“MrZerro, Why the 60s?” (Thee Mod Garage)
Dr. Rox Article #157 March 2024
By: RLSchwinden aka MrZerr0
So when I was a little kid growing up on the Westside of Sioux City my parents were into music but late 50s and early 60s music, like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Gene Chandler, The Trashmen, and hundreds of One Hit Wonders. I have documented many times it was my Aunt Debby who played Dave Clark 5 and The Beatles records for me, and my Uncle Jim and his friend Vince H. used to play The Rolling Stones and The Kinks records for me, my Uncle John used to play The Monkees and The Osmonds records for me, I do remember my mom playing the Mama’s and Papa’s album “Farewell” in late 1967, I really love that album. I may have mentioned before that when a was a baby my Grandparents Bob and Irene used to call the fireplace and the Christmas Tree “Ricky’s Babysitter” because all the had to do was sit me in front of one or the other and I would not move unless the fire went out or the tree came unplugged. In fact my Grandma Irene used to show that different things turned different colors when they burned in the fireplace, the one that I remember most was the package of Pall Mall cigarettes (which she smoked) would burn green flames, I was amazed. so this must be the origin of my infatuation with moving colored lights.
So sometime in 1970 my parents (Carol and Bill) moved into a house on 34th and Douglas on the Northside of Sioux City, and in the basement they made a makeshift bar, with an orange lamp with a white bulb that read “Pub” on it, and a band practice area, my Dad had a Japanese Gold Sparkle “Stencil” drum set, as he was a drummer in the Brooklyn Center/ Osseo area of the Twin Cities in the early 60s (he told me he sat in with The Trashmen back then, before he want to Viet Nam). Sometime in 1971 my Uncle Jeff, a tue Hippy in every sense of the word and a friend of John Bartle, and an acquaintance of Tommy R. Bolin, moved in with us and he brought his Vinyl Record Collection and gave me my very 1st guitar a Dutch made Egmond acoustic in tobacco sunburst. Now my parents were very young when they had me and some of their friends like Bob P. Sue L. Vince H. Lenny S. were a couple years younger than them, so upon occasion they would have parties in the basement “Pub” with snack foods and loud music, I used to sit on the cold air vent and listen to the music, wow it was great, and I would sneak some meat and cheese and crackers and deviled eggs, as I was suppose to be in bed, sleeping. I can vividly remember hearing The Tremeloes and Atlantic “Super Hits Vol.1” from 1967 and “Sgt. Pepper’s” blasting away from downstairs. This music shaped my life. I would stare at those album covers for hours.
The 60s seemed to promote “Peace And Love And Everything Else” I was really drawn to this idea as I was a total Nerd growing up and picked on all the time, I like the idea of “Peace & Love” also in the late 60s into the early 70s most advertisements had an element of Psychedelic Art to them as well as TV commercials. I was fascinated by the vivid colors and the swirling patterns that formed images, specifically “7up” ads from about 1969 to 1974, which was created by my favorite artist Peter Max (Peter Max Finkelstein: 19 October 1937 Berlin, Germany). in 1967 John Lennon wanted Peter Max to create the artwork for the next Beatles film “Yellow Submarine” when Peter Max was deemed too costly, they called in Heinz Edelmann (20 June 1934; Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia – 21 July 2009), to create the artwork in the style of Peter Max, ironically, Both Artist are German! Later Jose Delbo:(José María Del Bó; 9 December 1933 Buenos Aires, Argentina – 5 February 2024) was contracted to do the art for the “Yellow Submarine” Comicbook. As “Yellow Submarine” was my Jam in 1968 or 69, and one of the few things I still collect (Beatles: Yellow Submarine Merchandise) after all these years I was fortunate enough to get Delbo to create the Mr. Zer0 character for us (I did have to pay him), I met him through Comic Artist Angel Medina, I feel this is one of my crowning achievements.
While as a toddler I was 1st introduced to the “British Invasion” and I Love that music; The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Troggs, The Dave Clark 5, The Kinks, The Who, Herman’s Hermits, The Yardbirds, The Moody Blues, The Animals, The Hollies, The Zombies etc. I found later when I was a little older about 9 or so I found I liked the American Bands much more: The Monkees, Boyce And Hart, The Byrds, Mamas And Papas, The Rascals, Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, and Steppenwolf (though German-Canadian) to name just a few. I was trying to form my own 60s Psychedelic Band called “PsychoGello” since about 1993, with no luck, I could never find 3 to 4 other people to share my vision, so I ended up calling my Radio Show “PsychoGello”.
And then …. 3 friends of mine formed ‘Thee Mod Garage’ in the Fall of 2020 consisting initially Xenia on Bass and Vocals with Matt The Bat; Lead Vocals and Drums, Groovy Gerhard: Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals, Far Out Phil: Guitars, Keyboards, Ocarina and Lead Vocals and in Fall of 2022 Le Ann Lovechild; Bass and Lead Vocals and in Spring 2024 Jennifer M. as the Go-Go Dancer.
I 1st saw THEE MOD GARAGE at the Driftwood in MPLS. I was so blown away by them I have made 3 “PsychoGello Shows” on them:
Episode #163 Oct 2020
Episode #240 Dec 2022
Episode #279 March 2024
With a 60 song canon of 60s Psychedelic Music including The Yardbirds, Cream, The Doors, The Animals, The Monkees, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Paul Revere And The Raiders, The Troggs, The Seeds, Blue Cheer, The Litter, The Castaways, even Surf Music like Santo And Johnny, The Chantays and Dick Dale and dozens of other bands from 1965 to 1969. The deliver the goods
Catch THEE MOD GARAGE Alive!
30 March 2024 Sat. 8pm
Shaw’s 1528 University Ave. NE.
MPLS 55413
Call: 612. 781. 4405 For ALL Info
Being a huge supporter of the band In Dec 2022, the band let me sit in with them for a few songs and now I am a regular guest in their live show: So I MrZerr0 will be will be playing on “Steppinstone” “Just Like Me” “Birthday” “Magic Carpet Ride” “Born To Be Wild” “Jumpin Jack Flash” “Satisfaction” “Wild Thing” “96 Tears” “Pushin To Hard” “Ramblin Gamblin Man” “Let’s Work Together” at their next upcoming show!
And there you have it, a brief insight as to why MrZerr0 loves the 60s Music and Art. So “Tune In and Drop out” and check in next month. mZ
Hear MrZerr0 on the “PsychoGell0 Show” 8am Sundays Since 2017on Radio WDGY740AM, Streaming, FM: 92.1, 103.7, 107.1Check Out the last 90 Episodes at www.MrZeroS.Com -Podcast*Sponsored By: Music Go Round Roseville 55113also check out:www.MixCloud.Com Mr Zero – Evolation (32 programs) – Hits And History w/ Rick B. (17 programs)
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