Groovies Reunion.... now we've gone and done it.

[Mark Patrick]

The Mystic Groovies and the folks who came to hear us play have always provided me some of the best experiences of my life and tons of stories of fun and mayhem. Alan, Greg and Jon remain my closest friends and to get a chance to play with them as The Mystic Groovies a couple of more times is a real treat.

About a month ago I got a short email from Matt from the Love Cowboys saying that Ozzie's in Oxford was closing it's doors. Ozzie's asked the Cowboys to play, and the Cowboys asked us if we wanted to join them. It took all of about two seconds for me to say yes, but Jon Rans the drummer, guru, founder and hub of the Groovies was living in New Orleans and I wasn't sure what his thoughts would be on coming up. I should have known.... his answer was quicker than mine. So.... IT'S ON! The reason it's so easy to say yes to a thing like this is that The Love Cowboys and the Groovies have a long, "checkered" history of our most wickedly fun gigs being these free for all shin-digs nick-named, "Shake & Bakes". Also, when we played in Oxford Ohio, we often crashed on their floor and spent the next day having an great time hanging out in Oxford with the Cowboys. They are great musicians, great people and great friends. And a chance to visit and play music with our drummer and close friend Jon Rans, to see Rita and maybe Ian... what's not to love about the idea? So, it would actually be ridiculously stupid to say no.

But... I swear after the initial excitement of "holy-shit we're actually playing again together" the reality began to set in that it's been 20 years. Can I still play the material? Can I still sing these songs like I used to! Will people still care enough to come to see us? Al Drane said to me as we were discussing details that if we went to a bar in Muncie and played as a band in a bar there we could quite possibly be playing for the children of the folks who came to see us back then. And I felt ancient. It has been twenty years and we are different people in a different place in our lives. The same thing for all of you folks who came to see us back then. TWENTY @%$!ING YEARS!!!! Now, I was starting to really panic. All of this added up to real reservations about what should be a no-brainer.

So I slowed down... I painted and pondered... and here's what I came up with: While we are all definitely different than we were twenty years ago, we are also the same people inside and although we have "grown-up", we all still love music and have that ember in our heart that makes is ready to cut loose just like we once did. I know I miss those days of being at the center of a party tornado. So personally, I'm gonna hang up my hang ups and start working on listening and re-learning all these great old tunes. Al, Greg and I got together to see how much we remembered and it was amazing how much it all comes rolling back. Getting together again is worth just playing through the rehearsals and playing all that great stuff. I am going to focus on kicking as much ass and having as much fun as possible. I'm gonna concentrate on the good fortune of having another chance to reconnect with y'all in person. So... the bad news is.... We're twenty years older.... so what? Should we not have grown twenty years older. Good luck stopping that train and do you really want to jump off? I'll tell you what, like Richard Pryor said as Mud-Bone, "I can still kick a little ass now and again!" So if you can, come on out and join us.... let's kick some ^@#$ new ass again.... together! Let rip the roof off the sucker!

Reunion Gig Details:
November 6th, 2009 at 9:00 to 11:30pm - Playing with The Love Cowboys
Come early if you want to get in to this show.
OZZIE'S - THE BALCONY
116 1/2 E. High St
Oxford, Ohio
513.523.3134
Website: http://www.myspace.com/balconybar

November 7th, 2009 at 7:00 to 9:30pm
THE MELODY INN
3826 N. Illinois St.
Indianapolis, In
317.923.4707
Website: http://www.melodyindy.com/index.html

[Ed]

More Mystic Groovies memorabilia posted:
Mystic Groovies publicity shot from Oct 23 1987 article
and
Groovies Revel in 60s Psychedelia (Thomas Nord, IDS 1987)

[Ed]

I've just posted the 'Mystic Groovies Origin' comic I did from back in 1988:
http://www.musicalfamilytree.net/photo/mystic-groovies-origin-comic

[Will SIbley]

See you on the 7th!

[suade99]

Again: awesome news. Wish I were anywhere near Indy/Ohio during that time frame... Here's hoping this is just the first of many fun shows for you guys!!!