Jeff, this is a great piece here. I wish we could have had more time to get in contact with friends of Slim/Scott for the Tribute bash. Jean Erassarret really took some ideas we had and kicked major balls to get this thing to work. All the credit should go to Jean, not any of the media persons, for birthing this thing, organizing, planning, etc. Heck, we didn’t even know if Scott was gonna be mentioned in the obits. So Jean checked with Debbie, and then spent his own money on it. He even made T-shirts. Again, his own money.
It was fun for us to watch the news media scramble to write something as quick as they could,almost competing to see who could come out with the big SLIM story first!!! Unfortunately in their haste, some details got screwed up and mis-quotes and things. But hey, wouldn’t Scott have loved that attention?!!! Good press, bad press…it’s still press!
We decided right off the top, to keep it low-fi and streetworthy. We relied upon word of mouth, and told every media outlet that had contact with us, that this was to be a half-“structured”, half- “winging it” event. Everyone was welcome to get up and do something…sing,read a poem about Slim, dance like a transvestite trucker…whatever they felt for the spirit of Scottie!
Jean and I were in a high school band called JUSTY QUEET, back in the mid to late 70’s and went to West High with Scott. We loved that guy and he was a great friend. He got the itch immediately, to sing and be a part of the musical experience. He and Jean wrote a little thrashing ditty called “Gramma’s Pussy”. When Justy Queet did house party gigs, Scottie would jump up and get the thing going. I wish I had a recording of that. Probably his first official song written and performed! I miss him dearly.
Back to the Tribute/Memorial show. I did not know where Kyle W. was living, but a musician friend(who also played that night) had told me a week before,that he might know how to get a hold of him and Dave Butler. Jean and I were scrambling all over the place, on so many other details, that I relied upon this connection to maybe get the contact done. When I performed “Ballad of Bill” at the tribute, I even announced Kyle’s name and told them of the video. I know Kyle from West High days as well, and would have loved to seen him, and have him dance, sing, tell a story or two, whatever.
Jean and I didn’t want to control this gig. We were hoping for more interaction on musicians and friends. Absolutely everyone was welcomed. The ones that showed and played kicked royal ass!!!We started at 7pm, so as to get everyone on. It was loose(everyone was told that!)but here’s the thing, it was well after midnight and acoustic guitars were still playing! That’s a big night for Bakersfield. Probably the most diverse collection of artists in one night, on one stage, that B-town’s seen in a long long time.
Love ya Scottie!
One minor issue was a few attitudes about “when are we going on???”. I’m not kidding. You’d think people could just chill and get into the spirit of the night. The bands and performers were only playing a few songs anyways, so technical difficulties were our only setback. Jean and I had played alot of these types of gigs. Where you wait and wait, but then NEVER get to play…bands would get up there for an hour and a half…lots of Mustang Sally played all night, and we didn’t want that.
But it is still hard to keep with timelines when, for one, you don’t really have one, and two, technical difficulties crop up. I felt like saying, “GEEZ, is there some T.V. show on at the house with a crack pipe thats more important dude?”!!!
Oh well, big whoopity ding dong, that’s the reality of life, and in a cool weird way, it’s ALL GOOD!!! It was a great night for this tumbleweed town to be in an eclectic bubble of Slimness!
Jean and I were only there for Scott, our good friend…we miss him terribly…and to do something for his family and friends.
His music will live on, our memories we will cherish.
Thanks to all who helped make that night a huge kick in the pants!
dave wulfekuehler
13 Photographs
I like my town with a little drop of poison Nobody knows they’re lining up to go insane I’m all alone, I smoke my friends down to the filter…
Jeff, this is a great piece here. I wish we could have had more time to get in contact with friends of Slim/Scott for the Tribute bash. Jean Erassarret really took some ideas we had and kicked major balls to get this thing to work. All the credit should go to Jean, not any of the media persons, for birthing this thing, organizing, planning, etc. Heck, we didn’t even know if Scott was gonna be mentioned in the obits. So Jean checked with Debbie, and then spent his own money on it. He even made T-shirts. Again, his own money.
It was fun for us to watch the news media scramble to write something as quick as they could,almost competing to see who could come out with the big SLIM story first!!! Unfortunately in their haste, some details got screwed up and mis-quotes and things. But hey, wouldn’t Scott have loved that attention?!!! Good press, bad press…it’s still press!
We decided right off the top, to keep it low-fi and streetworthy. We relied upon word of mouth, and told every media outlet that had contact with us, that this was to be a half-“structured”, half- “winging it” event. Everyone was welcome to get up and do something…sing,read a poem about Slim, dance like a transvestite trucker…whatever they felt for the spirit of Scottie!
Jean and I were in a high school band called JUSTY QUEET, back in the mid to late 70’s and went to West High with Scott. We loved that guy and he was a great friend. He got the itch immediately, to sing and be a part of the musical experience. He and Jean wrote a little thrashing ditty called “Gramma’s Pussy”. When Justy Queet did house party gigs, Scottie would jump up and get the thing going. I wish I had a recording of that. Probably his first official song written and performed! I miss him dearly.
Back to the Tribute/Memorial show. I did not know where Kyle W. was living, but a musician friend(who also played that night) had told me a week before,that he might know how to get a hold of him and Dave Butler. Jean and I were scrambling all over the place, on so many other details, that I relied upon this connection to maybe get the contact done. When I performed “Ballad of Bill” at the tribute, I even announced Kyle’s name and told them of the video. I know Kyle from West High days as well, and would have loved to seen him, and have him dance, sing, tell a story or two, whatever.
Jean and I didn’t want to control this gig. We were hoping for more interaction on musicians and friends. Absolutely everyone was welcomed. The ones that showed and played kicked royal ass!!!We started at 7pm, so as to get everyone on. It was loose(everyone was told that!)but here’s the thing, it was well after midnight and acoustic guitars were still playing! That’s a big night for Bakersfield. Probably the most diverse collection of artists in one night, on one stage, that B-town’s seen in a long long time.
Love ya Scottie!
One minor issue was a few attitudes about “when are we going on???”. I’m not kidding. You’d think people could just chill and get into the spirit of the night. The bands and performers were only playing a few songs anyways, so technical difficulties were our only setback. Jean and I had played alot of these types of gigs. Where you wait and wait, but then NEVER get to play…bands would get up there for an hour and a half…lots of Mustang Sally played all night, and we didn’t want that.
But it is still hard to keep with timelines when, for one, you don’t really have one, and two, technical difficulties crop up. I felt like saying, “GEEZ, is there some T.V. show on at the house with a crack pipe thats more important dude?”!!!
Oh well, big whoopity ding dong, that’s the reality of life, and in a cool weird way, it’s ALL GOOD!!! It was a great night for this tumbleweed town to be in an eclectic bubble of Slimness!
Jean and I were only there for Scott, our good friend…we miss him terribly…and to do something for his family and friends.
His music will live on, our memories we will cherish.
Thanks to all who helped make that night a huge kick in the pants!
dave wulfekuehler
13 Photographs
I like my town with a little drop of poison Nobody knows they’re lining up to go insane I’m all alone, I smoke my friends down to the filter…