A Gray Dreg Day

Gray, gray gray today. Reminds me of summers in Berkeley, CA when I lived there. Low overcast in the morning, followed by moderate overcast in the mid afternoon just in time to watch the sky's ceiling fall with denser overcast for every evening. 

Not that I got up much to face the fog in the mornings back then. I did a couple of late shows on KPFA each week and worked late nights at a small book store to pay the rent. KPFA was/remains one of those strange entities on the airwaves, a primarily volunteer run non-profit publicly supported by donations loose-knit radio spot on the dial. I fit in perfectly with the mad assembled political and musical extremists chopping up tape, moving potentiometers (pots) up and down the various boards and creating a sound mixture that was totally unique.

-Digression-
I didn't meet a person at KPFA who did not have a strong opinion on just about everything. This was just a couple of years after Patricia (Patty in those days) Hearst kidnapping, and the ensuing Symbionese Liberation Army fiasco/tragedy. The anarchy driven guerrilla group used KPFA to communicate its demands for the release of other SLA members in jail at the time, and  the Hearst family to feed the poor in California. KPFA broadcast edge cutting stuff, and tensions over the station's direction were constant. More talk/politics versus more music. And the music department under the direction of Charles Amirkhanian contained a mixture of elements only a guy like Charles could truly appreciate, running the gamut of roots Americana musics, extreme jazz, modern classical, synthesizers and ambient text-sonics from Harry Partch to Terry Riley and all parts in between. Charles was a marvel.  -End of Digression-

A gray day like any other trudging up the stairs into the station near the corner of Shattuck and University to work on a project. A friend of mine from my UC days met me in one of the tape editing rooms, and asked me if I could use some tickets to a show that evening. I'd never heard the of the group, and apparently neither had my pal. He got the comps because he worked at the auditorium and had other plans. I took the two, but I used only the one. The lady I was with at the time had studying to do, and the few friends I tried to track down were working. Gone solo.

This group had released a couple of albums on Capricorn Records. Capricorn was one of those great regional labels in the 1970s that had screamed southern rock bands, and was nationally distributed through Atlantic and the growing Warner family of labels.  The Allman Brothers had really gotten the label going in  1969 and other southern bands quickly signed on board. By the late 1970s through the tragedy of iconic losses in traffic and plane accidents southern rock was in a free fall, and Capricorn's prospects were not too good. I thought I was going to witness one more carnation of Grinderswitch meets Wet Willie, or just a night of escape into southern fried boogie.

The Dixie Dregs blew me away. No vocals. All instrumentals. From Bach fugue signatures to mind boggling bluegrass licks stacked up against fusion waves of Beck and McLaughlin inspiration into rock grit, all in too many time signatures to count with other worldly playing on guitar, violin, bass and keyboards. Truly a night to remember, and the following day Rather Ripped Records swapped me some Dregs vinyl for some greenbacks . Funny when you do a little research what you find.

Steve Morse is one of those players/musicians/writers for the ages. A true original in every sense, from his own inspirational design of his guitar to the signature flying licks and intricate instrumental opuses he creates, he is one of a kind. Give his bio a read here. But, only if you think you'll find it fascinating that a true wunderkind mind like this can go from the Dixie Dregs to Kansas to Deep Purple, and still crank out lots of just Steve Morse guitar driven magic, even after the record biz opted always for biz over the music when it came to this man.

Now more 33 full revolutions around the sun later since my first exposure, the music of Steve Morse remains fresh, vital and unique, and the memories of that concert still ring. Here is one of my favorite Dixie Dregs songs composed by Steve Morse.



Steve Morse always provided me with the best soundtracks for long drives around the Bay and through the Valley and into Los Angeles. Traveling Tunes, Road Expense, The Great Spectacular and General Lee are songs I remember making the drives a pleasure, a chance to crank up the surround sound  in a fine car and cruise through California. When you're looking for escape from the mundane check out Dregs of the Earth and Steve Morse The Introduction. Always satisfies.

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time.