Top Row
Photo 1: Greg Farson
Photo 2: Don Jackman
Photo 3: J.J. on keyboards,
Craig Holden on drums
Second Row
Photo 1: Greg Farson
Photo 2: Bill McCoy
Playing with Big Louie was like having an affair while maintaining my primary relationship with Later. The core of Big Louie was Bill McCoy and Donald Jackman, two guitarists who had played together for years. They formed Big Louie as an explicitly short-term project for the spring of 1971. We expected to be going our separate ways in June after our high school graduation, so we understood that this was just a fling for all of us.
My role in this temp band was to use my keyboards to add fullness to Bill and Donald's sound, which had been all guitar up before I joined with them. Playing with a guitar-oriented group like Big Louie was an interesting change of pace from the brass-oriented groups I spent most of my career with. Bill moved from bass to rhythm guitar and Greg Farson played bass. The result was certainly more full than it had been with just Bill and Donald and a drummer.
We played only three gigs that spring, two at Park Forest Junior High School and one at Delta Chi fraternity. We had a third booking at PFJHS, but the dance was cancelled.
Below are some photos from one of the Park Forest gigs, courtesy of Donald Jackman.
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Top Row Photo 1: Greg Farson Photo 2: Don Jackman Photo 3: J.J. on keyboards, Second Row Photo 1: Greg Farson Photo 2: Bill McCoy |
On June 4, 1971, we had our last get-together in my basement. For this recording session we put together a program of our favorite songs and captured the magic on the famous Wollensack tape recorder.
Actually, we did hold one more special recording session, if my memory serves me correctly, long after the June 4th get-together. The purpose was to record three songs that Bill wrote for a demo tape to toss to Todd Rundgren at an upcoming concert. Bill did toss him the tape, but Todd has not called yet. Until he does, we'll settle for "publishing" them on this website. Enjoy!
[Original page created in 2000 included only links to the first medley and Eighteen.] [Photos added 02/24/2015; Todd Rundgren Demo Tape added 6/14/2016] [Remainder of June 4th session songs added 7/23/2016]