Driving With Artimus In His Hippie VW...
Jan 29, 2019 11:12:28 GMT -5
johnh, dbtfan4life, and 5 more like this
Post by Forum Lord on Jan 29, 2019 11:12:28 GMT -5
No doubt about it... Artimus is a certified card carrying left wing liberal hippie, and not a Skynyrd type redneck!
Not trying to get political, just pointing out the facts because of how it flows into life stories can not be helped.
So one day I get this call from the APB band to get my ass up to Crescent Beach where the APB band is playing in the local club closest to Artimus' house. Apparently the club sound system was messed up and not working and making noises and basically useless for a band performance. So I got the call to rush up there to do a service call for the band.
Well you know I spend more time with Artimus than a quick in and out. So I decided to make the most of it and go up for the entire event to not only service the sound system, but to also run it for the band as well as do photography and video which ya'll still have yet to see!
but during the day Artimus and I like to do all sorts of things. From smoking pot to driving around to going down to water to watch the dolphins and luxury boats pass by- Artimus also liked to wave to them and get a response from passing boats same as Ed did in Nashville with that recent photo surfacing of him doing the same thing.
On this trip I even had a professional photographer tag along- the MCA photographer Charles Odum who was at the Altamonte Springs Mall Oct. 17, 1977 shooting photos of the band for MCA Records which were later released as publicity shots of individual band members. I even have photos of him taking those photos at that event. Here are some of those images he took of Artimus and myself at his house on the IntraCoastal Waterway in Crescent City just South of St. Augustine. The images have been cropped to protect full image from getting out there... just a sample for now...
I found one of Artimus Skynyrd issued jackets and so I grabbed it and tried it on to see how well it fit. It fit perfectly. Artimus snuck up behind me and just as I was turning around Charles snapped this image of Artimus peaking over my shoulder at the camera while wearing his Skynyrd jacket. This one was taken in front of the house.
In the above image Artimus and I had just returned from the dock at the intracoastal waterway behind his house, and we were walking along the back deck to the rear door when Charles snapped this one through the living room window facing SW towards water behind us...
These were also taken by Charles Odum behind Artimus house where he had his hammock in the shade overlooking waterway. It was hot and both of us were coming out of our clothes one piece at a time. All Artimus had on was a pair of shorts and I wished I was too, but I was wearing long blue jeans like a dummy in that heat.
Back to the story...
Well, you know, truth be known, during the day long before the evening performance- and this band was killer too! It had Shelton Irwin, Greg Baril, Buzzy Meekins on bass, and Mike Estes I think- Artimus and I went on an adventure.
Anyhoooo, during the day after Artimus got his ass out of bed around noon, we rolled a big fatty and he wanted to take a drive down A1A along the beach and go to an isolate spot to park and walk the beach. Only our plans did not work out that way.
So went out of the house and sitting outside was this old red and white 1960's VW bus he had. An old junker for sure. A rust bucket, but he did not care. It was his and paid for and it ran! So he made it look hippie ridiculous! Funky stickers on it, some came with the old jalopy- some he put on it. And he had wierd plastic tube things strapped on top. They were about 5 or 6 feet long, about 18 inches in diameter and bright yellow like big bird. And these were strapped outside on top of this old van for what I don't know.
Artimus could store things in them and travel with stuff inside them that would not get wet in rain. I suppose drums in back of van, and clothes and other stuff stored up top.
Anyway, we both jump inside the van and take off from his house to A1A and turn right and head South looking for a beach spot.
While driving South, Artimus turns on the music. He chooses classical. I was confused so I asked him why he liked classical music. I made the point I don't hear any drums in there! And that is when he corrected me and said yes there are no drums in there, but there are multiple levels of rhythm moving around in this type of music he apparently picks up on and enjoys while I would be reaching for the channel changer.
I would rather listen to Skynyrd, but if I were to put on any Skynyrd in Artimus presence he was quick to run over and shut it off immediately. Instantly even. He did not want to hear Skynyrd period! So it is a safe bet to say Artimus will not and does not listen to Skynyrd in his off time. Other people around him like me do! And it might bug him too...
So I pondered this mystical revolving rhythm in classical crap while inhaling god's gift to mankind. And then all of a sudden Artimus had found his spot to pull over to access the beach...
So before we even left the pavement I was looking ahead at where he was going and already thinking to myself this is a bad idea, but knowing how hot tempered he can be I kept my big mouth shut and let him drive his hippie van how he wanted to.
And what did he do? He drove that sucker right off the highway and onto an all white beach sandy lot. I knew dam good and well this junker was going to get stuck if he did so, and he did so!
I recall that VW slowing to a stop in the 12 inch deep sugar sand and its done and over with. That sucker would not budge.
So now he was set off, but not by me! (I was trying to conceal my amusement from him while still trying to enjoy the buzz!)
I'll finish this story later. Gotta run for now...
Not trying to get political, just pointing out the facts because of how it flows into life stories can not be helped.
So one day I get this call from the APB band to get my ass up to Crescent Beach where the APB band is playing in the local club closest to Artimus' house. Apparently the club sound system was messed up and not working and making noises and basically useless for a band performance. So I got the call to rush up there to do a service call for the band.
Well you know I spend more time with Artimus than a quick in and out. So I decided to make the most of it and go up for the entire event to not only service the sound system, but to also run it for the band as well as do photography and video which ya'll still have yet to see!
but during the day Artimus and I like to do all sorts of things. From smoking pot to driving around to going down to water to watch the dolphins and luxury boats pass by- Artimus also liked to wave to them and get a response from passing boats same as Ed did in Nashville with that recent photo surfacing of him doing the same thing.
On this trip I even had a professional photographer tag along- the MCA photographer Charles Odum who was at the Altamonte Springs Mall Oct. 17, 1977 shooting photos of the band for MCA Records which were later released as publicity shots of individual band members. I even have photos of him taking those photos at that event. Here are some of those images he took of Artimus and myself at his house on the IntraCoastal Waterway in Crescent City just South of St. Augustine. The images have been cropped to protect full image from getting out there... just a sample for now...
I found one of Artimus Skynyrd issued jackets and so I grabbed it and tried it on to see how well it fit. It fit perfectly. Artimus snuck up behind me and just as I was turning around Charles snapped this image of Artimus peaking over my shoulder at the camera while wearing his Skynyrd jacket. This one was taken in front of the house.
In the above image Artimus and I had just returned from the dock at the intracoastal waterway behind his house, and we were walking along the back deck to the rear door when Charles snapped this one through the living room window facing SW towards water behind us...
These were also taken by Charles Odum behind Artimus house where he had his hammock in the shade overlooking waterway. It was hot and both of us were coming out of our clothes one piece at a time. All Artimus had on was a pair of shorts and I wished I was too, but I was wearing long blue jeans like a dummy in that heat.
Back to the story...
Well, you know, truth be known, during the day long before the evening performance- and this band was killer too! It had Shelton Irwin, Greg Baril, Buzzy Meekins on bass, and Mike Estes I think- Artimus and I went on an adventure.
Anyhoooo, during the day after Artimus got his ass out of bed around noon, we rolled a big fatty and he wanted to take a drive down A1A along the beach and go to an isolate spot to park and walk the beach. Only our plans did not work out that way.
So went out of the house and sitting outside was this old red and white 1960's VW bus he had. An old junker for sure. A rust bucket, but he did not care. It was his and paid for and it ran! So he made it look hippie ridiculous! Funky stickers on it, some came with the old jalopy- some he put on it. And he had wierd plastic tube things strapped on top. They were about 5 or 6 feet long, about 18 inches in diameter and bright yellow like big bird. And these were strapped outside on top of this old van for what I don't know.
Artimus could store things in them and travel with stuff inside them that would not get wet in rain. I suppose drums in back of van, and clothes and other stuff stored up top.
Anyway, we both jump inside the van and take off from his house to A1A and turn right and head South looking for a beach spot.
While driving South, Artimus turns on the music. He chooses classical. I was confused so I asked him why he liked classical music. I made the point I don't hear any drums in there! And that is when he corrected me and said yes there are no drums in there, but there are multiple levels of rhythm moving around in this type of music he apparently picks up on and enjoys while I would be reaching for the channel changer.
I would rather listen to Skynyrd, but if I were to put on any Skynyrd in Artimus presence he was quick to run over and shut it off immediately. Instantly even. He did not want to hear Skynyrd period! So it is a safe bet to say Artimus will not and does not listen to Skynyrd in his off time. Other people around him like me do! And it might bug him too...
So I pondered this mystical revolving rhythm in classical crap while inhaling god's gift to mankind. And then all of a sudden Artimus had found his spot to pull over to access the beach...
So before we even left the pavement I was looking ahead at where he was going and already thinking to myself this is a bad idea, but knowing how hot tempered he can be I kept my big mouth shut and let him drive his hippie van how he wanted to.
And what did he do? He drove that sucker right off the highway and onto an all white beach sandy lot. I knew dam good and well this junker was going to get stuck if he did so, and he did so!
I recall that VW slowing to a stop in the 12 inch deep sugar sand and its done and over with. That sucker would not budge.
So now he was set off, but not by me! (I was trying to conceal my amusement from him while still trying to enjoy the buzz!)
I'll finish this story later. Gotta run for now...