|
Monday
07/02/2001 7:55:32pm |
| Name: |
Jim White |
| E-Mail: |
jwhite1@ev1.net |
| Homepage
Title: |
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| Homepage
URL: |
http:// |
| Referred
By: |
Just Surfed In |
| Location: |
Houston, Texas |
| High
School and Class |
BHS '64.5 |
| Comments |
Hi, everybody!
It’s been a while since I last said “Hello”, but this year’s Pan Canal
Reunion has given me an idea that I want to share with all of you and see what you
thought…
The upcoming Pan Canal shindig promises to be one of the best parties in a long time and
anybody who has ever attended one knows how much work and preparation goes into this
special gathering. At the same time as the PC reunion party, BHS ’61 and BHS ’66
will both be there celebrating, as well as a Curundu party! With all this going on,
somebody had the neat idea to resurrect something of the early CZ bands! Having been a
part of a few of them, I was especially excited about the idea. So I started to ferret out
details, to find out who I should talk to and where I might fit. I was excited! I knew I
would be coming home hoarse and achy all over after four days of singing and guitar
playing.
I know we all went downtown now and then to enjoy Lucho and Leroy Lewis, but week in and
week out we all cut our teeth on the rock & roll of our favorite local band. I
expected to be part of this killer “Battle of the Bands” or the “The
Millennium’s First Canal Zone Rock & Roll Party”. I knew I’d be playing
with guys from The Betners, The Tempests, The Astronauts, to start with (yes, Elaine, you
too), and all those bands and musicians who came after us later in the ‘60s,
‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.
(When you think about it, many of you spent more time with us ~ on Friday & Saturday
nites ~ than with any body or any place else… ‘cept maybe Contractor’s
Hill.)
Anyway, to my dismay, I discovered that only a few CZ musicians were invited to play, and
then they were only allocated 2 ½ hours on a single nite. I’m sure the planners had
no idea how much interest this idea of theirs would generate…I seem to find
disgruntled ex-CZ musicians without even looking for them. Plus, it seemed to be a very
expensive few minutes on stage. So here’s the point of all this:
To assist future planners and hell-raisers, I intend to develop a database of all CZ bands
and musicians who still play and wish to make themselves available to play for our sister
classes, parties, reunions - whatever comes up… a clearinghouse. The purpose is to
create a single point of contact for access to us all, by all of you. It should be easy
and straightforward for reunion and party planners, too. If you’re going to have a
real CZ party, might as well have real CZ bands, like back then. That’s all. No
charge. Then, when the idea of having one or more of us play, I will help with the comm
links and help arrange for them to attend. I control nothing… I will be just a single
source of limited information, which I have permission to share.
So, for all you Canal Zone musicians – with bands or just by yourselves, from any
era, if you like the idea, then email me. Tell me who you are, what you do or play, when
& where in the Zone you were, how I can contact you, and whatever else you think is
pertinent. I’ll make the adjustments you require, as this thing straightens itself
out over time. I guess if you don’t like the idea, I should probably hear about that,
too. For planners, would this helpful to you? Your ideas may help make this even better,
so let me know.
If the clearinghouse is successful, I’ll have a few other ideas for you to consider,
but that’s for down the road a bit. Share your thoughts. Thanks! |
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