jamestkirk wrote:Michael speaks well of Conka's ability on drums, and Conka's downward spiral into drugs is infamous, but we would love more recordings of his work.
In Love Story Arthur talks about Conka's penchant for taking 45 drum solos...and the audience LOVED it! He must have been amazing.
Any memories of Conka worth sharing? What was his most memorable solo? Revelation? or were there others?
I was one of those kids, who couldn't seem to get enough of school. So just before entering the eleventh grade, I attended summer school at Hollywood high. One Friday morning, I noticed a huge crowd of people heading for the parking lot, (obviously the wrong direction, school hadn't even started yet.) Being a rather curious young man, I joined them. My eyes soon found the object of all that attention! A short skinny dude, with a mop of black hair, in the back of a "Woody" that had been turned into a pickup truck. He'd just finished setting up his drums, and had started to play.
I stood there, and proceeded to have my mind blown. His Name was Donald Conka, he was not a finesse drummer, or someone who would sit back, and establish a groove. He was from the Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich school of drumming. The type of drummer, who would have his kit in front of the bandstand, not in the back. Conka enthralled the crowd for at least an hour, non-stop. One couldn't help notice the effect he was having on the girls in attendance. Either they stood watching [him] with adoring eyes, or they were dancing, either way they were all tuned in...too him. This skinny little dude with all the hair, was a star!
When he had finished playing, and while he was drying the sweat off with a towel, I walked over and introduced myself. I informed him that I was a guitar player, and that I was working down the street at the Sea Witch. His eyes lit up, "oh you're playing with Fleck?" Surprised I said yea! Then Don informed me that he had known John Fleckenstien since grade school. We'll be there tonight, I replied.... He said "cool I might fall by." That was the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
There aren't very many examples of Conka's work available, with the exception of the tapes held by Vince Flaherty, a contemporary from back in the day. Conka, Bryan, Kenny, and I.... played dozens of sessions with Vince, so he has some very good recordings of Conka the studio drummer. Other than the estate of Jeffie Eisen, who would have taped Don's hour long solos. I can't recall anyone else, who might have recordings of his jam's.
After long consideration, I have come to the conclusion that it just might be a good thing, that everything is so nebulous with the group Love. Everyone is free to wonder what's out there, where is that "holy grail?" Where are those long sought recording, that will answer many of the questions. Maybe that's why there is still such a mystique, about this enigmatic group of musicians, from forty plus years ago. There's always something to look forward to, always a reason to "wonder why?" Sometimes the imagination is far cooler than the reality! JE.
