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[Ike Zimbel]

And here's another one, featuring a shout out to our very own moderator, Tim McCulloch.https://www.prosoundweb.com/road-stories-an-evening-in-ontario-with-roy-clark-circa-1983/

[John L Nobile]

And here's another one, featuring a shout out to our very own moderator, Tim McCulloch.https://www.prosoundweb.com/road-stories-an-evening-in-ontario-with-roy-clark-circa-1983/

Another good read. Looking forward to the next installment.

[Tim McCulloch]

And here's another one, featuring a shout out to our very own moderator, Tim McCulloch.https://www.prosoundweb.com/road-stories-an-evening-in-ontario-with-roy-clark-circa-1983/

The things one finds... although I moderate only my sodium intake.

edit ps:  we need more mixerpersons and technicians like Cathy Bush.  With work on the horizon how can we - as an industry - find and mentor new crew that isn't just a bunch of old, grumpy, most white men?  Probably a topic for its own thread if we want to discuss, but I'm planting some thoughts... we're in for some rough times if we don't get new folks into our crafts.

[Jason Glass]

And here's another one, featuring a shout out to our very own moderator, Tim McCulloch.https://www.prosoundweb.com/road-stories-an-evening-in-ontario-with-roy-clark-circa-1983/

A great read, as usual, Ike!

[Steve-White]

Yes, those were the days.  I had no clue what I was blindly walking into in the sound & light craft.  Having survived the late 70's & 80's, then traveled a good bit in an Aerospace job for 30+ years I sound like the guys I used listen to that traveled a lot when I hadn't yet.

Now, I'm a primadonna and world class prick - get it right or I'm loading it back in the truck and headed down the road.

In the beginning......in a state far far away.....central California - Friday October 13th 1978 and new mobile DJ hit the scene.  Wanting to blow away the competition I ran a pair of Altec A4's loaded with JBL 2205's and the Altec multi-cell horns atop.  Moved all that crap with a 1977 Chevy El Camino and it too at least 4 trips to move it each way.  Played a Barn Dance on Saturday night at a place called Horse World in the covered arena area.  Hay bales partitioned off a groomed part of one end of the arena.  Not too many showed up, guy that hired me was happy.  Took on load out that Sunday morning around 1am.  Went back Sunday around noon to make three more runs to pick up the Altec's and whatever else was left.

Had one A4 in the back of the El Camino and headed west down a country road named Copper avenue - rolled into the throttle gradually until it was to the floor around 50 MPH.  Secondaries wide open on the Quadrajet, 350 winding up, at 70 MPH right when it did the 2-3 shift to high gear I crested a slight hill in the road and looked into the rear view mirror as the A4 slid out the back of the elco at 75 MPH.  Fortunately nobody was in the oncoming lane at the time.  The box slid on it's back and drifted across the road sliding all the way off into the graveled shoulder, coming to stop about 100-150 yards from the launch point.  Stopped about 10' short of a mail box.

No damage, just scraped the back of the cabinet up, did some touchup with a little black rustoleum and kept on rockin.

Then, a year or so later playing a halloween dance at the Warnor's Entertainment Center Star Palace in Fresno, CA.  Took a hot water & dry ice fog machine up for the show.  Played between sets for a dance band.  After the show, rolled the 300+ lb 55 gallon fog machine into the kitchen to empty out via the floor drain.  Guess what?  The kitchen was some bootleg job, no floor drains.  The room was upstairs a flight of 20-25 steps and now way taking it down when full of water.  So, rolled it to the top of the stairs and opened up the drain - had the help watching for the house manager.  Coast was clear, got it emptied out and down the stairs into the truck and gone.

About 2 years later, had moved up to doing club sound for bands and had a couple or DJ's handling those jobs.  Bass player for one band I worked with worked for a booking/talent agency that had bands, DJ's, clowns, magicians and such.  Sun West Productions, which at that time had it's office downstairs under the Star Palace in the Warnor's Entertainment Complex.

I was telling the Fog Machine story one night and Steve, the bass player said one morning he came in to work and his desk was covered with water and they had no idea where it came from.

My first truck after the El Camino was a ~1960 Metro retired Milk Truck with a column shift, clutch slipped and front-end so worn out it would go into a high speed death wobble above ~50 MPH.  Red oxide primer paint job, blacked out windows in the back doors.

I wanted to do sound that bad - no regrets.   

[Scott Holtzman]

The things one finds... although I moderate only my sodium intake.

edit ps:  we need more mixerpersons and technicians like Cathy Bush.  With work on the horizon how can we - as an industry - find and mentor new crew that isn't just a bunch of old, grumpy, most white men?  Probably a topic for its own thread if we want to discuss, but I'm planting some thoughts... we're in for some rough times if we don't get new folks into our crafts.

Tim - I would be very interested in that.  Long before we had all these new terms getting women and minorities interested in STEM and aviation has been a passion.  Since my wife and I will leave behind no heirs we have been talking about estate planning and if life stays sane everything liquidated should endow a nice 10k or a little more perpetual scholarship for that space.  I can't think of a better way to honor my wife's son who was killed in Iraq than to name it after him. 


Anyway that's a little morbid.  We have been super blessed with two excellent women on our call list and we want to bring one of them on full time as our LD when things get back to normal.  As far as minority hires that has proven to be a bit of a challenge and I would love to hear what others have done. 

[Rick Powell]

As far as minority hires that has proven to be a bit of a challenge and I would love to hear what others have done.

I think it is as simple as having minorities in your circle, and maybe being a provider for events that include a diverse mix of people where you may meet potential employees. The late, great Marty Bilecki had two young Black assistants...I am not sure how he found his employees, but he used to provide for a lot of events for Black churches in the area around his southwest suburban Chicago neighborhood. One of our local sound guys is Hispanic and has been a first call for the busiest sound provider in our area; he was a musician who took an interest in running sound, and excelled when provided with the opportunity.

[Steve-White]

^^^ I find 'em where I find 'em.  Met one guy at the bank one afternoon and introduced myself and asked him if he was interested in some side money.  Another young man was working as a bus boy at a place I frequent near my house.  Just started talking to him - when he introduced himself as ____ _______ Sr. it showed some pride in his family and son.  Hispanic and black minority guys that work hard and follow instructions.

Black white red brown or yellow, male or female - some want to work and some don't.  One thing that really helps is to pay them well, then expect them to perform well.

[Ike Zimbel]

A great read, as usual, Ike!

Thanks Jason! Here's another one! https://www.prosoundweb.com/road-stories-adventures-in-mixing-bar-band-harmonies-circa-the-late-1970s/

[John L Nobile]

Thanks Jason! Here's another one! https://www.prosoundweb.com/road-stories-adventures-in-mixing-bar-band-harmonies-circa-the-late-1970s/

Just read that Ike. Another good one. Keep 'em coming.

I'm always amazed at how much better my mixes are when the band is good.

[ProSoundWeb Community]