JORIAN HOLKA
Special to The Leader
This past Thursday, Oct. 23, Fredonia’s very own Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall was filled not only with eager and enthusiastic audience members of all ages, but also with the all-too-familiar sounds of a number of classic British rock bands. However, the night’s performance was far from ordinary. Attendees who had come mainly expecting an interview of and lecture from famed British rockers Denny Laine, of Wings and The Moody Blues; Joey Molland, of Badfinger; and Terry Sylvester, of the Hollies; were treated to an intimate reunion of old friends that ultimately resulted in a full-on jam session featuring the songs of not only their own bands, but also their favorite artists.
The night began as a typical interview would, when Mr. Armand Petri, head of Fredonia’s Music Business Program, introduced the three famous musicians – all of whom emerged onto the stage holding their instruments – and began questioning Laine. The audience’s first glimpse of the spontaneity that would increase throughout the night came when Laine suddenly interrupted his response to one of Petri’s questions in order to join Molland for a brief and completely random rendition of “Happy Birthday.”
However, amongst all of the madness, the musicians did share substantial amounts of information regarding their early days.
Laine recounted how his band The Moody Blues had toured and been closely acquainted with the The Beatles, a relationship that ultimately allowed for the formation of Wings.
“I think [Paul McCartney] wanted to put a band together of people he knew … He called me up just because he knew me,” Laine said. “I was doing something different, and [McCartney] wanted to get someone who was forward thinking and trying to do some new music.”
Laine expressed the fact that Wings was not founded with any intention of gaining further recognition, but rather simply to produce new music seeded in the experimental chemistry of the band at the time. “[The music] was very raw, and we just went in and did it,” he recalled. Furthermore, Laine explained how much of Wings’ music came about solely as a result of the close collaboration between him and McCartney. “It gave us a different sound and a different feel … That’s all we needed – just the simple parts,” Laine said.
Following Laine’s direct interview, the comedic spontaneity returned as Molland began improvising a song featuring the lyrics “This is Terry and we love him,” and Sylvester asked Petri what he would like to ask him, quickly adding, “But don’t ask me out!”
Much to Petri’s surprise, Molland then took over the role of moderator, questioning Sylvester himself with numerous inquiries such as, “What was the song that did it for you – that turned you into Terry Sylvester?” to which Sylvester jokingly replied, “I don’t know.”
Sylvester went on to recount his experiences as a child and young adult, such as his days as a paperboy in Liverpool and trying out for the Liverpool football club, rather than focusing on specific details about his music career. However, he did state that one of his major influences was the Everly Brothers, after which he launched into a heartfelt rendition of “Let It Be Me,” and was joined by both Laine and Molland. Shortly after, and much to the crowd’s pleasure, Sylvester performed “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress),” one of the many hits from his band The Hollies.
Sylvester then shifted the attention to Molland by telling the joke, “Joey’s on a new diet – it’s the Jack Daniel’s whiskey diet. He actually managed to lose two days last week!” Laine continued the humorous theme by sarcastically asking Molland, “Do you play any instruments in your spare time?”
Molland began reminiscing about his journey into the music industry, stating that Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” record “… got [him] really excited, and that was that for [him] as far as trying to play the guitar.” He recounted how he often played on the street corners throughout Liverpool in his youth, a venture which paid off at the age of fifteen when a man by the name of Pete Wiggins invited Molland to play with his band. “I was working on the docks … making about two-and-a-half pounds per week, and they paid me a pound that night to play the guitar with this band doing Chuck Berry stuff – which I loved!” Molland continued, “They said, ‘Can you come back tomorrow?’ So I went back the next day and I played Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly again, and they gave me another pound!” Returning to perform on a regular basis and making more in three days than he had in a week, Molland quit his job and followed his father’s advice to join a band.
Subsequent to the artists’ individual stories, the three musicians spent the remainder of the event conversing amongst themselves and performing some of their bands’ most well-known songs, including Badfinger’s “Come and Get It,” “I Can’t Live,” “Baby Blue,” “The Dreamer,” and “No Matter What,” The Hollies’ “The Air That I Breathe” and “Bus Stop,” and The Wings’ “Mull of Kintyre” and “Band on the Run.”
Following the event, and when asked about his thoughts on it, freshman John Greenan, a music business major, stated, “The balance of skill level and modesty was truly eminent.”
Senior Brad Martynowicz – also a music business major – added, “I thought this event was a very intimate observation on how three normal guys can get together and jam. Very informative and entertaining.”
Finally, Jack Kane, another freshman majoring in music business, summed up the opinions of all in attendance when he expressed in simple terms, “It was a really great show and it brought me back to my childhood. My dad always used to play that music when I was little.”