Anyway, one time, the Brits came with their own aerial stunt crew and parachute-people (who would jump out of planes and hold hands before deploying parachutes and what not).
El Centro is a rather small place (I lost my virginity there but that's a story that I'm not ready to tell) so only a few drinking spots and I must say, those Brits did like to drink. Now they came with the whole ground crew and that's who we all drank with because the pilots went off to the officer's club or some swankier place. One one of those nights, we got especially out of hand. We were playing a tape of George Thorogood in concert and one of the Brits produced a tape of Rory Gallagher, who I take it, was their answer to Thorogood.
After a few hours, two of those crazy Brits stripped naked and hung from the rafters upside down. That was also the same night that I was picked up and thrown over the bar into a refrigerated glass case of beer which shattered all over the place. I was completely unhurt and I had no idea why they decided to toss me over the bar! But the owner of the bar was very upset on account of all the damage and next day, we all got dressed down by the brass back on base.
Well, normally I’m jingoistic toward all things American but Rory Gallagher could wipe the floors with George Thorogood!
We trained with the British Army during ReForGer exercises in Germany in ‘77-’78. We couldn’t drink alcohol on these exercises but the Brits would sure break for tea time at 2:00pm, great guys.
“(I lost my virginity there but that’s a story that I’m not ready to tell)”
Yes, but how did he feel about it?
He is Irish actually and was (he passed in the mid '90s) awesome!!
He was the opening act in 1971 or '72 at a concert headlined by Edgar Winter and White Trash. Gallagher stole the show. Much to his credit Winter brought Gallagher back on stage for the encore.................great show!
Gallagher is well worth looking into if you still enjoy that style of hard guitar.
PS: Condolences on being stationed in El Centro!
“and one of the Brits produced a tape of Rory Gallagher, who I take it, was their answer to Thorogood.”
Rory was a hell of a guitar player. But he was Irish.
L
There is a rumor that 50% of all those guys who lost their virginity in El Centro did so in the stock yards...{:-)