OLD POSTERS STIR MEMORIES

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Promoter Gene Smiltnick designed posters for dozens of acts signed to his Bands Unlimited booking agency, based in Escanaba.

These eye-catching broadsheets usually contained pictures of the group, taken in studio or at local sites, and information about their latest show, or dance.

Generating word-of-mouth advertising, posters were a main format to publicize appearances by local rock outfits.

They used to decorate store windows and school bulletin boards. Common back in the day, these posters are hard to find collector items now.

Outdated ones quickly hit the refuse bin, although a few survived, posted proudly on teenage bedroom walls.

Take the Riot Squad, for example. Active from 1965-1973, they were featured on a number of placards, including the one shown here.

Measuring 17 by 22 inches, this early poster promoted the young quintet's gig at the Gladstone Legion Hall on Sunday, March 10, 1968. It urged "casual dress" and noted a $1 admission charge to the 2-5 p. m. event.

Peninsula Records, printed prominently on the poster, released a Riot Squad 45 rpm record "Come On, Let's Go"/ "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey."

This collection displays the various graphics and textual messages used in Smiltneck's posters, circa 1969-1970.

They now serve as a storehouse of memories.

RIOT SQUAD

Pictured are Bob Anzalone, bass; Greg Curran, lead vocals; Jim Joque, rhythm guitar; Dan Curran, percussion; Brendan Williams, lead guitar. With numerous personnel changes through the years, the group played a reunion show for Escanaba's sesquicentennial in 2013.

INFINITE BLUE

Pictured from left are John Smith, guitar; Steve Toohill, bass; Jim Bardowski, drums; Sam Steffke, keyboards. All members of the Menominee group also sang. They released a single "Black Train"/"Lies" on the Tevar imprint and held a reunion show in 2013.

THEM THREE & US TU

Pictured from left are Loreene Zeno, Jane Brkopac, Larry Willette, Bob Derouin, Greg Swank. This group lasted just a short time as members were recruited by other bands, including Riot Squad.

UPSTAIRS TO THE LEFT

Pictured clockwise from top: Kim Erickson, Dennis Combs, Dick Peterson, Dave Berndt. An earlier version included Mick Van Effen. The location of the bathroom in a band member's home inspired the moniker.

FLOOD

Pictured clockwise from top: Tom Vardigan, Terry Steede, John Adams, Mark Olivares. Also known as Johnstown Flood after an 1889 tragedy claiming 2,000 lives. Flood won an "amateur" Battle of the Bands contest at the U. P. State Fair organized by John Chown. An "all aged" 14 version of the band included Joel Coplan.

THE PORRIDGE

Pictured from top: Brendan Williams, Mitch Jensen, Dan Curran, Tom McGovern, Dale Stannard. Also pictured in the oval photo is roadie Gary Buckley, referred to by the group as "our slave." Another incarnation of the band comprised Jensen, Williams, Loreene Zeno and Bob Derouin.

LECTRIK MUDD

Pictured from left are Tim Brostrom, Ron Faccio, Marc Maga, Dave Cass. Late bluesman Jim "Smiley" Lewis was also a member at one time.

CHOCKOLIT ASHKAN

Pictured are Mike Buckley, Jim Shomin, Duane Slagstad, Dan McDonald. Escanaba's Greg Tolman was also a one time member of the band with the uniquely spelled name.

PROPHETS OF DOOM

Pictured are Dave Watchorn, Larry Olivares, Jay Olivares, and Larry Williams. Mike Steede was not in the group at this time. Jim Nelson was another founding member. The original 45 record "Baba-Do-Wah"/ "I Told You" is credited to the group. Sadly, Jay Olivares, Steede and Watchorn have passed away.

INSANITY'S HORSE

Pictured are Doug Sjoquist, drums; Matt Gadnis, keyboards; Mitch Jensen, bass; Brendan Williams, lead guitar; Phyllis Sexton, vocals. The poster features hand drawn artwork. The group's name is included in the lyrics of the song "I Can't See Your Face" by the Doors. ###

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO LATELY

By STEVE SEYMOUR

The last column I wrote for this blog was published June 8, 2011. Yes, that's more than seven years ago.

In that installment, I summarized what I learned from writing over 300 weekly columns for Rock n Roll Graffiti and, while moving on, promised occasional updates.

Well, that occasion has finally arrived.

Don't ask me if I've been too busy to write, but my wife Sue and I did retire from the Record Rack.

We closed the shop on July 25, 2015, exactly 30 years from the date we opened. We invited several hundred of our friends to a bash featuring local musical favorites Tohubohu. Band leader John Beck honored us with an clever original song he composed.

That final get-together included the premiere of a film about the Record Rack compiled by videographer Nick Jensen of Iron Mountain, to say nothing of free pizza and soda.

While we downplayed it at the time, we had planned our retirement for about a year. We sold most of our memorabilia, including the much-envied Kiss bicentennial mirror and Metallica's "Master of Puppets" album cover signed by the late bassist Cliff Burton, as well as hundreds of autographed photos and other mementoes.

Closing meant emptying a 2,500-square foot building of merchandise, fixtures and equipment. It was exhausting. We donated the remaining unsold stock to the Escanaba Public Library, Bay College Library and Goodwill.

In the midst of closing we added to the chaos by moving our personal residence from Escanaba's southside neighborhood to a vintage Victorian home on Ogden Ave.

Moving included transporting my very large collection of LP records. Long-players are very heavy and it took months to alphabetize several thousand titles, collected over the last half century. Did I mention, it was exhausting?

Later we sold the commercial property at 1212 Ludington St. to Peggy O'Connell who runs her "Positively" store from that location.

We still see our "old" friends and customers when we're out and about and we do miss seeing folks on a regular basis. We also miss the excitement of opening shipping boxes full of much-anticipated new releases.

Just this month saw the release of 19-CD Grateful Dead box set, a new album from Paul McCartney called "Egypt Station" and a collection of early singles from Bob Seger on the Cameo-Parkway label.

All three of these releases are getting extended time on my compact disc player.

CD's, however, are rapidly declining in popularity, while records are enjoying a slight resurgence.

Which brings us to Alexa. If you don't know Alexa is a voice-activated music delivery system, among other things. We got one back in 2015 when we were busy closing the shop and moving.

We debuted her during an Independence Day party and before long, many of our friends and relatives had ordered one. You just name the song and Alexa plays it for you. That makes playing music almost effortless.

While records and CD's are now dispensable, I still play them virtually every day. I'm that busy.

###