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Phil Arroyo remembers....
"Let's see, The Zilches...Man, I don't know where to start...."
The experience and story may have to be told in more than
one chapter or so. You see, this band impacted each of us so
much it made us the characters we are today and as fate would
have it, one member did emerge as a bonifide star later in his
career. Allow me to take it from the top.
It pretty much started while I was going to Antonian High
School in its' inaugural year back in '65. That's when I met
those now infamous lads, Jay Hoyer, Rob Meueur & Rick (Crow)
Mendez. I actually befriended Crow first. We would sit in the
auditorium while attending whatever student-body functions and
talk about the chords we new and mostly didn't know. It must
of looked pretty funny, him and I making these hand jestures
while mimicking "D", "A" & "E"
chords etc. People probably thought we were showing off our favorite,
personal jerk-off techniques. Anyway, we decided to get together
because he said he had a friend (Mike Long) that went to Edison
that wanted to play Bass so I thought why not? He forgot to say
Mike never played before. Anything. Not a lick but then that's
a story for another time. Well, shortly there after, word got
around school about our "project" and we were approached
by Jay about expanding the unit, only his delivery to us was
more like that of a mobster selling protection to a store owner.
Yea, we were kind of intimidated so we said he could join. Besides
he said his specialty was as a vocal stylist and showman so if
nothing else, we just had to see this for ourselves because he
was sooooo white. It was through Jay that we met Rob who was
also waaaay white as well but I could see his talent right away.
Rob was very educated musically meaning he was hip to all the
latest, most current songs by all the bands making news and stuff.
And although his instrument was piano, he said his parents were
willing to buy his some drums. Eureka, we now had a drummer!
The Zilches were now set. Myself on guitar, Crow Mendez on
guitar, Mike Long on bass, Rob Meueur on Drums and Jay Hoyer,
vocals & maracas. It should be noted that at the time, we
rehearsed & performed using one speaker cab. Mine. Always
mine. I had a Gretch combo w/2-12" Jensen's that we plugged
the bass, both guitars & a vocal mike into. Wasn't very clean
but hey, what did we know about clean? Besides, we were able
to get everything in Crow's brother Ed's "58 Oldsmobile.
Ed always took us to gigs cuz none of us were liscenced to drive
yet.
We had spectacular gigs back then like Ron Sinclair's Lake
McQueeny sock hop, the Teen Canteen at Wonderland, occasional
VFW halls out in B.F.E somewhere and oh, at Crow's dad's repair
garage around the corner of Ft. Sam. That venue really prepared
us for those brutal "Battle of the Bands" Sam Kinsey
used to have at the Canteen. Oh, those battles ... How glorious
it was letting it all hang out while Jay worked the stage like
the master he turned out to be. Out of 20-30 battles, we probably
won a total of...none!
The battles were always rigged, I mean won by The Spidels (Gene
Coleman's band), Wink Kelso's band, The Outcasts etc but never
us. I believe part of the key to victory was having a separate
amp for each player along with a real PA. Gee, ya think? Here
again, good character building. Made us tuff and afraid of nothing.
If we only knew what was ahead for us.
Next in chapter 2: Meeting Bob Galindo: Drugs, Sex & Rock
'n Roll as the lads grow older...Until Then...........
- Phillip Arroyo Sept,2003 |