Page 2 Memories

 We collected 45s and listened to the radio constantly. Gene was really particular about finding music between all the nonsensical gibberish of the fast talking DJs of the day. I remember WMEX, WRKO but hardly ever WBZ. Don Kent couldn't even get the weather right. Gene found a station we could barely get during the daytime called WORC. We found WORC played songs and introduced us to bands we had never heard of. One such group I remember was an unknown band called Richard and the Young Lions whose song was 'Open UP Your Door'. Great song but we only heard it a few times on WORC. Gene and I had a hand me down old table model Emerson or Sylvania AM radio from my parents that I'm sure was older than him. We we were now listening and chasing down popular songs everybody played as well as unknown tunes and bands. Late at night we could sometimes get am stations from as far away as New York and I swear Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. Gene would very often tune into those stations for live sports casts of baseball, hockey and basketball. Me, I couldn't have cared less. Gene was the master of the radio.

  By 1965 we knew we had to upgrade to a real stereo for our room. Albums were beginning to arrive on the scene. The RCA 45 was beginning to seem slightly tired. We needed real money so at the close of school of my 6th grade and Gene's 8th grade we hopped on our bikes and canvassed the area restaurants starting at the upper part of Route 9 of the golden mile where the Chateau Deville is to the end just past Speen St nearing the Carling Black Label Brewery and Ford Plant. At the very last restaurant, across the Street from the Ford Plant there was a restaurant built eerily similar in structure to a Howard Johnson by the name of The Redwood Restaurant. They hired us immediately. I lied about my age. I was 12 but I was tall for my age and I said I was 13, legal age for restaurant dish, pots and pan washers. Gene was older so they put him on the large automatic dish washing machine. They were well aware of my lie but they were desperate and we found out why. Ballbusters they were!

We began immediately. 6am-6pm 7 days a week. Now we were making real money. We had scoped out a new portable stereo with removeable speakers, a brand new innovation from RCA available at Garino's television, radio and record shop in Framingham for the princely sum of $79. The speakers were remarkably clear and loud. Garino's was just a stone's throw from our soon to be new favorite store called Framingham Music Center. Finally at the completion of our self imposed sentence at the Redwood Restaurant in Natick on route 9, we were furloughed at the end of the summer 2 weeks before school was to resume. One stand out memory I have of that summer at the Redwood was the juke box. Once again that beautiful tone and volume. Norman, the short order cook would play the same song over and over again. That song was "Sunny" by Bobby Hebb. This is where I could hear the distinction and separation of instruments from the juke box. I couldn't help but to enjoy hearing all the instruments of that song played over and over again for 2 months. When I hear that song today I can still smell the hot fat mixed with the heat of the kitchen at the Redwood.

 Now we had our own stereo that could play 331/3, 45, 78 rpms records. I was back to babysitting for extra cash, Gene remained at the Redwood for perhaps another week before leaving for a more humane kitchen position at an Italian Restaurant on Rt 9. Things were changing, Gene was accepted into a private Catholic high school in Framingham, Marian High School. I was to begin at a new junior high school named Kennedy Junior High School in West Natick off Mill Street practically in my back yard. At this time I was enamored with songs like Louie Louie by the Kingsmen, 96 tears by ? and the Mysterians, The Last Kiss by ?, Fun Fun Fun, Little Honda by the Beach Boys. Gene had a more refined taste of music. We both were liking Dylan going electric with Like a Rolling Stone and Rainy Day Women, sounding really raw but what great musicianship behind him. I was beginning to really enjoy 45 flip sides like I'm Free and Get Off My Cloud by the Stones. Western Union by the 5 Americans was also top of my list. Anything by the Shadows of Night was good because I could play it on bass. I discovered Eric Burdon and the Animals Boom Boom Boom Boom, It's My Life. My garage pop sense of music was beginning to show it's head. I was going to Woolworth's and buying these package of 10 45s for maybe 99 cents hoping to find new sounds. I was successful because I found an incredible version of Don't Let Me Sleep Too Long by the Myddle Class on Tomorrow records. It had the perfect blend of Farfisa and or Vox organ but also burning lead guitar and strong forceful vocals with dynamics galore. It's still one of my all time favorite recordings. This came in one of those bundles. I also learned about record sleeves and the importance of a great presentation. The 5 Americans and the Gentrys always had thick shiny full color photo 45 covers and Phillips records was putting out many bands like Red Sheppard and the Flock and Richard and the Young Lions with good 7" 45 black and white picture sleeves with band info on the back.

 Cont. on Page 3