Hello Gil, Nice to see you on this board too. I have a question about some Rare Earth history.
Another poster posted this back in June on here:
Not to make this more confusing than it already is...but here are my recollections--
I remember Tim the bassist being the first replacement for Mike. I saw RE a good 7-8 times or so in the Chicago area between 82 and 84. I think I may have seen one of Pete's very last shows with RE in the fall of 83 at the Thirsty Whale in River Grove (outside of Chicago). It was an awesome show. The crowd was going nuts and Pete was like, "ok, don't go crazy on me!". Anyway, after the show, Pete came out and talked with a few of us for a good hour or so. He didn't seem to be too happy about things. I remember the last thing he said at the time was "I'll be back, whether it's under the Rivera brothers or RE, I'll be back." (I'm paraphrasing here, these may not be the exact words, but close). A few months later, I caught them at Connollys on the south side of Chicago with the new drummmer, and I believe the first replacement of Pete,.............Tony from Lansing, MI. He was a big dude with a moustache. Not a bad singer at all. I remember him complaining to Ray after the show that his drumsticks were slipping out of his hand during Big Brother!! But that was the night I recouted in another thread when I mentioned how pissed and shocked I was that Pete wasn't there and when Eddie motioned for me to come over (I thought he was going to kick my butt because I was heckeling the band a bit) only to ask me to go to the bar and get him a drink.
Gil, What's your memory of this drummer Tony. When was he with the band? How was it in the 1985-1987 period when you were the only singer?
Jimmy, thanks for resurrecting my post from back in June.I was hoping at the time someone on the board or someone from the band would comment on it.
Gil, please dont take offense to the post regarding my feelings when I didnt see Pete come out, it was a shock.As Ive commented at different times on this board, I have loved seeing you and your RE line-up over the better part of the last 24 yearsIt never gets old.Like I said before, you guys always BRING IT and make it sound fresh (comments re: new material not withstanding!).
Gil, and for that matter Ray, can you add any insight regarding Tony and how long he was the drummer for RE?I saw you guys in the Chicago area a couple of times in 1984 (and interviewed Gil and Mark Olsen for the radio station I was working for at the time) but then didnt see you again until 1990 when Wayne Barraks was the lead singer and Tony was, I assume, long gone.
Gil and Ray, thanks for all your posts on the board and G-d bless you for sharing your music all the decades with your loyal fans.
Hi Jimmy and Stuart.Tony was Rare Earth's drummer for less than a year i believe.Please dont ask me who replaced him cuz at that time we went through quit a few players.LOL Tony just wasn't what we were looking for.I feel great that i found the players that make up Rare Earth today.Randy 23 years,JR 18 years,Mike 9 years and Ivan 4 years.No offense taken Stuart. By the way our neew CD will be finished and available hopefully by years end. You two take care.Gil
