A very interesting band from Florida …
Singers/guitarists Eddie Keating and Chuck Kirkpatrick, drummer Scott Kirkpatrick, keyboard player Les Luhring and singer/bassist George Terry had all been members of the Southern Florida based Proctor Amusement Company. The band had become quite popular throughout the region, even recording a couple of singles and an unreleased LP for the New York based Faithful Virtue label before calling it quits. While Proctor Amusement Company had come to an end, by 1969 the five were playing Southern Florida clubs as Game.
After the release of their intersting debut album “Game”, the band relocated 1970 to Southern California. Original drummer Scott Kirkpatrick dropped out before the move, replaced by Dave Robinson. Over the next two years the band recorded a considerable amount of material, but found no takers. Forced to start playing local clubs when their long time financial benefactor threatened to cut off support, Robinson and Terry called it quits, returning to Florida. Terry subsequently hit the big time as a member of Eric Clapton’s band. Enduring a series of personnel changes, the band continued to play through 1978. Chuck Kirkpatrick recorded an instantly obscure solo album for Capitol before returning to Miami where he spent some time recording and touring with Firefall, eventually starting his own business. (by badcatrecords.com).
GAME was an evolutionary band, both in personnel and musical style. Basically, we were the marriage of the better halves of two very well-known local bands; Proctor A. C. and a group called BRIDGE. Bridge was very progressive and did alot of English and blues-based material, while PAC was very much a pop vocal group. PAC had a little more of an advantage in that we were doing a local TV show weekly and were somewhat more ‘visible’. When our drummer got drafted from PAC, we ‘stole’ the drummer from Bridge (my brother). Next was the lead singer, Eddie, and finally the keyboard player, Les Luhring. Bridge dissolved, and PAC for a time remained a pop cover band, doing alot of Association, Beach Boys, Fifth Dimension material and getting a lot of high-paying gigs because of our fashionable appearanace and classy stage show.
The turning point came one night after playing a prom. The audience of high school kids were not only ignoring us, but were drunk and throwing up all over the dance floor. In our hotel room afterwards, we vowed to get out from under the stigma of being just another local cover band and start writing and performing our own material.
We had recorded an album prior to this ‘transformation’ that was all original material, but it was somewhat ‘lightweight’ and did not impress anyone in New York where our manager tried to shop it. That was my Brian WIlson/Pet Sounds moment, where after laboring for nearly a year to producing that album, I was completely devastated by its rejection.
We managed to pick up the pieces and start writing in another direction that would eventually lead to that first GAME album. I consider it a masterpiece in that it was entirely self-produced and recorded on only 8 tracks. My experience as an engineer helped alot. The energy and cohesiveness of the band at this period was at its peak, and our live shows became legendary.
Unfortunately, things began to change and by the time we got to “Long Hot Summer”, we were already beginning to fracture as a band. Everyone in the group decided to become a producer of his own songs, and the direction became clouded. It was still a good album, but one that was much more difficult to make for many reasons. (by bandmember Chuck Kirkpatrick)
And here´s their second and last album … The combine power rock with laid back Westcoast music …. and they have studied “Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young” very good. And “Feeling Good” sounds like an early version of the Power Pop/Rock band “Boston” !
Maybe you can composeand play such songs only, when you raised up in Florida, the sunshine state.
And everybody should know, that George Terry later joined the Eric Clapton Band ,,, and then he became a well-known session player.
Personnel:
Eddie Keating (bass)
Chuck Kirkpatrick (guitar)
Scott Kirkpatrick (drums)
Les Luhring (keyboards)
George Terry (guitar)
Tracklist:
01. The Rock And Roll Medley 6.59
01.1. We’re On The Road This Weekend (Keating)
01.2. Rock And Roll Me Baby (Terry)
02. Man In Black (C.Kirkpatrick) 2.03
03. Sunshine 79 (S.Kirkpatrick) 4.47
04. Two Songs For The Senorita (Keating) 6.42
05. I’ll Be Back Someday (Terry) 2.50
06. Laying Back (Luhring) 3.51
07. Animal Friends (Keating) 4.11
08. Feeling Good (Luhring) 3.10
09. Changes (Terry) 3.57
10. Mountain Song (C.Kirkpatrick) 4.14
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