The TONES, The WHOLETONES, and NUTHIN' but the TONES!
4 Young Guys hit the Road today. Ford Van pullin' a trailer jammed with Implements of destruction. Guitars, Banjo, Cello, Stand-Up Bass, Monster Drums and a Tattoo Gun.
I met 'em at the 7-11 to give up a tank of gas, and a little cash... them's my Boys.
TAYLOR FREYDBERG
ALEX DORRIS
The WHOLETONES, they're called.
FOLK-CORE they call themselves. Crashin'-Metal-Bluegrass I'd say. No stage show... those T-shirts and Blue Jeans give no hint of the explosion to come. Stand & Deliver, comes to mind.
In Honor of DAYTONA'S 70th Annual Bike Week, I wanna tell ya' about my favorite ride.
There's only one road thru Big Cypress Swamp. Florida - US 41. 2 lane black top... 80 miles without a stop light. A Bikers dream, speed limit mostly ignored... not too many Cops.
Ride South on any day, thru the 10,000 Islands... smell the sweet Buttonwood smoke from the Indian Villages you pass along the way.
There ain't much to see... if you ain't lookin'. Royal Palms and Sabels... Cypress, Mangroves, Jack Pines, Live Oaks with Spanish Moss hangin' down like hair... Tall Saw Grass, far as you can see. Hundreds of birds...Great Blue Herons, Egrets, Ibis, Kigfishers... Buzzards galore.
My Lady calls out every time she spots a critter along the road... Gator, Gator, Gator. Sometimes a Hundred of 'em. Saw a Bobcat one day, and small Deer. Dry season, water level's fall and Aligators start bunchin' up in the deep spots... they don't like it much... rather be alone, out in the Glades. I try not to mess with 'em, too much.
We ride down past the Everglades City turn off... nice to stop at Joanies Blue Crab Cafe, an old "Florida Cracker" House at the side of the Road. Live Music on Weekends, the sign says... and Cold Beer.
Bikers Welcome. Gator on the Menu... Gator's out back.
Raiford Starke with the WHOLETONES @ Joanies
Raiford plays there quite a bit...and my Boys, The WHOLETONES...It's the ONLY place to grab a bite for quite a ways on this Lonesome Highway. Other time atmosphere. Drop in, if you get a chance.
We like to stop at Fakahatchee Seminole Store... trade up some Indian Beads, cash only. They might not trust us... fair enough.
Their flag is red, white, yellow and black...
Ride another 20 Miles or so,down to the Ranger Station called The Oasis, watch them Gators for a while.
2 Lane Black Top, all the way to Miami... or Key West.
Not much has changed here, last 10,000 years or so, when the first Humans came rollin' thru.
For a City Boy, headin' out to Sea was the last Great Adventure. I'd gone as far as I could go. I learned right off from the Big Boys... got invited to bring my camera and go Offshore on the "ROCKIN' REBEL", a 31' Sport Fishin' Boat, with Capt. Doug... so I went...
I had Fished a few times on Lake Michigan, but nothing compared to 60 or 70 miles out on the Gulf of Mexico. Sun Up to Sun Down... those guys are HARD CORE Fishermen. Over the years I've gone on many a trip with the Rebel Crew, hit 30 knots for an hour or two, Rock n' Roll just BLASTIN" from the speakers, and fish IN THE BOX... that's what WE talkin' about!
Up North, down South.... fresh water or salt. The story is the same. Go where they LIVE, offer 'em something they EAT, and HOLD ON!
SNAPPAZ
A lot goin' on out there in the Gulf of Mexico.... 1,000 Miles wide and 12,000 feet deep. Knowing the spots, the Wrecks, the Reefs, the Rocks... that's the secret to catchin' 'em. Oh yeah.. and LUCK.
3 Dorris
There are NO fences, it's said... and after a couple hundred trips, VERY little would surprise me. 7 foot Tiger Shark? OH yeah... It's the same Planet... but a whole 'nother World. There's an awful lot of water, some big waves and Hellacious TEETH out there!
CUDA
Trust your Captain, is my best advice... and Be Prepared. 'cause " FORTUNE FAVORS the BRAVE"... and the well armed...
Tattoo experience, Number One, down in the basement, 1966... gave my self a lucky "13" with a sewing needle and India ink, my Brother Ray was next, gonna put a swatsticker on his arm... one poke for him and it was over... he's still got that one dot on his arm...
Little Rich with Big Richbefore Sicko
Not too much Tattoo goin' on around 1975. My Pal from Hell Creek Ranch had a nice one, Scott Asheton had that famous ROCK ACTION Tattoo by Lyle Tuttle... so I went to see Mel the Head, (RIP) to get some Ink, over on 9 Mile. Little bell rang when I walked in the place, no one home... then a voice hollered from somewhere "Be right with 'ya... HOLD STILL DAMMIT!" So I split... what the Heck. Another time.
My Brother Tony, we call 'em Nail, is full of good ideas and said if I got tattooed he'd pay HALF... or somethin' like that, 1988. So I did... little Puff the Magic Dragon kind a thing, I thought it was cool for awhile.
Well, SICKO showed up one rainy day... at the GHETTO RAGS booth, and said "I can FIX that for ya'"... the rest is history. If I woulda' sat still long enuff, I'd be lookin' like the Sunday Funnies... I swear.
Sicko, aka "Dirty" Kirt Hennings... ran an "Underground" Tattoo Studio in Detroit, early 90's... basement apartment over on 7 1/2 Mile & Wyoming, couple miles from where I grew up. HOME BOYS.
Nail and Sicko
I'd go there, Video, and late at night, get mine done... home 'bout 4, punch that factory clock at 7AM. BIG FUN... in fact, SICKO named his studio FUN HOUSE TATTOO'S, after I played the Stooges for 'em.
Sicko in Action
FIRST Motor City Tattoo Convention, 1996... was a BLAST! Old School, Super VHS, crowd surfin' BIG Video style. Original soundtrack recorded by Detroit's own, Bobby East. They say a picture is worth a thousand words... so I'll let them tell the tale. Dig it.
Haylee Detroit Dewar
That's my story, and I'm stickin' too it. Like Mom said... "Tony, you better put some Cream on your Clown"...
Tony's clown
I Came across a Lady on-line lately, HAYLEE DETROIT. The name grabbed me right off, and this Sister has got STYLE! A Tattooed Model, Mother, Actress, Tattoo Magazine Cover Girl and Bartender at the HARD ROCK CAFE Downtown Detroit... ALL that! She REALLY has it goin'.
I dropped a line, to see if I could put her on my site, she said OK...just spell my name right... so here it is! Haylee Detroit Dewar. Find her on Face Book, I did, and Go to www.tattoo-girlz.com, you will be AMAZED!
Email: bigrichdorris@gmail.com for reuse of content permission
Disclaimer: Photos are used solely for the purpose of discussion, comment and as a visual aide to convey the story of my life to you, the reader. These images and writing are not intended for any commercial reuse purpose.
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