Not too long ago – HG and I were sitting in my office drinking copious amounts of the fermented grape and listening to some of the recorded tunage of my old, Rock & Roll Daze. HG asked me where the guitarist was – the guitarist in question being one, Ron Dehart. I told HG that I had lost track of Ron in about 1992 – when I was living in the asshole of America: Lancaster, California – the child abusing, meth-amphetamine and alcohol-swilling capital of the world (I guess this all began during WWII – when the war industry required round-the-clock shifts of workers – and persisted through the era of test pilots and into space shuttle construction).
I told HG that the last time I talked to Rhonda Hart (our pet nickname for Ron [which he didn’t like one bit]) – was in the Spring of 1992 when I was sporting my-first-of-many sinus infections – and Ron asked me if he could use the last collection of music we did together. I told him “Sure, but if you should ever make some money – please kick some my way.” Ron said he would – but I gotta tell the faithful – GENESIS’s “We Can’t Dance…” sounds a hellovalot like a studio recording we did in 1986 (When did GENESIS release that toon? Let me Google it!) Aha! They released “We Can’t Dance” in 1991 – so perhaps Ron is living on the royalties on some Carribean Island.
While HG and I listened to Ron’s sometimes amazing guitar work – I couldn’t help but become re-impressed with the lyrics of two-of-our vocalists: Jon T and The Watchman. I actually tried to find Jon T to see if he’d be interested in a NECRONOM 30th Year Reunion – but I couldn’t locate him. And then suddenly – out-of-the-blue, Lyricist Extraordinaire (and manly bassist), The Watchman, reached me by e-mail (after 22 years of separation). After he positively ID’d me – the first words out-of-The Watchman’s mouth were: “Where is Ron Dehart?”
If I couldn’t tell HG – I couldn’t tell The Watchman – because I hadn’t talked to Ron in 17-years-or-so; but suddenly, all-sorts-of-musical energy seemed to be converging around the Appalachian Lad. I did suggest to The Watchman that we try to find Ron’s ex-wife first – as I could have sworn that I recognized her in a porno spread once-upon-a-time…in between women…
I’ll never forget how first wife Nancy insisted that I go listen to her former boyfriend’s band. I remember them being incredibly loud – as-a-matter-of-fact – all the bands Ron played in were incredibly loud. But anyway – I was more impressed with the “flash” of the other lead guitarist than I was with Ron – but everyone insisted that Ron was the-better-of-the-two. Be-that-as-it- may, Ron and I made music for a number of years with a number of different musicians. We had our disagreements – but we also scaled some majestic musical heights (at least to my mind).
I will always be thankful to Ron for making me get off-my-ass and make music. If not for his constant prodding and cajoling – I probably would have grown into a fat, couch potato – or some twisted Liberace type…so, thanks Ron!
But Ron…where the Hell are you?! Lotsa folks want to know!