Programming over my career countless broadcasting stations, I got quite a few opportunities to travel, and experience states and cities which, growing up I only dreamed of visiting. Along with those memories, I also carry with me the memories of what music can do for the soul, the spirit, and at times the very moment in my life, where I was and who I was with.
The building was initially a metal framed pole building (similar to the ones you'd find on a Nebraska farm) only about 2800 square feet, converted to house a massive array of 10 inch reel to reel machines, pumping out the easy listening songs thru the 1000 watt stick in the back yard. It had been a long eight months in this wilderness, countless nights staying up preparing to convert a Fm station from elevator music to kick ass rock. Scouring Billboard magazine for Air Talent, morning jock, evening "crazy guy" and overnight sensation. The former staff was either gone now, or had been converted to the dark side, ( all remaining staff had to sign a zip your lip clause for complete secrecy before working with us).
You see, the reason we purchased this particular FM station is for 2 reasons. 1. We would be the first FM Classic Rock station in the market (Stereo of course). The second reason is even thou we were way out in the boonies. The stick (antenna) pointed directly into a metropolitan area of over 1 million residents. That meant listeners, advertisers and cash.
Top 40 Radio, AM Solid Gold, whatever you call was still the standard, but we were going to change that in one millisecond.
The automated reel to reel system was whirring with determination, Doris Day was just finishing up, and old blue eyes was next, I looked at the clock it showed 11:57am, frozen in time to me. After Frank Sinatra, the world would change, 30 seconds left, 15 now, 10..9..8..7..6..5 as I hit the mic toggle switch, I could see the ON AIR light in front of me switch on. 3...2...1.
It was time to Listen to the Music.......
In 1969, singer, guitarist and songwriter Tom Johnston and drummer John Hartman formed the nucleus of what would become The Doobie Brothers. Skip Spence of Moby Grape (and formerly of Jefferson Airplane) introduced them to one another after Hartman arrived in California determined to meet Spence and join an aborted Grape reunion. New bandmates Johnston and Hartman called their fledgling group Pud and experimented with different lineups, (occasionally in the lineups was Spence), and styles as they performed in and around San Jose. They were mostly a power trio (along with bassist Greg Murphy) but briefly worked with a horn section. In 1970, they teamed up with bass player Dave Shogren and singer, guitarist and songwriter Patrick Simmons. Simmons, who had belonged to several area groups, (among them was the band "Scratch", which was an acoustic trio with future Doobies bassist Tiran Porter), and also performed as a solo artist, was already an accomplished fingerstyle player whose approach to the instrument complemented Johnston's rhythmic R&B strumming.
In a recent interview, Tom Johnston attributed the band's eventual name to friend and housemate Keith "Dyno" Rosen, who noted the guys' fondness for "doobies." They considered the new moniker an improvement over Pud.
The Doobie Brothers honed their chops by performing live all over Northern California in 1970. They attracted a particularly strong following among local chapters of the Hells Angels and scored a recurring gig at one of the bikers' favorite venues, the rustic Chateau Liberte' in the Santa Cruz Mountains. An energetic set of demos (some of which were briefly released on Pickwick Records in 1980 under the title Introducing the Doobie Brothers), showcased fuzz-toned dual lead electric guitars, three-part harmonies and Hartman's frenetic drumming and earned the rock group a contract at Warner Bros Records.
At this point in their history, the band's image reflected that of their biggest fans - leather jackets and motorcycles. However, the group's 1971 self-titled debut album departed significantly from that image and their live sound of the period. The album, which failed to chart, emphasized acoustic guitars and frequently reflected country influences. The bouncy lead-off song "Nobody," the band's first single, has surfaced in their live set several times over the ensuing decades.
The following year's second album, Toulouse Street (which spawned the hits, and classic rock staples, "Listen to the Music" and "Jesus Is Just Alright"), brought the band their breakthrough success.
In collaboration with manager Bruce Cohn, producer Ted Templeman and engineer Donn Landee, the band put forward a more polished and eclectic set of songs. They also made changes to the line-up. First, they supplemented Hartman's drumming with that of Navy veteran Michael Hossack, while still touring behind their first album, (A concert from June 14, 1971 at the Fillmore West bears this out, as it has this short-lived lineup).
Also, the band recorded several songs on their second album with Shogren on bass, guitar & background vocals. While recording the second album Shogren left after disagreements with producer Templeman. Shogren was replaced with singer, songwriter and bass guitarist Tiran Porter. Porter and Hossack were both stalwarts of the northern California music scene, Porter having previously played in Scratch with Simmons. Porter brought a funkier bass style to the band and added his husky baritone to the voices of Johnston and Simmons, resulting in a rich three part harmonic vocal blend. Pianist Bill Payne of Little Feat contributed keyboards for the first time (He added keys to their studio recordings for many years thereafter and once briefly joined their touring band in early 1974). With an improved rhythm section and the songwriting of Johnston and Simmons, the Doobies' trademark sound - an amalgam of R&B, country, bluegrass, hard rock, roadhouse boogie, and rock and roll - emerged fully formed.
In 1999, Rhino Records released the group's first box set, entitled Long Train Runnin': 1970-2000. The box featured remastered tunes from the band's entire catalog, a new studio recording of the live concert staple "Little Bitty Pretty One," and an entire disc of previously unreleased studio outtakes and live recordings. Rhino's 2000 release, Sibling Rivalry, offered the band's first new studio album in nine years. The material, which reflected significant contributions from both Knudsen and McFee, ranged from rock to hip-hop, jazz to adult contemporary, and even country. The album sold poorly.
To date, four members of the Doobies family are deceased: percussionist LaKind in 1992 following his lengthy struggle with cancer; original bassist Shogren of unreported causes in 1999; and Bumpus of a heart attack in 2004 while in the air on route to California for a solo tour. Drummer and activist Keith Knudsen died in 2005 of cancer and chronic pneumonia. Former Vertical Horizon drummer Ed Toth was selected to fill Knudsen's drum seat as the band soldiered on.
Johnston was forced to miss several shows in the summer of 2007 following an operation for a throat ailment. Upon his return, he received vocal assistance from Simmons and McFee on certain tunes that he had traditionally sung in their entirety. The Doobies have announced plans to reunite with long-time producer Ted Templeman for a new album in 2008, which will hopefully get them out of the rut that befalls far too many "classic rock" performers; that being amounting to little more than a touring "greatest hits jukebox" to ever more diminishing returns. They have also announced plans to release a DVD compilation of live performances and television appearances from throughout the group's long career.
Given the history of turnover, the current version of the band has proven to be remarkably stable in its core membership since 1993. It features one-half of the four original members - Johnston (1970-1977, 1987-present) and ever-present Simmons (1970-present, with only a brief hiatus in late 1981-early 1982) - plus veteran drummer Hossack (1971-1973, 1987-present) and longtime guitarist McFee (1979-1982, 1987, 1992-present). They are supported by Skylark on bass and vocals (joined 1995, replacing Cowan), keyboardist Guy Allison (joined 1996, replacing Dale Ockerman), and Marc Russo on saxophone (joined 1998, replacing Danny Hull). With Hossack, newest member Toth (joined 2005) keeps the trademark double-drummers driven sound going. The group continues to tour heavily and remains a popular concert draw. From 2005 through 2007 they headlined benefit concerts at manager Cohn's B.R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen (once again sharing the stage with "special guest" McDonald in 2006).
They have maintained a continuous and active presence on the Internet through their official website since 1996. http://www.doobiebrothers.net/
The Doobie Brothers have been eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1996 but have yet to be nominated.
As Always
Peace
