For the love of Mick…….

Over the last month or so I’ve been featuring bands and such from Upstate New York’s rich rock and roll history, and have put an emphasis on my hometown of Rochester, NY. That is where I grew up, developed my “talents” and made lots of friends and colleagues over the last 30 years. So it was rather ironic that in the midst of all of my blather about 60’s bands from Rochester, I was involved in what I think was one of the most stunning gatherings of Rochester talent in many a year, all for the benefit of a guy who never really was in many bands (one I think), but who’s contribution to the music scene here in Rochester during the 80’s was as vital as any band or single artist. That guy is a very unassuming fellow named Mick Alber. Mick (pictured above on the left with fellow DJ Mike Murray) was co-host with good friend Mike Murray of the radio show  known as “The Boss Beat”. They almost exclusively focused on 60’s Garage and Psyche, and featured many of the “neo” garage bands of the day on their show as well as lots of local talent, like myself and the band I was in, “The Projectiles”. Mick eventually left the show in the mid 90’s and Mike went solo changing the show’s name to “Whole Lotta Shakin’” which airs every Saturday for two hours. Mick got married, had kids etc. etc. and it seems as life was AOK. Well, Mick has had a stroke of bad luck recently. A messy and expensive divorce, loss of employment, and to put icing on the cake he developed ulcerative colitis, a nasty condition which required some very expensive surgery and a long expensive hospital stay. Mike Murray and another musician and personality extraordinaire, Stan Merrel, organized a benefit to raise funds for our stricken brother. What was to unfold on Sunday March 6th was one of the most amazing days I had in quite a while.     Ten acts spent the better part of a day at Abilene Bar & Lounge providing top notch entertainment for the fund raiser, but it was more. Oh, it was much more. It was the most exiting gathering I had been to in ages. It was an eclectic mix of electric and acoustic, rock & roll with hints of rockabilly and Americana. Straight up garage, and punk. It was all there in full view for the sake of one of our own. The old mingled with the young and all of us were treated to a nine hour Rock & Roll feast. Which brings me back to our city, and the wealth of talent that is here. My faith in the local “scene” was renewed and yes there is room for all of us here. Young and old. God bless you Mick. We hope you have a speedy recovery, and we all hope to see you in our midst very soon. Love, Dan

The Ohm Yours Truly… D.F.T.B. w/ Mike Murray D.F.T.B. drummer Greg Andrews D.F.T.B. (Yours Truly, Greg Andrews, and Jerry Flanagan) The Chinchillas The Enablers The Pawns