| It started out normal enough. Three guys named Jim (Bunnell, Burdine and Odom) and a guy named Mike (Faulkner) played in high school band together. Not just a marching band/orchestra; but also a 19-piece big band jazz ensemble. Mike played lead alto sax, Bunnell played lead trombone, Odom played lead trumpet and Burdine alternated on tenor and baritone sax. That was in 1963-1964 when they were attending Santa Monica High School. But in the summer of ’64 the "British Invasion" changed the face of music and our culture. Forever. |
Jim Burdine Recalls The InRhodes
To “get the girls” the “Jims” and Mike decided to “learn rock instruments” that summer. As well-schooled and talented musicians (in all modesty!) picking up guitar (Odom), bass (Faulkner) and keyboards (Jim Burdine had taken piano and organ lessons along the way) was pretty simple. Bunnell, it turns out, had a great lead voice (Odom was a close second!) so after one gig as The Fogmen (whatever that means!) the guys decided to get serious and organized a band called The InRhodes (whatever that means!). They added Forrest Peque on drums and began playing parties in the greater west Los Angeles area: Westchester, Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica, their hometown. Later that year, Dave DeFore, the drummer of a rival band and son of actor Don DeFore, replaced Forrest. That summer, the summer of 1965, the guys asked Odom’s jazz trumpet teacher, Wally Holmes, if we would “coach” the band. Wally agreed and a five-year professional – but in reality, a lifetime - relationship began between Wally and the guys. That summer also brought a lead guitar player to the group, Howard Lane, whose enthusiastic personality almost rivaled his guitar playing!
Wally helped the guys realize the unique mix of music and level of skill they could utilize in their performances and that became the hallmark of an InRhodes show. With six players and almost limitless combinations of drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, alto, tenor and baritone sax, trumpet and trombone plus four decent vocalists, The InRhodes quickly became recognized as “not just another” surf band, or rock band, or British wannabees, but distinct from pretty much any band playing on the west coast. The array of talent and a rapidly growing popularity led to recording contracts - first with Dunhill Records and then Shamley and, later, Uni Records. |
If you think back to that time (assuming you were born then) you may remember some of the bands the guys shared the stage with: The Leaves, The Hondells, Tommy Roe, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, The Robbs, The Spats, The Merry Go Round, Them, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Love, The Doors and The Yardbirds…during the summer of 1966 when Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page played dual lead guitars! Essentially The InRhodes were among the best-known and most popular local bands in Los Angeles for a number of years. We played our share of UCLA and USC fraternity/sorority parties, an ice rink opening and even a stint of Saturday morning mini-concerts promoting Yardley Cosmetics held at movie theaters all over Southern California. Those were so successful Yardley even flew us to Hawaii for a show (with a week’s vacation!). Week after week as the house band at the Civic Auditorium, however, really cemented the band’s reputation as a crowd pleaser.
As is true with all good bands, eventually there was a parting of the ways and the three “Jims” moved on to form a band called Future. While Future’s future wasn’t too long, we did record quite a bit more. Vic Briggs, lead guitarist for Eric Burdon & The Animals, was moving into record production and began to work with the guys in addition to Wally’s continuing management, songwriting and inspiration. That resulted in two more singles, “52%” and “Shape of Things To Come,” cover singles from the soundtrack of the movie Wild In The Streets, and an album, Down That Country Road, which once again proved that The InRhodes/Future were always ahead of the market. As had been the case with The InRhodes – using brass three to four years before Blood, Sweat & Tears or Chicago – Future, with a country rock flavor (before anybody knew what that was) had a tough time finding a niche. There was lots of fun stuff on the album. Among the musical treats, the album features Red Rhodes soloing on pedal steel guitar with a fuzztone. There’s got to be a first time for everything! The album also featured some other great musicians playing backup: Dr. John on piano, Jimmy Gordon on drums, and of course Vic on guitar. There was also an a capella version of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 (“and have not charity”) and the lyrically bizarre “Thank You Father, Thank You Mother” which unfortunately was selected by the record company to push as the single off the album. Protested by the PTA, the radio stations and record company quickly backed off playing/promoting the song and Future died with neither a whimper nor a bang. |
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