11.06.2005

Rick Sanford of Legs Diamond as a special guest for The Killing Floor. July 4, 2005

(Rick Sanford 1979: Lead front man for Legs Diamond)

One of The Killing Floor's proudest highlight for 2005 is with Rick Sanford jamming on a few gigs with The Killing Floor and of course the "offical"July 4th gig. TKF had 2-3 rehearsals with Rick and the setlist for that night was as follows:
1.Rok Doktor
2.Underworld King
3.Stage Fright
4.Immigrant Song
5.Highway Star
6.Out On Bail
We did our set as usual and about an 1hr and 30minutes later Rick came in and we did the six songs shown above... I do remeber have tech problems with my guitar and few other things but for the most part it was a awesome. It was truley an honor performing with a rock legend Rick Sanford and I wish him the best of luck with his music and his projects...
Posted here is The Rick Sanford interview by Kelyyz of SA Rocks and the show review by Rowan. You can also see lots of more great reviews and a wealth of information from the San Antonio Scene like this one at www.sarocks.com


Posted on SA Rocks www.sarocks.com
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Interview: Rick
Sanford of Legs Diamond
Sitting at a Bar with Rick Sanford

July
4, 2005

posted by kelyyz at 11:00pm


Everyones’ been busting their bums for this gig for weeks, so I'm glad I was able to to pull it off on Monday night (Happy Birthday America!), it was roughly 7pm, and hotter than Texas asphalt. I got there and saw everyone running around in the heat, eager to get on with the show later, and it was great to see Rick again at The Bottom's Up Saloon (over off of IH35 & Starlight Terrace). Rick, who is the original vocalist of "Legs Diamond", is also quite the gentleman, kisses ladie's hands, which is always cool. Rick’s sound-check with The Killing Floor was going on outside and he was looking all around like a live-wire - the man is full of energy.When I saw Rick, he remembered this interview I'd mentioned, and said, “Ya ready?”. Yep, let’s go inside.


(Rick Sanford sound checking with The Killing Floor 7-4-05)



My legal pad with questions and answers were in my bag, and I didn't need them. We rambled a good 20 minutes, and I thank him for his time.Rick is a ham in the nicest of ways! Charismatic, witty, energetic AND a Scotsman to boot. He told me, in between my hacking couch, sweat and laughter, that yes, he can drink and play golf :) I wasn’t aware that Rick is actually a So. Caliornia boy, and has only recently relocated to San Antonio about 2 years ago.
(Legs Diamond, to me, has been so SA-focused. I guess because I’ve seen them at Las Semana Alegre when Fiesta still allowed the event.)

Rick was about 20 when he visited the popular S.I.R. studio equipment rental center near L.A., and about to post the obligatory “Vocalist Available” notice, when Michael Prince walked in. Prince was looking for a band who needed keyboards. Rick said for a moment he put his notice for the board down and looked away, shy and embarrassed, imagine that!

Instead, the two exchanges ideas and hit it off... This is basically where most of Rick’s career began and the band's line up was officially complete in 1974.With the track 'Rat Race' on a 1976 sampler album released by the Los Angeles based radio station K-West, they were soon under contract with Mercury Records.

The band's self-titled album debuted, and they went on to tour with bands like KISS, REO SPEEDWAGON, MONTROSE, STYX, MOXY, TED NUGENT, REX and ANGEL amongst others before entering into production for their second album, 'A Diamond Is A Hard Rock', later in the year.I wondered when I was talking to Rick, (while thinking of the hundreds of bands I see, many of them relatives or close friends who struggle like the devil), how did it happen for him? Did he do anything special? Breakin' on through to the other side.

The mid to late 70’s music scene was robust, and Rick was right in the middle of it, L.A., Hollywood and a huge industry surrounding him. The scene was ripe with both metal and the approaching 80's music, booking managers and VIP'S were showing up at different band rehearsals and gigs unannounced, basically scouting musicians.

Rick introduced himself to the VP of Mercury one night in L.A. and the way he did THAT was special - just grab a holster, have a band name that's named after a mobster, and a fake gun! The poor dude from Mercury was sitting at a show, checking it out, when Rick, jumped out from behind a sofa, pointed a fake pistol at the man, pulled the trigger and laughed at him. The V.P. of Mercury held his hands in the air, also laughed and said, "I'll have a contract ready to view tomorrow!"

The name comes from Jack "Legs" Diamond. Jack Diamond was a buddy, (a harmless henchman) of Al Capone’s, Rick even mentioned a movie he liked, “The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond”. “Legs” became his nickname as he was also a ballroom dancer, along with a pretty smart thief.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rise_and_fall_of_legs_diamond/

I also wanted to ask him if there were any ‘new’ bands he just went ape-shit over, and oh yeah, he said Nickelback and MUDVAYNE! Wooo, his teenage son and I laughed and high-fived that one! Rick’s vocal (and over all) influences include Robert Plant, he’s a huge Zeppelin fan, and Rod Stewart.His favorite song ever is "Over the Hills and Far Away", by Led Zeppelin.

Well, we wrapped it up soon. As most know, the original LA line-up of Legs Diamond did dis-band in 1987. Rick has been playing practicing and playing steadily with The Killing Floor for a couple of months now, and The Bottom's Up Saloon is his main-stay at the moment. Come check him out if you can!

(Rick Sanford performing with The Killing Floor 7-4-05)



He’s also got solo projects in the works. He couldn’t say enough about his inspirations and attributed MUCH success to San Antonio and especially Joe Anthony. A few hours later we all got a screaming, banging treat with some tunes like The Immigrant Song, Out on Bail (that was my fave), Stage Fright, Underworld King, Rok Doktor and Highway Star. When asked if he had any words of advice for musicians? "If you’re going to do this, do it all the way, or don't bother." Interview by: kelyyz

Posted on: SA Rocks www.sarocks.com
Friday: July 08,
2005
Review By:
Rowan
Title: The Killing Floor/Rick Sanford @ Bottom's Up



The Killing Floor/Rick Sanford @ Bottom's Up


You have probably read Kelyyz's great interview with Rick Sanford, former frontman of Legs Diamond. I also went and saw The Killing Floor with special guest Rick Sanford last Monday, July 4th at Bottom's Up Saloon.

I have been wanting to write a review all week, but I have been sick and my brain has been too fuzzy to write it! I'm still sick, but I'm feeling a little better, so better late than never, I at least want to say a little bit about that gig.

Oddly enough, I had never even heard of Bottom's Up Saloon, even though it's really close to my house. It's a nice little place, clean, with friendly service and a big backyard with large shade trees and picnic tables and a stage set up in the back corner. They had a barbecue going on, which unfortunately I didn't realize and ate 5 tacos (!) before I left the house, so I didn't get to try any, but it smelled great! It was really nice sitting outside with a light breeze blowing, hanging out with cool people, watching a good band and seeing the occasional fireworks going off in the sky (or under Kelyyz's feet! - I'm not even gonna explain that one!)

The Killing Floor put on a great show. All four members are excellent musicians. You've got David Garza on thumping bass, never missing a beat. Larry Rimes on percussion, with a great bongo and conga setup, also providing backing harmonies.

Then the two showmen of the group, Jack Trevino on drums and JCM on guitar and lead vocals. Trevino really knows his way around a drum kit...and I mean AROUND. When he does a drum solo, he's not just back behind his drums pounding away, he's up and all around his set, using every bit of hardware on his drums to get different sounds and effects, even standing up on the front of the drums to play.

And the centerpiece...JCM. Very good vocalist, exceptional guitarist. For someone like me, who misses the age of the guitar gods, watching him play was a real treat. The sound is blues-based rock, reminiscent of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, maybe a little more contemporary, a bit heavier. The technique is unique. What Trevino does on drums, JCM does on guitar, only more so. Not only are his fingers flying, so are his hands, as he quickly switches from underhand to overhand playing, back and forth, lightly whipping his hand down the neck of the guitar, using every bit of his guitar (and at one point the mic stand) to create unique sounds and effects. He uses a lot of pedals and is very fond of the whammy bar, but it's never overdone, never too much. And it may sound funny, but I have to say, he did the best tongue solo I've ever seen!

The other treat of the night was special guest Rick Sanford, former singer for Legs Diamond. He came out and performed most of a set with The Killing Floor, doing great Legs Diamond classics like "Out on Bail" and "Stage Fright" as well as Led Zeppelin's "The Immigrant Song" and Deep Purple's "Highway Star" and more.

I saw Legs Diamond in concert in Corpus Christi when I was a teenager...for the life of me I can't recall who else they played with. Rick Sanford still has the same great voice and contagious energy he had back then. I really enjoyed the show and now I can say I've had my hand kissed by Rick Sanford! And I got some pics! Click on a thumbnail to see the larger image below:

Thanks, guys! It was a great show and a pleasure to finally meet you all!

Interview and reviewes from at http://www.sarocks.com/.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, um, yeah, thanks for everything Rick :)

Kelly said...

Very cool. If you type in Rick Sanford, TKF/SA Rocks is all over the place! Wonder how that gig went...