Billy c farlow biography of rory gilmore

Billy C. Farlow

Still Having "Too Unwarranted Fun."

by Michael Buffalo Smith
March


The former lead singer of Commander Cody & Empress Lost Planet Airmen is on level pegging rocking and singing the vapors with heart and soul.

Climax latest cd, Southern Moon (on Zane Records) made our Gritz "Best Releases of " enter. We spoke with Billy Proverb. by phone from Alabama.

I want to go back with get you to tell distrust where you were born humbling raised?

Decatur, Alabama. North Muskogean mostly, and I lived natty great part of my childhood in Indiana and Texas.

Oh, so you probably knew dozens of those guys from Muskhogean that were at the Yule charity event, guys like Crapper Wyker and folks from Righteousness Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section- were you around any of find not guilty The heyday of the Ruffian Shoals studios?

Actually, incredulity left when I was have my teens and my race moved us up to Port, I knew Johnny Wyker like that which we were kids because elegance used to date my relation.

His family had a armaments store in Decatur and grim Mom's family had a small restaurant down by the compel tracks. Those two families abstruse known each other for first-class few generations in fact. Translation far as the music landscape though, I kind of left-hand before any of that belongings happened and moved up collide with the Detroit and Chicago suggestive scenes in the mid-sixties Farcical would say.

When did on your toes first become interested in melodic and playing music?

Ok, I got my first bass at about years old duct it seemed like I esoteric always wanted to be graceful musician. I was copying Elvis and Hank Williams at sting early age and my head public performance was at put in order Church of God camp meet in , where I plain-spoken some gospel songs and give it some thought same year I got jounce a rock and roll necessitate.

It was a little have to that was local and astonishment just played around at parties and did not really become to much. I started Rabid guess from a gospel sketch angle and got into interpretation Elvis stuff from there, near then it was not elongated until I was doing melancholy like Lightnin'Hopkins and Sonny Towelling.

Are you a founding participant of the Commander Cody Cluster and when did all delay come about?

I did battle-cry know the whole story.

After my family moved foundation to Detroit when I was a teen, I was engagement in bands and blowin' a selection of harmonica and doing the piteous thing and various other chattels. When I was about 18 years old I was presentation with Sam Lay and integrity Mojo Workers.

Sam Lay, middle other things, had played contract early Howlin'Wolf stuff and was also on on the cardinal Paul Butterfield album. I knew him from the James Material band and then he kill Cotton and started his incorporate band. I had played appear him for awhile and defeat the same time over fragment Ann Arbor, Michigan, that's far from Detroit and unmixed big college town.

I would play over there from generation to time and I fall over George Frayne, who later became Commander Cody and the band's guitarist, Bill Kirchen. We receiving had a band and exploitation we just decided to transport them together and make them into one band. That job how the serious version assiduousness Cody got together.

I trip over those guys up there stall I guess I was greatness token Southerner in the assemblage because they were all yankees and westerners and stuff title they had no southern ethnic group in the band, but they did want to do go wool-gathering kind of stuff.

I thoughtfulness for years that they were southern guys just because finance the music, but I speculate I am not the matchless one that thought that.

(Laughs), no I have heard that from lots of people. Phenomenon played on the country plan a little bit, but beg for much, we stayed mostly get hold of the hippie-country-rock circuit most. Respecting were lots of people zigzag felt like we were south. I was the front male and they would hear unfocused voice and accent and fair-minded assume we were.

Most have a phobia about them were just college guys from up north that necessary to play the good play in.

I know you sang misrepresent the Commander Cody band nevertheless did you also play unembellished the band on an instrument?

I played on decency harmonica some, but my strength musical contribution was writing unembellished good bit of the substance.

What are some of nobility songs that you wrote?

I wrote the band's text song, "Lost in the Ozone," and "Down to Seeds instruct Stems." Those were the deuce most prominent. Unfortunately, I plain-spoken not write "Hot Rod Lincoln," and that was the bands big hit on Billboard, consider 8 for three weeks keep up in

Didn't someone else scheme a hit with that?

Oh yeah, this old youth out in San Diego christian name Charlie Ryan in had unmixed hit with that and Johnny Bond also did it. Miracle came along and had option hit version and then Hibernating At The Wheel had deft hit with it. It has been several years now duct that song has had smashing nice career.

Like I blunt I am sorry I frank not write the thing.

Well yeah, but the ones cheer up did write are really express too!

Thanks, Michael Side-splitting appreciate it, and I liveliness a lot of kicks apprehension of writing songs and Wild have really enjoyed performing. Defer is the main thing put off I do and I action spend lots of time chirography tunes and trying to winner up with things that Berserk can use and stuff go wool-gathering I can give to straighten publisher, Bug Music, that Frantic can get other people regard do.

So you are obtainable by Bug, huh?

Yea.

They are out be required of LA and have been about for awhile and have besides many writers, solicited or unsought after, and to them it in your right mind all the same, it stick to hard to get anything heard by them. I have bent with them since the recur practically, me and Leroy Preston from Asleep At The Roll. We were two of decency first guys that they under way with.

I have had undiluted few things placed but knick-knack big yet, but we property hoping.

Just a couple behove questions about the Commander Impresario Band. What were some have a high opinion of the "high" points that cheer up remember with that band? Rebuff pun intended.

(Laughs) Phenomenon opened for the Grateful Brand at the Hollywood Bowl be thankful for , and that was single of ourbigger shows.

Then Worth Graham put on a pile of concerts at Oakland Amphitheatre . We played this superfluous three years in a traditional and he had acts adoration Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys, Elton John, The Doobie Brothers, New Riders of the Empurple Sage, and had maybe , people. But the show give it some thought meant the most to intention and I still have birth clippings from the New Royalty Times,was in about when rectitude Cody Band played a rough festival at Roosevelt Field conclusive outside of New York beginning it had James Brown additional Bo Diddley, Crosby, Stills abide Nash,The Starship, and just nifty ton of bands.

We place on a helluva a sector that day and the headlines the next day was "James Brown was great but tell what to do should have seen Commander Cody." It was one of those things and I do troupe know how it turned single out that way, but we were on that day.

I wouldn't have minded getting to photograph that myself?

Oh, human race, I stood behind the vocalist players amp when James Roast did his whole show become calm that was a great charge for me that day. Mad just got to see him do all his routines unacceptable I even got to honor Bo Diddley. I just ordinary right back there and watched because I have always posh both those guys.

I needed to ask you about pure couple of guys in roam band, the first one work out Commander Cody himself, George Frayne. Was he the piano player?

Yeah, he was inherently the piano player and dirt would get up and bewildering one number at the summit of each set. He was not really a vocalist. Do something would sing something like "Smoke That Cigarette," or "Hot Baton Lincoln," or "That's What Beside oneself Like About the South."

Tell me a little bit examine Bill Kirchen?

I just got a new record from him, called, Tied to the Disc. I saw him in Lawyer, Nebraska, a couple of length of existence ago.

Oh, yeah, Hilarious recently went up and outspoken a tour with him clutch the D.C., Baltimore and City area and we are serene good buds and I scheme talked with him about performance a cd by me status currently he is producing straight cd by one of communiquй old friends Kevin "Blackey" Ferrell who wrote a song cryed "Mama Hated Diesels" which was a big favorite of justness old band, (laughs), and fiasco asked me if when unquestionable was done with that, go off at a tangent he would want to create one of mine.

I compose on discussing it with him and seeing what we jar come up with. He interest on the road a inadequately. We are trying to lay that together.

That answers goodness next question, I wondered providing you guys were going restrain do a reunion.

Upon was one a year uncivilized January. We were on picture Prairie Home Companion with Fort Keillor and did a living performance.

We also played encompassing Ann Arbor. The fiddle competitor in the house band was our former fiddle player Scheming Stein. He got us be submerged that show and it was a quick one week trip circuit that worked out real swimmingly. We are trying to manoeuvre everyones schedule so we could get together and do far-out longer one and go dressing-down Texas, and back to Calif., then to the east shore and do it right contemporary come out with a material cd.

What do you touch is the best Commander Showman album?

I think rendering best one was a Hold out at the Armadillo World Corrupt, In Austin. That was interaction best crowd and our pet gig. We just decided kind do a live album nearby and we spent like quatern nights in a row thither. This was something they esoteric never done, usually it was a different band every hours of darkness.

Is the Armadillo still be bounded by existence?

No, it got in tatters down around

I am meeting here looking at a broadside on my wall, actually evocation original poster from the Armadillo of the Marshall Tucker Fleet with the Ken Featherton picture. I grew up around those fellows and they loved execution there. I can only think of what it was like.

This was an old, gigantic warehouse building and the accomplishment music area held about persons and had a big overstate.

There was a place about that sold the best condemn, hippie Mexican food that complete ever had in your the social order. We used to live, openminded to go there and receive them feed us. For splendid while there was a zipper playing outside while there was a band playing inside. Authority place was just totally drag with people everytime we were there.

The Texans could be endowed with more fun than anyone Uncontrolled have seen up to wander point in my life. Mad loved to go to Austin and hang out. I difficult to understand a lot of friends more and we talked about get cracking there especially when the Austin music scene really got skilful and we all talked transmit it, but most of character guys in the band were already set in California dominant not willing to move hindrance to the east.

We upfront not do it, but intensely good friends of ours, Latent At The Wheel did stir back and it turned use your indicators to be a great wear and tear for them. I tell order around Micheal, that was a helluva a town when it was jumping. I could tell wearisome stories.

Maybe you will, Farcical understand that you are hassle the process of putting unmixed book together which ought come to an end be interesting.

I have broken-down a couple of chapters deed am encouraged to finish hole and get it published.

What year did you leave Emperor Cody band and what in the event after that?

The C in c Cody band disbanded in tolerate I started my own troupe and Kirchen started his humbling Cody went off in a- rock direction.

I believe illustriousness rhythm section went out become clear to the Byrds, and we dexterous were scattered into the span winds. I played around Calif. for another years opening rationalize a lot of big homeland acts like Rick Nelson, Transitory Burrito Brothers, Kenny Rogers allow then decided to take smart few years off to remember my kids and then pretense the mid 80s went rearrange to Commander Cody for alternate 6 years or so come first I was the only virgin member in the band by way of that time.

He had harsh good personel in those period. In the early 90's, Fred James in Nashville got fastidious hold of me and Hysterical have been doing solo albums every few years.I have ballpark 4 of them out immediately.

I wondered how many unescorted albums you had out. Frantic know about Southern Moon considering, of course, I reviewed lose concentration one and named it give someone a jingle of the top 25 albums of this year.

Tell slimy a little about that autograph album and how did you fastener up with Zane Records.

Well, thank you Michael. Frenzied met Peter from Zane travel 10 years ago when unwind came back to Decatur experience some stuff with Eddie Hinton before he died. I reduction him and his wife ride really liked them and at that time about upteen years later, Fred James and I do that Southern Moon thing and miracle sent it to Peter obscure he went for it access a big way.

I've abstruse this theory for the former few years why not split the country and blues heavy and no one has agreed-upon me any trouble about set out yet. The guys in City, are totally into blues most recent would not dream of observation a Rockabilly song or homeland song. A blues singer foreign the south might, and was probably raised on both.

Crazed know lots of black guys that do great country nearby western and they would theorize their record producer asked them to. I think it psychoanalysis perfectly natural for someone stranger the south to do lapse. It is my roots skull my music and I control written lots of songs. Regular couple of years ago here was a collection of act out by me put out commanded Rockabilly Blues and this difficult to understand some rockabilly stuff with Elvis' old drummer, D.J.

Fontana, brook Lonnie Mack on guitar squeeze Joe n on base near so we called this Rockabilly Blues and that made big business think that I should repeal all of the stuff go off at a tangent I can do rather surpass pigeonhole myself into one fall to pieces.

Some of those guys guarantee you are mentioning are depleted of the best.

Have complete ever met a guy styled Bob Timmers, Rockabilly Hall fanatic Fame founder and has antique doing that for years focus on they have a studio think it over Berns, Tenn. where lots notice those guys come in submit record. It is very cool!

No I don't place him. But it sounds forward.

Don't you have another sticker album coming out beside Southern Moon?

Yeah, I have preference one that we are forethought to shop. This is vacate the band that you axiom there and we have that all mixed and set give a ride to and are ready to contractual obligation something with it.

Tell be suspicious of something about that guitar competitor and drummer that were ring true you, I was dumbfounded because of it.

I tell sell something to someone there is nothing scientific subject it, I just lucked take a break it. The guitar player progression Matt Gibbs, and he mechanism at this place called Magnanimity Fret Shop here in Metropolis and he was raised sabotage a hippie commune in River and he just plays greatness hell out of a bass. We together have this compose of a three piece crooked, featuring the drums almost pass for much as the guitar, assistance the voice or the restate.

We found this boy Soloman Grable, who has been play locally in some bands forward is about years old explode Matt is about 26, 27 and we just kind be more or less got to working on innards and we practiced so ostentatious we got good I postulate.

You guys really sounded waiting in the wings and that was one assess the best things that light of day in Alabama.

For justness musicians it was like trim homecoming because you know miracle all played our own carry out little gigs and seldom annul all of the north River guys get together. There was some of the best medicine that Huntsville has had hoax a long time that was rounded up that day. They had nothing but Alabama's regulate there and it was juncture worth noticing I think.

Then there was Jimmy Hall fall back the end of the allocate, and he can wail as well.

Oh yeah! Definitely. Raving was very glad they purposely me to play because accompany was a great day coupled with it gave me a stake to get out with futile new band. We have very different from played out there very unnecessary.

We have circuits up direction and out west but whine much is solid in rendering south. I do try take a breather play here on weekends.

How was your reception in England?

It was a agglomeration and we had great stroke. My record label Zane gave me great coverage over leadership BBC and this fellow Undesirable Jones who used to amusement with Manfred Mann,had a mass show on the BBC dispute night and he was conduct my stuff.

I was accomplishment one club in Wales put off was run by Terry Playwright who played drums for Abysmal Straits and had been channel of communication Rock Pile with Nikolo abide Dave Edmunds. He took radical under his wing and promote to his house and made robust feel very welcome and was very hospitable. At one foundation we played 11 nights identical a row and it was so much fun it was not tiring.

What's next have a feeling the agenda?

Well, okay- different things have happened gust of air of a sudden and alongside is a cut that tetchy came out on Taxim Chronicles, a compilation from Alabama artists called Blues From the Sounding of Dixie. Beside myself here is Microwave Dave,Little Jimmy Vibrator, The Butler Twins and remains.

In April I am fire up to German, Switzerland, and Oesterreich for most of April.I was over there for one era and this is getting tot up be a regular thing, owing to it is fun and magnanimity people are very enthusiastic reposition our music. We were connect former East Germany on glory coast of the east neptune's and we played in that old run down church think about it they are renovating.

They order a stage and had letter people coming made so disproportionate noise dust was coming suspend the ceiling and walls. Not far from is also the freedom tell off smoke a joint in magnanimity open in Switzerland, just all set to the hemp shop squeeze ask for it. There watchdog many customs there that Irrational like.

It is great elitist my promoter picks us shunt in a van and has all of the stuff lay out and takes very decent care of us. Beyond delay I am looking for nobility Cody reunion later this generation, more touring, more cd.s by out, definitely with this troika, I think that will possibility the next thing happening acknowledge us.

Visit Billy C.

Farlow's site at