|
decoded that we were ready to play the club scene in L.A , those songs became encore songs. We wrote a whole bunch of new songs and they became the main part of our show. We did it this way because only one-third of the people who came to the Clubs knew Who we were, and two-thirds didn't"
The public who did remember them were very surprised at the change in approach and style of the new material, and most of the response was quite positive. "The press in L.A. was awesome. They allowed us to play original music in the clubs." Original it was, imbuing the band's own sound with that of Fleetwood Mac-meets-Tom Petty-meets-the Byrds. It was extremely vital to the band that the public not view them as a band resting on past laurels, merely as a viable, contemporary entity. "The club scene was important to us because we winced to say to the audience. We're on your terms. We're just like any other band."
The band's trek throughout the club circuit also brought enthusiasm from several labels. "There were always industry people around — attorney's label reps, etc. We almost got signed to Atlantic records. Mark Nathan (Atlantic A&R man) saw us at the Bottom Line in New York. He was blown away — he said "You guys go back to LA. — you're on Atlantic Records!" But he was overextending himself. We were veterans to the business — we knew it. He brought a tape to his boss at Atlantic, who heard it and loved it, but when he was told it was the Cowsills he said "What am I gonna do with the Cowsills?" We weren't the latest 19 vear old
craze. It's a bummer to get rejected when you're so close. Then we got rejected by Virgin — we had it dangling out there and no one grabbed it"
At present, Bob feels it's time to get the ball rolling again. "The hiatus is coming to a close. We may do an all out assault on getting signed. We may get a lawyer who's connected to the business. We've never done it this way before." However the band will not compromise their ideals in order to get signed "We're not drooling over the prospect of being signed. We're not into that "scene" thing. The music's there if anybody wants it. If this is where it ends- fine. But we're very encouraged by what we're hearing in the '90s."
|
|
The Cowsills
It has been a trying and storied last 25 years for some of the members of the band. After Bill left the Cowsills, he started hanging out with Brian Wilson. "If you see him today, you'd understand. He went down a very hard road" says Bob. "He moved to Canada to clean up. Went to Vancouver and never left" While there, he formed a country pop band called Blue Northern (Jordan Oakes of Yellow Pills described this as studded with country songs, but a lot like early '80s Searchers with a little Beach Boys influence), who had at least one album in the late '70s. Then he formed a band called The Blue Shadows, whose sound is strongly reminiscent of the Everly Brothers, a sound truer to the spirit of Bill's musical aspirations. "It had taken him a long time to find a guy he could harmonize with, but he finallv found him'' says Bob (See Second Sightings this issue for a review of their debut Sony Canada album, 1993's On The Floor of Heaven). The Blue Shadows recently made a trip to L.A. to take part in the Everly Brothers tribute show, where they got rave reviews, and just released, their second album Lucky to Me (once again steeped in roots meets British invasion tradition). Johnny's Guitar, a track the band plays live was considered for Lucky to Me and has a interesting story associated with it which Paul Cantin reported in the Ottawa Sun.
Bill had money to demo some songs in New York at the Record Plant. It was not a good period in his life, he was pressed for time, his wife had just left him and just as he was about to pound out these songs he broke his guitar. "I was bluer than blue," says Bill. That meant unless he found a new guitar, the session was shot and he had wasted his money. Just then, the engineer remembered someone recording' there previously had left his guitar behind for an upcoming session. He fetches a black leather soft case with an acoustic inside and hands it to Bill. "Use this," the engineer says. Cowsill unzips it, and inside is a black Gibson acoustic, real old. with Everly Gibson inscribed on the head-stock. It's an original Everly acoustic, belonging to John Lennon. Cowsill breaks down crying and hugs this thing like it's a baby. As he says, it was the first nice thing that had happened to him in months. So he used the guitar for the session, left a thank you note in the guitar case and wrote Johnny's Guitar.
|
|
Of Susan, "She really doesn't remember much of the original Cowsills experience, being only a little girl at the time. This is a major reason that the present incarnation of the band doesn't play many of the old songs." In the late seventies Susan sang on Dwight Twilley's Jungle and Scuba Diver albums (brother John played drums on the latter). In the early 90's, during the period when the band wasn't playing clubs, Susan teamed up with former Bangle Vicki Peterson to form the Psycho Sisters. The duo played around LA, a perfect vehicle for Susan's wonderful voice. They played on Giant Sand's Universe album, and they released one single on the Singles Only Label (see Audities #3), Timbirline b/w This Painting. Susan and Vicki then joined the rootsy band The Continental Drifters who played vigorously around L.A. and across the country, and are presently in New Orleans. The band released one self-titled album (Audities #22) on Monkey Hill records. Bob thinks Susan has a world of talent, but that it may be misdirected. "Susan should step out and have a solo career" he says. "I don't know why she's Psycho Sistering or Continental Driftering, or Cowsilling. The girl should just step forward and do it!"
As for Paul, he's "in Mexico, relaxing and working." And John "is drumming somewhere tonight, believe me. He's a drummer! John works, and whoever he works with he brings the show up."
It's clear that not all of the Cowsills came out of the experience in a positive way. Most have, and Bob definitely has. "I'm very happy. I love to write songs and record them. I would love other people to do them if we can't. My dream is that I'm a songwriter. I don't need the limelight, the business. I'd rather be the gasoline and let someone else be the car. But pursuing publishing, that may be tougher than pursuing getting signed. I have a lot of decisions to make."
Whatever Bob decides, there is one thing about the Cowsills he cannot deny. "We're always here — you can't get rid of us," he says with great satisfaction.
|
