History of the Early Toledo Rock Scene

Just to cool.

2011-12-30T18:18:00.000-08:00

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Email from Randy Foley":

Include The Tabard as a late sixties venue which later became a medical supply store on Dorr St.
The Cave on Sylvania Ave. west of Secor was initially the Almond Cookie run my Marty and Kathy Baez in 67-68.
local bands like Kraak and regional acts like The MC5 and The Pack minus Terry Knight

TRAFFIC

2011-12-30T17:56:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of activity here @ Toledorocks.com blog lately.
~

THANK YOU!
~

I looked at the " STATS" and thought I'd share them with yall'

This is truly exciting!

"Keep them cards & letters coming in folks!"

CLICK TO MAKE BIGGER

Be sure to check out the new comments under

" NEW INFO & EMAIL FROM RANDY FOLEY

Any info?

2011-11-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

Are you a familiar with a band called the Eighties (or “the 80's”?)?   I believe
they were from the Toledo area (back in the 1980s) and had a single called “Tough
World” or “Cruel World” or “Living in a Tough World”.

TOLEDO ROCKS WEBSITE

2011-08-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

http://toledorocks.com

http://www.themods.us/

http://www.struffandterry.com/

http://www.seapeace.org/donglenn/donbio.html

http://www.musicnotesandquotes.com/JonPonemanFeature.htm

The House of Lords?

2011-02-21T20:52:00.000-08:00

I was reading your Toledo Rocks blog and

I was wondering  if you remember the band,
 The House of Lords?

It was Gary Jackson, John Sedlak,

can't remember bass players
name and Mike Lamb played the drums

for them.

I was wondering if it is the same Mike
Lamb that died of cancer.

Been looking for

those guys for a long time now.

Wondering
what happened to them.

Any info will be appreciated!

Thanks,

Sandra

 The bass players name was Fred Kenngott

I know because that is me.

I can't belive that the "House of Lords"

showed up on a website anywhere. 
What a wonder this WWW is.

Fred Kenngott

A winters day

2010-01-29T17:47:00.000-08:00

Over four decades ago,there was a place called 29 S. Erie at 29 S. Erie St. here in Toledo,That exists today.All those days have seen many changes come and go,Some,hardly noticed.For a few of my friends and I The music and the people makin' it at 29S. Erie were truly experimental as a"coffee house" and venue of Bawdy jams from Gypsy Blue,Pork and Beans,through the haze I can't see more,but I know there indeed there were "n" are other groups.But it is the individuals that stick to my ribs Lothar,Bruton,Pig,Dave Briner,Lee Gillenkirk,Bill Bromley,Tom Trudeau,Joe Misch,Kim Greenley,Kelsey Moore,And many that were there when I couldn't or wasnt able to make it. That time in the winter of '69 was a study in bleedin ears and exotic visuals like wet shows and strobes jus' like Frisco or was it truly their idea.There's been many revelations "n" revolutions since.The Pythian Castle brought us Don Glenn along with groups like Elan Vital,Midnight Apothecary,Ruby Dee,and Blues Confidential.People who endure as well,Rick Thomas,Bob Chapman,Rick"n"Randy Oswald,Tony Candella and Ray, oh can't remember his last name,guitarist from Blues Confidential,had a gold top Les Paul sounded ssooo sweet. Don't for get about the all night jams at the Gigilo where I first saw and heard the likes of Dennis"Pudgie" Gwynne,that might have been before Yazoo,can't remember.Ya know maybe I'll remember more,later.
                                                                                                                    Yours,
                                                                                                                     Ed Decko

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A winters day":

Gipsy Blue was a blend of Gipsy Moth, Don's group out of BG and US Blue's which was Chuck's group. This must have been about 1968. Don was drafted about 1969. Used to go through alot of Cymbols etc in those days when instruments got torn up. Kept JJ Rinehart in business :-)
Kraak must have come after Don left.
Lightshow consisted of two rented carousels and one mfged and rigged bright 100w light forever breaking the lenses boiling bubbling beautiful oil/ food colored backdrop :-)
Found your site trying to recall the name of the coffee house prior to it being called 29 S.E. I recall the interior construction of stage and projection booth.

FRESH START COFFEE HOUSE

Ed Decko said... in response to Randy Foley

2010-01-28T16:12:00.000-08:00

: IT was,I believe,Randy,The Gigilo"all night jams" that which is caught in the folds of your mind.Where I recall,having braved the Ottawa Hills PD,one could well have seen the inspirational jammer-xcitr Dennis"pudgie"Gwynne,with his gold top Les Paul tryin to shred the speakers of a Plush amp.About that time he was with Yazoo and soon to be Art Attack.Also I recall the Cave on Sylvania west of Secor Rd.,how bout the Carousel I think that was on Central by Douglas.Did you remember Pork and Beans playin At 29 S. Erie they were there several times.They also played at JJ Reinhart's music store at Miracle Mile in the parkin lot.They played a major role in the clean up of the Ottawa Park ampitheater,long before the city poured the new stage,think that was spring '69.I think Tony Candela was with Blues Confidential in their prime.which was Pythian Castle time.You could see Them and Ruby Dee.Elan Vital.Midnight Apothecary,Allegion Fields,and then go next door and see Terry Cooper at the Country Palace.That's all for now.We should be interested in the road we've laid for our proginy to travel.; January 27, 2010 9:30 PM

Update from Lothar

2009-12-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

Gary Rennie's band was one of the first I ever played with.
Actually, I didn't play at first,
they asked me to front the band as a singer.
I played with Gary in three or four different bands.
One of them was "Holy Toledo" with Elaine Caswell
on lead vocals.
In the eighties she did a duet with Joe
Jackson.  She is now a session singer in New York City.
I've seen her a few times on the David Letterman show.
I recently got together with Gene Black
and Marvin Sperling, both from Toledo.
Gene is touring with Joe Cocker on
lead guitar.  Marvin is playing bass in a Van Halen
tribute band here in Los Angeles.
I ran into David Wilcox in Las Vegas.
He was the drummer in 'Mr Entertainer'.
Also, Scott Nellis from East River Drive is alive and well
in Las Vegas.  Tim, the bass player from that
 band was murdered in Las Vegas.  Here are a few links

http://www.myspace.com/marvinbassdigitalaudio

http://www.myspace.com/blackwordsmusic

http://www.myspace.com/nellisscott

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7zun8_joe-jackson-elaine-caswell-happy-en_
music

Eventually, I'll remember the bass players name.


Peace,
Lothar

The Mods

2009-12-29T10:51:00.000-08:00

THE MODS 1963-1970 - Toledo, Ohio - Picture from 1966

The 1960s band from Toledo, Ohio that billed themselves as "The Mods" did not start out using the name "The Mods". The original group that was formed in Toledo, Ohio had several other names before they took on "The Mods". The group was started by Terry Smith and his brother Larry Smith, and their best friend, Larry Music. I know what you are saying (Larry Music?)...yes, Music was his real last name... a great name to have if you are going to be in a band playing music! The three originally formed a group in 1963 shortly after The Beatles took America by storm.

Email from Randy Foley

2009-12-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys!

Saw your website at http://www.toledorocks.com. Has great potential.

A few Toledo venues of yore that you missed:

> The Draft House (later the Agora), about 3300 Dorr Street, Toledo.

> The Firehouse, later the Dry-Mouth Cafe, 5815 Secor Road, Toledo.

> The Hullabaloo Club, about 2700 Navarre Avenue, Toledo.

> The State Theater, 2476 Collingwood Avenue, Toledo.

> Twenty-Nine South Erie, 29 S Erie Street, Toledo.

And there was a place on West Central Avenue between Reynolds Road and Holland-Sylvania, circa 1970, that had all kinds of shows, and "all-night jams." Can't see that place's name through the cobwebs in my brain, however.

Oh yeah, Ottawa Park played host to local bands, Toledo's version of the Free Concert Series held weekly in Ann Arbor.

And then there was a place near Monroe Michigan called the Club (later the Borderline; or was it the Borderline, later the Club?) at 14291 South Telegraph Road.

Certainly there were more rock venues back in the late 60s/early 70s in and around Toledo. But that's all I can come up with at the moment.

As to Toledo bands, I can come up with:

> The Buchaneers

> Fantasy (with an old school pal of mine, Tim Robinson)

> Kraack (with Joe Bruton)

> Hair Incorporated (with some old neighbors of mine, Mike & Tony Candela)

> Little Connie & the Blue Beats (Little Connie, later known as Ruby Starr)

> The Raisin Band (which morphed into the Bears)

> The Rogues (with Joe Bruton)

And my high-school chum Rick Fretter had a band that would sometimes open for the likes of the MC5 and the Amboy Dukes, but I'll be darned if I can recall the group's name.

I hope some of this info helps. Would love to see your website take off and become the end-all, be-all of the once-mighty music scene of Toledo and Northwest Ohio. Best wishes on that, and I will check back often.

Stay cool!

Randy Foley

Chicago

Email from 2007

2009-12-29T00:50:00.001-08:00

Hey,

Congrats on trying to put something that acknowledges the Toledo music scene - it's long overdue. Having been part of this scene in the early-late 70's I completely agree with your claim that there was innovation and artistic exploration - Toledo was an extremely fertile place for music. but I think you're missing some important stories:

Sylvania High School circa 1968-1974 spawned musicians Rob Fetters, Bob Nyswonger, Chris Arduser, Roger Holland, EJ Wells, Doug Perkins, Tom Toth (me) and launched a music scene that would support the nightlife in and around Toledo for many years. Their stories are compelling and the music they played had a tremendous impact locally. From their high school bands that explored more bizarre forms of music to the eventual club and concert bands that ended supporting artist like Adrian Belew, careers in film and television music and recording studio careers - their contributions are important and relevant to the history of music in Toledo and to your your site. (Try getting hold of EJ Wells - he'll have the stories and can put you in contact with some of the other musicians you'll want to talk with.)

You also had guys like Don Binkley, early in his career, performing in coffee houses around town and up at Put-In -Bay for thousands at a time. Don brought a level of musicianship and sincerity to the masses much in the way that Lother did.

The world renown jazz/fusion/blues guitarist Scott Henderson spent about 2 years living in Toledo and playing some pretty Avant-gard music in and around town. Brilliant local keyboardist Brad Teague, then a disciple of Sri Chinmoy and friends with Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, played with Scott in the bands Voyage and Gone Little. Brad's band Suparna, with with guitarist Dave Koontz and drummer Jimmy Schirra, were an insanely talented yet challenging band that opened for Ted Nugent and played concerts in Ottawa Park and (Alzheimer's attack) that field south of Toledo where they had a concert venue for a summer - I saw the Allman Brothers there. Anyway, after the Henderson bands, Brad left Toledo and went on to help develop several ground breaking products like Dolby SR while working with hand in hand with Ray Dolby at Dolby Labs in San Francisco.

In the late 60's you also had the Walt Churchill/Jello crew who played all over the place and set the stage for Lother Struff and that era. Worth researching - Walt I believe was lost in the Amazon and his body was never recovered.

Please keep up the good work - I'll look forward to stopping in from time to time to see where you go with the site.

Mail fron 2004

2009-12-29T00:34:00.000-08:00

Hi, stumbled on the site. interesting start. Johnny Paris, The Mods and Struff and Terry? Missed quite a bit. I just saw Lothar and Bob recently in Vegas, they were doing one of their few a year performances with Paul Williams. If you remember them from back in the day, it's quite interesting to see them as "older" men. In the picture is Dave Wilcox as well, originally from Dephus (not sure how it's spelled) then came to Toledo to play at Mr. Entertainer on Sylvania with Tym Chandler, Bob and that gang, drummed with several groups, lastly with my trio, SNS (Essence) before he and I left for Las Vegas, Tym would follow some time later. Tym was murdered in Vegas about 15 years ago, Dave no longer plays, but remains in Vegas, I am still in Vegas as well, but preparing to return to Toledo, as Vegas NO LONGER has much live music and WAY too many people competing for it. I was heard playing at Tiffinannys on Central by the ex-owners of the Landmark hotel who brought me out, and I commuted for a while, moving my family there in 81. There is so much info that I can't think where to start. There is a book out, don't recall the name but it speaks of Rock and Roll and it has a picture of Johnny Paris, Butch Matis, etc, talks of them playing London and having the Beatles open for them. In the picture, which is much later, is Ray Holly. Ray now of Austin Texas and no longer playing was the guitar player for the Buckeneers, which also had Tym Chandler and his brother Steve along with Dave Youngman who now plays at one of the Islands in Lake Erie. The drummer in the group was Mike Lamb and his mother "granny" was a legend around Toledo. I joined after becoming friends with Tym playing together at TU. We got a recording contract with Mainstream Records owned by Bob Shad, and recorded at the Record Plant in New York. While there the name was changed to the East River Drive. After returning I left, and they reformed. We restructured the group about 1972 with Greg Price, Tym Chandler, Ray Holly, Bob Terry and myself, Scott Nellis (now performing under the name Nellis Scott) That group broke up at Bennys East when Bob Terry packed up and road bike to LA to hook up with Lothar again and sing for Paul. By the way, you neglect to mention the third party in Zaftig which I believe was Jim Stein, who went on the do great things I'm told on Broadway. There was another group in their as well with Lothar, Bob and Brent Bissel. After the East River Drive broke up, Tym and I started a group called Rochestra, before ever performing I broke my arm and left the project, coming out of the break in a group with Dave Shoffer called Soundscape. Then my trip SNS and then left for Las Vegas, where I auditioned and performed for Liberace, traveled with Lola Folana and Opened for Redd Foxx, amongst others. Worked cruise ships, clubs, hotels, and such. I have been a vocal coach for 25 years as well. I still perform as a solo. Greg remains in Toledo and Mike Lamb died of cancer about three years ago. Anyway, hope that helps. SNS

Johnny and the Hurricanes

2009-12-29T00:24:00.000-08:00

The Hurricanes began as an Ohio combo formed in 1957 by a group of students from Toledo's Rossford Catholic High. The leader of the group was saxophonist Johnny Paris, born John Pocisk, 1940 in Walbridge, Ohio. Paris grew up listening to jazz greats until Bill Haley became popular using a combination guitar/sax backing. Paris formed the Orbits, a band that played on a few locally released recordings behind Mack Vickery, an obscure rockabilly singer

An email I received from Sonja Reuter

I wrote a tribute for my husband for Planet Jive in
the UK:

R'N'R LEGEND

The widow of Johnny & The Hurricanes sax star Johnny
Paris has paid a moving tribute to the r'n'r legend.

Paris, who sold a million with Red River Rock, died in
hospital at Ann Arbor in Michigan, aged 65.   The
official cause of death was "sepsis, pneumonia and a
pancytopenia treated splenectomy".

His second wife Sonja Reuter has braved personal grief
to write her own tribute to Johnny exclusively for
readers of Planet Jive...

"We were together for almost 18 years, nine and a half
of those married, six years of those in a 'wild
marriage' before we finally said our 'I dos' and of
course a dating time of one year prior to that.   John
had the most charming smile that I ever saw, a man who
would not open up to you until he knew you well, and
he was more complex than anybody else I ever met.
John was never boring, regardless how well or how long
you knew him, a warm-hearted person who would hide it
under a hard shell.

"Unless he was close to you, you would never see the
real John.   He loved music and animals, especially
dogs.   He loved to fly and loved good food.   Yes,
it's hard to believe as he never had any weight
issues!   And he was a person who strictly separated
his private life from his life as a musician.   He was
enthusiastic about all kinds of music, whether it was
jazz, funk or rock'n'roll, you could even drag him
into the opera without resistance.

Caring
"He was a caring man, but even his children referred
to him as an 'alpha male'.   That’s what he was in his
marriage as well as in his life as a musician (but his
musicians can most probably tell you more about this
than I).   He was in any case my rock in the storm, a
strong man with own opinion, a man of the 'old
school'.

"I was allowed to watch him in concert, but I never
saw him practise with his band.   He told me: 'I do
not want you to see the way I am when we practise.
There I am not the most pleasant guy and I just do not
want you to know this side of mine!'
"I heard however that he was rather strict during his
rehearsals, a perfectionist.   He demanded the best of
himself and of his musicians.   I remember a concert
in Germany where John said to me in the interval: 'The
guys played terribly today.   If this was a practice
session, I would flip out, but I can not say anything
now.   It would just make them nervous.   I have to
write this gig off!'

Boss
"But I am certain that the drill was more severe next
time the guys got together for practice.   As
impatient as John was with people (he always used to
say that he would never have the patience to teach
someone to play the sax), he would never get impatient
with his dogs.   They were allowed to do almost
anything even to sleep in his bed, but they also knew
he was the boss.   Once a puppy of ours fell into a
pond and John jumped after him (in all his clothes!)
to save him from drowning.   We bred Bullmastiffs, but
since he passed away I will have to close our kennel
down. It is just too much work without John around.
I loved his caring heart for animals.
"That was John Pocisk, my husband - Johnny Paris, the
musician can be described certainly better by other
musicians, for I was his wife, not his business
partner or band member.   When we met, I only knew
that he was an American saxophone player, but his name
and the name of his band meant nothing to me.   Born
in 1964 I had other idols.   But THAT was exactly what
John loved about me.   At the beginning stages of our
relationship we went into a music bar in Hamburg,
where people approached him from all sides for
autographs.   I must have looked rather puzzled,
because John said to me: 'You do not know who I really
am, do you?'   I shook my head, and his answer was:
'And that’s why I love you'.

Talent
"In later years, after we were already married, John
used to say with a big smile on his face: "My wife is
not a fan of my music, but that is quite all right.
She'd rather listen to Mother’s Finest".   He knew I
fell in love with John Pocisk, the man, not with
Johnny Paris, the musician.   Even so I was always
proud of him and his talent in the music field and I
am grateful that it was ME who had the pleasure to be
the woman of this truly remarkable man for so many
years.

"I will be the keeper of his legacy and intend to
administer his wishes according to his will as good as
I can and hopefully to his liking in the future, so
that my husband and his songs will not be forgotten.
No day goes by that I don't cry for the loss of this
wonderful man of mine.   I miss him so very much and
will love him for ever.   He was my John, my love, and
just the thought that I will never see him or speak to
him again is unbearable."

Don Glenn

2009-12-29T00:20:00.000-08:00

1970 to 1973 The Pythian Castle Cultural Center, Toledo, OH. Director of Performing Arts. Produced weekly concerts and plays by local artists. Performed in concerts with Savoy Brown, Spirit, and Commander Cody. Produced a voter registration concert in Toledo Sports Arena with attendance over 20,000.

Wholey Toledo. Don had been invited to stay with friends in Toledo Ohio and with this break he took the opportunity to visit them. His mode of transportation was his thumb. He arrived totally broke. But then he left that way. He had his guitar and performing along the way got him what he needed. The first order of business was to find a place to play for "spare change". He had been told of a "hip" tavern on the East side of Toledo and that was his first stop. He introduced himself through his music and made a few friends and a little money. Several of the people there were involved with an outdoor concert venue called The Farm outside of Lima Ohio. He was invited to go with them to their concert the next day. The concert featured Savoy Brown & Spirit. Spirit had performed and Savoy Brown's piano still hadn't arrived from Toledo. They were up next and about 10,000 people were getting restless. The next thing Don knew, he was on stage and he "Kicked Ass" for about half an hour. The piano arrived. Savoy Brown "Kicked Ass" and everybody had an "Ass Kicking" time! In the audience was Ed Emery, the owner of a building in downtown Toledo called the Pythian Castle. Five stories high, with two auditoriums, and a music store leasing the ground floor. He asked Don if wanted to help him turn it into a cultural center with concerts in the auditoriums and arts and crafts shops in the many smaller rooms. "The Pythian Castle, A hippie Mall?" So on day three in Toledo Ohio, Don said yes to what would become Director of Performing Arts of the Pythian Castle Cultural Center and what would be a two year adventure that deserves it's own book. In the end Ed Emery lost the Castle in a divorce settlement and it was back to California for Don.

Struff & Terry

2009-12-29T00:14:00.000-08:00

In 1968 Robert Terry asked Lothar Struff to join his band, ASIAN FLU, a local band in Toledo, Ohio. That was the start of a journey which has spanned more than three decades. Playing the local venues around Detroit and Toledo they shared the stage with artists like Bob Seger, Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes, and Joe Walsh and the James Gang. ASIAN FLU soon disbanded but the desire to write and sing together remained. As two members of an acoustic trio named Zaftig they toured the college coffeehouse circuit and opened a stadium concert for Richie Havens shortly after his Woodstock glory. Vocals and songwriting have always been the focal point of Struff & Terry and over the years they've collaborated with some wonderful artists; Amy Holland, Michael McDonald, Paul Williams, and Joel Sonnier to name a few. Now the journey has come full circle and they're back to doing what they like best. Writing and singing together.

Welcome

2009-12-28T23:57:00.000-08:00

Toledo, Ohio is known for many things, Rock and Roll is not usually considered to be one of them. However, many consider Toledo as a source of innovation and trend setting. Toledo has in the past, and continues to turn out exceptional talent. This web site is an effort to document Toledo's contribution to the World. Not only in the field of music, but also in art and technology. This site is dedicated to the likes of the Pythian Castle and The Almond Cookie crowd. It is more directed to the “ fringe” if you will of the psychedelic underground of the 60's & 70's.