Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Hard-driving rock 'nrol Buddy Ra KSffy^yRitcfot&x^rffiW^rfr'rf^*- w ^^\\\iJ^i^ -o^^K-^^BHiBBBW^a^vw^Bv^t^^wvr^ ^ ^ *'' * ^vhBB Buddy Ray belts out another song ... originals with no top fortv ?>" m Br 'wwtjf r *'* ^SBBWMB ,>^L :. Britlon Andrew--THE GAMECOCK ' Lead guitarist. I. n u/oit?r burning up the guitar on campu/ IIs&iqer NO(MV? I 1 WV I hve ve?7 ONLY GOT A I I IF H I y* FEW MORE 8 1 CHAl O \ a* n-rr / B I /s . \ /V\U\l*->? P.C3; V (j*OV \ -A I exii oj ] A l_ ' y Band has br By BARRY J. GLENN Entertainment Editor More than 30 persons with anxious faces stood in line outside the Golden Spur last Thursday night waiting for a chance to get in and have some fun. Once again the nightclub was packed to capacity and inside Buddy Ray and the Easy Come Band and Revue were already crooning out ballads and burning up guitar leads. If the group's name conjures up images of a mediocre redneck band crooning out tunes in twangy voices, nothing could be more wrong. The five-man Columbia band played a hard-driving form of country rock and roll which is hard to compare to any other group's sound. Sometimes the music resembles Amazing Rhythm Aces and at other times they sound a little like Marshall Tucker (minus the nasal twang). But the characteristic that sets th#? RnHHv Rav band apart from any other is the superlative talent displayed by lead guitarists L. G. Walker and Frank Smoak. For three hours Thursday night Smoak and Walker pounded away at their guitars like madmen, while Ray provided vocals with his husky voice. All of the songs were enjoyable, from the slow country ballads to faster rock and roll tunes. The band looked like they had played together for years, not oaa tor a group tnat was completed just a month ago with the addition of guitarist Smoak. RAY SAYS hardly a day has gone by since his childhood that he has not picked up a guitar. And he has been doing it for quite a while. "Playing in band is about all I've ever done," said Ray. "I began playing in 1959 with a high school. Back then we played whatever was popular, mainly top 40." K&aSi^Hl I CT^aW IfJi 8 Bassist Taylor, drummer Davis and Ray . . . count rrrrrr^rrrn t upi loLfCi mm I I I^v. <v,f 5 E OOE^n- 3tqM ouH I I g j / j ?TE? TODAY SToOEKrr I l^f^L ; ERKJMEfJT VJOM'T I I &J" "/S ./ ^ >T NEXT yF.Aje/\ I \toom.*3*M* ir^Tl)llcn= ?I a SIUEH ijn s . t + 1 rrVil" fnl'iTHrk Iglli X utuiu Today, Ray's band plays about 75 percent original material with no top 40. Most of the songs are written by Ray, who says he has written more than 100 songs. "I get inspiration for songs from the things I see around me. A lot of the ideas come from poking fun at friends or other people." The best of these songs were performed Thursday night ina forceful manner. "Gospel Music" opened the show, beginning rather slow and then breaking into a fast pace, complete with Walker's and Smoak's leads. "Ruby Red Wine" offered a slow pace and rhythm that resembled T: A A it? 1 - * * - - lummy jDuiiei. m tne ena 01 mis lune, nowever, the band again broke into a fast moving guitar festival. Smoak and Walker again combined on lead guitars and at times Walker was hitting the strings so hard that his face contorted in a mask of pain and pleasure. Even though the audience was calmer than Wednesday's night's wild crowd, they responded enthusiastically. Cries of "rock and roll" and "turn hot dog loose" (referring to Smoak's Frank's Hot Dogs t-shirt) filled the air. Ray responded by allowing Walker and Smoak to let go on guitar. Bassist Cary Taylor and drummer Skip David rounded out the dynamic per lurmance. SONGS WRITTEN by other artists were also performed. Ray showed where his musical roots lie by performing several Chuck Berry tunes including "Roll Over Beethoven." Smoak provided the vocals on one of the favorites of the evening, "Too Much Fun." Even though the band would like to cut an album soon, they agree they need to work together a little more before branching out to new things. But right now it is easy to see this band has a bright future in the world of rock and roll. -THE GAMEWC^ try with a rock and roll background BY GLENN RAWLS STOLC I Ok^r... I BUSY.' I I OK LUCMDA... I nl ^ LA ((ffTTl I