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Michael
Allsup (age 15), Danny Johnson (Keyboards), Jeff Lengyel
(drums), and Norman Fletcher (guitar ... later Bass). This
photo was taken in the Grace M. Davis High school (Modesto,
CA) gymnasium at another school dance we played there. I
think it was a Sadie Hawkins dance. Name changes were common
for local bands and we went through through a few of them.
Let's see if I can remember them all. The 4 Blind Mice (just
for that gig when the photographer asked us the name of our
band). Then there was Los Madres ("The Mothers" in Spanish)
The parents hated that one. It lasted about a half of a
rehearsal. Jeff's mom, Norma, axed it. What were we to do?
She was the doctor's wife, a pretty one too. She was the one
with the membership at Del Rio Golf and Country Club. She
was the one who had the Cadillac and would let us mooch our
way and play golf there. She was the one who had the son who
had the mom who had the house that we could rehearse in with
a Steinway in it. All these things were of primary
importance. Just kidding. She's great, AND, she DID make
wonderful tuna sandwiches on dark pumpernickel bread that
tasted like chateaubriand for 2 to the rest of us of lower
breeding. Yes, and cut at an angle, corner to corner, too!
Not rectangular like at home. This was the essence of cool.
You know what I mean? I , in particular, was one of those
kids who ... when it was dinner time at the Lengyel home,
just didn't get it that I was supposed to leave. Norma (Mrs.
Lengyel ... I still don't feel right in calling her Norma),
many times had to graciously offer to take me home, and did.
Bless her heart. She was always generous and so polite as to
not offend ... even a young boy such as me.
Back
to the band name thing: The Chancellors. A cluster surfaced
when we were having business cards made up for the band.
Jeff and I decided we needed a logo, of sorts, kind of a
Tartan thing. Anyway, here's what we came up
with.
The
other band members response was "What's the radiator for in
the corner?" Needless to say, we were crushed. Also, check
out the phone numbers. This was the Neanderthal age,
folks.
We
played a gig at Downey High School (George Lucas of Star
Wars fame was a mere "puke" there then. Just kidding George)
in Modesto. A car club with the same name showed up and
threatened to kick our A _ _ if we didn't change the name.
So by the end of the 3rd set we became The Viscounts. Dan
recently informed me that Downey High required a police car
escort and an undercover agent next to the band who kept
asking him, when someone came to up talk, "do you know him,
is he ok?" Ah the pressures of local stardom, the first band
I was ever in. After the name change, we added a big purple
velvet cloth (which my mom made and I still have) to hang
off the organ. It had a white velvet "V" in the center,
falling just a hair short of being a major prop on stage.
What stage? We played on gym floors. During our last
incarnation we used the name "The Detours" (another local
band took that name later). Now for the
particulars.
Danny
Johnson : Dan went on to receive a BA degree from the
University of California at Berkeley ( A very heady place.
Lots of history as a venue for the scholastic free thinkers
of this world. A proud institution.) UC Berkeley, of all
places, tried to censor his heartfelt and historically
accurate lyrics in the personal memoir song (U See Berkeley
Cool) about him being there in 1968. It has ended up being a
living testament to his sincerity concerning the conflict
with his alma mater that he so loved. On a lighter note: Dan
has been actively involved in the building of this Shrine of
Garage Band history.... together with myself. He has
contributed pictures, story clarifications, and shameless
embellishments. In fact, don't be surprised if, in the near
future, you see more stuff about him personally on here. I
feel it coming. It's nice to be involved in your own
enshrinement. That's a fact. And so be it. My first hint was
when he acknowledged how much he "REALLY" liked the Podium
section of this website. A telltale flaw in his character. A
telltale flaw in MY character. Won't you join us? Until
recently, Dan and I had been out of touch for years. We are
now re-bonding on an e-mail level. With time, we may even
shake hands again, being the 2 Wild and Crazy Guys that we
are. So watch for it. Coming soon to a paragraph near you.
The story of DANIEL. (views expressed there may not be
shared by this management, nor would we bear witness for him
should there be any litigation to follow.) Want to see
Daniel's
website?
Just click on the underlined link in the previous sentence.
Dan has become a wonderful poet over the years. Add to that
his musical ability and photographic artistry and what you
have is your basic "REAL INTERESTING PERSON." For real. His
website is quite unique and reflective of his talents. Take
the time to drop in, using the link above, and you too will
enjoy his insight and artistry. I don't quite understand why
it came as such a surprise to me. Even back in the old days
he was a bit on the "ethereal" side. Did I say how proud I
am of him? Yes. It is twue! Check him out.
Jeffrey
Lengyel: Jeff has gone on to become a good dictator and a
...... I mean ....a director in the movie business. Actually
the similarities run deep but not silent (*see "Run
Silent-Run Deep" with Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, Don
Rickles, Percy Helton, and Oscar Homulka. circa 1955). His
complete disregard for tradition and method seem to be his
very weakness ....er, that is to say ... his very strength.
Never the shrinking violet, E. Jeffrey Lengyel had been an
ordained genius (by his mom) long before he had brains
enough to deny it. And nay verily I say. He hath walked
through the valley of the shadow of death ... and he hath
ran into a lot of STUFF whilst in that shadow. It's always
been that way with him. Anyway, where were we? Oh yes: We
were hyping you on his greatness. Jeff did the action shoots
for the hit movie "New Jack City" among other things. Other
things include comedy, drama, documentaries, reality and he
just finished directing and producing a new comedy-hidden
camera show for NBC called Spy-Tv that will begin to air in
July at 8:00 p.m. (pst) on Thursdays. He's also working on a
new movie project and a new documentary about Navajo
Marines. All business related contact for Jeffrey Lengyel
can be done by email at this link. ejeffreylengyel@michaelallsup.com
Now
back to trashing him: In his genius, Jeff has been suspect
in his borderline perversive (is that a word?) relationship
with a Panaflex camera, the standard professional camera of
the movie industry. He's currently practicing being a snob,
since he's scored the "even bigger bucks" in movie making.
Good for the image, you know. All the while relishing not
having to acknowledge me anymore. Now that's REAL
FRIENDSHIP. Of course, living on Spielburg Lane has its
merits. It does, however, tend to lead one into observing
certain Jewish holidays that would normally slip by
unnoticed. Still, his talent and diligent pursuit of the
arts (as well as a fine impression of Georgie Jessel) have
brought him much deserved recognition and acclaim within the
Hollywood film industry. Friends that we are, we haven't
spent much time together over the years. (You see, he's
still mad because once on a trip from Modesto to Los Angeles
... I was driving. He had to pee real bad, so after another
20 miles of torture, I finally pulled over to a gas station
toilet and slowed down to stop. Slowed down to almost stop,
that is. To the tune of about 1 mile an hour, speeded back
up and then got back on the freeway and drove another hour
and a half to Los Angeles. Over the years he's hung on to
that down deep. Some people! I would have never gotten so
bent out of shape over a minor infraction and test of our
friendship such as that. On second thought, ...... oh yes I
would.)
Norman
Fletcher : Norm became an RN (Registered Nurse) but never,
ever gave up his "music nerdness" and went on to become one
hell of a guitarist. You should hear him play. Beautiful.
Why? Because he loves it and has for a long time. He loved
it enough for it to remain his life long friend. Due to his
inherent musical talent and the fact that it intrigued him
so much, he didn't find it dreary to practice diligently for
hours, so many years, bearing musical fruit that was fun and
worth it. After a while, it began to reach him and the music
began to play him. Good music does that. Somehow, it tells
you how it wants to be played. And then generously offers up
a variation for your consideration. Even asking of you "what
do you think? How do you want to do it?" If you just listen
closely, it will tell you, or ask you. He reads music
wonderfully, too. I'm very proud of Norm's musical talent,
only one of many talents he possesses. Early on Norman
introduced me to Ray Charles. I only recently remembered
that it was Norm that first told me "listen to this guy!"
Woah. What a life long influence Ray became for me. Thanks,
Norm.
A multifaceted person, Norman has been
involved with the stage as an actor in many northern
California productions, such as, "Little Shop of Horrors,"
"Fiddler on the Roof," ... the list goes on and on. He has
written music for the stage and performed as a guitarist in
an orchestra pit band. He has, in fact, done much more than
I am even aware of in this field. A true artist of the
theater, Norman seems to enjoy, and excel in any and all
things within the theatrical endeavor. A fortunate thing
indeed, to find something that intrigues your very soul...
always has..... and on top of that, to be good at it and
even love it. That makes me smile. Old friends and band
mates. I appreciate his focus on doing what he wants to do,
and also for his successful career in the medical field. He
has managed to have the best of both worlds. The logic and
security of a strong occupation and career, plus, the
satisfaction of a life filled with artistic pursuits. He has
been blessed with artistic expression. His love for it has
created a lifelong venue for his personal growth in the
craft that has intrigued him most. That's success to be
envied, my friends. Oh, he's a turkey. Don't get me wrong.
Did I mention he's a recording engineer, too? Oh yes. Got
cool studio computer stuff and .... but, enough about his
genius. We're done. Let's talk about me.
Sometimes
life deals you good stuff, integral stuff to your experience
and you just take it for granted. No more "taking it for
granted." I've been very fortunate to have grown up and
turned the musical handle with these di_ _ wads. Good
peoples. Talented peoples. My good fortune to have shared
the music quest with them. Of course, we didn't have a clue
what we were doing! What we WERE sure of was that ... WE
LOVED IT! Little did we know that that's the key to it
all. Music has to be your hobby. Not just your job. It has
to be fun inside for it to sound good outside. It has to
hurt inside for it to hurt outside to the listener. These
guys were fun. These guys were inspirational, in large part,
due to our ignorant love of the music and a strange sense of
humor that permeated the entire band. Life was good, even
then. Way
Good.
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