"The
feeling
remains...
Even after
the glitter fades"
Stevie Nicks
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I spent 1965 & 1966 in the Haight of S.F.
and Berkeley. I had traveled there with the Chambers Brothers who were
great friends of mine. Willy Chambers took me as his charge and kept me
out of trouble!!! Big Job. They came back to LA and I stayed!!! One of
my long remembered friends was Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer. We met in
Berkeley and hung out together for a few months. He was great. I
remember later going to a Blue Cheer/Big Brother w/Janis Joplin at the Shrine
Auditorium. Blue Cheer blew the doors off the place. The pioneer
of Heavy Metal they were and what a guitarist Leigh was. I understand he
made the Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Congratulations Leigh!!!
I went to New York in late '66 and returned in
time for the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. A girlfriend and I
hitchhiked to the MPF and arrived with no tickets or money (whatz new). We
hung about by the stage entrance and met P.J. Proby (remember him?) who
promptly gave us backstage passes for the whole weekend. (amazing how
those things kept working out). Needless to say, we got to witness
history in the making!!! The backstate area was dubbed "The Hunt
Club". All the food and booze you could want, not to mention Owsley
dropping in with tabs of LSD flying out of his pockets. Amazing weekend.
Got to see the Who set the whole stage on fire (curtain too) and as soon as it
was out, Jimi Hendricks set his guitar on fire. Brian Jones premiered
Jimi there that weekend. The show was closed by the Mama's and Papa's
and they introduced Scott McKenzie to sing When you're goin' to San
Francisco.....
After it was all over, i lost my friend in the
melee that ensued and wound up at a party on Motel Row in Monterey with the
Who, Dewey Martin (Buffalo Springfield) and Eric Burdon. Everyone ended
up in the pool in the middle of the night.
I was given a ride home to Hollywood by Papa
Denny and Mama Cass. Unfortunately, I don't remember much of that trip
after the 5 days of partying.
In late 1967 I was living in an appt on Fairfax
Blvd. Right in the middle of the Borscht Belt. I remember going to
the Purple Onion and Pandora's Box. The memories are very vague for me
for that time. I moved up to Laurel Canyon in 1968 and lived with a girl
named Lynn (?). Lynn ended up marrying Robbie Kreiger of the Doors.
We hung with the Doors and all of Frank Zappas loonies (we were just around
the corner from the famous (infamous) Log Cabin on Laurel Canyon. Neil
Young, John Mayall, Richey Furay, Grahm Parsons, et al (ad infinitum)
Our across-the-street neighbor was Micky Dolenz of the Monkees. He was a
riot. Used to come over and hide out at our house to get away from all
the groupies camping in his driveway.
There were many many parties and club gigs.
The Whiskey was a mainstay and the Tripp, The Experience, Hullabaloo, POP Park
in Santa Monica, The Troubador, ...I worked for a while at Mother's (next door
to the Whiskey). I worked with Sugar Bear and we had a blast.
Unfortunately, I was fired due to an empty keg (hiccup). I was one of
Elmer's Girls and had the standing pass into the Whiskey (any of you ladies
remember Betty who worked in the Ladies Room at the Whiskey?) . Again,
these memories are very vague for me. I also remember tons of late
nights at Cantors and Ben Franklins. I
In 1968 I met Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper.
Scorpio & Leo (SHEZAM)!! They were actually called the Nazz when I met him
and they were doing covers of the Kinks and Rolling Stones. Glen and I
lived together in Topanga Canyon with the band (long story) and then again at
a huge house in Hollywood Hills (this was after they had "made it",
were Alice Cooper, and had management. ) Money was actually coming in!!!!
Glen and I were on-again/off-again for over a year. He was on the road
alot and I had moved out. We stayed in touch and we were together when
he was in LA. We ended up having a child (daughter-Brittany
Heather Buxton) in 1970. As I am sure you know, Glen passed away
in 1997. He too made the 100 Greatest Guitarists Ever!!!!
There are many more chronicals in this story and
I will add them as they come.
I attach photos of me (then and now) and a pic
of Glen.
Thanks.
Djinn Ruffner