New Music

Today I received an envelope from my brother in San Diego through the law firm he works at and while I was imagining it was two tickets for the Celtics-Lakers at Staples Center tues night it turned out to be a CD by a band called The Explorers Club.Looking at it right away they looked like a Brian Wilson worship band we are fond of finding.They are sort of and not to be confused with a prog rock band from the late 90's of the same name.These guys are from South Carolina and while there is a Strong Beach Boys vibe you also here the Beatles,Byrds,Turtles and other classic pop.I really like it though the sound is different than The Wondermints a real Brian Wilson hardcore worship group who have been his backup band on some tours.When I moved out here an early friend I made turned out to be Creative director for EMI America and later in N.Y. the same job for RCA so I got used to being backstage alot.Seeing guys like Bowie,Peter Wolf,Robert Palmer,Ziggy Marley.Red Hot Chili Peppers etc.I even became friends with some guys in some of the lesser bands especially the Wailers Bass player who we introduced to sushi and he introduced us to really really good herb.That and my appearance with my buddy Jimmy Manning on stage with the P-Town Jug Band memorial day 1981 singing the last encore of "When the Saints Come Marching In" gave me a rather jaded indifferent view of hanging out with these guys.So imagine my surprise when about seven years ago my buddy was out from N.Y. working with an artist when Henry and I went to this Italian place near me.As we sit down in the booth I'm talking to Henry when I realise in the next booth I'm looking right at Brian Wilson.All my jaded views of rock stars went out the window.I'm acting like Lucy in the Bill Holden Brown Derby episode pointing over Henrys shoulder whispering to him .Since I always see folks who I think are stars he laughs and gets up to use the boys room so he can see.At this point I'm like come on Hank turn around and tell him you did the artwork and photoshoots for his daughters in that awful Wilson-Phillips band.Henry won't do it and I don't want to bother Brian Wilson as he is talking to his wife about some music exec at his label who is on Brians sheet list so to say.So I have my idol right next to me an don't even get an autograph though he did give me a dirty look when they left.