1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: The True Story of the Fake Zombies is a production 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: of iHeart Podcasts, Talk House and Nevermind Media. I'm back 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: from Bay City, the town in middle of nowhere, Michigan 4 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: that birthed the Fake Zombies. I went there looking for 5 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: anything and anyone connected to the four young men from 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: Texas who ended up in Bay City fifty five years 7 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: ago and called themselves the Zombies. I encountered question Mark 8 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 1: and one of the Mysterians, legendary garage rockers who shared 9 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: a manager with the imposter band. I talked to people 10 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: all over Base City looking for the Fake Zombies and 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: their managers, Bill Kehoe and Jim Atherton from Delta Promotions, 12 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: and after a lot of looking, I found Gordon Thayer, 13 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: lead singer and guitarist in the band Dick Rabbit. 14 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 2: We were there and involved in the Zombies. 15 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: Saying Gordon and his two brothers, Rich and Phil were 16 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: the opening act. They spent months on the road with 17 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: the Texas Zombies, and as you'll hear later in this episode, 18 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: Gordon didn't just open up for the Texas Zombies. He 19 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: parted with them too. He was there when Frank Beard 20 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 1: and Dusty Hill the rhythm section of the now legendary 21 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: zz Top hit Bay City in nineteen sixty nine, but 22 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: before Gordon tells us what it was like on the 23 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: road with Frank and Dusty. I'm talking with two experts 24 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: on zz top to find out about the roots of 25 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: their sound, and I examined zz top self produced twenty 26 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: nineteen documentary That Little Old Band from Texas, which doesn't 27 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: mention fake British accents or Bay City, Michigan, but does 28 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: offer up some surprising information on how Frank and Dusty 29 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: ended up in The Fake Zombies. I'm Daniel Ralston. This 30 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: is the true story of the Fake Zombies. I have 31 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: a confession to make, one that might make a few 32 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: people in Texas upset. While I love the Zombies and 33 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: you could even call me an expert on them, I 34 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,839 Speaker 1: can't say the same about zz Top. All I really 35 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: knew about Frank Beard and Dusty Hill before I went 36 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: digging up everything I could on the Fake Zombies was 37 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: the image they presented on MTV when I was growing up. Frank, 38 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: Dusty and Billy Gibbons, three rough customers armed with guitar, 39 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: bass and drums, driving souped up hot rods and singing 40 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: songs about them too, But I'm searching for a piece 41 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: of zz Top's origin story that doesn't exactly fit into 42 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: that carefully crafted narrative. A lost year when Dusty and 43 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: Frank traveled to Michigan, hooked up with Delta Promotions, and 44 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: called themselves the Zombies. I knew their distinctive sound. Of course, 45 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: nobody sounds like zz Top. I knew a few of 46 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: their songs about cars and girls, and I knew that 47 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: instantly recognizable look. They're hot chit guitarist Billy Gibbons and 48 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: bassist Dusty Hill sporting long disguise like beards, And of 49 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: course I knew their drummer, Frank Beard is the only 50 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: one in the band without a beard. Still one of 51 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: the greatest ironies in rock history. That was zz Top 52 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: To me, it turns out there's so much more to 53 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: them just below the circle. 54 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 3: I love zz Top because to me, it's like music 55 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 3: forgetting in trouble. 56 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 1: I called up to music writers I know, Alison Hussey 57 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: and Nadine Smith, both longtime Zeazy Top lovers, to get 58 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: me up to speed on the band. Frank Beard and 59 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: Dusty Hill would spend fifty years playing in together. Just 60 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: after their time in the Fake Zombies. 61 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 3: Loving zz Top is just kind of like embracing the 62 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 3: side of you that is just kind of like messy 63 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 3: and wants to kick around in the dirt and drive 64 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 3: around with the windows down and smoke a cigarette and 65 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 3: be bad. 66 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: That's former Pitchfork writer and editor Alison Hussey, and she 67 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,239 Speaker 1: sets me straight about all the is to love about 68 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: zz Top. 69 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 3: Oh zz Top were just these like guys with dark 70 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 3: sunglasses and the big long beards and the furry, spinny 71 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 3: guitars on MTV. But you know, by the time they 72 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 3: were doing that, they'd already been a band for like 73 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,799 Speaker 3: almost fifteen years. 74 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: In searching for the Fake Zombies, I've gotten to know 75 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: the origins of the zz Top sound. It's steeped in 76 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: Texas blues, but unlike a lot of other artists in 77 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: that genre, zz Top never take themselves too seriously. It's 78 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: all about that balance. 79 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 3: There's just like such uh like raw energy and power 80 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 3: to their music that is really a lot of fun. 81 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 3: It's genuinely pretty funny sometimes. You know, it's all of 82 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 3: these kind of heavy rock riffs, but songs that are 83 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 3: maybe not silly but are definitely like humorous. They're pretty 84 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 3: coy sometimes kind of crass, but in a funny way. 85 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: They may be funny, but the zz top sound guitar, 86 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: bass drums and vocals is surprisingly complex. You need three 87 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: legitimately great musicians to keep a power trio going and 88 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: sounding original for over fifty years. 89 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 3: Each of them kind of accomplishes that on their own, 90 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 3: but then like all three of them coming together, and 91 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 3: then the fact that they're able to get so much 92 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 3: power out of like one guitar, one bass drums. There 93 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 3: have been like plenty of great three piece rock bands, 94 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 3: but like they are just like so thick and so loud. 95 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: That signature sound thick and loud, there's all the hallmarks 96 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: of three guys who grew up absorbing every musical influence 97 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: they could. 98 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 3: One thing that is key to how zz top got 99 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,679 Speaker 3: to sound like zz top. They kind of talk about 100 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 3: it in a song on Fandango. It's called I Heard. 101 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: It on the X. 102 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 3: Basically, back in the nineteen thirties, some American radio stations 103 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 3: established themselves kind of just on the other side of 104 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 3: the southern border with Mexico. It was basically a way 105 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 3: for them to get around FCC rules and with a 106 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 3: lot of these stations which were called border Blasters. It 107 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 3: was pretty much a free for all in terms of 108 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 3: both programming and pretty literally in terms of how people 109 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 3: were able to access it. 110 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: The border Blaster station Zzy Top grew up listening to 111 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: played everything, including songs from the British Invasion, which might 112 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: explain why the zombies were on Frank and Dusty's radar. 113 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 3: This was something that Frank, Billy and Dusty all kind 114 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 3: of would have grown up steeped in, not just like 115 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: blues music and rock and roll music, but also nor 116 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 3: tenno music and Chicano music from Mexico. They were getting 117 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 3: rhythm and blues music, stuff that was popular like from 118 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 3: the West coast, stuff that was popular from the South. 119 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: So like from a really young age, they were able 120 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 3: to just kind of like pull all of these different 121 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 3: kinds of music out of the air. They didn't even 122 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 3: have to buy records. 123 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: Billy, Frank, and Dusty took those sounds and ran with them, 124 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: creating something distinctive and strange, something only three unknowns from 125 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: Texas could make. 126 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 3: They I think were pretty openly just like we were weirdos. 127 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: I think that there was some quote I saw maybe 128 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 3: from Dusty where he talked about being not just a 129 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,439 Speaker 3: long hair in Texas, but a long hair who had 130 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 3: blue hair. 131 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: Zz Top's origins make for an unlikely success story. From 132 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: blue haired Texas proto punks to household names with cameos 133 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: and Back to the Future three and guest spots on 134 00:08:55,960 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: King of the Hill, Billy, Frank and Dusty became part 135 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: of the American psyche, their songs acting as a kind 136 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: of shorthand in pop culture. Need a song that highlights 137 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 1: how tough and self assured your character is. Nothing says 138 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: badass quite like zz Top. 139 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 4: I think my first memory of zz Top is the 140 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 4: scene in the Tim Allan movie The Santa Claus where, 141 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 4: like the Tim Allen is getting his really like swanky 142 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 4: flame proof suit and sharp dressed man hits and he's 143 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 4: like strutting down North Poles Avenue or whatever. 144 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: That's Nadine Smith, native Texan and another one of my 145 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: favorite music writers with a deep love for zz Top. 146 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 4: There's a lot of like rawness, a lot of that 147 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 4: blues tradition, but there's also this, like I guess, like 148 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 4: blues futurism, and that's something that I think is so 149 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 4: singular about them. 150 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: You know that futuristic element is what keeps zz top 151 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: from sounding like every other blue band. A lot of 152 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: their songs sound similar, but they never sound like anybody else. 153 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 4: They really found a formula and did a kind of 154 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 4: like work smarter, not harder sort of approach in some ways, 155 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 4: which you know sounds maybe like a backhanded compliment, but 156 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 4: I don't mean it like that at all, because I 157 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,680 Speaker 4: think these guys, the Fake Zombies band, I think is 158 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 4: a perfect example of this. That these were like very 159 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 4: much working touring musicians, guys who were steeped on the 160 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 4: like roadhouse juke joint circuit of Texas that like Stevie 161 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 4: ray Vaughn played on the outlaw country circuit. 162 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: You know, that kind of era. 163 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 4: But also at the same time, you know, you have 164 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 4: the sort of the sixties psychedelic movement that they come 165 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 4: out of. 166 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: To those psychedelic elements of the sixties were shared by 167 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: Frank and Dusty before they'd link up with Billy Gibbons 168 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 1: and take over the world. I asked Nadine what it 169 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: is about Frank on drums and dust young bass that's 170 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: just so locked in. 171 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 4: It's a really interesting combination because you have Gibbons who 172 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 4: is this peer of Jimmy Hendrix and very dynamic, doing 173 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 4: a lot of those same kind of things with the 174 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 4: space between notes, kind of playing with tone and not 175 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 4: just playing a guitar line, you know, playing with kind 176 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 4: of sound itself. There's just such a tight internal sense 177 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 4: of timing that you can only really get from schlepping 178 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 4: and working hard and playing those gigs where you're probably 179 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 4: at a lot of points, just like the soundtrack to 180 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 4: bar fights or to just rowdiness, and so you have 181 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 4: to keep it together as a band because everything else 182 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 4: is falling apart around you. 183 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: That kind of musical camaraderie is extremely rare, and it 184 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: kept Dusty Hill and Frank Beard together until the day 185 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: Dusty died in twenty twenty one, a fifty five year 186 00:11:55,320 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: partnership that included a stint in the Fake Zombies. The 187 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 1: time Frank Beard and Dusty Hill from zz Top spent 188 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: in Bay City was never going to be part of 189 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: the band's official origin story. Frank, Dusty and Billy Gibbons 190 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: released their own career spanning documentary in twenty nineteen. It's 191 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: called that Little Old Band from Texas. It's their official 192 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: origin story. We found this out, Yeah, that's it. It 193 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: was time to take Texas culture to the world. They 194 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: became international superstars. There's no mention of Bay City, Michigan 195 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: or Delta Promotions playing a role in Frank and Dusty's 196 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 1: Prezzy Top lives, but there are some clues, some really 197 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: good clues. I didn't expect the fake zombies to make 198 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: it into the official story of zz Top, but even 199 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: in their own movie, something slips past the dark sunglasses 200 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: and the giant beards and we catch a glimpse. The 201 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: movie begins with the usual music documentary stuff, childhood photos, 202 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: early musical influences, a lot of Texas prairie footage. It's 203 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: Dusty Hill who tips his hand first while talking about 204 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: one of his early bands that he toured Texas with 205 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 1: as a teenager, Lady Wild and the Warlocks. There are 206 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: only a few Lady Wild recordings out there. Here's their 207 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: song another Year, Lady Raise Kiss the Ground around Us. 208 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: That's Lady Wild singing. Her name is Mary Smith, and 209 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: this is clearly a long way from the hard rocking, 210 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: earth shaking bass rifts. Dusty Hill will go on to 211 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: play in zz Top. Lady Wild and the Warlocks played 212 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: British Invasion covers, and notably, Lady Wilde was actually from England. 213 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:12,439 Speaker 1: The hardest part of the fake Zombies to picture for 214 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: me has always been big old Dusty Hill from Texas 215 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: going up on stage and faking a British accent. Now 216 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: that I know about Lady Wilde and the Warlocks, it 217 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: doesn't seem like that much of a stretch. According to 218 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: the dock, Dusty recruited drummer Frank Beard into the Warlocks 219 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty four. They ditched Lady wild and the 220 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: Warlocks dyed their hair blue and became American Blues. Here's 221 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: their track, keep My Heart in a Rage. American Blues 222 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: cut a full length album in nineteen sixty seven, and 223 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: it's a lot closer in sound to the Reels Zombies 224 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: then you might expect from four Texas teenagers. According to 225 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: the liner notes on that album, American Blues were Dusty 226 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: Hill on bass and his brother Rocky on guitar, keyboardist 227 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:18,359 Speaker 1: Doug Davis, and Frank Beard on drums. In the documentary, 228 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: they show a black and white photo of American Blues. 229 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 1: It's only on screen for a second before they move 230 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: on to zz Tops Meteoric Rise to start him. And 231 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: if you or anybody but me, a guy who's been 232 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: obsessed with this imposter band story for a decade, you 233 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: wouldn't have noticed. But that picture of the American Blues 234 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: is actually a picture of the Fake Zombies. It's the 235 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: same black and white promotional photo of the original Zombies 236 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: the Delta promotions used, but the band name and the 237 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: Delta address in Bass City are cropped out. I'm not 238 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: surprised by this slight alteration of the truth. In fact, 239 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: Dusty Hill and Frank Beard tell us what we're gonna 240 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: get with zz Top in the trailer for their own documentary. 241 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: We'll tell three stories and then on will be tripped. 242 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: Dusty and Frank would go on to sell somewhere around 243 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: fifty million albums after their run in the Fake Zombies 244 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: to blues and hard rock fans, particularly in Texas, their 245 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: household names and an all time great rhythm section. But 246 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: that year on the road, before the fame and fortune, 247 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: that's why we're here. And finally I'm talking to somebody 248 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: who was actually there with them in Bay City and 249 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: on tour. 250 00:16:55,560 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, Gordon there, member of the Dick Rabbit Brothers 251 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 2: band who is Nick Stair and Phil Fair, myself. 252 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: Gordon Thayer and his brothers Rich and Phil opened for 253 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: the Texas Zombies back in nineteen sixty nine with their 254 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: all brother power trio Dick Rabbit. And that's Gordon singing 255 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: and playing guitar on Dick Rabbit's debut single you Come 256 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 1: On Like a Train. That song was recorded in nineteen 257 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: sixty six and it's among. 258 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 5: The heaviest, scuzziest and loudest songs I've ever heard from 259 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 5: that year. I didn't just find the opening act in Gordon. 260 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 5: I found a garage rock pioneer. 261 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: After that initial fifteen minute phone call where Gordon absolutely 262 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: blew my mind by revealing that he was on tour 263 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,919 Speaker 1: with the Texas Zombies, I call him back with a 264 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 1: better connection to get the full story, and damn what 265 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 1: a story. 266 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 2: We were there and involved in the Zombie thing, and 267 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 2: the bands that played for Delta Promotions went in a 268 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 2: contract with Delta Promotions in approximately nineteen sixty seven. Lived 269 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 2: at the warehouse in Days City, was under Jim Atthison's 270 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 2: personal management. 271 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 1: I've talked to a lot of people about the Fake 272 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: Zombies and their managers in Bay City, Delta Promotions and 273 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: Gordon was right there in the heart of it. 274 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 2: I remember it all. I saw things. 275 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: Gordon was there watching as Kejo and Atherton assembled the 276 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: fake zombies. 277 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 2: Now I understand they were considered a scam, and I 278 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 2: know what they were trying to do. They were trying 279 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 2: to perceive people to think that these were the real guys. 280 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: He saw that Texas Forsom come to town and try 281 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 1: to inhabit the roles of the real zombies. 282 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 2: I recall at the time, Dusty and those guys walking 283 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 2: all day long, Bryan Jay imitate the British accent, saying 284 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: and all that and sound like them and stuff when 285 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 2: they talked, So if they had an interview, they would 286 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 2: talk with that accent. 287 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 1: Fifty five years later, Gordon knows the fake zombie scheme 288 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: couldn't last, but he thinks with a small change to 289 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: the name, it might have been ahead of its time. 290 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 2: If they would have said the Zombie Experience or the 291 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:32,159 Speaker 2: Zombie Resurrection or something, it would have been probably one 292 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 2: of the first tribute bands. 293 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 1: Gordon's right, there is a fine line between tribute band 294 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: and what Delta Promotions cooked up with the fake zombies, 295 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: but generally tribute acts don't go around telling people the 296 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: singer of the original band is dead, like Delta promotions did. 297 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: These young guys like Gordon and the Fake Zombies put 298 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 1: a lot of faith in Delta. 299 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 2: I think that there was like my brothers and I 300 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 2: had m Keyhole and the Delta promotions that all the 301 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,199 Speaker 2: teas had been crossed and the eyes had been dieted 302 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 2: and everything was up and up. 303 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: Gordon's band, Dick Rabbit, started out as a four piece. 304 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 2: We were just a little hick tom Boys, and we 305 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 2: were from the North. We hadn't been involved in much. 306 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 2: We'd played around a lot, but we were just a 307 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 2: local club band and we just did things. Started out 308 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 2: as a four piece, then we dropped a three after 309 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 2: up in Trafvers City, Michigan, there was a bar brawl 310 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 2: just because of the way we looked or whatever, and 311 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 2: our fourth guy just forget it. He skipped out. So 312 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 2: we went to three pieces. 313 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: Dick Rabbit now an all fayer power trio. We're ready 314 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: to hit the road looking for more welcoming audiences than 315 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: the ones they found in rural Michigan. 316 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 2: I think it was my old brother who was the 317 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:01,199 Speaker 2: bass player of Phil. He had gone to Ann and 318 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 2: seeing the music scene down there, and somehow said we 319 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 2: would be down and play this place in Bay City. 320 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: Dick Rabbit managed to get on the bill at Band Canyon, 321 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: the teen nightclub run by Delta Promotions, and who was 322 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:16,640 Speaker 1: waiting in the wings for them. 323 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 2: We took a break and the Ascent came up and 324 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 2: started chatting with us and asked us if we'd be 325 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 2: interested in having a manager, and he would really like 326 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 2: to be our personal manager and give us his car. 327 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:29,120 Speaker 2: About Delvia Promotion. 328 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: Jim Atherton, the man I've always suspected was responsible for 329 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: assembling the fake Zombies. Gordon says, Atherton was very persuasive. 330 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 2: He was a very personable guy who was larger, so 331 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 2: he had a big presence. He just commanded that attention. 332 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 2: I thought he kind of reminds me of that picture 333 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,640 Speaker 2: you have of the guy with a big cigar, even 334 00:21:55,680 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 2: though he didn't I don't understand the smoke cigar. Like 335 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 2: they say, what all this? This guy comes in and 336 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 2: here's the falling who knows everything, and he was pretty cool. 337 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: So Jim Atherton was the guy recruiting these bands into 338 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: the Delta roster. After talking to Atherton's high school girlfriend, 339 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: Ria Thompson. I got a better picture of Jim back 340 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: in the sixties. He sounded sweet and ambitious and loved 341 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: helping young rock and roll bands take off. In the 342 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 1: photos I found from the Delta touring days, Jim is 343 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: a towering figure right there with the bands and the 344 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: thick of the action. I'm growing to really like Jim Atherton. 345 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: Gordon liked Jim two. It probably didn't hurt that Atherton 346 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: offered to manage Dick Rabbit immediately after Gordon and his 347 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: brothers came off stage the first night they crossed paths. 348 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 2: Well, we met, he talked to us and we said, yeah, 349 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,919 Speaker 2: we hed interested. He in his pocket. He pulls out 350 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 2: the ten page management agreement, I guess, and he flops 351 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 2: that down, says, you guys looked this over and come 352 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 2: on out to the office. Blah blah blah. And he said, 353 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 2: but I'll just tell you right now he should there's 354 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 2: two things we won't put up with, and three of 355 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 2: us being pretty green. He says, that's underaged women and drugs. 356 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,160 Speaker 2: And he turned, reached back in his pocket, pulled out 357 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 2: a diamond bag of weed and slapped it on the table, 358 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 2: said have a good time. He walked out, and that 359 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 2: was aiding just the way he was. He was that 360 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 2: way he was, but he didn't He did us pretty 361 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 2: good and tell the big drug bust came and that 362 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 2: was another whole deal. 363 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 1: The drug bust, the same one I heard about from 364 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: Rhea Athson's longtime friend. I showed Gordon the newspaper article 365 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: I found about the raid from nineteen sixty eight, the 366 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: one with the photo of him and his brothers standing 367 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: over bags of confiscated weed while the police look on. 368 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 5: Yeah, I think I showed you. I have the front 369 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:13,199 Speaker 5: page of that paper with the picture of it's on there. Ye, 370 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 5: accept Atherton's not in the picture. 371 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: I asked Gordon if he knows why Jim Atherton, although 372 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: named in the article, isn't in the photograph. 373 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 2: Well, there was quite a few people that were at 374 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 2: that party as such that weren't in that picture. Because 375 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,439 Speaker 2: that was the big thing that was We all shared 376 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 2: that house. But when the bus came, I think Keyhole 377 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 2: and Dell the promotions and stuff, separated Afterton from that 378 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:51,679 Speaker 2: whole thing so that they wouldn't be necessarily implicated or evolved. 379 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: Gordon and his brothers didn't have key Hoost protection like 380 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 1: Atherton did. They were facing serious consequences for the bust. 381 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 2: Twenty years. We were facing twenty years each. 382 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 1: Gordon and his brothers were in limbo waiting to find 383 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: out whether they be charged with possession and intent to sell. 384 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 1: They tried to stay busy with the help of Bill Keho. 385 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 2: He was more of what we call the businessman. In fact, 386 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 2: he was our business manager, so keyo. You only seen 387 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 2: him when something came up or you had a contract 388 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 2: to go play somewhere or something. 389 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: Delta Promotions one of their bands on the road making money, 390 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:43,159 Speaker 1: so Keho booked a residency for them at a club 391 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: away from their legal troubles in Bay City. 392 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. It was a a six week gig of some 393 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 2: local club or not too far away. And we went 394 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 2: played it the first night and owner came up and 395 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 2: said that, you know, you guys gotta play some tune 396 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,919 Speaker 2: of people know and stuff, and we just well, we 397 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 2: aren't that band and we aren't that where musicians as 398 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: such an artist. 399 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 5: Gordon and his brothers were a real band. They didn't 400 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,400 Speaker 5: want to play covers and so we bailed. 401 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 2: We loaded everything up and left, came back and Gold 402 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 2: asked them we weren't going to play there no more, 403 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 2: and Kehole wasn't happy with us. He had a six 404 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 2: week contraction, He had an hang a ladder or something. 405 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 2: I guess it was all a big thing. 406 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: Keho wasn't having it. He didn't care about the band's 407 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: artistic integrity, so he doubled down and asked Dick Rabbit 408 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: to just become another band. 409 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 2: They want to say, a flying for real brothers, but 410 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 2: I can't be a certain of that. I can't say 411 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:48,719 Speaker 2: that's for sure, but there was because they gave us 412 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 2: forty five. 413 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 1: Dick Rabbit stuck to their guns. Eventually, Bill Keyhill hooked 414 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 1: the Thayer brothers up with a place to live where 415 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:58,919 Speaker 1: they could focus on nothing but their own music. 416 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 2: He took the upstairs in his big warehouse and hung 417 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 2: blankets and my brothers and I we lived up there 418 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 2: as we were there at twenty four to seven and 419 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 2: we were just in the upstairs and wasn't the best 420 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 2: of accommodations, but that's who we were. 421 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: The Thayer brothers practiced day and night honing the Dick 422 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:19,640 Speaker 1: Rabbit sound. 423 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 2: We jammed it in the early morning hours and stuff 424 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 2: out there. My younger brother was he treated his drumming 425 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,199 Speaker 2: like a nine to five job. He would get up 426 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 2: in the morning, he'd go down into the room where 427 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 2: the drums were and shut that door. He basically wouldn't 428 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 2: come out unless he had lunch and end of the 429 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 2: day five six o'clock. 430 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,919 Speaker 1: Dick Rabbit became a tight and musically muscular power trio. 431 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: The hard work paid off. The book shows all around Michigan, 432 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: sometimes sharing the stage with future legends. 433 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 2: We get the Flint Pop Festival with a Bob Seekers system, 434 00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 2: Iggy Pop and SRV and MC I have all those guys. 435 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: Kejo must be given some credit here. He didn't turn 436 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: his back on Gordon and his brothers when they dug 437 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,160 Speaker 1: in their heels and insisted on remaining an original band. 438 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 2: That's why he threw us into the studio in Detroit. 439 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 2: He just said, you're going there and come up with 440 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,639 Speaker 2: two tunes that we can put out, and then I'm 441 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 2: gonna put you on the road with the Zombies and 442 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 2: or see if we can make any money. No, maybe 443 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 2: we just weren't to talented, but I still feel that 444 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 2: we were kind of right on the edge of all 445 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 2: that stuff. 446 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: Gordon and his brothers almost made it in an alternate universe, 447 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: the Thayer Brothers, the guys who stuck to their guns 448 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 1: and insisted on playing their own music ended up superstars 449 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: like Frank Beard and Dusty Hill. I'm hoping Gordon can 450 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 1: put the biggest piece of this puzzle together for me. 451 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 1: How did the guys from Texas end up in Michigan? 452 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 2: I never knew. I don't know how that how. The 453 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 2: only thing I could think of was one fulla that 454 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 2: I can't remember. I don't remember. His name was Sean 455 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: or Chef. He kind of gives him flying the V guitar. 456 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: That guy with the Gibson flying V guitar, that's Seb. 457 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: I always assumed it was Frank or Dusty who looked 458 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: up with Atherton, but according to Gordon, it was guitarist 459 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: Seed Meta with the Delta connection. When Dick Rapid started 460 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: to come apart at the Seams due to the pressures 461 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 1: of the drug bust and their lack of studio success, 462 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: Gordon joined forces with the Texas contingent. 463 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 2: Our older brother had gone down to ann Arbor and 464 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 2: left the scene because he wasn't happy with what was 465 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 2: going on, and so we were kind of falling apart 466 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 2: as far as the favoue one. But the younger brother 467 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 2: and I were together for a while there, and we 468 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 2: were actually doing some gigs and partying and playing with 469 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 2: Dusty Hill, and he had done the same thing with this. 470 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 2: It wasn't South, was that one. 471 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: I was pronounced Seed Meta. When you see the grainy, 472 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: faded photos of the Fake Zombies, Steve is the one 473 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: your eyes are instantly drawn to. Seb had impeccable style, 474 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 1: and it must be said, it was incredibly good looking. 475 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: And while Frank and Dusty were established musicians when they 476 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: toured as the Fake Zombies, Seed was already a bona 477 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: fide rock star. Now that's sixteen year old Sebe on 478 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: guitar with his band The Gentleman. That song, It's a 479 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: Crying Shame, recorded in nineteen sixty six, has become a 480 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: favorite among record collectors in audio files. It's the perfect 481 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: distillation of Southern garage rock, and Sebe co wrote it. 482 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: When Sebe and Dusty hit Bass City, Gordon was blown 483 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: away by their playing. 484 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 2: I was always impressed by them. They were good, Hey, 485 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 2: they knew what they were doing, and to me at 486 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:49,000 Speaker 2: that time, they sound just like them. 487 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: I always assumed that the four boys from Texas just 488 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 1: passed through Michigan before heading out on tour. But it 489 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: turns out Dusty, Frank, Sebe, and Mark were hanging around 490 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 1: the Delta prom Oceans offices for months. In fact, Gordon's 491 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: fondest memory of the fake Zombies was the time they 492 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: spent in Bay City together before they hit the road. 493 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: Gordon and Dusty Hill, in particular, became fast friends. 494 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 2: We considered ourselves bugs. He was quite a comical guy. 495 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 2: He's short, stubby, blonde headed, but he thought he was Elvis, 496 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 2: so he was funny. In fact, that's why I think 497 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 2: they did the Joe Alice Rock and the Viva Las 498 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,800 Speaker 2: Vegas because he was a als freaks. He always try 499 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:39,320 Speaker 2: to imitate Alvis. When you're coming into a party, you'd 500 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 2: push open the door and do a little Elvis move 501 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 2: and whatever. It was quite common. 502 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 1: While Dusty Hill was hanging around Bay City crashing parties 503 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 1: and impersonating Elvis, Gordon and his brothers were still reeling 504 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: from the pot bust and having their faces plastered on 505 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:02,479 Speaker 1: the front page of the local paper. And even though 506 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: the drug charges were dropped eventually, Dick Rabbit was persona 507 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 1: on grata around Bay city, So the Thayer brothers, at 508 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: the urging of Bill Keho, took the opening slot for 509 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: the Fake Zombies. This is the first time I'm actually 510 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: hearing what it was like out on the road. For months, 511 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,960 Speaker 1: Dick Rabbit and the Texas Zombies toured without a problem. 512 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: Gordon said that the Headliner sounded like the real thing. 513 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:35,640 Speaker 2: Duskin sounded like him, and they practiced talking like him. 514 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 2: And I don't even know how it really came out. 515 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 2: They weren't because when we did the shows, umping down 516 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 2: these coach I mean, we were like, well they considered 517 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 2: the warm up band at that time. We'd go out 518 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 2: and play our twenty twenty five minutes and then they 519 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 2: closed the curtain up into the Zombies would come out 520 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 2: and play. 521 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: The Texas Zombies played almost every night. They pack up 522 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: their gear and head to the next town. 523 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 2: They actually were in a van, and if I recall 524 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,480 Speaker 2: a van, but my brothers and I you couldn't get 525 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:15,680 Speaker 2: me to step out of the plane. So we traveled 526 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 2: by car and we had a driver and it was 527 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 2: a sixty eight Cadillac El Dorado, and the three of 528 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:25,359 Speaker 2: us were chauffeured everywhere in that car. 529 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:28,399 Speaker 1: While the Fake Zombie slept around the country in a van. 530 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 1: Gordon and his brothers rode in the back of a 531 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:34,760 Speaker 1: brand new Cadillac. Not bad for three guys from nowhere Michigan. 532 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 2: We were sitting at the airport, I think some are 533 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 2: New York, Boston somewhere, and I remember this woman coming 534 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,520 Speaker 2: out out of the terminal with the big per coat 535 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 2: on and stuff. And she walked by and seeing the 536 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,200 Speaker 2: three of us sitting in the backseat of this fancy 537 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 2: El Dorado, and she stopped, capped down the window and 538 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 2: my brother rolled it down and she's just my my boys, 539 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:06,160 Speaker 2: things are really looking up. She just walks away. So 540 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 2: I remember that I happened yesterday. 541 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,279 Speaker 1: Deltas Fake Zombies operation was making enough money to pay 542 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 1: for Cadillacs and a driver. The shows were getting bigger 543 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 1: and the money kept rolling in, enough money that Jim 544 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 1: Atherton didn't even mind it. When the shows got canceled. 545 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 2: They flew in all the things equipment, we used, sun stuff, 546 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 2: and we were all set up at this one concert hall. 547 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 2: All of a sudden, assing come up and said the 548 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 2: show has been canceled, boys, and there's five hundred bucks 549 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:44,440 Speaker 2: and said go on yourself. Is a good guy. I 550 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 2: felt that that was the breaking point of where the 551 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,360 Speaker 2: word must have gotten out. People were starting to catch 552 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 2: on that this was a scam of these guys, and 553 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:56,759 Speaker 2: I just think nobody showed up and nobody buy any tickets. 554 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 2: So because shortly after that, I remember we were back at. 555 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:06,400 Speaker 1: Basically after our first phone call, I sent Gordon the 556 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:08,800 Speaker 1: article I wrote about the Fake Zombies in twenty seventeen. 557 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 1: Even though there's no mention of Dick Rabbit in it. 558 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,160 Speaker 1: I didn't even know Gordon and his brothers existed back then. 559 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 1: Reading it was an emotional experience for him. 560 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 5: You said that the article brought up some memories and emotions. 561 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 5: What kind of emotions did it bring up? 562 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 2: Well, the main thing is my both brothers are gone 563 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:34,400 Speaker 2: and passed on. They just kind of brings back all 564 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,640 Speaker 2: those times that we had. 565 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 1: I picture Gordon and his brothers writing in that sixty 566 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: eight Cadillac El Dorado, speeding their way to the next gig, 567 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: three young men escaping their troubles back home, sharing the 568 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:53,040 Speaker 1: stage with the Texas Zombies, dreaming of fame and fortune. 569 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: Just around the corner that fame and fortune would come 570 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 1: to Gordon's old friend Dusty Hill, and it would come 571 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 1: to Frank Beard, the only remaining Texas Zombie. Even Seed Meta, 572 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 1: who passed away in nineteen eighty, he's a memorable figure 573 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 1: to blues fanatics. Just read the comments on any of 574 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 1: his songs with The Gentleman or his later band the 575 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: were Wolves, and you'll see how beloved he was in 576 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:21,280 Speaker 1: his native Texas. 577 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:27,800 Speaker 5: I'm sure. 578 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:33,799 Speaker 1: Before I say goodbye to Gordon, I asked him about 579 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: the fake zombie who never made it big, the one 580 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:39,920 Speaker 1: who started all this for me. You don't buy any 581 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 1: chance to remember Mark Ramsey. 582 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:46,720 Speaker 2: No, no, I didn't. I don't remember him as that name. 583 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 1: Mark and I never met in person. I got close once. 584 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:54,840 Speaker 1: I had a plane ticket to Dallas booked back in 585 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, but the day before my flight, Mark changed 586 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:02,240 Speaker 1: his mind. We talked on the phone a few times 587 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: and traded a few dozen emails before Mark passed away 588 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:09,880 Speaker 1: in twenty seventeen. Mark didn't play on any lost classics 589 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 1: like seb and he didn't make it big like Dusty 590 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:16,800 Speaker 1: and Frank. Mark never toured again after the Fake Zombies. 591 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:20,719 Speaker 1: He became a math teacher, but he carried his memories 592 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:39,880 Speaker 1: and a few grainy photos with him all those years. 593 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:43,840 Speaker 1: On the next episode, we focus on the two members 594 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 1: of the Fake Zombies who didn't go on to become 595 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: rock and roll icons. Seb Meta, the hotshot League guitarist 596 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,920 Speaker 1: who brought his Texas friends north to Michigan, and Mark Ramsey, 597 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:57,960 Speaker 1: the man who brought the Fake Zombies back to life. 598 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:04,719 Speaker 1: Seb and the unsung members, this is their story too. 599 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 1: If you want to get in touch about the Fake Zombies, 600 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:14,360 Speaker 1: we've set up an email address Fake zombiespod at gmail 601 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 1: dot com. This podcast was written by Daniel Ralston. Executive 602 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:23,240 Speaker 1: produced by Ian Wheeler, Melissa Locker and Daniel Ralston. Produced 603 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:27,239 Speaker 1: by Anna McClain and Nick Dawson. Score, original music and 604 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:31,440 Speaker 1: additional audio engineering by Robin Hatch. Additional production support from 605 00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:35,920 Speaker 1: Cooper Mall in Los Angeles. The True Story of the 606 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:39,479 Speaker 1: Fake Zombies is a production of iHeart Podcasts, Talk House 607 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:43,839 Speaker 1: and Nevermind Media. For more podcasts from iHeart Podcasts, visit 608 00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.