Several years after the break-up of the garage days, Tom and John started jamming in Tom's dining room (no furniture required). We learned a lot of the latest cover tunes, the ones that were the guys favs. The name SouthSide Rockers was kicked around at these jams. The name came from being proud south-hillians, and defiantly Rockers.
Each member went their separate ways to create families. Then one day Tom joined this new country rock band with Brad Burton on the skins and this Irish guitar player. The name of the band was Bully Magee. Tom, thinking there was something missing, found out what it was one night. While coming out of a party, he happened to bump into his old sidekick, John Walker. John was asked to join the band and he accepted.
Bully Magee was a short lived band, but a good one. The boys played a lot of local gigs and a few road trips. One time on the road, the other guitar player got drunk and stupid and started falling and throwing his axe around pretending he was a member of The Who. We literally had to boot him off the stage. With half the night gone and the main singer out to lunch, the boys did the only thing they could - ROCK AND ROLL. John stepped up and became the front man. The three of them went on to form SouthSide Rockers.
While Tom was busy with the Bully Magee days, John, before he ran into Tom that night, was busy with the Jasper Tweed days. John and his older brother, along with a couple of other guys, formed a heavy metal band that toured extensively in Saskatchewan, Canada. This band featured John as a front man - guitar playin' rock star.
Tom, John and Brad took refuge in a tiny basement where they practiced just about every night. It wasn't long before the band had about 30 songs ready to go. Now all they had to do is find some where to play and to finally choose a name. SouthSide Rockers was always a working name that the guys referred to the band as, but nothing official yet.
The first gig was New Years Eve for the Moose Jaw Cycle Association. We knew it would be a friendly crowd because there was a lot of friends in the Association that knew of us wanting to form another band. When we arrived at the hall after setting up in the afternoon, there was this big backdrop banner proclaiming "THE SOUTHSIDE ROCKERS LIVE". The guys in the Association, and a few good friends had chipped in to get it made. Well that was it, the name was set in print. Our minds had been made up for us.
Biker gigs are a good time since there is a lot of partying going on before they get to the hall. When the band starts up then they are ready to party-hearty! The New Years Eve gig went great, everyone danced all night long. We knew then that we had made the right decision on the band.
Usually bands have to start out slow and build a following, but for us it was that one gig for the M.J.C.A. that started our crowd right away. We needed a place to play rock and roll in a country and western town. A friend of the band suggested that we try a little club that his wife worked at. It was not doing to good and was willing to try anything to get a crowd in. The name of the club was Lil Cecil's. With the friend (Trevor) doing the negotiations for the band, the date was set and the money was good. Now came the test, to play in front of real paying customers. The first night we played Lil Cecil's the place was packed full of friends and people they had brought. We played there five or six more times, starting the club to offer other live bands. Alas it was too little to late for the club and it folded.
The bands first road trip was in Dysart, SK. Not knowing what to expect we pulled into the T n T Tavern. The bar was very small and we thought this was going to be a country bar for sure. When we were finished setting up, we had taken the entire dance floor for stage area. The owners of the bar - Bruce and Todd Haggerman were busy buying us beer and making sure we had enough to eat, and all the time assuring us it was going to be great! That night the place was packed. I had casually mentioned that we had taken up the dance floor and that they should dance on the tables ... THEY DID!!! The band had many great week-ends at the T n T Tavern and was never treated any better anywhere. Later on the Haggerman's bought a hotel in Rockenville. The band played there a couple of times but nothing compared to the early days in Dysart.
The SouthSide Rockers have played some big gigs like the Moose Jaw Motor Cycle Swap Meet which is Canada's longest running meet. The band played several fund raisers for the Toy Run sponsored by the Moose Jaw Cycle Association.
With things getting slow for bookings and the recent surge in Country music, we decided to change our style and play the club circuit as a country band. Enter Al Gould. Al has been a great friend to the band from its conception. Al is also an accomplished musician. The name was changed to THE CALL OF THE WILD and out on the road we went again. Now we had three part harmonies and a keyboard/guitar player. This was a good band but ... nobody was happy playing the private clubs and bars doing the country thing. Anytime we played as the new band at one of the places we had played as the Rockers, everyone wanted us to play rock and roll. So it was good-bye Al and back to the SouthSide Rockers. But we needed something more and that more was to record our own songs.
It was around this time that John's older brother was into the concept of being a record producer. He suggested that we compose enough songs for about an hours worth of music, and that he would do the research, administration, production and distribution of the CD. John had written several songs and had a few more ideas for several more. Tom also had a few songs that he had written. Once again it was back to the basement, this time called Star Studio A, for a year or more while we wrote and rehearsed our original new songs.
The CD was recorded during a 12 hour session at Touchwood Studios which
was located near a lake resort area. Recording twelve songs in twelve house
is a phenomenal pace, but our motivation coupled with the environment made
the perfect combination for recording a right on cool CD. We picked 12
of our favorite songs and we hope that you will like them too. For maximum
enjoyment ... PLAY IT LOUD !!!
History Of The Band
| CD-Sales |
Book The Band |
Songs
Played By The Band
Fan Club
| Return To Rockers Main Menu
| Return To walkrock.com
