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The Destruction of the Hopi Indian Culture
Tucked away in the high desert of Arizona above the Grand Canyon, once their sacred grounds, live the Hopi Indians, long known as the People of Peace and Children of God. Mysterious, isolated, and the only Indian nation in America to never sign a treaty with the government, never be at war with anyone, never ask the government for help and never to feel regret for all the wrongs that have been cast upon them, there is no indigenous nation on Earth like the Hopi.
Long before the new colonists settling colonial America reached the Hopi in Arizona the Hopi had been discovered by the Spanish Conquistadors who came to the Southwest from Mexico and South America where they spent a century plundering the Aztec and other indigenous tribes whose rich history and cultures have become legendary, like the Olmec, Toltec, Mayan and Aztec nations who prospered over 2,500 years from before the birth of Jesus.
The Spanish, following the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, were shocked by the human sacrifices of these native cultures and drawn to the incredible gold and riches of these ancient cultures so they plundered and conquered their way through Mexico into the areas now part of New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California. Before they were through over 90% of the Indians of Mexico died from diseases introduced by the White man and the wars.
During the same time caravans of Spanish ships returned to Europe laden with the treasures of the ancient kingdoms and as a result Spain was to grow into the most powerful and feared nation in Europe. It was the wealth of Mexican Indians that resulted in building the Spanish Armada, the fleet of warships of Spain that controlled the oceans of the world in the 16th century until Queen Elizabeth of England miraculously defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588.
It was during the century of conquest the Spanish conquistadors reached the Hopi nation in Arizona and were stunned to find a nation living in peace with no desire for war. As a result of the peaceful nature of the Hopi and failing to find an obsession with gold as with the Mexican tribes the Spanish granted the Hopi the only land grant ever given by a foreign government to an American Indian nation granting the Hopi all rights to Arizona, New Mexico, California and other parts of the Southwest.
However, the Hopi knew the act by the Spanish would be overturned by the next wave of White man coming from the East, the English speaking settlers of colonial America. You see the Hopi have an ancient prophecy dating back thousands of years to before the days of the legendary Atlantis, and this prophecy foretold of the coming of the Spanish, followed by the White man from the East, and the eventual destruction of the Hopi nation. To the Hopi the fulfillment of the prophecy was the will of Father Creator, their God who is comparable to the Christian God, and even though the Hopi nation would be reduced from over 100,000 when the Spanish arrived to about 10,000 today, it was the path of evolution they would follow.
Since the coming of the English speaking White man from the east in the 17th century we have stolen their lands, giving huge sections to other Indian nations like the Navajo who were at war with the White man. Missionaries from the Mormon church and others have tried to convert the Hopi to Christianity. By early in the 20th century all the Hopi children were kidnapped by our government and sent to government schools where English was taught instead of their Hopi teachings and the ancient ceremonies and prayers inherent in the Hopi way were banned. All was consistent with the ancient prophecies.
In time the influence of the white man would virtually destroyed the ancient Hopi Indian culture while fulfilling the ancient Hopi prophecies.
It was 46 years ago when two of my fraternity brothers at the University of Arizona in Tucson, native Navajo, first introduced me to the ancient Hopi in Northern Arizona, a reservation surrounded by the Navajo where the Hopi were sent to die out. The three mesas they occupied had no agriculture for food, little water and no resources. All of the Hopi lands that were rich with natural resources like the Colorado River, the source of water and electricity for California, and the rich copper and uranium deposits, were confiscated from the Hopi without cause, legal proceedings or dignity.
Still the Hopi remained at peace knowing the troubles they were to face. It was all according to the ancient prophecy.
Many times since I have returned to the reservation to meet with the elders and study the ancient Hopi way. I was accepted as a pure heart or "one heart" by the elders and they have shared more and more of their secrets over the years. It is a rich and highly spiritual legacy far more demanding than the Christian culture I knew as the Hopi were required to spend about 224 days a year performing religious ceremonies to honor Father Creator (God) and Mother Earth (The Holy Mother Mary).
The ancient Hopi prophecies are preserved by petro glyphs carved into the canyon walls by the Hopi thousands of years ago, and contained on four sacred tablets that have been handed down throughout time. It is the story of the five cycles of civilization of mankind, we are now in the 4th cycle of civilization, from the beginning through the end of time. I have seen the canyon prophecies and sacred bundles and talked of their meaning with the elders over the years.
These prophecies foresaw the coming of the “Bahanna”, or white man, and how the influence of these people would eventually lead to the destruction of the Hopi traditional culture, and with it an end to the current cycle of civilization as we know it. As of today, according to Grandfather Martin Gashwesoma, keeper of the sacred stone tablets and spiritual leader of the Hopi nation, less than 5% of the surviving Hopi still practice their ancient cultural beliefs.
PROPHECY OF THE WHITE MAN
The coming of the Hopi’s lost white brother was long awaited by the people as it was foretold in the Hopi prophecies. It was a prophecy that would not be fulfilled until the year of 1540. At that time the famous Spanish explorer, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, dispatched a party of soldiers and a Franciscan friar named Juan de Padilla to explore Indian villages in the area that is now Arizona. Nearly 43 years later the Spanish returned, and in 1598 the Spanish requested the submission of the Hopi to the King of Spain.
After requiring the submission of the villages to the King, the Spanish began sending missionaries to convert the Hopi to Christianity and many were converted. By 1674 several churches had been build in the villages. The next step was to require the Hopi to stop performing their ceremonies and follow those of the church. Shortly after came droughts, the destruction of the Hopi crops, and famine. A small group of Hopi secretly preserved the Hopi ceremonies by continuing them in the mountains.
By 1680 the Hopi finally refused further persecution and drove the Spaniards away. It was not until 1700 that Padre Juan Garaycoechea came to the Hopi and again tried to convert them to Christianity. And once again the Hopi drove them away. It would be nearly a century before the white man would harm them again.
One prophecy foretells of the time after the war between the United States and Mexico that resulted in the US taking control of the Hopi lands. The US government then failed to uphold promises to the Hopi to protect them in 1852 from attacks by the Navajo Indians. When the Navajos were defeated by the US in 1864, much of the Hopi land was given to the Navajo without the consent of the Hopi.
Yet another prophecy told of when the traditional ways of the Hopi would be threatened by the Bahanna, which happened beginning in 1887 with the opening of the first public school on the Hopi reservation. By the early 1900’s the US began the imprisonment of Hopi parents who refused to send their Indian children to the schools. The banning of all traditional rituals and ceremonies soon followed.
CONCLUSION
The mysterious Hopi nation has long been a source of speculation and myth. They are the only Indian nation in America that has never been at war against other Indians or the white man. They are the only Indian nation that has refused to sign a treaty with the United States government. They have never requested assistance in terms of food, housing or medical aid from the US government.
They grow their own food in the harshest desert under the worst conditions, and have been self-sufficient for over 800 years. They spend 224 days a year performing religious ceremonies, and recognize both a single God (Creator) figure, a Jesus figure and the Holy Mother Mary (Mother Earth). Hopi traditionals refuse to allow Mother Earth to be harmed in any way, including refusing to allow any disruption in the earth from sewer pipes, water lines, mineral mining and anything else to be taken or buried in the earth.
Long called the People of Peace and Children of God, it is ironic that among the people the Hopi wanted to protect, the Bahanna, they were the very ones who have done the most to destroy this ancient culture. A course of history that was foretold in the ancient Hopi prophecies.
For further truths about the Hopi see:
Frank Waters, Book of the Hopi, New York: Penguin Books, 1963.
Sandy Johnson, The Book of Elders, San Francisco: Harper, 1994.
Hopi Elders. “The Techqua Ikachi” file, 44 newsletters explaining Hopi prophecy
http://www.jnanadana.org/hopi/techqua_ikachi_i.html
..
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
Maybe there is hope for our future...
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At least the Irish know what is still important.
Thanks to the Google ad barrage you may have to turn up the volume at the bottom of each video, or maybe not.
At least the Irish know what is still important.
Tá an ticéad a'am don bhealach fada
Dhá bhuidéal uisce don thuras
Is ba bhreá liom cara a bheith in éindí liom
Mé ag fágáil amárach, mbeidh tú liom?
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's mo aoibh
Aireoidh tú uait mé 'chuile thaobh
Ó, aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
Tá an ticéad 'am don bhealach fada
Tá an saol mór ag fanacht liom
Measc na sléibhte, taobh na habhann
Ait a bhíonn an t-aer breá úr
Beidh sé i bhfad níos fearr leat a stóir
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's me ag caint
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's mé ag seinnt
Ó, aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
Dhá bhuidéal uisce don thuras
Is ba bhreá liom cara a bheith in éindí liom
Mé ag fágáil amárach, mbeidh tú liom?
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's mo aoibh
Aireoidh tú uait mé 'chuile thaobh
Ó, aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
Tá an ticéad 'am don bhealach fada
Tá an saol mór ag fanacht liom
Measc na sléibhte, taobh na habhann
Ait a bhíonn an t-aer breá úr
Beidh sé i bhfad níos fearr leat a stóir
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Nuair 'tá mé imithe
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's me ag caint
Aireoidh tú uait mé 's mé ag seinnt
Ó, aireoidh tú uait mé 's gan mé ann
I got my ticket for the long way run
Two bottle of whiskey for the way
And I sure would like some sweet company
And I'm leaving tomorrow, what'dya say
When I'm gone
When I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me by my hair
You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
I got my ticket for the long way run
The one with the prettiest of views
It's got mountains, It's got river's
It's got sights to give you shivers
But it sure would be prettier with you
When I'm gone
When I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me by my walk
You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Two bottle of whiskey for the way
And I sure would like some sweet company
And I'm leaving tomorrow, what'dya say
When I'm gone
When I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me by my hair
You're gonna miss me everywhere, oh
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
I got my ticket for the long way run
The one with the prettiest of views
It's got mountains, It's got river's
It's got sights to give you shivers
But it sure would be prettier with you
When I'm gone
When I'm gone
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me by my walk
You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Thanks to the Google ad barrage you may have to turn up the volume at the bottom of each video, or maybe not.
Thursday, October 03, 2013
The search for the band MADD - Iowa's Legendary Garage Band
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Where have all the flowers gone? |
Tired of the political
constipation in Washington ? Once upon a time there were a lot of good
things that happened in our world and lives.
A long time ago my basketball
teammates at the University of Arizona used to call me a "hayseed" from
the fields of Iowa ,
a label I wore proudly. They could never
understand why nothing seemed to bother me no matter which way the winds blew,
good or bad.
In Iowa we grew up to believe things could
always be better and not just for ourselves but for everyone on God's green
Earth. So we sang, we danced and we got
on with fixing the problems rather than becoming a hostage to them.
Think about it. We grew up with a Cold War, the constant
threat of nuclear annihilation, a civil rights revolution, colleges torn apart
by Viet Nam ,
the military draft and academic freedom, multiple assassinations of our president,
his brother and the leader of the civil rights movement, and even the murder of
Marilyn.
As a people we faced these
problems and solved them, not without great difficulty and perseverance, but we
solved them because we were first Americans whose love of freedom and
individuality drove us to make our world better for everyone, not destroy the system
just to get our own way.
Back in the good old days
when people looked at each other as people rather than some ridiculous label;
things got worked out. Now our leaders can't
even keep the Lincoln Memorial open.
In the middle of the chaos
we grew up in back in Iowa ,
there came a group of young teenagers who just wanted to bring people together
through their music and it was people like them who showed us the light at the
end of the tunnel.
For a few hours in a
concert they could weave a magical spell and make us forget all the real problems
we faced, Viet Nam ,
civil unrest, prejudice, assassinations and nuclear disasters. If they could just get us to stop and sing
and dance, the world could be a little safer for all of us.
So I set out to discover what
had happened to one of the best bands I had ever heard after they disappeared
in 1970 and to resurrect the remarkable journey they took through the chaos to
bring a touch of happiness to our world when we really needed it.
What I discovered was just
as remarkable as the events that brought MADD to us in the first place and I am
more than happy to share their story about a group of humble lads from Iowa who just wanted to
share their songs with anyone who would listen.
They were the messengers of peace, joy and happiness in one of our
darkest times and they never stopped pursuing their mission in life.
So please turn down the
hatred, fear and anxiety for a few moments and read the remarkable story of the
band MADD and their quest to help everyone remember how to sing, dance and be happy.
.
Labels:
1960's,
Des Moines,
garage band,
Iowa,
Iowa City,
Iowa Rock n Roll Hall of Fame,
Iowa State Fair,
MADD,
MADD - Iowa's Greatest Garage Band,
music,
Ottumwa,
rock band,
rock n roll,
teens
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
MADD - Iowa's Greatest Garage Band of the 1960's
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Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association
Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association
Ottumwa , Iowa was a small
town with a huge craving for good music thus it was a place where Swing Bands
and the Grand Ole' Opry toured constantly when in Iowa .
It was in the shadow of this rich musical legacy that a group of young
lads growing up in the 1950's and 1960's fired their interest in music, and
became caught up in the early evolution of the rock and roll movement in America .
Ottumwa was one of the first tour sites for the Grand Ole
Opry road shows and was in the middle of the cultural revolution taking place
in music. Changes intensified in the
1960's with the Beach Boys, the California
sound of the Byrds, the Beatles invasion, Dylan's electric folk and the
psychedelic revolution.
Kahoka , Missouri College Dance
Northeast Missouri State
University , Kirksville , Missouri
University of Iowa , Iowa City
Parsons College , Fairfield , Iowa
Iowa State Fair, Des
Moines , Iowa
London Fog, Iowa
City
.
.
MADD
Iowa's Greatest Garage Band of the 1960's
Iowa's Greatest Garage Band of the 1960's
The Band history
Mick Sexton - Barry Monohon
Brian David Bernstein
Michael Schomers - Casey Foutz
Hall of Fame
Nomination
submitted by
Jim Putnam
Hall of Fame Nomination
MADD Band History
What a time to be involved
as they were in the first generation of Baby Boomers and were exposed to the
most turbulent times in terms of world and national events while the music
industry was going through the greatest changes since the radio revolutionized
the music scene.
Television brought America into the far reaches of the nation's
deep music legacy from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville
to Dick Clark's American Bandstand in Philadelphia . Popular music was on the Hit Parade and
musicals dominated the Broadway scene in NYC.
There was a proliferation
of genre friendly radio stations across the land and with the advent of rock
and roll and the soaring popularity of country music suddenly tours with a
cavalcade of stars were making their way throughout the land.
A young kid in the 1950's
was torn between the country sounds of Hank Williams, the rock and roll of Bill
Haley and the Comets, Elvis and Buddy Holly, the soul of Louis Armstrong, the
blues by the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Jimmy Reed, the
doo wop of the Platters, Coasters and Del Vikings, the pop songs of Teresa
Brewer, Rosemary Clooney, Perry Como and Doris Day and the folk songs of Peter,
Paul and Mary, The Kingston Trio and others to mention a few.
With the commercial
success of Fender and then Gibson electric guitars in the early 1950's the
revolution in music styles was matched by the revolution in instruments with
technical innovations often driving the emerging rock and roll era.
This was the culture of
music when each of the lads of MADD began their odyssey in the music
scene. They were the first generation
bombarded by all forms and styles of music from radio, television, movies and
Broadway shows. It was the Golden Age of
America
and the Golden Age of rock and roll.
Before the age of
computers, cell phones and multi-track digital recording, when electric guitars
were still new and rock and roll was just beginning to discover a niche as a
new music genre, a group of young lads in Ottumwa set out on the path that would
bring them together in their high school years and launch them into a lifetime
love of music.
MADD was
a journey from honky tonks to country clubs, street dances to college campuses,
and television to the State Fair.
Members grew from junior high marching bands to American Bandstand
appearances, from teen clubs to Broadway.
It was magical in a time when the magic of rock and roll ruled. Here is their story.
MADD Members
Mick Sexton
Mick Sexton was a singer and lead guitarist for MADD and the acknowledged leader
of the band though he refuses credit and insists all four, Mick Sexton, Barry
Monohon, Michael Schomers and Brian David Bernstein should collectively share
credit as leaders and founders. Still, a
look at his background and it was clear why he was the driving force in pushing
their amazing creative musical achievements.
By age 4 Mick was playing
Hank Williams tunes on his Grandmother's piano.
His interest in music caused his mother to rent an accordion from a door
to door salesman. After a handful of
lessons, at age 4½ Mick was playing The
Blue Danube Waltz live on an Oskaloosa radio station.
His father bought him a
Stella acoustic guitar for his 5th birthday and 6 years of lessons led to
winning a number of talent contests at county fairs. Performing for his parent's friends became a
family ritual. When performing on the
Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon in the late 1950's he shared the stage with
Raymond Burr (Perry Mason), James Arness (Matt Dillon) and Schuyler "Sky King"
(Kirby Grant) at the Ottumwa
Coliseum. By age 10 and 11 he had
performed several shows with the popular Rhythm Playboys.
All the while Mick was
exceptional in school and YMCA AAU athletics in swimming and diving competition
including winning Gold Medals in two State AAU championships and two Regional
AAU championships.
He joined his first rock
band, The Perfidians, when in 8th grade.
They played the Horseshoe Club and road houses in the Ottumwa area while Mick balanced his
education, swimming and musical careers.
After a brief stint with
Tommy Williamson's X Rays band he was playing at the Teen Corner Candy Kane
Lounge with Barry Monohon, Eddie Hood and Bill Ingles. When Eddie and Bill departed, Mick, Barry,
Michael Schomers and Brian David Bernstein decided to form MADD.
After his MADD experience
Mick played in a group called London Fog with Casey Foutz, the 5th member of
MADD, that recorded a song in Racine ,
Wisconsin . This was followed by the Upstairs Playground,
an innovative rock ensemble.
He moved the Upstairs
Playground to Iowa City where they performed at the
popular college bar Little Bill's, one of the hot spots for University of Iowa
students. Mick later played in a group
called Stray Cat.
Then it was on to San Francisco , California
where he joined a band called Innersection that opened for the well known band
the Whispers. Mick's band was an all
Black Soul and R&B band until he joined.
He then moved to Eugene , Oregon
and joined a country/rock band called Captain Country. This band recorded an album and made music
videos and was popular in the Pacific Northwest
music scene playing venues from I-5 truck stops to The Dexter Lake Club, a
popular venue used for the movie Animal
House featuring the band Otis Day and the Knights led by now famous Robert
Cray.
It was back to the Top 40 when
Mick joined his wife in the band Elixir and they moved to Rochester ,
NY and joined a circuit playing clubs from Rochester to the Florida Keys, then forming Florida bands The Source
and later Sapphire.
Today he retains his
passion for music in an avant garde group playing a range of music from the
Beatles to Paul Simon to traditional Irish (Celtic) to classical including
Mozart, Bach and Beethoven forever seeking to challenge his creativity and push
his in depth knowledge and expertise in music.
Barry Monohon
Barry Monohon, bass guitar, was adopted by his maternal grandparents who exposed
him to music his entire life. From his
earliest memories of an accordion player performing Mocking Bird Hill for him
at his Aunt's house at age 4, to discovering a stash of 78 big band records at
age 5 by Glenn Miller, Harry James, Benny Goodman and Sophie Tucker, music was
his passion.
The first live concert he
attended was Conway Twitty and Brenda Lee in the Grand Ole' Opry Show that
regularly came to Ottumwa and one night his step father, Leo Monohon brought
the popular Rhythm Playboys over to the house for rehearsal, giving young Barry
a chance to sit in with the band.
He progressed from a
tonnette to clarinet, to ukulele before joining his junior high band. Left handed, he got his first electric guitar
in junior high and soon took up bass guitar.
Like Mick, Barry also
played in local bands before joining the X Rays band with Tommy Williamson
where they were the house band at the Candy Kane lounge. When two members decided to leave Mick, Barry
and Brian David Bernstein decided to form MADD with Michael Schomers.
To those who knew him
Barry was a fun loving and mischievous character who would rebuild right handed
guitars in order to play left handed, and loved a good practical joke. Like the time he shouted into the microphone
during a sold out concert to the teen girls who threw panties on stage to throw
money not clothes, and they promptly bombarded Michael Schomers and the others
with quarters.
An accomplished graphic
design, oil and pastel artist Barry balanced his interest between MADD and his
passion for art moving for a time to Berkeley , California where he was caught up in the Abstract
Expressionist movement but returned to Iowa .
He later played in three
bands in the Des Moines
area where MADD had achieved great success at the Iowa State Fair and on WHO
TV. After moving to Midwest
City , Oklahoma he learned from Des Moines musician and friend
George Clinton that the recording contract that was supposed to go to MADD for
winning the Omaha Midwest Battle of the Bands was given to the 1910 Fruitgum
Company band.
Barry now has an art
studio in Lincoln , Nebraska
and has exhibited both nationally and in Europe
and his works are included in many prominent private and corporate art
collections.
Brian David Bernstein
Brian David Bernstein, drummer and vocals, came from a family who owned
Bernstein's Music Store in Ottumwa . Under the watchful eye of his father he went
from a shy snare drummer in the junior high school band to evolve into one of
the best rock drummers in the state.
Just 12 years old when
MADD was formed Brian David stunned his peers like Mick Sexton, Barry Monohon
and Michael Schomers with his raw talent and boundless energy on the drums,
along with his exceptional singing talent, that allowed him to contribute to
the three-part plus harmonies that set MADD apart from most bands.
Unlike the other band
members, Brian David's first real band was MADD but his on stage presence and
flamboyant style made him an instant hit with the fans and gave the impression
he was born to beat the skins.
After his years with MADD
he played in Iowa City with Mick in the Upstairs
Playground and later moved to Des Moines , the
heart of jazz, soul and alternative music in Iowa , where he played in Wheatstraw with Dartanyan
Brown.
He then moved to Northern
Florida where he joined a succession of bands playing the Florida
to Myrtle Beach , South Carolina circuit. These included Then 2 Now, The Prentis
Bernstein Group, Bumper and Heart & Soul Limited.
Brian David became a
regular session player for numerous groups in Nashville , Tennessee
as both a drummer and singer. In Florida he also taught
drums.
Recently he has moved to Toronto , Canada
and he continues to perform between Canada and Florida.
Michael Schomers
Michael Schomers, rhythm guitar and vocals, was in a youth group at church that had a
guitar but needed a guitar player for sing alongs, so Michael jumped in. When the Beatles came along he was hooked.
His first band in Ottumwa was the Blew
Brothers, with Tony and Tommy Blew.
Their father Don Blew was their mentor.
Don's true passion was his music and he was known as a musician's musician having
played guitar in many bands throughout his career including the Ponderosa
Playboys which was an area backup band for Nashville stars and the Don Blew
Trio and Don Blew Quartet with his two sons.
Don also had taught jazz guitar at Parsons College .
With such a great mentor
it was a fast track to success. With the
addition of Tom Williamson to their group they became the Aztecs, later the
Sidewinders and eventually the X Rays.
They played Washington
Junior High School dances
and at the YMCA Corral dances.
Mick, Barry and Michael
all were linked by playing with Tommy Williamson at different times although
Michael and Mick had attended the same YMCA camp earlier. When MADD was formed Barry switched
instruments to bass guitar and Michael, who had become an accomplished bass
player, switched to rhythm guitar and singer.
Michael's father was
instrumental in helping the boys acquire the Cadillac hearse which was a symbol
of the uniqueness of the band and helped with bookings and managing the gate at
concerts.
After MADD Michael played
in Iowa City in the band Source and eventually
moved to Tampa , Florida where he continued to be part of
various bands. While in Florida he played in a highly acclaimed Broadway musical,
The Rock and the Rabbi, performing on Broadway in NYC, at the Grand Ole Opry in
Nashville , and
at the Hard Rock Cafe during national tours.
Michael has a recording
studio in his home and continues to play with various musicians in the Florida area.
Casey Foutz
Casey Foutz from Bloomfield , Iowa joined MADD late in the first year as keyboard
player and was a fan favorite as a performer and singer. After MADD he played with Mick in London Fog
and the Upstairs Playground.
He became a founding
member of Crabby Appleton in Los
Angeles , with several Billboard 100 hits. While with the band they opened for national
stars like the Doors, Sly and the Family Stone, Three Dog Night, Guess Who and ABBA. They also appeared on Dick Clark's American
Bandstand and other national shows.
Casey then joined Pacific Gas & Electric of Los Angeles .
Heart problems shortened his career and Casey died in the mid 1980's of
heart failure.
The MADD Years - 1965-1970
All MADD members were
pushed by their parents and families to pursue the dream of all teens, to be
rock and roll stars, but they were among the few who captured the sound of
popular artists so well that they often sounded far better in concert than the
original performers.
Many can dream but few can
come so close to realizing it as the lads of MADD when they formed their unique
band in 1965. The name was influenced by
a song by the Animals called Mad at You.
Before MADD and at very
young ages the members played in a variety of local bands including the X Rays,
Blew Brothers, Aztecs, Sidewinders, Perfidians and others as they developed
their skills as musicians and singers.
When most aspiring rock
and rollers were getting their first Fender guitar the members of MADD were
already mastering the legendary Rickenbacker 12 string guitar, Hoffner left-handed
bass guitar and Ludwig drums.
As noted, in 1964 Mick Sexton (lead guitar/singer) had a band
with Eddie Hood (bass/singer), Bill Ingles (drums) and Barry Monohon (rhythm
guitar). Eddie left the band and Barry
Monohon took over as bass player.
In 1965 when Bill Ingles
left to join the military, Mick (lead guitar), Barry (let handed bass) and
Michael Schomers (rhythm guitar) agreed to form MADD with Brian David Bernstein
as drummer thus the core group was in place.
Barry was recruited at an
audition in Bernstein's house and Barry played a left handed Hoffner Bass like
Paul McCartney of the Beatles. Schomers
first practiced with the group at his house.
When the band was first formed Schomers and Bernstein were just 14 and
13 years old respectively, incredibly young for the sophisticated songs and
harmonies perfected by the band.
Michael's father helped
them buy a 1952 Cadillac hearse as their touring car and in 1965 the band was
officially launched. As they toured Southeast Iowa and their popularity increased keyboardist
Casey Foutz joined the band.
Among the first songs
played by MADD was My Generation by
the Who and Day Tripper by the
Beatles and by 1966 they were known for their complex songs like Red Rubber
Ball by Cyrkle, a short lived band who opened for the Beatles on their American
tours.
Sexton, who was known for
his haunting rendition of Mr. Tambourine
Man by the Byrds which he played on a Rickenbacker 12 string set the lads
on a course of magical three-part plus one harmonies that made MADD the premier
Iowa "Garage" Band of the 1960's and one of the best in the nation.
Of course during that time
most national recording artists were covering songs written by others so being
a Garage Band and covering songs was typically the ticket to success, provided
you had the talent and opportunity to excel.
Not only did MADD have
incredible talent but they had help from Iowans and others of all ages who
heard and then believed in these talented lads.
MADD never had a manager, booking agent, road manager, publicist, promoter
or anyone working for them. People just
wanted them to succeed.
From 1965 until 1970 MADD
toured the Iowa/Missouri/Illinois area growing their following from small town
gigs to college campuses to being featured on television station WHO in Des
Moines, playing the Iowa State Fair, and dominating one of the nation's largest
Battle of the Band competitions in Omaha, Nebraska.
Some MADD Venues
Clothing Show at Ottumwa Country Club
The Teen Corner, Ottumwa
Candy Kane Lounge, Ottumwa
Dance Craze Street Festival, Ottumwa
Ottumwa Auditorium
Featured act
Keokuk Teen Club, Keokuk , Iowa
WHO TV Teen Show, Des Moines -
Starr Stations Midwest Battle of the Bands, Omaha ,
Nebraska
Among the many unique
aspects of MADD was the fact they shared a 1952 Cadillac hearse as their
touring car and they all lived together most of the time they played together
in order to be able to spend countless hours rehearsing new tunes and mastering
new techniques. Every performance seemed
to be enhanced from the previous one.
They also were very much
involved in the Iowa community of musicians
and were constantly sitting in with other bands or sharing techniques and ideas
with groups from Keokuk to Iowa City to Des Moines .
As a group they set a
pattern of showmanship and exceptional skill as singers, musicians and
performers covering the most difficult songs of the generation often achieving
a sound superior to the bands they were covering.
The pinnacle of their
success was achieved in 1969 at the Midwest Battle of the Bands in Omaha , Nebraska where
over 30 bands had been invited and hit bands the Buckinghams from Chicago and
Young Rascals, later the Rascals, from New
Jersey were performing.
The Starr Radio network,
one of the largest rock and roll radio networks in America with stations from
coast to coast was sponsor through their KOIL station in Omaha. Before the competition was completed MADD
left all other competitors buried when the thousands of fans blew away the
sound meters used to measure audience response.
As the clear victor MADD
was featured as the opening act for the Omaha
auditorium concert by the Buckinghams and Young Rascals. The sponsors were stunned when the crowd
demanded encores by MADD before the featured acts and the Midwest
audience clearly favored the incredible energy and professionalism of MADD over
even the nationally famous recording artists.
When MADD completed their opening
performance and played several encores in response to the demands of the crowd,
Dennis Tufano, a founder and lead
singer for the Buckinghams came and up and told MADD, "You guys are far
out!" It was the first time the Iowa boys had received a
compliment like that.
MADD finally disbanded
when some pursued a college education but all of the members went on to play in
numerous bands throughout the country including jazz, soul, country rock and
avant garde groups.
Bands after MADD:
Upstairs Playground, Iowa
City
Stray Cat,
Iowa City
Wheatstraw,
Des Moines
Shabazz,
Des Moines
Crabby Appleton , Los
Angeles
Woodrose,
Des Moines
Goo, Des Moines
Source,
Iowa City
Sound Minds, Iowa City
Then 2 Now,
Florida
The Prentis Bernstein Group, Florida
Northern Harbour, Florida
Bumper,
Florida
Heart & Soul Limited, Florida
Charlie Reis, Tampa , Florida
Pacific Gas & Electric, Los
Angeles
Innersection, San Francisco
Capitan Country, Eugene , Oregon
Skyline,
Eugene , Oregon
Elixir,
Rochester , NY
to Florida Keys
The Source, Orlando , Florida
Sapphire,
Orlando , Florida
During the MADD era the
band performed with The Rascals and Buckinghams, and after MADD the members
were in bands that opened for rock stars including the Doors, Sly and the
Family Stone, Three Dog Night, Guess Who, ABBA, the Whispers and George
Carlin. They also appeared on American
Bandstand, on Broadway in NYC, at the Grand Ole' Opry in Nashville and the Hard Rock Cafe.
While Casey Foutz passed
away in the 1980's all four core members of MADD are alive and well and three,
Sexton, Bernstein and Schomers continue to be involved in bands, music,
singing, recording sessions and even teaching music to this day. The band members can be found in Toronto , New York , Florida and Nebraska
where Barry Monohon is an accomplished artist in impressionistic pastel
landscapes and mixed media.
Perhaps the best
indication of the exceptional nature of this band of lads from Iowa are the words of
their peers from the time period. When
the words come from musicians and recording artists from other parts of the
state they have even more significance. Recently
Craig Moore who played in bands the Pagans and GONN from Iowa made these comments about the influence
of MADD on bands throughout the state and region.
Reply by CRAIG
MOORE on May 29, 2012 at 2:43pm
"MADD didn't make a record, to the best of my
knowledge they never wrote a song, but they were the ultimate garage cover
band. SO good, they knocked us out totally. We were still beginner's in the
Pagans. I don't think we had met Rex & Brent yet when we first saw MADD,
and I had only been playing bass for a couple of months. Barry the bass player
looked like McCartney & played a Gibson EB-1 violin shaped bass left
handed. He was amazing as were all of them. I asked him how long it was going
to take me to get a handle on bass and he told me "oh about 6 months and
you'll start to get it, start to 'hear' things."
We were practicing & learning songs and
listening to records 24/7 of course, and I literally watched the calendar and
at that 6 month mark 'viola!' I started hearing octaves and such on the
records, started to decipher the 1 from a harmonic note, etc. Still had a LONG
way to go but that remark was magic.
MADD did "Rain" letter perfect when it
was NEW, at a time when most bands could only listen in awe to the record. The
organist was Casey Foutz who eventually left Ottumwa
with Phil Jones (Enoch Smoky) and were founding members in LA of Crabby Appleton , "Go
Back" etc.
MADD evolved into THE UPSTAIRS PLAYGROUND and got
very, very psychedelic, California
acid drenched. Guitarist Mike Sexton was
beyond fabulous as a guitarist & vocalist, last time I saw him was 1968 or
1969 and he looked exactly like a taller version of Dickie Peterson (Blue
Cheer). He's either a highly paid session musician with a huge ranch in Montana , a rocket
scientist, born again, or dead. I have no idea.
David Bernstein the drummer was one of the greatest
unknown shit kickers you could imagine. I
heard some vague rumblings about him in the early 70's but never knew where he
ended up. I hope he's fine and I hope he never lost his love of music, he was
great.
But MADD's bass player had a huge impact on me
personally, and the band was idolized thoroughly by The Pagans and GONN, and in
fact they inspired both the spelling of our name AND the fact that we adamantly
enforced the "no 'THE'" rule, as did MADD. The fact that we had our
own hearse was as close as we could get to being as cool as MADD, in our minds.
Until we made a record, anyway. I saw this hearse ad about 6 months or so ago
and sent it out to Phil Jones just as a reminder of the good old days back here
in the Midwest .
I saw Casey back in Ottumwa about 1983 when my band Ready Steady
Go was playing a club there. He had been playing with Pacific Gas &
Electric in LA and had a heart attack, moved back to the home town to
recuperate and get his head together. It was great to see him, he always
reminded me of Gene Clark, but he seemed pretty down and not very happy.
I was pleased that he remembered me and the band
and all the times we hung out with them. Not too long after that I heard he had
another heart attack and died. Very sad. So all you fans of records by GONN,
you need to say a 'hail Mary' for Casey and never forget there was a band
called MADD that maybe didn't make a record but their impact is with you still,
every time you hear GONN or hear another story of the Iowa scene 1965-1968.
They were the ultimate Iowa garage band. "
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MADD
is everything a true local band should represent in order to be enshrined in
the Iowa Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. They
earned the respect of their peers. Once
on stage they demonstrated exceptional talent as musicians and singers. They played the most difficult instruments
and sang the most complex three-part plus one harmonies at a level far beyond
their young years.
As individuals they never
hesitated to help people seeking advice on playing or singing techniques. While they electrified audiences they never
lost their humility. They loved the
challenge of mastering complex songs and were never satisfied until their song
was as good if not better than the original.
They grew up during the
birth of rock and roll and MADD performed through the psychedelic era excelling
in the astonishing diverse evolution of music and rock and roll.
Throughout their careers they
have been great innovators and ambassadors for the State of Iowa
and the rich Iowa
musical heritage throughout the nation.
Jim Putnam
Here is how you can reach
the band today.
Memories of MADD - Their signature song
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