"True Story" - Roger Dale Helms (North Carolina guitarist, member of Blue Rebellion, Underground Fire, Destiny)
Roger D. Helms - utalentowany gitarzysta z Północnej Karoliny, dla którego muzyka jest pasją życia.
Zaczynał jako dzieciak (10 - 11- letni chłopiec), a jego pierwszym zespołem była grupa Blue Rebellion z Monroe (North Carolina) - https://kossoff1963progandpsychrock.blogspot.com/2022/10/blue-rebellion-us-northcarolina-psych.html .
W wieku 12 lat doczekał się pierwszego singla (1970), a dwa lata póżniej był współodpowiedzialny za album
grupy Underground Fire (perełka kolekcjonerska, "biały kruk", niestety nieosiągalne wydawnictwo).
Całkiem niezły dorobek jak na wczesnego nastolatka.
Udało mi się nawiązać kontakt z tym wspaniałym muzykiem i serdecznym człowiekiem. Jego wspomnienia są kolejnym potwierdzeniem, że lata 60 i 70 od strony muzycznej nie mają sobie równych.
Roger D. Helms :
" ... Blue Rebellion was formed in the late 1960's. Just some school friends that were learning how to play music. Myself and Terry Mullis ( I was maybe 11 or 12 years old!) would get together and try to learn songs. Then we found Mitchell and Danny, and started the band that became Blue Rebellion. We played in a few "Battle of the Bands", won one, second place in another. We played every week for a while at the Pageland Theater in Pageland, SC. That was an old cinema that had been converted to a music venue for local teens to have somewhere to go. Owned by the Smith family as in your files. That is where the handbill came from from the photo. Only photo I know with us all in it. We played local parties and such, and a few 4th of July festivals. Mike had joined us by then after Terry left for reasons I don't remember. Also not sure why Mitchell left, but after he did, myself, Mike, and Danny decided to start a new band with Errol English and Randy Jenkins. That became Underground Fire. We played a lot of parties and festivals locally also. The album was Randy's brother's idea, and he financed it. We paid him back by selling the album, sometimes door to door. No other records were made by either band. Me and Danny went on to a different band "Destiny" a bit later, and we were a club band playing many clubs in the area. Never made a record. A couple of years later, life got in the way and we parted ways. I didn't play anymore for 40 years or so, until 2015 or so when I picked up the bass guitar this time, and plays for a few years with the Cameron Matthews band and Tonya Wood Music Company. I'm now disabled due to heart problems and no longer play. Mike & Danny played with various bands over the years. No recordings that I know of. Mitchell was on one other 45 cut on the "Playhouse Records" label (James Smith), but I don't recall the name. Mitchell passed away a few weeks ago from a heart attack. He had a very rough life. He was 68. Terry Mullis died several years ago, I do not know the circumstances. Errol English is a physics professor somewhere in Ohio. I know nothing of Randy Jenkins. I have one copy of each record that I treasure just for the memories.
The original plan on the Blue Rebellion 45 was Hours of Darkness and "Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortning Bread" on the flip. Last minute change got us "Tell Me" instead. Thank goodness! ... "
Underground Fire - " Same " (1972, Private Press) :
A1 "Loving Man" (Spurlock)
A2 "Love The One That Loves You" (Spurlock)
A3 "I Love You" (Spurlock)
A4 "We Can Make It" (Taylor)
B1 "Evil Woman" (Spurlock)
B2 "You'll Like It" (Spurlock)
B3 "I Loved Her" (Helms)
B4 "Cardack" (English)
Roger D. Helms :
" ... song CARDACK was originally supposed to be CARDIAC.....but Mike was a poor speller, & we said heck with it, CARDACK it is......lol .
" ... the man pictured with us in your photo is Arthur Smith.....his name may have been James, but he is somewhat famous here. He owned the recording studio "Arthur Smith Studios" in Charlotte, NC where the album was recorded. He came in to meet us, and even played a song with us. Not on the album, but is a good memory ... "
Serdeczne podziękowania dla Roger D. Helms za zdjęcia, informacje i pliki muzyczne.
English
"True Story" - Roger Dale Helms (North Carolina guitarist, member of Blue Rebellion, Underground Fire, Destiny)
Roger D. Helms - a talented guitarist from North Carolina, for whom music is the passion of life.
He started as a kid (10 - 11 year old boy) and his first band was Blue Rebellion from Monroe (North Carolina) - https://kossoff1963progandpsychrock.blogspot.com/2022/10/blue-rebellion-us-northcarolina-psych .html .
At the age of 12, he had his first single (1970), and two years later he was co-responsible for the album
group Underground Fire (collector's gem, "white raven", unfortunately unattainable release).
Quite a feat for an early teen.
I managed to get in touch with this wonderful musician and kind-hearted man. His memories are another confirmation that the 1960s and 1970s are second to none in terms of music.
Roger D. Helms :
" ... Blue Rebellion was formed in the late 1960's. Just some school friends that were learning how to play music. Myself and Terry Mullis ( I was maybe 11 or 12 years old!) would get together and try to learn songs. Then we found Mitchell and Danny, and started the band that became Blue Rebellion. We played in a few "Battle of the Bands", won one, second place in another. We played every week for a while at the Pageland Theater in Pageland, SC That was an old cinema that had been converted to a music venue for local teens to have somewhere to go. Owned by the Smith family as in your files. That is where the handbill came from from the photo. Only photo I know with us all in it. We played local parties and such, and a few 4th of July festivals. Mike had joined us by then after Terry left for reasons I don't remember. Also not sure why Mitchell left, but after he did, myself, Mike, and Danny decided to start a new band with Errol English and Randy Jenkins. That became Underground Fire . We played a lot of parties and festivals locally also. The album was Randy's brother's idea, and he financed it. We paid him back by selling the album, sometimes door to door. No other records were made by either band. Me and Danny went on to a different band "Destiny" a bit later, and we were a club band playing many clubs in the area. Never made a record. A couple of years later, life got in the way and we parted ways. I didn't play anymore for 40 years or so, until 2015 or so when I picked up the bass guitar this time, and plays for a few years with the Cameron Matthews band and Tonya Wood Music Company. I'm now disabled due to heart problems and no longer play. Mike & Danny played with various bands over the years. No recordings that I know of. Mitchell was on one other 45 cut on the "Playhouse Records" label (James Smith), but I don't recall the name. Mitchell passed away a few weeks ago from a heart attack. He had a very rough life. He was 68. Terry Mullis died several years ago, I do not know the circumstances. Errol English is a physics professor somewhere in Ohio. I know nothing of Randy Jenkins. I have one copy of each record that I treasure just for the memories.
The original plan on the Blue Rebellion 45 was Hours of Darkness and "Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortning Bread" on the flip. Last minute change got us "Tell Me" instead. thank goodness! ... "
Many thanks to Roger D. Helms for photos, information and music files.
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