Hurricane Duane Thomas And The Sax Man
60sgaragebands.com (60s): Johnny & The Hurricanes was a constantly evolving band. When did you join, and how long did you remain a member?
Duane Thomas (DT): In 1974, I had been a 19-year-old guitar teacher in Dearborn, Michigan. I was approached, and thought it was a joke. I thought it couldn’t possibly be that band. But, I gave it a whirl down in Toledo, and stayed for about a year.
60s: What were your musical experiences prior to joining The Hurricanes?
DT: I had played in garage bands since about 1964, and then in large Motown style horn show bands. We played sock hops, dances, Quintecerias, Bar Mitzvahs, teen clubs and frat parties at Michigan State, Eastern, Central, University of Michigan and University of Detroit. And some teen TV shows. Back then, there were usually only one or two bands in the whole school. I played every dance at my high school for all four years. I didn’t miss one.
60s: What were some of the bands you played in?
DT: The Systems, The Royalists, The Soul Penetrators, New Reign, Thomas Flasher, and The Particles. All did ‘Louie, Louie,’ ‘Sugar Shack,’ ‘Wipe-out,’ ‘Walk Don't Run,’ and ‘Tequila’--the usual for the day. The top Detroit garage bands of the day were Rodney Knight and The Soul Sextet, The East India Company, The Hearsemen, Nobody’s Children, The Landeers, The Rumors, The Sandpipers and The Sunliners (who became Rare Earth). There were many. And we all played the same teen circuits.
I met with members of Rock’s Gang and The Hearsemen, two garage bands from here in the mid-‘60s, at a wedding recently. We were amazed to think that our garage bands used to get three amplifiers, one drum set, three guitar cases and mic stands...with four grown teens and one older sister to drive us, all into a 1965 Thunderbird! (The Hearsemen had a really cool black Hearse they rode around in). Or, into a member's bedroom with all of the equipment…and shut the door to practice!
It was a great time never to be repeated. Kids who want to play now days buy software or CDs. Its not like it was for all of us. We had to learn. We had gigs coming up. And you had to play the newest AM chart toppers. New song, group or style? We'd add it. And therefore, we learned how it was that music came about.
I saw the natural progression of all things musical because I had to learn them. We learned out in those garages and basements every new style as it happened. That’s how we grew. Now, they just buy a compilation of tunes of the ‘50s and '60s', knock out a couple, and go from there. I think something important was lost in that method of learning. Thank God there still are garage, bedroom and basement bands out there pounding away.
Johnny and The Hurricanes was the ultimate garage band: Winters in the basement and summers in the garage. In the early ‘70s, The Hurricanes practiced in an empty storefront in Rossford, Ohio, and in a basement. I realize that it never really changes. There always has to be somebody who says, "Hey! We can practice in our garage!"
It was great out in the garage. I just wish things were as simple now. I sure had a lot of fun. And a whole lot less equipment!
60s: The Beatles opened for the Hurricanes well before "Beatlemania" and before they became international superstars. Did The Hurricanes have any idea they would become so popular?
DT: Well, Johnny played with The Beatles; I did not. But, I can allude to some of his feelings from the book. He never thought they were any good. They had really no presence yet and were scruffy, and from the wrong side of the tracks. Johnny had tuxes, and The Beatles wore jeans and leathers. Johnny had stated he thought the only thing they had going for them were the harmonies between John and Paul.
When he heard they were going to be on Ed Sullivan, he couldn’t believe it. He sent them a telegram congratulating them. After sharing two weeks in a hotel with them, and after 13 days and 12 days of shows with The Beatles opening for Johnny and The Hurricanes, they did not respond. In later years, Sonja (Paris, Johnny's wife) had done two interviews with Paul McCartney. Johnny refused to attend. The rejection had been painful.
60s: Beatlemania, of course, changed the landscape of popular music. In what ways did it directly affect the music of Johnny & The Hurricanes?
DT: Affect them? It killed them. It was dead and immediate—like cutting the head off a snake. Within ten months of The Beatles opening for The Hurricanes, the torch was passed to a new kind of music, and Beatlemania (grew). John struggled to keep up, even performing a few Beatles’ tunes, growing long hair, and dressing in hippie clothing. He tried to ride the wave as it slipped right by him, but he couldn’t stay on the board. It’s hard to keep playing 1-1/2 to 2 minute songs over and over.
Within a few years, he couldn’t get work, and I’ve noted many of his rejection letters in Sax Man. They wanted ‘Beatles-type’ stuff. Or Beau Brummels or The Byrds...or even The Easybeats. John tried, but it didn’t work. Bankruptcy was on the horizon for his post-Beatles efforts. He stated that, after The Beatles, he "tried to make a go of it. I asked my old friends to help, but no one would. I had to sink by myself". Instrumental music had begun to take a backseat. I know now that he was hurt by The Beatles’ success and rejection of him.
60s: Can you note any specific differences in the Hurricanes' gigs/style pre- and post-British Invasion?
DT: The Hurricanes on stage were something to see. Johnny doing the splits, playing behind his back and on one leg, the guitar player tearing his shirt off on stage, the bass player and Johnny jumping up on the shoulders of the guitar player, etc. John would run offstage playing, and run back in the front club door...still playing. And dance routines. 30 songs. 30 dance routines.
The early shows and world tours were legendary. The Hurricanes hit the stage full force and didn’t let up till the last song. Post-Beatlemania, it was becoming a different world on stage. It was more about the words of the song. Something The Hurricanes had no words. In any song. Maybe that was the problem. I will tell you that while writing the book, I and most of the other former Hurricanes agreed that we all tried to get Johnny to break out, and follow the trends or 'stretch-out' a little with the changing music styles.
John Fogerty cited him as an influence, and yet it was Creedence Clearwater Revival that got the jobs. Johnny would always say, "I can’t. My fans won’t let me change my music." Of course he was crazy, but that was John: A prisoner of his own music. And for 50 years no less. The same two minute songs. Without vocals. He just didn’t get it. I tried. We all tried. He wouldn’t listen or change. Long hair, hippie clothes, rock-it-up-n-throw-in-some-Beatles-type-harmonies, yeah. But, the same ole ‘Red River Rock’ every night. John was a fine jazz musician as well. But, no one ever knew.
60s: What were your personal thoughts on the British Invasion? Did you embrace it?
DT: The world changed for me with ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand.’ I was already somewhat aware of The Shadows and Cliff Richard. But, when The Beatles hit with all that harmony—and then the other British groups began to come over—that was it for me. Our garage bands then went from playing ‘Louie, Louie’ and ‘Hang On Sloopy’ to adding ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ ‘Love Potion #9,’ ‘For Your Love’ and ‘Heart Full of Soul’ by The Yardbirds. I can’t say I embraced the British Invasion. It "over-took me" is probably a more accurate description.
60s: How many recordings did Johnny & The Hurricanes have in the mid- to late-1960's?
DT: ‘Saga of The Beatles’ received some substantial airplay in '67. Though the original nine records charted in 1959-1960 and 1961, some re-releases such as ‘Red River Rock '67,’ ‘Psychedelic Worm’ and ‘Beatnik Fly’ were re-released. We have over 100 songs in BMI, and over 100 albums and bootlegs around the world containing over 100 Hurricanes tunes. Half of those were from the mid-1960's, like ‘What Ever Happened To Bad Jane?,’ ‘It’s A Mad, Mad World’ and ‘Minnesota Fats.’ All the songs were still of the two-to-three minute AM Radio-style of the old days. Johnny never changed that format. 100 songs all under 2-1/2 minutes! |
