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Bearly Sane~Tales of the Brahma~
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Monday, February 24, 2003
Pre Max Load
The year before circumstance gave birth to the MAXIMUM LOAD, Larry (the Brahma) played drums in a neighborhood band on E.31 St and Ave. K (Brooklyn) called THE THIRD RAIL, ably managed by Wavy Davy. Around the corner on E.32 St. Richie (The Swede), home for the summer, was joining a band that was being formed, named to my recollection, THE PLACE IS ON FIRE. This name would unfortunately be prophetic, although the circumstances were suspect to say the least!
The Third Rail was practicing for the big “Battle of the Bands” at the local Jewish community center while The Place Is On Fire (TPIOF) was preparing for a Saturday night gig at a local bar named “Freddy’s” on Flatbush Ave. After weeks of rehearsal, TPIOF gathered for a last tune-up the night before their Freddy’s debut. It was at that time they chose to inform the other guitarist that The Swede was working out so well that they no longer required his (was his name Don?) services. Needless to say, that “tough” decision at that late date caused more than a little animosity from the now former member.
They spent the better part of the night yelling and arguing….pointing and blaming…then arguing some more. Then Don(?) packed up his guitar and left. His last words to the band were, “AHH!…I hope the fuckin’ place burns down!” as he stormed off the block. He was really steamed as he peeled out. Too pissed off to just go home, he stopped off at Freddy’s to have a few rounds and maybe cool off a little.
The alcohol wasn’t mellowing him out at all. It’s probably for the best that I can’t remember this guy’s name, because I don’t know how many drinks he had consumed by the time he had to use the men’s room, but while he was in there he got the bright idea to set the toilet paper on fire before he left. I really don’t think he went in there with that in mind… I think he said “something just came over him”…(the Devil made him do it?)...but then again….
The next day when TPIOF gathered that afternoon, relieved that the big confrontation was behind them, they got the news. Freddy’s had burned down the night before. Nobody was hurt thank God, but the place was a mess and would be closed for the duration. Shock and disbelief ensued. “WOW... Don said he hoped the place burned down. And it did.”. After the initial shock wore off the same words were said with a slightly different meaning. “HEY…Don said he hoped the place burned down… AND IT DID! THAT SON OF A…”
I don’t think it was very long before Don confessed…. Not to the police of course, but to his former band mates. It was too obvious and he may have been confronted with their suspicions, but he was at least safe from being handed over to the law due to the adherence of the Brooklyn “code of the streets”, which at that time forbade one from turning his friends or acquaintances over to the cops.
As for The Third Rail, they came in a prestigious 2nd in the two-band competition. But friendships were formed that summer that shaped the next few years. The Third Rail, always a loose bunch ready to go with the flow, decided that was a good night to include members who had never played with them before! One of the new members joining them at some point in the evening was Kasha, playing a baby grand piano. Just to keep things interesting, the other new member was a second drummer! Bob Stomatas from TPIOF! With Mike Aiese, affectionately known as “Armpits” for reasons long forgotten, playing bass, it was just a few adjustments and the addition of The Swede that would form the basis of a group that would go nowhere, but took an interesting and fun path to get there.
2:36 AM
Saturday, February 22, 2003
Another Path Not Taken
I've tried to edit the previous entry to make it presentable, but alas, it won't permit it. So, on to the next entry.
It was 1973 when the Brahma & Brahmarina began their cohabitation. February 9th in fact. They thought it was the 7th until they checked the '73 calender this year. They lived 1 block from the beach at Brighton, Brooklyn, with three friends as roomates in a large apartment. One of those roomates was the infamous, (in south Brooklyn) Arty Party. Arty, true to his name, loved to party! Very often these parties would require particular substances to fuel the air of jockularity, and as they say, let the good times roll. It was then that his proximity to the Brahma became most convienient.
Arty Party would disappear into the night, his time of return uncertain at best, once going to Holland for six months or so.....returning with tales of international intrigue (leave it at that). At the particular time of which I speak, he was spending his weekends in Manhattan, hanging with a group of sketch comiedians that would perform at The Top Of The Gate in Greenich Village on Fridays & Saturdays in a show sponsored by National Lampoon. Arty would beg the Brahma to join him. He said one of the guys did the greatest impression of Joe Cocker that you could ever imagine. "It's amazing", he said, "he actually becomes Joe fuckin' Cocker! You gotta see this!"
the Brahma & Brahmarina were having their own little soirees in their new abode and didn't care to travel in to "The City" as Manhattan proper is refered to by native NYers. Besides....the parking, the crowds, the having to leave the house....they always had an excuse. Week after week Arty would return with rave reviews and another request for their attendance. They never went.
By now you may have figured out that "Joe Cocker" was in reality John Belushi and the members of the weekend show went on to become the stars of Saturday Night Live. And now you know.... the REST of the story! Actually....it's probably for the best that Belushi and the Brahma never met. Not just for their sakes... For all of us. This way we at least got to enjoy Belushi for a little while....AND...the Brahma still walks among us to this day.
2:09 AM
Friday, February 21, 2003
The Maximum Load 
From left: Wavy Davy, Kasha, Leslie, the Brahma
Photo by Bongo Johnny
The Maximum Load was formed in the summer of 1968. They first began playing in the back of a '63 Dodge Dart (with a pushbutton transmission), to a very limited audience. By the fall of that year they were recording in the basement of bandmember, Johnny Z, on a nightly basis. The recordings included covers of some popular songs of the times as well as original material, and crank phone calls. Some copies still exist today. Eventually, founding member Les,(standing in photo above) left for school at S.U.N.Y. Buffalo. This opened up a space in their cramped studio, as well as their musical direction.
Larry had met this guy Richie, who not only played a pretty mean guitar, but actually OWNED REAL EQUIPMENT! The only drawback was that he attended and resided most of the year at Norwich Military Academy in northern Vermont. But during his home visits he would sit in and hang out with the guys.
Now, this was a time of great changes in our country and a true crossroads in all of our lives.There was very little "middle ground" to stand on. It was well known that upon graduating from a fine intstitution like Norwich, your next stop would be Vietnam. That fact, and the opportunity to play with a superior guitarist, led Kasha and Larry to devise the mantra "music is fun; school's a drag" to help Richie choose the life of a vagabond musician.
1:06 AM
Thursday, February 06, 2003
A Story From the Kasha Files
I would have prefered to have Kasha write his own memories of this, but until such a time, I offer the following account for your preusal. Some of you may be familiar with a movie about the music festival at the Esalen institute in Big Sur, CA. The movie is called, fitingly enough, "Celebration at Big Sur", and features performances by Crosby Stills Nash & Young, JoanBaez, The Staple Singers and Joni Mitchell plus a few others. A high point of the movie is Baez with the Staple Singers doing "Oh Happy Day"
As Kasha told it....(*fade in*)...It was a beautiful day on the California coast...a perfect day to roll a few bombers and hit the road with thumb in the air to see what the day would bring. Not having wheels of our own, that was something we often did to get around, plus it's a good way to meet people.
Kasha hit the road early, heading for the Coast Highway. Undertaking such a venture would bring daydeams of the perfect ride. This would usually involve a van full of women with lots of beer and pizza. But that hardly ever happened! However on this day he would have the next best experience. As he stood by the beach waiting for a ride, a fancy Italian sports car, Mazeroti or Lamborghini, pulls over and opens the passenger door. Kasha hops in and they take off down the coast.....only to discover that the driver is David Clayton Thomas, lead singer for Blood Sweat & Tears.
Kasha stokes one up and passes it to Thomas, as they start talking. (I need Kasha to provide the details of the conversation as he remembers it...) When asked how far he was driving, he tells him that he's going to Big Sur for the music festival, that Kasha was oblivious to, and invites him to come along. Plus he whipped out a little mirror and straw with a strange white powder on it. Kasha must have thought he caught the mother of all rides as they rooted & tooted, and huffed & puffed their wat south.
At some point, he pulled into a parking lot and another, fancy sports car, pulls in behind him. It was Thomas's "friend"
who came up to the driver's side to ask if he needed any more. This guy had his own personal connection that traveled behind him to make sure that he had enough on him to party, but not so much that he would be in deep doo-doo if caught, if he couldn't ditch it first. Plus the friend claimed to be the half brother of a major T.V. star that I won't identify for legal purposes.
I think he said that he and Clayton Thomas were also taking swigs from a silver flask as they sped down the road. They were aproaching Rt. 84 which goes over the coastal range to La Honda and points east. Both roads were one lane for each direction, with a string of cars waiting to make a left turn ahead of them. Instead of waiting at the end of the line for the car in front to make the turn, Thomas guns it as he moves over to pass. The lead car starts to make the left turn just as they get there, with the Mazorotti smashing into his front left fender.
The driver of the turning car is all right, as he gets out shouting about the stupid bastard that pulled such a stupid move. When he calms down a little and they exchange drivers licenses, he realizes who hit him. While there are some who would think...Mazorotti....David Clayton Thomas.....his fault....Ca-Ching!....Payday!.....this guy was so "star-struck" that he actually apologized.....taking the blame for the whole thing! All he did was try to make a left turn with nobody aproaching from the opposite direction, when a drunk, stoned out, millionaire douch-bag pulled out to pass him....but he apologized! I wonder if he had misgivings about that one.
A rumor of a then rare appearance by Bob Dylan brought large groups of people to the front gates of Esalen looking for tickets. Thomas took Kasha in with him for the week-end long event. For reasons known only to him, if indeed there was any reasoning at all, Kasha stayed just the one day. Those who know Kasha personally ("The Indian" on this site) know that a reason is not usually needed, or at least not provided, for his decisions. Perhaps he'll see this and fill in much of the blank spaces. If you're someone who knows Kasha personally, please send him this way? In the interest of accuracy.
11:27 PM
Wednesday, February 05, 2003
3:06 AM
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