In all of my journalism studies, it's always been hammered into me to "write what you know." Well, I know Bob Malone. About a million years ago (ok, it was about 1989 but YOU live didn't live in Los Angeles in the 80s....) there was a tiny bar, in a tiny strip center in Sherman Oaks called The Chimney Sweep. Being a fan of the dive bar, you can't imagine how thrilled I was to find this one within walking distance to my apartment. This was during what I refer to as The Whiskey Years and I'm sure I don't have to explain any further.
Bob was playing solo; hammering out Billy Joel, Dr. John and occasionally slipping in an original that no one noticed but me. In my best Faye Dunaway, I staggered (I'm pretty sure I staggered...) up to him and said, "You don't belong here." That's about all I remember about that night but it was the beginning of a 20 year friendship that still holds strong today. We both gave up the whiskey but never each other.
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| Bob e Las Bobetts SXSW 2011 |
I was there the first time Bob played his first showcase gig for ASCAP. I was there to sing background vocals on some of his first recordings. I wasn't there, unfortunately, to watch him marry the lovely and talented Karen Nash, who I consider one of my closest friends. I'd moved to Texas by then and LA had gotten further and further away from me.
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| Post Fogerty March 2013 |
I will be there Friday, September 27 when Bob plays at Cypress Creek Cafe. Karen and I will be singing background vocals like we always do when he's in Texas. I've watched Bob go from dive bars to enormo-domes, where he plays keyboards and accordion for the legendary John Fogerty.
He's released seven CDs and traveled the world extensively as a solo artist. He continues to write, arrange, record and still keep all of his hair.
T.
