Remembering "Nymbus"

Erik Blum, who hosts the West Coast Fog online radio show that specializes in obscure west coast psychedelia, recently asked me for my rememberances of the Hayward band Nymbus. Some live tapes of theirs from ~1970 have recently surfaced and transfered to vinyl and CD for sale. Search "Nymbus" on YouTube for further details.

BTW, If anyone knows the whereabouts of Laura Hill (who is mentioned in the piece below), please contact me. I'd just like to know how her life turned out.

Here's what I wrote for Erik:

Remembering Nymbus


I grew up in Hayward, CA, a blue collar suburb 28 miles southeast of San Francisco on the Eastern shore of the Bay. A one time farming community, Hayward was famous for the Hunts Tomato Cannery. During canning season the town smelled of ketchup. It was growing and prospering with new suburbs and industrial parks and schools.

I believe I first came across Nymbus during the year of 1969. I was 16. The earliest reference to the band I remember was a discussion with a friend of my brother. He played guitar and was talking about light gauge Gibson strings and said that was what the local guitar heroes used and one that he mentioned was Joel Anderson. The bass player, Mike Filloon was the son of one of the popular teachers I had at Calaroga Junior High.

I had a friend named Frank Burt who everyone called “Squirrel” (my handle was “Firehead.”) who had friends that went to Tennyson High School. We were younger and attended Mt. Eden High. Through him I began to meet different people who went to the rival school.

I don’t remember the first time I saw Nymbus, but it was probably one of the dances at the recreation center at George Weekes Park. “The Rec Hall” was one of our usual haunts. There was the “Teen Drop In” on one week night and from time to time there were dances on the weekends. The Drop In was a time to meet up with friends (girls) and go out into the park and get high and be silly. For the most part I went to the dances at my High School and the Rec Hall. I was learning guitar and checked out every band around. I also liked to dance. It was a good way to meet girls. (Sense a common theme here?)

I’m trying to recall the other popular local bands at the time, but so many came and went. I was also expanding my horizons by spending my weekend nights at places like the Fillmore West, The Family Dog on the Great Highway and Winterland in San Francisco among other venues. That year I first saw groups such as the Grateful Dead & Led Zeppelin. I might add that I survived Altamont, but didn’t stay for the Stones. Maybe that’s why I survived.

So, Nymbus appeared on my radar and I started going to see them. The Yardbirds with Jeff Beck had been favorites and I recognized Joel’s Beck influence. “Jeff’s Boogie” was on their set list and Joel nailed it. Other songs were originals and I never really learned the names of them. I recognized them by the guitar riffs more then the lyrics.

Being a gear head, I always checked out what bands used onstage. Most local bands used Fender or Sunn or Vox amps. Marshall’s were still exotic and weren’t seen much. Nymbus played through Ampeg amps. Both Joel and Mike had matching rigs, possibly V-22 heads through 2 x 15” cabs? Mike had an Ampeg bass, the kind Rick Danko of the Band used. I think he sometimes used a Fender bass as well. Joel was playing a Fender Telecaster and sometimes a blue (?) Rickenbacker 360 six string that had Gibson humbucking pickups installed. I don’t remember what Brian played. I was pretty oblivious to the drums. I think he had a double kick kit, but I couldn’t tell you what brand or anything. Joel got a good overdrive sound and I once asked him how he got it and he said he had a “preamp.” As I recall it was a homemade box that boosted the signal from his guitar overdriving the amp.

Unlike a lot of bands at the time who played covers, Nymbus was an original band with an upful vibe. I think that was the attraction for me. Good songs, good singing and a smoking lead guitarist. I talked ‘em up every chance I got. I remember telling some friends how good I thought they were and one who’d been a singer in a bunch of bands said, “Jesus, you act like they’re Cream or something.” I don’t know how I answered, but in my mind, I thought they were kind of the local version. I remember the first time I heard Led Zeppelin, I thought Jimmy Page sounded a lot like Joel Anderson.

While I usually saw them at the Rec Hall and maybe a concert at the Hayward Municipal Park bandshell, Nymbus played one gig out of town that I attended. There was a big rock festival in San Jose with Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix I believe at the Fairgrounds. Nearby there was a counter-festival in a park. Kind of a protest at the ticket prices of the big festival. There was camping there, and a lot of people stayed the night at the park who were attending the festival. They had a stage and a PA cobbled together and every local band who could get there played and among them was Nymbus. I had hitch-hiked down from Hayward with “Squirrel” and his girlfriend, Angelica. I think they had tickets for the big festival. I ran into some friends from Hayward and hung out at their campsite while they went to the big festival. I’d dropped acid and when Squirrel and Angelica came back to start home, I decided to stay the night.

Besides the local bands playing, there was a surprise guest band. After their set at the big festival, Jefferson Airplane came over and played. They previewed songs from their forthcoming album “Volunteers” and were rocking out when the PA went down. Paul, Jorma, Jack and Spencer got into jam mode and played in a way I never heard before or since. More like Quicksilver or the Dead then the jams I’d heard them play before. What I remember most is the way they weaved the 12 string, bass and lead guitar together. The PA got sorted out, and they played a great set.

I don’t remember when Nymbus played, but I remember that they played well and were well received. The next morning I ran into them and managed to catch a ride back to Hayward. It was one of the first times I actually hung out with them for any length of time. I was pretty spaced from the acid and however much pot I’d smoked and little to eat, so I probably wasn’t the best conversationalist. And I was pretty shy at the time. I don’t remember much about the ride home other then getting dropped off a ways from home and having to hoof it back to my own neighborhood.

Over the months I continued to see the band. One gig I’ll never forget was one at the Rec Hall where I set eyes on this lovely young blonde girl in baggy jeans. Her hair was down to her ass and she had the most beautiful smooth skin. Her name was Laura Hill. We got to talking and over time developed a sweet high school romance.

As time went on there were changes in the band. I remember a Hammond Organ player with them a time or two and maybe a different bass player? I got involved with a band doing Country-Rock who thought Led Zeppelin were totally un-cool. I started playing more and hanging out with different people who liked to go to the beach to play acoustic guitars and pound on conga drums. Nymbus faded from my consciousness and I didn’t really hear much about them until a few years later after I moved away for college in Humboldt County. I read BAM Magazine and saw ads and mentions of a group called “The Awesome Light Band.” And there in the band picture was Joel Anderson. The circle turned again.

Nymbus were part of the soundtrack of my life in a time when the world was on fire, and anything was possible. The old world was dying and a new one was being born. And I’m glad we were there for each other. Thanks for the music guys!

RIP Mike Filloon

And On We Go into the New Year

It's been a while since I posted. Here we are in the year 2012. If it contiunes like it's started it will be memorable.

Friday and Saturday I was playing with Lalla Rookh up in Estes Park, CO for the Winter Festival. Friday night was tough, playing in a fairground pavillion with little heat. The wind was howling outside and the bathrooms were about a half mile up the road. Luckily there was hot apple cider that I used as a hand warmer and hot chocolate to give me the energy to get through the last set. It was cold, but not as cold as the gig with Tuatha at Beltainia in 2010. We were provided rooms in the form of a couple of condos. I shared one with our bass player, Jim, his wife Megan and their almost two year old son Parker. I got the upstairs suite. Parker is a fun kid. We then played a long set on Saturday. It was a lot warmer and we actually donned the kilts.

After playing and changing out of gig clothes I hung out a little to listen to SHEL, a girl group consisting of four sisters and their father, then drove down the canyon home. I turned on the radio just as E-Town was coming on and I was treated to sets by Mumford and Sons along with Fort Collins locals, Danelle Ate the Sandwich. There was traffic but the drivers were acting civil and it was smooth ride along the Big Thompson River. I always think of my father when I drive this road. He lived in Loveland at one time and his parents are buried there. I still think of a family vacation when we went to the Dam Store (still in business) and to a couple of lakes in the foothills.

Instead of driving through Loveland, I took the Masonville road that goes through the foothills and Horsetooth Lake. There were few other cars, just a few bicyclists taking advantage of a warm winter day. The music was good and with new tires my car was running fine. Masonville is a little community with horse ranches, small farms and a feel that is totally different from most of the Front Range. Kind of the town that time forgot. Just one of those little perfect moments.

Last year was much better then the year before. I'm able to travel again. We took a trip to Jackson Hole to visit extended family and to help with the Swan Roundup which assists transfering trumeter swans to different places and reintroducing them to former habitats. The good news was, I didn't end up in the hospital like I did in the previous year's visit. We took a daytrip to Yellowstone for wildlife viewing seeing lots of bison, elk and even a mama griz and her cubs (from a safe distance). Even though it was early June, there was a lot of snow on the ground and one of the lakes was still frozen. I love seeing Yellowstone in different seasons.

The next trip took me home to California for my brother's 60th birthday. I was going to take the train out, but there was track out in Nebraska, so my train got cancelled. After getting a refund, I found a cheap flight on Frontier airlines. They let me take my guitar onboard but they speared my soft bag somehow. I didn't discover it until I was unpacking. I have no idea how they managed to do that. I was met at the airport by OMO Brother Bill Russell. We stopped in San Mateo and found a little Vietnamese restaurant. Yum!

I didn't get out as much as I'd have liked to on the trip. I was still dealing with fatigue and lack of endurence. We did get in a trip to Bean Hollow Beach for some personal time with Our Mother Ocean. So good to recharge at one of my "power spots." That was followed by a drive up to Skyline Drive through the redwoods.

My brother's 60th was a blast. Besides meeting my Great-Nephew for the first time, I got to see a bunch of friends who I don't think I've seen in 35 years. I also met my brother's new girlfriend. (Welcome to the family!) It seemed like everytime I turned around there was someone I haven't seen in years.

The next adventure was a day of sailing thanks to Capt. Gary Hall who took Bill and I out on his 35ft. sailboat. We went from Alameda, under the Bay Bridge (while I'd been over the bridge hundreds of times, it was the first time I went under it) behind Alcatraz and on the back side of Angel Island where we "parked" for lunch where a CD of The Grateful Dead's "Soundcheck at the Cow Palace" played as we ate lunch and sat in the sun. Talk about "perfect moments." From there, we sailed around the island and caught the wind coming through the Golden Gate and flew across the water back to the bay bridge where we lost the wind and motored back to port.

The next day I was picked up by my "Driver for the Day" in a '74 Cadillac, Mr. Jim Davis and his wife Pat. We took the Sunol canyon road out to Livermore to the Eckert Winery where Mike Eckert makes wine. Mike was another one of the "haven't seen in 35 years crew." We were joined by two more, Mark Horning and Tom Tidwell. After sampling the tastey wines, we went to a restaurant where my old pal Richard Sinkler and his band were hosting an open mic. Gary Hall joined us again as did my brother and his sweetie. I played two songs with the band and during the break, Richard and I played a few songs as a duo. For not having played together in 35 years, I'd say we done good!

It was great to be surrounded by old friends, connecting the ones who hadn't met and getting to play some tunes. Thank you, Richard Sinkler!

I took the train home. I love that trip, especially going throught he Sierras and the Rockies. I woke up somewhere in southeastern Utah as the sun was rising in what they call buttermilk skies contrasted with the red rocks of the landscape. And I had the feeling that I was getting near my home. I'm a long ways from the ocean, but Colorado has really become home.

Those were probably the highlights of 2011. My health continues to improve, I'm doing more and more music and I feel more connected to friends and family. And there's been a lot of reconnecting with old friends. Life is good. As we near the beginning of "The Year of the Dragon" I feel that we're living in auspicious times.