Hi- I'm Fish Brown- The Original Co-Founder of this group which became: THE GASOLINE BAND! I've just recently joined MySpace.com -Here's my profile, in brief: A former Berklee 2-semester Alum., ('67), I joined the legendary 298th Army Band in Berlin, Germany ('68-'71) -the same unit Jazz Trumpeter CHET BAKER had passed through 20 years before! Bassist PAUL JACKSON (Headhunters) was a fellow band-mate there. Paul organized all the off-duty Jam Sessions and wrote great tunes to play on- with him providing both the bass-line and the comping- on a small electric organ! Also during that time, I co-founded a Jazz/Rock group in Berlin, Germany, called:'CHILDREN OF FOOLS' with NYC Keyboardist/Composer Fred Schwartz- which, through my prerogative grew to 10- & at times, 12 band-mates! Here's how it all came-about: One evening, late in late 1969, at Berlin's famous JAZZGALERIE, Fred came-in looking to book a few musicians on a Demo Session for his recently formed Rock Band. On the bill that night was a Quintet featuring 2 heavy front-line cats from the US- Jazz Stars CARMELL JONES on Trumpet & Alto Saxophonist LEO WRIGHT! Unbeknownst to me, Fred had spoken with Leo, who accepted the gig- but Carmell, (to whom I was talking at that time Fred approached him) said he was: "...too busy," -then he introduced Fred to me & went to kick-off the next set! Fred explained that the demo session was booked for the very next day & I accepted! When I arrived at the studio, I was stunned to find altoist Leo Wright there, warming-up! From what I could see, that earliest 'Group Demo Session' was made-up of Fred, with a few Berlin Session Musicians forming the Rhythm Section (Guitar & Bass I don't recall) & including drummer DAI BOWEN! Leo & I were the "Horn Section!" Fred was also using this session as an inducement for all of us to become permanent Group-Members! Since both Leo & Dai were already on the SFB Bigband, they thanked Fred for this 'X-Tra Work' but declined his offer of 'bandmember' status. That Early Master Demo Tape, by the way, Is Lost! Fred sent it out On Loan to a Record Company as an 'Audition Tape' & Never Got It Back! That's Right! Our Demo Master- With Leo Wright as a Sideman/Soloist- is Lost... probably still sitting in the "Deep Storage Archive" of a Recording Label somewhere in Europe! Fred has long since forgotten to whom he sent the Master! After most of the guys left that session, Fred asked if I knew anyone who'd be interested- (I did) -& that's how the thing started! We needed a Vocalist/Guitarist & another Horn Man and I was able to engage Brian Bevan & Major Wilburn and with some of the session guys Fred had found, we began writing & rehearsing. Searching for Rehearsal Space, Fred rented an Abandoned Office Front in the Industrial District of West Berlin, and we started booking some gigs at a few of the clubs, like: the LATIN QUARTER, the NEW EDEN & the QUAZIMODO (which is still open to this day! Fred got us booked for Berlin's ROCK FESTIVAL at SPORTSPALACE, downtown- which took-place among Cheers & Jeers (fans had their favorites) on May 17th, 1970! With all the Success we enjoyed on that gig, we decided to grow the group some more! In my search for more bandmates from among the ranks of The 298th US Army Band, I found plenty of resistance to the "CHILDREN OF FOOLS" name- ('Huh?? Tell my folks I'm in a group with a name like that!? -What will they think!?') Of course, Fred realized that he could draw everyone together by calling for a: "NEW GROUP FORMING -JAM SESSION" at The 298th's Rehearsal Hall, in which we would also collectively consider a New Name for the band! Jerome Johnson & Bob Howell, among others, were there with Fred & Myself, Brian & Major- & that's when we became: "FUN, TRAVEL & ADVENTURE" (briefly) then: "ADVENTURE TRAIN!" (& finally (till the move to London: "FISHBROWN" The group later recorded (by then I'd quit*) on Cube/HiFly9 as: "THE GASOLINE BAND!" (*Trumpeter Jim Dvorak was added when I left). -I'll post more Rare Pics, Images & Articles from my perspective within "Euro-American" side of the "Jazz/Rock Era" soon. As for a MySpace Music Page... there's not likely to be one, since the band broke-up 1n 1973 and is not widely known outside of the UK! -FISH BROWN!
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