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Date: 02/02/08
Just wanted to say
hello to everyone much
to read an learn here, I’m sure I will enjoy !
Date:
10/19/07
Hey Joey……Jimmy
Greenspoon
Came across your
page by accident. It’s been way
too long my friend. The internet
is so great to find and keep in touch with old friends and band mates. I’m still out there with THREE
DOG. 40 years come 2008. Who would have thought. Hell, who would have thought I’d still
be alive. Get in touch with me. Stay well amigo…….
JG
Now I know why you
stopped showing for rehearsals at the Lauren Canyon House !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will email you……great to hear from
you. Joey
Date:
05/22/07 & 5/23/07
From YOUR SISTER SANDY
Joey,
Just thought I would
remind you that your job is still waiting for you when you run out of money.
&; Oh, you've already done that. & ;Well what are you waiting for,
Walmart is calling you.
The name and place
may have been changed to protect the innocent.
Sandy
This is an actual
job application that a 60 year old senior citizen
submitted to
Wal-Mart in California. They hired him because he was so funny.....
NAME: Joey Covington,
Sr (Grumpy Bastard)
SEX: Not lately, but
I am looking for the right woman (or at least one who will cooperate)
DESIRED POSITION:
Company's President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever's available. If
I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place
?
DESIRED SALARY:
$185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package.
If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.
EDUCATION: Yes.
LAST POSITION HELD:
Target for middle management hostility.
PREVIOUS SALARY: A
lot less than I'm worth.
MOST NOTABLE
ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.
REASON FOR LEAVING:
It sucked.
HOURS AVAILABLE TO
WORK: Any.
PREFERRED HOURS:
1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
DO YOU HAVE ANY
SPECIAL SKILLS?: Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment.
MAY WE CONTACT YOUR
CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would I be here?
DO YOU HAVE ANY
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 lbs.?: Of what?<
DO YOU HAVE A CAR?:
I think the more appropriate question here would be "e; “Do you have a
car that runs?”
HAVE YOU RECEIVED
ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Publishers
Clearing House Sweepstakes, so they tell me.
DO YOU SMOKE?: On
the job - no! On my breaks - yes!
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE
TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?: Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy
dumb sexy blonde supermodel who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced
bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now.
NEAREST
RELATIVE....miles away
DO YOU CERTIFY THAT
THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: Oh yes,
absolutely.
Sandy,
No need to
worry...........true, my money's run out, but I get senior discounts at IHOP
and Denny's restaurant's. And I have plenty of money to tip all the waiters and
waitress's with the the Birthday bucks you send me. And; I always tell them
this is on my older sister!
Hey, is your
granddaughter Lauren drumming in a Polka band yet?
The old geezer
P.S. Time has proven
dad right....................no medical or social security for a
musician..........
Guess they spent it all
on the Hubble telescope!!!!!! (remember ?, that telescope they sent up with bad lenses when
you worked for NASA !!
Hey Joey,
Lauren is still
drumming at School, she is good. Hasn't joined a Polka Band, not sure if she
has even heard of the Polka. Remember she is not a Pennsylvania bred girl.
Massachusetts girl, she likes the band Green Day, you probably never heard of
them, right? Young group you probably don't follow. And; By the way I dig the
IHOP & Denny scene, we are
going to be getting an IHOP in our little farm town here in Delaware before the
years ends. And; When I go for my Senior Discount meals, I will think of you in
CA doing the same thing. Unlike you though, I will not have any spare money to
tip. So I may have to curtail sending you the buck you usually get on your
birthday, so I will be able to tip our waiters & waitresses.
Yep, Dad was right
about the Medical and SS payments.
Guess the system figured if you were really good enough to make tons of
money, you would invest in at least lots of properties like the Stars do (did ya)
No! So don't complain. And, if you
were not good, you'd quit and get a job that offered the Bennies.
Hubble is doing a
great job for you it found a Giant Black Hole that your money must have fallen
into. Only one problem it cannot identify whether it's your money or Whitney
Houstons, so even if it is yours, minority stills wins out in this case. Black
is beautiful brother and your white butt gets the boot and Whitney gets the
dough. So cheer up and start singing the Blues, it may come back. Never give up
and never look back.
Your Smart Sister
Date :05/01/07
From: Cybil Durango
Dear Joey,
I think you're one
in a trillion. I bought your Fat Fandango LP in the 70's simply because I liked
a lot "Thunk" and "Pretty As You Feel".
It's one record in a trillion too. And wonderful cover! I still treasure it in
my vinyl collection. How nice to know you're alive and well. A big hug from a
spanish journalist-musician-lovingfather. Cybil.
Nice to hear from
you . Yes I'm alive and well and still making music!! Sempre la musica!
Joey
Hey Joey
Date: 03-14-07
This is Dan Slick, Sharen Slick's little brother. Just wanted to touch base
with you and tell you I've followed your career like forever. I was the
GM
for Panasonic/Technics for a long time and knew your buddy Pete Sears. He
was one of our endorsers for our pianos. I still remember the day
you came
into Rab's barber shop with your bongos and sat in the corner and played.
Rab asked if you wanted a haircut and you said "No man, I just thought
you'd
like some good music".
I also remember how you used to get all the Conemaugh High School drummers
around you in a circle and play like crazy. You inspired me to become a
musician and I've been playing keys and gigging all my life. Just thought
you might like hearing from someone who knew you before you became a rock
star. I live just south of NY City in New Jersey. If you ever get to the
East Coast, feel free to stop in. Hope all is well with you and keep on
rockin..
Peace
Dan Slick
Joey
Date: 06-27-06
Blast from the past time.
It's been almost 36 years since you demonstrated Impakt Percussion
Synthesizers in Portland Oregon. Who remembers that!
I do. And I remember a cat who glimpsed the future and embraced it. You
may remember Steve Lammé, he invented electronic percussion.
Steve was my Dad. He sure remembered you, your enthusiasm and
willingness to explore groundbreaking technology.
And I remember you as well you helped me realize what was happening and
what was not.
Never to late to say THANKS.
Always a fan.
Your Friend.
Étienne Lammé
SUB:
Finland and Friends Benefit Jam
Date:
06-21-06
I hope this would reach Joey.
I just wanted to extend to him my
warmest thanks for his contribution to our Finland and Friends Benefit Jam last
night at the residence of Finland's Consul General. Joey's presence was a great
honor for me personally and our guests definitely appreciated his being there.
Thank you! Because of people like you
I really love my job!
Best regards,
Manu Virtamo
Consul General of Finland
MusiCares is a great organization and I was
happy to be a part of it. And it
was great to jam with you1
|
|
|
Joey Glad to see
you made it in life. My girlfriend Denise and I used to hang out at your
house in the canyons of LA. Laurel that is. We were just youngin's. You
were living with your girlfriend and we spent many hours hanging out talking and
listening to music on the floor. Always a gentleman!! Thanks for
the early memories Katy |
Someone finally remembers me as a gentleman……That’s nice to
hear. I’ve always been called a
“bad boy”.
Subj:
RE: Benefit Concert January
2006 for Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Date: 06-05-01
On
a personal note, could you please pass along my thank you to Joey for his help
on the concert? The benefit raised over $67,000 and the money was distributed
to Ocean Springs about 3 weeks ago. My own family (my mom and dad, brother, 4
cousins, and my aunt) all lost their homes to Katrina in the Biloxi/Ocean
Springs area. I've been back 4 times and each time the people in the area are
so appreciative. Often there is no way to say thank you to those that have
helped, but now I can tell Joey for them.
Best
regards,
Belinda
Belinda Serata
Photography
Subj: RE: FAT FANDANGO REVIEW
Date: 98-03-14 10:21:16 EST
From:
SLOOPJOHNB
To: 2400FULTON@NETSPACE.ORG
cc: BANDINUSA@AOL.COM
Well hey! I waited 27 years to hear Joey
Covington's solo (1973) "Fat Fandango" and since it's not that easy
to come by, I thought I'd review it. My vinyl copy came from Princeton
Record Exchange in Princeton, NJ and it cost $1.99. The cover is less
than optimum condition, but the Grunt flexi vinyl is in pristine condition.
The sound is good. Let's face it, where else are we going to get
this review?
"Joe E. Covington's Fat Fandango",
Grunt Records BFL1-0149
Cover: Gatefold cover featuring many
strange Chagall-inspired band potraits (?) by an artist named Montanes.
Very loopy looking and highly indicative of the musical contents.
He appears on the front as a two faced blond surf-dude-looking
apparition.
Tracks:
Side A "Your Heart Is My
Heart"; "Country Girl"; "Moonbeam";
"MaMa Neptune"
Side B "Miss Unaverse"; "Hideout (Is A Crook's Best
Friend)"; "Vapor Lady"
All tracks written and arranged by Joey
Covington; "Your Heart Is My Heart" co-written with the band.
Mauriceman and Joe on the boards. Recorded at the always fabulous
Wally Heider Studio in SF.
The band: (Fat Fandango?
Joe E. Covington (vocals,drums)
Senator Patrick Craig (keyboards)
Stevie
Midnite (guitar)
Jack Pendergast (bass) *this is definitely not Jack Casady*
"Your Heart is My Heart" Typical elliptical
Covington lyric. The soul shuffle with high falsetto's from Joe surprised
me. This is a pretty good Philly soul simulacrum with a strong blast of
daffiness. Nice back-up harmonies in spots. The song jets into a
double time ending. Not a very normal song.
"County Girl" This is only very
superficially reminiscent of the Neil Young paean of the same name. Joe's
plaintif soul vocal (again) edges into hysteria as he asks "country girl
let me be your country boy" (duh) as the song veers from sweet pastoral to
electric raveup. So far Joe is definitely blazing uncharted territory
here.
"Moonbeam" Imagine my intrigue as
the needle hit the groove on a Covington opus named "Moonbeam".
This, of course is a doo-wop vocal which is sort of a very insincere (in
a funny way) "In the Still of the Night". Hear to believe.
This one's going on the highlight tape for sure. Like Maurice
Williams on Angel Dust.
"MaMa Neptune" Suitable watery
keyboards and echoey vocals kick off this opus, which struck me as a sort of
lounge music for maniacs. Sample lyric: "Let it flow oh woe ooo
whoa".
"Miss Unaverse" For me, Joe
really hit his stride on the LP right here. More doo-wop dementia with
our man pining for an unattainable "around the world" (snark,snark) with
some young lovely. The doo wop gives way to an Iron Butterfly/Traffic
segue to a really weird ending featuring lyrics like "the yellow sun's my
brother, the universe my lover". I really grokked this one.
"Hideout" Nice romp with some
quasi-movie theme music on a song about robbing an armoured car that somehow
winds up with the singer wanting his house to be turned into an armored car (I
think).
"Vapor Lady" This is a fitting
closer, 8:08 of music about a "woman of sunlight" which sounds like
early, lobotomized Todd Rundgren. It is nice and discursive in parts and
I found it to be musically very grandiose and yet at the same time whimsical.
Sample lyric: "when she glaciates she shakes the
sky-yi-yi-yi-". (Whoa! Uh, what was tha-at, man?)
General Comments: 1. Holy Shit! 2. I
like this platter very much, thank you. It's about as far removed from
the JA sound as first drummer Skip Spence's solo, "Oar" though in a
totally different though equally strange direction. (More of a soul-psych
flake-out as compared to Skip's folk-psyche flake-out). 3. Mellow, whimsical,
flaky, light throughout. 4. If you liked "Thunk" from
"Bark", check this out. If you didn't, don't. 5.
The combo playing here is solid throughout. The keyboardist
(hammond organ in crucial passages) in particular, is good. (The
Senator!) 6. These are perhaps the strangest arrangements this side
of Syd Barrett. You go, Joe! 7. In general, this defies
analysis and comparison. It is more light-hearted than almost anything
you are likely to hear these days, including Hanson. (They sound pretty
calculated next to these guys). 8. Joe's singing (while definitely
not Marty) is good for what it is: very strange soul singing and
crooning. He's definitely onto something here.
So there it is. Very nice. I shall be
making tapes for some of my lonny tune psych music friends and I will be
anxious to get their stunned reactions.
Sloop John B
"Doing nothing is as important as doing
something."
Your review of Fat Fandango was a real
Thunker! Isn't Ma Ma Neptune supposed to be real liquidy? What's
grokked mean? I like this word. Is it like my parrot grokked?
Or I grokked my girlfriend? Is a lobo Todd Rundgren a good state of
mind? What's soul-psyche flake-out? Is Flake-out kind of like flame
out on stealth jet technology, or flake-out like eating cornflakes with Oxydol?
Top Ten Answers For One Who Loves Thunk: 1. You can sell Fat
Fandango to a guy in Pittsburgh for 30.00 and net 28.01. 2. Jose
Montanes got 2500.00 to paint my LP. He went to school with Pablo P.
as young boys. Before they were famous painters they had to learn
how to spell "Paint". Montanes' work is worldwide in museums.
3. I have many faces but have never surfed in my life. I like
the surf-dude apparition kidu. 5. I call Fat Fandango
"Psychedelic R&B". 6.
Hideout is about wanting an armored car. Listen closer you'll find
I don't want the money, I just want the car to put in my house just to hang out
in. 7. When she glaciates means its a pregnant cloud ready
to give birth to millions of water droplet babies. You can't sail a ship
without water. More to be revealed, Joey
Subj: For Joey
Covington
DATE:
98-03-14 11:05:08 EST
Dear BANDINUSA,
I was so surprised to find web page for Joey
Covington. I enjoyed the page and hope you can foward my letter to him at
his E-Mail.
Very Gratefully Yours,
Ely R.
Dear Mr. Covington
Here I am sitting on Fourth Street in Conemaugh
and out of the blue I decided to try to reach you. Very strange.
But it is even more strange. The way this started was that I am a
very big fan of Roger Troy. That in itself is strange because I think
that hardly anybody knows of Roger Troy and surely no one in Conemaugh (or
Johnstown or Pittsburgh for that matter) knows of Roger. Certainly no one
listens to his music. I was looking for information on Roger on the Web
when Yours and Nick Gravenites names came up due to your work on the Blue Star
LP. When I happened to find your web site it was very interesting.
You seem to have good spirit.
I was surprised to find out that you used to work
with the Fenways. You see, I am from Pittsburgh and only came to
Conemaugh in the late 60's when I was a Jr. in high school. Because I was
growing my hair long and hanging with freaks in Pgh. my mother became
frightened and thought that I was becoming homosexual. She did the only
thing she knew how to do, she sent me to Conemaugh to live with her mother.
I think you may have known my grandmother. She was the cleaning
lady at the old Conemaugh High School. She was a very little lady.
Her name was Katherine Holub and she is part of the Strank family.
Now that I think of it, and I can't remember why, she mentioned your
name. She called you the Michno boy. But I digress. When I
was young and living in Pittsburgh, I think that the Fenways may have opened
for the Dave Clark 5 at the Civic Arena in around 1964 or 1965. Anyway, I
was only in eigth grade then, but I went to that concert. As I recall,
Lou Cristy was also on the bill. If I am correct, my memory is much
better than I imagined. If you were on drums, I never would have guessed
that someone from Conemaugh would have been in the group. By the way,
maybe you are aware that Sonny died in the 70's. I think that he died in
an automobile accident.
I did not tell you that I too am a musician.
The reason I mention it is because my musical partner, who lives in
Ventura, also worked with Sonny. For a few years in the 70's my partner
played guitar in the Racket Squad.
My first experience with Roger Troy was in the
early 70's in Boston. At that time I was working in a band at the Rat
which is across the street from the Kenmore Club, where we had been performing
the previous week. Anyway Mike Bloomfield was there and so on our breaks
we would run over to the Kenmore Club to catch his show. I did not know
it then, but it was Roger on bass and vocals. I found out that Roger died
in the early 90's. I was so disappointed. I don't know much about
him, but I felt such a sense of loss. I don't have much music by Roger,
just the few Bloomfield cuts, one Electric Flag album and I managed to find a
promo copy of a Roger Troy solo record on RCA. I wish I could find more
music by him. I think I read somewhere that he worked out of Ohio and was
a part of King Records or something like that. He was also a wonderful
songwriter. I should not go on so about Roger Troy in a letter to you.
Funny thing is, I am embarrassed to say that I am
very unfamiliar with your work. Somehow in the 60's I missed the Airplane
and was never very aware of them. I don't know why. For instance I
really liked Moby Grape (and Skip Spence's mustache. In fact all of my
life I have worn a Skip Spence mustache. Weird the influence of people in
our lives. I think he may have also played drums with the Airplane???
I also really liked the Electric Flag (I recently found a couple of CDs
by the Flag). I liked horns and so I also liked BS&T and I loved the
soul music of the time (Memphis Stax). That is what I liked to sing.
I have been a singer. I liked Janis too, but I missed the Airplane
somehow. I remember thinking that Jack Cassidy was very cool though.
I guess it was the glasses. I don't even know if he is much of a
bass player, but I imagine he must be. I know that guitarist (with the
funny name) is a very good player. Actually I also have a Joey Covington
album on Grunt. It is called Fat Fandango. I found it as a cut out
somewhere. I haven't played it yet though because I do not have a
functional turntable.
I have one more Joey Covington story to tell.
One day in 1968 or 69, I remember seeing you at Angelo's station. I
think you were driving a Trans Am. You looked good. There weren't
many long hairs around in those days and especially not around here. I
remember just watching you and then somebody told me who you were. Well
that's it.
I don't even know why I worte. I guess your
connection with Conemaugh and Roger means something to me. It is
surprising the number of great players from this area. I don't know if
you are aware of Chuck Kerrigan. He is a drummer from this area. He
works on our sessions (I write and record a lot). He is just wonderful.
Really in the league with Joe Morrelo (who was his teacher for many
years) or Louis Belson. He wrote a few books for Mel Bay also.
Anyway, my partner too is great. It is my pleasure to know him.
He is not only a guitar player. He studied for a while at Berkeley
(as did Chuck Kerrigan) and he writes all of our horn parts (as I said I love
horns). I think that you would be very surprised at the quality of music
that we make. Just a couple of local guys making great music. By
the way we have a great sax/blues piano player who plays on many of our
recordings. He used to be on keys and sax in the group America and these
days he plays in my partner's lounge group. Sometimes up, sometimes down.
Sun faced Buddha/Moon faced Buddha.
Good talking to you. I hope this finds its
way to you.
Ely
R.
I always thought Conemaugh was a place to
leave! I think your grandmother caught me and my girlfriend making out
behind the stage in the high school theater. Yes, I was with the Fenways
when they opened for the Dave Clark 5. I knew him as "Troy".
You might want to sign up for the JA List Serv (on the links page) and
ask if anyone has info on his discography and you can catch up on Jefferson
Airplane. And, if anybody reading this has any info on Troy, lets help
him out. Joey
Subj: Fellow musician (Pittsburgh area)
Date: 98-03-25 21:41:05 ESTFrom:
I have enjoyed your drumming for years (big-time
JA fan), but I had NO idea you were part of the Pittsburgh scene-i.e. the
fenways (And, I believe, later on as Jubilee Recording Stars The Racket Squad.
Do you remember the Swanp Rats CO & CE cover
version of the Rolling Stones "It Ain't Easy. Did you ever do the
Clark Race show.
Anyway, I later played bass in that whole
Pittsburgh / Cleveland / Columbus circuit, but got burnt out on the road.
I am working on songwriting projects and local jazz gigs.
Anyway, sorry you didn't get proper recognition
at the Hall of Fame Award. You certainly were an important part of the
Jefferson Airplane AND Hot Tuna. I even have your "Fat Fandango
album!
Anyway, great seeing your page and keep on
playing.
Dave Molnar
I did the Clark Race show. He gave the
Fenways "Hanky Panky", which Sonny turned down. I don't know
the Swamp Rats or The Racket Squad. Thanks for your recognition of my
work with the Airplane and Tuna. The Hall of Fame did honor "Pretty
As You Feel" (the famous Hot Tuna/Santana Jam) in their voter pamphlet as
part of the basis to induct the band.
So my name is the Hall of Fame somewhere.
Date: 98-05-02 09:54:19 EDT
Brad Morgan
Air Personality
Hot Rockin'
Country 94.5 WCEN
www.wcen.com
Joey...
....I really admire your drumming...I'm a
guitarist
however i do occansionaly bang on the
skins....and really dig your jazzy
style of playing. Do you remember the story of
how Marty Balin saw Skip Spence
and said "You look like a
drummer"...that's what happened to me .I played drums
with my first band in high school...I really
enjoyed it. Then i bought a Fender
Strat and formed my own band. Drumming taught me
the imporatnce of playing in time and developing a sense of rythm in general.
Take Care...Joey..and ' go out there and knock em
silly"
Your friend in Michigan.. Brad Morgan
Subj: thank you
Date: 98-06-05 19:31:19 EDT
BY far the greatest drummer for JA/JS. Not only
was he the most talented drummer for those bands but also a great song writer.
He had to have frightened Paul Kantner a bit I would say. Again, thank you for
being a part of a great music scene.
matt louck
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