Beatles -- coffeeshop 6

Steve Rowe was an object of ridicule from at least the time I met him in 6th grade camp. I remember him being ordered to run 5 laps around the track because of some prank; all the kids laughed gleefully. But a year later, when the story went around in school that a kid had caught him “whacking off” in the boys’ locker room after gym class, Steve’s fate was sealed.



Personally, I had never known Steve to hurt anybody. And, incidentally, his presence in school was instrumental, if indirectly, to my finding my way through adolescent life.



“You listen to NCX?” he asked while we were working on a lab in chemistry class. He was referring to WNCX, 98.5FM, a classic rock station in Cleveland.



“No, not really.” Although I had taken an interest in playing guitar, I wasn’t much of a fan of any radio station.



“You like the Beatles?”



I had to think about this, as I had never put thought into what music I liked or didn’t like. The summation of the Mannheimer family music collection was the awful pop and disco music my sister bought for our stereo and two reel to reels my Dad had -- Sousa marches and a recording by Hispanic folk-singer, Trini Lopez.



WNCX, as Steve informed me, was going to be playing 24 hours straight of Beatles songs beginning at 5PM. I decided, out of sudden inexplicable intrigue, that I was going to listen.



I ended up putting about 4 hours of the show on 8-track tape and listening to it over and over again for the next couple of weeks.



In the next year, from birthday presents, to Hanukah and whenever I could talk my Mom into treating me, I collected most of the Beatles major albums, bought a fan book and attempted to learn some of their songs to accompany my white-haired, old-school guitar teacher, Mr. Guzzo.



I read an interview in the fan book between a news journalist and Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon. They were talking about the band members’ use of LSD and the ensuing “psychedelic experiences”. I didn’t get what they were talking about, but it sounded fascinating. From this was born a secret longing for a taste of whatever they had experienced.