Hometown:
Riverside, California

When did you begin seriously listening to Top 40 radio?
In 1962 I was twelve years old and I remember hearing "The Fish" by Bobby Rydell, "It Will Stand" by the Showmen, and "Cupid" by Sam Cooke. I had a 21 year old sister and up till then I had only heard her Broadway show albums. They were so boring and the songs on the radio were infectious and stirring. It spoke to me. I remember watching American Bandstand and trying to look thin, dark, and Italian. I was fat, white, and Irish. That gap between fantasy and reality has led to many dark and unholy places. But I did learn how to dress by watching the show.

What station and where?
KFXM-FM in San Bernardino as I recall. BOSS SOUNDS! of KFXM I later turned to XERB out of Mexico with the Wolfman.

For better or worse, earliest songs etched in your memory:
Earliest songs were "It will Stand" by the Showmen, "Cupid" by Sam Cooke, "Soldier Boy" by the Shirelles, and "Raindrops" by Dee Clark. Also, some bizarre song my sister owned called "Battlin' Joe" by the French actor, Yves Montand.

If stranded in the jungle, ten songs you would take:
1. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan 2. Surfer Girl by The Beach Boys 3. Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan 4. Blues From An Airplane by Jefferson Airplane 5. Have A Little Faith In Me by John Hiatt 6. What's Goin On by Marvin Gaye 7. Born to Run by Bruce Springstein 8. Runaround Sue by Dion 9. Sail On Sailor by the Beachboys 10. I Was Born To Love Her by Stevie Wonder

First few records owned and why:
Freewheelin/Bob Dylan; Bob Dylan/Bob Dylan; Blues Rags & Hollers/Spider John Koerner, Dave Snaker Ray, and Little Sun Glover; Ragged But Right by the Greenbrier Boys; Jim Kweskin Jug Band; John Lee Hooker's Blues/John Lee Hooker; Folkways greatest songs/Woody Guthrie - What can I say...I was a 13 year old white blues singer.

One Song, a Hit the first time you heard it and why:
Like A Rolling Stone - It started with the wicked rim shot at the beginning. No other song has consolidated American music like it did. Listen to it and you can even hear La Bamba in it. No damn song has ever meant so much. Hands down the great anthem of twentieth century America. As big as the Bible.

First trace of show business in your blood:
My mom moved from Indianola, Iowa to Hollywood California in 1939. The reason...so she could be in the movies. Enough said.

First performance in front of a captive audience:
1964 The Twigs. Notre Dame High School, Riverside California. Battle of Bands. Shakin it down with My Generation. Marachas explode to vapor at the end of the song. Winner - The Twigs Lead Singer - The Mighty Quinn

Between the ages of 6 and 16 what was your favorite radio station:
The show was Dave Diamond in the Diamond Mine. I think it was KHJ-FM

Between the ages of 6 and 16 your average daily exposure to music?
Every waking moment.

Ulterior uses of music (this one's for Julio but if you can answer it too):
8th grade graduation party from St. Catherine's School. Jody Staylor has announced she is my girlfriend. One problem, she is leaving for Nova Scotia. One night. A party at Phil Hergenrater's house. I had them play "Sealed With A Kiss" by Brian Hyland and "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" by Paul Anka over and over. First memory the smell of perfume the feel of Angora on my cheek, my first kiss. The horror when she runs off with the girls and discusses the issue of the TONGUE. But in the end, the music worked. It never fails.

Name of first band?
The Twigs

Musical repertoire of first band?
I'm A Road Runner/Pretty Things,My Generation/Who, Taste of Honey/The Beatles, Boom Boom Boom Boom/John Lee Hooker,Who Do You Love/Bo Diddley

Earliest musical influences and why:
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan Bob Dylan why not?

Between ages of 6 and 16 favorite comedians?
I don't remember comedians then. Vaughn Meader, Jerry Lewis, W.C. Fields. I don't remember standup comedians in the 60s.

Punch line of earliest joke you can recall:
"wrecked him hell, damn near killed him."

Who or what influenced your sense of humor?
My dad

How did you first hear the name BWGP?
When we made it up.

When and why did you join BWGP?
To be honest with you, I was in a clinical depression and could barely leave my dorm without getting totally drunk. It seemed like a good form of therapy.

Earliest recollection of performing with BWGP?
Playing in some sorority at Berkeley. Jocks, greasers, sweaty bodies. And crashers. Reminded me of the party in the movie Big Wednesday.

Most desperate BWGP moment:
Eating grits for a couple of days when we had no money. (I just read other guys recollections in the band and it jarred my memory. Definitely King Richards in Oakland in black face. No person in this band could understand the total horror I felt standing on stage in front of an audience of whites and blacks. In my mind I felt like guys in the audience were yelling "dance" and shooting at my feet. All I could do was smile and sing. Ironically in the end, all I could say was now I know what it's like to be black.)

Most embarrassing moment performing with BWGP:
Falling down from the top of the stage at The Cave in Vancouver. I pulled out all the electricity in the process. Also, one time I flew off the stage at Keystone Berkeley and ran into a quadraplegic in the audience. All I remember is the horror on his face while he tried to push the pencil to move his wheel chair. It was a pitiful moment. (by the way I have large gaps in my memory about the '70s. Would someone explain to me what was so dramatic about the baby powder at the Playboy Club. All I remember about Chicago were the bunnies, Oster's drug infested hotel room, and of course, the Mexican restaurant where, at a going away party, we ended up paying for the entire room. Oh yeah, also the bunnies.

Fondest recollection of BWGP:
All of them. I feel very blessed I was included in the family. I was not particularly talented but pushed enough I could take it over the top. I really miss living in San Francisco and not being able to enjoy that part of my life. I miss the guys the most. I will always have great memories.

Finest sketches:
Back then. I always liked Tell Laura

Not so finest sketches:
I never found the humor in my hillbilly character, whatever his name was.

Weirdest BWGP moment (on or of stage):
Marauding rednecks in Rome Georgia trying to get on the stage and beat us up. Unfortunately, their hiding space in front of the 4'x6' neon sign was inadequate. They were exposed mid-stride and thrown bodily out of the club by the bouncers. Also, trying to sing at the Coalyard totally drunk on qualudes. Jerry asked me to sit in the front and watch that night.

How do you explain your role in BWGP the 19th Annual Farwell Performance to new friends or colleagues who have never heard of BWGP and didn't know you have a secret closet life?
I've spent most of my life in the music business in Nashville. I am always shocked at the amount of people that saw Butch Whacks. Musicians, agents, managers, studio people. Butch Whacks doesn't exist with most of my friends here, it would take to long to explain it and they'd never believe it.