A Morlocks motherlode: Founding bassist Jeff Lucas has opened up his archives to Che Underground: The Blog! His collection of photos, flyers, lyric sheets and other curiosities spans the band’s earliest days in San Diego (summer 1984) to the dissolution of the original lineup three years later.
Here’s a showcase of Jeff’s collection followed by his notes:
“1. Myself and Leighton awash in the Brotherhood of Light’s psychedelic light show at the Swedish American Hall.
“2. Original ‘My Friend the Bird’ lyrics written at 2nd & Ivy by [vocalist] Leighton [Koizumi] — with my suggested corrections on the ‘slingshot’ line — that I used to write the music.
“3. A cartoon drawn by one of [guitarist] Tommy [Clarke’s] and Kristen [Tobiason’s] roommates at the Page St. house — I forget his name, but he played guitar, had glasses.
“4. Another photo from the session that produced the ‘Wake Me When I’m Dead’ album cover.
“5. A photo of me a month or two before I called it quits. Taken in LA behind Red Kross’ practice studio.
“6. Ted and myself at Studio 517… one of our first shows. The earliest live photo I have.
“7. Me working at the Racine & Laramie tobacco shop that spawned the Morlocks. Both Tommy and Leighton worked there at the time.
“8. Tommy and Leighton at Racine & Laramie.
“9. Leighton and Jeff … unknown venue.
“10. Leighton with Jerry in the background, same as above.
“11. Ted and Jeff from the same concert as above.
“12. Leighton … unknown venue.
“13. Cornelius’ original flyer for the Swedish American Hall Show (the first show … we played there a few times).
“14. Proofs from the Time magazine shoot. Taken in the alley by the On Broadway. This is scanned and blown up from an inch-long Polaroid proof!”
Great photos!!
Buddy Woodward drew the cartoon flyer.
Pretty easy to follow the path from starry-eyed to burnt-out.
Ah, yes… Buddy! He found me on myspace.com awhile back.
Jeff: That 1987 b&w shot of you is poignant as hell … You look like Neil Young!
man what a party
Those were the days! Great photos.
Nice to hear from you Jeff…hope you’re well.
Pat
remember the chicken claw pipes?
Tony: Ingred Chamberlin already walks among us — I hope she (and Eric) surface to comment again soon!
Jeff: I was convinced of seeing/flipping Bukowski at the time, but must admit I’ve second guessed myself over the years. It was after being up for a few nights, and it was in Mission Hills if I remember correctly. I still have an image stored in my brain, but it seems like a day dream.
I remember when I met Tommy I was enthralled with his pipe collection and his varied accessories. I hung out with him maybe 8 years ago? or so. He was living in Seattle at the time and working as a chef. He was in a band….wonder where he’s at now?
Must find Tommy
Eric: I’ve done more crazy shit to find Tommy Clarke than anyone else we’ve tracked down. I’ve harassed strangers named “T. Clarke” in Seattle … I actually found some guys he’d played with a few years back in a band called Bottle of Smoke and called them up … Nice people, no luck at all.
Tommy, can you hear me?
(I once met Charles Bukowski in an Encinitas pizza place with my dad, who’d known him socially. He was in town for the Del Mar races … Seemed quite personable, actually!)
Eric: Yup, Mission Hills… it CAN’T be a dream. It just can’t.
Holy smokes… I remember Captain Freedom! And Ingrid.
Mark: Must find Tommy.
I had a dream with Tommy in it the other night,nothing really amazing was going on,we were just talking about stuff and hanging out and smoking I believe,we both spent a lot of time at our friends Scott and Charlene’s house in the mid to late 80’s and then I briefly managed the Morlocks during the Matt Johnson/Paul Howland incarnation in about 88.It was a kind of mundane but very real dream.I think he must be close.
Spent a great deal of time smoking with Tommy, and, drinking coffee. Paul Howland too, I believe taught me how to roll Bugler, or Kite or Top. I just threw away these crazy pics of had a Jerry in full regalia, make up and all, taken in photo studio. I didn’t think I would ever talk with him again. Racine and Laramie, Freyburg and Treyer something like that …
I am in University Heights a great deal now and pass by the old rubberface residence quite a bit.
Hey, Jeff — what-all basses were you playing in those days? In this photo set alone, I’m seeing a Hofner, a Vox teardrop (?), another ax I can’t identify in those Time magazine shots, another other one in the early shot with Ted … I know some equipment got smashed along the way, but tell us about your gear!
No Hofner, Matthew… heh… see below.
My Morlock Basses in chronological order:
Gretsch (seen in early photo with Ted). Kind of like a Country Gentleman bass. Used on 1st record.
Vox (up until San Francisco). There was a time when every guitar and amp and even drums we used were completely Vox.
Eko (Italian made-- seen in Swedish American Hall photos and Time Magazine). Looks like a bloated Hofner!
Well I never owned a Vox anything. 66 Firebird non reverse, and,a 63 fender super with two 10s, + the old reverb tank. I did have a tonebender until it got ripped off at Rock on Broadway. I used Erick B’s Gretsch on Emerge. I smashed one of Jeff’s basses …. ummmm … oops … sorry, man. That wasn’t too cool.
I had a Vox drum set ………..man was it cool.
I sold it to some Navy dude for like $200…….so sad.
I think we made it to “all Vox” when Jordan played with us, Ted.
RE: Vox Bass…. All things considered, there’s no worries. Heh. The guitar afficiando inside me cringes, however.
Wow I been thinking bout Tommy for years now. I used to live with Charlene and Scott for a bit before Gerry (Tommy’s dad) finally let us live together. I would love to hear some kine news about him.
HAH!!! Che Underground Big Island faction!! West side? Check! East Side? Check! Okay, Matt- only two more sides and it’s OUR ISLAND!!! SEND MORE PUNKS!!!!!
This is great Jeff, that you opened your collection to share with the masses…Having been one of the “Morlocks’ girls”, so to speak…I have a collection of stories and photos I’ve been waiting to share on the blog. It is only appropriate that I follow in the footsteps of actual Morlocks band members…so, it is great to see you got the ball rolling! And nice to see all the members come together…sans Tommy. Finding him would be like putting a cherry on top of a fuge Sunday!
I’ve got some other blog storyies up my sleeves…but ones of these days will be happy to unveil my Morlocks related memorabilia in a short posting with lots of fun visual cues!
>>And nice to see all the members come together…sans Tommy. Finding him would be like putting a cherry on top of a fuge Sunday!
Kristi: Happily for your whipped topping, Tommy Clarke has indeed joined us — indeed, he contributed a number of comments some months back, and I believe he continues to grace us with his presence on occasion. 🙂
@ Julie Scott -- formerly Julie Johnson???!?! If so, how the heck are you girl!
Yep, it’s Tommy’s sister. We found Tommy, lol. Contact me if you get this, although I think you’re not gonna get notified of this reply. 🙁
Been trying to find you since we parted ways in Utah….