A House Is Not A Motel

[jamestkirk]

A hard call, but maybe my favorite Arthur Lee/Love track. Hot guitar licks Johnny and fantastic drumming from Michael, nice acoustic guitar from Bryan, and the always remarkable bass lines from Kenny....but the lyrics, those resonate!

It starts out hopeful enough....

At my house I've got no shackles
You can come and look if you want to
In the halls you'll see the mantles
Where the light shines dim all around you
And the streets are paved with gold and if
Someone asks you, you can call my name

But it quickly becomes powerfully dark. Your words from Love Story were measured and touchingly strong, Johnny...."I have no words better than just 'sad', men lost their lives and limbs.... and for what?




By the time that I'm through singing
The bells from the schools of walls (is it 'walls' or 'wars'? There are varying lyrics?) will be ringing
More confusions, blood transfusions
The news today will be the movies for tomorrow
And the water's turned to blood, and if
You don't think so
Go turn on your tub
And it it's mixed with mud
You'll see it turn to gray
And you can call my name
I hear you call my name


So questions....

1)I luckily had a high draft lottery number. How did you, thankfully, keep from going Johnny? Michael?
Canada was always on my mind....

Snoop's story is humorous & scary.... from Love Story.

2) So I am listening to the song...always fresh...

How did you come up with those great dueling guitar jams, Johnny....? Any prodding from Arthur to just let loose, as you did?

3)And the drumming....Michael...in studio or on your own?

[Johnny Echols]

I have no good answer as to why they didn't call me up. But after the scene I made at the physical, they may have decided the United States Army would be better off giving me a wide berth! Jack Nicholson, would have been in awe of my performance, of course the platinum wig and five tabs of acid didn't hurt.

It's definitely "Schools of War" will be ringing! It's referring to the "War College."

My lady had come down to hear me play, so I pulled Arthur aside, and informed him he would be on the receiving end of a serious ass whipping if he embarrassed me, in front of her, so he was on his best behavior.

The two guitar solo's were laid down in one take each. Botnick was having problems with the headphones so I played the second solo, while unable to hear the first one. The tiny Vox amp was in a sound booth, and I could barely hear it. I kept frowning and pointing at the phones. Arthur was in the control room and could hear everything. He got up and started playing "air guitar," and was mouthing keep playing. So I just kept playing! I think the busted headphones, were serendipitous, It caused me to tune into Michael, (who had already laid down the drum track) instead of my guitar. JE.

[jamestkirk]

So were you there with Arthur and Snoop for the whole draft board/psych evaluation/physical stuff also?.....that whole scene is so Alice's Restaurant, though I believe that iconic song was released long after your draft board experience.

Did you ever meet Jack? Wasn't he (and other celebs such as Steve McQueen)... weren't they regulars at the Strip rock clubs? I read that a pre-stardom, then carpenter, Harrison Ford, was an in-crowd hanger-on clubber back then.

[Johnny Echols]

So were you there with Arthur and Snoop for the whole draft board/psych evaluation/physical stuff also?.....that whole scene is so Alice's Restaurant, though I believe that iconic song was released long after your draft board experience.

Did you ever meet Jack? Wasn't he (and other celebs such as Steve McQueen)... weren't they regulars at the Strip rock clubs? I read that a pre-stardom, then carpenter, Harrison Ford, was an in-crowd hanger-on clubber back then.

We knew several "A list" actors back in the day. Though many of them, including Bill Cosby, Tony Curtis, and several others....hung out at the Whisky, in an effort to use us. Most of them just wanted to be hooked-up with one of the ever present young ladies. I was insulted.... It felt like they were trying to turn me into a "pimp." After getting to know those dudes, one can become seriously jaded very quickly.

Unfortunately I had to take my Army physical alone. After learning of Arthur's and Snoopy's not so excellent adventure, I decided to literally let it all hang out. JE.

[TJSAbass]

I find it amazing that those two guitar solos intertwine so well, when you couldn't even hear the first one while playing the second one! I always guessed it was you and Arthur or Bryan having a duel. One of my favorite Love moments, for sure.

[Johnny Echols]

Over the years, many many people have asked me how the song "A House is not a Motel" got its name? The group lived in a huge Mansion we called the "Castle." The place was absolutely humongous. So Bryan Maclean, being the social person he was, started inviting people over, lots and lots of people.

At any given time, day or night, the place would be wall to wall people. Being that it was the sixties, we would often come home, and find naked strangers in our rooms, in our beds. After a gig one night, Arthur brought a young lady home, and when he got to his rooms, he found them occupied, and he just blew it. He yelled as loud as he could...."Bryan my house ain't no f*****g motel.


It became a running joke, whenever Bryan invited someone over, one of us would repeat that line. And that's how the song title came about. JE.






.

[BallroomDays67]

Of all the people that you first encountered at the Castle, which ones stand out the most, or made the biggest impression on you?

[Johnny Echols]

Of all the people that you first encountered at the Castle, which ones stand out the most, or made the biggest impression on you?

The future mother of my daughter, and my now ex wife made the biggest impression on me obviously. Otherwise the encounter that stands out the most, was when I came home really tired, and badly in need of sleep, and found Grace Slick, in my bed. She was spending a few days at the Castle with the rest of the Airplane. And I walked into my room, and found her splayed out on my bed, sleeping like a baby. I assume she had gone to the wrong room. Ever the diplomat I informed her " you gotta split man!" Grace glared at me, jumped up and stormed out, leaving her clothes in my chair. I guess back in the day, she wasn't accustomed to being ordered out of a dudes bed. Though we had a good laugh about it later, that night she was not a happy Diva. JE.

[jamestkirk]

You withstood her charms!....that didn't happen often by all accounts.

Did Joplin crash at the Castle?

Any other notables from the rock world that hung there, crashed there, or that you jammed with at the Castle?

Where did Love set up for practice in the Castle and was it an open practice with others sitting in?

[Johnny Echols]

You withstood her charms!....that didn't happen often by all accounts.

Did Joplin crash at the Castle?

Any other notables from the rock world that hung there, crashed there, or that you jammed with at the Castle?

Where did Love set up for practice in the Castle and was it an open practice with others sitting in?

Being that I was fully aware of Miss Slick's proclivities, it was never a tough call, not even close. I don't recall encountering Janis at the Castle. Since it was as large as a hotel, and my "suite" was on the far side, well away from the main area. She could have been there everyday without me ever knowing it. However a couple of years after moving from the Castle I would see her quite often, since our rooms were in the same wing, at the Landmark.

We practiced, and jammed in a room called the "Solarium." Which was a huge space, with marble floors, and thirty foot tall windows; overlooking a compelety overgrown field, that had once been manicured grounds. The room also doubled as a skating rink.

As far as famous, or infamous people who dropped by, Besides the usual suspects from the Byrd's, the Iron Butterfly, Buffalo Springfield, the Airplane etc. Let's just say the Castle was a magnet for a who's who, and the who's not, of Hollywood. JE.

[The Freedom Man]

What a great Docu film it would have been if a filmcrew recorded some of the guests and the jam sessions!

[TJSAbass]

Was Love living in The Castle at the time the Velvet Underground stayed there?

[BallroomDays67]

The Velvet Underground actually stayed at another house that was also known as "The Castle."

[Johnny Echols]

What a great Docu film it would have been if a filmcrew recorded some of the guests and the jam sessions!

Ed.... At the time, they put folks in jail in this Country for making those kinds of films. (lol) Though it would be fascinating to see some of the acid induced exploits of a certain very outspoken gentleman, who was often called America's Dad. JE.

[dj_vera]

Though it would be fascinating to see some of the acid induced exploits of a certain very outspoken gentleman, who was often called America's Dad. JE.

Bill Cosby?

[Chris M]

Thanks much to Johnny for this fascinating thread! Somehow I appreciate A House Is Not A Motel even more than before.

[Johnny Echols]

Though it would be fascinating to see some of the acid induced exploits of a certain very outspoken gentleman, who was often called America's Dad. JE.

Bill Cosby?

I choose to exercise the rights granted me under the fifth amendment to the United States Constitution. Dude did wear nice sweaters though!

[TJSAbass]

Thank you BD67, I didn't know there were 2 Castle's!