I wish to thank first and foremost our wives, Tracie and Karen for putting up with our addiction to music and our kids for the nights we've spent “working”.

Back to the future

I had a band called the boilermakers that wasn't much more than a pickup band of guys that hung out at Chrissy's. When the bass player couldn't play a gig, a friend of his, Mike Hazeldine, said he worked with a guy that played bass, Mike called Rick. Rick walked in, plugged in his bass and played as if he had been a part of the band for years.

I had been lead singer of the After Hours Blues Band for about a year when the Bass player quit. Darryl asked Rick if he was interested in joined the band and just as before, Rick walked in, plugged in his bass and played as if he had been a part of the band for years. This time he stayed.

Rick and Darryl continued with the After Hours Blues Band and talked many times of playing as a duo through the years.

Rick and I wanted to get back to playing music again. After the demise of the After Hours Blues Band we decided we wanted to do it in a way that was different from anything else we have done. The idea of trying an acoustic duo had surfaced many times over the years and now seemed like the perfect opportunity.

We began practicing and started with a fresh crop of material that we have always wanted to try but were never in a band that would play it. Among these tunes were such things as Space Oddity by David Bowie, Sandman by America, James Taylor's Sweet Baby James and others along these lines.

After a few months of practicing, we were asked to play at the Almont Park which was a gig we had played the year before with the AHBB. We weren't really ready for it but thought that we could pull it off. The show went very well considering most of the material was rehashed AHBB stuff and the rest we read out of a book.

Not much added in the way of new material but there was a lot of work that went into the stuff that we had including the old stuff that we have done for years. Rick was told about a club in Rochester Hills that was looking for a new musical act. After a few phone calls to T-Bonz he was able to seal the deal to have a trial gig the Saturday before Thanksgiving. No one expected much of the evening with the guys deer hunting and the women getting ready for Thanksgiving. Rick pulled in 45 people and I had 2 more that came out to see the debut. Beth the Manager liked our stuff and was happy with the crowd we drew. I played my new Seagull 12 String guitar on stage for the first time and Rick played his new Michael Kelly Acoustic Bass. My main guitar was my trusty Takamine 6 string that I bought as my first guitar back in 1986

Once again asked to play at T-Bonz we went in on the 7 th and this time we were playing to mainly the crowd of regulars. Things went just as well as the first time we played. The crowd loved the mix of material we played and I brought out my Morrell Resonator guitar to play slide on. An old ploy that we tried this night was asking for tips for the band in the form of Labatt beer. This paid off in spades! Being a two piece band it was very inexpensive for people to buy us a round of drinks. We had 6 Labatt Blues delivered to the stage within 5 minute of Rick mentioning it! We were then booked to play the following weekend during the same 8:00 to 11:00 time slot (Which is great for two guys that like sleep!)

The After Hours Blues Band regroups and returns to T-Bonz since Rick and Darryl are well acquainted with the owner.

The drummer, Russ, for AHBB is unavailable to play a gig so Rick, Darryl and Mike, the guitarist, play as an acoustic trio. The gig is a very memorable event but mainly because of what was occurring in the audience instead of on stage. We'll just say there was a lot of cleavage, drinks, and at least one stop behind a dumpster for someone in the crowd on the way home.

While fun playing as a trio, there was a level of freedom that a duo has that is very interesting. Our biggest hoot of the night was while playing Space Oddity, for the first time with Mike, we were all gathered around the “Song Book” to read the chords and lyrics while we played. When we got to page two, we all noticed that it was a duplicate of page one! Talk about a train wreck! I made a show of it by reaching into the book and pulling out the offending page and tearing it up to toss it aside. I knew that there was another copy of the song behind the first just with a bit smaller type. I immediately launched into the acoustic guitar break of Space Oddity thinking the guys would follow. At this point I realized that the song had a huge section missing and we were all lost. I then threw the “Song Book” to the floor and played a blues song that we all knew.

The “Song Book” was gone forever for gigs.

AHBB plays its last gig, again. It was at my house as a farewell party for our friend Fred whose unit was called up to go to Iraq.

Stay Well Fred! Be Safe and Hurry Home.

Rick and Darryl returned to the stage at the Scarab Club in Detroit as R & D once again. It was a very hot day pushing 100 degrees and humid with the threat of a thunderstorm. We talked about the possibility of playing inside instead of in the courtyard as we prepare for the gig. When we arrive we find that the building is very old, very interesting and completely un-air conditioned. The courtyard it is! We made it through 2 sets and decided it would be best to stop and break down the equipment because of threatening storms.

The storm hit within 15 minutes. We were thankful that there were so many people willing to help move our equipment. One poor guy turned around and walked right into a steel guide wire for the tent that was set up and tore the flesh on his face. He was in terrible condition. As we walked around the building we both felt there was a “presence” watching us. That was when we were told that the place has several ghosts.

R & D play for the Healing Hands Holistic Health Center School of Massage fundraiser luau. Yet another day that was very hot, very humid and threatening storms. There were several people that were assumed to be coming and unfortunately, the storms in surrounding areas were enough to keep most of them away.

There was roast pig, halibut, pizza, desserts and a ½ barrel of Labatt Blue. Unfortunately there were about 20 people. The food went to waste and there is only so much that a duo can do to assist in the safe disposal of an entire ½ barrel.

I'd like everyone who reads this to take a moment of silence for the undrunk beer. (By the way according to my wife, adding Raspberry Pucker to beer tastes very good)

I'm just happy to be playing on the date mentioned in Marie Provost! We are playing at Fintini's to cover for our friend Paul whose band the Saints couldn't make it. We played as R & D because we hadn't played as a band since May and there wasn't time to practice. Rick and I had our chops up and were in good shape to play so we did.

Our friend Jeff Showed up for the last set the first night we played and introduced us to Jager-Bombs MUDBONE LIKE!!!!

When asked if we could play a Labor Day party I found myself wondering if they were asking about the Duo or the Band. This was the first time I ever thought more about the duo than the band. After agonizing over wanting to play as a duo instead of a band I wrote the email and ended my involvement in the After Hours Blues Band. I have quit this band at least 4 times before but this time I really think I am done with AHBB at least under that name! Sorry Henry Fineberg, the band you named is finally done.

The gig that made me decide I was done with the band was cancelled. Fate? Perhaps.

I have to note here that there are no hard feelings with any of my former band mates. It has been a pleasure and an honor to have shared the stage with the likes of Rick Arnold, Mike Jones, Russ Pattinson, Johnny DeVliege, Nolan Mendenhall, Mark Paliwoda, Gordy Hunt, Mike Piccalo and Henry Fineburg.
Yes, there is one who shall remain name less, We'll just say he's "Scary".