reception and the Echo Park performance of Tommy have been moved to the Watauga High School Auditorium. Join us Friday, Dec. 4, from 5:00 til 6:30 for Bill Fisher’s Farewell Reception at Watauga High School, then plan to stay and see Fish and the r...est of Echo Park perform Tommy. Tickets are $10 at the door.See More

TOMMY BACK ON...NO, REALLY

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Yes, our on again, off again situation with that stubborn deaf, dumb and blind boy is back on! Echo Park will perform The Who's "Tommy" on Friday, December 4th at 6:30 P.M. at the Harvest House Performing Arts Center on Boone Heights Drive in Boone, NC. We've been able to retain 99.9% of the cast from our May performances. We are thrilled to have the band Harvest House open the show for us. This show WILL BE THE LAST public performance by Echo Park with Fish on bass. In honor, we will have a reception at Harvest House starting at 5:00. Everyone is invited to come and see Fish off as he prepares to move to Florida. We hope this will be a special night and would love for all of you to join us. See the calendar page for more details.

One that got away

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Sad news to report, Fish is leaving the band and moving to Fla(must be getting OLD). I wanted to take a few minutes to express what he means to me and to the band. The bass is the foundation of all music. Thats what he does for us. Not only is he an awesome bass player, he is a hell of a lyricist and a great singer. We all brought something different to this band. He brought a strong foudation to build on. He and Rusty have been here from the beginning, he cannot be replaced. The CD we released was his baby. He spents hours and hours tweaking and listening to make the best out of each performance. Yeah we had to redo some things but it turned out well. We all have a debt to you for your hard work .

I first met Fish as a Freshman at ASU in East Dorm. We lived on the same hall. It was an interesting time in 1976. He moved on and I stayed in Boone. May years later I was in Rusty's basement trying out for the band. Rusty, Mark Williams and I were waiting for their bass player Fish, in walks Bill, (Fish was short for Bill Fisher his radio stage name) I was blown away. I did not make the band that time, it would be six more years before I was asked to join. We have shared many things over the years, birth of our children, deaths of our parents, late , late nights spend hauling heavy equipment (HMF), watching the bar fights from stage and getting shot at leaving a gig(both Tennesse). Watching the sun come up loading in at Jim and Jennies. Practice, practice ,practice. People changes, getting a drum sound at Solli's. Pebbles and Bam Bam, the PARK RANGERS. Too many memeories and I'm sure many forgotten.(we played there?)

WE did it right! We NEVER played Free Bird. We played the music we loved with people we grew to love. We played music that challenged and streched us, and did it pretty damn well. We wrote some awesome songs!! Although our dream did not come true something else happened along the journey, I gained a family. I got to be in a ROCK and ROLL band that did not compromise, played the music I loved with people I loved. Can't BUY that. Can't BEAT that. Who knows what is in store down the road. I hope our paths cross again, and again, and again. Live long and prosper Brother!!

Bob

TOMMY'S RIDE CUT SHORT

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

We here in EchoParkLand were saddened to hear that the Hayes Center in Blowing Rock will be closing its doors for the remainder of the year. This of course means that we will NOT be performing Tommy as planned. We are looking at other venues , so stay tuned. Meanwhile, all of us in Echo Park send out our best wishes to everyone at the Hayes Center and the Blowing Rock Stage Company. We sincerely hope you're up and running again real soon.