Bill Ectric Interviews

No one knew what to think when we first saw a band called "Crawfish of Love." The stage was strewn with surreal artwork, a manikin head, some TV sets all turned on to different channels, guitar amplifiers, drums, and five musicians that looked like they were conspiring mischief among themselves. The band was formed by Dave Roberts, who handles lead vocals and guitar. Just about every member sings back-up sooner or later. Andy King on bass and Scott Sisson on drums were such a formidable rhythm section

that they were, and still are, often sought out to work as side-men for other bands and recording artists. Pat Ogilvie was lead guitarist extraordinaire. I remember after one fiery, kick-ass, tone-perfect, feedback-fueled guitar solo, Dave Roberts proclaimed from the stage, "Pat's been listening to Blue Cheer!"  Pat, too, has been sought by area bandleaders who need a professional guitarist. Brian Barr spiced the music with bongos, chimes, marraccas, and other percussion; in his tie-dyed shirts and long blond hair, Brian looked like a surfer bohemian straight from 1967 San Fransisco. As a band they were always evolving.      You never knew what to expect. On one hand, they were top-notch musicians. Their musical bag included rock, jazz, reggae, and folk. But they also did weird stuff – how can I describe it? Between covers of Minor Swing by Django Reinhardt or I'll Sleep When I''m Dead by Warren Zevon, the  the Crawfish sprang songs on us about a living inside of a green bell pepper, or the Creature From the Black Lagoon looming toward you on Little Talbot Island, or "singing through bread" with actual slices of bread onstage to sing through. Some people I brought to see their shows didn’t like it – they didn’t get it. Among those of us who liked it, there was no need to explain. It was like, you know how at one time you and your close friends had an almost communal understanding? Then, as time passed, things changed. Like, after saying something off-the-wall, you felt compelled to say, “Just kidding”? At a Crawfish of Love concert, people from all around who had never met each other could share their taste for, not only  good music, but a bizarre experience, with no caveats.      The Crawfish line-up varied from time to time. I remember some impressive acoustic guitar fretwork by Steve Pruett at some of the Applejacks gigs. Sometimes they headlined shows, other times they became a back-ip band for some legendary musical artists. We'll talk more about that later in the following interview I did with the eternally cool Dave Roberts::::

Pat Ogilvie        Andy King

Above & below: Dave Roberts

Scott Sisson

Brian Barr

Photos by Bill Ectric unless otherwise stated

Steve Pruett

Bill:  I remember you telling me that one of your influences was the "cut-up" writing technique used by William S. Burroughs and Byron Gysin. Dave:  What I liked most about the Burroughs Cut Up stuff was the absurdity and nonsense of the word flow.  I know Burroughs, Bowles, and the others thought eventually the cut ups lead to profound mystical messages but I never had that experience.  I've just always been tickled by human voices speaking in normal voice tones saying things that violate all rules of syntax.  Actually, more than the Burroughs cut ups I was highly influenced by the speech patterns of schizophrenics, particularly undifferentiated schizophrenics, to which I was exposed during viewing training films and doing my internship to earn my master's degree in psychological counseling from U.N.F. in 1978.  I interned at the old University Hospital Mental Health unit on 8th street and we saw a daily flow of fresh schizophrenics.  They speak in a pattern called "word salad" which really is almost impossible to ad-lib.                                                                    Go to Page 2