This was the palomino gig. It was rare that Aan and I both played.

“Hello Leta!” I can hear it echo around the back room of the old church now, as I stand up, taking that first step to admit I had a problem…. Actually, it was a great time in my life.  For those brief years, when I stood in for jughead as bass player, I was doing something I never thought I could do…I performed on stage, sang out loud, played my bass, and was part of the music scene.  Now I live the quiet life….but still, for a while….I was a star (granted, not talented and not destined for greatness, but all in all it was a great ride.)  I think I’ll sit back down now.  When do I get my chip?

The Sterilles would play BeBop Records in Reseda California a LOT. The owner and all around swell guy Richard, must of had some mighty fine ear plugs to have put up with our racket. BeBop is long gone, but remains a truly fond memory. Does anyone remember the night of a BeBop show, that I gut stuck in a restroom in a Mexican Restaurant? I think it was Richard who helped get me out…. It’s really scary to be stuck in a bathroom with no way out.

Babs was a unicycling, top hat wearing, speed skatin’ dame who could play drums and keyboards at the same time! She was absolutely dynamic! I remember Babs’ parents’ home in Eagle Rock was our practice pad for a while. It was in that room that “On the Rag” was created. I hear that once a year an image of a winged pad appears on the tree trunk of the front lawn. Next year, we really should leave lit candles, ladies.

Allow me to say one thing as time passes on…I sometimes wish I could go back for a few hours.  I will always remember the Sterilles as “Women with Big Amps”  “We’re the Sterilles and Your not” or “Testing Testing Yeast…1..2..Yeast” or “We’re the Sterilles and we’d do anything for a free meal”.  Those were some whacked out times.

I wonder how the whole practice in the garage thing has changed over the years.  With the digital medium so accessible and incredible loops to be used…do kids really get together a play really loud anymore with real instruments? I hope so.

Like someone once told me…the first post is never Shakespeare.

There is a Sterille that I have yet to find so Rajiv Parikh, tabla player of the millennium, should you stumble upon my humble post…say hello.