Mike Beverley: "roadblank"
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“Burleigh…..What
the hell are you doing?!!!” blasted from behind me.. “How
many times have I told you not to give out your home address”…
to this day I can still hear that voice in my head, the kind of voice
that takes control and instills instant fear in you…hence my first
meeting with Steve Lehman, also known as “Screamin Lehman”.
I spun back around in my seat looked at Burleigh and asked him “who
the hell was that?… Things have changed a lot since that night backstage in San Francisco, after attending more shows and being around Steve a lot more, I learned to some degree what a difficult job he actually had and once he let you get inside a little bit, how very interesting he really is. Not only was Steve “Ambrosia’s road manager”, he is a friend and family member to them. As I’ve become closer with Steve over the years, the stories and ties he has with the band have truly interested me. Some he may talk about and other he will only share with a few, if at all. Before I did this interview, I asked some of the band members for their consent …all thought it would be a great idea. Joe Puerta responded with “Steve Lehman knows more about the bands touring days than any other living human” and wished me good luck… who needs luck with people like Steve Lehman and the guys in Ambrosia as friends?! So, with that in mind let throw the tour bus doors open….. “All Out, Welcome Home!…. |
“Live
Behind Road Island”
Steve
Lehman
W/
Patrick Rossi
Patrick Rossi
Patrick: Steve, before we get into your years with Ambrosia, could you tell
us a little on how you became involved in the music business and some of the
acts you’ve worked with?
Steve: I was a musician playing in bands all through High School. I used to play on Sunset Strip at clubs like Pandora’s Box; The Sea Witch, It’s Boss (the old Ciros) and Hullabaloo Club. After high school, I played in a band that was almost signed by A&M Records and to a manager by the name of Freddie De Mann. Freddie went on later to manager Michael Jackson and Madonna. What the hell happen there? Too bad for me!!
I then went to work for a San Francisco band called MAX. They were a seven piece horn band along the line of Tower of Power and Blood Sweat and Tears. It was with them that I met my first wife, but later about that.
Through the
years, other artists I worked with besides Ambrosia were Malo, Hamilton, Joe
Frank and Reynolds, Jackson 5, Jermaine Jackson, Tom Waits, Ray Parker &
Raydio, Mr. Mr., Jaco Pastorius and Jose Feliciano. I could go on, but you
get the idea.
Patrick: Tell us how you met the guys.
Steve: That takes us back to my first wife. She had dated Chris before I had met her. I had just quit Studio Rentals. My wife knew a man by the name of Chuck Johnson. He lived across the street from us. I had already heard the advance release of the first album at Chuck’s house. Chuck wanted to know if I would be interested in working for them and I, of course said Yes. As they say “the rest is history”.
Steve models Chris North's platform
shoes
Patrick: How about you’re first meeting with them?
Steve: They seemed like just a bunch of nice guys who were excited about their first album, you know watching the single go up the charts, hearing it on the radio, that kind of thing. There didn’t seem to be any egos. I think they were just happy that they had an album out and it was getting airplay.
Patrick: Did you get the feeling of being an outsider?
Steve: I can’t really say I was an outsider (other than being outside of their group) because they didn’t really have anyone working for them before me. The only obstacle I had was a guy by the name of Calvin. (I think his name was Calvin). He was from San Diego. A real piece of work. Susposedly his wife had been a Playboy Playmate at one time; could have fooled me! When I met her, I was wondering what time he had to put the leash on and walk her (if you know what I mean). Listening to this guy, you would have thought he worked for the Beatles or some band along that line. A fucking know-it-all if you know what I mean. He helped me make a bunch of cables and everyone he made, I had to go back and re-make. Ya know, the guy was just full of shit!
Patrick: Tell us of your relationship with Freddie Piro.
Steve: When I first met Freddie Piro, I was a little nervous, but the more I was around him I soon got comfortable and we became friends. I’m not sure he trusted my knowledge right away, but in time as he got to know me he did. Of course, all of this was taking place at Mama Jo’s Recording Studios, which Freddie owned. It was like being on a little ranch in the middle of the Valley. Freddie’s sister Terri worked there and ran the Studio and we had Harvey who was like the caretaker (hence the song “Harvey”) and Mama Jo was always there. I wasn’t real close to label people until around the second tour, and even then I wasn’t around them that much. That started happening around the Life Beyond LA Album and that era is a whole other story.
Patrick: Who would you say made an impact on you during this time?
Steve: NO ONE!!! Just kidding. I would say the people that made an impact on me would be people like Alan Parsons, James Guthrie, Dinky Dawson (he was one of our sound engineers on one of the tours) Tommy Trefethen (helped record the first album), and of course Jimmy Haskell, the man that arranged a lot of the strings for the band. My friendship with Jimmy grew even more through my membership at the Recording Academy (NARAS). And if you know me, I am still meeting new people everyday. And of course the band itself AMBROSIA!! What an impact!
Patrick: At that time, what was your main roll with the band?
Steve: My main roll when I first started working for the band was to make guitar cables, get road cases built and take care of them at rehearsals. I then started recruiting road crew for the first American Tour. I eventually became Dave’s Guitar Tech and Stage Manager for the group. We then ventured out on the first Fleetwood Mac Tour and a Beach Boys Tour.
Patrick: Did you immediately become friends once you met the group?
Steve: I didn’t know any of them prior to meeting them. Our friendship evolved pretty much on the first tour. We just kind of became a little family traveling around the country. You know, Rock and Rolling like hell!!
Patrick: Tell us about the preparations involved in a tour?
Steve: Preparing for a tour is sort of like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. I really didn’t get involved with doing this until I became tour manager/manager. This was after the band had broken ties with Rubicon Management. I had some help from Bruce Cohn, the manager of the Doobie Brothers. He helped me change booking agencies and get a new one that would work a little harder for us. He also helped me set a touring account for funding. You have to have funding or you are not going to tour.
The first thing you have to do is book the dates for the tour so you can see where you are going to play. This is where you spend time talking to the booking agency to make sure you are not traveling 800 miles overnight to the next show. After you get the dates and they are locked in, then you book hotels, trucking, buses, plane tickets (so you can meet up with the bus if necessary), rental cars if needed, light, sound and if you don’t have them already, a crew. This can involve weeks of planning in order for the tour to run as smooth as possible. After that it’s pretty much get out on the road and kick some ass.
Patrick: Does the Ex-Manager talk with the new Manager (Rich Rees) on any subjects?
Steve: Why of course I talk to Rich Rees, when I can get him to call me back. You have to remember that technically, I am the Ex-Manager. When they severed ties from Freddie, I was appointed Manager. When they reformed Bill Pfordresher was there to help them cause I was on the road with Jose Feliciano, but Rich is really my successor.
Joe, Bill Pfordresher, Freddie
Piro, Dave, Burleigh, & Chris
Patrick: Would you consider going back on the road with Ambrosia or possibly some other talent?
Steve: Depending on my position possibly, but not probable. I know times have changed out there, but I just as soon stay home. I feel fortunate that I survived the 70’s and 80’s touring years. I am alive to talk about it and some friends I knew are not. God Bless Them!
Patrick: When the band was augmented with Royce Jones and Dave Lewis, was it hard bringing them into the fold and what was your relationship with them?
Steve: I think that David Lewis was added to take some of the burden off of Chris. On the first two tours Chris was playing like 10 or 11 keyboards and I think it was just too much for him to handle. Actually, David Lewis was brought in while I was out on the road with Ray Parker and Raydio and the band was making Life Beyond LA.
Ray Parker
& Raydio
Royce was added about half way through the 1978-1979 tour. We needed some percussion and Royce could sing and play some percussion, so it worked out great. Both David and Royce were then included in making the One-Eighty Album and in the back cover photos.
Actually, both David Lewis and Royce blended in so well that it was like they had always been there. As far as my relationship with them. I had a great bonding with Royce, in fact we are still very good friends. I am actually trying to get him signed to a recording contract. David and I got along fine, but not like Royce and I did. I am sorry to say that I have not seen David Lewis in quite a few years. I hope he’s doing well.
Patrick: What was the “Road Island” session and tour like? Was it known within the band this would be the last recording for quite some time?
Steve: Well, there never really was a Road Island Tour. That poor album just didn’t seem to get off the ground and soon after that, David Pack started his solo album.
“Road Island” was originally recorded at Audio International in London with James Guthrie at the helm, producing and engineering. We were there for four weeks and then came back to the States to finish it. It took almost another year if I remember correctly to complete it. I personally did not think it should have been the follow up album to One-Eighty. It was a concept album that I believe was largely David’s idea. It’s been so many years though; I really can’t remember whose idea it was.
Joe, Burleigh, Ralph Steadman
& Dave
If you want to hear a great concept album listen to “Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled”. I think to date musically and lyrically that this is the best Ambrosia album ever put out. I play it more than any of their other records. I love it!
Patrick: What was the affectionate nickname for the album?
Steve: I don’t know that it was a band nickname, but I used to call that album “Road Apple” just cause it didn’t sell that well. I don’t know that the rest of the band did or not. I know we were all disappointed in the sales of the album.
Patrick: How would you keep your sanity out on the road?
Steve: What the hell kind of a question is this? You have to be somewhat insane just to be in this business. Seriously, you have to keep your wits about yourself and stay one step ahead of the game. Sometimes you just make it up as you go along. Back in the late seventies and early eighties, I think we had adult beverages to help us out, if you know what I mean. (Thank God those days are over!!)
I used to carry a bottle of Remy VSOP or a bottle of Glenlivet in my oversized briefcase and on the bus at night this was what kept me SANE! Of course I used to share with the band. (Do you remember this Chris?!)
Patrick: Is the tour road life as exciting as most people dream it is?
Steve: Like any kind of work you do there are always ups and downs. Well it is the same on a tour. There are days when you have the greatest times ever, and then there are days where you are ready to say “Fuck This, I’m out of here”. Then you kick back and take a break (maybe a Bob Marley break (can you dig it!) and then rethink everything and pull it all back together. Life goes on. Life on the road isn’t peaches and cream, but it isn’t all hell either.
Patrick: You made the comment “that going on tour is never easy, it could be worse, you could be going off to war”. You must have one war story that stands out in your mind… can you share that? I’m also aware you all used to play pranks on one another.
Steve: Well, this isn’t really a war story, although you might think of it as one after you hear it.
We had been on the road with the Doobie Brothers opening for the Minute-by-Minute Tour. They did all their own pyrotechnics (explosives). We had a keyboard technician Bob Toth. His nickname was Omaha. (Don’t ask how he got it, that’s another story).
Anyway Omaha learned how to make the pyro explosives from the Dobbie Crew and he was having a ball setting off small explosions. I am not going to tell you how he made these except that they had a flashcube inside and were set off by a Polaroid battery pack.
One night we were at a truck stop somewhere in Tennessee. Omaha had a nice size package made with I think about 4 or 5 ounces of black power. (VERY POWERFUL!!!) We had finished eating and were about to get on the bus when Omaha found an empty 50-gallon oil drum. He proceeded to put the device under the open end of the can, propped up by a piece of wood. He touch the wires to the battery pack and that goddamn oil drum went flying over the Interstate like you wouldn’t believe, tail fames included!
So now that you know about the BOOM, as we call it. Here is the great motel BOOM story!
We were staying in a motel outside Johnson City, Tennessee with the Little River Band. The Doobies had taken a break and we had picked up part of the LRB’s Tour. The LRB band and crew had heard about the BOOM! while in the bar drinking. They asked for a demonstration. They got it.
Some of the crew found an ash can in the hall of the motel. You know the kind that is round metal with the ash catcher on top. These old motels are built strange. They have the lobby in the middle and you room wings that go out on each side of the lobby desk. At the end of each wing is an entrance door. You can park the bus there and go to your room. In the center of these room wings is a courtyard with trees, grass, benches, etc. Omaha took the ash can into the courtyard about 75 feet out and propped up the ash can and put his explosive device under the can. He rolled the wire back to the room and attempted to set it off with the battery pack. Because there was 75 feet of wire, 12 volts is not going to carry that far. Omaha quickly cut the Edison connector off the lamp in the room and spliced it on to the wire. He then plugged it into the 110-volt AC socket. That’s when all hell broke loose!
I could hear the glass wizen past my head and glass breaking everywhere! I thought we are fucked. We just blew up a motel and we need to get the hell out of here! I ran to my room and called the bus driver and told him to fire the bus up. I then called LRB’s Tour Manager and told him to get his band and crew on their bus and leave now.
About four days later, my girlfriend (who would soon be my wife) who worked for Ambrosia’s accountant called and wanted to know if we had blown up a motel in Tennessee. I casually asked why and she replied with “I have a police report here from the Johnson City Police Department. Says you boys did about $40,000.00 worth of damage”. My reply was “OH SHIT!” Well, that was the end of Omaha’s BOOM! days.
Look For More Soon!!