The Doors Forum

In "Pegasus Carousel", Michael wrote about his very first show at the Fillmore on April 8th, 1966, when The Sons of Adam opened for Love. I believe that was the first time Love played there as well. The show is described as having turned into an L.A. "battle of the bands", with both bands being very well received. However, it has been said that San Francisco audiences at that time didn't take well to some of the L.A. bands. Is that an exaggeration? How would you both compare the San Francisco audiences to the L.A. crowd? Did they change over time?

We were treated very well, by the folks in San francisco, though there was a "frendly" rivalry between the groups. Some of our best gigs, were at the Fillmore, and the Avalon Ballroom.....JE.

Was it Moby Grape that Arthur felt "borrowed" a bit from Love?

Do you have a favorite SF band? Quicksilver ( I love Cipollina!) was said to be one of the greatest live...as was Moby Grape, Jefferson Airplane, The Dead.....

Also, I know many here can't stand the long ramblings of the Grateful Dead, but to me, Jerry Garcia was a great, versatile and innovative guitar player--in the top tier with you. What did you think of Jerry?

I liked Moby Grape personally. I would see Skip in Hollywood so often, that I didn't really think of them as a San francisco group. Jerry Garcia was really an excellent guitarist. He joined in with us at the Fillmore one night, when Tjay had the place rocking. What a great memory, Tjay was in the zone! Jerry reminded me of Frank Zappa, both of them were "explorers" who pushed the boundary's and often did the unexpected. That was such a wonderful time to be a musician....So many great players, with so much to say!! JE.

What did you think of The Chocolate Watchband, a San Jose band you played with on a few occasions? They also have a reputation of having been a great live band.

The Chocolate Watchband, were a very good live group. I enjoyed listening to them, those guys were serious. And the crowd loved them. JE.

Michael & Johnny....

The rest of the country back in the heyday of psychedelia (66-68) had the impression (including my Iowa) that SF was the epicenter of psychedelic music. But LA knew they were the beginning and end of everything psychedelic. SF bands were more like the precocious children or the upstarts, it would seem, to the veteran LA bands like Love and the LA fans.

Was there any resentment by LA bands & fans when SF took the spotlight, as it were, or was it all Love and peace then? Love was at the top, so maybe you just looked down on all you surveyed and smiled at your "children".....

Johnny Echols wrote:I liked Moby Grape personally. I would see Skip in Hollywood so often, that I didn't really think of them as a San francisco group.

Hi Johnny,

Do you have any stories about Skip that stick in mind that you could share?

Mostly we were perplexed, at the media touting San francisco as this Mecca for Rock music. When in reality, they were far more interested in social issues. Like the Family Dog, sponsoring concerts, to provide food and clothing for the people. And the Diggers and the Stompers, opening Free Clinics. Or securing housing, for the huge number of runaway "teeny boppers", who were arriving daily. San francisco seemed to be the epicenter of a growing political movement.

Music was more often, a way to bring attention to the afore mentioned causes, a means to facilitate what was clearly a social agenda. I remember once playing at Winterland, and a bunch of people were actually picketing us. Because they didn't think they should have to pay, to see Love. They felt music belonged to the people, and should be free. JE.

Didn't that happen in NYC on one of your final tours out East?...but it was about underage kids not being allowed to see you at the club you arrived at.....there were some tough "body guards" threatening the kids when you all just wanted to let them in?

That Winterland show was called "The First Annual Love Circus"...$3.50 to see Love, The Grateful Dead and Moby Grape.

BallroomDays67 wrote:That Winterland show was called "The First Annual Love Circus"...$3.50 to see Love, The Grateful Dead and Moby Grape.

You're absolutely correct, and it was definitely the Greatest Show on Earth. that night! JE.

hourformagic wrote:

Johnny Echols wrote:I liked Moby Grape personally. I would see Skip in Hollywood so often, that I didn't really think of them as a San francisco group.

Hi Johnny,

Do you have any stories about Skip that stick in mind that you could share?

Skip and I would greet each other, Hi Hello How are You and otherwise shoot the breeze. But I can't recall our conversations consisting of more than small talk. JE.

Ah, okay.
Thanks for answering.