Slut - Give Me Love

WAY back in the day, Barn One let me dig through their demo pile. Ostensibly for cassette tapes and VHS tapes to record over. But EVERY once in a while, I would find a hidden gem. Barn One passed on this. Apparently, everybody passed on this. 30 years on, I would sign them today. Putting all the available info here in the hopes that they find this post and contact me. KOKO-BAZ INC VIDEO 328 W. 25th St, NYC (212) 627-3803 PLAIN TRUTH LTD (516) 593-7343 Bob Koko https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfOofpAAL2w

Honoring The Replacements

Many bands and artists have inspired and shaped me. My musical influences are numerous. But there is only one band that influenced my live performances. The Replacements. I bought my first Placemats album at Appletree Records in Elgin, IL right around '82. The 'Sorry, Ma' record. Greatest album title ever? I was a power pop guy at the time. It sunk into the archives. Too hardcore. But I didn't quit them. Hootenanny was interesting. Purchased and absorbed. Closer to what I liked. And then … Let It Be. Hooked. Happy to report that I witnessed at least two Bob shows. Maybe three. I liked the albums, but the live bootlegs I began collecting were a revelation. You can do anything on stage! Good, bad, indifferent. To paraphrase Paul, "We just wanted a reaction. We wanted to be the best band you ever saw or the worst band you ever saw." I was all in. I never wanted to do the same show twice. As a performer, spontaneity was paramount. For better or worse. If I'm not feeling it, why would the audience enjoy it? OK. Let's wrap this up. Placemats released a song called, 'Nowhere Is My Home' on the Boink album, which was a trade between TwinToine and Glass. TwinTone got Jazz Butcher, which is a really great record. The one never before released song on the Glass comp was Nowhere Is My Home. They played that same song live last night at Coachella. I rewrote that song 25 years ago. Never did get a proper recording of it. But here is a demo version. I'm playing the drums. Poorly. Wish I could remember who the background choir was.

OB & The Attractions - Jersey City Sat Oct 26, 2013

My final performance of the year is fast approaching. And this is a dream come true for me. On Saturday, October 26, I will be performing an Elvis Costello tribute at the annual Ghost Of Uncle Joe's Historic Harsimus Cemetery benefit show in Jersey City. We kick off the festivities at 2:22 PM. I have reunited the Super Karaoke Fun Time Band as my Attractions. The first time we have played together in almost 5 years! This will be something. I have attended these events and I have performed in bands for it as well, but this will be my first time fronting and I GUARANTEE an excellent time for everyone. (Postscript: It was an excellent time for everyone.)

Happy 25th Birthday, They Might Be Giants' Lincoln!

Let's recap. In 1987 I was living in DeKalb, Il, home of Northern Illinois University. I was delivering pizzas for a living, making demos on my Tascam 4 track and playing bass in an almost all girl band. Doing the work to rock.

One Sunday night in early '87, I was watching MTV's 120 Minutes. As always. And I saw a video that literally changed my life. But I did not know how much it would change my life at the time.



Long/short, I ran out and bought their album. And loved it. Not long after, I sent them a fan letter, along with a 90 minute cassette of my home demos. And couple of weeks later, I received a greeting card.

It was just a week or two later that they  were playing a show at Cabaret Metro in Chicago. So Killer and I went. That night we met TMBG's sound man, Bill Krauss, (who would mix my album) and the Johns. They told me to send a tape to their label immediately. Which I did. That resulted in my record contract and my move to Jersey.

I first visited NYC in March of '88. I was introduced to some musicians and I recorded some demos. If you own the 'Time For A Change' compilation CD, you have two of the demos. I came back again for a couple of weeks in July of '88 to record some more demos. All done at DubWay Studios, the same recording studio TMBG recorded their first album. And Lincoln. This was also were I met the owner operator, Al Houghton. A novice musician could not ask for a better engineer. If I could go back in time, I would give him the production credit e deserves.

I eventually made the big move to Jersey in late August of '88. Throughout my visits, and eventual move, I was given cassette tapes of demos and early versions of the songs that would make up TMBG's Lincoln album. Those tapes never left my Walkman as I was traveling the subway going to work or to the studio recording my album. And I always wondered if the song, 'Ball & Chain' was somehow related to me. Not the lyrics, but maybe just inspired by the fact that they had met me. I never did ask them.

But anyways, here we are today. The 25th anniversary of Lincoln's release. TMBG's first album will always be my favorite, but Lincoln will always be a special album for me. I feel like I was kinda in the mix while it was being created.

Maxwell's: The First & The Last

It has just been announced that after 33 years of presenting many of the finest musical acts in one of the most intimate settings, Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ will be closing their doors at the end of July.

I was aware of Maxwell's long before I ever stepped foot in it. I probably got my first bootleg cassette of a Maxwell's performance around '84 and it was likely R.E.M.. And then The Replacements. And The dB's. And Joe Jackson. And so many others. It was very clear that this was a special room. You could hear it on magnetic tape.

I don't remember the first show I saw there. However, I do remember the first time I visited Maxwell's and walked in the back room. It was the summer of 1988. I was visiting NJ prior to my move a few months later. Glenn Morrow of Bar/None Records invited me out to dinner to discuss plans for my moving out and recording my album. He suggested Maxwell's. Hallowed ground! I remember nothing of the dinner, nor the discussion.

What I do remember is, after dinner, Glenn asked me if I would like to see the back room.  To me, this was an invitation to Graceland, Sun Studios, Ardent Records or the Grand Ole Opry. "Really? We can go back there?" No bands were playing that night. The room was empty. A rock and roll sanctuary. I felt the stage floor. I climbed the steps and nervously stood in the same spot so many of my heroes stood in. The stage where so many great shows I had listened to over and over again were created. Not only that, but I was getting the tour from a member of the very first band to EVER play live music in Maxwell's. Before Glenn started The Individuals, he was in a band called 'a' with the original 3 members of The Bongos. They were the first band to walk into Maxwell's and ask Steve Fallon for a gig.

I wish I could remember the first show I saw there. It was likely The Original Sins. The first handful of shows I saw once I moved out were, for the most part, Bar/None related shows. I was broke. I had just moved from DeKalb, IL and I didn't even have a job yet. I was living on my brother's couch in Brooklyn. But I was invited to all the Bar/None shows. On The guest list! Which narrows down that first show to The Sins or TMBG, almost certainly.

As time went on, I quickly moved to Hoboken and eventually wormed my way into a job at Pier Platters in the spring of 1989. (That story is posted here.) Soon after I started at Pier, Maxwell's became my third home. For the next 6 years, I spent my days at Pier,my nights at Maxwell's and I crawled home to sleep in-between. And what a time it was. If you scrape the pole in the back room, you will certainly find plenty of O Ball DNA samples.

I have forgotten far more shows that I saw there than I remember. But there are many that stand out. A "secret" Replacements show in '89, the first Holsapple/Stamey duo show ever, the first solo Bob Mould show ever, numerous shows by Superchunk, Mudhoney, Redd Kross, Jon Spencer, Fluid, Alex Chilton, Dinosaur Jr., Freedy Johnston, Bewitched, Unrest, Poster Children, Finger, Phil Gnarly & The Tough Guys, The Electric Nubians, Pavement, Sleepyhead, Cell, Das Damen blowing out the power EVERY DAMN TIME! SO many more! As well as my own performances there.

And all the people I met! To have Peter Buck or Bob Mould or any one of The dB's come over to say hi and chat, well, I still thrill at the thought. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.

When Pier went down in '95, it was a body blow. It took a lot of the wind out of my sails. My visits to Maxwell's were far less frequent, though I would manage to get my ass over there a couple of times a year. Once I was even hauled out on a stretcher!

The last time I was there was in March. My old label mate, Brother JT of The Original Sins, was playing. I don't think we had seen each other in 25 years. He still puts on a show. And makes those guitars scream! It was awesome. I got to chat with my old Maxwell's pals John O'Toole, Charlie Charas and Mike Rosenberg. I ran into Lyle Hysen, Brian Musikoff and Todd. If Steve Fallon and Bill Ryan had been there, I think my head might have exploded.

After the show, I hung out with Brother JT for a while and we played catch up, swapping stories in shorthand that only labelmates would understand. It was a great night. And it is why I would like to believe that The Original Sins were the first band I saw at Maxwell's. I dunno. Maybe I'll change my mind and slip into the back room one more time, But I think I prefer to leave my last visit right here. Not knowing it was my last visit, closing the circle the way it started and spending just another night back home.

Thank you, Steve. Thank you, Todd. Clubs come and go. But to be a part of something so magnificent that has left so many memories with so many people? That's a legend. And legends never die.

Death Of New Wave Medley - DeKalb 3-22-90

I have posted the medley before, but I believe this is the first time I have posted the entire show.

The March 1990 tour. Grula on bass, Butler on drums. Stemcell on recording equipment and all necessary off stage expertise.

I believe this was the penultimate show of the tour. Hundreds of hours locked in a tin can will make any sane person not sane. Many discussions in our sardine can revolved around the state of the music industry. March of 1990. Pre Nirvana, post 80s. Many discussions about the end of New Wave.

For all the talk, we did this one time only. The Death Of New Wave Medley. Returning to my home town, I wanted to do something special. We got the encore stomping. Clearly, this was the night that all the talking had to put up.

The medley did not have a set list. I can tell you that I don't think we had ever played an of these songs on stage or in rehearsal. Nor did we have a set list for the medley. What you hear is being created in real time. I can tell you that this version of The Chains was tight, professional and as fine a rhythm section as anyone could hope for.

In a different world, where awesome bands that pack venues are paid for what they're worth and record labels promote their bands, we might still be on the road. I love this band. Butler and Grula are as fine a rhythm section as any front man could hope for.

(photo courtesy Greg Dunlap/THIS Magazine)

MP3 zip

Theme from 'That Darn Pope'

To commemorate the recent popeification, I offer a never before told tale.

In the late 90s, a couple of old friends of mine had moved to Hollywood, in the hopes of breaking into the television show stuff and happening and gimme a bouncy 'C'.

They wrote a pilot episode for a hilarious sitcom. It was a Buddy Hackett vehicle. Buddy would star as the first Jewish Pope. The pilot script was awesome. Seemed like a no-brainer to me. My pals asked me to write a spec theme song. I could not have been more thrilled! Buddy Hackett? TV theme song? I was gonna be rich!

But, unfortunately, Buddy got a firm offer for a part in the Fox show Action!, and That Darn Pope never happened.

But, in honor of the new pope search, I offer you my never before released theme song to That Darn Pope.

Digging Through The Crates #1 - My First Record

My folks have often told the story that when I was an infant, my first favorite TV show was Batman. They tell me that whenever I heard the theme song, I would dance around in my crate with total joy and abandon. While I have no memory of this, I have every reason to believe it is true. As well as photographic evidence.

My Pops had a reel-to-reel tape recorder in the 60s. (While I wouldn't call him an audiophile, he has always been an early adopter of all home audio/video capture equipment. Which he passed down to me in his DNA. But more on that in future installments.) He was so entertained by my unbridled joy that he went out and bought the Batman soundtrack LP and made a 30 minute reel-to-reel recording of nothing but the theme song. And I'm sure I was happy to play the dancing monkey.

Decades later, long after I stopped reading comic books, I still have a primal fondness for The Dark Knight. The only films I ever get excited about anymore are new Batman and James Bond films. (007 also being another discussion for another time.)

But while Digging Through The Crates today, I found the Batman album. The actual Batman album that my Pops bought to make that endless loop. I stole it from his collection years ago. And I will travel with it wherever the road may take me.

Dean Friedman's Ariel

 "She said hi, I said yeah, I guess I am."

A recent post by a Facebook pal reminded me of one of my favorite songs, Dean Friedman's Ariel. While I don't remember ever performing this song live, I did have one of my bands run through it in rehearsals. So I dug out the tape and digitized it. Killer on bass! From an Elgin, IL practice in late '83 or early '84. Grab the mp3 now. Limited supply.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49660371/Otis%20Ball%20-%20Ariel.mp3

A Very SKFTB Xmas

8 years ago, Spiro Ballas asked me to write and record a new Otis Ball song for a holiday album benefiting the Saint Barnabas Hospice and Palliative Care Center. I hadn't been in a studio or created new music since the unreleased Favorite Love Songs album in '91. But I'm always a sucker for a good cause. And honored to be asked for a song 15 years after my one and only album. Luckily, I was a year into the Super Karaoke Fun Time Band project and our bass player at the time, Arthur Rodriguez, had ProTools. And so, Last Present Under The Tree was written and recorded. Arthur on bass, Sam Park on guitar, Kevin Hyland on drums and everyone on vocals. I could not have been happier with the results.

A few years later, I made a video for the song using the amazing pictures of Conni Freestone to benefit the local animal shelter. So here is that.


By the time the album was released, Arthur had left the band, replaced by Kevin's brother, Dan Hyland, on bass. And Sammy split for warmer climes. Thankfully, Keith Hartel showed up to fill the enormous hole left by Mr. Park. So for the record release party, Kevin and I were the only band members that played on the actual recording.

But SKFTB was nothing, if not versatile. We put together a one time only Christmas medley of songs from The Beatles, The Monkees and SNL, as well as a rare live Last Present. And, being that we were in Boss Country, we tossed in one of our show stoppers with Dan taking the lead. Here is the entire performance from that show.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, if the faith allows. And a very happy new year from your pal, Otis Ball.

Jimmy Webb

The first time I saw Jimmy Webb was at The Bottom Line in 1993 promoting his Suspended Disbelief album. The second time was in December of 2000 on the CBS Sunday Morning Show. He played two songs with Glen Campbell. I was very lucky to be one of about 25 people admitted to watch the live television performance.

Tonight I attended my third Jimmy Webb show. Let us back up. You may or may not recognize his name, but you know so many of the songs he has composed. Jimmy Webb wrote Up, Up and Away, Galveston, Wichita Lineman, By The Time I Get To Phoenix, The Worst That Could Happen, Where's The Playground Susie, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, Didn't We, All I Know, The Highwayman and ,MACARTHUR'S PARK! You know even more, but I can't hum on a blog post.

Back in the day, I shoved my way to the front of the stage for some Maxwell's shows. And I have also been fortunate enough to have front row seats for a handful of amazing shows. But I have never had a better seat than I had for Jimmy Webb in Jersey City tonight. And I don't even know how that happened.

When I first heard that Jimmy Webb was playing the Brennan Court House Coffee House, I flipped my lid. The headline artists have always been local artists. I thought someone must have been screwing with me. I reserved my tickets the day it was announced. Jimmy Webb playing my hometown? Yes. I will be there.

When I showed up tonight, I was escorted to my seat. This was not a folding chairs in a gymnasium affair. Tables with four chairs around each table. Maybe an 80 person capacity. And I was taken to the table directly in front of the keyboard set up on the floor, 7 feet from my chair. I had THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE! The keyboard was aligned directly to my chair!

It was AWESOME! He played a number of his hits and told long stories for each and every song. I have been a Jimmy Webb longer than I even knew I was  Jimmy Webb fan. Anyone reading this is a Jimmy Webb fan, whether they realize it or not. He is a legendary songwriter. Glen Campbell was the artist to his muse, but hardly his only outlet. Scroll through his Wikipedia page. You know his songs.

He played Up, Up and Away, Galveston, Wichita Lineman, All I Know, Adios, Oklahoma Nights, The Highwayman, If These Walls Could Speak, MACARTHUR PARK! I might have missed one or two, but it was a full show. His stories took more time than the songs. It was an evening I will never forget. After the show, he stuck around to sign autographs. I brought my collection of LPs and he signed all of them. When he saw my 'Jim Webb Sings Jim Webb' album, he told me that it was unauthorized and he hated it. But he happily signed it.

Side note, Laura Savini from WLIW was his handler at the signing table. She's been hosting so many of the NY public television music broadcasts I have been watching for well over two decades. An unexpected bonus!

A night I will never forget. In the presence of greatness. For any composers out there, I highly recommend his book on the art of songwriting, Tunesmith.  There are none better.

I Was Voted Most Punkest Of My Senior Class

Every year I make a point to do at least one live performance and/or a recording. This year I will do both. More on the recording later. (When it has been recorded.) But this is your fair warning for what will likely be my only public performance this year.

Hambone & Friends will be at Loop Lounge this Saturday, March 31st, at the Unwinnable Geek Flea post-party. Also appearing will be Six To Eight Mathematics and a Brine & Bastards reunion! A punk rock night for the ages.


And rehearsal footage.

You're welcome.

Platinum Load

3/4 of The New Chains. 3/4 of Super Karaoke Fun Time Band. 1/3 of Swingin' Neckbreakers. Not only do I endorse this band, but I am their videographer. Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ March 3, 2012. FIRST SHOW, PEOPLE!


Facebook page

Based On A True Story

Ladies & gentlemen, I am proud to present the world premiere of Burn Down The Barn. Recorded and filmed in 2007 for a vanity project. And it served its purpose. No point going into the details now. It will all be in the book. Metaphor heavy, to be sure. Those in the know will know.

Recorded under the Otis Ball & The New Chains banner, which was Super Karaoke Fun Time Band backing me on my own songs. The other OB&NC song/video was Fire Needs Oxygen, which can easily be found on the magical internet.

The recording features Keith Hartel on lead guitar, Dan Hyland on bass and Kevin Hyland on drums. Cinematographer was Stronger Than Dirt Pete Moss, the finest fake manager in the world.

Mr. Rock & Roll

In honor of ... something. The first song I ever wrote. Inspired by Bob Greene's book. Billion Dollar Baby.

mp3 download hyah

FRAT PARTY! With SPECIAL GUEST!!!

LYTID was released in early January of 1990 and I spent the next few months promoting the album with live shows, radio appearances and print interviews, all the while booking a mid west tour for March. The band was in heavy rehearsal mode. Our repertoire was large. Sometime in February I was approached about a fraternity party at Steven's Technical Institute in Hobroken. The timing worked out, in that it would give us a low key warm up show about a week before we left on tour. Also too, I had always wanted to play a frat party. Seemed like the perfect gig for the show I was doing. I was correct.

Butler, Grula and I arrived at the frat house a few hours before show time and discovered the "PA" was a mishmosh of bits and parts. I think a boombox was powering the set up. Luckily Rich lived in town and was able to get a ride back to his pad to grab what we needed to turn it into something resembling functioning.

Powered by pitchers of red liquid and cigars, we plowed through almost every song we knew. And then some. And we were very happy when the SPECIAL GUEST I invited actually turned up and played a number of songs with us in the first and second set. After the show he told me that this was the first time he had ever had fun playing a live show. In addition, we had The Maries and Nancy along for moral support. It wasn't our tightest show, it wasn't our best show, but it remains my favorite OB&C show of all time. All our stage tricks, the request bucket and the longest Charles Manson's Birthday ever.

And though I didn't know it at the time, it would be seen by more people than any other OB&C show ever. Someone asked us before the show if they could videotape it. I never had a problem with bootlegs. All I ever asked for was a copy. Well, I got that and more because a few weeks after the show, Stevens Tech started broadcasting the entire show on their low powered campus TV station.On an endless loop. For about 3 weeks.

And so it is my pleasure to bring you Otis Ball & The Chains' FRAT PARTY! With SPECIAL GUEST! The set lists are posted in the comments for those that prefer no spoilers.

FIRST SET

SECOND SET

THIRD SET

Live...Suburbia!

Just got my copy of the new book, Live...Suburbia! There on page 32 is a picture I am so very happy has survived and remained in the archives for almost 35 years. October 28, 1978. The world premiere of KISS Meets The Phantom on NBC. I was (and remain) a KISS fan. But, unfortunately, I was expected in West Dundee for my BBYO Induction Ceremony. I am sworn to secrecy, but I think I can now safely say that blood, sweat and tears were involved. And visibly, fire. I had to wait a year or more to finally see the movie. Happily, by the time it reran, my Pops had purchased a VCR. And now I am the proud owner of a DVD. Bad movie? Too be sure. Do I still love pulling it out every decade or so? Sure do.

Fun book. Anyone still checking this site regularly will love and appreciate it. Hit the link. Reasonably priced.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Juicy John Pinks, DeKalb, IL

Alright, all you knucklehead Google searchers. Now there's a FaceBook page.

Juicy John Pinks

Favorite Love Songs

OK. This blog has been inactive for almost a year. I gave you the easy stories. Maybe it's time to kick up some of the difficult stories. And as this goes back 20 years, I feel it's time it is told. (Some of these stories I gotta hold back for the book!)

Coming off my debut Love You album, I was in flux. Not unusual. I was plucked out of my DeKalb home to make an album when my heroes TMBG pushed me to send a demo tape to the label they were in the process of leaving. That in itself is a number of blog posts which I may or may not get to.

Love You did a respectable debut. I was told at the time we sold 10,000 copies. A respectable number, yet not enough to recoup expenses. Shocking. The band that I used on the album were great musicians and really good guys, but stuff gets in the way. By the time the album was finally released, I had a new Chains. As far as a rhythm section goes, the finest Chains ever. We did a brief two week tour, which I had to book. One ulcer later, I managed to make it break even. (Again, saving details for the book.) I disbanded this band for reasons that, in hindsight, are absurd. But I was a kid with all kinds of pressure and all kinds of idiot. Happy to say that B&G are still friends and we had a reunion in 2001.

At this point I was approached by a source with conflicts of interest piled upon conflicts of interest about a publishing deal. The interested parties wanted to throw money at me to re-promote the year old album. I refused. I wanted to make a new album and promote that. They said no. I responded in kind. They backed down. They said they would use $10,000 of the publishing deal to record a new album. I was only getting 10% of the deal as an advance, so I really had no financial skin in the game. They met my demand.

I had an interim band I was working with from the band Earth Pig. Artie Reinitz on guitar and Davy Hoskins on drums. I played bass. We did one show at Maxwell's and recorded demos for the album. I love those guys and they were a ton of fun, but the label wanted me to get another band. So I got the rhythm section from Das Damen and went into rehearsals. They also wanted a professional producer and a high end recording studio. On the production end, they procured TMBG's sound man, Paul Angelli, who brought in his friend and partner, Pat Dillett. Two nicer guys and excellent producers you will never find. And I'm both proud and sad to say that they did the whole project for points on the back end.

They also wanted me to do the album at Hobroken's 24 track Water Music, as opposed to DubWay, where the bulk of the first album was recorded. I loved everyone at Water, but I didn't think this project warranted the step up in recording fees. Barn One insisted. So I went along. Long/short, I don't regret it, but we ran out of money before we could finish the album the way we wanted. The last day of the sessions, we crammed as many background vocals as we could and we never did finish guitars on a couple songs. Having said that, I'm really proud of the finished product. It's a far more coherent album than Love You. It was written as an album, as opposed to a collection of songs. (Having said that, there are two covers on the album. Influences that I proudly wear on my sleeve. Cheap Trick's I Can't Take It and The Raspberries - I Don't Know What I Want.)

When the finished product was turned into the label, I was called in to talk about it. I was told that they had a great idea. How did I feel about bringing in a lead singer and I would be the mastermind! Like Rick Nielsen!

Uh ...

The label had been aware of the entire album's progression. They came to the studio and they received working tapes. After the entire project was done, they wanted to call do over? That was the last conversation I had with them about Favorite Love Songs. They had a finished project. Which they choose not to release. Which was a relief. I did not care to work with them either.

So what I am offering you is both the Favorite Love Songs album and another album's worth of demos and recordings post Barn One. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I've been listening to it while I've been writing this post and I couldn't be prouder. I think it's a far better collection than Love You. I look forward to your comments.

Sorry, folks. You snooze, you lose. But please to enjoy some YouTube videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91rPN8SD3wA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnS1BO037g0