You see, I got in touch with an old buddy over the Xmas period, we swapped a few emails - and a whole flood of memories have been forming a flood jam in my mind. If I don't get 'em out my head will burst - so in no particular order...

Steve Vaughn and I have known each other since school, I was a quiet nurd at the time but Steve was larger than life. Back then, school was very regimented - high on discipline and conformance. Music lessons were just listening to classical music on a small portable record player, religious singing, and watching the teacher play an out-of-tune piano.

But Steve was cool dude and took up guitar, hung out in bars, etc. I have a vivid memory of the man in my school hall, on stage with a silk highly coloured bomber-style jacket playing early rock and roll. The Music teacher pulled the curtain on his performance - what a prat!

I got introduced to a guitar-playing cousin of one of my school friends, and I hung out in his bedroom most nights. It wasn't his wall to wall glamour posters - but his early electric guitar and Bird Amplifier that mesmerised me. He could play real cool stuff like "Peter Gun" and Ventures instrumental stuff.

Oh yes, and he showed me how to play "Apache" by the Shadows. Then I discovered Elvis, Cliff Richard and the Shadows.

My World Had Changed Forever.

So where does Steve come into all this? Well, to be fair our lives were now on different paths, Steve had gone professional and was playing with the Lorne Gibson Trio, and I was going through the growing pains and delights of becoming an average local guitarist. Bands came and went for me, until I ended up in a band called "The Moggies" (a bunch of mongrels we were!). We were a fairly good local band back then in the mid sixties, and Steve had the odd weekend when he wasn't playing or recording and joined us on some of our gigs.

Check out Lorne Gibson and Steve on: http://www.teaching-yourself-how.com/content/lorne-gibson-trio

He was always a more proficient guitarist than me, and I don't remember any jealousy about that - and having twin lead guitars in a band back then was unheard of. Steve fattened up our sound as well as adding his own country set into our normal playlist.

He had a real sweet sunburst Gibson 335, and was always a neat compact musical player. I learned a lot just watching some of his moves. He also added his experience in the form of musical harmonies, and helped us re-create some of the early Beatles vocal arrangements.

Now I was heavily into electronics, building my own effects pedals, amps and stuff, Steve was into recording as well as playing. We did some reel-to-reel stuff with band and had great fun.

Back to the Moggies. Eventually the band folded and we all went our separate ways. Steve eventually went back to his home country of Canada, and got into becoming a recording engineer. He has recently felt the love-tug of his guitar and I'm pleased to say has got back into playing again - even forming his own band – Class Act as well as playing as a solo performer.

Check out their web site and you’ll see Steve in action – wearing up well for his early 60’s. Check out the video and his almost sparse – but very tasteful playing. A lesson for all you guitar widdlers out there!

Here’s the link: http://classactonline.com/us.htm

Fast-forward to today and where I started this article. Here’s a quote from Steve’s email to me:

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I see that you sent your email to my website address, so you know that I am still gigging. Maybe you’ve even watched the video. After about 15 years of not playing much, and being a recording engineer instead, the old guitar started calling me again, and I couldn’t ignore it.

 

I plan to stop doing it though …. Just as soon as I grow up!! It keeps me thinking young, even if I don’t feel so young first thing in the morning.

 

Since I spoke to you last Dave, I have started a hobby of building guitars from parts that I acquire from assorted sources, especially Ebay. I’ve enclosed a pic of my latest creation.

 

 

You may recognize the other guitar in the shot.  You stood next to it often enough! The Strat is Ash, with a Birdseye Maple neck that I had custom built.

 

Nice One Steve!