Hi Folks !
September was an amazing and ambitious month regarding my research on legendary sound engineer Bill Hanley. I interviewed some extremely important people in Bills life...from musicians to friends to colleagues. I have yet again gained a whole new perspective on Bill which seems to be the norm every time I uncover new information on this man. These momentous interviews began with the following.
Before I move on an amazing thing happened.
I suggested to Bill that we go and visit his old Hanley sound building in Medford MA. The building which Bill modified (blew out the basement ,knocked down some walls) is now a Dunkin Donuts...so strange. We then took a drive to around to some of his old stomping grounds like...his high school and most importantly the Hanley family home. Upon arrival at his old childhood house I could tell it was hard for him. Bill trudged through it which was great. While standing outside this old house we must of looked suspicious to some of the neighbors. I am standing here with a camera and Bill looking confused and interested at the same time. Isuggested to Bill that he knock on the door. He agreed. In true Hanley style he grabs the owners freshly delivered Sunday Globe and brings it to the door, almost as an offering as a buffer to a more or less strange first encounter. Here is where it gets wierd...
When Bill knocks a small hippie woman answers the door (Joan Lemler). Bill explains that his family were the previous occupants of the home. Joan lights up with joy...and says I have been waiting for you. Keep in mind the two never met...I start filming. We are invited in and I tell Joan that Bill was the sound man for Woodstock 1969...she flips out with amazement (not knowing of Bills historical career) and excitingly points out her two Woodstock (vinyl) albums which just happen to be leaning up against her turn table. Bill Hanley recorded these albums off of his sound board....and here they lay in his boyhood house 50 years later as if he never left. We all just start laughing at this strange or not so strange coincidence. Bill says that here record player is almost in the same spot as his was so many years ago.
The rest is history.
Before I move on an amazing thing happened.
I suggested to Bill that we go and visit his old Hanley sound building in Medford MA. The building which Bill modified (blew out the basement ,knocked down some walls) is now a Dunkin Donuts...so strange. We then took a drive to around to some of his old stomping grounds like...his high school and most importantly the Hanley family home. Upon arrival at his old childhood house I could tell it was hard for him. Bill trudged through it which was great. While standing outside this old house we must of looked suspicious to some of the neighbors. I am standing here with a camera and Bill looking confused and interested at the same time. Isuggested to Bill that he knock on the door. He agreed. In true Hanley style he grabs the owners freshly delivered Sunday Globe and brings it to the door, almost as an offering as a buffer to a more or less strange first encounter. Here is where it gets wierd...
When Bill knocks a small hippie woman answers the door (Joan Lemler). Bill explains that his family were the previous occupants of the home. Joan lights up with joy...and says I have been waiting for you. Keep in mind the two never met...I start filming. We are invited in and I tell Joan that Bill was the sound man for Woodstock 1969...she flips out with amazement (not knowing of Bills historical career) and excitingly points out her two Woodstock (vinyl) albums which just happen to be leaning up against her turn table. Bill Hanley recorded these albums off of his sound board....and here they lay in his boyhood house 50 years later as if he never left. We all just start laughing at this strange or not so strange coincidence. Bill says that here record player is almost in the same spot as his was so many years ago.
The rest is history.
Chip Monck.
Chip Monck (born Edward Herbert Beresford Monck on March 5, 1939 in Wellesley Ma) became famous to the public as the MC of the 1969 Woodstock Festival and other events. He can be heard (and seen) in recordings of Woodstock making the stage announcements. But he had long been a well-regarded industry figure.
Besides his public role as MC, Mr. Monck designed the stage lighting for Woodstock. His immense résumé includes the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, a number of 1970s Rolling Stones tours, construction of both Fillmore West in San Francisco and Fillmore East in New York.Mr Monck is also renowned for his cheerful grace under pressure approach.
Bill and Chips relationship is a long one. Both gentlemen spent much time with each other at Newport Folk and Jazz festivals, The Fillmore East and then Woodstock 1969. Since Chip lives in Australia it was a challenging interview time wise…but it all worked out and trust me he is a colorful character.
Chip (on left) with M.Lang picking the Woodstock site.
Barry Tashian and Bill Briggs of the 1960s garage rock group Barry and the Remains.
The Remains were a mid-1960s rock group from Boston MA, led by Barry Tashian, who later was harmony vocalist and guitarist for Emmylou Harris. The Remains performed in Boston in 1964 and 1965, playing The Rathskellar where fans lined up from Kenmore SQ to Fenway Park to see them. They are best known for being one of the opening acts of The Beatles ' final US tour in 1966. On this tour is where Bill Hanley enters the picture.
Hanley provided sound reinforcement for the Remains which led to Hanley being recommended for the entire east coast Beatles tour…not too shabby! Bill Briggs (keyboardist) is still recording music and lives in Amesbury MA part time. Barry (lead singer) now lives in Nashville TN.
Barry and the Remains 1966 (Barry second from left, Bill far right)
Dinky Dawson
Soundman extraordinaire Dinky Dawson had settled in Boston from his native England, where he had already made a name for himself in the 60's and 70's from his road work with bands like Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, The Kinks to name but a few. Dinky went on to be the soundman for the historic Boston rock venue The Channel. The sound system that Dinky owned and brought with him to The Channel was rumored to include the same sound cabinets that first blasted Manfred Mann's "Doo Wa Diddy" in a recording studio back in London in 1964. Dinky's colorful past is well documented in the book Life on the Road published by Billboard Books in 1998. Dinky offered up a colorful interview along with some important industry information. We met at his home studio in Plymouth MA where he now lives with his wife. We spent several hours talking …it was a great day.
Dinky Dawson and his Wall of sound!
Dinky in the Studio (current)
Brad Lyttle
During the late sixties and early seventies Bill was involved in several very important and quite large anti war protest movements. Unlike many other sound people …Bill was interested and passionate about the cause even putting himself and his equipment in harm’s way.
Brad Lyttle who organized some of these events is a prominent pacifist and peace activist, and organizer with the Committee for non-violent action of several major campaigns including "Omaha Action", against land-based nuclear missiles (1959); "Polaris Action" against submarine-based nuclear missiles (1960); the San Francisco to Moscow Peace Walk (1961); and the Quebec-Washington-Guantanamo Peace Walk (1963). Brad lives in Chicago and is still working diligently towards global peace.
Brad Lyttle who organized some of these events is a prominent pacifist and peace activist, and organizer with the Committee for non-violent action of several major campaigns including "Omaha Action", against land-based nuclear missiles (1959); "Polaris Action" against submarine-based nuclear missiles (1960); the San Francisco to Moscow Peace Walk (1961); and the Quebec-Washington-Guantanamo Peace Walk (1963). Brad lives in Chicago and is still working diligently towards global peace.
Interestingly...Brad offers a whole other side to the Bill Hanley story which will be interesting to uncover. As we completed our phone interview Brad was unsure if he was going to jail regarding a situation he had in Texas for trespassing on a Nuclear base. You can read more about the outcome of that here.
Bradford is 85 years old and lives in Chicago. Bill and Brad speak often and are close friends to this day.
Bradford Lyttle on right
The Fillmore East
Saving the best for last…I suppose.
Backdrop...
The Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan NYC. It was open from 1968 to 1971, and featured the biggest acts in rock music at the time. The Fillmore East was a companion to Graham's Fillmore Auditorium, and its successor, the Fillmore West, in San Francisco, Graham's home base.
I ended this busy month with a shooting schedule that involved following Bill Hanley to NYC. He was to attend a Fillmore East reunion at a club on 36th st in midtown. After several (failed) attempts, I was not allowed in the venue with my camera equipment. Since Bill was the sound guy for the Fillmore, many of the people attending this party ( ushers, crew employees) were potential key interviewees for my project…at least some of them. Many of the folks who worked at the Fillmore also went on to be the support staff for the Woodstock festival…again another Bill Hanley connection. So basically.... I needed to get into this place asap!
After heavy negotiations with another (professional) film crew that were present (filming a movie about the Fillmore) I was only allowed in for a few hours. I ended up arguing with the leader of the film team...he wanted me to sign a consent form saying that my project would not come out before his....too funny.
With my shoddy, amateurish equipment set up, I managed to get two very candid interviews with Lee Mackler Blumer and John Morrris who were and are some of the most powerful music producers of the 1960s 70s . John now lives in California and Lee in Manhattan. Both were instrumental in at the Fillmore East and at Woodstock where they witnessed the finesse of Bill Hanley at work...just what I needed!
It was an emotionally exhausting trip to say the least…my wife was double parked outside for hours…luckily we had a nice hotel room waiting for us. As a side note I did manage to get some candid shots of Bill in the car, at the Apollo theater (where he also provided sound) and at the old Hanley office at 888 8th st in NYC.
The next day was spent traveling to NJ for one last interview. Here I spent some time with John Chester who had worked at the Fillmore for many years. It was a long two days…and it was time to go home.
This train keeps on rollin…
John Morris shaving at Woodstock
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