Meet "Mr. & Mrs. Margaritaville"!

Since I started this blog, I have written about beaches... Spotlighted some bars... And interviewed a number of bands. But, I have never combined all three into one article. Until now... Chris Hambrook is one of the main drink slingers at Margaritaville in Key West. Having been a patron of Margaritaville Key West many times, I thought it would be great to spend a few minutes with Chris and find out what it’s like to be a BAR tender...that sees some great BANDS... in a BEACH town!
 

 

 

Nice to meet you, Chris! How long have you been bartending – and where did you get started?

I have been bartending for over 20 years now. I started at a place called Armadillos on the city dock in Annapolis MD.

 

What made you want to get into bartending?  

I have been in the restaurant business since I could reach a sink or a stove - worn every hat from bottom to the top. I got into bartending because it's the most fun position in the house. I love being the master of ceremonies. I also love trying to wow my guests and, for me, the bar is the most fun place to do that from.

What brought you to Key West?

I moved to Key West 20 years ago, two weeks after seeing my first Jimmy Buffett concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The island life call to me so I took the leap and moved here with $300 bucks in my pocket. I was a commercial fisherman for the first year. Then drove a cab here for 7 years. Then I worked at Turtle Kraal and, later, I managed Bagatelle restaurant. I have been at Margaritaville for 6 years now.

 

I would think working at Margaritaville would be a much sought after gig. How did you land the job?

I filled out the application and went through the hiring process, just like anyone else. I did know Lou Gammel, the bar manager, for many years prior to my working there but nobody got past the general manager, Ray Massiero, without going through the process. I also had to wait two weeks for them to think it over because my wife had just started there a month earlier.

Let's talk about that....Your wife, Patricija, also works there...how did you guys meet?

My wife and I met at the Stick and Stein bar here in Key West where she was bartending – I came in to watch Monday Night Football. We went out on a date on a Wednesday night and were married in Key West courthouse that Friday afternoon. 19 years later, here we are proudly taking care of Jimmy's guests and enjoying this great Key West life. All because I was inspired to come here after seeing one Jimmy Buffett concert!

How many days/nights a week do you work?

I work Wednesday though Sunday. Patricija works Thursday through Monday night. Tuesday is our one day off a week together.

So, what it is like working in a place like Margaritaville with your wife?

A typical work day for my wife and I is treating everyday Jimmy Buffett fan and every guest that comes through that door like the gold they are. We like to wow them every chance we get. We like to share stories of our life on the island here with them – but not bragging, in a humble, grateful way. We never take any guest, or any of this, for granted. We know we have this whole great life because of what Jimmy Buffett created and it's all his fans old and new that keep this thing going. For Parrotheads, Margaritaville Key West is their church because it's the original. For us it's the Vatican and we are the Popes – and that's why we wear the funny hats!

What do you and your wife like to do when you’re not working?

When were not working we like to support our other local bartenders. I play drums. My wife works on art projects.

I have heard it’s very expensive for the average working person to live in Key West – is that true? You live in Stock Island, right? 

Yes it is very expensive to live here in the Keys, but that's like winning the lottery and bitching about the taxes. You gotta stay focused and be frugal and keep your nose to the grindstone to keep the dream going. Yes we do live on the tourist mecca known as Stock Island!

What’s the best thing about living in the Keys and working in Key West?

The best thing about living in the keys for me is that for the most part everyone gets along down here. The Keys has a “do what you want to do. Be what you want to be. Don't mess with me and I won't mess with you” attitude and I am definitely with that. Also, you can't beat the great weather and beautiful views year round.

And on the flipside, what’s the WORST thing about living in the Keys and working in Key West?

The worst thing about living in the Keys is seeing on television restaurants that you know you can't get to without driving 150 miles! Also, when testosterone ridden, angry, mean people visit the island here and spread a mean vibe…

 

As long as we’re doing “Best and Worst”, what are the best and worst things about working with your wife?

The best thing about working with my wife is I get to work and be with my best friend all the time. For me, that is a dream come true. We both come from families that worked and operated restaurants together all their lives also. So it's in our DNA. The worst thing about working with my wife is she's better than me.

Do you have a favorite drink to make, a specialty?

I do have a signature drink that I love to make. I call it Liquid Sunshine. For me it represents the island when it's a crystal clear, beautiful sunny day and then it rains just a little bit.

Cruzan banana rum
Cruzan raspberry rum
Cruzan mango rum
Cruzan citrus rum
Orange juice and pineapple juice

Shake vigorously and pour into glass over ice
Squeeze and drop a lime wedge to represent the island.
Smack a mint leaf to break out the flavor and place in glass to represent the palm trees.
Place an orange and cherry garnish to represent the sunsets.
Then float with 151 rum to represent the power of the Sunshine!!

What’s your personal favorite thing on the menu at Margaritaville?

I have several favorites. The seafood mac and cheese entree. Lava Lava shrimp and also the Jamaica You Make a Mistakea wings apps.

Working at Margaritaville, I bet you guys get to see lots of fun and crazy things.. Tell me some of the wildest/funniest/craziest.... You said Capt. Tony renewed your wedding vows at Margaritaville?

Yes! The greatest thing ever to happen to us at Margaritaville was “Captain Tony” Terracino renewing our wedding vows at table 1 on the floor of the the original Margaritaville.

One of the wildest things we saw was during a fantasy fest about 6 years ago. A cruise ship full of nudists came into the restaurant and packed the dance floor. A bunch of old naked dancing happy people. That kind of thing still happens from time to time.. it’s known to get pretty wild on the island here during Fantasy Fest! It is also wild to see all the different Jimmy Buffett inspired tattoos people put on their bodies. I have a manatee and dolphin on my left arm and I have sharks on my right arm. So yes, I have fins to the left and fins to the right.


You also get to see lots of great music... Who are some of your favorite bands that have played at Margaritaville?

Some of my favorite bands that play Margaritaville are The Boat Drunks, the Baja Brothers, Michael Armstrong and the Key West Band, The Nace Brothers, the Niki Barr Band , Scott Kirby and Country Dave Edmundson, The Sauce Boss, John Patti and John Frinzy, Parrot Beach, Jonathan Birchfield, and my own band SPUNJWURTHI. Then, of course, you get the big boys doing special guest appearances or even entire shows.My all time favorite was seeing Jimmy Buffet there three years ago when he premiered the song “We Got a Lot to Drink About”. We even got to see Jimmy Buffet do an entire show in 1998 with the band Iko Iko. Which, by the way, was the first time we got to meet Jimmy Buffet. Kenny Chesney and Mac MacAnally did an entire show just over a month ago here at Margaritavile. Peter Mayer has given us a whole show as well. Nadira Shakoor sits in with The Boat Drunks from time to time. Doyle Grisham has played the stage. Ilo Ferriera has played a few times. So many great performances.

You said earlier you play the drums. Do you get to play much at Margaritaville?

Yes, I do play drums. Margaritaville and the bands often allow me to sit in with them, which is truly - from the bottom of my heart - an honor to be able to do. I love when I'm bartending and the bands invite me to the stage and I come from behind the bar and get behind the drum set and rock the house and then come back behind the bar. What an amazing feeling knowing I too get to play that world famous stage.

What else would you like people to know about you and your wife, Margaritaville or Key West…any "Tips for Tourists"?  

I would like everyone to know that we wear the moniker of “Mr. and Mrs. Margaritaville” with pride and all the love in our hearts. When you come in we will strive to give each and every one of you a once in a lifetime experience here at Jimmy Buffets original Margaritaville in Key West Florida. My tips for the tourists: Go out and see all these wonderful musicians, buy their CDs, support the music and let's keep this thing rolling!

 

Thanks for the time, Chris…I’ll see you soon in Key West!

New music from Jerry Diaz & Hannah's Reef and Loren Davidson

Originally posted to http://crabislandmambo.com/

 

I spent some time – many years ago – living in Corpus Christi, not far from Jerry Diaz’s home on the South Texas Gulf coast. I loved the lifestyle, sailboats, wind surfing and Margaritas (why I left is a long story but involves thinking I needed to get somewhere less laid back if I wanted to develop a career. I know, stupid, right? Now, all I can think about is getting back to the beach!), While I was there, I also fell in love with Tex Mex music; Freddy Fender, the Texas Tornadoes, Joe King Carrasco. Which is just another reason why I love Jerry and Hannah’s Reef so much. They mix plenty of south of the border into their Trop Rock for something they appropriately call “Texas Beach Music”.

Named after a local Texas fishing spot, Hannah’s Reef  is Jerry on lead vocals and guitar, Mark Mireles on steel drums and acoustic guitar, Chuck Willingham on drums, Bobby Summers on Bass, Bud Byram on percussion, and Heli Martin on guitars. If there is a theme to Jerry Diaz and Hannah’s Reef’s latest cd, “On a Beach In Mexico”, which I guess can be said about most Trop Rock, it is escape… Songs like the title track, “Senoritaville”, and “Down To the Islands” are all about packing your bags and heading to somewhere with sand, sun and drinks with salted rims. In “Down To The islands”, the singer is “stuck somewhere in Arkansas” and says, “I’m a restless soul in a watering hole, drinking rum just to get away” then offers “When my ship comes in, I’m gonna jump right in. I can’t wait to get outta here”.

The desire to leave what ails you behind and head to “a place to go when you’ve had your fill of honey do’s and honey don’ts” continues in “Welcome to Senoritaville” where the singer is down on his luck, “broker than hell” and the IRS is “moving in any day”. Then the answer hits him, “a flight down to Laredo was just what I needed”. And in “On a Beach In Mexico”, the singer dreams of  “tropical islands and places I wanna be” while suffering under a “Cold Nebraska sky”.  

But the songs on “On a Beach In Mexico” aren’t simply about wanting to swap a bad situation for a better one, they’re also about the flip side: thoroughly enjoying a really good situation: “I’ve got something money can’t buy, a good lovin’ woman standing by my side” (“I’ve Got Love”), as well as making the best of the hand you’re dealt:  “Just give me ten to twenty, and I’ll feel just fine. The wind at my back and a bottle of wine” (“Ten To Twenty”) and “If  there’s beer in the cooler, I’ll be alright” (“Beer In The Cooler”).  Wrapping up the cd is a staple of Hannah’s Reef live shows, “We’ll Get By” – which features a guest appearance by John Reno. Think of it as a Margarita glass half-full kind of tune, with lines like, “Well it takes me nearly all I’ve got,  just to make ends meet”and “But that’s ok, come what may, we’ll get by”. Amen, brother.

If you want to make music for a living, writing and recording is just PART of the process. You also need to PROMOTE. And few people work harder at it than California’s Loren Davidson. Anytime I post something on Facebook asking artists to submit information for my blog, “Beaches, Bands & Bars” or music for my BeachFrontRadio show, “Trop Rockin’ Live”, Loren is always one of the first people to respond. The title of latest cd, “Of All the Rum Joints” and one of the songs on the cd, “Looking at You” are both nods to my favorite movie of all time, Casablanca. Produced, engineered and mixed by popular Trop Pock producer, Kevin Johnson at Orca Sound in Maryland, “Of All the Rum Joints” features eleven original songs written by Loren, plus two covers – The Doors’ “Moonlight Drive” and “Sunshine on My Shoulder” from John Denver. The originals are some of Loren’s best ever – “Voodoo Lounge” has a bluesy, back alley New Orleans vibe, “Fly Away” wouldn’t sound out of place on a Zac Brown Band cd, and “One More Rum” is a clap along tune about the trials and tribulations of being a live performer in a room full of party people who want to buy you drinks all night.

 

You can hear music from Jerry Diaz/Hannah’s Reef and Loren Davidson on my show, “Trop Rockin’ Live”, which airs every Thursday and Sunday night on BeachFrontRadio.com…

John Reno: Labrador Logic and Tugging On Superman's Cape.

Hey, John. It was great finally meeting you at Meeting of the Minds… Thanks for the invitation to come see you at Hogfish Bar & Grille (Stock island, just outside of Key West) - My wife and kids and I all really enjoyed your set. And you were definitely right, the food was great!

It was great meeting you, too. Glad you enjoyed it.

Let’s start with a question I often ask when I’m interviewing an artist – because I think it’s important for people to know how and where you started….Who were some of your earliest musical influences? 
I grew up in New Orleans and my stepfather owned the biggest music store
in the city so I was exposed to a myriad of musical styles and genres at
an early age.  My first instrument was trumpet and I listened to Al Hirt
and Maynard Ferguson.  Subsequently, I picked up the acoustic guitar and I
was enthralled with Jim Croce, James Taylor, David Gates, America, and The
Eagles.

Like your first car and your first kiss…every guitar player remembers their first guitar. Tell me about yours…

My first guitar was a 1972, Cherry red, Gibson ES-335.  My mother bought
it for me.  I just remember that it was a beautiful axe.  Unfortunately,
it was stolen that same summer.  These days, the corral includes three
Taylors (314ce, 412ce, GS Mini), an Applause AA21 (the boat guitar) and my
newest acquisition, a Martin SWOMGT-E.  Additionally, I’m babysitting my
friend’s 1960 Gibson ES-330.

How much time do you spend on the road now? 
In the past few years, it has been well over six months of the year.
However, I’m scaling it back… a little.

What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not on the road…. 
Quite frankly, I’m a homebody when I’m not touring.  I rarely stray far
from my porch except to take the sailboat (Contessa 26) out on Mobile Bay,
which is one of my favorite pastimes.  We love to entertain friends and
family with good food and beverage…. and of course, music.

 
What about bars in your backyard; When you’re not touring and playing,
what are your favorite home town hang outs - where would we find John Reno
on a day off and what would he be drinking? 
I like to have a few cold ones at Fly Creek Café.  It’s at the marina less
than a mile from my home and roughly 150 steps from the boat slip where we
keep the Contessa.  Insofar as my beverage choice, it depends on the
weather.  In the colder months, I like Lazy Magnolia Brewery’s Southern
Pecan on tap or an IPA and in warm weather, I prefer something lighter.
Then again, when we’re home…usually manning the grill, we delve into
various merlots, cabs and pinots.
 

What's your take on the term "Trop Rock" - do you see it as helpful or hindering?

Good question.  I agree with you in that it is a descriptive term for a
music/songwriting style.  It’s attractive in that it centers around a
lifestyle that many live and/or aspire to, and in general, it’s “feel
good” music.  That said, it can pigeonhole an performer. I think that it is important to recognize that the term has come a long way in a relatively short period of time, thanks in great part to the efforts of Tom and Michelle Becker. Their founding of the Margarita Mafia
(and subsequently, the Trop Rock Music Alliance) has not only helped
musicians promote their music, but a burgeoning cottage industry as well.
From internet radio stations, various t-shirt logos, e-magazines, to house
concert venues, etc.


How do you feel about House Concerts? Do you do many? 
Actually, I seem to recall that Kelly (McGuire) had a great line that referred to
the audience as “ticketed, seated and listening.”  He certainly nailed it.
I love playing house concerts and I do quite a few of them.  In fact,
it’s my favorite venue to perform aside from theaters.

 
Do you have a couple of your songs that stand out for any particular reasons? 
 
Let’s see… "Labrador Logic" because I loved and miss my dog.  Also so many
other dog lovers have told me how much this song means to them.

"My Little O’Day" because it captured a perfect day on the water.

"Hopeless Romantics" because it’s introspective.

"Big Ol’ Johnson" and "Blame It On The Jello Sho"t because they make so many
people laugh.

 
You've got something very exciting coming in the New Year. You and your friend, guitarist Eric Ellis, will be performing the music of Jim Croce. Is it a "tribute show", with you guys actually sounding like Jim Croce - or will they hear John Reno doing some of his favorite Croce songs?

Well, to be clear, we're not impersonators. We're approaching this the
way that Jim performed the majority of his concerts...as a duo. Our goal
is to accurately and faithfully recreate the sound of Jim and his
side-man, Maury Muehleisen, live in concert.

 

You're obviously a big fan of the late singer/songwriter...Do you remember
how/when you first time you heard his music - and what is it about his
music that inspires you, that made you want to do a tribute?

I remember having several of his eight-track tapes (does that give you a
clue as to the year?) and listening to them incessantly.  Jim had a way a
painting a picture with his lyrics that few other songwriters did, or
still do for that matter, and the combination of his and Maury's guitar
work is truly unique.  I've heard a plethora of guys playing Jim's music,
however, very few actually do justice to the guitar work.

 

You were telling me that Croce's music is not easy to play. What have you found to be the biggest challenges involved in learning it?

Well, again, that would be the guitar parts.  Some of the tunes are
relatively easy strumming patterns and chords. Others, however, require a
note-for-note fingerstyle and lead that cannot be deviated from which are
not the easiest when coupled with the vocal parts.


Tell me more about Eric Ellis.

Eric is a great guy and a fabulous player and we work very well together.
I was very fortunate that he was at a place in his career where he felt
that he needed a change. Timing is everything.


What are your plans for the project and how do you see working it into your
already busy Trop rock schedule?

We've got several theater and corporate dates booked for 2013 in addition
to quite a few house concerts.This will be the direction that we will
pursue. You can check out JimCroceTribute.com and Facebook.com/JimCroceTribute for more info and dates.

 

Anything else you would like people to know about John Reno? 
Absolutely!  Most notably, I recently married a beautiful woman who has
shown me how to love again.  She is my soul mate, my confidant and my best
friend.  Her name is Donna and you’ll find her, more often than not, right
by my side.

You can be a Goomba!

The Goombas have an offer you can't refuse. The Young Rebel Goombas, that is. Long Island (aka "Strong Island"), New York's favorite Trop Rockers are getting ready to work on a new album, their first in five years. But, as anyone who has ever picked up an instrument with the intention of recording some music knows, studio time = money. And, like a lot of bands, while the Goombas have an over abundance of talent, energy, and new musical ideas, that doesn't always translate to flush bank accounts. So, the Goombas have hatched an interesting, "outside the box" idea for raising some moolah to help cover the costs of their upcoming project: They're reaching out to their fans.

Using the latest web technology and a healthy dose of social networking, YRG have enlisted the help of a site called Kickstarter, which allows them to accept "pledges" - from $1 to $5000 or more. Their goal is to reach $25,000 in pledges from friends and fans by June 7, 2012. In exchange for financial support, donors can receive everything from autographed postcards, t-shirts, and advance copies of the cd, to your name printed in the cd liner notes - even a private concert from members of the band. Here is the link:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/youngrebelgoombas/new-album-by-young-rebel-goombas

The Young Rebel Goombas hope to have the as-yet-untitled album finished by November, just in time for the next Meeting Of The Minds. Be a part of Trop Rock history - and become an honorary Goomba today!

http://www.trollstudios.com/youngrebelgoombas/index.html

Dennis McCaughey: His feet may be in Pennsylvania, but he's got a Tropical Soul.

When you think "Trop Rock", you generally think warm climates. Which is why so many of the top artists in the genre make their homes in places like Key West and on the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas. But, increasingly, you can find steel drums and island vibes in what most people would consider "tropically challenged" spots, like Michigan and Indiana. Proving it's not where your feet are, it's where your head - and heart - are that makes you a Parrot Head or Trop Rock fan, Dennis McCaughey and Tropical Soul have carved out their own little slice of Margaritaville in Central Pennsylvania. I sat down with Dennis recently and asked him about the origins of the band, his songwriting style, and how his band become one of the musical mainstays of Meeting of The Minds, the Parrot Head "phlocking" that takes place every year in Key West. 

Tropical Soul, the band, has been together for over a dozen years. How long have YOU, personally, been playing music?

Well, it's hard to believe that TS has been around so long. We must have started when we were in high school! Seriously though, I bought my first guitar in 1978 at the ripe old age of twenty (ok, start doing the math...) and was immediately hooked. My brother and I formed a duo a few years later and started playing in local bars and restaurants by about 1984. After some 34 years, I can't imagine life without music!

The Keystone State doesn’t seem a natural spot for someone to start singing about “beaches and boats”. What made you gravitate towards that kind of music – the journey that took you there - and how did the band, Tropical Soul, come together?

      

I think for me, I really just started to identify with the laidback life "backdrop" that the music is wrapped around. Even living in central PA, I've always been drawn to the water, I've always loved beaches, bars and boats, so when I found the musical connection to those things it just seemed to click for me.

I bought my first Buffett album (yes, big round vinyl thingy) in 1983 and in the duo with my brother we did a few Buffett tunes. After a few years I went on to play solo and kept on adding more of Jimmy's songs to my repertoire. I went into a sort of retirement in the mid 90's. My wife and I joined the brand new local Parrothead club in our area in 1996. As we started to have regular social gatherings with the club, I thought it would be cool if I brushed up on some of the Buffett tunes I knew and offer to play at one of the get-togethers. I did this a couple of times as a solo and then our president Jim Moser said he had a friend who played bass and sang and was really good. He said he'd like to have him come out and join me for a few songs at the next meeting. I kind of forgot about it, but sure enough at the next meeting I met Jim's friend Al Anderson. He sat in on a few songs and played bass. It sounded great and by about the third song he was singing harmony. He was a great singer and our voices blended immediately. By the end of the set my wheels were turning. We hit it off and within a couple of months, we were booking gigs and Tropical Soul was born.

Every songwriter I know has their own process for practicing their craft. What is yours… Do you decide, “it’s time to make a new album, let’s write some songs” or do the songs come first and, when you have enough of them written, then you make the album? And what are some of your favorite Dennis McCaughey-penned songs?

      

Not being a very prolific songwriter, I have always approached it like "it's time to make a new album." I'm not one who writes all the time so when I do start to write, I have to conjure up some discipline and get myself to get into a routine of blocking out time and writing at least a little bit every day. It does work for me but it's not the prettiest thing in the world. Usually once I have enough songs for a cd, I'll go back to only writing occasionally.

I always think the song, "No Plans At All", is probably my best writing. I like the way the studio recording came out too with John Patti doing a great part on the steel drums. "Bahama Mama" was fun to write and really came to life in the studio with Scott Bryan blowing everyone away with his percussion playing and JP killing it on steel pans. On the new "Little Summertime" cd there's a song called "Richest Man in the World", which talks about my dropping out of the corporate world and pursuing music full time. I probably won't be on the cover of Forbes Magazine any time soon, but I've been very blessed and really do feel rich......just don't check my bank account!

 

 

What about touring, how much do you and the band do?

      

I guess we're on the road about ten weeks a year, total. Most of that time is based around trips that end up in Key West. I'm lucky enough to get to play in Key West about 4-5 weeks a year now, so I'll kind of build mini tours around those weeks. In the last couple of years we've also been fortunate enough to play in New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Diego, Canada, New England and lots of other wonderful places.

What are some of your favorite places to play around the country and what makes them a favorite?

      

The first time I visited Key West, almost twenty years ago, my wife and I stumbled (probably literally...) into the Hog's Breath Saloon. There was a guy playing acoustic guitar and singing. The atmosphere was great, he was great and I couldn't help but wonder how cool it would be to get to play on that stage. Still one of my favorites! I love the Navagator for it's great vibe and Trop Rock loving crowds and The Yard in Tampa is so unique and cool. I had a blast there.

What about House Concerts?

I've only done a handful of house concerts so far. It is a great and very intimate experience playing for a listening crowd. They are becoming more and more popular. As you know, I'm coming there to Atlanta to do a House Concert for you guys (sponsored by the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance) in early May. I'm working on doing a little house concert tour later this year. I'll keep you posted on that.

What are some of your favorite "home town hangs"?

      

There are so many great places in the area, especially in the Summer. Some of my favorites are TJ Rockwells in Elizabethtown, with its huge tropical themed deck and outdoor bar made out of a boat. Heritage Hills in York has been doing Parrothead Sundays all summer on their beautiful patio for years. It's always a blast. Loxley's and Trio have great outdoor spaces too and are always fun and both are within five minutes of my house!

My wife, Georgia, and I saw Tropical Soul at Hog’s Breath Saloon every afternoon during Meeting Of The Minds last year. How did you get that gig?

     

I had gotten to know Scott Kirby in the late 90's. From the first time I saw him perform I was hooked on his writing, musicianship, sharp wit and humor. He was and is one of my favorite songwriters. Through Parrothead events, crossing paths, occasionally sitting in with one another and having opportunities to spend some time together, we become good friends. When we were preparing to start recording our "No Plans at All" CD in 2004, I asked Scott if I could record one of his songs on the album. He graciously said yes. We ended up recording Scott's "Heart of a Beach Town" on that record. I had told Scott that we planned to release the new CD at MOTM that year. He was scheduled to play at the Hog's Breath for the entire week and was kind enough to offer that we come by and play a set of our new songs during one of his gigs at the Hog. We were thrilled and we made it a CD release party. It was a greatt success! The following year, Scott was invited to play at the Casa (big stage) during MOTM. With not being able to play the Hog and the Casa, he recommended us to the folks at the Hog as a fill in for the day. We obliged gladly. The following year, there were two days that Scott had other gigs going and we filled in both. As Scott's schedule changed, we did three and then four days in the following years. Seemed each year another day opened up until finally we were offered the entire week. I believe we've been doing the entire week for the last five years now. I feel very lucky to have "fallen" into this great spot. This year, my trio will be back again for the week playing the 5:30 to 9:30 shift. I can't wait!

Where do you see “Trop Rock” going in the next 5 – 10 years?

Well, ya know, the support and enthusiasm for Trop Rock still seems to be growing! I think one of the signs of longevity is that TR has found its way more and more into mainstream country music via Zac Brown and Kenny Chesney and the like. Plus I'm always amazed at how many younger folks identify with it. When Jimmy said "We are the people our parents warned us about" he was really onto something! It just seems to weaving through generations. I just hope that in 5 or 10 years I can still be a part of it.

Anything else you would like people to know about you?

I just want folks to know how much we appreciate the support from Trop Rock fans for all these years. It's more fun each year......and hey.....I'll keep on singing those songs till y'all get tired of hearing them!

Thanks, Dennis - see you "on the road"!

Thanks so much for taking the time to interview me Fred!! It's been a lot of fun!

http://www.tropicalsoul.net/home.html

Reply to:

Reply to TrpclSoul@aol.com

Reply to TrpclSoul@aol.com

Send

Rob Mehl: Beach Boy

Aloha, Rob! Tell me about growing up in Southern California in the late 50’s…

California for me was "beach innocence". For the first few years of my life we lived in Oceanside, a block from the beach. The beach was my world and I was always in the water. Life was like "Leave it to Beaver" on the beach. It was great. When I was three, we moved a few miles south to Leucadia and a few more blocks away from the beach, near highway 101. There was no freeway yet (the 5 didn’t show up until the late sixties) so I could still walk to the beach.


Then your family moved to Hawaii?

When I was eight, we moved to Waikiki. This was pre-statehood. I went to Iolani Boys School, a private school across the street from the Ala Wai canal. My back lanai was probably twenty-five yards or so from the water and I had all summer to walk up and down the beach. Back then, the Outrigger Canoe Club was where Duke's (“Duke's on Sunday”!) is now. It wasn't long until a couple of the Waikiki beach boys were paddling me out into the waves. 


What are your first recollections of music back then?

Kuhio Beach Park and Kapiolani Park in Waikiki was where the Kodak hula show was. People like Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, and Arthur Godfrey would play there. My dad worked for KPOI radio in Waikiki (in a basement suite of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel), then another station where he had a remote show from The Treehouse, at the entrance to the marketplace with J. Akuhead Pupule.  Duke’s restaurant was pretty much right behind The Treehouse and eventually uncle Don Ho made his home there. Dad would sneak me in sometimes and I got to see Alfred Apaka, Mahi Beamer, Marty Robbins and others. Amazing! Dad was a jazz and standards dj ... so Thelonius Monk, Dave Brubeck, Toots Thielman, Howard Roberts, and Louie Armstrong, along with Frank Sinatra, Jack Jones, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, John Gary and others were always playing in our living room. I could only listen to my music in my room, but I liked it all. And dad kept adding to my record collection... it was cool! When we came back to California in the early sixties all I wanted to do was surf ... so moving back to Encinitas, which was fully entrenched in the surf culture, was a-ok-fine with me! The Surfaris, Chantays, Ronny and the Daytonas, Dick Dale, the Ventures all were such an inspiration…but not to play music, to surf! Then came the Beach Boys, the Sunrays, Jan and Dean, the Hondells and on and on. Musically, while I loved all these guys, it was still the old Waikiki Beach Boy music I loved the most.


What made you go from listening to music to making music?

Some of the early Beatles, Beach Boys, Kingston Trio and Brothers Four, as well as some Dylan and Donovan Leitch, reminded me of the old Waikiki music ... Middle to late sixties. THAT'S when I started getting poetic stories in my head. I didn't play guitar, and wasn't really interested yet, but I wrote all the time, mostly just poetry.


Reading books also had a big influence on your early songwriting, right?

Since I had wanderlust, but couldn't travel on my own (yet!) reading was my escape ... It was like seeing the world right from my own house or backyard or beach. Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, Walt Whitman, William Butler Yeats, Carl Sanburg, Robert Frost and others back then. Also C.S. Lewis, Clive Cussler, Frank Perretti. It still NEEDS to be a big influence ... "words in, words out!"


Tell me about your first guitar…

It was a Yamaha I bought in Japan, while on leave from Vietnam... it was cheap and it had strings. I had a Neil Young “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" eight-track and a chord book for that album and as we steamed back to the Gulf of Tonkin from Yokosuka, Japan I began to teach myself how to play those songs. Then, I started applying the chords I'd learned to melodies I had in my head for my own music. It still wasn't as much about the music as it was putting my stories to music.


You’re a “Beach Boy” heart and soul. What are some of your favorite beaches and why?

Waikiki Beach is magic, that's all there is to it! It's not the prettiest beach I've ever been to, it's certainly the most crowded beach I've ever been to, but there's something about it. Whenever I go back for a visit the first thing I do is walk up and down that beach ... I look for old friends, and in my head, I'm back in 1958 and it's paradise! It’s the sand, it's the waves, it's the beach boys, it's the aloha.

Honolua Bay on Maui... I love it and it will always be my favorite surf spot in the world! It's in trouble now, too ... look it up!

Tofo in Mozambique ... The sand squeaks, there are Whale Sharks 30-40 yards off the beach, and the waves are amazing, and there's hardly anyone there!

Chiquita Island in Subic Bay, Philippines ... Ahh, the memories. Walking alone around the whole island, watching shark feeding-frenzies at the reef's edge. And the quiet!

Any beach on Ngeruktabel Island in Palau ... Many of the Palauan Islands are "rock islands", so there is no beach, but the ones that do have sand are breathtakingly beautiful ... and empty!

Punta Abreojos on Baja Sur ... The first warm-water surf spot past Guerrero Negro. Long, long rights and uncrowded.

Sunset Beach, O'ahu ... Well, maybe not so much the beach, but what waits when you paddle out! ;)

Swanzy Beach, O'ahu ... Uncrowded, quiet and nice sand, great waves, but a long paddle out!

Threes, O'ahu ... A surf spot, not a beach ... When it lines up it's the longest ride in town.

Big Rights, O'ahu ... Same as above!

Ahhh, so many beaches, so little time! ;)

How much time do you spend on the road now?

I try to tour once a month. Jerry Gontang (Stars On The Water) told me, “You can't make any money if you stay home.” 'Nuff said!

What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not out playing….Do you still get to surf?

Hang with my family... it doesn't get any better than that! Fam first ... everything else next. But, next comes surfing and chilling with good friends!


How do you feel about House concerts?

House concerts and music festivals are all I really do (although, when I'm not on the road I do play a Hawaiian sushi family restaurant here locally on Friday nights!) Kelly and I and so many others of us see eye to eye in this regard ... many of us really are into the stories more than jammin' for the party, so the house concert venue is the bomb!

The name of this blog is Beaches, Bands & BARS. Where do you like to hang?

Either at home drinking the sweet nectar of my honey's love! (Was that too risque?), at the Marine Room in Laguna with a glass of port, or at Anthony's Fish Grotto in the harbor with a moscato.


How do you feel about the term, “Trop Rock”? 

"A rose by any other name ..."! At first I thought it pigeonholed me, but I think that's only something we do to ourselves. To me the term "trop rock" can mean a Buffett-cover band to someone who wants to sing about margaritas and springbreak girls and everything in between. Sam Rainwater said it first (I think!), in terms of a common denominator ... "It's all about the backdrop!" To which I added, "the beachfront". It's the music of people who like the beach. In fact, that may be the only thing we have in common! I'm afraid I don't normally call my music "trop rock", though it is. I usually call my music either "my music" or "beach music". I do think, though, that the term "trop rock" is as broad a term as "singer/songwriter" ... especially if you're a "troprock singer/songwriter" like I am! 


I know asking a songwriter what his/her favorite song is, is like asking a parent, "Who is your favorite child?" But do you have a couple of your songs that stand out for any particular reasons - because of the lyrics, the writing process, a recording session or maybe a particular crowd response?

I've been told by some surf instrumental legends from the sixties that "Slow Down Summer" is a classic oldies-type song ... One of them said, "Robbie, songs are supposed to become oldies classics ... but you just wrote a new oldies classic!" What an honor! I love writing songs that give props to my friends ... though John Frinzi says I'm just a shameless name-dropper! Songs that I've written specifically to dedicate to friends, or songs that friends have specifically said, "that's MY song" ... those mean a lot! And "Poet's Son" I wrote for my folks.


Anything else we should know about Rob Mehl?

I think we're blessed so we can be a blessing. I think we need to choose our words carefully, appreciate every second that's given to us, and be kind to everyone. I think we need to be aware of things we can't recover: the stone after it's thrown, the word after it's said, the chance after it’s passed, and the time after it's gone. I think we need to realize that in the end it'll be the things that we didn't do more than the things we did that we'll regret. I think we need to remember where we've been so we can appreciate where we are, while at the same time I believe we should leave the past behind and press on toward the high call of what's ahead. And lastly, my head hurts, my feet stink, but I do love Jesus! Not preachin' ... just sayin'! ;)


Maholo, Rob! Always a pleasure....