Blue Cheer Newsletter . . . send mail to ilka-and-dickie@gmx.net |
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. . . . Dickie Peterson (22.01.2002)
Hi All,
I have just finished spending two weeks in Amsterdam with my friend George Michalski. We played around, visited clubs etc . . . George as you may know or not was with Blue Cheer when he was 12 years old, he and Adam Russell - Jerry's younger brother - would come over to our apartment on Fillmore Street In San Francisco and steel our "Candy". Of possible and hopeful importance is that George and me talked long and hard about recording together and under what circumstances. George as gifted as he his, would supply the musical technical knowledge, and I would supply the "HEAVY" - that is what I do best and I believe the combination would be great musically.
George apparently has access to the Record Plant Studio in Sausalito, California, and we thought perhaps we could do something in that studio after the details, songs, and all are worked out. Will keep you posted !!!
I have been rehearsing and playing live gigs with my band Mother Ocean. I find this a pleasant change from a lifetime of playing as Blue Cheer. So, I plan to continue to play with Mother Ocean and develop this band as best as I can.
I had some offers to do another Blue Cheer project, however, two main problems keep arising: I will not do another Blue Cheer Project unless the music does not sacrifice, and that, my friends, translates into someone, company or alien, providing a budget that will allow proper recording, time and personal to give me and most importantly you, "the Fans" the music I deserve and the music you deserve to hear. I do not want a "slam, bang, hurry-up" Blue Cheer project. I am sure you will agree.
We all know that money can change minds. If the money is there the people will be there and another Blue Cheer reincarnation will take place. Trust me, Blue Cheer, is my Life and will always be part of me.
Creative inspiration visits me from time to time to time and I am sure that with the propper monetary inspiration Blue Cheer will rise again. In the meantime I hope you know how much I appreciate all the attention from the Fans and as usual I am too stupid to answer all the fan messages by myself.
Please keep the filth !!!
. . . . Dickie Peterson (09.03.2001)
Hello All,
- well changes again !!! - there is nothing constant but change, in my life, anyway.
I have decided to quit the Hank Davison Band. I played several gigs with them over the past several months and I enjoyed this experience very much as i was able to help with the songs and arrangements and truthfully needed a break from Blue Cheer and all that means. So for now that's all with the Hank Davison Band.
What is exciting to me is that my solo band Dickie Peterson & Mother Ocean is sounding great and I am very pleased with the musicians and the progress we have made. We have several upcoming gigs and with guest artists this will give me a chance to stretch out with some new and experimental music and I feel comfortable working with some new and refreshing material from us and the good Dr. Peddicord and also most probably some songs of my friend Kevin Westlake from England. Where we practice is a recording studio and even though the studio is available to us we want to do a proper CD and with sufficient financing to offer up a superior product so now we are hunting for resources both in Europe and America - and hopefully soon we will have some new and exciting music.
Blue Cheer has again entered the picture and recently I have been offered an idea to consider to do another Blue Cheer CD with Duck and Paul the financing would be from New York yet the project, if I consider it worthwhile would be put together in Germany with Duck and Paul. Also, Randy Holden has asked me to do some work with him and probably the most interesting is that recently Leigh has considered doing another Blue Cheer recording with me and Paul if all the songs and business arrangements can be agreed upon. Maybe a few songs with Duck, a few songs with Randy, a few songs with Leigh and maybe a few with Gary Yoder would be one of my ideas - sort of a true Blue Cheer Reunion CD.
Anyway so lots of ideas and thank you all for your continued support . . . Dickie
. . . . Dickie Peterson (06.09.2000)
My friends,
i have currently joined the Hank Davison band as the bass player and will also share the vocal responsibilities with Hank. Why did i make this move? Because it puts the fun and joy back to the music for me. It's a no bullshit biker band and i love playing with these guys. It's funny but i have come to the conclusion that the only people that have ever done right with me, in as far as the music stuff goes, have been bikers. They deliver and always have. So i can only come to the conclusion that the only honest people i have worked for are renegades, outlaws and bikers. The real criminals are wearing the three piece suits and never honestly look you in the eye.
I really do enjoy playing with these guys. I mean sometimes the music gets so good we all can do anything but start laughing because we get so happy. It's been a long long time music gave me that feeling. I think a lot of it is the chemistry because no one guy in the band is the whole show and we all dig what each one of us has to offer. Even the harp player, he reminds me of Jerry Whiting, although he is a black cat from S.F., you still never know what he is going to play and there always has to be a sound guy around who is hip on how to deal with Louis from a mixing standpoint. It's really a family and the most important component in the band is the feeling between people, we call it "no bullshit", i often have to smile to myself because of the similarities in this band and Blue Cheer.
I have not been involved in a recording project with the band up to now mostly because Hank really wants to record only live. The philosophy being the only "real" music is "live" music and live recordings are as close as you can get. His CD's say: no gimicks, tricks, effects or bullshit. His market, the bikers, love it. His plan is to record every concert next summer and then make a new LP from the results, do whatever mixing and editing after the concert season and in the winter do the same thing with the unplugged version of the band. These latest gigs have been mostly to pull Hank together and working at full throttle after his brain surgery last year. He's running great and sounding great. Early march rehearsals for the live Hank Davison Band electric start. I am really looking forward to this as the Hank Davison Band show is not simply a 1 and a half hour set. It's a show and usually lasts for 3 to 4 hours.
I am still doing my solo band and hope to have some recorded results within the next 2 months. I called the band Dickie Peterson & Mother Ocean. We are starting to record a CD in Cologne this month. It's a really solid rhythm & blues rock band. Everybody that hears it says it's great and there is absolutely no one doing what we do. The reason is, it's too simple for most of these over-sophisticated trendy players to figure it out. I am finding a great many people out there that jump for joy at the sounds we make because, and i quote, real music is not dead. Some young guy said this to me the other night after the set. Felt real good to know there are people around that feel the same way about the state music is in and the need for some "real" bands to surface.
I really hope people don't feel i have deserted Blue Cheer, because i haven't. We are only taking a rest. Blue Cheer is always near me and will stay that way, so if someone comes up with a way to make things happen it will happen.
Until then, take care and i will be in touch . . . . DP
. . . . Dickie Peterson (27.07.2000)
Hey Frank,
I have been so busy that i haven't really had a chance to even check my e-mail. I have managed to scrape up enough money for Duck and i to go into preproduction for the new Blue Cheer LP to be recorded in Florida before the new year. We have most definitely written some very good songs and are doing some good arrangements to them. Duck will be leaving for Florida and home next Wednesday. He will take bass and vocal tracks with him so he can work on the guitar parts before we start recording. These tracks will be only scratch tracks and will be of no use to anyone but us, mostly because there is very little on them and are unmixable.
The Open Air was strange but we pulled it off even though we had equipment problems and our spot in the show was not very good, but the people loved us and we made a good time of the whole affair. No more gigs at this point due to song writing and recording but maybe in the Fall we will go out.
The solo project/recording should be started as soon as possible. I have the band, i have the songs, all we need is a deal. Of course this must be planned and can be up to a point but we must know what kind of budget we have to work with and that can only happen with a deal, which will take time, which we have, whether Blue Cheer records or not make little if any difference.
Hey man, i really can't find the time to do the newsletter and manage, play, sing and write songs for the band and myself, so, if it's ok with you, i will depend on you to get the word out to people about what's going on and that it is not a matter of neglect or that i don't care. I am really jammed, of course i love it, it's when i do my best work. I love the pressure, i love making music at the very edge of desaster but not going all the way over the edge. The more risky it is, the more i like it.
Frank, i have to sing off (as usual) for now, as i am to meet the Duck at the studio and do some more work. I will get back to you in a couple of days.
Your friend . . . . DP
. . . . Dickie Peterson (25.05.2000)
High Frank,
sorry about the delay in writing but i have been very busy trying to get this band in the studio and on tour. I think i am on the trail to doing just that. We should be recording and gigging this summer in Europe. We are for sure playing the Burg Herzberg Open Air and will be doing some shows before and after. I don't at this time have a schedule but should have one by the end of next week.
Maybe you can post this info for the surfers and the fans, so they will know i am not neglecting them. I am trying to get the band out there and performing for them.
I will also be doing the tour with a laptop and was thinking about doing something like a daily log of the tour, you know, funny, strange and unusual happenings on the road.
Also i have some interest showing in the publication of my book, so things are happening and i am being kept very busy at keeping it that way, it's the only way for us to get to the people. So please people hang in and keep letting us knowing you are backing us up, we need all the helpwe can get. Especially Whaley.
Hang loose and keep on rockin'
Dickie
. . . . Dickie Peterson (29.02.2000)
High ya all . . . .
All is well i trust. Let me first apologize for the lack of a newsletter sooner than now and present some sort of an explanation for my behaviour. The flu had something to do with it. I mean this year that shit was hard. I was ill for over a week and so was Ilka, although she got it worse than i did. Anyway, all is ok now.
The other things that i have been working on are probably of more interest to you than the complaints of a rocker's health. Hell, no one should have to listen to us complain after the way we treated our bodies. First off, the european tour, starting in late June or early July looks like a go and i am very excited about it. I mean we did some touring in Europe in the 80's and early 90's, but they were done halfassed by our then german manager, who had his head so far up his own ass, that he made the whole thing a bummer. At one point Duck was forced out of the band, although we knew we would get back together, Whaley even left for a while, but i stayed and for only one reason, to complete the contract, so this guy could not come back on our asses somewhere down the line. Anyway, we three are hyped about this summer. I dont know quite how to express it, but i got a real good feeling about the Cheer and this year and this summer in particular. I will keep Frank updated for the dates, as soon as any deals are sealed. That won't be for a while, as the gigs are a good 4 months down the line, but they will be posted and i hope to god you guys show up, cause i bragg about you guys to the promo companies. As far as the States go, well, i got all kinds of feelers out, but no responses yet. I have been hoping that we could join up on some sort of tour that comprises several bands. We did a tour in the States in the 80's with Leslie West, Foghat and The Outlaws and it was a gas, man, lots of really good rock and roll and not much room for any primadonna bullshit. I mean people became friends and the bullshit just fell away. It has to or you can't make a friendship with anyone. Sure, there are always asses around, but we refer to them as amps and who wants to hang out with his amp for a whole tour. So we give the amps and the asses to the roadies to deal with. It will either straighten an asshole out or drive it right over the deep end. Sort of Blue Cheer road entertainment.
As far as recordings go, Captain Trip is doing a new release of the Live In Japan CD. I also have a couple of record companies showing real interest. I can't at this time mention any names, as they don't like that sort of thing and it's a great way to drive them off forever. I think they will wait and see how the band does on tour this summer and i am very confident that we will do more than good.
I have been preparing songs in a small studio for the recording i know we will do. Duck will be coming here in a few months and we will then start putting the Cheer wack on them and we will be prepared when the right deal comes down.
Well sisters and brothers, my fingers are getting sore as is my ass, my mind is fast approching blankness, maybe it's that dutch tobacco? Hang loose and carebeful.
Dickie
. . . . Dickie Peterson (25.01.2000)
High ya all . . . .
Hope the new year is starting out with a blast for you. Sorry i haven't written sooner, but i have been very busy setting up a tour for the summer and hopefully the fall. Things are looking good for the festivals in Europe. Which ones and where is still on the drawing board, but i am pretty sure that a tour will happen, so keep your eyes out for us and of course all progress will be on the Blue Cheer HomePage.
I have also spit the word out to a few people in the US about doing a tour there, but have not made a connection as of yet. But fear not, i am on the job boss.
Ya all should also keep your eyes peeled for the Hank Davison Band shows coming up in the fall. Some of them i will for sure be at and will perform and there is a possibility Cheer might even make a showing. There is a lot going on right know and it's hard to predict what's going to happen, but one thing i know from experience is, that when this much energy is in the wind, shit happens. I can feel it all the way to my toes and it feels good
I am very much looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the tours. We always have a place at the gigs, where after the shows, we can hang out with the people that choose to do so. We feel, we owe it to you guys to be available, just give us a chance to catch our breaths and you'll see us, 'cause we'll be looking for you.
Talk to you soon and i will keep you all posted as to what's going on, thanks for the letters and i really mean that, 'cause sometimes they are the thing that give me the energy when i get down and out about why i do this shit. You guys are sort of like a member of the band and you keep a foot in my ass. Thank you.
Keep on rockin' . . . . Dickie
. . . . Dickie Peterson (05.01.2000)
Hey, Happy New Year to one and all . . . .
I hope this year brings the love and caring that this world needs. I truly hope you make yourself a part of it.
Paul Whaley and our ladies spent Xmas in Regensburg, Germany, a 2000 year old town in southern Germany, where Whaley lives. Well, to say the least, it was a very unique Xmas. He even had a tree which he insisted on dancing with over the 3 day period we were there. He also was keeping his eyes out for U F O s. I told him, "you will probably spot them cruising behind the 8 reindeers and the fat guy in the sleigh". He looked at me and then nodded his head and said "ya, probably" and moved on to the next point of interest. That's Paul and that's why we love him so much. Maybe he went as crazy as the rest of us wanted to, i don't know. He plays like an animal and has a heart as big as the sky and i loved being with him at Xmas time.
We left Paul's town and headed for Augsburg, where my lady and i spent New Year's with the Hank Davison crew. Hank and i made a promise to each other 2 years ago, to rock into the year 2000 and man, did we ever. We started at 10 minutes to 12 and didn't stop until 3 am. So have no fear, we kickstarted the year 2000 and it came roaring in like a full dressed Harley. I met a guitar player while i was there, named Mirek, who comes from Poland, man, can he play. It was a little strange at first, because he speaks no word of english and i no polish, but it became obvious that we all spoke Rock 'n' Roll, because once we started, it was an unstoppable force. I loved it, i guess i was sort of like a pig rolling around in the muddy grease, couldn't have been more contented. I am pretty sure Hank and i will do something together as the chemistry between us is too unique and special, not to. We are kicking around what that project will be and i will let you know as soon as we do.
As i understand it, from Japan, there will be a new issue of the Live In Japan CD and should be available through Captain Trip's link or the Blue Cheer HomePage. I am still working on the merchandising aspects of Blue Cheer, so don't think i forgot, it just takes time to make this shit happen, just hang with me, 'cause i make shit happen, and this will happen.
Hank and i are thinking of starting our own record company and calling it F T R C (Fuck The Record Companies) and do our own music our own way. The companies and advertisers have things so screwed up, that to sign with them, is to give up your soul. As far as i am concerned, these companies are a real threat to R 'n' R and i really don't want to deal with them or at least i know, they would not want to deal with me. That's why we went with Captain Trip, because we had complete and total control of what we wanted to do and that is the way it has to stay, no matter who we sign with. We will not compromise Rock 'n' Roll for the sake of money that the lawyers and the companies are going to steal from us anyway. So i don't really see a major recording company picking us up, although stranger things have happened. They would have to have a lot of nerves, because the laws are meaningless to me, they are not to my advantage and i would take any act against the band very personal when it comes to these people and i don't think they are prepared to deal with that.
Well, ya all, i am heading out for Holland after i finish this letter. For those of you, who do not know, Holland has very liberal smoking laws and very little drug crime and the like. I plan on smoking the new year in and because i am a little late, i guess i should probably smoke a lot.
You all take care of each other, because we are all we got. Keep the mail coming and keep your eyes open, because when we come, it will be hard and heavy . . . . DP
. . . . Dickie Peterson (23.12.1999)
Hey everybody, what's shakin'?
Guess i'll just start with what's on my mind. I have a problem with addressing all of you as fans, it seems so trite and inadequate. Maybe someone out there has a suggestion or two as to what we can call all you Blue Cheer supporters. I thought about pilots, mostly because we look at this thing like it's your plane and you are flying it. We're sort of the flight crew, we keep up in the air, but when it gets down to the real nitty gritty, you guys are the ones that give the flight instructions. Am i making any sense? Well, let me know one way or the other.
I am meeting with Frank about merchandising on the Blue Cheer HomePage this week and hopefully will be able to supply you all with cds and such in the very near future. So hang in, 'cause we are working on it.
Paul and i, along with our ladies, will be spending Xmas together in southern Germany, at Paul's house. Should be interesting, Paul is one crazy dude. Hell i didn't know he even knew about Xmas. And then, on New Year's, we'll be in Augsburg, Germany, with the Hank Davison Band, celebrating with the Broncos M.C. and basically kick starting 2000. I really enjoy my time with Hank, he has become my very best german friend and hanking with him and the band is always great fun and theBroncos are a bunch of very rowdy good guys. Maybe i can swing some photos for the homepage.
As far as the progress on the Blue Cheer projects, i spoke of in my last letter, well they are all still in the works. I could say the Millennium and Xmas were to blame, but that would be a lie, the truth is that these things take time and a great deal of hustling. But rest assured, the flight crew is ready for take off in an instant.
Well, my friends, i hope this letter keeps you focused on Blue Cheer and i will be writing next week.
Over and out . . . . DP
. . . . Dickie Peterson (11.12.1999)
Hey and hello to all . . . .
First let me introduce myself. I am Dickie Peterson, bass, vocals and songwriter with Blue Cheer.
You may ask why this letter is being written? Well it's because of a phone call with Frank and him saying there has been a lot of mail, coming from people that want to know what's happening with the band. So, after a little kicking things around, we thought a monthly newsletter would help answer a few questions, that you may have.
First off, let me tell you all how we feel about you, because i get many gratifying letters and can't answer them all and i begin to feel guilty, but i along with the other members of the band value you guys above all else. We know, without the support of the Blue Cheer people, we would not be able to make the kind of music we do.
I have basically taken over the management position on the band, at least until i can find someone that can help to put Blue Cheer in the best possible position in as far as recording and touring. Both of the issues are in discussion with people in the record industry, i do have reservations as to how the band will be marketed and to whom . . . .
People have tried to classify us as heavy metal, when really we were not and if they aim at something like this, then i don't want it. Blue Cheer is a rock and roll power trio, nothing more and certainly nothing less. What you see is what you get. No mirrors, no tricks, no samples, no hidden players, just raw, powerful, raging rock.
Hopefully we will be able to make available merchandising through the web site. CD's, T-shirts, caps, photos, contests and whatever other shit we can think of. Right now, i am working on releasing Highlights And Lowlives and Dinning With The Sharks, along with Hello Tokyo, Bye Bye Osaka. These things take time because of legalities. It's a real piss off, but there is little choice.
We have plans of recording a new studio LP this summer, probably at Duck's studio in Orlando, Fla. I have been working on the new songs for the project and i am sure we will have some really good stuff when the smoke settles. It looks like we will produce it ourselves, at least that's what we are hoping. A producer can be difficult for us and themselves because of our studio style and our dislike of too many effects and over-production. Blue Cheer is a live band and that's what we always have been. We prefer our sessions to be live as possible and taking over a month to record is pushing the limits of patience for this band. Plus, i can never tell a producer exactly what lyrics i will sing, because it changes as i sing it. We know what we are doing and if they just get out of the way a little, we deliver.
Well, i hope this letter is of some interest to you and will encourage you to visit the site more often and check out our progress. Until then hang loose.
. . . . Dickie
P.S.
Let me know if you interested in hearing some of my rants and ravesabout music and/or life in general. I am a real sync with a romanticstreak.
. . . . Dickie
. . . . Dickie Peterson (24.9.1999)
First, i feel absolutely horrible that i have not been able to respond to Blue Cheer fans that have sent me mail.
At present, i am working on the new songs for the up and coming studio lp, to be recorded in Orlando, Florida, during the winter of 1999/2000. Could be called: ReEruptum, Chaos Pilots or In A Pigs Eye. Maybe we should hold a little contest on the net and see if any Blue Cheer freaks come up with a title that is fitting for this particular lp, year 2000 and all. Its also the first studio lp in a number of years, just an idea. Let me know what you all think.
The Japan cd ? I didn't like the reference to Leigh at all and neither did anybody else in the band. Leigh is a very good musician and i have a great deal of respect for him and to use the cd liner notes to degrade someone is in my opinion inexcusable. For this and the insult to Leigh and any of his fans i sincerely apologize.
. . . . Dickie Peterson