Feeling a little depressed I needed to get away for a while. I got in my van and travelled up the west coast stopping at various cities to work odd jobs for food and gas. I spent a great deal of my time alone in the van out in the middle of nowhere. It was during those moments that I was able to reflect on the past, which helped to shake me out of my depressed state of mine. After a few months of my nomadic existence, I returned to Los Angeles and began working as a security guard. I would work long hours, clocking in as much overtime as the company would allow. Working security, particularly during the night hours, gave me plenty of time to think. Though an honorable profession, I refused to believe that being a security guard was my end purpose in life.

The long nights were exhausting. Night after night I found myself struggling to stay awake. There was no radio or TV at my disposal and I found myself humming random melodies that were coming to me in uncontrollable streams. Eventually, I started adding lyrics to the different melodies that had come to me, all the while wondering how they would sound on tape. With A Different Bag, I never really got into writing songs, and singing was the furthest thing from my mind. I left that up to the members who were more proficient in that area of music. I was the bandleader and drummer, and that was more than enough for me. Eventually curiosity got the best of me, and I decided I would try to get my songs on tape.

Good recording studios were and still are very expensive, and I knew I couldn’t afford to take care of my financial responsibilities and pay for studio time too. I needed a second job. Through my brother Kenny, I was able to get hired as a taxi driver in Hollywood. He actually trained me for the job. The added job had me working twenty-hour days, leaving me little to no time for anything else. With the added cost of musicians, I had to work a month just to pay for a two-hour recording session. Once I got a few songs down on tape I didn’t stop there. I formed my own record company, Posh Records, and released a single of two of my songs, “Dancin’ Is Your Love” & “Skateboard”. Although the record did get some airplay in my hometown of Milwaukee, without the necessary financial resources to promote my record, like so many others, it just faded into the sunset. Today it would be very difficult to find an original copy of that record.

In the early 80’s, as I was working security at a hospital in west Los Angeles, Natalie Cole entered and walked past me and smiled as I was stationed at the front desk. She was there for her scheduled rehab session. On her way out she stopped and greeted me. I told her I was a big fan of hers, and that my dad was a very big fan of her dad [Nat King Cole]. I also told her that I had played the drums for many years with my own band. She asked how I rated myself as a drummer. I told her that I hadn’t played in a while, but I would give myself an 8 out of 10. Unexpectedly, she invited me to come down to the Pied Piper nightclub on Wednesday night where she and others would be jamming. To my surprise she then suggested that I may be able to sit in on one of her songs. We took a quick picture together before she departed, leaving me with a natural high which lasted for the rest of the night. Not knowing what to expect, that Wednesday night I called in sick, and made my way over to the Pied Piper nightclub located on Crenshaw Blvd. Natalie greeted me, and shortly after taking to the stage, she called me up where I played the drums on “Sophisticated Lady.” It was great. I was on top of the world. Leaving the club that night I knew exactly what I had to do. I had to get back behind the drums. It was the only thing that could fill the emptiness in my life.

I managed to save enough money to buy myself a set of drums. I then began searching through the classified section of the Recycler, a Los Angeles based newspaper often used to connect musicians together. I came across a band seeking a drummer to play R&B music. I thought this would be perfect. If nothing else it would give me the opportunity to get back in shape. I called the number and spoke to Bob, the bandleader, who invited me to come to their rehearsal. A few days later I went, and after playing a few songs, I was accepted into their band. The name of the band was “Gomillione”. It was a new band that was just starting out. The band had a lot of potential. The female vocalist had an excellent voice and Bob, who played lead guitar, was also a very good vocalist. However, overall they lacked experience, and needed a lot of work. I decided to do what I could to bring them up to speed. My knowledge and experience together with circumstances not worth mentioning, I became their new leader. I contacted my brother Kenny, who had moved up to Oakland to do some work with Harvey Scales, the original song writer of Disco Lady. He agreed to come back down to L.A. and help me get Gomillione ready for gigs. After several more weeks of rehearsals, I invited a Hollywood booking agent, (Eddie Tillman), to come and check out the band. He was impressed, and a few weeks later he got us booked at Pepe Le Moco, a hostess club located in the Akasaka district of Tokyo, Japan. (More on Pepe Le Moco can be found in an earlier post). Though excited, this was not my brother and my first trip to Japan. Back in 1974 “A Different Bag” performed at Mugen, a nightclub also located in the Akasaka district of Tokyo. This was during the time when James Ingram was A Different Bag’s lead vocalist and keyboard player.

Gomllione performed six months at Pepe’s, and ended with great success. Unfortunately, this was Gomillione’s one and only job and the band disbanded at the close of the Tokyo engagement. Upon returning to Los Angeles, I immediately began putting together a new band, A Touch of Fire, which was patterned exactly after Gomillione. This led to the start of nearly a decade long series of engagements in Japan and several other Asian countries. I was finally back in the music business. Back where my heart and real purpose was. A more detailed version of this account can be found in my aforementioned book. Thanks for a long read. And as always, your comments are welcome.

I consider myself a seasoned traveler and didn’t want to be part of a tour group, so all of the sightseeing and touristy things I did were on my own. I would higher a driver, sometimes for a day, to take me wherever I wanted to go. A little more expensive but at least I didn’t have to play follow the leader. I visited temples, did some island hopping, went snorkeling, attended outdoor Thai boxing matches, enjoyed the nightlife, you name it, I tried to do it all. But one thing about being in Thailand, there is no end to the things you can do.

On this particular day, I went on a 60 minute safari on the back of an elephant. Other than the non-stop talking of the elephant handler, it was quit nice. Being out in nature is always a plus for me. It’s a way for me to organize my thoughts and reconnect with my spiritual side. From there I went to experience one of Thailand’s many floating markets; Markets that sell their goods from the edge of a water bank where the customers never leave their boats. Thailand’s floating markets are basically designed for tourist. It certainly gave me a new shopping experience. I honestly enjoyed it, and, unlike the elephant handler, the operator of the boat never said a word.

I spoke to my friend Teddy, a retiree from the U.S., whom I knew on occasion had rented motorbikes here in Thailand. Teddy was polite, but definitely tried to talk me out of it. Thailand is not a place for many experienced riders much less for someone just starting out was his words. I appreciate the fact that he didn’t mention my age. Anyway, I thought about what he had said but decided I would go ahead with it any way. My mind was made-up, and I was determined to see it through.

I enrolled into a two day class that assisted me in passing the required written test. I also had a friend of mine (Jim) take me out to an empty lot for a couple of basic riding lessons. After passing both the written and road test, I received my Thailand motorcycle driver’s license. A few days later I went out and bought a motorbike, a Yamaha n-max. In most cases the difference between a motorbike and motorcycle is that most motorbikes are automatic, smaller, weigh less, and are generally easier to ride. Motorcycles are altogether a different story; They are heavier, with gears that must be manually shifted, have much more horsepower, and are far more challenging to control.

After riding my n-max around Pattaya City for awhile, I realized that the seat was not very comfortable, particularly after a ride of an hour or more, so I  decided to trade it in on a slightly bigger motorbike, a Yamaha x-max300. The x-max gave me more comfort and more stability, particularly out on the open road. Now, just to put things in perspective,  the time it took between my initial desire to ride a motorbike, obtaining my motorcycle license, purchasing my first and second motorbike was all less than 30 days. And yes, as I’ve said before, once my mind is made-up, I am relentless in seeing it through. My sister, who seldom agrees with me on anything, would quickly agree with me on that.

Over the next year or so I developed into a fairly good rider. I learned how to blend in with the other motorist on the road, which, more often than not, was a hectic and frantic style of driving. Very few drivers in Thailand obey the rules, and getting from point A to point B can be more of an obstacle course than anything else. In fact, obeying certain rules at the wrong time could actually get you in serious trouble. But overall, well after Covid, I am still enjoying the riding experience.

Occasionally I would join other riders for short day trips to various locations of interest. On one such occasion, while my friends and I were riding along at a pretty quick pace, ( 80 mph), we were suddenly passed by a lone motorcyclist. I always knew that motorcycles were faster, and much more powerful, but I was surprised at the speed in which that rider passed us, it was like we were standing still. I was intrigued. As soon as I got back to my room I went on YouTube to get an understanding of how to operate a motorcycle; shifting gears, proper use the clutch, etc… My curiosity eventually lead me inside a motorcycle shop where I began looking through their inventory. After a while I came across a 2018 Honda CBR650F. It was a used motorcycle with barely 3,000 miles on the odometer. The salesman came over and informed that a female originally purchased the bike, but soon realized it was too big for her and, therefore, didn’t ride it very much. I explained to the salesman that I was interested in the Honda, but that I had never rode a motorcycle before. He said “no problem, I could come anytime and practice riding the bike on the dead-end-street in back of the shop”, which I did over the next few weeks. Of all the times I went there to practice, he never once tried to sell me the bike, which I thought was a little unusual. Maybe he was just that good of a salesman because I eventually ended-up buying the Honda. Having two bikes now I decided to use the Yamaha X-max300 primarily for city use, and designate the Honda for road trips.

For those of you who are experienced motorcyclist, you know that the most dangerous road surface to ride on are the ones made of gravel and have sand scattered around. You also know that the two most difficult maneuvers to make are U-turns, and controlling your bike at slow speeds. I wanted to be a better rider, so I searched for an area that would allow me the opportunity to practice on all surfaces. I found an empty lot just outside of Pattaya City which seemed to be the perfect place. It had a gravel surface with patches of sand spread all throughout. It also had very little road traffic, and it was large enough to allow me room for mistakes. There was, however, one slight problem that I had to overcome. It was occupied by a pack of feral dogs.

The moment I pulled into the lot they immediately made it very clear that it was their territory, and proceeded to chase me out. Not to be discouraged, I went over to a near-by 7 eleven store and picked-up a bag of dog food. I returned to the lot and parked on the opposite side of where the dogs were gathered. I spread the dog food out, then moved off the lot to see what would happen. One by one they eventually went over and began eating. As they were eating I began riding slowly around the lot. Other than an occasional bark, they stayed put, and did not run at me as they had done earlier.

I would go there to practice once a week each time bringing them food. Overtime they became more and more comfortable with me being there. I even felt as though they actually looked forward to seeing me. The dog that I call Brownie was the friendliest, and would even allow me to pet him. He reminded me of a dog I once had. It was a wining situation for both me and the dogs. I was able to practice, and they got their food. I seldom go there anymore. The last couple of times I was there Brownie was no where to be seen. Life is not easy for feral dogs no matter where they are in the world. I can only hope that he is doing okay.

For those of you who are considering riding around Thailand on a motorbike or motorcycle just remember, as Teddy said, even the most experienced of riders would have a difficult time getting around. The hectic and chaotic disarray taking place on the roads, that only Thai people seem to understand, are probably not worth the risk. Most Thais do not even have a driver’s license, which is why so many of them ignore the rules. They simply don’t know what the rules are. A sample of this chaos is displayed at the end of this video. Thank you for your time. And remember, your comments are always welcome.

Unfortunately, due to YouTube copyright restrictions, the music was removed from the video, and replaced with an instrumental from our Touch of Fire album.

Getting back to the more traditional use of the word chocolate, one of my favorite restaurants in Thailand is the Chocolate Factory. You can find them spread all throughout the country. The food is great, the service is equally as great, and, as the name implies, you can have your chocolate any way you want. The one I go to is located in Pattaya. There you can get your chocolate, and, at the same time, enjoy a great view of the sea.

On this day, during the Covid-19 lockdown, my friends JJ, Richard and I decided to go to Chocolate Lake; another nice place offering a wide variety of chocolate treats. Ninety-minutes north of Pattaya City,  Chocolate Lake is not a lake filled with chocolate, nor is it restaurant by any means; it is more like a Barista with a very limited food menu. From its isolated location, it is obvious that no one goes there just for the chocolates. It is the view of the lake and surrounding area that makes it special. For us it was a chance to get out and enjoy the day on our motorbikes before the 9pm curfew Thailand had put in place. After spending a few hours there we headed back to Pattaya. It was nearly sundown when we returned, and since I would be confined to my room for the rest of the evening, I decided to spend a moment at the beach just watching the day come to an end.

Except at the DMZ, (demilitarized zone), the morale of the soldiers seemed to be pretty relaxed. Understandably, because the DMZ was the neutral area located between North and South Korea. It wasn’t unusual to see the Soldiers on both sides taunting each other. It was the first line of defense if war was to ever erupt [again].

While we were performing at Camp Humphreys, the largest U.S. military base outside the U.S., our agent approached us offering us the opportunity to perform on a popular Korean T.V. show. Because of our tight schedule I knew it would be hard on us but I reluctantly agreed. The T.V. studio was located in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. After our last show at Humphreys, we were immediately driven through the night on the icy roads in the freezing cold reaching Seoul early in the morning. With just a few hours to thaw out and rest we headed straight to the studio and awaited our turn to perform. I was really proud of the band that day because, considering how tired and cold we were, we took to the stage like true professionals. After that show we were treated like celebrities. Walking down the street drew recognition and often cheers from those who saw us. Until then I had no idea just how popular that T.V. show was. This first photo shows our appearance in the studio just minutes before going out on stage. Also in the photo is the agent and one of the Korean producers of the show. Unfortunately, due to YouTube copyright restrictions, I had to remove the original audio from the video.

The scenery all along the way was great, some of the best you will ever find in Thailand. Even the back roads were paved and clearly marked. With only one quick stop in between, I thought we made good time. It was a very enjoyable ride. Upon arriving, we parked our bikes and immediately began walking among the many fruit trees. According to Nop they had every kind of fruit tree there imaginable. I have to say it was quite impressive. But not nearly as impressive as the feeling I got from being so far removed from the stress of everyday city life. City life not limited to being in Thailand. We walked, and as we walked I was getting a firsthand experience of farm life in Thailand. The attitude in rural Thailand is far different than what you will find in the big cities. No one is in a hurry, no one seemed stressed and everyone gets along. I found myself wandering off on my own surrounding myself with endless roles of tall trees, a million miles from nowhere. We stayed until close to sundown before heading back. For those of you who plan on visiting Thailand, I highly recommend your itinerary include a visit to a farm or village in a more rural area. I guarantee you will not regret it.

Shortly after our engagement at the Mandarin hotel, while we were back in Los Angeles, I received a call from Archie Sullivan: one of our agents in L.A. He informed me that there was a club in Singapore that was about to go under and desperately needed a band that could keep it afloat. There were several clubs in Singapore which provided live entertainment so I asked him what club? He responded by saying “Caesar’s  inside the Orchard Tower building.” I thought we would eventually end-up performing at Caesar’s, I just didn’t think it would be that soon. I agreed and quickly prepared the band for the engagement.

A few weeks later we arrived in Singapore a day early and was able to catch the last night of their present band (New Joy). New Joy was a six piece band from the United States and had been living and working in Singapore for quite some time. My band and I had seen their show many times during our previous stay in Singapore. Minus the female in our group, New Joy’s style was similar to ours. We thought they were a very good band. They were well known among the locals and had a good following. I was puzzled as to why they couldn’t draw the crowd necessary to keep Caesar’s in business.

The next night “A Touch of Fire” took to the stage. We were determined to turn things around and gave everything we had. At the end of our first night the club was barely half-full but everybody seemed to have enjoyed themselves. The second night was a little better than the first. Word was getting out. Our third night ended with a packed house and that was the case for the entire six months we were there.  Every night Caesar’s was overflowing with people who were in no hurry to leave. Like magic, the atmosphere inside the club had been completely transformed. We were definitely the right solution to Caesar’s problem. Mike, the owner of Caesar’s, had a policy which rewarded their employee’s with a bonus each time the club hit a certain target. A Touch of Fire was the only band that was able to meet and exceed that target. We did so every time were performed there. Needless to say the staff was always overjoyed to see us. The video clips were taken on our final trip to Caesar’s.

Due to YouTube copyright policies, I had to remove the audio from the video.

Much later in life, I realized that I my short attention span is due to ADHD, a disorder that was not diagnosed back in the 50’s and 60’s. There are two types of ADHD; Difficulty paying attention, and difficulty sitting still. I had both. Although I was never medically diagnosed with either, I stand by my analysis. In addition to ADHD, I was also still struggling with the trauma of being hospitalized for a month with pneumonia at the age five. My condition was nearly fatal, and had me walking in my sleep for years after. Nature has its way of pushing us toward our intended purpose in life. And as fate would have it, the restless affects those conditions had on me was the very same factors that brought me into the world of music. More on this can be found in the prologue section of my book, The Unknown Musician.

Normally, I have my coffee in the morning before heading out the door. On this particular day, I got together with my friends, Richard and Bill, to ride out to Sattahip, Thailand and have our morning joe at Coffee War, an unusual name to match an unusual place. Starbucks and Amazon are fine, but Coffee War is much more than just a place to have coffee; It is a place where you can go and observe different military paraphernalia left over from the Vietnam war. They have a large variety of military antique items such as clothes and souvenirs that can be purchased. The parking lot is decorated with three commercial planes, not models but actual planes that at one time were fully functional and in use. One of the planes is a 747. There were also various military vehicles, including a helicopter, positioned around and in between the planes. We walked around observing all that it had to offer. Richard, who is a retired navy man, seemed to know a great deal about the history of many of the items we were looking at. Coincidentally, my father’s name is also Richard, and he too served in the navy during WWII.

After our walk around the exterior, we finally boarded the plane. Located in the center of the plane was the refreshment stand. Despite its name, coffee was not the only beverage on the menu. Smoothies and a wide variety of soft drinks were also available. An assortment of cakes could also be had. The staff was friendly, and politely put-up with me recording them. The three of us had a good conversation and left there with a positive opinion about the entire experience. Definitely a must see in Thailand.

My ride took me out to a Buddhist temple where I had discovered on a previous ride but had never viewed it from the inside. The name of the temple is Buddha’s Footprint Mandapa. It is located on top of a hill with a parking at its base. To get to the temple you had to walk up 230 steps which is why I never been inside. Today, I told myself, would be the day. There was actually a road which would allow anyone to drive up to the temple, but to me that would defeat the purpose of the steps.

I pulled inside the parking lot which, like on previous trips, was nearly empty. After parking my bike I took a deep breath and began the long journey up. Thailand’s main religion is Buddhism of which 92% of its population are a part of. You can find temples and shrines spread throughout any part of every city in Thailand. It is not unusual to see people stop and pray in front of them before passing by. For the record, I know little about Buddhism and was not there to worship. To me it was just an opportunity to experience something different. However, the atmosphere was so calm and serene, even more so once inside the temple. It was beautiful. I felt a spiritual uplifting. It seemed to have removed the morning after affects of the previous night out completely from my system. I regret that there was no photography allowed inside the temple. I would love to have shared them with you. If you ever get the opportunity to visit this place don’t pass it up.