1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. This is a 2 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: story about voodoo, not the Hollywood version of vudu, because 3 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: this isn't a story about pincushion dolls and needles. Nobody 4 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: worships the devil in this story, well almost nobody. This 5 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: is a story about real Louisiana voodoo, the kind with 6 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: the power not only to hurt into hecks, but also 7 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: to heal. This is a story of Doctor John, a pimp, 8 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,959 Speaker 1: a drug addict, an outlaw, and a piano man who 9 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: made great music. Unlike that music I played for you 10 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: at the top of the show, And that wasn't great music. 11 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: That was a preset loop from my melotron called nine 12 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: and a half Fingers MK. 13 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: One. 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: I played you that loop because I can't afford the 15 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: rights to the Lions Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens. Why 16 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: would I play you that particular slice of no nut 17 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: high note cheese? 18 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 2: Could I afford it? 19 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: Because that was a number one song in America on 20 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: December twenty fourth, nineteen sixty one, And that was the 21 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: day that a musician named mac Rebenak, who would later 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 1: become known as Doctor John, was shot outside a bar 23 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: in Jacksonville, Florida, in an incident that kicked off a 24 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: heroin journey through the criminal underworld and ultimately to musical salvation. 25 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: On this episode, a shooting, a car chase, a drug bust, 26 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: time in a federal pen, musical healing and rebirth with 27 00:01:34,920 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: doctor John. I'm Jake Brennan, and this is disgracing. It 28 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: was the night before Christmas in New Orleans, in the 29 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: city's third Ward, in a tiny shotgun apartment, A creature 30 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: was stirring and it definitely was not a mouse. It 31 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: was a woman and she was alone, swaying back and 32 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: forth in a trance, filling the room with sound because 33 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: she was chanting a mantra. She repeated it over and 34 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: over until the words came roaring out of her mouth. 35 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: In the corner of the room sat a small wooden altar. 36 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: It was covered in black candles. The flickering candles sent 37 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: menacing shadows stretching toward the ceiling. While the woman was 38 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: doing her best to conjure up some menacing energy. She 39 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: banged on a glass bottle with a stick until the 40 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: rhythm built into a frenzy. All the while she kept chanting. 41 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 1: The sound echoed through the narrow shotgun apartment it built 42 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,239 Speaker 1: until it felt like the wooden beams of the house 43 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: were resonating with her voice. And just when it seemed 44 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: like the sound could get no louder, she reached down 45 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: to the paper bag at her feet and pulled out 46 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: the object inside. It was a pair of scuffed, leather 47 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: dressed shoes, size eleven. Still chanting, she grabbed a handful 48 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: of dust from a bowl and sprinkled it across the altar. 49 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: Then she placed the shoes on the dust and blew 50 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: out the candles. But this was no ordinary dust. It 51 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: was a special blend of three ingredients, dirt from a graveyard, 52 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: grease from a church bell, and snake skin. It was 53 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: goopher dust, a powerful conjuring agent. The woman used it 54 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: to cast a hex on the owner of the shoes. Meanwhile, 55 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: five hundred miles away, a man threw open the door 56 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: of the back office of a tiny juke joint in Jacksonville, Florida. 57 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: His mind was raising as fast as his fingers on 58 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: the dial and the combination lock of the heavy room 59 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: safe tucked into the corner of the office. This man 60 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: was the only one who knew the combination. After all, 61 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: He was the owner of this little club. It was 62 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: a down and dirty job, and sometimes it was dangerous, 63 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 1: so he kept a gun in the safe just in case. 64 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: On the good nights, though it was worth it, there 65 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: were piles of cash to be made. Like tonight, the 66 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: holidays were approaching, and the crowd was in a festive mood, 67 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: and the bar was already doing brisk business, and there 68 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 1: was a hot New Orleans band set up on the stage. 69 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: On a night like tonight, this man should have been 70 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: seeing dollar signs in his eyes, but instead he was 71 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: seeing red. He spun the knob on the combination lock 72 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: to the final number and heaved open the heavy door 73 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: of the safe. Loose bills flew into the air as 74 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: he frantically rifled through the safe contents, but finally his 75 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: hands made contact with cold steel. It was the long 76 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: black barrel of his Colt revolver. He pulled out the 77 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: gun and stared at it for a moment, and the 78 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 1: memory came flooding back. He shuddered, and then he loaded 79 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: the cylinder with six bullets. As the man pushed his 80 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: way back out of the office, he left the safe 81 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: wide open behind him. He had more important things on 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: his mind, like finding the musician who fucked his wife 83 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: and pumping a thirty caliber bullet to the bastard's skull. 84 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: Mac Rebenac was relaxing in the club's dressing room when 85 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: suddenly he felt the chill. It tingled all the way 86 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: down to the soles of his feet, like he was 87 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: walking on pins and needles. He reached down and rubbed 88 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: the leather on his second favorite pair's size eleven wingtips. 89 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: Up until this moment, he had been feeling mellow, and 90 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: why not. He'd stolen his old lady Lydia's last bag 91 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: of brown on his way out of town. He kept 92 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: the small stash of heroin hidden in a few juicy 93 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: fruit wrappers in his coat pocket, all except what he 94 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: had already shot up during the drive to Jacksonville. 95 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 2: That was the rule of every. 96 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: Junkie musician Mack knew in New Orleans. Never carry on 97 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: you more than you can eat, because he never knew 98 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: when a vice. 99 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 2: Squad cop would try to bust you. 100 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: And if he didn't have enough bride money, then you 101 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: might be doing forever in a day in Angola. 102 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 2: But that was a worry for another. 103 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: Time, because the heroin that was coursing through Max veins 104 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: right now was doing its work. Mack was feeling knocked 105 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: out loaded, ready to show these Florida fuckers what a 106 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: hot New Orleans band could really do. Except for one thing. 107 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: He couldn't find his lead singer. It was that damn kid, 108 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: Ronnie Barron. Ronnie had a knack for disappearing just before showtime. 109 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: Usually he was making time with some girl that he'd 110 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: just met. Mack couldn't blame him. It was a kid's 111 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: first time on the road, and after all, he was 112 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: only seventeen, so Mack tried not to go too hard 113 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: on him, even if he took longer to get ready 114 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: for a show than the two dancing girls who were 115 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: traveling with the band. Max stepped outside and fished into 116 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: his coat pocket for a thin joint. It was one 117 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,239 Speaker 1: of a few he snagged from one of the girls 118 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,359 Speaker 1: that he was pimping out of a fleabag motel in 119 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:14,679 Speaker 1: the French Quarter. As the reefer smoke filled his lungs, 120 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,119 Speaker 1: the girl wasn't on his mind, and neither was Max's 121 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: old lady. Instead, it was Ronnie Baron's mother. Just a 122 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: few days ago, Mack had showed up in her kitchen. 123 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: He wore his clean as dirty shirt and he was 124 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: mostly not stoned. He promised Ronnie's mother that he would 125 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: keep Ronnie out of trouble on the road, but the 126 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: woman didn't buy a speech. Instead, when he finished, she 127 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: just stared at him for a long moment. Then she 128 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: grabbed a meat cleaver in front of her and she 129 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: slammed it down on the counter, slicing a roast in two. 130 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 2: She warned Mac that if Ronnie. 131 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: Got in trouble, she would cut off Max Cajoni's the 132 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: same way she sliced. 133 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 2: The roast, and it. 134 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: Scared the shit out of Mac at the time, But 135 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: now five hundred miles away, Mac couldn't help a crack 136 00:07:58,200 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: up about it. 137 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 2: He wasn't scared of the old lady. 138 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: Still, it was time to get the show on the road, 139 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: so he flicked the butt of his joint towards the 140 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: gravel parking lot and went looking for Ronnie. It was 141 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: when he turned the corner that he heard it, the 142 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: unmistakable sound of hard metal colliding with soft flesh. It 143 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: was the sound of the club owner's pistol whipping Ronnie 144 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: Barren in the face. The club owner was screaming that 145 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: he was going to kill Ronnie. Mac launched himself forward. 146 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: He jumped into the melee and tried to grab the 147 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: club owner's gun. He clamped down on the cold steel 148 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 1: and then he heard a bang, and that's when Mac 149 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: realized that he was holding onto the barrel of the gun. 150 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: Mac screamed in agony as a thirty caliber bullet tore 151 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: through his hand. Blood was streaming everywhere. Mac lifted up 152 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: his left hand, and that's when he realized his finger, 153 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: not to mention, his future as a guitarist, were both 154 00:08:49,920 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: hanging by a thread. The comedian was a little guy. 155 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: He stood barely five five even with the lift from 156 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: his shiny black dress shoes. He wore a white tuxedo 157 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: jacket and an oily smile that matched his slick black hair. 158 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: He looked like he came to Madame Francine's strip club 159 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: in the French Quarter straight from Las Vegas, and for 160 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: good reason, because Las Vegas is exactly where this point 161 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: size comedian came from. No one knew how he landed 162 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: this month long gig warming up the crowds at Madame Francine's. 163 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: But even though he was from out of town, the 164 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: comedian still should have known the rules, like stay away 165 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: from the strippers working the stage and stay away from 166 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: the bee girls working the crowd. They were all spoken 167 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: for by the pimps who operated out of the club 168 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: or the gangsters who owned it. But this comedian either 169 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: didn't know that or didn't care, and he didn't waste 170 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: any time because he was already messing around with one 171 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: of the strippers. 172 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 2: This guy moved quickly. 173 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: Unfortunately for him, word got out just as fast, so 174 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: when he arrived at the club on this night, he 175 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: was greeted by two huge bouncers. They grabbed him by 176 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: his lapels and his face turned almost as white as 177 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: his tuxedo jacket. His smarmy smile melted away. He stammered 178 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: out a few lame excuses, but the bouncers were in 179 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:34,719 Speaker 1: no mood to listen. Instead, they pulled him out to 180 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: the street corner, and then one of the huge bouncers 181 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: smashed his fists directly into the comedian's nose, and the comedian. 182 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 2: Crashed to the ground. 183 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: Blood was pouring down his face and onto his white jacket. 184 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: The two bouncers then continued kicking the shit out of 185 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: the comedian. On the street corner, in front of anyone 186 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 1: who cared to look. After they were done. One of 187 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: the bouncers picked up the comedian and screamed in his face, 188 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: you want to be funny, Go be funny now, you 189 00:10:58,760 --> 00:10:59,599 Speaker 1: little motherfucker. 190 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 2: He pushed the comedian back into the club. 191 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: Meanwhile, inside Madam Francises, no one skipped to beat. The 192 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: card players didn't even look up from their hands. The 193 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: dancers kept dancing, and on the bandstand, the band kept playing. 194 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: This was French Quarter justice in nineteen sixty three. Laws 195 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: didn't matter and the police. 196 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 2: Didn't run the show. 197 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: The gangsters who operated these New Orleans clubs did. 198 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 2: Which wasn't all bad. 199 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: In fact, it made the French Quarter twenty four to 200 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: seven party, as long as you knew which rules to follow. 201 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: Unlike this comedian, mac Rebenak knew the rules, so he 202 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: knew better than to stop the music. He stared at 203 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: the blood dripping down the comedian's face, but he kept 204 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: stabbing at the electric organ until the band brought their 205 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: set to a waring climax. Now, as soon as the 206 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: band finished, the bouncers pushed the comedian on stage, still 207 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:58,679 Speaker 1: wearing his blood splattered white jacket. While the comedian was 208 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: attempting to do his set with the broken nose, Mac 209 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,079 Speaker 1: hopped off the bandstand and headed out into the French 210 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 1: Quarter at night. He needed to score. His left hand 211 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: was absolutely killing him. Even two years after a surgeon 212 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: successfully reattached his ring finger after that shooting, he could 213 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: barely move it. 214 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 2: When he did, it. 215 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: Still caused him plenty of pain, so much pain that 216 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: he gave up on playing guitar and he shifted to 217 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: playing keys. That was thanks to his friend and bandmate, 218 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: James Booker. James Booker was a local legend who was 219 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: nicknamed the Black Liberacei for his flamboyant fashion as well 220 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: as his devastating chops on the piano. He showed Mac 221 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: a few tricks on the keys, and in return, Mac 222 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: taught him a few tricks of his own, like where 223 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: to find the best heroine in the French Quarter and 224 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,839 Speaker 1: how to score without getting caught. Max showed James Booker 225 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 1: where to buy the Gregory bags and give them protection. 226 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: He showed him how to lay a jack of club's 227 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:00,719 Speaker 1: face down under a black candle and then lighted when 228 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: were citing Psalm thirty five, the ritual was. 229 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 2: Supposed to make them invisible to the police. That was 230 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:08,599 Speaker 2: the idea, at least. 231 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 1: One could never be too careful, especially in those days, 232 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 1: because by nineteen sixty three, the French Quarter was changing rapidly. 233 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: As mac walked down a wide avenue, he passed door 234 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: after door that was chained up and padlocked shut. Just 235 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: a year ago, nearly every one of these buildings would have. 236 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 2: Been packed full of people. 237 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: Tourists looking for a little Saturday night action, locals looking 238 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:37,439 Speaker 1: for a fix, brothels, speakeasies, strip clubs, none of them 239 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: strictly legal. But in the French Quarter, a little bride 240 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 1: money could go a long way and keeping the party 241 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: running all night long, no matter what the law said. 242 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: That's how it was, at least until the city elected 243 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: a new Attorney general named Jim Garrison. Max spat on 244 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: the ground and cursed Garrison's name. For years, Garrison had 245 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: been a low level assistant district attorney. Mack seen his 246 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: face darkened the doors of French Quarter bars and brothels 247 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: more than once, But now Garrison seemed intent on getting 248 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: his face plastered on the nightly news. He organized raids 249 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: of strip clubs and illegal speakeasies in front of news cameras. 250 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: He dramatically chained the doors and padlocked and shut. And 251 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: with every club he shut down, that was one less 252 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: stage for a gigging musician like Mac, because weiss live 253 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: music went hand in hand. In New Orleans, Mac had 254 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: one specific vice on his mind as he slipped through 255 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: an alleyway and arrived at a familiar door. He rapped 256 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: three times in quick succession, and the door opened a crack, 257 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: pulling tightly against the chain lock. Mac nodded to the 258 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: man inside and held up two fingers without saying a word. 259 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: The door slam shut. A moment later it reopened and 260 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: the man had two small bundles in his hand. Max 261 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: slipped a handful of bills to the crack in the 262 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: door and palmed the bundles. The door slam shut again. 263 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: Mac carefully wrapped each bundle in a foil juicy fruit 264 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: wrapper and tucked them in his coat pocket. He headed 265 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: down the alley and back towards Madam Francines. Once he 266 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: got back to the club, he could get his fix, 267 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: and then he could find a better place to hide 268 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: the rest of his stash. As he turned back onto 269 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: the avenue. He could see the moonlight glinting off of 270 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: the Mississippi River ahead of him, or at least he 271 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: thought it was the moonlight, but as he kept walking closer, 272 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: he realized that it was actually a pair of headlights 273 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: and they were coming from a black Cadillac parked on 274 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: the side of the road. Mac felt a cold shiver 275 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: run through his body. He reached inside his coat and 276 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: touched his fingers to the Gregory bag around his neck, 277 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: and as he kept walking toward the car, he could 278 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: see two men sitting in the front seat. A bad 279 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: feeling was brewing in his gun, so Mac carefully slipped 280 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: his hand into his coat pocket. He grabbed a pair 281 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: of foil wrapped bundles and tossed. 282 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: Them into a drainage ditch, but it was too late. 283 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: The men jumped out of the black Cadillac and ran 284 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: toward him, guns and badgers in hand, screaming at him 285 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: to put his hands up. They grabbed Mac by the 286 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: collar and began searching his pockets, and they came up empty. 287 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 2: But one of the cops. 288 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: Smirked at him, and then he asked a question, Hey, buddy, 289 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: what's your favorite kind of gum? The cop gave a 290 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: big shitty and grin is a juicy fruit, and the 291 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: other cop pulled the two bundles out of the ditch 292 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 1: and held them up. The headlights of the car reflected 293 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: off of the foyle gum wrapper. Mack Rebenac knew that 294 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: his mojo had just run out. After his bust, Mack 295 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: was sentenced to two years in lock up, first in 296 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: New Orleans Parish prison, next in a federal penitentiary in 297 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: Fort Worth, Texas. When he got out of the slammer 298 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: in Texas, the judge had just one piece of advice 299 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: for him, don't go back to New Orleans. Of course, 300 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: mac didn't need the advice. Jim Garrison's war on vice 301 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: was killing the music scene in the French Quarter anyway, 302 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: so mac Rebenac I already knew he wouldn't be heading 303 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 1: east to New Orleans. Instead, he was going west to California. 304 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: He hoped he could find a new scene, a new start, 305 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: and he figured he might just need a new name 306 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: to go with it. We'll be right back after this word, 307 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: word word. The red and blue lights in the rear 308 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:34,239 Speaker 1: view mirror were large and getting larger. Max screened at 309 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: the driver to step on it. But the rustbuck in 310 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: sedan was no match for the police cruiser, and there 311 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 1: was no doubt about it. The cops were closing in 312 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: on them fast. The driver of the car was a 313 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: skinny Mexican chick known on the street as. 314 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 2: Gloria Hot to Molly. 315 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: She had a talent for scamming drug dealers, and she 316 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: could drive the hell out of a getaway car. She 317 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 1: also had a soft spot for musicians, which was good 318 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: news for Mac because after a year in Los Angeles, 319 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: he was already an in demand session player for stars 320 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: ranging from Aretha Franklin to Sonny and Cher. Still, he 321 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: barely had enough cash for the fleabag motel room he 322 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: shared with Gloria on the corner of Melrose and van Ness. 323 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: Mac watched the police car creep closer in the rear 324 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: view mirror. He thought about the trunk full of stolen clothes. 325 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: He thought about the stash in his pocket, and he 326 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:23,479 Speaker 1: thought about the bag of cash and grass. 327 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 2: If Gloria had just boosted from a Venice Beach. 328 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: Drug dealer, If the cops caught them, they were looking 329 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: at serious time. Max started pulling the stash out of 330 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: his pocket. He was just about to eat it, and 331 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 1: the car swore. 332 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:36,439 Speaker 2: Viciously to the left. 333 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,719 Speaker 1: The bundle in his hand went flying, and Gloria screamed 334 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: as she ran the car into a concrete highway barrier. Instantly, 335 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 1: the front bumper peeled off and the car sent sparks 336 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: into the air as it slid to a stop on 337 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: the asphalt, the tires skinning across the concrete, the car buckling. 338 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: They nearly spun out. Gloria managed to straighten up the wheel. 339 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 2: To the last second. 340 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: She cut across the highway, heading in the opposite direction, 341 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: flew down the first exit. Rent to could see as 342 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,679 Speaker 1: the Saddam was heading around the curve, Max on the 343 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: cop car. 344 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 2: Racing ahead into the distance. It was a narrow escape. 345 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 1: Max should have been happy about it, but instead he 346 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: was furious, not at Gloria, she was doing what they 347 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: needed to do to survive, and not. 348 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 2: At the cops. He didn't like the cops, but. 349 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,639 Speaker 1: At least he knew where he stood with him. No. 350 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: After the adrenaline of the high speed chase had worn off, 351 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: Mac's thoughts turned to his primary frustration. He was pissed 352 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: off at record company executives, the rich dudes, in suits 353 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 1: who were forcing him to live like an outlaw just 354 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: to scrape together enough cash for a shitty seventeen dollars 355 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: and fifty cent motel room in the worst part of town. Meanwhile, 356 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: these record executives were raking in cash on the songs 357 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 1: that guys like Mac were working themselves to death creating. 358 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: And that wasn't an exaggeration. Mac himself had witnessed an 359 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: overworked studio engineer literally dropped dead of a heart attack 360 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: in the middle of a session. It was too much 361 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: that something had to be done. So Mac thought of 362 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: the worst defender, a manager at Mercury Records, a guy 363 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: who'd stiffed him on payment more than once in the 364 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: last month, and he decided to strike back the best 365 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: way he knew how. That night, at midnight, an unlikely 366 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: trio gathered on the rooftop of an LA Recording studio. 367 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: A pale Englishman with dark black hair stood in the 368 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 1: center of a pentagram drawn and chalk on the rooftop. 369 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: There was an evil look in his eye as he 370 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 1: muttered a series of dark incantations. Next to him, Mac 371 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: lit black candles and incense. He scattered figurines of the 372 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: graveyard spirit baron Somney. As the smoke from the incense 373 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: rose into the night air, Mack kept chanting and singing. Meanwhile, 374 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 1: a lanky Texan chain smoked cigarette after cigarette while he 375 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,160 Speaker 1: watched the other two with a confused look on his face. 376 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:01,640 Speaker 1: The tree were supposed to be working on a new 377 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: album together. The Englishman was the blues rock musician named 378 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: Graham Bond, who claimed to be the bastard son of 379 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: the famed occultist Aleister Crowley. Mack was hired to produce 380 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: the record, along with a Texas musician named Wayne Talbot, 381 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,719 Speaker 1: but the record executive at Mercury kept jerking them around. 382 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: He changed recording dates, he refused to pay the musicians, 383 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: and when they complained, he threatened them with bodily harm. 384 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: So now they were on the rooftop of this recording 385 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: studio trying to conjure up a death curse. Well, at 386 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: least Mac and Graham Bond were. The Texan watched the 387 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 1: other two worked themselves into a frenzy for a while 388 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: before he casually reached into his pocket and pulled out 389 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: a gun. If the curses didn't work, he assured them 390 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: they could always just shoot the guy. In retrospect, Mack 391 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: realized they should have used Wayne's plan first. Because the 392 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: Greegrey failed. The record executive didn't have a heart attack 393 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: in his sleep, and he didn't crash his car on 394 00:21:55,640 --> 00:22:00,439 Speaker 1: the way to work either. The next day, Wayne managed 395 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: to get himself caught up in a drug bust with 396 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,679 Speaker 1: the guns still in his pocket. With no Gregory and 397 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 1: no gun, Mac knew he had to put his plan 398 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: for revenge on ice. The cops were hot on his trail, 399 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: and it was time to get out of town, out 400 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:20,639 Speaker 1: of Los Angeles, and back down to New Orleans. A 401 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 1: few months later, mac Rebenac stepped into a tiny shotgun 402 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: house in New Orleans' Third Ward. People were packed into 403 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: the room, shoulder to shoulder in all four corners. White 404 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: candles were lit, incense was burning, and people were holding 405 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: broomsticks with bottle caps nailed to them, or glass bottles 406 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 1: and sticks, and a few people had congress, some just 407 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: use pots and pants and everywhere around him. With the 408 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:49,880 Speaker 1: rhythm pulsed and then gradual from all corners of the room, 409 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: people started singing, and eventually the sound grew deafening. It 410 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: was so loud Mac felt like it wasn't even coming 411 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:01,200 Speaker 1: through his ears, it was penetrating straight into his body. 412 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 1: He watched an elderly woman step forward and lay her 413 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,360 Speaker 1: hands on a man seated in the middle of the room. 414 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 1: Everybody called the woman Mother Shannon. She was just one 415 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: of the people from Max's old third Ward neighborhood that 416 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: he was reconnecting with these days. It felt good to 417 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: come home and play these familiar New Orleans rhythms, to 418 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 1: sing familiar songs. Even if the French charter was still 419 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 1: reeling under the thumb of District Attorney Jim Garrison. The 420 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: homecoming was enough to light a fire in his playing 421 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 1: and make him want to bring that sound back to 422 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: La And talking with neighborhood elders like Mother Shannon reminded 423 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,120 Speaker 1: Mac of the true voodoo, the way the music could 424 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: vibrate the spirit, the way it could heal the body, 425 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: the way it could bring people together. After the healing ceremony, 426 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: Max stayed and talked to Mother Shannon into the night. 427 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: She told Mac about a root doctor in New Orleans, 428 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 1: a man who was born in Senegal. Some said he 429 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: was a prince. As a teenager, the man was captured 430 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: by Spanish slavers and shipped to Cuba. He spent twenty 431 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: years in slavery before he finally gained his freedom. The 432 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 1: man sailed to New Orleans, where a word quickly began 433 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: to spread of a newcomer with extraordinary abilities. He served 434 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: poor communities, the outlaws, the outsiders, and with their support, 435 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: he became one of the most powerful men in the city. 436 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: The man went by many names. Some called him Jean Montenay, 437 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: some called him Gan Bayeux, but most people just called 438 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: him Doctor John. Mac like the sound of this cat, 439 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,880 Speaker 1: seemed like the perfect character in front of new musical 440 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 1: gumbo that had been cooking around in Max brain ever 441 00:24:43,160 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: since he landed back home in New Orleans. Hey guys, 442 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: we're gonna get back into our story here in just 443 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 1: a few seconds, but real quick, I wanted to mention something. 444 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: This episode focuses entirely on mac Rebinuc's early years before 445 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 1: he was known worldwide as Doctor John, and as you 446 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 1: can imagine, there are just so many insane stories that 447 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: intersect with the world of true crime from the wildlife 448 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 1: of Doctor John's. Stories that took place after the time 449 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,880 Speaker 1: period we're covering here, Stories like the one about how 450 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 1: doctor John made a daring escape from a psych ward 451 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: with a warrant on his head, and how that led 452 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: to him writing and recording his biggest hit, Right Place. 453 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 2: Wrong Time. 454 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: We don't have time here in the full episode for 455 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: that story, but you can hear all about it if 456 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: you listen to this week's brand new mini episode of Disgraceland, 457 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 1: which you can hear if you are a member of 458 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: Disgraceland all access. To become a member, just go to 459 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: disgrace slandpod dot com, sign up with Patreon or Apple podcasts. 460 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:54,879 Speaker 1: All right, now, back to this story about doctor John. 461 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: It was a gorgeous fall afternoon into Pega Canyon. This 462 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 1: kind of weather made Mac admit that there were at 463 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: least some good things about coming back to the West Coast. 464 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: The temperature was a perfect seventy two degrees, the humidity 465 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: was zero. Mack sat at the bottom of the canyon. 466 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: He was listening to a stream burbling along at the 467 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: perfect volume. He couldn't complain, especially since he was actually 468 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 1: getting paid for this rare day off. He and the 469 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 1: rest of the New Orleans exiles surrounding him was supposed 470 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 1: to be recording a new album for Sonny and Chaer today. 471 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: In fact, in a rarity, they have been paid in 472 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 1: advance for this session. But then at the last minute, 473 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:40,920 Speaker 1: Sonny Bono had second thoughts about some of the material, 474 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: so he called off the sessions so that he could 475 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 1: have more time to work on the music. And now 476 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 1: word among their crew was that Sonny was going to 477 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: call off the sessions for the rest of the week 478 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 1: as well. Mac was glad for the break, but he 479 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 1: was even more excited about the prospect of the studio 480 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 1: being open for the next week. After all, Mac and 481 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:01,200 Speaker 1: the rest of these new Roman's cats had been jamming 482 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 1: on some new material in between recording sessions for other artists. 483 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 1: So far, everything had been extremely loose. They still hadn't 484 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 1: tested anything in front of an audience, but Mac thought 485 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 1: the material was already sounding great. He thought maybe he 486 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: could convince the record company to let them lay down 487 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: a few of the tracks. 488 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 2: It would be an easy sell. 489 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 1: The studio was empty and they were already getting paid 490 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: to be there. All he had to do was find 491 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 1: the right way to pitch him. That was a problem 492 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: for tomorrow, though. Right now, Mac could just lay back, 493 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 1: relax and enjoy a rare peaceful moment. He listened to 494 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,119 Speaker 1: the sounds of the burgling stream, and then he noticed 495 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:43,439 Speaker 1: the melody of the frogs chirping in the background. A 496 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: moment later, as Buddy Charlie pulled out a small flute. 497 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:47,880 Speaker 2: Charlie was jamming along. 498 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 1: With the symphony that the frogs were creating. Pretty soon 499 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: somebody else was clinking a rock against the glass bottle 500 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: in time with the rhythm of the rushing water, and 501 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,239 Speaker 1: then another person added to the rhythm with whatever they 502 00:27:58,240 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: could find around them. 503 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 2: Mac was moved by. 504 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 1: The spirit, and soon he began singing a little improvised 505 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: melody that reminded him of a healing song that he 506 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:09,440 Speaker 1: learned from Mother Shannon. There was nothing much, just a 507 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,879 Speaker 1: light afternoon jam session. Well, man, it felt good. It 508 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 1: felt like a vibration through his whole body. Mac couldn't 509 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: help himself. He dug in and began to sing louder. 510 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 1: Soon enough, they started attracting a crowd. It seemed like 511 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: hordes of half naked hippies were crying out of every 512 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: nook and cranny in the canyon to come listening to 513 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,199 Speaker 1: this spontaneous nature cham People started climbing down into the 514 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: water and once they were in the water, they proceeded 515 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 1: to get down to the music. And the more the 516 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: people got down, the more the musicians got into the groove. 517 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: And the more the musicians got into the groove, the 518 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: more the energy group it grew until everyone, the musicians, 519 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: the dancers, the people watching from the top of the 520 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: canyon were whooping and laughing and singing and smiling. It 521 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 1: felt like a healing ceremony that mac had witnessed back 522 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: in New Orleans. It made him think again, Mother Shannon. 523 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: It made him think of the healing power of music, 524 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: and it made him convinced that it was time to 525 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 1: bring Doctor John into the world. And it's a good 526 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 1: thing he did, because under the name Doctor John mack 527 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: Rebenac recorded more than thirty albums, won six Grammys, and 528 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: became a New Orleans icon, an unofficial ambassador for one 529 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: of the greatest music cities. 530 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 2: In the world. 531 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: Because even today, the French Quarter is packed with music 532 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 1: nearly every night of the week. And of course it's 533 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:25,239 Speaker 1: not quite the same as it used to be. That 534 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: twenty four to seven musical party, the birth music icons 535 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 1: like Doctor John, it's gone forever. But Doctor John, his music, 536 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: his legacy. It lives on and will for a long 537 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: long time to come. Mack Rebinac was healed through music, 538 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: great music that inspired to use music to propel himself 539 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 1: beyond the life of crime, beyond a life of disgrace, 540 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: to become doctor John. 541 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 2: Not just a New Orleans icon, but the music icon. 542 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan and the Yes this Disgraceland. All right, 543 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: thanks for hanging out with Listen doctor John down in 544 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: the French Quarter and in Tipanga Canyon. 545 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 2: Listen. There's so much more to this story. Doctor John 546 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 2: had an incredible life. 547 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: There's this crazy nuts story about an escape from a 548 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 1: psych word. We couldn't fit it into this episode, so 549 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 1: it's going to be in our mini episode for All 550 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,959 Speaker 1: Access members. Go to disgracelandpod dot com to sign up 551 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: for All Access on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. 552 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 2: Listen. 553 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: Question of the week what music or musician or artist 554 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: has made you feel? 555 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 2: I don't know. Reborn might be too strong of a word, 556 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 2: but this makes you feel great. 557 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 1: It's really pulled you up out of those dark places, 558 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 1: giving you life in new ways, just as Doctor John 559 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 1: was reborn. Let us know six one seven nine oh six, 560 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 1: six sixty three eight voicemail and text. You might hear 561 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: your answer on the after party coming up right after this. 562 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: All right, guys, here comes some credits. Disgraceland was created 563 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: by Yours Truly and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. 564 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 1: Credits for this episode can be found on the show 565 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: notes page at disgracelampod dot com. If you're listening as 566 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: a Disgraceland All Access member, thank you for supporting the show. 567 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 1: We really appreciate it. And if not, you can become 568 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: a member right now by going to disgracelampod dot com 569 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 1: slash membership, rate and review the show, and follow us 570 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:28,760 Speaker 1: on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook at disgracelampod and on 571 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: YouTube at YouTube dot com slash at Disgracelandpod, rock a Rolla, 572 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 1: He's an Land