George: ‘We even learned songs — surf songs. It was 1961.’
I was born June 9th, 1949 in Lawrence, Mass.
We lived in North Andover with my maternal grandparents, the Giarrussos, until my folks got their own place. Shortly thereafter, my dad, who was in the Navy, shipped off to Korea.
My mom’s early influence on me was through art. She was, and is, a talented artist.
Then my dad was stationed in Norfolk, Va. The place we stayed in had a piano. I was only 2 or 3 but they couldn’t keep me away from it.
At that point (1952) my parents and my grandparents all decided to move together to California.
We drove our 1947 Chevy Coupe. It was a wild ride. We had a place to stay as my grandfather’s brother Pete had an Italian deli and café in North Hollywood. They lived behind it and were happy to have us move in until we could find a place of our own.
My grandaunt and uncle had two of their four kids still at home. Gino and Raymond. They had a band! In the living room was an organ, an electric guitar and a drum set. I was in awe!
I was only 3 but it made a tremendous impression on me.
Then to top it off, my grandaunt was a showbiz mom. She had the boys’ days occupied with dance, music and acting lessons.
My cousin Raymond was about 11 years old and was getting some starring roles. He was on “Lassie” and was in the movie “East of Eden” and bunch of others.
My parents took jobs at Lockheed Aircraft and my grandparents opened a 5 and 10 cent store next door to Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors. I hadn’t started school yet so I was taken care of by my grandaunt and grandmother.
My grandaunt took me to all the auditions and dance and music lessons, and to the Nudie’s store, which provided plenty of entertainment. Their clientele were the who’s who of country & western music, TV shows and Western movies. Nudie had a daughter who was about my age so I had a playmate. We bounced back and forth between the two stores all day. Nudie played mandolin and many of the other pickers would come by and jam — and drink!
They all loved my grandparents and loved my grandma’s lasagna. It was legendary.
All this was crucial because as we moved forward I was compelled to play music. I first wanted to play fiddle. But, in school that meant violin and the Christmas show, the Easter show — no fun. Then I tried the accordion like my cousin Gino. The walk to school proved to be torturous, so that was the end of that. At first I resigned myself to the idea that I would just sing instead of play an instrument. I joined the chorus, the glee club and the choir. That was OK but not too fulfilling.
When I was 12 I started tinkering around with the neighborhood guitar. We even learned songs — surf songs. It was 1961.
It wasn’t till 1963 — when we moved to Woodland Hills, right next door to the Bartek family — that my true musical ambitions came to fruition.
Steve Bartek was 2 1/2 years my junior but already was an accomplished flute player. His brother Jim and I were the same age.
Eventually I discovered that I liked playing bass parts. My parents got me lessons at Wallach’s Music City.
Jim started taking guitar lessons. Another neighbor, Ron, took drum lessons. We had our first band. We played old jazz standards, no vocals.
After a while Steve and I began to write songs — “make them up” as we called it.
Soon our friends heard some of them and reacted favorably. Very encouraging!
Not long after that, Randy Seol was asked to do some background vocals for a band called Thee Sixpence. I can remember the day he brought me the All American Records 45 of “Incense and Peppermints.” Randy had a portable record player and we sat at Don’s Royal Pup eating hot dogs while he played the band’s song.
I thought the record sounded kind of tinny. I was totally into the Who and the Yardbirds at the time and liked a more bombastic sound. My friends and I were probably a bit envious. Nevertheless, we congratulated Randy on his work. Good thing because not long after that the song started to get a bunch of airplay, which led to a record deal on a major label … UNI Records.
Shortly thereafter the album deal came, and Steve and I were asked by Randy to come to a band rehearsal and play them all our songs. We did and the rest is history!
George, what email should I direct my request for an interview, please send me your email contact information as per your answer a few days ago, thanks…
Kevin Anthony
please send your contact information (email address) to:
kevin@psychedelicjukebox.com
George, nice tasteful and melodic bass lines on the Tomorrow album . . it was very inspirational to me back then and actually still is ! All the best, Frank
Love the bio, you talking about Grandma, dad and Uncle Ray. Im Ginos son. Please contact me via e-mail or you can check out my wife’s Facebook page for recent pics of dad. ( Susan Giarrusso) Would you happen to be doing a tour in the future in Florida?
Hi Ron!
Thanks for posting here….I love your dad….he’s the greatest….I’ll email and Facebook
I use to tell people you were my cousin. We were the only Bunnell family in Fayetteville, NC.
HA! People always ask me if I’m related to Dewey Bunnell…not that I’m aware of, but my Grandfather was Canadian…born in Saint Johns New Brunswick, Nova Scotia.
I always wondered about this Dewey Bunnell of America thing myself.So you’re not related but did you ever meet Dewey Bunnell or see him and Gerry Beckley perform as America?
Hi Mark…no I have not met Dewey or seen America.
I’ll have to delve into our family tree…my cousin Paul Bunnell is a genealogist.
How exactly did you wind up at the left coast from the easten seaboard?
I was moved to the West Coast by my parents and grandparents…my dad wanted to move to California…he had seen it briefly while in the navy. I was only three!
That was in 1952. It was right about the time the San Fernando Valley was changing from rural orange groves to suburbia. We saw the last of the dirt roads and the last of the old west.
Hi! I’m having to do a project in Music Class about a band from the Sixtys. I choose Strawberry Alarm Clock. Then I had to choose someone who helped them become a success. So I choose you! I love the song Incense and Peppermints!
cool….thanks!
Years ago we attended a charity auction sponsored by KLSX. One of the pieces of art my friend bid on and won was yours and it is proudly displayed in the living room. Thanks for keeping the memories alive of the grat days of rock and roll.
Hi Lynn…
Wow!
How cool is that….That was really a fun charity to be part of….most of the artwork is in a book called Musicians As Artists.
Which be piece do you have?
Thanks for posting!
George
Dear George,
You probably do not remember me, but I remember you. I was on the Little League Giants of the Canoga Winnetka National Little League. I played with you on the same team when we were nine, but then I moved to the majors.
My guess is that Little League was very painful for you which brings me to why I have chosen to email you after all of these years.
Mu best friend was Bob Howe, whose dad was the Manager of the Major Giants. My dad was the coach. Bob and I noticed that you were not very good, but, obviously because of pressure, played every year. Bob and I decided when we were 11 or 12 that you were very brave to keep playing despite hating it. We decided that rather than ridicule a poor player the way that most boys that age did, we would treat you well. You may have not noticed, but even though we were all stars at the Major level, we made a point of always smiling when we saw you and being nice.
Later, when I was at UCLA I attended a dance on the top of Lot 8 and there you were. I talked to Bob and we were both pleased that you had succeeded.
Regards,
Jeff Davidson
Hi Jeff,
Some how I’ve not been notified of some of these comments and just seeing them now. Yours is particularly interesting. My dad was an umpire For us then. Some of the kids didn’t like his calls and and directed their frustrations toward me. Otherwise I loved baseball and loved playing it. Not too good at but I tried. The only kid I really remember is Chuck Cecil because his dad was famous.
Funny y’all were at the UCLA show. That was with the Merry go round. Yes. I was much better at music. Thanks for the memory jogger!
what’s up George? how’s retirement? I was reading about the co founder of the doors passing and i know they meet on Venice beach; cool. Are you guys still jamming and what’s the web sight for greydog?
Not retired yet!
Too bad about Ray Manzarek….weird.
SAC writes and records and jams every week.
Greydog ..>>>>> the last album I did with Greydog was in 2007…here’s the three albums.
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/artist/Greydog/a/albums.htm
The Greydog CD’s are cheaper here:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/greydog
HI George!
What year did you make the trek all the way to the left coast from Massachusetts?Do take interest in any of the sports out there?GO BRUINS!!
My parents dragged me out of Mass. at the ripe old age of 3!
We have The Bruins out here too….go UCLA!
Hi George…
I have a copy of a tape of you and Steve Bartek and several others from a show you did at the Troubadour (April 15, 1979). I got it from Jon Taffer and he asked that I clean it up a bit (very rough recording). I would love to get a bit more info if you can remember anything about it. I would also be glad to pass along a copy if you don’t already have one (or want one for nostalgia sake). I’m thinking I even have a picture of you with Steve Bartek and JT as well.
That’d be great
Greetings. Just curious… I recently met someone who’s dad was in the Strawberry Alarm Clock. He was born in 1969 and said all of the band members died early due to drugs. His dad lived the longest before he OD-ed using Heroine. Researching the band I discover you guys are not only alive but it seems you are all very accomplished… Congrats but needless to say I’m a little confused. You see he’s a dead ringer for one of the band members(not you btw) but his dad is deceased. He seems to be an honest guy with no reason to tell tales. Can you shed any light on this?
Hi Patty,
There have been so many people who’ve claimed to be in SAC that It’s crazy, we hear it all the time. But, this one is really weird.
Lee Freeman passed away on Feb. 14th, 2010 from cancer.
Ed King passed away August 22nd, 2018 also from cancer.
The rest of us are good and we’ll all be playing at the Whisky A Go Go on July 13th, 2019.
Hey George!
I was just listening to my SAC “best of” vinyl called “Strawberries Mean Love”, paying particular attention to your bass playing. I’m really fascinated by your style with “Incense” and “Tomorrow” in particular. As I was listening,I attempted to conjure up exactly how I might go about duplicate your bass parts on “Incense” and decided you quite successfully pulled off some rather intricate bass passages. Was it difficult to find something to fit the melody lines of this or “Tomorrow”. Once again, I really appreciate your imagination and creativity with your instrument on these particular tracks. You were a true profesional even at 18 an 19 years old. Any particular bass influences? Many bass men from the 60’s and 70’s cite Charles Mingus, including Jack Bruce of Cream and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones. High praise indeed…
Back in the 90’s I bought one of your pieces of artwork at a KLSX/AMFAR charity silent auction. I got it because I thought it was a really cool looking piece. As far as a title I think it could be best described as “Strawberry Alarm Clocks”. I would send you a picture of it but I don’t know how to send it through this comment section. Send me an email and I will send a picture.
Thanks Steve.
Hi George, we never met except possibly once or twice at a Canoga Winnetka Little League game. I didn’t play ball, didn’t really have the skills. I could hit and catch but I couldn’t run or throw and never got on a team. Instead, I worked the scoreboard that was beyond the right-field fence. But my two older brothers played for the Lions, the Tigers and the Cardinals. This was about 1960-1962. My dad was the team’s manager. If I am remembering it right Biff Pokaroba played in the league. He later became a major-leaguer with the Atlanta Braves. His dad, Vic, was a friend of my dad’s. Once, we went to his house and swam in his pool. My dad got really pissed at me that day because I didn’t exit the pool quickly enough and then he yelled at me, something like, “I said get the hell out of that pool!” as Vic stood by and glared.
I loved your band Strawberry Alarm Clock, your song Incense and Peppermints came out when I was 12. Everybody loved that song.
Hello George, did you used to go to a certain NY Italian restaurant in the Inland Empire. Rumor had it that the bass player from the SAC lived in the area and would occasionally visit that Italian restaurant. George, is there any truth to that rumor? Thanks
Hi George! I have one of your original drawings. Bought it from store specializing in art of rock musicians.probably ten years ago or more, something like that. It is a blonde lady laying on a couch, an original drawing of yours. Do you still do a lot of artwork? — Virginia in Texas
Hey George, we met at the park today with my wife and all the dogs. Talked about the old days and the studios, Wally Heiders …. Was nice to meet you and great to talk about the good old days with someone. Dan, Audio Archivist/Engineer
Hi George, it’s Tim from England. My t-shirt arrived today and it’s brilliant! Your personal message made it extra special. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. Keep well and stay safe in these crazy times. Love Tim
Hi George: I used to serve you at a certain liquor/wine shop in the West Valley years ago. At the time I didn’t know who you were! I wish I had because I would love to have heard some stories from your fascinating life. You were always mellow and friendly and it was greatly appreciated (we had a lot of jerks as customers)! Thanks for the memories, and all the best for the future! Son of Gus
I saw your band for the first time when I was 13 in 1967 in Pasadena Tx at a little hamburger jont in a little tiny shopping center. There might have been 50 people there. Ya’ll were great!!!! I will never forget it.
Hi George-I have one of your original drawings i purchased from the Rock Art show many years ago, it is the one of a blonde lady laying on a couch, i love it! Was bought many years ago,-virginia, texas
George, I still have fond memories of those crazy times At Taft hanging out at Skip’s with the club…..Gene, Jim and Mike. I have enjoyed following your career. I would love to see you perform.
I knew a couple of guys at Taft that talk a lot about Strawberry Alarm Clock. Randy Zacuto and I think Fred Schwartz or a guy named Randy that practiced in an old house in the valley. Long time ago.
Hi George, my post is a bit different than most, but since I found this site I just had to send this. Back in late 2013, I was in the market for a Mini Cooper Roadster and I found myself at Mike Smith Mini and met you. Because I insisted on the 6-speed manual transmission, you worked with me on special ordering one equipped exactly as I wanted it – which meant it came with the Harman/Kardon 10-speaker system. You and I spoke about SAC a little bit and I was in awe to be dealing with you! I especially appreciated all your follow-up e-mails/texts asking how I was enjoying the car. I still have it and I still LOVE it! I have kept it in pristine condition with not a scratch on it, and I do think of you when I motor-on. I even asked about you once when I took the car in for regular maintenance, but was told of your retirement. After all this, I just want to say “thanks” for the great service, and I really appreciated you. Of course, when I drive with the top down, I blast music from my iPod (yes, I’m old school) which contains a 60’s playlist, and one song in particular brings back fond memories- Incense and Peppermints! Thanks George and Keep on Motoring!
Wow!
That is so cool. Thank you so very much.
I remember you. I too am old school. I was taught to take care of the customer in front of you. Never be short sighted. Stay in for the long haul. Unfortunately the nature of the business is here and now. I stayed slow and steady. I retired to put more time into my music. The best choice I ever made. Lol
Thanks again. You made my day!
Hey, old buddy! Rock on!
I had the distinct pleasure of working with your brother Paul at Augat in Mashpee, Massachusetts back in the 90’s. He was my boss at the time. He told me you were part of SAC and I told him I loved that music. Enjoy retirement
Hi George,
Just a simple fan letter about a specific song, thought this might be the best place to post it Just wanted to thank you for your contributions on “Curse of the Witches”. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time (not even just from the band). I could go on for quite awhile about how much I love the lyrics and the story they tell. Thank you for creating such a beautiful track that brings me continuous joy!