INTERVJU: Pete Quarracino i US AIRWAVE

Sedan jag köpte ett KISS-bootleg med titeln “KISS Fancy Mix” runt 1988 har jag alltid undrat vem som skrev låten “Thunder in my heart” Eller det är inte riktigt sant. Till en början var jag och polaren fullt övertygade om att det var en gammal KISS-demo. Skivan består av allehanda “demos” i varierande kvalitet och alla påstås vara KISS. Bland annat finns “1980´s ladies” med, som kommer från Blackie Lawless gamla band Circus Circus. Även den trodde vi var KISS, eller i alla fall Gene Simmons.

Växte man inte upp på 80-talet skrattar man nog åt dessa påståenden idag, men då fanns inte nätet och stod det att det var KISS, ja då var det KISS. Den största källan för någon form av info på den här tiden var tidningar som Kerrang, Circus, Hit Parader eller Faces, för att nämna några, och de skrev inte direkt om bootlegs eller svåra demolåtar.

1989 beställde jag en bootleglista från en kille i USA. I den listan bjuds det på diverse demos och liveinspelningar och det är då undertecknad för första gången får reda på att “Thunder in my heart” inte alls är KISS, utan istället av ett band med namnet Kagney and the Dirty Rats. Stor besvikelse, men ändå kul att få reda på ett nytt band. Under många år härledes så den här låten till detta gäng, som i ärlighetens namn ingen någonsin hört talas om. Långt senare kommer det fram att sångaren i Bulletboys, Marc Torien, sjöng i bandet och det blev en ny ledtråd, men inte heller det visade sig stämma. Jag frågade dessutom Marc för några år sedan om han överhuvudtaget mindes låten “Thunder in my heart” Det gjorde han inte för han hade inte spelat in den. Han hade dock hört ryktet.

Vi spolar fram till 2019 och boken “Partners in crime” av Alex Bergdahl och Carl Linnaeus. En riktig guldgruva för KISS-fans och som rekommenderas varmt. I den diskuteras bland annat den här låten och de två systerskivorna “Fancy Mix” och Fancy Fair”, men då fanns fortfarande ingen källa på låten. Tack vare Alex går det dock sedan fort. Han lägger ut ett YouTube-klipp med låten på sin fb-sida för podden Alex Room Service och diverse detektiver sätter igång att arbeta. En tid senare har dessa fantastiska människor kommit fram till bandet US AIRWAVE och att låten släpptes på en samlingsskiva från radiostationen WYSP i Philadelphia. Dessutom lyckas även någon få fram ett namn, nämligen Pete Quarracino. Jag hittar honom på fb, drar iväg ett mail med YouTube-klippet och får omgående ett svar. Visst var det US AIRWAVE som spelade in låten och Pete var med och skrev den. Ett par frågor senare fanns det lite mer info om det gamla bandet och låten. En fråga kvarstår dock. Vem fasen satte ihop dessa två skivor och gav ut dem?

 

When and how did the band form?

We formed early in 1980. Lee Napier had a band that recorded a couple of demos at Veritable Studios. His band was breaking up. I had played in a band, which recorded a single there, which had just broken up. I think through mutual acquaintances we met there.

Did you ever record a full album? If not, name some of the songs you recorded.

We had an albums worth of songs recorded but no record deal. Other songs were “Everything that I do”, “Part of Love”, “Tell Me”, “Just Like Anyone” and ”Promises”.

Tell me about the song “Thunder in my heart” What are your memories of writing and recording it?

Lee wrote the words and we co-wrote the music. What I remember most is the bridge. We had worked out the song in my apartment´s living room but it needed a bridge. Time was booked to record the song. I was in the studio all miked  and ready to roll, tuning my guitar, when Lee came in and said “I’ve got the bridge!”. He played it and I made a slight change. We recorded the rhythm track and our producer was none the wiser. The drummer on the recording is Tommy Geddes who had been with A&M records “THE REDS”. I do have a master tape of the song.

How did you end up on a radio station´s album?

WYSP broadcasted that they were looking for songs and we submitted.

How many gigs did you play? Was it just in Philadelphia?

I really don’t know how many gigs we played. I’d  guess over 50. We played all over Delaware, New Jersey & Pennsylvania. We played clubs, bars, colleges, big stage, small stage, no stage, we enjoyed playing. 

You opened up for Cinderella. Tell me about that!

A number of bands rehearsed at Veritable when there was no recording scheduled. One night Pat Martino’s (jazz guitarist) band was in there before us. Cinderella occasionally rehearsed and recorded some demos there. I think that’s how we made the connection to open for them. This was before they were signed. They were great. We opened for them a couple of times in a metal club in New Jersey. I got to meet Bon Jovi at one of their shows. Basically what they were playing would become their first album. Joe McSorley, who was our producer, also made a couple of demos for Cinderella. He asked if I wanted to go see Cinderella, they asked him to do their sound that night because Bon Jovi would be there checking them out. I went. So he is running the mixing board. Now I don’t sing, no one would ever put a mike in front of me. I cannot project any volume near Tommy Kiefer, but Joe asked me to go up on stage in front of this packed audience and talk into the mikes to get a volume. I dutifully complied. When I came back from the stage Jon Bon Jovi was standing behind the board with Joe and I said hello. People were pretty cool about not bothering him. Another funny story is I also met Ozzy Osbourne. An engineer in the studio where we recorded “Thunder in my heart” also worked for Electric Factory Concert. One afternoon he called and asked if I could lend a Les Paul to one of the guys playing with Ozzy that night . I asked if there was any money in it. He said no, but there were two tickets and backstage passes. I said ”I’m in!” I called Lee and put the guitar in the car and off we went. This was the tour when Randy Rhoads died. We went backstage at the Philadelphia Spectrum, met our friend, got passes and tickets, and gave Brad Gillis from Night Ranger my guitar. Went over to the cafeteria, sat down and had a drink. The road crew was eating and Ozzy came in and talked with them. We caught his attention as he was leaving. We then went to our seats and saw UFO, which was the loudest bandI have ever heard. Then Ozzy came out and on the stage on a stand in front of a stack of Marshalls was my guitar. He did’t play it.

How long was the band active?

About 5 years.

Where did the band name come from?

I may have come up with it. It was originally AIRWAVE then we found out there was a UK band called AIRWAVE, so we added the US.

What bands were you influenced by?

I was lucky enough to see a lot of bands growing up. I saw Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones with Mick Taylor, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughn, David Bowie with Earl Slick, Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton. So I was influenced by the guitar slingers. 

So how does your song end up on a KISS bootleg?

I would love to know. Our only contact with KISS was back in the early 80’s. Lee and I went up to New York City to see friends playing at the Bottom Line. Supposedly the guitarist knew Ace Frehley. And sure enough Ace was there. The band was so loud all I could do was nod hello. I think this was after 1982 and I remember thinking at the time ”Why would you leave KISS?” I do not remember who was playing though.

Text: Niclas Müller-Hansen