Groupie again!

Back in my wild, misspent youth there were a bunch of us that followed a local band, Snake Eye, around. I've talked about Max here before, how 20 years after the band broke up that he was a one man band and we would go and see him play. So imagine my surprise when I got an email from Max last week that hell had frozen over and Snake Eye was the Eagles of the 2000's and they were back together. All except the drummer, who got too far into the drugs and alcohol and last anyone heard, he was homeless in TN. But Max, George, Ernie Steve, Kenny the sound guy and a new drummer booked last Saturday night at Sam's Beach Bar just up the road a piece from us. So we went. And it was like nothing had changed! They even did a few songs from back in the day!! I have a photo album of the guys from the past, so I took it and it was the hit of the evening! Everyone wanted copies of the pictures! And while I know we won't be going to see them as often as we used to (every night of the week! I told you it was a misspent youth!) we certainly plan to go and support them often. Rock ON!

                                                 Early 1980's     Max

                                                           George

                                                         Ernie Steve       These were taken by my dad at River Ranch, which is down by Lake Okechobee when Snake Eye opened for Alabama. Yes, THAT Alabama! Snake Eye was on the cusp of really hitting big when they broke up.

                                                          2012     Kenny the sound man. He used to have a rockin' ZZ Top style beard. Now it's nicely groomed and fully grey!!

                                                                  Max

                                             Ernie Steve and Max talking to some other "old" fans

                                            Ernie Steve, George and Max

                                        Beautiful sunset on the west coast of Florida

                                            THIS is why I live here! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Fun day

I don't know who this kid is, but he was having a great time dancing! The crowd gave him LOTS of encouragement.

Jake and his fiddler crabs. This kid is gonna be Noah when he grows up! AND! He goes to Middle School next year. I don't know when he got so old!!

I don't remember if I've ever shared some of the glory of my misspent youth! When I was in my late teens, early twentys, I was somewhat of a local band "groupie." Snake Eye was 4 great guys who sang a bit of country and a bit of rock and roll. I originally met Max, the lead singer thru a friend at an auto parts store my cousin was working at. Max invited me and whoever else wanted to come to listen to his band "one night." The rest, as they say, is history. Kathy and I and various friends followed the guys all over hell and most of Georgia! For quite a number of years. Jan used to come see them with mom and dad even! Kathy went with the bass player for a while. Then things happened, as they do in bands, and the guys broke up. One night, more than a few years later, Kathy and Bruce are out to dinner. Kathy is heading for the ladies room and hears this familiar voice singing in the bar area. She pops her head in and lo and behold, it's MAX! He's now a one man band! He plays virtually every instrument known to man and then some, so he lays down tracks at home, then plays it back and plays lead guitar and sings live at different bars in the area. So we've once again become Max groupies, tho not as bad as we were back then! We've now introduced the kids to Max and when he plays at "family friendly" places, they come along. Yesterday afternoon was one of those days. Max was at Miss Vicki's on the River. A funky little joint right on the Anclote River in beautiful Tarpon Springs. Open-air, so you can smell the salt coming in from the Gulf of Mexico (which thankfuly has no tar balls from the Gulf oil spill). Just sit and relax and listen to Max. Such a fun afternoon. And since I just moved to Florida 10 minutes, ago, you know who is sunburnt! My arms and shoulders and face are beet red. You'd think someday I'd learn. Or not! John wasn't supposed to be able to make it, but ended up showing up about 15 minutes before Max finished his last set. That was a nice surprise. Kathy and Bruce were there, as well and Jan, Jake and Joy. K&B's friends Janice and Paula from Scouts showed up as well. We had a few beers, some awesome dry-rub wings, cold you-peel-em shrimp, cuban sandwiches, onion rings. Great food. Great music. Great time!