The Machine’s Pump Volume 27 – #4 – April 2024
As April 2024, is morphing into May, it was pointed out to me that Brave Combo played its first gig on April 27, 45 years ago, in 1979. Tim, Lyle, Dave (who is now Lisa), and I were scheduled to play our first concert in a courtyard on the NTSU (North Texas State University, now University of North Texas) campus. We put up a bunch of flyers and everything. I think I still have a few. Unfortunately, it looked like rain was imminent, so Lyle and Dave bailed in a hurry, leaving Tim and me to play our very first show as a duo, which, actually, turned out okay. We moved the wing-ding into a classroom and played about 20 songs for about 20 people! For free! Big success! I had no idea what was coming!
One of our first reviews appeared in DALLAS JAZZ magazine and was very short and said something like, “Brave Combo sounds like just another crazy Denton band which gets together one semester, then breaks up.” Anyway, I guess 45 years is a long time. Much longer than one semester in college. It kinda crept up on me, to be honest. I mean, suddenly we are all almost a quarter of a century into the new millennium! Who noticed? Things just happen and those things involve time.
And, on occasion, you must back way off to take it all in. With that said, enjoy this video from THE CAPTAIN KANGAROO SHOW, a mainstay children’s show from my very early days. The Banana Man, an old vaudeville act, appeared on the Captain’s show every now and then, and did the very same thing every time. I really dug it and might have even been inspired by it, because it obviously and deliberately made no sense. Okay, that’s it for April. 112 tornadoes in two days! Now go about your life and don‘t forget to think for yourself.
“Brave Combo sounds like just another crazy Denton band which gets together one semester, then breaks up.” Carl you still do, and that’s why Suzanne and I love ya.
Often baby “garage” bands are over looked of their creativity and criticized for their lack of professionalism. Brave Combo is a very professional band with talented members now, but the thing I’ve always said and loved about the group is the musical creativity that has been allowed to develop over the years. Brave Combo has taken traditional polka songs and played them in its own uniqueness. Not to mention songs like “Stairway to Heaven” oops did I mention “Stairway to Heaven”? There you have covered that song in a totally original way, musically and Not to mention, you have one of the most interesting personalities – Tiny Tim, singing it. (Not in his memorable falsetto) Congratulations on Brave Combo being around AND making a living from a band for 45 years. I moved from Boulder Co. In 1977. I wish I had found out about the band in the earlier days. I missed the one I should have gone to in the mid 80s with Brave Combo and Eugene Chadbourne’s band (who I went to High School with) Shock-a-billy at the Mr. Ed Fest. In Dallas. Looking forward to seeing you and the band when all our orbits swing around back together. Thanks for the ton of tunes.