ROAD Stories: "The Moustache" in Montreal

In a rare moment of clarity, I remembered this story ...

Most of our "intro tapes" were a foray into our own special brand of insanity (ie left channel: Johnny Mann Singers doing "Baubles, Bangles and Beads, right channel: Napoleon XIV - "They're Coming To Take Me Away").


But in a rare occurrence, we played a Jeff Beck tune where we "intro taped" the 1st 15 secs of "El Becko", then came in live with the rest of the song at about 16 secs (...most nights), while our soundman faded the tape.

One time ... at band camp ...we were playing at "The Moustache" Club, across from the Forum, in Montreal and the place was packed with hundreds of rabid Canadians. This intro tape started the first set and Richard, our guitarist, normally came "shweeing" in at the 16 second mark. Picture lights, fog, big sound system, very exciting, impressive, "big rock show" stuff ...

Well ...at that time, he was playing his Vantage guitar w/active electronics and the band came crashing in only to find Richard playing a guitar that sounded like a freaking banjo! The battery in his guitar had died ... and we had to finish the song posing as the Mahavishnu Return to Oak Ridge Boys Orchestra. Guess what else? No spare 9V batteries on our truck, in an "english-speaking, non-english-speaking country"!

Our main man, Rikk Feulner, spent the next 30 minutes running up and down St. Catherine Street in -20 degree weather, trying to find a store open at 11pm that sold batteries, while the rest of us tested our reflexes participating, as targets, in the annual Canadian "Hurling of the Holy Brador Bottle" festival. Imagine all the guitar lines in this tune proudly presented on banjo ... classic!

Years later, Rikk would go on to emit this pearl of wisdom, "Canadians ... they look like us, they sound like us ... they're not us".

Currently, we all have day jobs ...

Building A New Generation of PKB Fans ... One Zygote At A Time

Justin Schwartz, a fan from Keene NH, says "These kids are 767x better at dancing than the average kids of their age!". Thanks for the cool vid and ongoing support, Mr. Mayer...er, Justin!

Former Bandmates Check In ... Rikk Feulner (2nd in a Series)

Rikk Feulner (born Rikk 'n Roll) worked with us as stage/tour manager (and is one of the co-writers of "Blue Angel") and voice of reason for the entire lifespan of the bands "Kashmir" and "EQ", which both pre-dated PKB.

Currently living in Nashville TN, for the 11.75 days a year he's not on the road, Rikk is still in the music biz, both full time and big time. He's just finished his 2nd go-round as tour manager for Robert Plant (formerly of a somewhat famous band) and has been the tour manager for Dream Theater for their last 1,382 tours.

It has restored our faith in humanity that such a hard working, principled, good guy has been so successful in such a cutthroat business without being changed by the whole experience. 30+ years later, he's still the same cool kid from Corinth NY that answered our help wanted ad in the Times Union in 1978, showing up at our door with Twizzlers and Diet Pepsi in hand, ready to rock.

(Photo at left innocently posted by Rikk's son, Glen Feulner, and then mericlessly photo-enhanced cape-ified by Mark Fitzgerald and captionized by Tony Jones).

Yeah, PKB Has Fans in Kansas ...

Former Bandmates Check In ... Carol Pasco (1st in a Series)

This comes to us from Carol Pasco, a former band-mate of ours (Bob "Buck The Kid" Boyer and TJ) in the 1976 band "Hot Fun", the unofficial house band at Salty's Pub in Halfmoon NY ...
"Tony was my BFF but Bob was my guardian angel. He quite possibly saved my life one night when we had a gig and I got what was my first (unfortunately not my last) migraine. Being young and stupid, I took approximately 15 or more aspirin and then drank about three mixed drinks trying to kill the blinding pain. I blacked out and Bob took me to his home and held my head while I wretched in the toilet (I remember nothing of this he told me later) and cleaned up after me no less. I could have landed in the hospital or worse. I will never forget what he did for me that night. He's my angel alright!"

TJ's REPLY:  "Carol, since you have no recollection of what transpired that evening, let me fill in the missing pieces for you ... here's how it really played out ...


That night, after the gig, Bob actually took you to Denny's on Wolf Road where, coincidentally, he was living and plotting the overthrow of the Amsterdam town council by utilizing some undercover Perthian AND Hagamanian operatives as pawns in his play for power. So, he didn't technically lie about taking you to his home ... but that's the only thing he didn't lie about.


Once there, he centered you in the large floor to ceiling front window and stuck straws in your nose, mouth, hair and ears while you were unconscious. I think that was the same night the Honorable Mayor Erastus Corning was spotted having breakfast there with Doug Williams (principal of Lafollette Hall, Shaker High School), but I digress.


You also may not be clear on the wretching into the toilet part because I seem to remember Denny's coming out with the new "Grand Slam Breakfast" menu item, shortly thereafter. Denny's management apparently adheres to the "power of suggestion" philosophy and may actually owe you some money as a "marketing consultant". Please follow up on that and keep me posted ...


If memory serves, there was also black magic marker involved so no, that was not your mascara running. The head holding story that Bob told you was an idea forged at an emergency band meeting that was called shortly after you blacked out.


But, I haven't scanned my Hot Fun photos yet ... so my memory may be inaccurate ... or I may have just misplaced the last piece of sanity I have been clinging to for the last 10 years.  Thanks for posting the memories!

Debut of Our New Reality Blog "Behind The Mucus ... PKB": Email from Penny Knight to the Band

Ok Guys,

Here is the playing schedule for that week.

#1) Thursday, July 14, 2011 at Dublin’s Restaurant and Lounge, 121 4th St, Troy, NY 12180. We will be playing with Chris Busone that night. He is going on first starting 8pm. We go on around 9:45 and play until 11pm. (give or take) I suggested that Chris and I (both bands) will be doing a master jam song at the end of the evening together since we used to play together. We were thinking Endless Love but I told Chris NO-because he always cries during that song!! We have to decide if we are going to share stage gear or not-we’ll talk on Wednesday.

#2) Sunday July 17, 2011 at Music Haven Stage, Central Park, Schenectady NY 12304 with The Blottos, Sharks and Amazing Rob and John Band. Do not have a line-up or time yet. ( We would if I were in charge!!)

Bob, if any other dates pop open let me know. Ralph offered a few other options for that week, but I told him we were limited right now to just those 2 nights. (Loser!)

Practice Wednesday ---767!!! Love Yas!

Penny Knight

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTING FOLLOWS: "We're Back!!!!"

Penny Knight Band is one of four bands appearing at the, over 20 years in the making, BLOTTO RECORDS REUNION SHOW on Sunday, July 17, 2011 at Central Park's Music Haven Stage in Schenectady NY.

The veritable BLOTTOPALOOZA features BLOTTO!, The Sharks, The Amazing Rob and John Band and Penny Knight Band ... silly haircuts, parachute pants and/or legwarmers are optional for this "once in a lifetime show".



Violently (or gently...your choice) click the F. Lee Harvey Blotto head (to the left) to see him leak this to the press via the Glenn Slingerland Situation TV series
 
MAKE NO VACATION PLANS OUT OF THE AREA! We will be returning for our 1st annual SUMMER GIG WEEK (July 10-17, 2011), playing gigs throughout he Cap Dist and ending the week with the BLOTTO RECORDS Reunion show in Central Park 
 
* * * * * In the meantime ... check out some newly rescued vids and "Subscribe" to our youtube channel by hitting the "Subscribe Button" above this video. THEN "Like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennyKnightBand. THEN check out our "wicked sick" Reverbnation page at http://www.reverbnation.com/pennyknightband.

THEN, and only then, should you think about feeding the children and pets in your general vicinity.

Happy Tax Day !!

... giving your tax dollars to the government, in it's current state, is the fiscal equivalent to giving this guy $2,000 and saying "Spend it however you want".

Album Covers from Hell #020

PKB

Bad album cover tributes have been floating around on the web in various forms for years and we thought we could assemble them, put our own spin on them and hopefully inspire you to join in on the verbal massacre.

Feel free to add your own comments by clicking the "Post a Comment" link, beneath each Thursday post. If it turns out that your comment is funnier than "TJ"'s comment, it may win you free Penny Knight Band music or PKB accessories ! ...aaaannnnd begin ...

 
 
The Long Awaited Release from the "LIMITED GENE POOL TRIO" on Gregor Mendel Records.
 
Did you know that the literal translation of the Italian word Farfisa means "Who's the a**hole that stole my pea plants"?

... Apologies to Dan O'Brien for This Snarky Facebook Post...

In what he deemed to be a fitting tribute, Dan did everything in his power to grow a facsimile of Abe Vigoda's head out of his right (our left) shoulder, but ran short on time before the Hal Linden session began. - Tony Jones, bassist, Penny Knight Band

NEWS FLASH !!!! The Locusts Are Coming ...

Keep The Week of JULY 10-17 OPEN !!!!!

We, The Underachieving Plague  of Locusts ...

will be making music, or a facsimile thereof, that week ... details to follow.

Too Funny Not to Post!

Thanks to our "brother from another mother" Rikk Feulner for turning us on to this!

Album Covers from Hell #019

PKB

Bad album cover tributes have been floating around on the web in various forms for years and we thought we could assemble them, put our own spin on them and hopefully inspire you to join in on the verbal massacre.
Feel free to add your own comments by clicking the "Post a Comment" link, beneath each Thursday post. If it turns out that your comment is funnier than "TJ"'s comment, it may win you free Penny Knight Band music or PKB accessories ! ...aaaannnnd begin ...









So you say you can't find this LP at your local retailer? The next logical place to look might be your local Sex-Offender Registry ...