They just become relegated to a more important priority in the Collective Memory of Mankind.
I have been hanging on to this email from Ray Thomson for weeks, waiting for him to say it's OK to post it.
At the risk of stretching our friendship of..... 37 years, I am going to post it here to share with you. Ray is out of touch, probably doing something illegal somewhere. I know I would.
This story reeks of Magic, Serendipity, Deja' Vu and whatever it was that happened in late spring, 1969.
BACKGROUND: Ray was first a radio engineer, at KRUX. Bill Compton though credited with KRUX Underground, actually INHERITED the show from Raydeo Ray who had been leading Phoenix Youth astray for some time before Bill arrived.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ray writes:
Ron :
Your choice of Astral Weeks was "right on the money" :
A little bit of HisStory :
I was the first to play that album on Phoenix radio back when I started up the KRUX Underground program. Like Bill, I continued to play it over the years 'til the grooves ran out . Looking back, I too would have to say I played that album more than any other. (Van Morrison is a Virgo and once did a tune called Virgo Clowns). I eventually ended up with every album that Van ever did.
When Bill took over the Underground I gave him my copy as well as the rest of my stash so he could "hit the deck runnin' "
Don't know if Hank ever told you this story, but :
He and Bill were driving into Phx late on a Sunday nite (to check out the radio job situation) when they tuned into the Underground . Bill says to Hank, "That's the kind of radio I want to do". He went out to KRUX shortly thereafter and landed the afternoon gig. Part of his deal was that he got to do the Underground, so I gave him my record stash at the station and away he went, Bless his heart. When he discovered the Starbright, he set me up to get the avail cottage and so began our desert adventure only to be continued later at KDKB:
I had accepted the Engineer position at KRLD in Dallas and called Bill to say goodbye and he says, "you don't wanna go back to Texas, and neither do I . Come on over to KDKB and twist some wires " And the beat went on...
All the above info (and five dollars) will get you a beer at the airport. Your mention of Astral Weeks just sorta jogged the failing memory banks. Playing Little Wille Sunshine's collage as I write this.
My most vivid "Musical Event" that that remains with me to this day:
The Rolling Stones "Let it Bleed" album had just been released . It's early in the morn out at Starbrite and I have "Gimme Shelter" cranked up loud in the ole cottage, and I hear something sounding rather strange with my system. Turning the volume down to try and sort out the "echo sound", only to hear Bill's system next door cranked up to the max in perfect time synchronization on the same tune. It was like we both were tuned to same "Radio Station".Hearing Gimme Shelter stills takes me back to that morning.
And now Astral Weeks...
Raydeo
The rest of the story :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astral_Weeks
Or just click the headline.
3 comments:
Ray is a gem. I hope you can persuade him to become a contributor to this blog.
Raydeo's part in the KCAC/KDKB history is largely unsung, and as the post illustrates, he was a one of a kind pioneer of those day.
Ray has sent me some wonderful emails in the past. Maybe I'll resurrect them and see if he will let me post them here too.
Thanks Ron.
Man, talk about a déja vú... but it's a pretty fuzzy one. As I read that I remembered something... but I'm not sure exactly what. I seem to have a recollection of this event, and everyone's hilarity at the cosmic implications, but I'm not sure if I was actually there when it happened, or if you (Ron) or Ray or Bill told me about it afterward. I DO remember, and seem to remember it as if I was there, a song being played simultaneously and in synch from two records in two houses at Starbright. That incident had faded into the subconscious pool of experiences that have conspired to demonstrate, at least to me, the certainty of a dynamic metaphysical reality that transcends our current understanding. Ah, but regardless of whether I was at Starbright on that particular day, or was told of the event later, it is a wonderful recollection, thanks for trusting to Ray's permission to share. And Ray, I don't suppose you recall who was there at that time, do you? Whatever you're up to, if you stumble across this I hope you're doin' really well. Hope you're doin' fine too, Ron.
I worked with radio Ray back in the seventies and kdkb at the grocery store location we worked late one morning early one morning taken down the 15 Casey program loops that controlled the right and left channels are the radio stations and installing microwave Ray was on the hilltop and another Junior engineer was there at the station and our goal was to turn on the microwave and see if the popcorn was done and that was probably 72-73 haven't talked to Ray and many years he's very smart and funny and good individual and I had some stories about Willie Compton to bless his heart died with his boots on and I ain't cooking boo he was another one of original kdkb guys along with Linda Thompson and probably some more that I forgot call Chapman .
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