Blue Ridge Music in Encinitas is long gone now, but from age 12 (when I started playing guitar) to 16 (when I got a driver’s license and could explore further afield), this little place was my favorite toy store.
David Rives and I spent a lot of time in the shop and learned a great deal about instruments and their use from Andre, the proprietor, and his staff.
Blue Ridge was hardly a rock-‘n’-roll Mecca, although I did buy there the Guild guitar and Fender bass I still own today, and I did have one memorable encounter with Bo Diddley when he visited Blue Ridge to test out effects boxes for that evening’s gig at La Paloma Theater one block north.
But the bluegrass and other traditional-music tastes of the team there were righteous, and the place was a hangout as well as a market: It hosted occasional acoustic concerts, and both Dave and I took guitar lessons there, sometimes together. (His were far more effective!)
(Searching Google for Blue Ridge references, this timeline tells me Tom Waits played Blue Ridge Music twice in March 1974, and this obituary tells me our old guitar teacher Ron Jackson is no longer with us.)
What were your formative music stores? In the Age of Guitar Center, are there places Che Underground musicians still call home?
After the first few requisite self-help months with the Mel Bay books, I started taking the 5 bus down to Blue Guitar in Old Town for lessons around ’78.
I agree, Matthew, the ‘Blue’ stores weren’t as rock ‘n roll as I would have probably liked back then, but now I’m thrilled to have been exposed to the vibe and level of playing there.
Russ Miller, my guitar teacher at Blue Guitar, played more fingerpicking style than flatpicking (with great facility with both), and along with being an incredible teacher he showed me ways to approach the guitar that were far beyond the power-chording I was obsessed with at the time. He could clawhammer rock riffs and add bass counterpoint with his thumb, do all kinds of Travis pickings — stuff I wasn’t hip to, or wouldn’t devote the necessary time to try to learn until years later.
But believe me, it all sunk in and got me on my way… and I’m glad I taped the lessons as his playing on them still inspires…
Blue Guitar in Old Town brings for me an immediate image of the Firebrand series of Les Pauls and SG’s and MusicMan amps with built-in phasers.
Here’s a short list of stores for the first lap of a memory jog:
Guitar Trader (Kearny Mesa, and originally Clairemont)
Albert’s Music City (Clairemont and anywhere else?)
Apex Music (downtown)
Jim’s House of Guitars (North Park)
Freedom Guitar (orig downtown location)
Music Power — ‘your complete music sto-ore’ (Mission Valley)
Guitar Center (5th and C downtown)
Blue Guitar (Old Town and PB)
Blue Ridge (Encinitas)
La Jolla Music is still there, but there was another place in La Jolla a coupla blocks away..
>>After the first few requisite self-help months with the Mel Bay books
How many of us worshipped at the Altar of Mel Bay early in our musical efforts? I certainly tried to follow the man’s teachings during various abortive forays into rock-‘n’-roll animalhood (age six, age eight, age 10) …
I think we should work up a cover of the Beatles’ “Blue Jay Way” for the May show: “Mel Bay Way.”
Ups also to Artie and Happy Traum, who (before they broke into the adult-film industry with “Behind the Green Door”) released some very handy instructional books for budding folk musicians.
Glad someone started this thread as it segues into a question I have for current SDers. My 15-yr-old daughter wants a guitar for Xmas. I thought why not get one when I’m down (driving today as soon as I pack). What music stores ARE still around in the La Mesa area? I can also travel a little bit if there is one someone recommends. Also, does anyone have a suggestion on what would be a good one for someone just starting out? I don’t want to break the bank, but I’ll pay a couple hundred. Thx in advance for any advice. XO
Lori: Acoustic or electric?
Lori: When my daughter turned 15 she also had an interest in playing the guitar. Her dad got her a Danelectro which came with built in effects and a small amp. She also had a Silvertone accoustic (which she carved her initials into -- oh! ouch!). I remember the first songs she learned were Norwegian Wood and Dirty Water.
I’m always partial to the folks at Moze Guitar, which is now in La Mesa. They are a “mom and pop” store which is friendly, ethical and knowledgable, three traits which are often hard to find in the retail music industry.
>>I remember the first songs she learned were Norwegian Wood and Dirty Water.
“‘Cause I love that dirty, Norwegian water — oh! Oslo, you’re my home.”
Jim’s House of Guitars was the injections favourite store, Bruce Perreault played a fender jaguar with natural wood finish, Lisa Acid played a hoffner beatle bass, as well as a grestch anniversary and rickenbaucher, Piggy Gargoyle had a set of black pearl drums sans cymbals or high hat, she used a cowbell to fill in some measures.
What a trip that Dave F. rode the bus all the way down from Clairmont (I’m surprised it only took one) to take lessons at the Blue Guitar Workshop. I took lessons from two teachers there in ’76-’77. The shop was across from the school I went to at the time, Fremont Elementary. I probably had the same teacher. Both teachers taught me finger picking styles. I never really got comfortable using a pick since then. They wrote down songs in tablature. Since then I haven’t had the patience to really learn musical notation.
I was reading that several famous folk and bluegrass musicians played there in the ’60’s (the house band featured a future Byrd!): http://www.theblueguitar.com/static/reader.html The article mentions the owner’s brother owned Blue Ridge.
Later the main shop I went to was Guitar Trader where I got my Washburn A20 Stage Series seen in the HT pictures. I recently got that guitar refretted w/stainless steel frets for more than the guitar cost. The stainless frets feel different (more slippery), so now I wish I hadn’t spent all that dough, but I’ll adapt.
That was a great article, Paul … I’m guessing Andre of Blue Ridge fame was a Zeltins, too.
I wish I could bring my instruments home with me for the gig.
Aww shoot I blew my load early on this one.
Though she’d never be quick to admit that she was teaching Car’s basslines to poseurs prior to jamming with Mojo and country Dick.
I wonder: do people still play “Stairway to Heaven” and “Iron Man” when checking out guitars in music stores these days?
yep. they do.
The Injections played on truly groovy gear!
A Jaguar, Beatle bass, Gretsch & Rickenbacker…a perfect mix of surf and British Invasion. FAB!
JIm’s House of Guitars was great…my first intro to “swimming pool” Hagstroms, all kinds of great axes were hanging there before they became scarce or otherwise unaffordable. Got my Gretsch Country Gentleman there (long since gone), and it’s hard to believe it was only about 5 years old/new when I bought it, it was just another used guitar.
Don’t forget “Roundabout”.
I would play Louie Louie on bass or was it Wild Thing? Oh no it was Get off of my cloud.
Freedom Guitar was down the street from Bargain Books, run by some friends of my dear dad at Wahrenbrocks…so that’s where I would go for mics and harmonicas and stuff….they had a box of minor key Marine Bands and gave me a great deal on an Astatic…
Two doors down was Amos shoe shine. He graduated SD High in the 40s, set up his shoe shine emporium and didn’t close until he died I think. There was a gimpy mexican barber next door who was amazing. Amos (once he figured you were OK) would talk non-stop…and it was all filthy jokes. He knew every dirty joke ever told and he kept ’em coming…so you could get your hair cut, go next door and get a shine, and be fabulously entertained the whole time…find a nice book at Bargain Books for a freakin dollar, then go find a nice guitar for 65 bucks or so at Freedom Guitar.
What the hell do kids do today? Gawd am I old?
Once my mom and her boss went by Amos’s place on their lunch to drop off her bosses shoes…and Amos’s doors were shut. Weird. They were worried. So they peeked inside and Amos was there alright…and he had company and evidently he was doing research for his usual material. Evidently primary research …oral history you might say…
My mom says to her boss…”what the heck, it’s lunch time!” which she never lived down. She had at that point established a pretty serious reputation as a boring kinda killjoy prude with her coworkers. That was not her, and that joke made a new rep for her at work.
I’m not sure if she would have thanked Amos…she didn’t have a chance that day. He was busy.
So I vote for Freedom Guitar…just by association.
Patrick Works
Duck Skinner
SPEAKING OF THE INJECTIONS…
I am wondering if Lou Scum, or any Che blogger that is familiar with the Injections, has an inkling of where drummer JoAnne Norris is and how I might get in touch with her. Our old band Everybody Violet and I are hoping to recruit her for a rocking live performance onstage at the Che Underground Reunion Festival in May 2009…and that gives us minimal time to reconnect and rehearse with everyone.
Some of my recent internet searches identified a JoAnne Norris,
age 65, living in El Cajon and/or La Mesa-but i think that this person must be too old to be the JoAnne Norris I am looking for.
Any suggestions, my friends?
Thx everyone for the suggestions. I am in SD now and plugged in web-wise. Forgot about Moze! It’s right down the street from where I’m staying. Will check it out tomorrow. She wants an acoustic and I thought it would be best if she tried ’em out vs. me just buying one.
>>So they peeked inside and Amos was there alright…and he had company and evidently he was doing research for his usual material. Evidently primary research …oral history you might say…
I always thought those raised platforms in shoeshine parlors looked sketchy.
Dear Kristi, I do not know where Joanne is. I have not heard from her. Last time I saw her was in Providence R.I. 1983. I would like to know her whereabouts also. If you find her let me know.
Thank, Lou-I’ll let you know if I ever catch up with her…She played with EV in 1985, so I saw her more recently than you! She couldn’t possibly be 65, could she? Her age back then seemed so ubiqitous. On one hand, she was definitely older than the other 20 year old girls in the band-but (as Dave Flemminger keenly observed) if she is 65 now, that would put her at 42 years old in 1985…it can’t be so, can it?
Kristi: Joanne definitely was not born in 1943. I’m under the (perhaps slightly fuzzy) impression that she was 25 when she played with Noise 292 in 1983. Which would make her 50 now.
Let’s say early 50s, tops. Not in her mid-60s.
I hope she has (a) a browser and (b) the desire to reconnect!
i was named after yuris’ sister, mara. the zeltins are old family friends. mara is who we stay with when we come to town. they are a wonderful family. i have a ring she gave my mom that came from latvia with them when they emigrated back in the early/middle of the last century. my mom is trying to get mara to have her brother make henry, my son, a guitar. i figure he’d be more inclined to play an instrument made specifically for him. i think it’s really cool that you all remember him. he’ll be touched that his shop still stands in memory as a landmark.
Music stores in SD? Damn I could wax for hours on all the places and crap I’ve bought here, sold, stole (’66 Fireglo Rick 4005 for $350 @ GC) or traded (epic trade for Black Fender Tele bass to trade to a guy who had a Mosrite bass).
I bought my first amp from GC on C St, a Fender Champ $106 tax incl’d. I often bought stuff out of the Reader back when it was worthwhile and didn’t have escort and boob job ads… I say often well when I had cash that is… which wasn’t all that often lol!
Fleminger told me the other day his mom remembered picking me up as I was walking home from Guitar Trader (on Shawline/Clmt Mesa) to UC and that I had some item on layaway there. The buses sucked back then (and still do), so I just put the heel to the pavement.
Albert’s, Apex, Moze (on College), Therle’s, Earl’s Famous Music, Guitar Center, Guitar Trader (Ed’s house and the current location) Freedom (on 8th), The Black and some others I don’t recall the name of all in search of some gadget/gizmo long forgotten.
No one mentioned Hansen’s Music, Dennis Hansen rented out a crap load of stuff to us over the years in the form of amps and PA’s. Anyone recall that place?
I never really went to Encinitas or South Bay, so I don’t know the stores in those places.
Anybody shop Valley Music?
Valley musical legend
East County’s first music store has hosted some of country’s top stars
By Anne Krueger
STAFF WRITER
July 12, 2006
EL CAJON – It’s a quiet little music store now, with guitars for sale on the wall and bins filled with sheet music. Budding young musicians rent their band instruments there or take lessons in one of the back rooms.
But decades ago, Valley Music was part of a thriving music scene in East County. Some of the nation’s top country music stars stopped by the store while in town for gigs at the nearby Bostonia Ballroom. Johnny Cash bought a guitar there after a show one night.
Valley Music also served future rock stars who lived in the area. Frank Zappa, whose family lived for a time in El Cajon, got his first record player there in 1954. Members of the rock band that later became Iron Butterfly bought their guitars there.
Cool!…music stores around here are slowly going away….sad. Tough business and everything is available on the internet. It may be the end-times of a culture.
Matt, Eric Riffe may be looking for some Injection photos, flyers, and mp3’s.
I’m not sure how to direct him since the stuff is all over CHE….any advice??
I’d also like to post a couple of great Injection songs I received From Cliff C. Studio stuff with Peter Missing/Non accompanying the Injections. Don’t know how to post CD cuts?
>>I’m not sure how to direct him since the stuff is all over CHE….any advice??
Bruce: Eric’s actually been in on our project here since before I launched the blog — no prob hooking him up! (And I trust he’s keeping tabs.) 🙂
>>I’d also like to post a couple of great Injection songs I received From Cliff C. Studio stuff with Peter Missing/Non accompanying the Injections. Don’t know how to post CD cuts?
Well, of course … Just e-mail ’em to cheunderground@gmail.com. Give me a couple paragraphs of description, and we’ll make a post!
Yeah I’m email and Facebook friends with Eric. I just didn’t know if he was aware of all the stuff on CHE, or if he knew how to navigate around to find stuff.
Uhmmm…..don’t know how to email CD cuts?????????
>>Uhmmm…..don’t know how to email CD cuts?????????
Bruce: We’ll work something out. 🙂 Can you save them as MP3 files to your hard drive, then e-mail them as attachments? Write me privately.