The power of Google: Ace photographer Harold Gee posted this picture of me and Noise 292 percussionist Wendell Kling rocking the acoustic at Presidio Park back in 1984. I must reconnect with the most excellent Mr. Gee …
Update: I coincidentally unearthed a 1991 memoir I wrote about that summer that includes mention of Harold and the circumstances of this photo. “Our stretch of Presidio Park was @ the foot of a five-sided tower on a hillside, w/a pretty good view of downtown & the Navy docks; [Hair Theatre vocalist] Sergio & I entertained a pack of skinheaded youngsters there one night w/Donovan & Creedence & Dylan numbers, & there were usually four or five guitars & maybe a harmonica floating around the crowd. Harold Gee, another older guy, an eternal local photographer & jeweler & writer, showed up w/Chris Negro a couple of times & added his trumpet to the Presidio mix. “
Wow, man–Chris! With that perpetual marching band coat, or was it of some other origin? Blue with red piping and frogs and so on, as I recall. Was it perhaps stripped from some corpse of the Union Army? I’ve often thought of that guy, but could not remember his monicker. Truly a character of the first order, but among many.
Do you think he still walks the earth? It is nearly a quarter-century on, now. No, don’t tell me–.
Indeed we need to find Chris! He and Steve Garris were well-nigh inseparable for a while there. Very intrigued about what happened to Steve as well.