An Interview With Brad Frey
60sgaragebands.com (60s): How did you first get interested in music?
Brad Frey (BF): I first got interested in music as a kid in elementary school. My uncle was a drummer and he offered to teach me how to play the drums. I started with a homemade practice pad and eventually got a Slingerland snare drum. It was gold sparkle and I joined the elementary school band. From there, as I got a little older, I played with The Scarlet Knights drum and bugle corp. In junior high school, at a talent show, some of my older buddies played a song called ‘Pipeline’ and I was hooked on rock and roll. I had never played a full drum set, but I knew which direction I was going to go.
60s: Was The Columns your first band?
BF: Yes, it was my first rock band and it was together for about three-four years.
60s: When were The Columns formed?
BF: The Columns were formed by my younger brother and some of his school friends in about 1966 or so.
The band consisted of Randy Frey, vocals and drums; Russ Lichtenwalner, bass; Steve Rosatti, keyboards/vocals; Ron Henninger, rhythm guitar; and Gary Gritz, lead guitar. I later joined on drums/vocals, and Tom Bluder on sax/vocals.
60s: How would you describe the band's sound? What bands influenced you?
BF: The band’s sound was typical for the day. It was influenced by the British Invasion, i.e., Rolling Stones, etc.
60s: What was the local rock and roll scene like in the '60s?
BF: The rock scene in the late ‘60s was great. There were lots of clubs to play. Music was fresh and new and every band came out with a different sound.
60s: Where did the band typically play?
BF: We played school dances, block parties, local clubs and frat parties. We played wherever we were wanted.
60s: Did you play any of the local teen clubs?
BF: We played all the local teen clubs in the Lehigh Valley at that time: The Mod Mill, King Arthur’s Court, Purple Owl, Third Eye, Jamaican A Go-Go, The Red Beat Lounge, etc. There were a lot of clubs in that time period.
60s: How far was the band's "touring" territory?
BF: We traveled within about a 100-mile radius.
60s: Did The Columns participate in any battle of the bands?
BF: We did play a lot of the battle of the bands in the area. We played against bands like Dooley Invention, The Young Mods and many more I don’t remember. We did very well. We won some and of course we lost some too.
60s: What other local groups of the era do you especially recall?
BF: There was Dooley Invention, Wight Reign, Johnny and The High Keys, King’s Ransom, The Limits, Uproar and many more of the popular bands of the times.
60s: Did The Columns have a manager?
BF: We had two so called mangers in the time period of the band, but they didn’t amount to much of anything. I think they went along for the ride. We were pretty much promoted by word of mouth.
60s: How popular locally did The Columns become?
BF: The Columns were very popular especially with the hometown people. We were well known in the valley.
60s: Did The Columns record?
BF: No, we never recorded an album. We did some taping of the band at rehearsals and somewhere there might be some TV footage from some early shows we did, but I’m unaware of it. We did shoot a TV show at the Mod Mill years ago for Channel 2 which was Service Electric Cable TV. I have no idea what happened to the footage.
60s: Did The Columns write any original songs?
BF: We never did any original songs. We were basically a covers band.
60s: What year and why did the band break up?
BF: The band fell apart probably around 1970 to 1971. The Mod Mill had closed and we did mainly frat parties, etc.
60s: Did you join or form any bands after The Columns?
BF: Yes, I played in many bands after The Columns. I did a stint with Johnny Roth, guitarist for many local bands. I played with Eric Cartwright (Foghat) and Paul Harryn (Artist) and few friends in a band called Gospel Truth. We actually hit the road and opened for The Brooklyn Bridge. In the early ‘90s I formed a band with Tommy Crist and Pat “The Hat” Cush from Pickens, called The Hurricanes. We played New Hope and a few other gigs, but time was split between two bands. I also played in The Endless Mountain Boys with Sy Kipp of Southern Reign, 3 AM and The Johnston Brothers.
60s: How often, and where, do you currently perform? Or what else keeps you busy?
BF: I haven’t played the drums in a few years now. The last gig I did was Musikfest with The Paul Harryn Ensemble. It was a mix of art, music and poetry with guest star Steve Molchany of the old Dooley Invention. I’ve been a professional carpenter for the last 35 years and my time is spent mostly with my wife Donna. I do occasionally do jam sessions, but not much anymore. My construction injuries over the years make it hard to play long periods of tome anymore. I’m a happy listener, but I still like to play.
60s: How do you best summarize your experiences with The Columns?
BF: My experience with The Columns will always be cherished. We had so many great times, so much fun. Two of the members, Russ Lichtenwalner and Ron Henninger, have since passed on. I’ll always remember the freshness of our enthusiasm and hunger to get out there and “play.” I made many friends for life and had a hell of a good time doing it. Rock on…
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