Charles, the Tower still has shows. I go there all the time. For me, back in the 70's, I loved Returned To Forever. Then I got totally hooked on School Days. I was playing the upright bass in school orchestras and jazz bands at the time. But, I was raised in Detroit so James Jamerson's sound was calling me. But, rock and roll was blasting full blown and I got into The Who, Led Zeppelin, and The Dead. So a lot of my favorite players were slinging Alembics. The next 20 or 25 years I spent as a struggling musician. Put a few albums out, toured around the country as an opening act for bands like The Romantics, Night Ranger, Joe Satch, etc. I always wanted an Alembic but never seemed to have the cash when one presented itself. You know the usual things that happen to us in life like I got all my gear stollen from me in Boston, a few divorces, a few kids, lived in 13 different states, that stuff that slows you down financially. Sometime in the mid nineties, I ended up in Ann Arbor Mi., and joined a Dead tribute band. Somehow we landed on the bill at the High Times Whee Festival and performed at Buckeye Lake Music Center. We had the worse time slot going onstage on Sunday morning but I got to spend the entire weekend with some of my idols backstage. JGB band bus parked right next to me. Andrew Tosh, Michael Rose, Merl Saunders, John Entwistle Band, Jefferson Starship, Rick Danko, Richie Havens, Country Joe McDonald, and canned Heat were all on the bill for the Weekend. Sitting and talking with Richie was great. I had a partial dinner with John E and he asked me what kind of bass I played. My answer was a 1974 P bass I bought used for 125.00 in 1974 but it's not what I wish I played. He said Ken, you need to get the bass you really wish you were playing. Later that night I stood in the pit and watched him play Boris the Spider. I never forgot what he said. It took me 15 or so years after that to purchase Dave's fretless. A year later came the Distillate, then a year after that the series 11. You know it was one of those weird things in life, you keep trying hard, saving money, then something would come up. So life has been a wishing for a very long time, road to joy that is known as Alembic. Ending with the best is still good enough for me
