Saturday, August 21, 1999 - WINDING DOWN WITH DOCTOR DREAD

Got up around 9:30, a reasonable time, not too late. I got coffee and a blueberry muffin downstairs in the little cafe. I saw beautiful women in mini-shorts in that summer California style. There was woman named Laraine who represented Kaba, a CD & cassette reproduction company. I talked with her a bit. I saw her again in the conference room I was checking out and she gave me the whole description of the company with a promotional package, very nice. She apparently offered the Motives a show in San Francisco on Sunday but Louie didn't know about it yet.

I eventually went back to the room and then went out to the airport so Paul could rent another 4-wheel drive vehicle which turned out to be a Jeep Cherokee. I got back and it was time for the keynote address by Dr. Dread, the president of Ras Records. Who was Doctor Dread you ask? Well he's Gary Himmelfarb, a Jew, y'know like me! A Jew talkin' 'bout Jah!!! He bears resemblance in look and demeanor of New York Yankees' manager Joe Torre.

He told of his history of discovering reggae, going to Jamaica, staying there, buying records and becoming a pioneering reggae DJ in Washington, DC. He started his own distribution company and finally a record company by signing some acts and promoting them. The big break was when Bob Marley died and the Island Distribution was changing from one major to another so no Bob Marley records were available. However, he had a distribution deal with Tuff Gong, Marley's local Jamaica company for the Island albums so Ras was the only company to have Marley recordings resulting in orders from all over. He won a grammy for two Bunny Wailer recordings and got so big Rounder bought them out. Things got rough in the 90's due to retail over saturation and returns. The company was almost bankrupt. Rounder wasn't happy and he was gonna quit. A deal was worked out where he bought Ras back and he's turned it around. He came across as sincere, not a hard-nosed businessman but he is prejudiced against American reggae bands. He wouldn't sign one unless they "blow him away." Louie asked him a question about what a new band could do and said you should put a CD out there yourself.

I then introduced Louie to Laraine and we discussed the gig which we declined because we didn't know how many band members were around, Zack leaving etc. and Rebecca having disappeared to San Francisco not knowing exactly where she was etc. In addition we really have to leave on Sunday to travel back to NY for a gig on August 27. As of this writing we do know where Rebecca is (here at the hotel), and we do have all the band members but Zack, it's a non-paying situation and we just gotta leave. Louie however is playing guitar with Kwama tonight at Waves.

After the Dr. Dread seminar Milo and I went to the health club which was great fun. We swam, jacuzzied and went into the cold pool as well. I finally did an entire lap underwater for what it's worth. I got some Sushi at Zanotto's Market, the Motives' favorite supermarket, on the way back for a late lunch. At the corner of San Carlos and Market across the street from the hotel we ran into Phil and Paul. I asked Paul if I could return the minivan which we did after I ate the Sushi. We did a search of the minivan and I found my Blue Sky Adventure baseball cap. It never can get lost no matter how many times I leave it somewhere! I thought it was gone this time for sure! We returned it and of course it was much more than I thought, closer to $800 than $600. It's those insurance charges that getcha especially if you don't own a car. We got back and Paul's room is the hangout room and I'm ready to go to Waves to hang out tonight and listen to some cool music there and at Club Ibex. When Douglas and I went to visit Paul and Milo in their room, we heard a woman's voice. We were wondering what "hanky panky" was going on in there. When they opened the door Rebecca was in the room! She flashed us the peace sign and all was well with The Motives. Everyone but Zack was here which was prophetic...

Well we saw some groups at both clubs that night, much of it is roots reggae, not that exciting. We enjoyed seeing Louie play with the African lady Kwama as well as Paolo and the Habesha, a reggae band that played with us at Ashkenaz. Kwama had this woman keyboard player who was pretty good and exotic looking named Nomia. I talked with her and had a funny exchange concerning her really long hair. I asked if her dread pony tail was real. She asked if I was jealous. I said no; that I had come to terms with my lack of hair. She replied that she had come to terms with her abundance of hair. Paul said she was "hot" but never talked to her.

During this time some of the band members were there but left 'cause they wanted to eat. Rebecca and I stayed at Waves to see the above bands, Paolo esp. since everyone left with Louie. It was my first drinking night having returned the rental van. I had two apricot ales on Rebecca's recommendation and got a little drunk, and felt great. Anyway everyone came back and no one had eaten! They had the band van and the plan was to go to IHOP (oh boy!). so we went to the IHOP and it was closed! The nerve. On to the Taqueria near the hotel. We ordered what else but burritos like we have on much more than one occasion. We were getting burrito'd out! While we were eating Nomia the keyboardist and her male companion showed up and sat at their table. I talked a little more with her about her tour with Eek-a-mouse and my commercials. Milo left us to smoke some weed with them. There was an interesting aside in the bathroom. There was no toilet seat covers in the dispenser but someone had written in the dispenser, "use your brain."

Louie Playing With Kwama

The Mot!ves Were Present to Support Louie

Douglas the "Gangsta"

In my opinion this is my best picture -- Rappers Mustafa and Red I doin' their thing!

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