I WAS ONCE IN A BAND

In my younger years……as a student at Holy Family School in Auburn, NY, in the 1960’s, along with almost every young person on planet earth, I lived through a most life changing, life awakening event. The BEATLES and their music. My recall pre-Beatles, in terms of music, was little to nothing. When the Beatles crashed into my world, I was awakened and swept fully into its swirl.

First songs ( on a 45rpm record quickly acquired by my older sister Nancy ) were “I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND” and “I SAW HER STANDING THERE”. Nancy had her own record player and went on to collect other 45’s along with full sized albums.

We listened to them over and over….. on that player, on our transistor radios, and on our tape recorders. The BEATLES had long hair. Along with most all boys in my peer group, we wanted to do the same. It was not allowed except maybe a little bit for Holy Family classmate Tom Cuskey.

Within this musical explosion we watched THE BEATLES during their Ed Sullivan Television Show appearances in 1964/1965.Other bands began popping up all over the world. “Garage Bands” commenced their lives in local towns and cities all over the US……Auburn NY included. These local bands dreamed of hitting it big. They developed musical skills which had some of them playing graduation parties and weddings. And back in Auburn, NY I was swept up in this hysteria of hope and fun.

One day I saw and heard, up close with my own eyes and ears, a football halftime performance at Holland Stadium by “The Auburn Beatles” aka “The Kids”. I was actually out on the field and able to view the band closely from the side which gave me an excellent view of the drummer. The speed; the footwork; and the thumping beat he was carrying.

That was it for me. I wanted and needed to be a drummer…..to be RINGO. But how was that ever to be possible? There were no known musicians in the Ringwood Family. No real musical instruments in our lives. I never once viewed myself as a singer. Playing a guitar looked to be far too difficult.

Yet the music of THE BEATLES continued to flood our lives.In 1964 their first movie, “A HARD DAYS NIGHT”. 1965,their second movie “HELP”. My want, need, and drumming hope, never lapsed. During this time, I came to know of and recognize the major drum kit manufacturers ( Ludwig, Slingerland, Gretsch, Pearl ). I would often wander into our local music stores….Clark Music on North St; Speno’s Music on East Genesee St. Always gazing longingly at those percussion machines.

Somewhere along the way I learned about drumming practice pads used by students taking lessons. Now they seemed to be and were, financially beyond reach to a non musical Auburn kid with a paper route. The drum pad kit ended up being a birthday gift.

So I listened carefully to all of this new found music, finding within the sound, the drum and cymbal strikes and the beat they produced; following along on my practice pad ( and air cymbals !! ) until hearing that call from downstairs “to knock it off”. To this day I seem not to be able to listen to any music without first searching for the percussion play, pleased when I am able to pick it out.

Unbeknownst to me, around and about this time, three other young men, all classmates of mine at Holy Family, were experiencing this same musical tsunami. Tom Cuskey, Tom Donahue, and George Ball. Tom Donahue’s father, a local dentist, was skilled enough to have carved out wooden replica guitars with which they could “play along” to the record player and radio. For these three young men, it soon turned to actual music lessons, actual instruments, and actual practice. I leave to them, to someday tell that part of the story.

As real music and music play was unfolding in the lives of my three school chums, I continued to beat at my drum pad……simultaneously making it known to my parents that I really wanted a set of drums…..never ever receiving a hint that it could or would happen. Around this same time, while taking a peek in the window display cases at Clark Music……there they were! A junior drum set ( snare,bass, tom, hi-hat, and cymbal ). The real thing. $75.00. I had to have them.

My lobby campaign began in earnest. It would be the “only” gift I wanted, needed, or expected for Christmas. Since it was in the same direction I would take daily after school in order to pick up “my papers” for the paper route….I was able to regularly visit my drums. Christmas day arrives and ……no drums. Despite being flooded with disappointment, I kept it to myself. Just a crazy dream. That parents would have $75.00 to spend on one gift for one person? Especially when there were nine other kids in the family. What was I thinking? Admittedly, my hopes and dreams had taken a big hit. But those hopes and dreams were soon to be resurrected.

In Auburn NY, back in those days, there was a store named “CENTURY” ( later to become “BRAND NAMES” ). This store advertised a huge number of items for purchase by way of a large color catalog delivered to all Auburn homes. The catalog was great fun to look through…..and we did.

During one of my Century catalog tours….there they were. A set of drums. Snare, Bass, Tom and Cymbal. No hi-hat. No floor Tom. $25.00. Were I to diligently save my paper route money; my grass cutting money; my golf caddy money, maybe I could pull this purchase off. And I did.

Now it was anyone’s guess as to the quality of this drum set. All I had been able to see was a single picture within the catalog. Blue in color, silver colored rims. No meaningful written descriptions. No measurements. Real drums were usually hickory wrapped with a silver or colored metal covering held together by metal rims. Metal foot pedals. Plastic or synthetic “skins”. Brass cymbals. This drum set from Century was going to remain a mystery until it arrived for pick up.

Pick up day arrived. A good sized single box. Unboxed upon arrival home. No doubt many of my brothers and sisters were watching with great interest. No wood. Just heavy duty cardboard bodies, covered by a nice thick sparkly blue colored adherent wrap paper. No steel rims. Just silver colored plastic framing pieces. No brass cymbal. Just a single piece of metal pressed into form, with a gold staining. BUT all the drums skins were the real thing and that was good enough for me.

While the details seem to be currently lost to all the band members, my own included,….we became a band ( Tom, Tom, George, and me ) and I was the drummer.

We practiced regularly, usually at the Donahue home down in their basement. I quickly came to learn that on the side of my snare was a lever which when switched down, would release the otherwise tightened “snare wire” running diagonally across the bottom of the drum. It is the snare wire which when fully engaged. which delivers the distinctive snare sound with every stick strike. But when fully dis-engaged, it allowed for a substitute sound. Much like that of a kettle tom. I became quite adept at dis-engagement/re-engagement of that snare wire. On the other hand, the cymbal from this set provided not much more than a less than pleasant clanging sound. It needed a remedy as soon as possible.

The cymbal remedy was accomplished, compliments of a sale advertised by Speno’s Music Store……a 12 inch Ziljian cymbal for $25.00. I checked it out. Now this was the real thing. A true brass cymbal and for whatever reason they might have had, the store allowed me to make the purchase and pay for it over time…..possession only upon the final payment. I made that final payment but as I crept toward that date, I realized I needed a stand for its use. More good luck. Shortly after taking possession of my ZILJIAN, I spotted another sales notice. This time at a new but small music/music lessons store ( also on East Genesee Street up near its intersection with Owasco St. ). This was a daily walk-by for me as I serviced my paper route. A bona fide cymbal strand for $10.00. In, I walked announcing my order, mumbling some weak answers to the proprietor’s questions of interest regarding my drumming skills..

I was now in place with a faux set of drums, a fantastic cymbal with stand, and a recently discovered skill to transform my snare, when needed, to a kettle tom. I was in a band. We had no name. I had zero music reading skills ( other than to listen and watch real drummers ). I practiced with my skilled and patient band mates who were now equipped with electric guitars and amplifiers. I practiced at home (up in the attic) along to songs I had taped off the radio with my Tape Player. Next stop. A name for the band and some playing gigs.

To my best current recall, this entire adventure unfolded across 1966-1968 ( grades 7-9 ). We practiced all the popular songs…..substantially but not limited to The Beatles ( Dave Clark 5, Monkees, Rascals, Byrds, Association, and more ). All I did was try to carry a steady beat while Tom, Tom, and George did all the real musical work of playing and singing. Per recent consultation had with former band members Tom Donahue and Tom Cuskey, it appears that what might liberally qualify as “ four Gigs” were accomplished. Tom Cuskey proposed/imposed our name. THE NEW KIRKS, or maybe it was THE NEWKIRKS. The name determination had me busied down in my basement applying that new name to the face of my bass drum. White Latex Wall paint, after which the band name letters cut out of aluminum foil sheets were set carefully onto the still wet paint…..then outlined with black magic marker. Ed Sullivan Show, here we come.

GIG 1…….

was really just happenstance, by no means formal, nor did it include all the band members or any of our instruments. It took place while in 7th or 8th grade. Tom Cuskey and I were attending a weekend retreat for Catholic boys from Holy Family School ( probably limited to altar servers which we were ) held at THE DIVINE WORD MISSION on Conesus lake. It is not known why Tom Donahue and George Ball did not attend this event. The retreat facility also included an “all boys” school. We all interacted during the retreat and learned that they happened to have their own band ( a solo singer who was not too bad; a less than memorable guitarist; and a drummer who, much to my surprise, had less equipment and less skill THAN ME!

One evening their band performed for us in their school auditorium. Someone announced that the visitors also had some band members in attendance, inviting us to step up and play. Without any hesitation we scrambled up on the stage, took over their instruments, and played. Lacking two of our band members, fellow schoolmate Terry Clifford stepped up handling some of the lyrics. I did a spontaneous drum solo and recall rather clearly that “ we brought the house down “.

GIG 2……

was a big one. Our large movie theatre, - AUBURN SCHINES THEATRE- was hosting a “Battle of the Bands” set for a saturday afternoon. I believe the local radio station was also involved. Who signed us up to play, I do not know. Certainly not me. But we practiced. We were excited. We were ready. Some of our classmates committed to attend. Then….reality hit. Or at least it hit me.There were probably 8-10 other bands participating. All the others were older. They had big time equipment. They played for money.

When we NEWKIRKS wandered in and set up, the other competitors understandably snickered at the sight of us and certainly at my set of drums. But we hung in there and we played. We performed “GLORIA”, A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL”, and probably a Monkees tune. I just kept my head down and pounded away, hearing along the way, a few impressed remarks as I smoothly changed the snare to kettle sound, and back. I have all these years later learned that George Ball became a bit spooked by this, our first crowd. But what I will remember clearly and forever, is that we actually fell into and maintained a nice steady beat and rhythm; my musical band mates sang their hearts out and hit all the notes. There were cheers along the way and applause at the end. To get something of a sense of these feelings and this setting, I urge and suggest that readers go directly to YOU TUBE; dial up Noah and the Whale - “GIVE IT ALL UP”. Watch, listen and enjoy. While The NewKirks did not make it beyond the the first elimination round, we sure had fun.

GIG 3……..

came a little later. We had been anticipating calls from Ed Sullivan, Shindig, and Hullabaloo. They never came but 8th grade graduation did, and with it a party hosted by my forever best friend - Jim Hohman - at which The NewKirks performed. Unfortunately, I was out of town and unavailable to play. My drums were used. By who, I do not recall. Jim reported that a good time was had by all. Now, it was on to High School.

GIG 4……….

proved to be the last public performance by The NewKirks. We were now freshman at Mount Carmel High School in Auburn ( operated by Carmelite priests, and Sisters of St Mercy ).

These were the days of gender segregated classes. Uniforms worn by all. Boys, required to wear sport coats and ties. The girls uniform which included skirts, included mandatory restriction of skirt lengths. No long hair on the boys. No facial hair. The study of Latin, a mandatory course.I played freshman football ( at least until I fractured my elbow ) as did Tom Cuskey and Jim Hohman.

Some how, someway, a freshman class dance was scheduled, withThe NewKirks “booked” to play. Within this band time. two dynamics were unfolding. I was starting to see and realize that my bandmates were rocketing ahead of me musically, in every way. I was good with that. In addition, Patty Weldon ( a classmate of ours back to and including Holy Family ) joined the band. How that came to be, I do not recall. Tom Cuskey recently suggested the likelihood that she just muscled herself in. I can believe that. But what I do know is this…….Patty was a pistol. A human stick of dynamite. I loved her. Everybody loved her. But for certain the girl could sing and it was fantastic to have her.

I do not have recall of our practices for this Gig. But there had to have been some. I do recall around this same time learning of or seeing a new style of cymbal in band use. These new cymbals were equipped with small strips of metal loosely held in place within holes located variously around the perimeter. They were called “sizzlers” and it produced that very sound after a drum stick strike. I liked the sound very much and had fashioned my own way to produce the sizzle off of my ZILJIAN.

Just a line of brass chain, tied to the center of the cymbal where it was held in place by the stand, its length lying flat on the strike side of the cymbal. That chain danced on the cymbal and “sizzled” nicely with every strike.

Except for that beautiful cymbal, the rest of my $25.00 drum set was starting to look sad for a rock & roll band. In my developing embarrassment, I begged Jack Hicock

( a new acquaintance and fellow freshman ), who had his own true set of drums, to allow me to borrow them for this Gig. And he did.

The NewKirks played loud and long in the Mount Carmel cafeteria. Tom, Tom, and George play in wonderful sync, and sang well. The class danced up a storm. Ms Weldon, wearing a miniskirt in violation of all the rules, sang like the stick of dynamite we knew her to be. Me? I held on well with a “sizzling” beat, and did so from the very best of view there was of my four bandmates.

I WAS ONCE IN A BAND,AND IT WAS GREAT.

-Michael Paul Ringwood