2020 online interview with Jim Uhl guitarist of Smack. My family was from the south but moved to the suburbs of NYC when I was quite young. My dad was musical, and taught me ukulele at an early age.
I chose violin for my instrument in school (I loved “Peter and the Wolf”) and later switched to viola. Also learned guitar on my own. Like many of my generation, I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and decided electric guitar was for me. I learned mainly off records and was influenced by American bands like the Ventures and British bands like the Beatles, Kinks, Yardbirds, Manfred Mann and especially The Rolling Stones. Most of these bands were covering American r&b and blues so I got interested in artists like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Slim Harpo etc. I played a lot of these songs in various garage bands at junior high school dances and such.
In March 1967 some friends and I attended this concert.
We were very interested in seeing Pete Townshend and The Who destroy their equipment. Also loved Wilson Pickett, Blues Project, Mitch Ryder. Never had heard of the Cream or Eric Clapton. There was no such thing as a “power trio” so we were curious as to how much music 3 people could make.
They made a lot. Clapton with his psychedelic painted SG, Baker, Bruce. Unbelievable!
So I bought the album “Fresh Cream” the very next day and set about trying to learn how to do that. The other album I heard soon after was Jimi’s “Are You Experienced?” Another mind blower.
Anyway, comes the summer of 68. My high school music teacher got me a small scholarship to play viola at a music camp on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. I had no guitar with me. But some of the other kids were jamming in the cafeteria so I borrowed a guitar and played along. We jammed quite a bit on songs we had in common. Mostly Cream and Hendrix. Eventually we wound up playing at a camp dance and later the talent show. This was in addition to the camp bands and orchestras we were playing in.
We were all very excited to find other musicians who shared our tastes. Toward the end of camp when the recordings were being made of the various choral and instrumental concerts , it was suggested that talent show participants and our band Smack could also make these souvenir records.
So we recorded these two albums at Audiohouse recording studio in Lawrence, Kansas. I think 200 copies of each.
Anyway, in the late 80s/early 90s I receive a call from a man asking if I am Jim Uhl who went to camp in Kansas........etc. I thought it might be one of my bandmates. But no, he asked if I had a copy of the record and offered me $200 for it.
My reaction? Why? Aren’t copies of Disraeli Gears, Fresh Cream and Are You Experienced? readily available? Our little record had become a collectors item in the psychedelic/garage category. According to catalogs I’ve seen, it fetches as much as 2K. And I am honestly amazed. I’ve read things online where people rave about my guitar tone(a borrowed Guild SG type solid body played through a Silvertone (Sears) amp with some kind of early fuzztone, maybe maestro?)
The only thing I can think is that our brief but strong friendship and excitement somehow shines through on this recording. It’s a great memory and I’m flattered that people enjoy it.
I have continued to play music throughout my life in various situations. For googlers, James Uhl music The Little Wilson Band Willie Steel will get some hits. I became primarily a bass player and music teacher but more recently play traditional fiddle and mandolin. Used to be that googling audiohouse Smack would get you to a digital recording of our “masterpiece” but I’m not sure it’s still up their. Phil Brown is a uniquely talented guitar player who can be heard online. Lee Overstreet like me became a music teacher. I believe our Jimi soundalike Al Haywood became a school or church administrator. Cheers and be well!
Top to bottom : Phil Brown, Alvin Haywood, Jim Uhl & Lee Overstreet
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