My music education began at the age of six. The Baltimore County Public School
System provided my early music instruction. At age 19, I began studying privately
with Chuck Memphis, Percussion Director of the Peabody Music Conservatory. It
was the the greatest 4 years any drummer could experience. At the age of 30, I
met Tom Starr from Novi, Michigan and spent a year in his studio trying to "keep
up" before going on the road full time.
Listed below are some events that have helped make the bugs Beddow band rhythm
section rock solid:
1968 - Played my first gig with a local Drum and Bugle
Corp. in Perry Hall, Maryland. I don't remember the name of the group, but
I do remember it was cold and the snare drum became very heavy by parades
end.
1970 - Joined my first rock group with two school
buddies (we called ourselves "The Tyrannasuasions"). We learned one song (Rocky
Raccoon) and broke up before our first performance.
1974 - Prformed with Dwight Schultz in the off-Broadway
theater production of "Happy Birthday, Wanda June", by Kurt Vonnegut, for
Centre Stage in Baltimore, Maryland.
1974-1978 - Performed in numerous PBS educational
specials and recorded commercials (Washington Post, American Airlines, etc.)
for Telecolor Studios in Washington, D.C.
1979-1984 - Worked the Washington, D.C., Maryland,
Virginia nightclub circuit opening for acts such as "The KIX", "The Ravyns"
and "Deuce".
1987-1989 - Performed with Detroit Singer and Songwriter
Bill Kahler.
1992-1994 - Performed and recorded with Detroit-based
jazz/fusion quintet, "Blue Metro", which is where I met Don Turner, the bass
player for the bugs Beddow band.
1994-1996 - Performed and recorded with Detroit-based
be-bop quartet, "Impact". This group occasionally featured special-guest Joe
Messina.
1997 - The 'Bone Appetit Tour with the bugs Beddow
band.
1998 - The gimme five tour begins with the bugs Beddow
band.
1997 - The Year In Review
(Excerpts from a recent Rolling Stone interview with Jim
Pryor)
RS: It’s been 12 months since we last had time to speak. How was your first year
on the road with Bugs?
JP: Successful, exciting, educational, tiring, wild, crazy. What’s not to like?
RS: Expand on each of those categories a little bit.
JP: Well, the band worked all over the state of Michigan as well as Ohio and Canada.
Somewhere around 90 gigs I think. During the year we literally opened and closed
clubs. Jason Hinz and I used clubs too, but that’s due to our love of golf. We
created controversy and political unrest in the city of Dearborn, barely made
it out of Toledo in one piece (because we didn’t know how to play a tune called
"Tootsie Roll"), and damn near got electrocuted in Lake Leelanau. I also got to
watch bugs fall through the ice in Lake Michigan..as I said before...what’s not
to like?
RS: Tell me more about the 1997 CD release "Live at the Mid-Michigan Blues Festival".
JP: It’s a perfect snapshot
of our concert performance. We show up at the gig, fire up the equipment and burn
(no pun intended). The only thing you don’t get on the CD are the stage antics.
The technicians at the festival did a great job getting the energy of the show
on tape. The fact that this recording wasn’t a planned event added to realism.
RS: Let me understand this, you didn’t make advance preparations to record your
recent CD.
JP: Nope. We just showed up and the sound engineer asked if he could roll tape.
We signed a couple of legal documents and the rest is history.
RS: What is your favorite memory of 1997?
JP: Watching the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup.
RS: No Jim, we mean musically.
JP: Oh..It would have to be the "Here Comes The Sun Party" in Lake Leelanau.
The stage was a big barge in a canal tied to the docks at a bar/restaurant. Local
musicians jammed with the band and the concert just raged. I now know the meaning
of "Smoke on the Water".
RS: What’s on tap for 1998?
JP: Well I’m looking to buy a house and get myself in a more stable position at
work.
RS: No Jim, I mean musically.
JP: I was just testing you. Currently the band is working up a new set of music.
Focusing heavily on the blues. bugs, Jason and Don have been working on original
material and plans are to hit the studio in June/July time frame. I’m really looking
forward to incorporating more original tunes in our repertoire. bugs is hard at
work securing gigs and, if I’m not mistaken, we are pretty well booked for 1998.
Like I said before, what’s not to like?
