 
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 34
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 5:03 pm: |    |
1KD, here's a long shot. Is there any chance that you were around the day one of the old Capone's stopped by and cooked spaghetti for us. Jeep Capone played drums for Stonefront now and then. An uncle or some relation of his came up from Chicago and decided to show us what real spaghetti was.
He was an older guy, so if it was around 1970, he was probably around when the Capone's were in their hey-day in Chicago. It was a real Soprano moment. This guy in that old kitchen, cooking spaghetti sauce in a great big pot all day and telling stories.
Unfortunately, after he spent the whole day cooking it, and us thinking that spaghetti cooked by a Capone would be off the charts, it was really boring. I've tasted better stuff out of a can.
Just remembered that, and there were a number of people around that day. Thought you might have been there. You never know. Spacing provided to keep Lefty happy. |
Stnfrnt
Member
Username: Stnfrnt
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 8:58 pm: | |
Stonefront here. Fantastic finding this forum; got me flashing back and straining for memories. The old guy making the spagetti was Papa Joe Capone--One of Al's nephews and Jeep's dad. I moved into Garwood after my band ended up playing at one of the parties. Mark Hoover picked up a Stonefront roadie named Gus hitchiking and that was the Garwood connection for me. Either Hoover or Breeze asked if we'd like to play more parties. Hell yes! A short time later I found myself in the master bedroom suite and stayed there for the better part of four years. I moved across the ballroom to the first floor mini suite complete with small kitchen, private stairs down to the swimming pool, two sets of french doors opening onto the veranda, and a bathroom with a bidet. I saw and was part of just about every thing goin on there for several years and in reading this forum I find myself reaching back and trying to pull out details and answers to some questions posted here. Maybe I can shed some light. Ruth Hoffman is solely responsible for getting the pipe organ up and running. My dad got the huge blower and motor going whil he and my mom were visiting once. The thing had it's own room in the basement off the hallway leading to the boathouse. He grabbed a pair of pliers,ascrewdriver,asmall wrench,and a half pint of Jim Beam,disappeared into the basement and an hour later the the damn thing was making musuc My mom could play keyboards so she made th thing sing. Blew everybody away. Mike Quatro went apes**t over the organ after Ruth and her crew from the Detroit Theater Club did their magic. Ruth was quite a musician in her own rite. The dumbwaiter worked. It ran from the master bedroom ante room down to the primary kitchen. I think we stuck fergie in there one night. I was the guy who told the Outlaws they could use the place for their national run. We were going to lose the place any way. The courts had it padlocked after the 5th precinct found 50 lbs. of pot in the boiler room. JERKS!••• The bikers did not trash the place as bad as everyone says I was there with them til the end and then some. Vandals,looters and scavengers did all the damage everyone saw after we were gone. No indian burial grounds on the island. Lou davis from NBC showed up with a film crew one morning and the next day or two we ended up on Huntley-Brinkley nightly news. Don't ever let stoney light the boiler!! John Macinas was the guy in the garage working on cars all the time. Built a car from scratch! Did the same thing to a drag bike. Freaking guy is a genius.Gary Markley(Stonefront-guitar)is an incredible artist. Might have been his stuff somebody saw. JOHN COLLIER--WHERE ARE YOU? |
Ahartz
Member
Username: Ahartz
Post Number: 30
Registered: 04-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 10:11 pm: | |
wow.....awesome stnfrnt...thank you very much for registering and sharing that story..andy |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 167
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 10:52 pm: | |
So Stonefront is posting. Must be Larry. Great to hear from you and it's nice to hear more about the day to day activities at the house. How's your brother Gary? How about Sam? Do you happen to know where Breeze and Linda are? Keep posting and get us up to speed. It's nice that you mentioned Ruth Hoffman and the Detroit Theatre Club. Do you mean the Detroit Theatre Organ Club? I have friends who are now and have been members for many years and they may be able to scrum up a connection to find Ruth. Do you remember Ronna Rittner? How about last names for Chris, Stone, Charlie and Fergie. Mike and Donna Cutini? I know that's a lot to pop on you, but we might as well get your brain rolling again. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 168
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 11:06 pm: | |
I was just thinking of the Krishnas. They used to come to the house on proselytizing missions. Do you remember going to their house on East Jefferson at Burns to have dinner? This was long before Ford and Reuther combined their wealth to buy the Lawrence Fisher home on the canal to establish the Krishna's Baktivdanta Cultural Center. The gun nut guy lived in the Fisher home at that time. He invited a number of us over on occasions. Old_guy mentioned going there in a previous post. The vegetarian food the Krishnas offered was very good. Of course, to a bunch of starving hippies, what food wasn't? I photo'd the house on Burns a few years ago. The 24 hour restaurant was on the corner across Burns. It's now an optical center. More later. |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1507
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 4:11 pm: | |
I love reading this thread. Bump. Waiting to hear from Stonefront again.
Where did Drwstanley go? I'm addicted to this thread! |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 35
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 5:48 pm: | |
Ahh... the plot thickens. Hope we get some more memories here. By the way 1KD, Fergies last name was Ferguson. I'm not sure if that's the correct spelling and I can't quite remember his first name. Stnfrnt, do you remember the name of the guy that lived on the platform in with the pipe organ pipes. He was always smiling. It's been driving me nuts trying to remember his name. |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 36
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 7:15 pm: | |
1KD, I do remember going to the Krishna house for free meals. The food was great. I remember them pimping me and other people that went there from the house because they wanted the Garwood. People at the house told me that, but I didn't believe them. Later, I figured out it was true. |
Flybydon
Member
Username: Flybydon
Post Number: 253
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 - 9:14 pm: | |
Garwood today 9/21/2008
Fly By Don |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 181
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 1:27 am: | |
Old-guy, yes, it's true that the Krishnas wanted the Gar Wood. Thanks for reminding me. I remember many discussions of that topic at the house. I'd completely forgotten. I don't remember hard feelings over it though. I'm sure you'll add something that'll jolt my memory again and again. Breeze and I went over to the Krishna place on at least a couple of occasions and I went with others from the house. Do you remember the Fruehauf Mansion? They had a few parties there. The above picture reminded me of it. I had friends who lived right on Lennox across from the Fruehauf and near the entrance to the park. Thank you Flybydon for the most current aerial photo of Kielson Island to date. I'll add it to my collection right now. It's a great picture. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 182
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 1:30 am: | |
Old_guy, your question about the smiley guy living in the organ room has my brain rattling and is driving me nuts also. Help! Stonefront, help! |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 37
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 7:54 pm: | |
I think I've got it. The guy I'm thinking of was Neil. It's bothering me because I also hung out with him in L.A. and up in the Bay area. Although I can't remember if it was before Garwood, or after. Wow, there's a lot of cobwebs to get through. |
Lefty2
Member
Username: Lefty2
Post Number: 2302
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 8:53 pm: | |
I was wondering, did the Beatles influence, mostly Harrison some Lennon, have an influence on Ford etc. parting his money to donate this mansion on the Krishna's?
I read that Ford Foundation is helping to build a hotel and other things in Nepal.
I wonder how that is going with all the turmoil going on today in China. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 185
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 9:30 pm: | |
I don't know about the influences on Buhl(Brush?) Ford and Reuther's daughter(Elizabeth?). I know that they were a couple - married, I'm not sure. They pooled money from their respective inheritances to buy the house because they were Krishnas, the house was in disrepair and they wanted a large building to establish the Baktividanta Cultural Center. It's probably a best case scenario for the rescue of a beautiful and historic building. Maybe we could find some more cult/religions to inhabit and renovate our historic structures. I nominate the catholic cult to take over the Michigan Central Depot. Manny could give it to them for free. He'd get a huge write-off and the catholics would grease the skids into heaven for him. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 186
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 9:32 pm: | |
Neil doesn't ring any bells. But give me some time, I've slowed a bit as I've matured. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 187
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2008 - 9:47 pm: | |
OG, did I ask you about the Dump on Kercheval? We used to go there for bands shows. How about the bar on East Jefferson(near or on the corner of Alter),in later years(maybe still)known as Marshall's? There was a storefront pizzeria on East Jefferson a few blocks west of the bar. You could walk up and down Jefferson in those days. There were plenty of businesses. If you remember correctly, we could walk to and over the bridge, make a sharp right to go towards the church and school and then it'd be okay to walk up to Jefferson. If you went to the left on Avondale, towards Connor, you might be risking your life. Did you ever make it out to Wyandotte to the Jamestown Inn? It was a neighborhood joint owned by a friend of Breeze and Linda's named Jim. I knew him in high school as did Linda before she was with Breeze. The Gar Wood crew went there on occasion and Jim and some of his crowd came to the house. Okay, enough messing with your memory for now. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 194
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 1:22 am: | |
OG, I found a business, invitation type card from the Krishnas when they were living on East Jefferson at Burns. It says at the top: 'You are invited to enjoy a most unique experience'. If you attended the sunday afternoon, 5PM gathering, you could partake of 'a ten course dinner of sanctified Indian foods'. I know I was at their house at other times because I remember Breeze and I standing at the door late at night or early in the morning. We were there to chow. I tried unsuccesfully to upload the card. |
Stnfrnt
Member
Username: Stnfrnt
Post Number: 2
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 1:57 am: | |
1 kielson,my brother retired a few years ago and has a nice little spread in the Tenessee wods not far from Nashvile. The Detroit Theater Organ Club is correct. My bad. Ate at the Krishna place once----it sucked. Don't remember may real names any more. HELP! I've been living on my sailboats for the past 12 years here in Redondo Seach, CA and I'd really like to hear from Vic Reynaud on that.Usernames confuse me.Trying to figure out wwho might be who. A possum just walked by. I don't really know where anybody is so if you could help me find any Stonefront band members like Gary Markley. Harry Boulier, Eddie Saenz,Mark Swanberg, Darrel Bradley or Joe Ford or Billy Landless I'd love it.Low barrery---more later. Spelling??? It's dark out here. |
Stnfrnt
Member
Username: Stnfrnt
Post Number: 3
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 2:04 am: | |
The smiley guy in the organ room is Neil.Wefired op the organ on him one night and he just stuck his head out of the curtains and SMILED. He slept by the bass pipes too! |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 38
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 11:02 am: | |
Stnfrnt, If Robin Welch has a Stonefront web site and is selling Stonefront music, isn't he in contact with you or other band members? |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 39
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 11:26 am: | |
1KD, You're right. I remember walking back to the house from Jefferson once on one of those streets to the left. I got held up 3 times in one day. The first guys got my money (which wasn't much) at gunpoint. A few blocks further down the street another group surrounded me and demanded my money. Once I proved to them I didn't have any, and looking at me, that wasn't hard to believe, they walked off. A few more blocks down the same street a car pulled up in front of me as I was about to walk across the intersection. They jumped out and demanded my money. I told them some other guys already robbed me. They were pissed. They wanted a description, then jumped back in their car and tore off in the direction I told them they went. That was the last time I walked down that street until after the end party.
I remember we used to get robbed at the party store that was up on Jefferson I think. I remember everybody chipping in for booze and a few of us going up there to get it. We got held up outside the store. Nobody, except me, thought it was a big deal. I remember we drove back to the house, told everybody what happened. Nobody there thought it was a big deal either and everybody just chipped in again. Back to the party store, minus me. That was sort of a Welcome to Detroit 101 for me.
I guess those were the good old days when people would just rob you and then leave you alone. I don't remember hanging out up on Jefferson much. Not that it means I didn't. I only remember some old dive diner up there we used to go to once in a while. Lots of hookers drinking coffee in the morning. |
Det313grrl
Member
Username: Det313grrl
Post Number: 328
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 11:43 am: | |
Stnfrnt, I'm very sorry to tell that Billy Landless has passed away. It's been a few years now, very sad. I saw Vic a few years back, he and I were tight around the time he lost his daughter. I'm sure John Collier has been in touch with him, the two of them came to see me where I worked. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 196
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 11:50 am: | |
OG, that's a funny story. It sounds like another Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers moment. We should be creating a comic book about the days at the house. In retrospect, you're correct about it being the 'good old days' when you'd just give up your money. The party store you mentioned must've been at, or near, Connor and Jefferson. That was a rough neighborhood. A few blocks east and it got much better. Not great, but better. As I've said before, if we were riding our motorcycles (and autos, for that matter) to the house, I always advised my fellow bikers to never stop along those streets. Slow down, look both ways, and hit it! I've experienced very few incidents like you described (being robbed)despite hanging and growing up in some very edgy neighborhoods ie; Grand River and Joy near the Grande Ballroom in the 60's. People used to say,'don't walk on Joy Road at night'. We did, callow youth that we were. I had to walk to and from school which oft times meant walking by the Grande and in the neighborhoods, by 'Dope Houses'. Little did I know I'd be going to the Grande in a short time. |
1kielsondrive
Member
Username: 1kielsondrive
Post Number: 197
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 11:58 am: | |
Stone, you likely need to keep posting if you're ever to find the people you mentioned. Even if you post once in a while, eventually someone like you, I or Old-guy show up and reveal more about those times, the house and it's people. John Collier is invaluable if he chooses to comment once in a while. I looked at my copy of Earth Magazine yesterday and the photos are by him. I'm sure I know him but can't place his face or times I may have hung with him. I'm going to post for Ruth Hoffman as we speak. |
Det313grrl
Member
Username: Det313grrl
Post Number: 330
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 4:02 pm: | |
1kielsondrive, so you found the magazine, care to share a pic or two. I was underage and had runaway from home when I was at the Garwood, so my memories are not as vivid as yours and Old_guy. The mention of Mark Hoover was a flashback.
Do you remember Alter Park or the Saunders on Jefferson and Lakewood?
I went to Finney High with Dallas Hodge, his mother was like a mother to me growing up on the eastside, I miss her very much. She always gave me the best advice. |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 40
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 9:40 pm: | |
Stnfrnt, If you've been reading this thread you might have seen that a few of us have been trying to put some dates on things. Got any input on that? I also wonder if you can remember a more complete list of bands that played at the house. |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 41
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 9:44 pm: | |
Det313grrl, how old were you when you were at the house. I've never seen the girl in the swing photo. |
Stnfrnt
Member
Username: Stnfrnt
Post Number: 4
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 9:58 pm: | |
Det313grrl----so sad to hear about Billy Landless.He was reall cool and laid back and a pretty damn good bass player too.Will really miss that guy. Your'e right about John Collier being a key player here.I got to be really close to John during those years and he really captured the heart and soul of the mansion through his lens.He wasn't just taking pictures of a bunch of hippies, but,to me he was documenting real life stories of every day life for a group of people who,through some kind of wonderfully wierd cosmic intervention ended up at 1 Keelson Drive.We had electricians,mechanics,artists ,musicians,pharmcist assistants(we didn't stand a chance--E-ticket there!),dealers,users,fabricat ors, and several Viet Nam vets.What more could you ask for you ask? Well we had Bush Mark(real name unknown).We called him that because he looked like a bush---things were sticking out of him all the time.(I think Gus pinned that lable on him).Bush mark got himself arrested in Rockford,IL.for suspicion of possesion once.I think the only time I ever heard of him bathing was the time he dove to the bottom of the pool to retrieve some coins somebody had tossed in there so he would have enough change to buy a can of dogfood for one of his dogs. Rumor has it that he was up on Jefferson one day and he looked so bad that a wino gave him $2.We put him on the door one night at a pary to ask for a $1 donation to cover the rent.Had about 600 people that night but only netted $40.Said he didn't have the heart to ask for money. How can you argue with that? I'm starting to remember things and incidents and it's great! David, of David and Roselyn and Gong Show fame,was a proffesor of anthropology at Wayne State.Their two girls were more or less home schooled and blew away everybody else in any sort of "academic competition" Brian "Cap'n Nemo" Mcdonald almost killed himself one night bringing a boat up the Detroit River in a snowstorm.He wanted to park it in Garwood's boathouse and refurbish it and the thing started taking on water and he was in serious trouble out on the water.He was in radio contac with rescue but it looked so bad that his father,aprominent attorney,came down to the house to wait for him---if he made it It was really that bad.Well,he made it but he had to explain to his very straight father how he got involved with the Garwood mansion.I talked to the guy and he just couldn't fathom how his son got mixed up with this crowd.He was the same attorney father who had to explain to a judge why the 5th precinct said the caught Brian trying to stuff a couple ozs through the ice when they raided th place one night. Cops were sure we were running drugs across the river to Canada.JOHN COLLIER CHECK IN! |
Old_guy
Member
Username: Old_guy
Post Number: 42
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 10:45 pm: | |
Easy there Larry, I took showers once in a while. Not often, but once in a while. Christ, I was so high on acid for about five years that it was just too bizarre to get in the shower. Besides, I was afraid I'd miss something. Do you remember the night when we were somewhere between Chicago and Detroit in Nancy's VW when the fan belt broke. You made one out of a pair of her panty hose and we made it the rest of the way? |
Stnfrnt
Member
Username: Stnfrnt
Post Number: 5
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 2:13 am: | |
Old guy, I said that was the only tine I could remember!Give me some credit for remembering even that much. The shower in the master bedroom was huge and had 7 or 8 shower heads.The best time I spent in there didn' even involve water.Gus showed up once with a 1 gal plastic milk jug that he cut in half,hooked a length of garden hose to the spouy, and filled it up with good smoke.A bunch of us cramed into the shower,closed the door and smoked a half gallon of pot.Were you there?Where is Gus?Heard Dave Karas(roadie supreme)got murdered.True?I DO remember the Volkswagon episode.Hard to imagine what went through her mind with that question, |