I was in Misawa Japan in the Air Force between 65 and 67. I joined a GI band called the Yellowjackets (yeah, I know). Several players changed because of guys shipping in/out. A replacement guitarist played the crap out of the Ventures and other surf stuff like Dick Dale. It went over huge over there then we found out the Ventures lived in Japan. We learned a few more of their tunes. They did a show not far from the base so of course we went. They did this killer drum solo where the drummer first did a standard solo then got off his stool and walked around the drum set keeping the beat the whole time on the cymbals, the stands and the body of the drums then he took his sticks to the bass guitar and they both played a bass solo. And it wasn't just that, the drummer was leading the crowd too. Very effective and showy. Our drummer was good enough to copy it and it really went over well for us too.

As a keys player there wasn't a whole lot for me to do but our drummer and guitarist were very solid and I can't exaggerate just how much the crowd ate it up. They simply loved the Ventures in Japan and I'm all about the fun factor. If the crowd is having fun so am I.

Our band was stable for about 18 months and we scored two big bookings through the USO for some Japanese charities. We could have had more but as active duty GI's in different units we could not get it coordinated. That Ventures drum skit helped turn us into a rock and roll show group which also scored us a couple of big paying gigs in addition to the USO ones.

It basically was the Ventures that helped turn a freezing cold crappy assignment in nowheresville Japan into a tolerable stay for me. When someone would ask me how I liked Japan I would say if you were from another country and spent two years in Minot N. Dakota and then someone asked you how you liked the US, how would you answer? Nothing against Minot but I'm from LA ya know?

I saw them some years ago at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, CA. They did the exact same drum/bass solo bit I saw in Japan. I had a chance to talk to them and we shared several Japanese gig stories. I told them we copied their drum bit and they got a laugh out of that.

Bob

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