Your Early Musical Influences:

Looking at Gahr's post reminded me of a few things.

The J. Geils Band were one of the best bands of all time. Until they come out with Freeze Frame and Centerfold. Then they were crap. Jerome Geils (RIP) would even tell you this. There was no other band in the seventies that could match the J. Geils Band's approach to rock and roll, r&B, boogie, or any thing that grooves.

Then, how I actually got into music. You'll love this. My grandfather (Father's side) passed away when I was young. I do remember him. He was a violinist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and other symphonies when he was younger. He gave it up one day, and that was that. We had his violins in our basement along with some suitcases and other stuff. I was mesmerized by all the different steamer ship and tour stickers on them. I started playing violin at school when I was seven. Now, a few influences come into the mix. It's 1969, and I'm discovering rock and roll. My mother's 45 collection has some good stuff. Her albums included some cool gypsy music with insane violin playing. My grandmother (also father's side) informs me that my grandfather was a descendant of Michael William Balfe, the Irish opera composer. He wrote the Bohemian Girl and several other operettas. So, I ask the violin teacher about learning gypsy music, Irish music, rock, and several other styles. No was the answer. It wasn't even like they were giving me proper musical education anyway. It was more like, "you'll learn these classics, and be prepared for orchestra performances."

So, several years go by, and my friend Pete who has a few bands going, has this idea for a Celtic acoustic punk rock drinking band. He already had a violinist, so I agree to be the mandolin player. Same tuning, and why not have the biggest person in the band play the smallest instrument. So, The Gobshites unleash a bunch of acoustic Celtic versions of G.G. Allin, Black Flag, Gang Green, Ramones, Yobs, Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders, and other punk rock classics onto an unsuspecting audience. The most fun we had when I was in the band was opening for Black 47 in Times Square playing through Larry's Vibroluxes. No one in the band had ever been able to hear me before that night, even though they had seen me doing windmills while playing a mandolin. It's funny how knowledge of one thing will help in another. So, after I left the band due to too many gigs, and not enough personal time with traveling for work, etc.... I find myself on a weekend jaunt to Dublin, Ireland hoping to meet up with Java to see the Rory Gallagher guitar exhibit at the Collins Barracks. It was a great exhibit, including guitars owned by Marc Bolan, Tony Iommi, and Phil Lynott. Never met with Java because I could not figure out how to use the pay phones, but we did meet up another time. So... I'm in Dublin, at the Temple Bar. I said to the bar tender, "Yeah I play in this weird Celtic band that plays only punk rock drinking songs. We're called The Gobshites." He said "oooh, that's not a very good word, you know?" I said, "Yeah I know, but Larry from Black 47 always called Peter a Gobshite, and that's where the name came from." He got a good laugh from it.

I don't know where I wanted to go with this, as I'm kind of burnt out and far from home. I can't wait to play a guitar again. Cheers.
 
Last edited:
SG John said:
Looking at Gahr's post reminded me of a few things.

The J. Geils Band were one of the best bands of all time. Until they come out with Freeze Frame and Centerfold. Then they were crap. Jerome Geils (RIP) would even tell you this. There was no other band in the seventies that could match the J. Geils Band's approach to rock and roll, r&B, boogie, or any thing that grooves.

Then, how I actually got into music. You'll love this. My grandfather (Father's side) passed away when I was young. I do remember him. He was a violinist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and other symphonies when he was younger. He gave it up one day, and that was that. We had his violins in our basement along with some suitcases and other stuff. I was mesmerized by all the different steamer ship and tour stickers on them. I started playing violin at school when I was seven. Now, a few influences come into the mix. It's 1969, and I'm discovering rock and roll. My mother's 45 collection has some good stuff. Her albums included some cool gypsy music with insane violin playing. My grandmother (also father's side) informs me that my grandfather was a descendant of Michael William Balfe, the Irish opera composer. He wrote the Bohemian Girl and several other operettas. So, I ask the violin teacher about learning gypsy music, Irish music, rock, and several other styles. No was the answer. It wasn't even like they were giving me proper musical education anyway. It was more like, "you'll learn these classics, and be prepared for orchestra performances."

So, several years go by, and my friend Pete who has a few bands going, has this idea for a Celtic acoustic punk rock drinking band. He already had a violinist, so I agree to be the mandolin player. Same tuning, and why not have the biggest person in the band play the smallest instrument. So, The Gobshites unleash a bunch of acoustic Celtic versions of G.G. Allin, Black Flag, Gang Green, Ramones, Yobs, Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders, and other punk rock classics onto an unsuspecting audience. The most fun we had when I was in the band was opening for Black 47 in Times Square playing through Larry's Vibroluxes. No one in the band had ever been able to hear me before that night, even though they had seen me doing windmills while playing a mandolin. It's funny how knowledge of one thing will help in another. So, after I left the band due to too many gigs, and not enough personal time with traveling for work, etc.... I find myself on a weekend jaunt to Dublin, Ireland hoping to meet up with Java to see the Rory Gallagher guitar exhibit at the Collins Barracks. It was a great exhibit, including guitars owned by Marc Bolan, Tony Iommi, and Phil Lynott. Never met with Java because I could not figure out how to use the pay phones, but we did meet up another time. So... I'm in Dublin, at the Temple Bar. I said to the bar tender, "Yeah I play in this weird Celtic band that plays only punk rock drinking songs. We're called The Gobshites." He said "oooh, that's not a very good word, you now?" I said, "Yeah I know, but Larry from Black 47 always called Peter a Gobshite, and that's where the name came from." He got a good laugh from it.

I don't know where I wanted to go with this, as I'm kind of burnt out and far from home. I can't wait to play a guitar again. Cheers.
Click to expand...

Great story!!@!!☆☆☆☆☆

My Mom and Dad's record collection - which they gave me at age 8 or 9 - included: Herp Alpert, The Shirrelles, Jumpin Gene Simmons, James Ray, Howlin Wolf, Son House, The Ventures, Bill Haley, Big Bopper, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Sonny and Cher, Peter, Paul and Mary, Mamas and Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, Glenn Campbell, Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, personal gift (hole punched and signed) albums from Mel Street, Merle Haggard, Buck Owen's, Gene Watson and Charlie Daniel's (personal friend's of my Mom) nd so many more incredible musicians.

My oldest Son has that collection now..
 
Robert Herndon said:
Great story!!@!!☆☆☆☆☆

My Mom and Dad's record collection - which they gave me at age 8 or 9 - included: Herp Alpert, The Shirrelles, Jumpin Gene Simmons, James Ray, Howlin Wolf, Son House, The Ventures, Bill Haley, Big Bopper, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Sonny and Cher, Peter, Paul and Mary, Mamas and Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, Glenn Campbell, Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, personal gift (hole punched and signed) albums from Mel Street, Merle Haggard, Buck Owen's, Gene Watson and Charlie Daniel's (personal friend's of my Mom) nd so many more incredible musicians.

My oldest Son has that collection now..
Click to expand...


I just grabbed a bunch of 45s at my folks. There were Shadows, Chubby Checker, Elvis, Tornados, and bunch of other cool early '60s stuff. All German pressings, as that's where we lived at the time.
 
I heard these guys playing years ago at a music shop and bought the CD on the spot.
Not really an influence, but how can you not be inspired by this performance.


It's a cover, yet it's original.
It's true to the song, but it's as far out as it can be.
 
My Mom is a music lover, she was always listening to music. My real introduction to Rock was when my twin brother & I had Twin teen aunts & they come over to watch us while my parents would go out. I still remember the 1st albums Queen "We Will Rock You" & AC/DC "Dirty Deeds" & Aerosmith " Draw The Line". Then my older sister was in love with the Stones. Then us boys saw Kiss! I still remember my Mom buying all of us the Solo Albums...I got Ace & my twin got Gene & my younger brother got Peter & Sis got Paul. They came with life size posters cut like puzzle pieces so they all fit in order & we hung on the wall! My next B-Day my Mom bought me a record player & let me pick out 3 albums. I picked J. Geils Band/Reo Speedwagon High Fidelity/Led Zepplin III & my good friend gave me the Beatles "Sgt. Peppers"....then I saw Reo that summer with my Sister at the State Fair & it was off from there!
 
My earliest influences growing up as a teenager in the 60s the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals. Then later on Cream, The Guess Who , Bryan Adams, Def Leopard, always like to watch Joe Cocker concerts I always liked his style his unique voice. Kinks, AC/DC, Beach Boy's, Joe Walsh. My favorite guitar players Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Randy Bachman, Ritchie Sambora, Eddie VanHalen, Colin James.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top