Bobby D. reflects on opening for Eric Gales in '91 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
The video is Bobby during that same era. Listen to it as you read the story below.
The video is Bobby during that same era. Listen to it as you read the story below.
"When I opened for Eric Gales in 1991, it was his first tour with older brother Eugene playing bass, lead vocals, basically keeping an eye on younger brother.
They had the typical "fat white, late 40s rock n roll road manager guy"...you know the type if you're in the biz. Always talking fast, sweaty, in a hurry.
Road manager did not know that the local radio station had hired us to open. He took ONE LOOK at our backline, which was easily three times as big as the Gales setup... we had three SVT bass rigs, I had two Marshall stacks, and my drummer had a FALICON rack and a huge Simon Phillips kit... and basically said "no freaking way these guys are OPENING!!!"
So, after a few heated phone calls with radio station, management, etc... I just went over to Eric, who was 16 at the time I believe, at least that's what they were telling us, they were playing up the "kid" angle to market the record.
Eric was sitting on a road case, just watching this FRACAS unfold and not saying anything.
I went over to him and asked him to TALK to his manager and let us freaking do our set, we had HUNDREDS of people who were coming that nite, and it was a show we had planned and rehearsed for, it was the damn Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.....not Joe Bob's Sports Pub.
Eric looked at me and said "no problem -- I AINT SCARED"
And we did our set, house sound man was a friend, i slipped him a sweet $100 bill to make sure we got FULL volume and a nice mix, and we did our thing. my album at that time was very Satriani style instrumental hard rock, with two songs that had vocals.
And then, they got up there and proceeded to wipe the stage with us.
Tight groove... three part vocal harmonies. Eugene is a BADASS bass player and lead vocalist. Their DRUMMER was a badass too. And then there was Eric, just SMOKING all nite long.
They just destroyed us.
Saw Eric backstage later, and told him "now i know why you wasn't scared".
Seriously. if you've never been spanked that hard by another player/band, it's an EDUCATIONAL experience...
After that gig, I sold my rack system, my ibanez JEM guitars, and bought a Strat & some pedals. True story.
That gig CHANGED MY LIFE.
It took me OUT of the 80s and brought me into a new era.
I literally went out the next week, sold my JEMs and my rack of effects, and bought a STRAT and some PEDALS."
Check out Eric Gales' new release "RELENTLESS"!
Bobby DeVito is a Florida based working musician, Youtube gear pimp and author. Click Here for more about Bobby D. and his latest book about Rock & Roll guitar adventures.
Also check out Bobby's Buddy Guy story.
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