Rock 'n' Roll in Orange County

by Chris Epting

  Meatloaf’s first band, Meatloaf Soul, is pictured on the pier in Huntington Beach in 1968. Author’s collection.

  “I remember that gig really well,” he recalled. “We went and took a picture on Huntington Beach. Which became like our very first band photo. But what really stands out to me is that was pretty much the first time I ever get up on the stage and sang professionally with a band. So in that sense my musical career as a rock ’n’ roll singer was born in Huntington Beach.”

  Another Orange County venue that served as a magnet for major rock ’n’ roll acts was the Anaheim Convention Center Arena, which opened in the summer of 1967 just across the street from Disneyland at 800 West Katella Boulevard. The distinctive Googie-style building held 7,500 people and kicked off its opening night with a performance by the Doors on July 15, 1967. Also on the bill were Jefferson Airplane and Merry Go Round. Not too big and not too small, the arena provided the perfect intimacy for a diverse host of bands over the years. One night you might have Hot Tuna playing with John Mayall. Another might feature a show with Cream and Spirit. Over the years, the arena was used for many different events, from sports to conventions, but one of its primary functions was as a musical venue.

  The Doors performed at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena in 1967. Author’s collection.

  The Anaheim Convention Center Arena. Author’s collection.

  Looking over old concert posters and ads from the Anaheim Convention Center, you get the sense that this building gave Orange County an all-new acceptability in terms of where to play when visiting Southern California. The list of performers is simply jaw dropping.

  The Who performed there in September 1967, as did Herman’s Hermits. Donovan in Concert, the sixth album from the famed British singer-songwriter Donovan (and his very first live album) was recorded at the convention center in September 1967.

  And from there, the bands just kept coming.

  In January 1968, the Bee Gees performed at the convention center, followed by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Janis Joplin, Blue Cheer, Frank Zappa, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Fats Domino.

  Within just a year of being open, the Anaheim Convention Center had established itself as a premier concert destination, and all of a sudden, Orange County was part of the main rock ’n’ roll circuit.

  One of the more notable shows took place on August 9, 1969 (the week before Woodstock would happen back East). Opening the show was a British band called Jethro Tull, and the headliner that evening, on its third tour of the United States, was Led Zeppelin.

  Interestingly, Zeppelin had already played Orange County earlier in the year during its spring tour. That show had taken place on May 1, 1969, in Crawford Hall at UC Irvine. It was during this tour that the band took out time at a variety of recording studios around the country to lay down tracks for its forthcoming album, Led Zeppelin II. Lee Michaels opened the show at the college, which had been deeply oversold by the school. A second show had actually been scheduled but was not performed. By the time the band came back to Orange County for the August 9 show, it was reportedly earning $30,000 per show. The set list that evening included, “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” “Dazed and Confused,” “You Shook Me” and “Communication Breakdown.”

  Even more big-name bands came to Anaheim in 1970 to play the convention center arena. A February 7 show featured Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull returned in October to play as a headliner and Grand Funk Railroad arrived in November.

  On December 4, 1970, Elton John, on his very first U.S. tour, paid a visit. He had arrived in America that past August and played a string of now legendary shows at the Troubadour club in Los Angeles. He played shows throughout the fall and then wrapped up with the show in Anaheim and then one more in San Bernardino at the Swing Auditorium.

  John would return to the Anaheim Convention Center in May 1971. With no other small-sized arena in the area, the venue kept booking interesting popular shows throughout the next several years. In 1973, Crosby, Nash and Young play there, along with Steely Dan, Rod Stewart and the Faces, Emerson Lake and Palmer, the Beach Boys and Elvis Presley (the first of two appearances he would make there).

  Presley performed for two nights, April 23 to the 24. Part of a review in the Anaheim Bulletin read:

  Elvis Presley once more affirmed his role as the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll” to overflow crowds at the Anaheim Convention Center. Reminiscent of his recent TV special, Elvis illuminated the stage in a beaded, white pants suit as he strutted out to the pulsating rhythm of “2001”—an appropriate introduction for the man whose genesis was “Hound Dog” and who has left an indelible impression on the evolution of Rock And Roll.

  Twenty years and millions of sold records later, only some of the pelvis in Elvis seems to be gone. He had immediate control over his audience from the first song—“C.C. Rider”—until his finale of “Blue Hawaii.” His delivery was both melodic and mellow. Ardent fans may have been surprised by his subdued Rhythm and Blues rendition of Hound Dog and later, James Taylor’s Steamroller. His showmanship was apparent throughout the night last week as he appealed, with almost sarcastic flare, to all areas of the audience amidst the strobe-like effect of flash bulbs.

  Elvis also got a little help from his friends. Included in the production was an exceptionally fine brass orchestra directed by Joe Guercio, his own backup band led by James Burton, the “J.D. Sumner and The Stamps” quartet and soprano Kathy Westmoreland. Miss Westmoreland’s obligato was a unique contribution to Elvis’ performance of “How Great Thou Art,” one of two gospel numbers he included.

  The Sweet Inspirations, a soulful female trio, harmonized with Elvis throughout the evening as did the quartet, of whom it was Ray Strampy who had an unbelievable bass voice. The Sweet Inspirations were also one of the lead acts, and were successful in getting the audience warmed up with their rendition of Aretha Franklin’s Greatest Hits. Aretha Franklin is one of the many great singers with whom they have appeared.”

  Actually, in addition to performing in Anaheim in 1973 and ’76, Presley has another interesting bit of history in Orange County.

  The story begins in the late 1960s, when a Hawaiian-born martial arts instructor named Mike Stone met Elvis and his wife, Priscilla, at a karate competition. Stone, who would eventually relocate to Huntington Beach, ran into the couple again in 1972 at one of Elvis’s Las Vegas performances. Soon, at the suggestion of Elvis, Priscilla began learning martial arts under Stone’s tutelage. By this time, Stone had opened a school in Westminster, which Presley would drive to from her Los Angeles home. Eventually, she gave up commuting and began training with Chuck Norris, who ran a program closer to her home.

  But she also began a romantic relationship with Stone.

  This love affair would eventually be the undoing of her marriage with Elvis. In 1975, the couple split and Priscilla had one of her horses, Domino (a gift from Elvis), shipped from Graceland to Huntington Beach, where it lived at the Reynolds Boarding Stables, owned and operated by Betty and Rex Reynolds.

  Their son, Cody Reynolds, told me from San Francisco, where he now lives, that he had fond memories of both Priscilla and her young daughter, Lisa Marie.

  “It was a beautiful time in Huntington Beach,” he shared. “Very laid-back and peaceful. We always enjoyed when Priscilla would come down to ride her horse. She was very beautiful, and we enjoyed her company. Nobody ever called her Priscilla though. To everyone at the stables she was known as ‘Beau.’” (Perhaps derived from her maiden name, Beaulieu.)

  “Lisa Marie was pretty young then and rather than ride horses, she would spend time in the playground that we had at the stables.” (Located today on Goldenwest near Central Library.)

  OK, so we have established that Priscilla Presley, her daughter with Elvis and a gift horse from Elvis used to spend some time in Huntington Beach.

  But what about the King himself?

  In the early 1970s, Presley had also started taking martial arts lessons from Mike St
one (who had become a tenth-degree black belt). However, Elvis was too big a celebrity to take classes at Stone’s Westminster studio. Rather, Presley would visit the trainer at his home, located in a housing tract on Edwards Avenue between Warner and Heil Avenues.

  Jay Meyers, who lived just around the corner from Stone in the early 1970s, explained to me how he would often see Elvis in the neighborhood: “I was in my early teens and as kids we would see the limo pull into the tract. We’d be riding our bikes and recognized the limo after a few times, and he would roll down the window and wave to us. It made us feel on top of the world that Elvis waved at us.”

  And while the Anaheim Convention Center Arena saw plenty of legendary music through the late ’60s and early 70s, the smaller Melodyland was still going strong, as well.

  Throughout the late 1960s, many popular musical artists—including Jackie Wilson, the Righteous Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Jose Feliciano, the Association, the Strawberry Alarm Clock and Jefferson Airplane—all performed at Melodyland. In 1969, Melodyland closed down and was taken over by the Christian Center, Church of Anaheim. Gone were the days of the Grateful Dead playing there; now the building played host to noted speakers from the charismatic Pentecostal movement. It was torn down in 2003.

  The stadium rock era arrived in Orange County on June 14, 1970, when the Who brought its Tommy tour to town. The show, which also featured John Sebastian, Leon Russell and Blues Image, is still fondly recalled by fans who were in attendance.

  And it ushered in a new era in Orange County concert experience. Within the next several years, huge crowds would flock to the baseball stadium to see myriad big-name acts, including Chicago, who played the venue in May 1975; Fleetwood Mac, who visited in August 1975; and the Eagles, who performed the month after that.

  The Who would return to Anaheim Stadium in 1976, followed shortly after by the Beach Boys, America, Yes, Peter Frampton and Aerosmith. On August 20, 1976, Kiss played one of the most memorable shows in its history at the ballpark.

  As Kiss guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley shared:

  Playing right over there was a milestone for us. We were four guys from New York City who had nothing—we didn’t have a pot to piss in. But we had a dream. And when you use a dream as a template for what you want, then your dream becomes a map. And our map led us there before any other stadium. And so we feel a connection to this area. This is hallowed ground for us. In a sense, there are different places in the country that we mark, but this one was a turning point for us.

  A 1970s concert ad from Anaheim Stadium. Author’s collection.

  Throughout the ’70s and for the next several decades after, Anaheim Stadium would continue to host some of the largest and most lavish productions in rock history, including Pink Floyd’s Animals tour in 1977.

  The album art for a bootleg recording of Kiss’s legendary show at Anaheim Stadium in 1976. Author’s collection.

  The Good Time Theater at Knott’s Berry Farm is where the Everly Brothers broke up in 1973. Author’s collection.

  An early promotional shot of the Everly Brothers. Author’s collection.

  But there was still an active club scene in Orange County in addition to all the pomp and big production happening at Anaheim Stadium and at the nearby convention center.

  Somewhat controversially, the famed Everly Brothers, on July 14, 1973, at Knott’s Berry Farms’ John Wayne Theater (later to be called the Good Time Theater), nearly came to a permanent halt. They’d been bickering for years, but it all came to a head midway through the second of three scheduled shows. The band’s manager came on the stage and halted the show. He explained to the audience that he was upset with Don Everly’s sloppy performance. Phil Everly in turn smashed his guitar on stage and then abruptly left. Don Everly announced to the stunned crowd that the Everly Brothers had split. Quoting Don, “The Everly Brothers died ten years ago.”

  Not until September 23, 1983, did the Everly Brothers make peace with one another and reunite.

  But the Good Time Theater at Knott’s would continue to book big-name pop acts throughout the 1970s and ’80s. Like Disneyland, as a theme park, Knott’s had also discovered the many benefits of creating an in-park venue for added entertainment value.

  The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach continued to thrive. In 1974, it was purchased by the brothers Rick and Chuck Babiracki, along with Rick’s wife, Carole. They continued building the legacy of the Bear by booking many of the more relevant and meaningful touring bands of the mid-1970s. Jerry Garcia, Muddy Waters, Patti Smith, the Ramones, Arlo Guthrie and many others flocked to the intimate ocean-side club located right by the pier in Huntington Beach.

  The outdoor stage at Knott’s Berry Farm where teen pop sensations Menudo were performing in the 1980s. Author’s collection.

  A vintage ad from the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach illustrates just how diverse its lineups could be during any given week. Author’s collection.

  Today, former owner Carole Babiracki has many fond memories. “The night singer Tom Waits crashed on the floor among beer cases and pulled a Big Mac from his pocket before uttering, ‘You never know when you’ll get hungry.’ Or when actor Christopher Reeve came down to visit his pal Robin Williams, who was performing standup. How about reggae singer Peter Tosh’s request for five fresh red snappers so his chef could make fish-head stew?”

  I interviewed Peter Gabriel recently and asked him if it was true if he, after playing the Bear on his first solo tour in the late 1970s, went for an evening ocean dip after his show. I’d heard the rumors over the years. “Oh, absolutely,” Gabriel chuckled wistfully in his soft-spoken British accent. “A lovely venue in a lovely town. Me and the whole band actually, just [went] out the back door and down to the beach, right after we played. A magnificent evening. I’ll never forget it. What a perfect location for a club that was.”

  Gabriel played another memorable show in Orange County on June 17, 1980, at a small venue called the Santa Ana Club House, which was located at 2720 North Main Street in Santa Ana. The club had been open for about ten years at that point and would book bands that had also played the Golden Bear and the Marina Palace. Gabriel, though, had decided to squeeze in a small club show during a tour in which he was playing larger theaters, so the demand for tickets was quite high.

  Sponsored by the radio station KROQ, the “secret” Peter Gabriel show was heavily promoted, and as a result, there were about 1,000 fans packed into a space that could only hold about 250. Gabriel and his band were over an hour late for the show, and things were tense in the claustrophobic space. A bootleg recording of the show exists and it’s clear from Gabriel’s onstage patter that there were all kinds of issues inside the club. Gabriel said, “I’ve just been told that we have somewhat of a serious problem. We have exceeded the fire limit here, I’ll be back.” And then soon after he continued, “I’ve been really trying hard to persuade them to let us finish off, but there’s absolutely no way, hold on, hold on the power will be pulled!”

  In the late ’70s, an unknown muralist named Wyland painted a mural on the outside of the Golden Bear. He explained, “I was sitting in the Golden Bear one night watching B.B. King play. And I was sitting there doing a sketch. The owner of the club, Rick Babiracki, came over and asked what I was doing. I told him that I was a muralist and I was sketching some of the artists who have played the club. He asked when I could start painting on the side of the building, and I said, ‘Tomorrow.’” And so he did. This was long before Wyland became famous for painting what he calls the Whaling Walls.

  Over at Disneyland, they were still bringing in the occasional musical act to perform on what was called the Tomorrowland stage (located where the Space Mountain roller coaster is today). Of all the shows that took place there in the ’70s, arguably the most important one was on July 12, 1971. Linda Ronstadt needed a backup band for a one-off gig at the theme park. The guy she was dating at the time, singer-songwriter J.D. Souther, was friendly with a group of guys he knew from
hanging out and playing at the Troubadour club in Los Angeles. Their names were Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Randy Meister and Bernie Leadon. Although a couple of the guys had backed Ronstadt before, this was the first time that the four of them had ever played together, thus marking the birth night of a band that would go on to become the Eagles.

  The exterior of the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach featured the signature of famed marine life artist Wyland, who painted this while still relatively unknown. Author’s collection.

  For all the major-name bands that would start visiting Orange County in the 1970s, it wasn’t as if there was no local scene or local bands. One group in particular managed to capture the heart and soul of the county like no other band of the early ’70s.

  Formed in 1970 in Laguna Beach, the band known as Honk still lives on to this day as one of the most sentimental favorites of the area. Eclectic, diverse and even somewhat experimental, its loose and airy beach vibe made it popular in clubs from the outset.

  The Tomorrowland stage at Disneyland is where the Eagles were born. Author’s collection.

  But as the band’s drummer, Tris Imboden, described, the band’s history and trajectory took a strange course that its members never saw coming:

  I grew up in Sunset Beach, and then we moved over to Huntington Harbor. So I’m Orange County through and through. I grew up practicing with bands in our garage. I grew up playing in surf bands like a lot of other kids and then moved to Newport Beach, where I continued playing in bands.

  There was a band called New Life, and I was just a kid; still they asked me to join, which was really exciting. They were the band that went on to became Honk. We started playing in clubs in Laguna Beach at a place called the Orphanage. We played covers mostly, but we’d sneak in some originals we were working on. We really had designs of being an all-original band. The unique thing about Honk was they already had a record deal without even being an official band. See, New Life had been signed to a label already and so it just sort of carried over with Honk.