Info From Ed Bicknell re MK playing with JJ Cale

[dustyvalentino]

Ed has asked me to post the following info re MK playing with JJ Cale, thanks Ed!

This is the venue MK played with JJ Cale in 85.
It's NOT in San Francisco, and it's NOT in Sausalito as some of you seem to think, MILL VALLEY is the town after Sausalito. .
And shock, horror (!!!!!), they have TRIBUTE BANDS.
Under Trump’s new law…” ALL TRIBUTE BANDS ARE BANNED UNDER MAGA except for KANYE, BIANCA and WIRE CRATES "


https://sweetwatermusichall.org/

[Pottel]

well, as Uncle Ed (like that one, lol) has started it, let the questions pour in :-)
@UncleEd: can you remember any of it, what was JJ like (saw him perform in my hometown of Antwerp back in 94 and even got to meet the man, very humble but friendly. (maybe shy is a better word here)
how did Mark regard this opportunity? how did it come about ?

[ds1984]

If I was in the area I would go to listen Tommy Castro & the Painkillers.

[dustyvalentino]

well, as Uncle Ed (like that one, lol) has started it, let the questions pour in :-)

A gentle reminder from Ed that right from the start he said he wouldn't be entering into correspondence  

That said, Ed has kindly provided an answer on this occasion, but he will be stepping away from the forum to undertake what will no doubt be far more productive activities.

I'll take the opportunity to thank Ed once again on behalf of everyone here for all the additional information provided and fact checking carried out in recent weeks, it's most appreciated.

[dustyvalentino]

well, as Uncle Ed (like that one, lol) has started it, let the questions pour in :-)
@UncleEd: can you remember any of it, what was JJ like (saw him perform in my hometown of Antwerp back in 94 and even got to meet the man, very humble but friendly. (maybe shy is a better word here)
how did Mark regard this opportunity? how did it come about ?

I was with the band in SF but I didn't go to the club/Cale performance, I had something better to do .
Yes.
Much better…....
I only learned of it at lunch the next day when M mentioned. I don't recall him saying anything particular about it, he was way more interested in getting some sausages from the buffet and I’m serious about that.
We had some stuff to discuss that was way more important than rehashing a brief jam session.
I think Cale was playing at The Sweetwater, somebody heard about it, maybe a 30 minute drive, and M, J and maybe a couple of others rang ahead and just went over to Mill Valley and M got up and played a couple of songs…..don't know what and as with all these things it was spontaneous and just for fun ( snd it must have been pretty late at night post our gig ). .
But he had a good evening and so did I.
Yes.
Definitely.
And let me just add that the Dylan show ( with Tom Petty ) in Sydney in 86 that M and I went to was the second worst I have EVER seen after Richard Hell and The Voidoids, most of the audience left and M and I retreated to the dressing room “ for a fag” it was SO bad. As Mike Campbell ( guitar) said “ we rehearsed for 6 weeks to play as badly as this”..
Yep. He nailed it.

[Pottel]

still was compelled to write the foreword for that nice JJ cale box that got released last year.
oh, but, no but,...no correspondence....darn...

[qjamesfloyd]

well, as Uncle Ed (like that one, lol) has started it, let the questions pour in :-)

A gentle reminder from Ed that right from the start he said he wouldn't be entering into correspondence  

That said, Ed has kindly provided an answer on this occasion, but he will be stepping away from the forum to undertake what will no doubt be far more productive activities.

I'll take the opportunity to thank Ed once again on behalf of everyone here for all the additional information provided and fact checking carried out in recent weeks, it's most appreciated.

And yet, he does seem to be popping up again and again!!

[boriszhukov]

To be 100% correct. The concert was at the Sweetwater Saloon not the current venue. Old one was much smaller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetwater_Saloon

Pictures of John and Mark clearly looks like the same venue as the second picture on wikipedia.  Kinda sad venue for an artist of this caliber.

[ds1984]

I would not say it was sad.

Because he doesn't play the "big game" doesn't mean that he was not happy.

[dustyvalentino]

I would not say it was sad.

Because he doesn't play the "big game" doesn't mean that he was not happy.

Exactly. I'm sure he made a fortune from the publishing on the Clapton covers of Cocaine and After Midnight alone.

[vgonis]

The nicest story about J.J. Cale I've heard,  is about what was to be his first major  TV appearance at Dick Clarck' Bandstand, that  never happened, because he refused playback and  lip singing. A TV appearance back then, was a huge boost in sales and meant bigger gigs.  This shows character, so although most probably money from EC's successful covers rolled in,  he would have made it even without them.  His record sales are still steady and healthy, as well. I think that he lived and died modestly, having a philosophy that we don't know much about, and that's  what made his philosophy appealing, to me at least.   

[Pottel]

The nicest story about J.J. Cale I've heard,  is about what was to be his first major  TV appearance at Dick Clarck' Bandstand, that  never happened, because he refused playback and  lip singing. A TV appearance back then, was a huge boost in sales and meant bigger gigs.  This shows character, so although most probably money from EC's successful covers rolled in,  he would have made it even without them.  His record sales are still steady and healthy, as well. I think that he lived and died modestly, having a philosophy that we don't know much about, and that's  what made his philosophy appealing, to me at least.   

he had a 15mil. estate after he died. he did well!

[Pottel]

To be 100% correct. The concert was at the Sweetwater Saloon not the current venue. Old one was much smaller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetwater_Saloon

Pictures of John and Mark clearly looks like the same venue as the second picture on wikipedia.  Kinda sad venue for an artist of this caliber.

he did NOT like the limelight. he was more then happy playing such locations, and he did the same when he was not touring, just going to a joint and play.

[vgonis]

I didn't know about the  15 mil estate, but it makes sense. His songs were not covered only by EC after all. 
And there are few things more comforting than to have money that you don't really need, available just in case of  hard times.