Settin' the stage

Regarding "What Happened to Those Guys?" (June 6): It's Sonoma County, the 1960s and a local Santa Rosa band, the Rob Roys, press a couple hundred 7-inch vinyl records. I have one. The Bronze Hog own it. They set the standard for professionalism and accomplishment. They used to do a song called "Time Runs Backwards," and as a teen, I danced to it many times. I was on a dance committee for the Analy High School class of '69, and somehow convinced my fellow students to spend almost our entire class budget to hire the Hog for a class dance.

I have eight to 10 mint-condition copies of the singles referred to in Gabe Meline's article and its discussion of Freestone and the Fans. Both of those bands were solidified by the drumming of Ed Bale, who also drummed for the Cunning Stunts and the Ego Slaves, drummed on the Sonoma Soundtrack album and pushed his '70s band, Starfire Express.

Joseph Brinkman recorded an album with a hippie band that played in Camp Meeker from time to time called Feather. Years later, he presented the Defectors. I have all his work on vinyl.

Less than a year ago, I finally had a chance to meet Johnny Campbell, drummer for the always-working band the Pulsators. I was in awe as he autographed a 45 from an earlier band of his: the Imposters. That three-piece unit is one of the best ever.

Kate Wolf's albums will echo through the hills forever.

Eighties new wave bands? Bring it on with the Citizens, Cohesion, Bliss Blast, the Wild Brides and Sheik Vasolino & the Zealots.

Country-music lovers could always play the records of Bush Hog or Osage. Osage even had a TV record offer that I bought over the phone.

Oddest local disc? Someone pressed a 45 of the sound of frogs croaking by a pond. The artist and song title was "The Oak Creek Frog Serenade."

The oldest Sonoma County disc? Maybe it's my copy of a radio ad for Stanroy Music Center. When did radio stations put their advertiser's ads on vinyl instead of 8-track or CD, as is done now?

Metalheads stand proud with Vicious Rumours. They rolled over Japan via Santa Rosa with their several albums. Jeff Thorpe, guitarist for the band, worked his ass off.

I take only one exception to the wonderful stories and comments by Steve Nelson, bassist for $27 Snap On Face. $27 was very professional. Bob O'Connor's insistence on proper copyrighting, BMI publishing (which resulted in two royalty checks) and proper business status for the band's record label were always a top priority. I always believed it was his admiration for Frank Hayhurst and the Bronze Hog that inspired and motivated Bob. Remember, the Hog did an album on a major label; $27 did not.

I have over 250 different records that are geographically Sonoma County, along with hundreds of posters, business cards, drumsticks and other bits of memorabilia.

Does Gabe Meline want to do a book together with me?

Rock on.

David Petri, Lead Singer, $27 Snap On Face

Dept. of Corrections

In our raging hot kelp!kelp!kelp! story of June 20 (curiously titled "Kelp Cuisine"), errors were indeed made. What's unfathomable is that none of them were made by the freelance writer. This points darkly to editorial staffers. Surely, such is not possible!

While we slept, it appears that fairies came and misspelled the deathless word "kombu" in one of our raging hot captions. Furthermore, gnomes or trolls or icky flying things evidently thwacked out the riveting sentence affirming that sea palm can only be harvested with a commercial license in tow; fines and other nastiness are reported to ensue for those unlicensed.

And finally, it is certain that little dancing brownies neglected to note that BARBARA STEPHENS-LEWALLEN shot that riveting picture of kombu featured in its four-color splendor on p23 ("Beano of the Sea"). Man, we could just look at that shot forever.

The Ed., Feeling salty

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