R.I.P. Ethan Reilly (Sept 30, 1955 - Jan 24, 2010)

[Rusty Ray]

In Erinnerung an einen exzellenten Musiker und außergewöhnlichen Menschen

Ethan Reilly (Sept 30, 1955 - Jan 24, 2010)

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3557/ethanreilly.jpg (http://img707.imageshack.us/i/ethanreilly.jpg/)[/IMG]

[ObiWan]

Ich kann das nur bestätigen.
Ich war heute bei seiner Trauerfeier und hatte die große Ehre dort für ihn ein letztes Mal Gitarre spielen zu dürfen zusammen mit seinen alten Weggefährten.
Die Momente in denen ich mit ihm zusammen Musik machen durfte waren die schönsten in meinem Leben.
RIP Ethan

[Rusty Ray]

DON BRUNER, langjähriger "Boys"-Weggefährte, Sänger, Keyboarder und Gitarrist, erinnert sich...

Ethan Reilly, Colleague, Comrade and Friend.

Herewith I want to respond in words to everyone my thoughts and feelings about Ethan. He played a major role in my life.

What a shock! Although I had heard from a couple of people in Germany that he didn't look as healthy as usual in the last year I never expected that he would pass, particularly at such a young age. I am deeply saddened by this and flooded with memories of him, the years with the Boys, Regensburg and everything in my life that changed as a result of Wolfgang and Ethan meeting and Ethan providing me with the opportunity to work, travel and learn.

Like John, I first met Ethan when he auditioned me for the Boys. Dan, Bob and Pete Harrison had left the band a months earlier, Dan had put another band together (The Marclays I think) and they came to Regensburg to do some gigs which I think inspired Ethan to take the Boys back to Germany with new players. It was me on Keyboards (and a multitude of keyboard sounds), John Cleek on drums (traps), and Pete Sheppard on guitar. Ethan switched to bass as Pete Harrison was no longer there.

In those days Ethan had a very abrasive way with dealing with some people, I was one of them and he started right off at the first rehearsal with a brash disapproval of how I was playing and singing. He was right. I underestimated to what detail he wanted the parts to be played. I was so angry with his lack of "diplomacy" at the first rehearsal I didn't play or sing well and didn't want to. At that time I thought what the hell it's a month and I get to go to Germany. This resulted in me being fired at the end of the first, second and third tours. At the end of each of these tours he would say "You're fi-red....I'm not kidding!"... then I would say "Ok but if you can't find anybody for the next one just give a call."

Luckily he couldn't really find anyone (I like to think that he didn't look real hard) and I think he liked that we had a similar and sick sort of sense of humor and I made him laugh. After that I was hooked. I had been a big Beatles fan, I loved the music, Regensburg and the whole experience. My attitude changed. I slowly came around and and my execution of the parts got better. The "What the hell i'ts a month turned into six years on and another five years off and on with the Boys and AbbaZabba.

I learned a lot from Ethan. Things I have never forgotten. Thank You E! Mostly I remember that the Boys attracted really fun crowds at the concerts we did. Real Beatle and 60s music fans. We met a lot of great people, people I will never forget and many of which I have remained friends with over the years. Like John I was charmed by Regensburg, the people and Germany and figured out ways to stay there in between our tours until finally I gave up my apartment in L.A. and made Regensburg my new home. Meine Zweite Heimat. We had a ton of laughs on and off stage, on the way to gigs and after. Our share of arguments too.

We played all over Bavaria thanks to the promotion of Raimund Wagner's Tuesday night oldies show on Antenne Bayern and we became Antenne's house band and played at their booth with live radio feeds at trade fairs.

We opened for Jerry Lee Lewis on one of his tours and played in Bremen, Kiel, Stuttgart and at Circus Krone in Munich (which for me was a big thrill because the Beatles and all the major acts of the 60s had played there). We were also the opening act for some oldies tours in major venues for artitsts like ZZ Top, Suzie Quatro, Herman's Hermits, the New Mamas and the Papas, The Bay City Rollers etc. Besides playing in major cities in other parts of Germany we also played in Austria, Switzerland, Romania and were on T.V. in Germany several times and in Spain.

We did tons of interviews for radio stations and shot a video to go with the CD that we recorded that ran on the local RTL TV station in Regensburg. Raimund Wagner often played our CD and live versions of us on his show at Antenne. Not too bad for a sixties band. All this came about because Ethan didn't settle for mediocrity. He took a sixties band and made it into a big success and I am glad and proud to have been apart of it.

After I left the Boys and moved back to the states Ethan would line up some gigs and I would come out Germany to play with the Boys again and also with AbbaZabba, Ethan's ABBA tribute band. By this time Ethan and I had become pretty close friends. I would always visit him when I visited Regensburg. He came out a few times to California and to the dueling piano bar where I was working. We often got on the phone just having a laugh over old times or some the of stupid characters that we made up on the many long drives to gigs.

I miss him and it seems so odd that I can't just simply give him a call.

Thanks again E!
Our feet are stained (he knows what I mean)

[BadCompany]

Lieber Rusty Ray,

ich möchte Dir mein Beileid aussprechen zum Verlust eines Freundes und einem, von Dir sehr geschätzten Musikers.

LG.

BC


P.S.

Ich bin schon sehr gespannt am Sonntag die Musik von Ethan Reilly zu hören, der mir - leider - völlig unbekannt war.

[Carl I Fornia]

In Memoriam of Ethan Reilly (Sept 30, 1955 – Jan 24, 2010)

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (George Harrison - The Beatles)

I look at you all see the love there that’s sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps

How our friendship started: In my bookshelf I kept some notes from the year 1985 which reads as following:

Friday June 21st: together with Sean at ‘Panchos, Manhattan Beach’: excellent band played (classic rock, many Beatles, Stones, Doors etc)
Saturday June 29th: with Gabi at ‘Panchos’: Superband - classic rock
Friday, July 5th: ‘Panchos’: Superband, called The Boys
Saturday, July 6th: 11.30 PM: ‘Panchos’: talked to the guy of The Boys regarding Music in Germany
Friday, July 12th: evening in ‘Panchos’: talked to Ethan again, he asked me to call him
Saturday, July 13th: ‘Panchos’: excellent as always
Friday, July 19th: ‘Panchos’ (The Boys) Ethan said he wants to do Germany. Needs to go in detail with the band. Ethan will try to work on Demo-tape
Saturday, July 20th: evenings at ‘Panchos’: super atmosphere
Sunday, July 21st: 11 AM Ethan called - drove to him, received Demo-Tape and infomaterial, 12 AM down to Beach, long talk with Ethan, 4 PM: with Ethan to the ‘Alpin Village’

Ethan Reilly: Let’s Rock n Roll..... It was in June 1985 in a small club called ‘Panchos, Manhattan Beach/CA’ when I heard for the first time Ethan and his band ‘The Boys’. Their talent and performance really knocked me down. In this night something turned in my head and in short time I started being involved in music and musicpromotion. At that time surely nobody ever would have imagined the kind of friendship started between us due to this very special concert at the ‘Panchos’ in Manhattan Beach. 25 years of friendship, 25 years of endless stories. Funny stories, serious stories. So many musicevents have been arranged by us. Ethan and the band ‘live on stage’, we as inner circle (Erika, George, me) beside... to sing along, to clap along, but also to curse about some failures.... stories after stories.. Although life separated our whereabouts Ethan and me always stayed in close touch. Coming to Regensburg without meeting Ethan was simply impossible. How many talks, conversations and dicussions we had in ‘the Kneitinger’ or in the ‘Linde’ beergarden or just sitting outside in a pizzeria in the heart of Regensburg. Amusing, cheerful but also profound talkings about many subjects he and me and others of our group were worried and concernced about. I always was impressed by Ethans wits and talent as singer and stageperson, but also for being a subtle person who was an active part for the AIDS foundation and for Oxfam International. Ethan surely was part of my life and, no need to say, my lifetime friend.

With Ethan I lost a dear friend, an extraordinary singer and musician. Surely the world is getting poorer! Thanks for the wonderful music you brought us and for all the wonderful friendships resulting therefrom

[Carl I Fornia]

so who is this Reilly? Something of the true Procoholic shines out of the very wording of his album-cover, and from the address that adorns the inside: 'Live from the Hotel White Lamb, Ratisbona, Roman Empire'! 'Greetings Procol Parishioners throughout the Cosmos!

Long about three months ago, as I prepared some sequences to augment a project for an upcoming tour, I was suddenly struck with a curious, wee hankering to pursue an idea which had long bounced aimlessly through my rattled skull. Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!

Enclosed you will find one 'performance unit', containing the harvest of untold hours transcribing, sequencing, and faithfully editing an inspired, if ambitious tribute to an inexcusably under-celebrated moment in pop music history. It was no easy task trying to replicate this stuff in all its brilliance. Most especially BJ's drum parts seemed to laugh mockingly at the mere notion of electronic replication. It was with grave doubts therefore, that I perused the original performances, in sobering reverence. Still, my scepticism would prove no match for this gnawing inclination, and on the day of 25 February, 1998, I did commence programming; part by part, bar by bar.

... Many years passed. Many lives were lost. And then when hoped seemed to have wheezed its final gasp, from the cyber-abyss did I emerge – catch in hand. Alas, this was only to face the fiercest contender of all: the vast and arduous task of 'unloosing' a veritable mountain of metronomic data, and snagging the elusive pearl form this clenched and chilly oyster! I will leave you to judge my results.

For those who may be interested: these sequences were conjured using Logic software, with the Roland XP80, and Alesis S4+ synthesizers. Lastly, though not leastly (!), I have known from the outset, that an undertaking as delicate as this one, could well result in the most highly conspicuous dispensation of egg to my industrious little face. If, for any reason, I have missed the mark in my efforts, I can only offer my humble apologies, and indeed remove my hat to all those transcending my own, perversely entrenched Procol-meticulosity! That said, it is my sincere hope that this little souvenir of Ethan’s Adventures in Procoland will spark some delight or (dare I say) fascination in the ears of all those for whom it rears its grisly, frothing mug!

Wishing You and Yours A Super-Swell Day!
Ethan Reilly
Regensburg,
Germany

[Carl I Fornia]

A Salty Sequence
Ethan Reilly's Tuneful Little Crustaceans
________________________________________
Talk about hubris! It's one thing for a Procol fan to record his own version of A Salty Dog. Surely it's quite another to attempt to recreate the backing-track, orchestra, piano, three-string guitar, and Barrie Wilson ... with synthesisers!
Yet this is what Ethan Reilly – by his own admission a non-keyboardist with double tinnitus – has done on A Salty Sequence, and it's extraordinarily good. If there's a pub anywhere on the planet where a karaoke Salty Dog would be tolerated, this is the disc to take with you on the big night: and for your encore, a note-perfect Wreck of the Hesperus is included as well.

When this immaculately-realized record first came into circulation, Larry Pennisi wrote thus to the Procol Harum mail-list:

All and sundry, I am today in receipt of Ethan Reilly's wonderful digital tribute to PH, A Salty Sequence. While done electronically, the sonorous acoustic tones he has achieved are a delight to the ears. Authentically reproducing ASD, Hesperus and a piano only section called Piano Wreck, it is almost like listening to the originals only without the vocals. Tastefully recorded and painstakingly planned, I highly recommend A Salty Sequence to any PH collector. It is a wonderful addition and is quite novel. It was obviously recorded and realized with a a

[Carl I Fornia]

The following and the above comment entered by me (Carl I Fornia) were taken by www.procolharum.com/salty_seq.htm


It was obviously recorded and realized with a great deal of loving care.

I was impressed by the strings' dramatic upward sweep towards the end of A Salty Dog, though perhaps the tone of their pizzicato is a little curt. I wonder if it's just me, or can others hear the ghost of Brooker's voice in their headphones? It will be interesting to know if other Palers can listen to Ethan's work without inwardly hearing the soaring Brooker tonsils.

I love the swooping strings and plunging brass: Ethan's adventures wonderfully focus our fresh attention on something that may have been staled by thirty years' lo-fi familiarity.

[Carl I Fornia]

Ethan Reilly (Sept 30, 1955 - Jan 24, 2010)


Ethan was born on Sept 30th, 1955 in New York but moved with his family to Los Angeles in the late 50s. His father was an actor (main character in the TV serie “Lassie”) and Ethan was used to perform from his very young age. He learned to play all kind of different music instruments like all kind of guitars (from bass to pedal steel guitar), drums, keyboard, harmonica. His voice was trained by professional voice teachers.

Ethan Reilly was a high respected professional musician. In 1980 he was a regular member in the band of “Glen Campell” (world famous songs: Rhinestone cowboy, sunflowers, Calverston) with whom he toured around the world and played several month in the big showrooms of Las Vegas.

Addicted to the music of the sixties, especially but not only by The Beatles, Ethan was the founder of the group “The Boys – The sound of the sixties” in 1983. The band played all around California as well as in other states of America. In 1986 they performed first time in Europe. Since this time Ethan Reilly and his musicians were regularly performing in Germany. Due to the success and possibilities in Europe Ethan decided to live most the time in Germany however flew back and forth to the States.

(The Boys: long time the ‘houseband’ of Germanys biggest private Radio station ‘Antenne Bayern’. The Boys played big venues like Olympia Hall in Munich, the famous ‘Circus Krone’ in Munich, they toured all around Germany and appeared at several leading TV-stations. Ethan and the Boys were invited to perform in a TV-show in Spain and also played several live appearances in Romania.)

Ethan also was a high respected songwriter and studio musician. One of his composition is the hymn of the professional american baseball team “California Angels, Los Angeles ”.

The hymn is being played before every game in the Angels stadium, showing Ethan on a big screen, watched by 10.000s of spectators. In addition to that he wrote songs for famous singers like Nancy Sinatra, Grammy winning recording artist Ricky Skaggs or Mel Tillis (Mel Tillis: several top chart hits, Nr 1 hit, elected into Nahsville ‘Songwriters Hall of Fame’ as well as CMAs ‘Entertainer of the year’)

Ethan perfomed live on stage as well in TV with stars like Willie Nelson, Glen Campell, Crystale Gayle ("Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue")

Ethan left his family, friends, fans and music colleaques on Sunday, January 24th, 2010.

[Carl I Fornia]

REGENSBURG. Auf dem Theodor-Heuss-Platz und im Georg-Hegenauer-Park ging es rund dieses Wochenende. Die Zahl der Besucher schätzte man auf weit über zehntausend.

Der Theodor-Heuss-Platz hatte noch nie so viele Besucher gehabt. Aber das vom Veranstalter befürchtete Chaos blieb aus. Lediglich die Maßkrüge wurden zum Schluß zu wenig.

Obwohl Bedenken bezüglich des Ordnungsamtes geäußert wurden, durften die "Boys" eine Stunde länger (geplant war nur bis 22:00 Uhr) vor ihren begeisterten Fans einen Hit nach dem anderen spielen.

Als dann pünktlich um 23 Uhr 3333 Sternwerfer angezündet wurden und "Let it be" erklang, waren sich die Organisatoren sicher: "Sowas hat Königswiesen noch nicht erlebt".
FOTO

Weit über 10 000 Menschen kamen: Der Auftritt der Boys war der absolute Höhepunkt.

[Carl I Fornia]

lyrics 'a salty dog' (Procul Harum)

(brooker / reid)

'all hands on deck, we've run afloat!' I heard the captain cry
'explore the ship, replace the cook: let no one leave alive!'
Across the straits, around the horn: how far can sailors fly?
A twisted path, our tortured course, and no one left alive

We sailed for parts unknown to man, where ships come home to die
No lofty peak, nor fortress bold, could match our captain's eye
Upon the seventh seasick day we made our port of call
A sand so white, and sea so blue, no mortal place at all

We fired the gun, and burnt the mast, and rowed from ship to shore
The captain cried, we sailors wept: our tears were tears of joy
Now many moons and many junes have passed since we made land
A salty dog, this seaman's log: your witness my own hand

[Rusty Ray]

JOHN CLEEK, ebenfalls langjähriger "Boys"-Weggefährte, blickt zurück:

This is John Cleek. I played drums with Ethan in The Boys; I wanted to share some thoughts with you on this, the day of Ethan’s memorial service in Germany . It is a collection of memories about the time I spent in The Boys. I wanted to give you a sense of the breadth of Ethan’s effect on the lives of (one of) those he worked with and, perhaps, remind you of some of his achievements.

I met Ethan at my audition for The Boys in his Manhattan Beach garage in 1988, and I can truly say that he was instrumental (“So to speak!” as Ethan might have said…) in changing my life.

I joined The Boys after Ethan, Bob, Pete and Dan had already laid the groundwork for our “occupation” of Bavaria in the early Nineties. My first trip to Germany – my first trip anywhere outside the US – profoundly influenced who I am today, for better or worse (and, literally, “in sickness and in health…”—I met my beautiful wife there). It was my shared love, with Ethan, of Bischofshof Pils, Schweinebraten and Regensburg ’s broken Roman walls that tempted me to stay in Germany , and the fascinating Bavarian dialect that directed me seven years later toward my new and current (pre-)occupation in linguistics.

I also had a chance to work with Ethan on his Abbaxabba project during my time in grad school, one recording of which has Ethan’s very enthusiastic (if exaggerated) praise for my drumming in the liner notes. Ethan was like that. He could be a demanding band leader, driven by a vision of musical (especially vocal) perfection, undaunted in his efforts to “be the best,” but he was just as likely to heap unexpected public praise on those around him, musician colleagues and band friends alike. He couldn’t seem to say enough nice things about my awkward keyboard playing, either, in the last incarnation of The Boys to include me. His encouragement allowed me to challenge myself instrumentally and vocally and to test the limits of my ability. I learned much from working with Ethan.

And I have many, many fond memories of those days: memories of four sweaty Americans in a rented van traveling through the Fatherland, stopping at every rest stop to pee, getting lost and arriving late; eating in just about every Italian restaurant in southern Germany; asking ourselves right before our first gig what we sounded like (we had up to that point only rehearsed vocals, without amps or a PA, in Ethan’s garage); sharing beer-soaked, smoke-filled evenings in the Alte Maelzerei and Straubing Bahnhof with raucous fans; appearing on Spanish television, performing in front of thousands around the corner from Mad Ludwig II’s Neuschwanstein castle, playing “Back in the USSR” in the Kaiserkeller in Nuremberg the night the Berlin Wall came down, meeting Jerry Lee Lewis as his opening band and the words he said to me (“What are you looking at???”); the time Ethan diverged from the set list and began “Johnny B. Goode” in Augsburg, which I somehow heard as “Revolution” (a rendition later dubbed “Johnny [i.e. moi] be Revolting”) and entered on bar 3.5, or the night in the Mizurb when the keyboards (but not the guitars) went up a half-step during the pipe organ solo in “Let it Be; the ten-minute (it seemed like thirty) gesticulation session at 3:00 in the morning with the angry Italian toll booth operator who refused to let Ethan, Pete Sheppard, Don and me through without paying in Lira (“Oh, they love the D-Mark in Italy,” they had told us back in Regensburg!); the night that Ethan, despite a cold, sang his heart out for the bigwigs at Radio Schleswig-Holstein, including Peter Maffay, Die Fantastischen Vier und Dr. Alban; the friendly people we met throughout Bavaria, the wonderful friends who helped us survive, and too many inside jokes to list.

I managed to see Ethan several times before I moved back to the United States in 2006 but had lost touch with him when I got the shocking news of his illness and death. Now all the happy memories of Ethan and his bands are swirling around my head like the purple haze we used to sing about. I don’t think I will ever be able to walk along the narrow cobblestone streets of the Regensburg Altstadt, in and around Weisse Hahn Gasse and the historische Wurstkuchl, or stroll over the Steinerne Bruecke to the Alte Linde beer garden on the Danube, sites he loved so much, without thinking of Ethan, the man who ultimately introduced them to me. I miss Regensburg and those days, and I will miss Ethan.

John Cleek

Minneapolis , January 24, 2010

[Rockfreak1967]

Im Namen ALLER Rockantenne-Hörer möchte ich seiner Familie, Verwandten und Freunden mein herzlichstes Beileid aussprechen.

In the name of ALL Rockantenne listeners I would like to pronounce to his family, relatives and friends my sincere condolences.

http://www.die-waltons.de/bilder/deutschland13.jpg

[Carl I Fornia]

I grew up listening to The Kingston Trio, The Beach Boys and then of course, The Beatles. My brother brought home the PH album (on Deram) in '67 and I pretty much kidnapped it (brotherly banter here and here!). While I was a fan of The Move, I never followed Pink Floyd or Moody Blues as many PH fans seemed to – to be honest I always thought they paled embarrassingly when
juxtaposed with PH.

I had my first group in 1967 at age 12, playing guitar and singing many of the songs I still sing today. By 1970, having seen a live performance of former Monkee Mike Nesmith and (his) First National Band, I began to take a great interest pedal steel guitar (which I apparently have in common with Brooker’s father: (see here and here)).

I began playing steel at 17 and within months, I was performing with it professionally. By 19 (at the time of Rhinestone Cowboy) I was working in Glen Campbell’s group, and throughout the next ten years I made my living primarily with steel. During that time I performed on television, in the studio,
or on stage with the likes of Willie Nelson, Albert Lee, Delaney and Bonnie, Leon Russell, Dwight Yokam, Ronnie Milsap, Dr Hook, Roger Miller, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and Loretta Lynn, among others.

Throughout the years I have played in such venues as The Hollywood Bowl, The Las Vegas Hilton main showroom, Olympia Halle and Circus Krone (Munich, Germany), and many others throughout the US, Europe and New Zealand.

By age 23 I began to yearn for my old rock roots and started to put together the group I still have today; 'Ethan Reilly & The Boys'. Specialising in Beatles, Beach Boys, Stones, Cream, Hendrix and just about everything 60s save (oddly) PH.

I was performing with this group at a Manhattan Beach, California club when a man with a German accent walked in one night and asked if we would like to come to Germany. That was about 13 years ago, and his hunch that we would be quite successful here proved to be quite a good one. He
lived in Regensburg, so we simply followed like puppy dogs, eventually setting up shop full time here, and I still don’t seem to be able to take my leave.

I originally played rhythm guitar with The Boys, but eventually picked up a Höfner bass, in the interest of adding a keyboardist/rhythm guitarist to get the most diversity out of a four piece group.

I’ve done a bit of orchestration sequencing throughout the years to augment our performances. Yesterday (Scrambled Eggs as McCartney originally called it) on the Salty Sequence CD was done for The Boys. Others have included A Day in the Life, All You Need is Love, Penny Lane, Touch Me (The Doors), Classical Gas (Mason Williams) sections from the Abbey Road medley, as well
as portions of the tracks on our CD, Ethan Reilly & The Boys – Baby Blue (which by the way, is likewise available for purchase to any who might be interested).

[Rusty Ray]

Michael ´Mike´ Drake, zeitweiliger "Boys"-Gitarrist, mit seiner Reminiszenz:

I worked with Ethan and "The Boys" (then comprising John Cleek, Don Bruner and me) from 1992-94. I know most of you only through Ethan's stories. But you figured vividly in that lore, and whether or not he described you accurately, he certainly made you all out to be people I'd like to meet!

As others here have already made clear, Ethan had charm, drive, talent, skill, humor, and a fierce integrity. (E himself might have added extra sibilance to the word "fierce" here for effect, which works just fine.) He knew what he wanted, and what he didn't, and you always knew just where you stood with him. I've never met anyone more honest.

When it came to performing, Ethan was über-pro. By that I mean more than that he was a good singer and a stickler for parts (which of course he was). I mean that he didn't let anything get in the way of putting on a good show. Even after we'd had it out real good (which we did, from time to time, for Ethan - God bless him - could be a gigantic pain-in-the-ass diva), we'd go right on up and have a great concert (by our lights, anyway). I doubt anyone ever left a Boys show believing we were anything but the best friends in the world - namely, because when we were up there playing, we really were the best friends in the world, having the time of our lives.

I've kept in touch with Ethan over the years, and became better off-stage friends with him too. He was warm and generous, angered by life's injustices, aggrieved by its tragedies, wary of its absurdities. I wish he were with us now to share in our anger, grief and incredulity. I will miss him.

[Herr Crazy]

An Ethan muß Dir ja wirklich viel gelegen haben, Ray. Offenbar war ein ein wirklicher, echter Rocker.

Leider kannte ich ihn nicht aber trotzdem erbiete ich ihm hiermit die besten Rockergrüße. Auf dass er dort, wo er jetzt ist, genau so abrockt wie auf Erden.

Und ich freue mich auf Deine Sendung am Sonntag. Dort kannst Du uns Unswissendenden zeigen was wir verpasst, und den wissenden zeigen, was sie verloren haben.

Ich bin mir sicher, daß Du diese Sendung im Sinne Deines Freunde bestmöglichst gestalten wirst.

[Carl I Fornia]

The idea of bringing an unknown American band to Germany was born when I saw and heard the Band in Manhattan Beach/CA. Although most of my friends wanted to ‘convince’ me that such an intention was quite a crazy idea I was absolute sure this project will work out….

The main contractions I received were like‘ 'noone knows this band’, 'Ethan who??', ‘what do you want?, music of the 60s – who is going to listen to it’ and others…

But the project was clear to me… yes, the beginning wasn’t that easy… However it was fun, a lot of fun, and, i must admit, also stressy in certain ways… Anyway, we started. ‘We’ was my good old pal Hubi (Hubert) and me. With Hubert I stayed in close contact when the idea was born in summer 1985 (he was in Germany, I was in Los Angeles… at that time no internet existed, even fax machines were not that common, but the good old telephon was working…)

Meanwhile I returned to Germany and I was able to put things together. With Ethan and the band we established a suitable period… what is the best time for Californians to come to Bavaria without being shocked by the weather… ?? late summer sounded good. We agreed to start for 2 weeks, arriving around Sept 16 and leaving Oct 1st….

So we started working on the project… Hubi and me.. mainly me, smile, although Hubi was a big part and help in all the first years…

I remember the discussion I had with Karlheinz Mierswa, at that time the owner of the ‘Ohm’, the musicclub in the centre of Regensburg (later called ‘Mizurb’, presently they name it ‘Filmbuehne’ to my knowledge).

Step by step Hubert and me filled the touring plan. We wanted and needed approx. 6-7 gigs in 2 weeks. We believed (or I did) that 6-7 gigs will recuperate our invested money.
Anyway, the two Saturdays were crucial for us as we needed a good crowd to enjoy and appreciate the band and of course to have a good revenue…

I went to Heinz at the Ohm.. We never met before… I told him about the Americans and asked if they could perform on Saturdays at his place… Heinz was (and is) a great guy and we met often even after the success of the Boys ‘forced’ us to take bigger locations..

Heinz was listening to the demotape and read the biography of the musicians. He agreed to take them for one Saturday night.. The first step was done, but I needed a second Saturday… Heinz answer was categorical: no way, Wolfgang, noone here knows the band, Saturday is a very important evening for my club, the income, the atmosphere… No way I can take the risk to book them for two Saturdays… I tried to convince him, that the Boys are great musicians, the audience will love them and and and… Our little ‘dispute’ went on for 15 minutes… I told him I won’t leave the Ohm before the Boys also get the second Saturday…. Heinz is a great guy, always smiling, but he slowly became impatient and irritated by my persistency…. Finally he told me: Wolfgang, ok, I give you the second Saturday. Under the condition that you please leave now…

That was all I wanted… And the story ends as following: Ethan and the Boys played the first Saturday and after the show Heinz came to me: Wolfgang, we need a third evening, we need an additional performance, an encore night.. Look at the people how they enjoy, what a great night…

And Ethan and the Boys played an additional show, on Sept 30th, Ethans 31st birthday. An encore performance for the people of Regensburg who started to love the musicians and vice versa. I remember the third gig was hold on a Tuesday night…. The plane back to L.A. left the next day from Frankfurt and we did not sleep one minute at that night….

[Rockfreak1967]

YouTube- Wipe Out / Waltons Theme

[Rockfreak1967]

YouTube- Ethan Reilly - California 9 to 5

[Carl I Fornia]

It was in 1987... Raimund Wagner was 'director of programming' at the new radiostation in Regensburg, at that time called ‘Radio Donauspatz’, now Gong FM. Raimund than already aired his famous ‘Raimund golden oldies show’. Surely it was our big interest to introduce the band to Raimund.

Therefore we tried our best to get Raimund to one of the shows. However, due to the fact that the Boys just had few gigs in the Regensburg area it was difficult for Raymond to attend one of the gigs offered. He was very busy building up the new radio station and simply his available time did not match with a concert of the Boys

Finally we came together…. I remember that Ethan and the Boys were booked to play at a so called ‘riverboat shuffle’. On a big boat to sail around at the river Danube. Again we invited Raimund and his wife Gabi to attend this special Saturday evening. And both agreed to join us. Finally the time has come…

Immediately Raimund and the Boys had a common understanding. Raimund was very quickly taken with the musician and their ability in playing ‘the sound of the sixties’… He invited the four Californians to visit the radio studio and doing some interviews… Soon Raimund changed to the new and biggest private radion station ‘Antenne Bayern’ located in Munich. At Antenne he became one of the top moderator airing weekly his famous ‘Raimuns golden oldies…’ The mutual respect between Raimund and Ethan was already very strong so although moving to Munich he never lost touch with band. A permanent exchange of ideas and advises was going on.

Raimund recommended Ethan many songs which were big hits in Germany in the 60s and 70s. He advised the Boys to perform this songs and soon they were attached to the song list.

Radio Antenne Bayern engaged Ethan and the Boys for many events. In particular I remember the party Antenne arranged the evening the german parlament was elected in 1990 (the second performer at this party were the famous 'Jetzendorfer Hinterhofmusikanten'. Oh, what fun, what a great evening..) The Boys played many business fairs on behalf of Antenne Bayern(i.e. Erdinger Weizbier - the Calfiornian even were taught to perform live the famous slogan of the brewery….) Above all of course have been the big events the Boys were invited to perform. Olympia hall Munich, the hockey arena in Fuessen in front of 6.000 people… I remember Ethan was most impressed by the crowd and the athmosphere…

Without the meanwhile longlasting friendship between Raimund and Ethan , without Raimunds intervention in songs and performance this long range and successful development would never have been possible. Raimund definitely led the Boys to a higher level. Also to a higher degree of popularity.

Dear Raimund, once again thank you so much for all your help and patience you had with Ethan and his band. ‘The Boys – the sound of the sixtie’. Warmest regards also to Gabi who was often with us.

In September 1989 me, my girlfriend Uschi (which I married in Las Vegas at that trip) and Raimund and his wife Gabi arranged to meet at San Francisso. Everywhere we went Raimund was interesting in record shops. He ‘disappeared’ for some time looking for records and ideas for the huge collection he has. In S.F. he suggested to visit a party he was invited by a guy at a record shop. We went there to find us in the midst of a big street festival arranged by the S.F. gay community… Two german couples amongst 1000s of dancing and celebrating people at a glamorous gay street festival. Oh, I remember with much joy ‘these good old days….’ Raimund, thanks for all you did….

[Purple Haze]

Ich zitiere mich der Einfachheit einfach mal selber:

So, ich muss jetzt mal was sagen:

Ich hab mich bisher zum Thema Ethan Reilly zurück gehalten, weil ich noch nie was von ihm gehört hatte vorher. Irgendwelche Kondolenzen und Beileidsbekundungen wegen ihm loszuwerden kam mir verlogen vor und ich hasse Schleimerei.

Aber jetzt, da ich etwas mehr von ihm gehört habe, muss ich sagen:

Rest in Peace, Ethan!

Die Welt hat einen großartigen Musiker verloren!

[Pippy]

Ich schließe mich Purple an, weil ich mich nicht besser ausdrücken kann und Er alles schreibt wie ich es hätte nicht besser schreiben können

[Rusty Ray]

GEORGE LEKAI, ein "Ethan Reilly & The Boys"-Intimus der ersten Stunde:

Hallo Raimund!

Es wäre schön, wenn man Ethan`s Version von 'A Salty Dog' auf der Rock Antenne hören könnte...

Eine meiner (vielen) Erinnerungen an Ethan Reilly: - (auch für Carl. I. Fornia)
kurz und bündig:

Hätte ich einen eigenen Hut, oder noch besser, würde mir Gary Brooker seinen Hut geben, sofort würde ich ihn vor Ethan ziehen wegen 'A Salty Dog' (mit dem Schwung wie es die Musketiere taten, wenn sie ihren König trafen)
Er und ich waren ja oft genug zusammen, wo auch immer (Auto, Backstage, Hotel ...) um zu hören und zu erleben wie er seine Stimmübungen machte, um seine 'Voice' zu trainieren und sein Niveau zu halten!!!

Es gab da so 'kleine Spielchen' zwischen uns, ich wünschte mir manchmal mit Absicht folgende Nummern / Stücke wie = Tell Me Why - From Me To You - I Saw Her Standing There - niemals den *Lion*.

Er wusste es, dass ich diesen Song nicht sonderlich mochte. Wenn er den *Lion* an einem Abend sang, war nur eines meiner 'favourites' dabei, an guten Abenden zwei Songs davon. Ich kann mich nicht erinnern, jemals alle drei Songs am selben Tag in einer Show gehört zu haben.

Ethan & The Boys spielten und sangen die genannten Titel in der Tonlage des Originals, das war nicht gerade kommod für seine Stimme!!! Ich habe ihm einige Male zugerufen oder zwischendurch Zettel geschrieben um die genannten Songs zu hören. Wenn er dann einen dieser Titel gesungen hat, griff er sich hin und wieder zwischen die Beine und grinste zurück.

Seine Version von 'A Salty Dog' - ich ziehe meinen Hut vor ihm!

Wünschen wir Ihm eine gute Reise!

George

[Micha]

Auch ich durfte Ethan (leider) zum ersten Mal in den Rusty Roots genießen, und muss sagen:

Du warst ein toller Musiker!

Ethan, Rest In Peace!

[George_Who]

HELLO ALL - LAST SUNDAY EVENING (RUSTY RAY)
LIFE ROCK`S IF YOU PLAY THE RIGHT RIFFS! - THANK YOU RAIMUND!
I`M SURE, ETHAN IS LOOKING DOWN WITH A SMILE TO ALL OF US.

*LET MUSIC MAKE OUR LIVES A LITTLE SWEETER* (Kim Simmonds)