Rare Earth Forum → Rare Earth Forum → The Group's Dividing In 1974
 Add/remove tags to this thread

Topic: The Group's Dividing In 1974

Post Info
Jimmy19029
Posts:
Date:
The Group's Dividing In 1974
Permalink   
What are your memories of Peter & Mike leaving in 1974, Ray? Why did Mark leave too? What happened there? What were your thoughts on the new lineup with Frosty, Paul Warren, Gabriel Katona, Reggie McBride and Jerry La Croix?

__________________
RAY MONETTE
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
JIMMY,

I THINK THE BREAKUP IN 74 WAS DEVASTATING FOR EVERYBODY.WE WERE A TIGHT,HIGH ENERGY,WELL OILED MACHINE FROM 1971-1974.AND ....WE WERE VERY CLOSE,LIKE BROTHERS.THAT'S WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL.
WHEN PETER DECIDED TO LEAVE AND MIKE WENT WITH HIM,WE PICKED UP THE PIECES AND TRIED TO CARRY ON. THERE WAS A LOT OF HURT AND PAIN THAT WENT WITH THE BREAKUP,AND SOME GRUDGES STILL STAND TODAY.

MARK WAS ALWAYS A FREE SPIRIT,LIKE EDDIE,AND HE WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE. HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH JENNIFER WARNES,AND TOOK IT. ON A SIDE NOTE: HE DID A EUROPEAN TOUR WITH HER(RARE EARTH HAD NEVER BEEN THERE!!!),AND WHEN HE WAS INTRODUCED HE GOT MORE APPLAUSE THAN JENNIFER!

THE "NEW" GUYS DID A GOOD JOB. PAUL ADDED ANOTHER TAKE ON GUITAR.OUR STYLES WERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.GABE DID A GOOD JOB ON KEYBOARD. FROSTY'S AN EXCELLENT DRUMMER,BUT QUIRKY. HE USED TO PLAY ON STAGE IN HIS PAJAMAS.I SUPPOSE IT WAS COMFY.
JERRY PLAYED GREAT HARP,AND SANG HIS ASS OFF! REGGIE IS ONE OF THE TOP BASS PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT..........IT JUST WASN'T RARE EARTH.

RAY


__________________
Jimmy19029
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
Wow! More applause than Jennifer. I can see that as Mark was from a big star group at the time and Jennifer hadn't yet broken big with Right Time of the Night(which was still several years away at that point)

Yes, those guys: Jerry, Paul, Reggie, etc. were certainly TOP NOTCH players and still are! But I can see the chemistry just not being the same. Thanks for sharing, Ray. 

__________________
UK Dave
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
Ray

Maybe the chemistry wasn't quite the same, but there was still some good music produced between 74 and 78. Personally it was hard for me to get used to Jerry's vocal style after Peter. That's not a criticism of Jerry because I had been a big fan of his when he was lead vocalist with Edgar Winter's White Trash. As for the others, Reggie's talent is unquestionable and to be fair to Paul and Gabe, they contributed as writers as well as performers.

I was interested in your comments about Paul's guitar style being different to your own. Did Paul get to play any solos? I never quite understood why he was recruited whilst you were in the hot seat. I think I'm right in saying Paul played guitar on the HUB sessions with Peter and Mike? If that's the case, I heard a couple of solos where I felt he was trying to reproduce your sound and style.

Talking of HUB, and maybe Peter might want to comment too, Tom Baird sounds great on piano. Was he ever considered as (or offered the position as) replacement for Kenny James? I'm guessing that maybe he was but he turned it down because he wouldn't want to be on the road constantly? I always thought of Tom as Rare Earth's extra man!! Another sad loss.

__________________
Mike
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
RAY MONETTE wrote:

JIMMY,

I THINK THE BREAKUP IN 74 WAS DEVASTATING FOR EVERYBODY.WE WERE A TIGHT,HIGH ENERGY,WELL OILED MACHINE FROM 1971-1974.AND ....WE WERE VERY CLOSE,LIKE BROTHERS.THAT'S WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL.
WHEN PETER DECIDED TO LEAVE AND MIKE WENT WITH HIM,WE PICKED UP THE PIECES AND TRIED TO CARRY ON. THERE WAS A LOT OF HURT AND PAIN THAT WENT WITH THE BREAKUP,AND SOME GRUDGES STILL STAND TODAY.

MARK WAS ALWAYS A FREE SPIRIT,LIKE EDDIE,AND HE WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE. HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH JENNIFER WARNES,AND TOOK IT. ON A SIDE NOTE: HE DID A EUROPEAN TOUR WITH HER(RARE EARTH HAD NEVER BEEN THERE!!!),AND WHEN HE WAS INTRODUCED HE GOT MORE APPLAUSE THAN JENNIFER!

THE "NEW" GUYS DID A GOOD JOB. PAUL ADDED ANOTHER TAKE ON GUITAR.OUR STYLES WERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.GABE DID A GOOD JOB ON KEYBOARD. FROSTY'S AN EXCELLENT DRUMMER,BUT QUIRKY. HE USED TO PLAY ON STAGE IN HIS PAJAMAS.I SUPPOSE IT WAS COMFY.
JERRY PLAYED GREAT HARP,AND SANG HIS ASS OFF! REGGIE IS ONE OF THE TOP BASS PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT..........IT JUST WASN'T RARE EARTH.

RAY


That's a pretty good description. I can only imagine how hurt everyone must've been. From what I've read, it sounds like that whole period 1974/75 must've been crazy.

For me, Rare Earth from 1971-74 was as tight and energetic as any band from that period.
I just remembered that Gabriel Katona played with Redbone for a period of time in the late 1970's.



__________________
RAY MONETTE
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
DAVE,

YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE WAS SOME GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED DURING THAT TIME. WHEN I SAID IT JUST WASN'T R.E.,I CERTAINLY DIDN'T MEAN IT WASN'T A STRONG BAND.THE LIVE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE TESTIFIES TO THAT FACT.
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT JERRY TOO. JERRY ALWAYS REMINDED ME OF RAY CHARLES.KIND OF RASPY AND SOULFUL.

PAUL WARREN: THAT'S A STORY IN ITSELF. PAUL WAS YOUNGER THAN ME,AND WAS ON THE DETROIT SCENE,JUST A LITTLE BEHIND ME IN TERMS OF BEING AN UP AND COMING PLAYER..WHEN I LEFT THE RECORDING TO JOIN R.E.,HE MORE OR LESS TOOK MY PLACE.HE DID THE BLUES SOLO WORK ON "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE" AMONG OTHERS.I THINK HE WOULD HAVE DONE A LOT MORE RECORDING IF HE COULD HAVE READ MUSIC. HE WAS ALSO RECRUITED TO JOIN THE BAND I HAD BEEN IN WITH BABBITT,AND ANDREW SMITH. "SCORPION". IT WAS ALMOST LIKE HE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING ME FOR A LONG TIME. WHEN WE GOT HIM IN THE BAND,IT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE THE NEXT STEP,ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE OTHER GUYS IDEA TO BRING HIM IN. HE LOVED CLAPTON,AND HAD A LES PAUL,AND TRIED TO PLAY LIKE HIM.HE WAS YOUNG AND EAGER,SO I LAYED BACK AND LET HIM DO HIS THING.WE TRADED PLAYING RYTHMS AND LEADS.HE WASN'T WITH US LONG BEFORE THE REST OF THE GUYS REALISED WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED HIM.IT WAS KIND OF AN EXPERIMENT TO SEE HOW TWO GUITARS WOULD WORK.

HE DID PLAY ON THE "HUB" SESSIONS TOO.

I DON'T THINK TOM WAS CONSIDERED AS A KEYBOARD PLAYER FOR R.E. HE WAS A PRODUCER,SONGWRITER,AND GREAT VOCAL COACH.HE WAS LIKE AN EXTRA MEMBER. A GREAT LOSS OF A TALENTED,GOOD MAN,WHEN HE PASSED.


MIKE,

THANKS FOR THE GOOD WORDS!! AND......I DIDN'T KNOW THAT GABE WAS WITH REDBONE. WE DID QUITE A FEW SHOWS WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS.

RAY    

__________________
Jimmy19029
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
Gabe also was with Player and Jefferson Starship too. He sure got around.

__________________
Mike
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
RAY MONETTE wrote:

MIKE,

THANKS FOR THE GOOD WORDS!! AND......I DIDN'T KNOW THAT GABE WAS WITH REDBONE. WE DID QUITE A FEW SHOWS WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS.

RAY    


You're welcome Ray. The mention of Gabriel somehow just unleased that tidbit of info from my brain...buried somewhere. I recall seeing his name on a Redbone cd I have. Here's a pic...Gabe is on the upper left...arm on Lolly Vegas' shoulder.

Redbone


__________________
UK Dave
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
Thanks for the info on Paul Warren and Gabriel Katona. Until now I knew very little about these two guys' backgrounds.

In Peter's book he talks about you and Mark joining Rare Earth and states that many people assumed you came as a "package" but Pete added that wasn't quite the case, though you had worked together in Hair. Well, I had always assumed that Paul and Gabriel came as a package, maybe because they arrived and left together and co-wrote songs. I thought maybe they'd worked together previously. When I initially saw Gabe's photo on the album sleeve I thought it was Spirit's Jay Ferguson masquerading under a false name. It must have been that moustache smile.

For anyone interested in catching up on Paul and Gabriel, they both have their own websites. I'm pretty sure they are the obvious www.paulwarren.com and www.gabrielkatona.com but without going back and checking I can't be sure.

I'd certainly be interested to hear comments from anyone who saw Ray and Paul playing together on stage. Was it Jocko D who said he'd seen many different line-ups? I can't help thinking it was a strange idea to add an up and coming guitarist when you've got the best already.

__________________
Mike
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
UK Dave wrote:

Thanks for the info on Paul Warren and Gabriel Katona. Until now I knew very little about these two guys' backgrounds.

In Peter's book he talks about you and Mark joining Rare Earth and states that many people assumed you came as a "package" but Pete added that wasn't quite the case, though you had worked together in Hair. Well, I had always assumed that Paul and Gabriel came as a package, maybe because they arrived and left together and co-wrote songs. I thought maybe they'd worked together previously. When I initially saw Gabe's photo on the album sleeve I thought it was Spirit's Jay Ferguson masquerading under a false name. It must have been that moustache smile.

For anyone interested in catching up on Paul and Gabriel, they both have their own websites. I'm pretty sure they are the obvious www.paulwarren.com and www.gabrielkatona.com but without going back and checking I can't be sure.

I'd certainly be interested to hear comments from anyone who saw Ray and Paul playing together on stage. Was it Jocko D who said he'd seen many different line-ups? I can't help thinking it was a strange idea to add an up and coming guitarist when you've got the best already.


Gabriel does have the actual site you listed Dave. smile\

There is a paulwarren.com who is a guitar player. But it's not the same Paul.



__________________
Jocko D
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
UK Dave. It's true I saw the band with many different line-ups but I never caught the two guitar line up with Ray and Paul. Wayne also played guitar during his tenure with the band but I believe he was more of a rhythm player than a lead guitarist. I'm sure Ray can attest to that. Jocko D


__________________
UK Dave
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
Mike

Regarding the web address, thanks for pointing out I had the wrong Paul Warren. I suppose its quite a common name. Interestingly, there are two guitarists called Ray Monette also, which surprised me. I saw it discussed on a Motown related website dating back 2 or 3 years. I think Ray posted a reply to say he was aware of it.

Jocko D

Paul Warren wasn't around for very long by the sound of it. I just thought maybe you might have been one of the lucky ones who caught a show featuring that line up. It sounds like Gil must be the only person who's witnessed every incarnation of the band.

__________________
RAY MONETTE
Posts:
Date:
Permalink   
MIKE,

GREAT PIC!!  THAT'S THE GABE I REMEMBER.GOOD GUY.

DAVE,

MARK AND I WERE GOOD FRIENDS BEFORE R.E. MARK JOINED UP A FEW MONTHS BEFORE I DID. I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT I WAS DOING A TON OF SESSIONS IN DETROIT AT THE TIME.RON STRASNER CALLED ME FIRST(R.E. MANAGER), AND I TURNED DOWN THE OFFER. A FEW MONTHS WENT BY,AND I HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT LEAVING THE SESSION SCENE AND GOING ON THE ROAD. PETER CALLED ME AND ASKED AGAIN,AND I ACCEPTED. LOOKING BACK ON THE DECISION,IT WAS THE RIGHT ONE.THE DETROIT SESSION SCENE ALL BUT DIED SHORTLY AFTER,WHEN MOTOWN MOVED TO L.A.

ON THE "OTHER RAY MONETTE" SUBJECT: I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT ON THE ALLMUSIC SITE,WHICH LISTS ALL YOUR CREDITS.ALTHOUGH THEY ARE MISSING MANY OF MINE. THEY HAVE ME CREDITED WITH PLAYING GUITAR WITH CLIFTON CHENIER,WHO INVENTED ZYDECO MUSIC IN NEW ORLEANS.
HIS GUITAR PLAYER WAS RAYMOND MONETTE(A BLACK GUITARIST).HE PASSED AWAY YEARS AGO. IT GOES TO SHOW YOU THE OLD SAYING,"BELIEVE HALF OF WHAT YOU READ",IS TRUE.

JOCK D,

THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF SHOWS WHEN PAUL WAS IN THE BAND.
ALSO,WAYNE DID PLAY RYTHM GUITAR.

RAY
 


__________________
 Add/remove tags to this thread
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard